A New All Season Passive Sampling System for Monitoring Ozone in Air

A new all season passive sampling system for monitoring O₃ in the atmosphere has been developed in the laboratory and validated in the field. The unique features for this system include a newly designed passive sampler and a rain shelter, which allow the passive sampler to be installed in the field facing downwards. An equation associated with meteorological parameters is used to calculate the passive sampling rates. This system has been extensively tested in the lab (temperature from –18 to 20°C, relative humidity from 13 to 81%, and wind speed from 0.5 to 150 cm/s) and validated in the field in climates of all seasons. The accuracy of the ozone concentrations in the atmosphere obtained with the use of the new passive sampling system was higher than 85% compared to those obtained with continuous ozone analyzers. The new ozone passive sampling system can be used to measure ambient O₃ concentrations ranging from 3 ppb to 1000 ppb based on one-day exposure and 0.1 ppb to 140 ppb for a monthly exposure period. It is also reasonable to conclude that the new passive sampling system can be used for eight-hour exposure study because of the low field blanks and high sampling rates.     

两座高原水库蓝藻群落结构与微囊藻毒素的分布对比研究

为了了解贵州高原水库蓝藻群落组成特征和微囊藻毒素分布,于2009年10月对贵州高原2座水库——万峰湖和百花湖采样调查。结果表明:万峰湖以蓝藻为主要优势藻,蓝藻中的拟柱孢藻(Cylindrospermopsis sp.)占绝对优势,浮游植物丰度在13.05×104～55.80×104 cells.L-1之间,蓝藻的丰度值占到了总量的82.55%,6个采样点中有3个(大坝、野鸭滩和革布)检出了微囊藻毒素MC-RR,且有1个点(革布)质量浓度超标,另外3个点(坝艾、坝达章和九里堡)未检出;百花湖以蓝藻、绿藻和硅藻共同构成优势藻,蓝藻中的假鱼腥藻(Pseudanabaena limnetica)是主要优势藻,浮游植物丰度在6.16×104～65.00×104 cells.L-1之间,蓝藻的丰度值在总体中所占比例为33.25%,3个采样点(大坝、岩脚寨和码头)均未检出微囊藻毒素。形成2个高原水库蓝藻群落结构和微囊藻毒素分布差异的原因可能是:2个水库中氮、磷营养盐水平不同引起浮游植物群落组成不同,进而导致了微囊藻毒素的分布出现差异。     

Joint effects of Penta-BDE and heavy metals on Daphnia magna survival, its antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation

The joint toxicity of Penta-BDE (Pe-BDE) and heavy metals including cadmium and copper on Daphnia magna (D. magna) was evaluated on the basis of determining the 48 h survival, antioxidative enzyme responses, and lipid peroxidation. The response was classified as additive, greater than additive, or less than additive by comparing the measured ??toxic units, TU?? with one. Based on the survival of D. magna, less-than-additive interactions were found in most of mixtures treatments. This may be attributed to the different toxicity mechanism between Pe-BDE and metals. Cu and Cd played a greater role in toxicity than what Pe-BDE did. As for the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, most response was less than additive. For the glutathione S-transferases (GST) activity, most of the greater-thanadditive responses were found in the Cu plus Pe-BDE treatments, but the additive responses occurred in Cd plus Pe-BDE treatments and binary metal treatments. For lipid peroxide levels, which were measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, less-than-additive response occurred in the 50% Cd plus 50% Cu and ternary mixture treatments. Results suggested that Pe-BDE, Cd, and Cu could induce different patterns of antioxidant enzyme responses, such as antioxidant/prooxidant responses, depending on their capability to produce reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes to detoxify them.     

