Observed chemical characteristics of long-range transported particles at a marine background site in Korea

Deokjeok Island is located off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula and is a suitable place to monitor the long-range transport of air pollutants from the Asian continent. In addition to pollutants, Asian dust particles are also transported to the island during long-range transport events. Episodic transport of dust and secondary particles was observed during intensive measurements in the spring (March 31-April 11) and fall (October 13-26) of 2009. In this study, the chemical characteristics of long-range-transported particles were investigated based on highly time-resolved ionic measurements with a particle-into-liquid system coupled with an online ion chromatograph (PILS-IC) that simultaneously measures concentrations of cations (Li+, Na , NH4+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and anions (F-, C1-, NO3-, SO42-). The aerosol optical thickness (AOT) distribution retrieved by the modified Bremen Aerosol Retrieval (M-BAER) algorithm from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data confirmed the presence of a thick aerosol plume coming from the Asian continent towards the Korean peninsula. Seven distinctive events involving the long-range transport (LRT) of aerosols were identified and studied, the chemical components of which were strongly related to sector sources. Enrichment of acidic secondary aerosols on mineral dust particles, and even of sea-salt components, during transport was observed in this study. Backward trajectory, chemical analyses, and satellite aerosol retrievals identified two distinct events: a distinctively high [Ca2++Mg2]/[Na+] ratio (>2.0), which was indicative of a preprocessed mineral dust transport event, and a low [Ca2++Mg2+]/[Na+] ratio (<2.0), which was indicative of severe aging of sea-salt components on the processed dust particles. Particulate C1- was depleted by up to 85% in spring and 50% in the fall. A consistent fraction of carbonate replacement (FCR) averaged 0.53 in spring and 0.55 in the fall. Supporting evidences of C1- enrichment on the marine boundary layer prior to a dust front were also found. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association for sector and air mass classifications of clean and LRT cases.     

Comparative effectiveness of mixed organic substrates to mushroom compost for treatment of mine drainage in passive bioreactors

Bioreactors are one possible best sustainable technology to address the mine-impacted water problems. Several prospective substrates (mushroom compost, cow manure, sawdust, wood chips, and cut rice straw) were characterized for their ability to serve as a source of food and energy for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Twenty bench-scale batch bioreactors were then designed and set up to investigate relative effectiveness of various mixtures of substrates to that of mushroom compost, the most commonly used substrate in field bioreactors, for treating mine drainage with acidic (pH 3) and moderate pH (pH 6). Overall, reactive mixtures showed satisfactory performances in generating alkalinity, reducing sulfate and removing metals (Al>Fe>Mn) (up to 100%) at both pH conditions, for all substrates. The mixture of sawdust and cow manure was found as the most effective whereas the mixture containing 40% cut rice straw gave limited efficiency, suggesting organic carbon released from this substrate is not readily available for biodegradation under anaerobic conditions. The mushroom compost-based bioreactors released significant amount of sulfate, which may raise a more concern upon the start-up of field-scale bioreactors. The correlation between the extent of sulfate reduction and dissolved organic carbon/SO(4)(2-) ratio was weak and this indicates that the type of dissolved organic carbon plays a more important role in sulfate reduction than the absolute concentration and that the ratio is not sensitive enough to properly describe the relative effectiveness of substrate mixtures.     

Mercury contamination in agricultural soils from abandoned metal mines classified by geology and mineralization

Lead (Pb) contents and partition in soils collected from eleven vegetable-growing lands in Fujian Province, China, were investigated using a modification of the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction procedure coupled with the Pb isotope ratio technique. Pb contents in Chinese white cabbage (B. Chinensis L.) grown on the lands for this study were also measured. Results showed that Pb concentrations in fifty samples of topsoil ranged from 456 to 21.5 mg kg⁻¹, with each mean concentration of six sampling lands exceeding the national standard (50 mg kg⁻¹); while Pb concentrations in edible portions of thirty-two vegetable samples ranged from 0.009 to 2.20 mg kg⁻¹, with four sampling sites exceeding the national sanitary standard (0.2 mg kg⁻¹). A significant correlation (r = 0.971, P < 0.01) of Pb contents in the acid-extractable fractions by BCR approach and the vegetables was observed, which indicates that the acid-extractable Pb is useful for evaluating the metal bioavailability for plants and potential risk for human health in soils. The determination of lead isotope ratios in different chemical forms of soils by BCR sequential extraction procedures provides useful information on the Pb isotopic composition associated with different soil fractions (especially in the acid-extractable fractions), and the result is helpful for the further study on controlling and reducing Pb contamination in vegetable-growing soils.