A review of the distribution of particulate trace elements in urban terrestrial environments and its application to considerations of risk

We review the evolution, state of the art and future lines of research on the sources, transport pathways, and sinks of particulate trace elements in urban terrestrial environments to include the atmosphere, soils, and street and indoor dusts. Such studies reveal reductions in the emissions of some elements of historical concern such as Pb, with interest consequently focusing on other toxic trace elements such as As, Cd, Hg, Zn, and Cu. While establishment of levels of these elements is important in assessing the potential impacts of human society on the urban environment, it is also necessary to apply this knowledge in conjunction with information on the toxicity of those trace elements and the degree of exposure of human receptors to an assessment of whether such contamination represents a real risk to the city’s inhabitants and therefore how this risk can be addressed.     

Rapid assessment of different oxygenic phototrophs and single-cell photosynthesis with multicolour variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging

We present a new system for microscopic multicolour variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of aquatic phototrophs. The system is compact and portable and enables microscopic imaging of photosynthetic performance of individual cells and chloroplasts using different combinations of blue, green, red or white light. Automated sequential exposure of microscopic samples to the three excitation colours enables subsequent deconvolution of the resulting fluorescence signals and colour marking of cells with different photopigmentation, i.e., cyanobacteria, green algae, red algae and diatoms. The photosynthetic activity in complex mixtures of phototrophs and natural samples can thus be assigned to different types of phototrophs, which can be quantified simultaneously. Here, we describe the composition and performance of the new imaging system and present applications with both natural phytoplankton and microalgal culture samples.     

炭化秸秆吸磷剂的制备及吸附性能研究

以水稻秸秆为原料,经炭化、KMnO4预氧化和FeSO4溶液改性后,制备得到低成本的改性炭化水稻秸秆（modified carbonized rice straw,MCRS）.采用Zeta电位分析仪、扫描电镜、能谱仪、比表面积分析仪、红外光谱分析仪和X射线衍射分析仪多种手段,分析了炭化水稻秸秆和MCRS的理化性能.通过静态吸附试验研究了吸附剂投加量、pH值和温度对MCRS除磷效果的影响.结果表明：MCRS对磷的吸附是一个吸热过程,其吸附等温线可用Langmuir方程进行拟合.当投加量为4g·L^-1、pH值为7时,MCRS对水溶液中磷的去除率最高可达96％;依据Langmuir方程计算得到,30℃条件下,MCRS对磷的最大吸附量为5.49 mg·g^-1.     

长江重庆段表层水体中多环芳烃的分布及来源分析

采集了长江重庆段干流以及重要支流共7个断面的表层水样,采用液相色谱法分析15种优先控制的多环芳烃(PAHs).结果表明,水体中总PAHs浓度范围为6.44—109.39 ng·L-1,平均值为41.83 ng·L-1.在5个断面水体中检出苯并(a)芘,浓度为0.05—1.32 ng·L-1,低于我国地表水标准限值(2.8 ng·L-1).长江重庆段的PAHs浓度水平低于大部分国内其他河流,与国外一些河流的浓度水平相当.PAHs组成以中低环PAHs(3环和4环)为主,平均比例分别为55.7%和38.8%,高环PAHs(5环和6环)含量较低,分别占3.6%和1.9%.示踪PAHs比值法结果显示长江重庆段表层水体PAHs主要来源于石化产品的泄漏污染.     

Photo-polymerization of triclosan in aqueous solution induced by ultraviolet radiation

The formation of 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and other harmful degradation products in the photo-degradation process of triclosan is of increasing concern. Here we worked on the identification of polymerized products at high triclosan concentration and on the mechanism of photoreaction. Five dimmers and two trimers of triclosan were detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrum analysis. 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin was also identified by comparing with an authentic standard. Relatively low pH and high concentration favored the polymerization of triclosan. Three main routes of photoreaction were postulated, namely dechlorination, ring closure and polymerization.     

酰胺类除草剂对铜绿微囊藻的生长影响及氧化损伤效应

酰胺类除草剂的广泛使用对水生生态环境构成了潜在风险。为探究其对藻类的毒性作用,以铜绿微囊藻为对象,分别从藻类生长和氧化损伤效应角度探讨了甲草胺、乙草胺和丁草胺对铜绿微囊藻的毒性影响。实验结果显示,酰胺类除草剂对藻类的影响存在明显的滞后效应和剂量–效应关系,低浓度暴露组刺激藻类增长,高浓度表现为抑制作用;3种酰胺类除草剂增加了铜绿微囊藻的氧化压力,并随着暴露时间的延长和浓度的增加而增强。其中,藻体内过氧化脂质降解产物丙二醛(MDA)含量明显增加,同时超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性也显著增强。经96 h暴露后,甲草胺(32.0 mg·L~(-1))、乙草胺(32.0 mg·L~(-1))和丁草胺(15.0 mg·L~(-1))暴露溶液中相对MDA含量分别为138%、204%和154%,相对SOD活性分别为116%、87%和115%,相对POD活性分别475%、278%和627%。结合生物量及氧化损伤效应实验结果可知,3种除草剂对铜绿微囊藻的毒性大小顺序为丁草胺乙草胺甲草胺。     

Effects of an iron-silicon material,a synthetic zeolite and an alkaline clay on vegetable uptake of As and Cd from a polluted agricultural soil and proposed remediation mechanisms

