Accumulation and elimination of C-PCBs by daphnia magna straus 1820

The accumulation of chlorinated biphenyls in shows a tendency to increase with decreasing water solubility. The depuration times of PCBs from daphnia depend on the temperature of the test water and possibly on the water solubility of the substance. The water solubilities of 2,2′-dichlorobiphenyl, 2,5,4′-trichlorobiphenyl, 2,4,6,2′-tetrachlorobiphenyl and 2,4,6,2′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl have been determined using ¹⁴C-labelled substances.     

Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed on spruce [Picea abies (L) Karst] needles under sunlight irradiation

Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbed on surfaces of spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] needles under sunlight irradiation was investigated. PAHs were produced by combustion of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wood, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and styrene in a stove. The factors of sunlight irradiation on the surfaces of spruce needles were taken into consideration when investigating the kinetic parameters. The photolysis of the 18 PAHs under study follows first-order kinetics. The photolysis half-lives range from 15 h for dibenzo(a,h)anthracene to 75 h for phenanthrene. Photolysis of some PAHs on surfaces of spruce needles may play an important role on the fate of PAHs in the environment.     

Application of ground-based Lidar for studies of the dynamics of ozone in a mountainous basin

A ground-based Differential Absorption Lidar was employed to study the dynamics of atmospheric O3 within the planetary boundary layer of a basin in the 'Fichtelgebirge' mountains, NE Bavaria. In particular, the night-time dynamics of O3 linked to the ground were investigated. The Lidar system measured vertical profiles of O3 up to 1 km above ground. For detailed analysis of the night-time dynamics of ozone, supplementary data from three ground-based stations (measuring mixing ratios of O3 and NO(x), as well as meteorological parameters) are essential. The Lidar results could be evaluated with these data from various altitudes above the basin floor. For the station with the largest (vertical) distance to the ground-based Lidar, the agreement was very good at all times. The Lidar method proved to be useful for examining the spatial distribution of O3. The observed night-time decrease of O3 at the bottom of the basin was due to deposition and to advection of air masses containing less O3 from the mountain slopes.     

Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Two Arable Soils from the Semi-Arid and Subtropical Regions of China

The residues of 31 chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs), 25 chlorophenols (CPs), 30 organophosphorus (OP) and pyrethroid (PRT) in two arable soils from the semi-arid and subtropical regions of China were assessed. Data obtained indicate that the main compounds of CHC pesticide residues in the semi-arid soil were 4,4′-DDE (25.3 ng/g) and β-HCH (14.1 ng/g), which totally accounted to about 90% of total CHC residues detected. The total content of CHC residues detected in the subtropical soil was only 3.1 ng/g, of which approximately 50% was β-HCH. However, the total content of CP residues in both of the soils was about 11 ng/g. In the semi-arid soil, only parathion-methyl amongst the 30 compounds of OP and PRT residues was detected (32.5 ng/g), whilst malathion and parathion-methyl (8.7 and 17.7 ng/g, respectively) detected in the subtropical soil. Based on these results, it was suggested the environmental risk of pesticide residues ranked in an order as CHCs (mainly as 4,4′-DDE, β-HCH) > OP (parathion-methyl) > CPs for the semi-arid soil, and as OPs (parathion-methyl and malathion) > CPs > CHCs (β-HCH) for the subtropical soil.     

Remote monitoring of air pollutant emissions from point sources by a mobile lidar/sodar system

This paper describes remote monitoring of air pollutant emissions by a mobile lidar (light detection and ranging)/ sodar (sound detection and ranging) system. First, measurements are carried out in the flue gas plume of a public power plant. The investigations focus mainly on quantifying SO2 emissions, but the uncertainties of such measurements are also emphasized. Furthermore, an example providing valuable data sets for the development and validation of plume dispersion models is outlined with measurements of the dilution of SO2 along the plume axis. Series of repeated determinations of SO2 emissions show a large variation in the obtained flux values, with moderate margins of error. Incomplete recording of the plume within the individual lidar scans, induced by strong looping movements of the flue gas plume, predominantly causes the variations of flux values. Therefore, the highest flux values determined are considered to be the most exact. This is verified by a comparison of measured fluxes with in situ measurements made by the plant operators. The results further indicate that lidar measurements illustrate the location and dimension of aerosol plumes better than the location and dimension of the plumes of gaseous compounds. The wind direction affecting the plume at any moment can be determined faster by lidar than by sodar because the latter requires much longer time intervals of signal averaging. Measurements show higher concentrations of SO2 compared with results from a Gaussian plume model for periods of less than 5 min after dispersion. The findings emphasize the suitability of remote sensing for detecting emissions and for investigating the propagation and dilution of air pollutant plumes.