Size and resin fractionations of dissolved organic matter and trihalomethane precursors from four typical source waters in China

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its potential to form disinfection by-products (DBPs) during drinking water treatment raise challenges to water quality control. Understanding both chemical and physical characteristics of DOM in source waters is key to better water treatment. In this study, the DOM from four typical source waters in China was fractionated by XAD resin adsorption (RA) and ultrafiltration (UF) techniques. The trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) of all fractions in the DOM were investigated to reveal the major THM precursors. The fraction distributions of DOM could be related to their geographical origins in a certain extent. The dominant chemical fraction as THM precursors in the DOM from south waters (East-Lake reservoir in Shenzhen and Peal rivers in Guangzhou) was hydrophobic acid (HoA). The size fraction with molecular weight (MW) <1 kDa in both south waters had the highest THMFP. The results of cluster analysis showed that the parameters of fractions including DOC percentage (DOC%), UV₂₅₄%, SUVA₂₅₄ (specific UV₂₅₄ absorbance) and THMFP were better for representing the differences of DOM from the studied waters than specific THMFP (STHMFP). The weak correlation between SUVA₂₅₄ and STHMFP for either size or XAD fractions suggests that whether SUVA₂₅₄ can be used as an indicator for the reactivity of THM formation is highly dependent on the nature of organic matter.     

Policies, Regulations, and Eco-ethical Wisdom Relating to Ancient Chinese Fisheries

Marine ecosystems are in serious troubles globally, largely due to the failures of fishery resources management. To restore and conserve fishery ecosystems, we need new and effective governance systems urgently. This research focuses on fisheries management in ancient China. We found that from 5,000 years ago till early modern era, Chinese ancestors had been constantly enthusiastic about sustainable utilization of fisheries resources and natural balance of fishery development. They developed numerous rigorous policies and regulations to guide people to act on natural laws. Being detailed and scientific, the legal systems had gained gratifying enforcement, due to official efforts and folks’ voluntary participation in resource management. In-depth analyses show that people’s consciousness of ecological conservation was derived from the edification of kinds of ancient eco-ethical wisdom, such as totemism, nature worship, Zhou Yi, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Mohism, etc. All this Chinese classical wisdom have the same cores: “Nature and Man in One” spirit, frugality and “All things are equal” concept. The findings show that eco-ethical thinking is never inconsistent with social ethic systems, and it’s of great importance to give legal effect to usual ecological moral claims and eco-ethical requirements of the public in protecting the environment. The eco-ethical wisdom is efficient in assisting and urging people to fulfill humans’ obligation for nature. Finally, it’s believed that present world fisheries management will benefit a lot from all these ancient Chinese thoughts and practices. People are expected to make the most of the eco-ethical wisdom, strengthen fishery legislation and fully stimulate their voluntary participation in both marine fishery resources conservation and fishery cyclic economy.     

Accumulation levels and characteristics of some pesticides in human adipose tissue samples from Southeast China

This paper presents a comprehensive study of pesticide levels and bio-accumulation characteristics in human adipose tissues among residents of Southeast China. A large number of adipose samples (n = 633) were selected for 58 pesticides and were analyzed by high sensitive Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The results showed that POPs pesticides were frequently detected, including 2,4′-DDD, 2,4′-DDE, 2,4′-DDT, 4,4′-DDD, 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDT, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and mirex. Other detected pesticide species were dicofol, methamidophos and chlordimeform, which have rarely been reported. Comparing to different countries, the concentrations of total DDT and HCH in these three Chinese southeastern sites were in the middle range, whereas the HCB and mirex were in the lower end. A significant correlation was observed between region as well as age and POPs pesticide levels. Some pesticide residue levels were also found significantly correlated to occupation. However, there was no significant correlation between gender and pesticides. Meanwhile, it is interesting to find that mortality of malignant tumors tends to associate with the pesticides levels in human adipose tissue. More importantly, the measured data presented in this study provide realistic information which is useful for assessing human exposure to pesticides in the general population of Southeast China.     

Occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in coastal water of the Bohai Bay, China: impacts of river discharge and aquaculture activities

The presence of 21 antibiotics in six different groups was investigated in coastal water of the Bohai Bay. Meantime, to illuminate the potential effects caused by the river discharge and aquaculture activities, wastewater from three breeding plants and surface water from six rivers flowing into the Bohai Bay were also analyzed for the selected antibiotics. The result revealed that measured antibiotics in the North Bobai Bay were generally higher than those in the South, highlighting the remarkable effects of high density of human activities on the exposure of antibiotics in environment. The antibiotics found in the six rivers were generally higher than those in the Bohai Bay reflecting the important antibiotics source of river discharge. This study reveals that the high consumption of some antibiotics in aquaculture activities may pose high ecological risk to the bay.     

The changes of nitric oxide production during the growth of Microcystis aerugrinosa

This study characterized the changes of nitric oxide (NO) production during the growth of Microcystis aerugrinosa, a cyanobacterium which usually cause cyanobacterial blooms. Results showed a drastic NO release accompanying with cell density and Chl-a content sharp rises when M. aerugrinosa grew from fifth day to sixth day. Moreover, high N:P ratio accelerated the cyanobacterial growth and NO burst. Sodium nitroprusside, an exogenous NO donor, promoted M. aerugrinosa growth with the optimal concentration of 0.1 mg/L. Experiments by supplementing with sodium nitrite and l-arginine demonstrated NO production in M. aerugrinosa cells was mainly through nitrate reductase (NR) pathway while minorly through NO synthase pathway. All these data suggested M. aerugrinosa produced increasing NO during its growth mainly by NR pathway, during which NO positively regulated the growth of M. aerugrinosa.     

Impact of biogenic emission uncertainties on the simulated response of ozone and fine particulate matter to anthropogenic emission reductions

The role of emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitric oxide from biogenic sources is becoming increasingly important in regulatory air quality modeling as levels of anthropogenic emissions continue to decrease and stricter health-based air quality standards are being adopted. However, considerable uncertainties still exist in the current estimation methodologies for biogenic emissions. The impact of these uncertainties on ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels for the eastern United States was studied, focusing on biogenic emissions estimates from two commonly used biogenic emission models, the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and the Biogenic Emissions Inventory System (BEIS). Photochemical grid modeling simulations were performed for two scenarios: one reflecting present day conditions and the other reflecting a hypothetical future year with reductions in emissions of anthropogenic oxides of nitrogen (NOx). For ozone, the use of MEGAN emissions resulted in a higher ozone response to hypothetical anthropogenic NOx emission reductions compared with BEIS. Applying the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance on regulatory air quality modeling in conjunction with typical maximum ozone concentrations, the differences in estimated future year ozone design values (DVF) stemming from differences in biogenic emissions estimates were on the order of 4 parts per billion (ppb), corresponding to approximately 5% of the daily maximum 8-hr ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 75 ppb. For PM2.5, the differences were 0.1-0.25 microg/m3 in the summer total organic mass component of DVFs, corresponding to approximately 1-2% of the value of the annual PM2.5 NAAQS of 15 microg/m3. Spatial variations in the ozone and PM2.5 differences also reveal that the impacts of different biogenic emission estimates on ozone and PM2.5 levels are dependent on ambient levels of anthropogenic emissions.     

吸附-氧化法应急处理饮用水源突发苯酚污染的研究

以黄浦江上游水源地突发苯酚污染为背景,重点考察了粉末活性炭（PAC）吸附、高锰酸钾（KMnO4）氧化及两者联用技术的除酚效能。结果表明,活性炭及氧化剂种类的选择是影响处理效果的重要因素,微孔发达、比表面积巨大的竹炭对苯酚的去除效果明显优于煤质炭、椰壳炭和木质炭;KMnO4对苯酚的氧化能力强于次氯酸钠和高铁酸钾。增大PAC和KMnO4的投加量,可有效提高对苯酚的去除率;PAC吸附-KMnO4氧化联用技术可大大提高除酚效能