Abundances, distribution, and sources of trace metals in Nakaumi–Honjo coastal lagoon sediments, Japan

Bottom sediments from Nakaumi Lagoon and the Honjo Area in southwest Japan were analyzed to determine their geochemical compositions and to assess potential impacts by comparison with sediment quality guidelines. Present-day water quality was also assessed. Results showed that the water quality of Nakaumi Lagoon and the Honjo area contrasts between their upper and lower parts. Average abundances of As, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr in the Nakaumi sediments were 12, 25, 135, 32, 21, and 46 ppm, respectively, compared to 10, 24, 110, 26, 20, and 38 ppm in the Honjo area. All averages are greater than those of the upper continental crust. The elevated metal concentrations are probably related to the fine-grained nature of the sediments, reducing bottom conditions produced by abundant organic matter and possibly minor non-point anthropogenic sources. Trace metal contents are strongly correlated with Fe₂O₃, suggesting that Fe oxides play a role in controlling abundances. Metal concentrations exceed the NYSDEC lowest effect level and CCME interim sediment quality guidelines that indicate moderate impact on aquatic organisms. Average abundances of As and Zn are comparable to the Coastal Ocean Sediment Database threshold, whereas maximum concentrations exceed that value, indicating that the concentrations of these metals are potentially toxic. These enrichments suggest that regular monitoring may be desirable even where no point sources of metal pollution exist.     

Acid-treated Fe-doped TiO2 as a high performance photocatalyst used for degradation of phenol under visible light irradiation

The photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticles is significantly increased by an acid-treatment process. The photocatalyst nanoparticles were prepared using sol–gel method with 0.5 mol% ratio of Fe:Ti in acidic pH of 3. The nanoparticles were structurally characterized by means of X-ray diffraction(XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscope(HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS). It was observed that the photocatalytic activity suffered from an iron oxide contaminating layer deposited on the surface of the nanoparticles. This contamination layer was removed using an HCl acidtreatment process. The photocatalytic activity using 500 mg/L of Fe0.5-TiO2 in a 10 mg/L of phenol solution increased significantly from 33% to 57%(about 73% increase in the performance), within 90 min of reaction time under visible light irradiation. This significant improvement was achieved by removing the iron oxide contamination layer from the surface of the nanoparticles and adjusting p H to mild acidic and basic pHs.     

洱海西部雨季地表径流氮磷污染特征及受土地利用类型的影响

云南高原平坝区地表径流是湖泊氮、磷的主要来源之一.为研究高原平坝区雨季地表径流氮、磷污染特征及受土地利用类型的影响,调查了洱海西部平坝区雨季的径流氮、磷形态特征,并结合遥感影像空间分析与SPSS等统计分析,从汇水区尺度和缓冲区尺度上研究土地利用类型与地表径流水质的关系.结果表明:①研究区雨季地表径流氮、磷质量浓度较高,ρ（TP）为0.16~0.77 mg/L,且以DIP（溶解性无机磷）为主（63.01%）;ρ（TN）为1.75~14.86 mg/L,且以NO₃--N为主（78.15%）.②汇水区尺度上城镇用地对ρ（TP）影响突出.环湖农村居民点对ρ（NH₄+-N）影响突出,耕地中的高施肥种植区对ρ（TN）、ρ（NO₃--N）影响突出;③在缓冲区500、1 000和2 000 m尺度下,随缓冲区距离增加,土地利用类型对地表径流水质的影响减小.研究显示,城镇用地与高施肥种植区对洱海西部雨季地表径流氮、磷质量浓度影响最大,土地利用类型随缓冲区距离增加对水质的影响逐渐减小.      

海菜花-螺蛳经济湿地对农田低污染水的净化

为研究海菜花水培经济湿地对农田低污染水的净化效能及投放螺蛳对水体净化的影响,在进水ρ(TN)、ρ(NO₃--N)、ρ(TP)分别为(5.08±0.14)、(4.71±0.15)、(0.10±0.03)mg/L条件下,构建了无螺组(海菜花湿地)、有螺组(海菜花-螺蛳经济湿地)和空白组(无海菜花和螺蛳湿地)3种湿地,对比不同HRT(水力停留时间)对水质处理效果的影响,并考察了其经济效益. 结果表明:①HRT为7 d时,无螺组对TN、NO₃--N和TP的去除率分别为55.6%±5.8%、62.6%±5.8%和76.3%±4.8%,有螺组分别为50.8%±5.5%、61.2%±6.3%和75.5%±3.9%;HRT为42 d时的污染物去除率与HRT为28 d时相当,并且有螺组和无螺组也相当,对TN、NO₃--N和TP的去除率分别在76.8%、92.4%和84.8%以上. ②HRT为7和42 d时,投放螺蛳对N、P的去除均表现为抑制作用;HRT为7 d时有螺组浊度显著降低(P<0.05). ③HRT为7 d时,有螺组和无螺组对TN、TP的处理量均在800和228 kg/(hm2·a)以上,显著高于HRT为42 d〔141、46 kg/(hm2·a)〕时. ④HRT为7 d的有螺组经济效益最高,为20.3×104元/(hm2·a),其中海菜花收益为15.4×104元/(hm2·a),投加螺蛳增加经济效益为4.9×104元/(hm2·a). 综合考虑对农田低污染水的净化效能和经济效益,优选HRT为7 d的海菜花-螺蛳经济湿地处理农田低污染水.      

Development of zerovalent iron and titania (Fe0/TiO2) composite for oxidative degradation of dichlorophene in aqueous solution: synergistic role of peroxymonosulfate (HSO5−)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Binary composite of zerovalent iron and titanium dioxide (Fe0/TiO2) was synthesized for the catalytic removal of dichlorophene (DCP) in the presence...     

The impact of mucormycosis (black fungus) on SARS-CoV-2-infected patients: at a glance

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The emergence of various diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic made health workers more attentive, and one of the new pathogens is the black fungus...