Cytotoxicity of the soluble and insoluble fractions of atmospheric fine particulate matter

Inhaled atmospheric fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)) includes soluble and insoluble fractions,and each fraction can interact with cells and cause adverse effects.PM_(2.5) samples were collected in Jinan,China,and the soluble and insoluble fractions were separated.According to physiochemical characterization,the soluble fraction mainly contains watersoluble ions and organic acids,and the insoluble fraction mainly contains kaolinite,calcium carbonate and some organic carbon.The interaction between PM_(2.5) and model cell membranes was examined with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation(QCM-D) to quantify PM_(2.5) attachment on membranes and membrane disruption.The cytotoxicity of the total PM_(2.5) and the soluble and insoluble fractions,was investigated.Negatively charged PM_(2.5) can adhere to the positively charged membranes and disrupt them.PM_(2.5)also adheres to negatively charged membranes but does not cause membrane rupture.Therefore,electrostatic repulsion does not prevent PM_(2.5) attachment,but electrostatic attraction induces remarkable membrane rupture.The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was used for cytotoxicity assessment.The detected membrane leakage,cellular swelling and blebbing indicated a cell necrosis process.Moreover,the insoluble PM_(2.5) fraction caused a higher cell mortality and more serious cell membrane damage than the soluble fraction.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) enhanced by the two fractions were not significantly different.The findings provide more information to better understand the mechanism of PM_(2.5) cytotoxicity and the effect of PM_(2.5) solubility on cytotoxicity.     

An investigation of changes in water quality throughout the drinking water production/distribution chain using toxicological and fluorescence analyses

Changes in water quality from source water to finished water and tap water at two conventional drinking water treatment plants(DWTPs) were monitored.Beside the routine water quality testing,Caenorhabditis elegans-based toxicity assays and the fluorescence excitation–emission matrices technique were also applied.Both DWTPs supplied drinking water that met government standards.Under current test conditions,both the investigated finished water and tap water samples exhibited stronger lethal,genotoxic and reprotoxic potential than the relative source water sample,and the tap water sample was more lethal but tended to be less genotoxic than the corresponding finished water sample.Meanwhile,the nearly complete removal of tryptophan-like substances and newly generated tyrosine-like substances were observed after the treatment of drinking water,and humic-like substances were identified in the tap water.Based on these findings,toxic pollutants,including genotoxic/reproductive toxicants,are produced in the drinking water treatment and/or distribution processes.Moreover,further studies are needed to clarify the potentially important roles of tyrosine-like and humic-like substances in mediating drinking water toxicity and to identify the potential sources of these contaminants.Additionally,tryptophan-like fluorescence may be adopted as a useful parameter to monitor the treatment performance of DWTPs.Our observations provided insights into the importance of utilizing biotoxicity assays and fluorescence spectroscopy as tools to complement the routine evaluation of drinking water.     

Will polycentric cities cause more CO2 emissions? A case study of 232 Chinese cities

From 2000 to 2010 China experienced rapid economic development and urbanization. Many cities in economically developed areas have developed from a single-center status to polycentricity. In this study, we used exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) to identify the population centers, which identified 232 cities in China as having urban centers. COMP was used to represent urban agglomeration, and POLYD (representing how far is the city's sub-centers to the main center), POLYC (representing the number of a city's centers), and POLYP (representing the population distributed between the main center and the sub-centers) were used to indicate urban polycentricity. Night light data were used to determine the CO₂ emissions from various cities in China. A mixed model was used to study the impact of urban aggregation and polycentric data on the CO₂ emission efficiency in 2000 and 2010. The study found that cities with higher compactness were distributed in coastal areas, and the cities with higher multicentricity were distributed in the Yangtze River Delta and Shandong Province. The more compact the city was, the less conducive it was to improving CO₂ emission efficiency. Polycentric development of the city was conducive to improving the CO₂ emission efficiency, but the number of urban centers had no significant relationship with the CO₂ emission efficiency. Our research showed that the compactness and multicentricity of the city had an impact on the CO₂ emission efficiency and provided some planning suggestions for the low carbon development of the city.     