Economic and highly effective methods of in situ remediation of Cd and As polluted farmland in mining areas are urgently needed. Pot experiments with Brassica chinensis L. were carried out to determine the effects of three soil amendments [a novel iron-silicon material (ISM), a synthetic zeolite (SZ) and an alkaline clay (AC)] on vegetable uptake of As and Cd. SEM–EDS and XRD analyses were used to investigate the remediation mechanisms involved. Amendment with ISM significantly reduced the concentrations of As and Cd in edible parts of B. chinensis (by 84–94 % and 38–87 %, respectively), to levels that met food safety regulations and was much lower than those achieved by SZ and AC. ISM also significantly increased fresh biomass by 169–1412 % and 436–731 % in two consecutive growing seasons, while SZ and AC did not significantly affect vegetable growth. Correlation analysis suggested that it was the mitigating effects of ISM on soil acidity and on As and Cd toxicity, rather than nutrient amelioration, that contributed to the improvement in plant growth. SEM–EDS analysis showed that ISM contained far more Ca, Fe and Mn than did SZ or AC, and XRD analysis showed that in the ISM these elements were primarily in the form of silicates, oxides and phosphates that had high capacities for chemisorption of metal(loid)s. After incubation with solutions containing 800 mg L^?1 AsO₄ ^2? or Cd²⁺, ISM bound distinctly higher levels of As (6.18 % in relative mass percent by EDS analysis) and Cd (7.21 % in relative mass percent by EDS analysis) compared to SZ and AC. XRD analysis also showed that ISM facilitated the precipitation of Cd²⁺ as silicates, phosphates and hydroxides, and that arsenate combined with Fe, Al, Ca and Mg to form insoluble arsenate compounds. These precipitation mechanisms were much more active in ISM than in SZ or AC. Due to the greater pH elevation caused by the abundant calcium silicate, chemisorption and precipitation mechanisms in ISM treatments could be further enhanced. That heavy metal(loid)s fixation mechanisms of ISM ensure the remediation more irreversible and more resilient to environmental changes. With appropriate application rate and proper nutrients supplement, the readily available and economic ISM is a very promising amendment for safe crop production on multi-metal(loids) polluted soils.     

镉胁迫对莴苣幼苗生长及抗氧化酶系统的影响

以笋王一号(Lactucasativa L. sativa var.Angustata Irish.cv Sunwang NO.1)为材料,通过营养液水培试验,研究了不同浓度的Cd胁迫对莴苣幼苗生长和抗氧化酶的影响.试验结果表明:10～100 μmol·L-1Cd2+对幼苗株高、根长、叶面积和叶数的增加具有明显的抑制作用,且随着浓度的增加抑制程度加重,但低浓度的Cd2+(1 μmol·L-1)却产生了一定的促进作用;幼苗根、叶中MDA含量和G-POD、叶中SOD活性随着Cd处理浓度的增加明显增加,但根中的SOD在100 μmol·L-1Cd胁迫下明显低于对照,同时,1 μmol·L-1Cd对根和叶片中的APX和CAT活性有一定的激活效应,以后随着Cd处理浓度的提高表现为抑制效应,且随着Cd浓度的增加抑制效应逐渐增强.     

乐果对秀丽隐杆线虫生活史特征的影响

采用一种半流体培养基"挂滴法"对线虫进行培养和生命表实验,研究了低剂量暴露下乐果对秀丽隐杆线虫生活史特征的影响。在半致死浓度1/10 LC50、1/100 LC50、1/1000 LC50暴露剂量下(分别为7、0.7、0.07 mmol·L-1)染毒4 h。结果表明,0.7和7 mmol·L-1暴露组线虫的总繁殖率(TFR)分别为260.60、203.80,明显低于对照组(299.23,P0.05);净增殖率(R0)分别为240.29、147.67,明显低于对照组(298.67,P0.05);内禀增长率(rm)分别为1.342 d-1、1.233 d-1,明显低于对照组(1.387 d-1,P0.05);而0.07 mmol·L-1暴露组线虫的总繁殖率为293.84,净增殖率为286.60,与对照组比差异都没有统计学意义(P0.05)。在上述浓度范围,线虫的总繁殖率(TFR)、净增殖率(R0)和内禀增长率(rm)都随乐果浓度的升高而降低,并存在剂量效应关系。研究同时发现0.07 mmol·L-1暴露组线虫的内禀增长率为1.405 d-1,明显高于对照组(P0.05)。研究结论认为一定剂量的乐果使线虫的繁殖力降低;而低剂量暴露则对内禀增长率具有毒物兴奋效应。本文选择的3个指标TFR、R0、rm对低剂量下乐果暴露的响应敏感。     

Arsenic occurrence in Brazil and human exposure

Environmental exposure to arsenic (As) in terms of public health is receiving increasing attention worldwide following cases of mass contamination in different parts of the world. However, there is a scarcity of data available on As geochemistry in Brazilian territory, despite the known occurrence of As in some of the more severely polluted areas of Brazil. The purpose of this paper is to discuss existing data on As distribution in Brazil based on recent investigations in three contaminated areas as well as results from the literature. To date, integrated studies on environmental and anthropogenic sources of As contamination have been carried out only in three areas in Brazil: (1) the Southeastern region, known as the Iron Quadrangle, where As was released into the drainage systems, soils and atmosphere as a result of gold mining; (2) the Ribeira Valley, where As occurs in Pb-Zn mine wastes and naturally in As-rich rocks and soils; (3) the Amazon region, including the Santana area, where As is associated with manganese ores mined over the last 50 years. Toxicological studies revealed that the populations were not exposed to elevated levels of As, with the As concentrations in surface water in these areas rarely exceeding 10 microg/L. Deep weathering of bedrocks along with formation of Fe/Al-enriched soils and sediments function as a chemical barrier that prevents the release of As into the water. In addition, the tropical climate results in high rates of precipitation in the northern and southeastern regions and, hence, the As contents of drinking water is diluted. Severe cases of human As exposure related to non-point pollution sources have not been reported in Brazil. However, increasing awareness of the adverse health effects of As will eventually lead to a more complete picture of the distribution of As in Brazil.