Remediation of a chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon in water by photoelectrocatalysis

Photoelectrocatalysis driven by visible light offers a new and potentially powerful technology for the remediation of water contaminated by organo-xenobiotics. In this study, the performance of a visible light-driven photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) batch reactor, applying a tungsten trioxide (WO₃) photoelectrode, to degrade the model pollutant 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was monitored both by toxicological assessment (biosensing) and chemical analysis. The bacterial biosensor used to assess the presence of toxicity of the parent molecule and its breakdown products was a multicopy plasmid lux-marked E. coli HB101 pUCD607. The bacterial biosensor traced the removal of 2,4-DCP, and in some case, its toxicity response suggests the identification of transient toxic intermediates. The loss of the parent molecule, 2,4-DCP determined by HPLC, corresponded to the recorded photocurrents. Photoelectrocatalysis offers considerable potential for the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, and that the biosensor based toxicity results identified likely compatibility of this technology with conventional, biological wastewater treatment.     

Pesticides in shallow groundwater of Bahawalnagar, Muzafargarh, D.G. Khan and Rajan Pur districts of Punjab, Pakistan

In Pakistan there is little data on environmental contamination of rural water sources by pesticides. This study evaluated pesticide contamination of groundwater in four intensive cotton growing districts. Water samples were collected from 37 rural open wells in the areas of Bahwalnagar, Muzafargarh, D.G. Khan and Rajan Pur districts of Punjab and analysed for eight pesticides which are mostly used. Information on types of pesticide used and distance to nearest pesticide mixing area and application areas was obtained for each site. From the eight pesticides analysed, six pesticides were detected in the water samples. Only cypermethrin and cabosulfan were not detected. The percentage of detection of bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, carbofuran, endosulfan, methyl parathion and monocrotophos was, respectively 13.5%, 5.4%, 59.4%, 8%, 5.4% and 35.1% in July; 16.2%, 13.55%, 43.2%, 8%, N.D. (not detected) and 24.3% in October. Maximum contamination levels (MCLs) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water were not exceeded. The study has shown the need for monitoring pesticide contamination in rural water resources, and the development of drinking water quality standards for specific pesticides in Pakistan. The conclusions and recommendations will be disseminated to senior decision makers in central and local governments, extension agents and farmers.     

准东煤炭产业区周边土壤重金属污染与健康风险的空间分布特征

以新疆准东煤炭产业区周边土壤重金属为研究对象,土壤按照0~10 cm、10~20 cm、20~30 cm分层取样,共采集156个土壤样品,测定了Zn、Cu、Cr、Pb、Hg和As共6种重金属含量,采用污染负荷指数（PLI）和美国环保署的健康风险模型评价了不同土壤深度重金属污染程度和对人体的健康风险,进一步利用多元统计分析、地统计分析和GIS技术研究了评价结果的差异显著性、空间变异结构和分布格局,并利用交叉验证方法检验了预测精度. 结果表明,Zn、Cu、Pb的含量范围为46.06~48.00、18.37~19.271、11.30~13.29 mg·kg^-1,与新疆背景值相比均未超标;Cr、Hg、As的含量范围为80.29~85.42、0.06~0.07、30.64~31.52 mg·kg^-1,与新疆背景值相比均超标,且超标率为60%以上;研究区土壤污染负荷（PLI）大小顺序为PLI_{0~10 cm}（1.35）> PLI_{20~30 cm}（1.28）> PLI_{10~20 cm}（1.25）,属于轻度污染;非致癌风险（HI）大小顺序为HI_{0~10 cm}（2.53E-01））> HI_{20~30 cm}（2.48E-01）> HI_{10~20 cm}（2.43E-01）,不存在非致癌健康风险;致癌风险（TCR）大小顺序为TCR_{0~10 cm}（2.81E-05）> TCR_{20~30 cm}（2.80E-05）> TCR_{10~20 cm}（2.74E-05）,存在可接受的致癌风险;方差分析得出不同土壤深度PLI、HI和TCR显著性水平分别为0.863、0.134、0.056,表明差异不显著;地统计分析表明,0~10 cm土壤深度Zn、Cu和As含量高值区位于产业区附近及其北部,Pb含量高值区组合成明显的“V”形高值带,Hg含量高值区位于中南部,Cr含量高值区以各产业区为中心向四周辐射状递减;PLI、HI和TCR高值区均位于研究区西北和东北方向,PLI随土壤深度增加中度污染区域逐渐减小,HI和TCR随深度增加高值区面积无明显变化. 总之,人口聚集的6个产业区附近及北部为重金属污染程度和人体健康风险高值区,特别是Cr、Hg、As污染程度较严重,As对人体健康风险贡献率最大,应当引起重视.     