Ozone pollution characteristics and sensitivity analysis using an observation-based model in Nanjing, Yangtze River Delta Region of China

Ground-level ozone (O₃) has become a critical pollutant impeding air quality improvement in Yangtze River Delta region of China. In this study, we present O₃ pollution characteristics based on one-year online measurements during 2016 at an urban site in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Then, the sensitivity of O₃ to its precursors during 2 O₃ pollution episodes in August was analyzed using a box model based on observation (OBM). The relative incremental reactivity (RIR) of hydrocarbons was larger than other precursors, suggesting that hydrocarbons played the dominant role in O₃ formation. The RIR values for NO_X ranged from –0.41%/% to 0.19%/%. The O₃ sensitivity was also analyzed based on relationship of simulated O₃ production rates with reductions of VOC and NO_X derived from scenario analyses. Simulation results illustrate that O₃ formation was between VOCs-limited and transition regime. Xylenes and light alkenes were found to be key species in O₃ formation according to RIR values, and their sources were determined using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Paints and solvent use was the largest contributor to xylenes (54%), while petrochemical industry was the most important source to propene (82%). Discussions on VOCs and NO_X reduction schemes suggest that the 5% O₃ control goal can be achieved by reducing VOCs by 20%. To obtain 10% O₃ control goal, VOCs need to be reduced by 30% with VOCs/NO_X larger than 3:1.     

精神活性物质在北京市某污水处理厂中的污染特征与生态风险

为了解污水处理厂对精神活性物质的去除特征及总出水对受纳水体的生态风险,采用固相萃取-高效液相色谱-串联质谱法调查了北京市某污水处理厂中13种精神活性物质的浓度水平与负荷量变化,并运用RQ（risk quotient,风险熵）对总出水中精神活性物质进行风险评估.结果表明:①13种精神活性物质在总进水与总出水中均能检出,总质量浓度平均值分别为2 395.10和63.59 ng/L,其中ρ（EPH）（EPH表示麻黄碱）占比分别为93.9%和67.9%,其次为COD（可待因）与METH（甲基苯丙胺）.污水处理厂上游地表水中ρ（EPH）、ρ（METH）与ρ（KET）（KET为氯胺酮）均高于总出水及其下游地表水,说明上游沿河可能有新的污染源输入.②污水处理厂对NK（去甲氯胺酮）、BE（苯甲酰爱康宁）和MTD（美沙酮）均呈负去除,其他精神活性物质的去除主要发生在二级生物处理与三级处理（超滤膜与UV消毒）阶段.③污水处理厂服务区域内精神活性物质的周内负荷量存在一定波动,AMP（苯丙胺）、METH、MDA（3,4-亚甲二氧基苯丙胺）、MDMA（3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺）、KET与HER（海洛因）的负荷量均在周末升高.④污水处理厂总出水中精神活性物质的生态风险均较低（RQ < 0.10）.研究显示,污水处理厂不能完全去除污水中的精神活性物质,总出水中残留精神活性物质对受纳河流生态系统产生的长期混合效应不容忽视.      

不同浓度锌处理下水稻幼苗对镉的累积效应

为探究锌（Zn）对水稻镉（Cd）累积的影响及其根表铁膜所发挥的作用,选取Cd高累积型水稻品种中9优547（简称"Z547"）和Cd低累积型水稻品种金优402（简称"J402"）,采用温室水培试验,研究0、2、5、10、15和20 μmol/L等6个Zn浓度下水稻幼苗对Cd的累积效应,以及不同浓度Zn处理对根表铁膜生成量的影响.结果表明:①随着c（Zn）的增加,Z547和J402水稻幼苗生物量均呈先增后减的趋势,分别在c（Zn）为2和10 μmol/L时达到最大值.②Z547和J402水稻幼苗中w（Cd）均呈先降后增的趋势,分别在c（Zn）为5和2 μmol/L时达到最小值;当水稻幼苗中w（Cd）达到最小值时,Z547根和地上部中w（Cd）分别为31.65和11.47 mg/kg,J402根和地上部中w（Cd）分别为22.58和14.36 mg/kg.③不同浓度Zn处理下水稻幼苗各部位中w（Cd）均与根表铁膜中w（Mn）、w（Fe）、w（Fe+Mn）呈显著正相关,高铁膜处理水稻幼苗中w（Cd）显著高于低铁膜处理,表明根表铁膜生成量的增加会促进Cd在水稻幼苗中的累积.研究显示,当c（Zn）较低时,c（Zn）的增加会抑制水稻幼苗对Cd的累积;当c（Zn）较高时,c（Zn）的增加会促进水稻幼苗对Cd的累积,而Zn可通过控制根表铁膜的生成来影响水稻幼苗对Cd的累积.      

