Characteristics and assessment of phthalate esters in urban dusts in Guangzhou city, China

Phthalate esters (PAEs) were examined in indoor and outdoor dust samples from the subtropical city of Guangzhou, China. The ∑(16)PAEs concentrations ranged from 121 to 3,223 μg g(-1) dust, with the median concentration of 840 μg g(-1) dust. Significantly higher concentrations of PAEs in dust samples were found in offices where electrical and electronic devices, carpet pads, and office furniture were widely used. Of the 16 PAEs, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dominated the PAEs in indoor and outdoor dust samples, and accounted for >96.8% and >93.1% of the ∑(16)PAEs concentrations, respectively. The median daily inhalation exposure of ∑(16)PAEs were 3.53 and 0.247 μg kg(-1) body weight day(-1), and at the 95(th) percentile were 7.62 and 0.530 μg kg(-1) body weight day(-1), up on the measured concentrations and estimated dust ingestion rates, respectively, for toddles and adults. The ubiquitous distribution of PAEs as noted in this study suggests the need for detailed assessment of PAEs concentrations using more sites and to further investigate the factors influencing PAEs exposure in China.     

Blood lead levels of residents living around 350 abandoned metal mines in Korea

In 2007, as part of the control and prevention of environmental contamination threatening public health, the Korean Ministry of Environment planned to implement a national biomonitoring survey of three metals: lead, cadmium, and mercury in the blood of residents living near 350 abandoned metal mines known to be contaminated and as possible threats to the health of inhabitants. Thus, we investigated demographic and lifestyle variables and blood lead levels in residents living around the mines and compared them against those of control subjects. We measured the blood lead concentrations in 14,849 subjects (14,132 from nearby the 350 abandoned metal mines and 717 subjects from eight control areas). A questionnaire was provided to all subjects to determine gender, age, mining experience, period of time living in the vicinity of mines, smoking status, and personal perception of abandoned mines as a health risk. The geometric means (95% confidence intervals) of the blood lead levels of residents living around the abandoned metal mines and control areas were 3.017 (2.996-3.037 μg/dL) [female, 2.797 μg/dL (2.771-2.822 μg/dL); male, 3.330 μg/dL (3.298-3.363 μg/dL)] and 2.757 (2.677-2.837 μg/dL) [female, 2.604 μg/dL (2.506-2.700 μg/dL); male, 2.993 μg/dL (2.859-3.126 μg/dL)], respectively. Among residents of the mining areas, nonsmokers and residents who had no mining experience showed significantly lower mean blood lead levels than did smokers, past smokers, and those with mining experience. The mean blood lead concentrations of residents who expressed some concern about the abandoned mines were significantly higher than those of residents without concerns. The mean blood lead concentration of residents living around the abandoned mines was significantly higher than that of residents living in control areas as well as that of the general adult Korean population. We also confirmed that smoking is an important variable to consider, as it increases blood lead concentration.     

杭州城区春节PM2.5中水溶性离子在线观测

利用大气细颗粒物水溶性组分在线连续监测分析系统(AIM-URG9000D),考察了杭州城区春节期间PM2.5中无机水溶性离子的浓度变化范围,探讨了这些离子的日变化特征和影响因素,同时分析了集中燃放烟花爆竹对水溶性离子浓度的影响。结果表明,SO2-4、NO-3、NH+4是PM2.5中水溶性离子的主要成分,分别占全部水溶性组分的33.3%、28.4%、19.4%;强致癌物质NO-2浓度为2.07μg/m3,远大于膜采样结果;NO-3与SO2-4的质量比为0.85,表明机动车尾气排放导致的大气污染正逐步加重;各水溶性离子有着各自不同的日变化规律。相关性分析表明,NH+4与NO-3、SO2-4的相关系数分别为0.92、0.81;K+、Cl-、Mg2+3者之间的相关系数均在0.9以上。烟花爆竹燃放期间,PM2.5浓度急剧上升,Cl-、SO2-4、K+、Mg2+浓度分别达到燃放前的18、6、53、76倍。     

化工装置停工放空过程中VOCs排放及估算方法

通过分析化工企业典型开、停车过程的排污节点,表明停车过程中大气挥发性有机污染物主要来自装置退料结束后挂壁、底部滞留和内部空间蒸气等滞留在设备内部的残余物料。在总结化工装置停工放空过程中大气挥发性有机物来源的基础上,讨论并提出大气污染排放量估算方法。     

渤海湾入海溶解无机氮总量控制研究

基于渤海湾近岸海域的实际调查结果,采取生态物理耦合模型,对渤海湾的主要污染物-溶解无机氮(DIN)的基准环境容量和极小剩余海洋环境容量进行了计算。结果表明,渤海湾DIN的极小剩余海洋环境容量在Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类水质标准下均为负值,渤海湾的DIN已经超标。结合实际的海水功能区水质管理目标,应重点控制非点源的排放,加强上游携带入境污染物的处理,从总量上控制DIN入海污染通量,改善渤海湾水质。     