Assessing the Impact of Areal Precipitation Input on Streamflow Simulations Using the SWAT Model1

Masih Ilyas, Shreedhar Maskey, Stefan Uhlenbrook, and Vladimir Smakhtin, 2011. Assessing the Impact of Areal Precipitation Input on Streamflow Simulations Using the SWAT Model. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):179‐195. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00502.x Abstract: Reduction of input uncertainty is a challenge in hydrological modeling. The widely used model Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) uses the data of a precipitation gauge nearest to the centroid of each subcatchment as an input for that subcatchment. This may not represent overall catchment precipitation conditions well. This paper suggests an alternative – using areal precipitation obtained through interpolation. The effectiveness of this alternative is evaluated by comparing its simulations with those based on the standard SWAT precipitation input procedure. The model is applied to mountainous semiarid catchments in the Karkheh River basin, Iran. The model performance is evaluated at daily, monthly, and annual scales by using a number of performance indicators at 15 streamflow gauging stations each draining an area in the range of 590‐42,620 km². The comparison suggests that the use of areal precipitation improves model performance particularly in small subcatchments in the range of 600‐1,600 km². The modified areal precipitation input results in increased reliability of simulated streamflows in the areas of low rain gauge density. Both precipitation input methods result in reasonably good simulations for larger catchments (over 5,000 km²). The use of areal precipitation input improves the accuracy of simulated streamflows with spatial resolution and density of rain gauges having significant impact on results.     

Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Hair and Nails of Young Pakistanis: Correlation with Dietary Elements

Hair and nail samples from young Pakistani adults were separately analyzed for quantification of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations. The concentrations of these metals were also analyzed in commonly consumed local foods to evaluate potential correlation of hair and nail concentrations with diet. Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.349 to 0.999, demonstrating diet to be a significant contributor for accumulation of heavy metals in humans.     

Characterization of polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants in sludge,sediment and fish from municipal dumpsite at Surabaya,Indonesia

We investigated the PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs contamination in sludge, sediments and fish from various locations including raw leachate pond, leachate treatment plans (LTPs), control wells and reference site at open landfill of municipal dumpsite, Surabaya City, Indonesia. 62 PCBs and 14 PBDEs congeners, and 3 HBCDs isomers were identified and quantified using GC–MS and LC–MS/MS, respectively. Concentration ranges and median (value in parentheses) of PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs were from not detected (ND) to 60 (3.9) ng g⁻¹ dw, 0.0075 to 45 (4.5) ng g⁻¹ dw and ND to 2.8 (0.052) ng g⁻¹ dw in sludge and sediments, respectively. While in two polled of fish samples were 30–55 ng g⁻¹ lw, 6.6–11 ng g⁻¹ lw and 1.6–3.3 ng g⁻¹ lw, respectively. Among the sampling sites, the highest level of PCBs and PBDEs were detected in sludge from raw leachate pond. However, PCBs and PBDEs levels were showing decreased in LTP-1 that could be due to the bacterial degradation but not in LTP-2, HBCDs were more stable in both LTPs. Levels of PCBs and BFRs in sludge at the present study were lower than those reported in sewage sludge reported from some other countries. PCBs profiles were mainly composed in that order by CB-138, -153, -180, -101, -118 and -28, while by BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154 and -28 for PBDEs in sludge, sediments and fish. Profiles of HBCDs were predominantly composed by γ- and α-isomers in sludge and fish, respectively. Debromination, dechlorination, commercial formulations used and congener-specific accumulation of those contaminants are the factors influenced the profiles.