Particulate matter exchange between atmosphere and roads surfaces in urban areas

The deposition and the re-suspension of particulate matter (PM) in urban areas are the key processes that contribute not only to stormwater pollution, but also to air pollution. However, investigation of the deposition and the re-suspension of PM is challenging because of the difficulties in distinguishing between the resuspended and the deposited PM. This study created two Bayesian Networks (BN) models to explore the deposition and the re-suspension of PM as well as the important influential factors. The outcomes of BN modelling revealed that deposition and re-suspension of PM10 occurred under both, high-traffic and low-traffic conditions, and the re-suspension of PM2.5 occurred under low-traffic conditions. The deposition of PM10 under low-volume traffic condition is 1.6 times higher than under high-volume traffic condition, which is attributed to the decrease in PM10 caused by relatively higher turbulence under high-volume traffic conditions. PM10 is more easily resuspended from road surfaces compared to PM2.5 as the particles which larger than the thickness of the laminar airflow over the road surface are more easily removed from road surfaces. The increase in wind speed contributes to the increase in PM build-up by transporting particulates from roadside areas to the road surfaces and the airborne PM2.5 and PM10 increases with the increase in relative humidity. The study outcomes provide a step improvement in the understanding of the transfer processes of PM2.5 and PM10 between atmosphere and urban road surfaces, which in turn will contribute to the effective design of mitigation measures for urban stormwater and air pollution.     

保定市大气污染特征和潜在输送源分析

保定市是京津冀地区重要城市之一.为了解保定市大气污染物质量浓度特征和潜在输送源,对保定市国控点2017年1月1日-12月31日PM₁₀、PM_2.5、SO₂、NO₂、O₃、CO等常规大气污染物数据进行分析,并利用TrajStat后向轨迹模型进行区域传输研究.结果表明:①ρ（PM₁₀）、ρ（PM_2.5）、ρ（SO₂）、ρ（NO₂）分别为（138±96）（84±66）（29±23）和（50±24）μg/m3,与2016年相比分别下降5.9%、9.1%、25.5%和13.1%;ρ（CO）较2016年下降了14.0%;ρ（O₃）较2016年增长了25.2%.ρ（PM₁₀）、ρ（PM_2.5）、ρ（NO₂）和ρ（O₃）分别超过GB 3095-2012《环境空气质量标准》二级标准限值的0.97、1.40、0.25和0.34倍,ρ（SO₂）和ρ（CO）未超标.②除ρ（O₃）外,其他污染物质量浓度均呈冬季最高、夏季最低的季节性特征,其中,冬季PM_2.5污染最为严重,春季PM_2.5~10（粗颗粒物）污染严重.③空气质量模型源解析结果显示,保定市ρ（PM_2.5）约60.0%~70.0%来自本地污染源排放.后向轨迹结果表明,在外来区域传输影响中,保定市主要受到西北方向气团（占比为21.7%~60.0%）远距离传输和正南方向气团（占比为34.8%~50.5%）近距离传输的影响.④PSCF（潜在源贡献因子分析法）和CWT（浓度权重轨迹分析法）分析表明,除保定市及周边区县本地污染贡献外,位于太行山东麓沿线西南传输通道的邯郸市、邢台市、石家庄市是影响保定市PM_2.5的主要潜在源区.研究显示,PM_2.5为保定市大气中的主要污染物,并呈冬季高、夏季低的变化特征,其主要来自西北远距离输送和南部近距离传输.      