Sources and seasonal variation of PAHs in the sediments of drinking water reservoirs in Hong Kong and the Dongjiang River (China)

The main objective of this study was to investigate occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sources of the drinking water supply of Hong Kong. The main emphasis was on the Dongjiang River in mainland China which is the major source, supplying 80% of the total consumption in Hong Kong (the remaining 20% is obtained from rain water). Sediments were collected from four sites along the Dongjiang River and four reservoirs in Hong Kong during both the dry and wet weather seasons. The concentrations of total PAHs in the sediments ranged between 36 and 539 microg/kg dry wt. The lower levels were detected at the upstream site on the Dongjiang River and at the reservoirs in Hong Kong (44-85 microg/kg dry wt), while the mid- and downstream sites on the Dongjiang River were more polluted (588-658 microg/kg dry wt). Examination of the PAH profiles revealed that the mid- and downstream sections of the Dongjiang River contained high percentages of 4,5,6-ring PAHs, similar to the amounts of atmospheric particulate matter and road dust collected during the dry weather season from the Pearl River Delta region as reported in the literature. Seasonal changes were revealed in the reservoirs of Hong Kong, with higher PAH levels in the wet weather season than in the dry weather season. For those reservoirs in Hong Kong that store water from the Dongjiang River, a distinct seasonal pattern was also observed, namely, that under dry weather season conditions the PAHs found in the sediments were primarily from petrogenic source, while under wet weather season conditions they were from pyrolytic sources. No such pattern was detected in the reservoirs which stored only rain water.     

The backend design of an environmental monitoring system upon real-time prediction of groundwater level fluctuation under the hillslope

The groundwater level represents a critical factor to evaluate hillside landslides. A monitoring system upon the real-time prediction platform with online analytical functions is important to forecast the groundwater level due to instantaneously monitored data when the heavy precipitation raises the groundwater level under the hillslope and causes instability. This study is to design the backend of an environmental monitoring system with efficient algorithms for machine learning and knowledge bank for the groundwater level fluctuation prediction. A Web-based platform upon the model-view controller-based architecture is established with technology of Web services and engineering data warehouse to support online analytical process and feedback risk assessment parameters for real-time prediction. The proposed system incorporates models of hydrological computation, machine learning, Web services, and online prediction to satisfy varieties of risk assessment requirements and approaches of hazard prevention. The rainfall data monitored from the potential landslide area at Lu-Shan, Nantou and Li-Shan, Taichung, in Taiwan, are applied to examine the system design.     

Performance of different composting techniques in reducing oestrogens content in manure from livestock in a Vietnamese setting

Steroid oestrogens (SE) are released by humans and animals into the environment. In the Mekong Delta animal excrement is directly discharged into surface water and can pollute the water. Only a few animal production sites are currently treating the excrement in either biogas plants or vermicomposting systems. The concentration of SE in manures from pigs and cattle was monitored in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Fresh cow faeces had an oestrogen concentration of 3.3 ng E2 eq/g dry weight. The SE concentration in effluent from biogas plants fed with animal manures was 341 ng E2 eq/L. Most of the SE were in the solid phase (77.9–98.7%). Vermicomposting reduced SE to 95% of the original input.     

Distribution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and biota from the Zha Long Wetland, China

In this paper, the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in biota (reed, grass, mussel, fish, and red-crowned crane) and sediments collected from seven locations in the Zha Long Wetland. PAHs were recovered from the sediments and biota by ultrasonic extraction and then analyzed by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations were 244–713 ng/g dw in sediments, 82.8–415 ng/g dw in plants and 207–4,780 ng/g dw in animals. The total sediment PAH concentrations were categorized as lower to moderate contamination compared with other regions of China and the world. In the plant samples, the accumulation abilities of reed roots and stems for PAHs were higher than those of grass roots. In addition, the concentration of individual PAHs in mussel muscles was the highest in all of the animal samples, followed by fish, feeding crane fetuses, and wild crane fetuses. Compositional analysis suggests that the PAHs in the sediments from the Zha Long Wetland were derived from incomplete biomass combustion. Risk assessment shows that the levels of PAHs in sediments are mostly lower than the effects range mean value (effects range mean), whereas only naphthalene in all sample sites was higher than the effects range low value. It is worthwhile to note that benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene were detected in crane fetal, which have potential carcinogenicity for organisms from the Zha Long Wetland.     

基层环境监测站业务风险管理现状与对策

简述了基层环境监测业务风险管理现状及存在的问题,对业务风险管理的认识程度不高,业务风险管理的系统性不强,缺少环境监测业务风险管理指导性文件。提出,应树立正确的环境监测业务风险理念,建立环境监测业务风险管理组织机构,健全与监测工作紧密结合的业务风险管理体系,优先监控风险高的环境监测工作,大力培养风险管理人才。