武当山夏季颗粒物数浓度谱分布特征及气团来源影响研究

为研究大气边界层中上层大气颗粒物的数浓度谱分布特征及气团来源的影响,于2018年6月利用3080型SMPS粒径谱仪对武当山14.6~660 nm颗粒物数浓度谱进行观测,分析和探讨了其数浓度谱分布及日变化特征,并结合后向轨迹、潜在源贡献因子法（PSCF）与浓度权重轨迹分析法（CWT）探讨对武当山颗粒物数浓度影响较大的外源输送路径和贡献源区.结果表明:①武当山大气颗粒物主要以爱根模态为主,平均数浓度为2 500个/cm3,积聚模态、核膜态平均数浓度分别为2 265、359个/cm3,3种模态数浓度分别占总数浓度的48.79%、44.21%、7.01%.②在新粒子生成日,核膜态数浓度于10:00开始上升,11:00—17:00的核膜态数浓度相对较高,约2 000个/cm3.新粒子生成日ρ（SO₂）与ρ（O₃）的日变化趋势均与核模态数浓度较为相似,表明SO₂和O₃参与光化学反应后的产物（硫酸及有机物）有利于新粒子的生成与增长.新粒子生成日风速、温度均大于非新粒子生成日,但相对湿度较低.③在东部及局地气团影响下大气颗粒物主要以积聚模态为主,数浓度分别为2 311和2 596个/cm3;核模态、爱根模态数浓度在受西北气团影响时最大,数浓度分别为806和3 078个/cm3.④潜在源区分析表明,影响武当山积聚模态数浓度的主要源区为十堰市本地及襄阳市,二者贡献值在840个/cm3以上.研究显示,武当山颗粒物主要以爱根模态为主,颗粒物数浓度日变化主要受大气边界层发展及山谷风的影响,较高的ρ（SO₂）与ρ（O₃）以及高温、低湿及较大的风速均有利于新粒子的生成,周边城市的区域性传输对武当山颗粒物的影响较大.      

长三角背景点夏季大气PM2.5中水溶性无机离子污染特征及来源解析

为研究长三角背景点夏季PM_2.5污染特征,于2018年5月30日—8月15日在上海市崇明岛对PM_2.5样品进行昼夜采集,并对其中水溶性无机离子(Cl-、NO₃-、SO₄2-、Na+、NH₄+、K+、Mg2+、Ca2+)进行了分析.运用PSCF(潜在源贡献)方法判别污染物排放源区,并结合PCA(主成分分析)和PMF(正交矩阵因子)源解析探究PM_2.5来源.结果表明:①观测期间崇明岛ρ(PM_2.5)平均值为(33±21)μg/m3,低于GB 3095—2012《环境空气质量标准》一级标准限值(35 μg/m3),但在部分时段存在显著超标现象,ρ(PM_2.5)最高值在120 μg/m3以上.②水溶性无机离子质量浓度平均值为(14±9.3)μg/m3,占PM_2.5的42.4%,其中SNA(SO₄2-、NO₃-、NH₄+三者统称)为主要离子,占水溶性离子总质量浓度的85.7%.③n(NH₄+)/n(SO₄2-)(NH₄+与SO₄2-的摩尔浓度比)显示,清洁期〔ρ(PM_2.5) < 15 μg/m3〕呈贫铵状态,过渡期〔15≤ρ(PM_2.5)≤35 μg/m3〕和污染期〔ρ(PM_2.5)>35 μg/m3〕均呈富铵状态;过渡期SNA主要以NH₄HSO₄和NH₄NO₃形式存在,而污染期则主要以(NH₄)₂SO₄和NH₄NO₃形式存在.④通过对两次典型污染事件进行离子相关性分析和PSCF分析发现,E1污染事件(5月30日—6月8日)为局地生物质燃烧型污染事件,E2污染事件(7月23日—8月1日)为区域传输污染事件.源解析结果进一步表明,两次典型污染事件期间气态污染物的二次转化对PM_2.5的贡献最显著,贡献率分别为62.8%和59.8%;其次是生物质燃烧,其贡献率分别为32.5%和20.1%;E2污染事件期间海盐源对崇明岛PM_2.5贡献率较高(16.6%),远超过E1污染事件期间对PM_2.5的贡献率(2.7%).研究显示,区域输送对崇明岛PM_2.5有显著贡献,二次颗粒物累积是崇明岛PM_2.5超标的主要原因.