Soil contamination in Colombian playgrounds: effects of vehicles,construction, and traffic

The presence of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) in playground soils is generally associated with anthropogenic sources such as vehicle traffic, industries, construction sites, and biomass burning. Studies indicate that PHEs are harmful to human health and may even be carcinogenic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, morphological, and mineralogical properties of soil samples from three public playgrounds located in the cities of Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla. Besides, the possible impacts caused by the aerodynamics of particles in Colombian cities were verified. The morphology, composition, and structure of the nanoparticles (NPs) (< 100 nm) present in these soils were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with high-precision field emission (FE) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Soil samples were predominantly feldspar, quartz, and, to a lesser extent, clay minerals, carbonates, and hematites. The average content of PHEs was anthropogenically enriched in relation to the upper continental crust. As and Sn showed a large spatial variation, indicating the influence of local sources, such as vehicle traffic and industries. There is an inverse relationship between the total concentrations of some elements and their leachable fractions. The accumulation of traffic-derived PHEs has a negative impact on human health and the environment, which is alarming, especially for elements such as Pb, Sb, or As. Therefore, the presence of PHEs should receive greater attention from public health professionals, and limits should be set and exposures controlled. This study includes the construction of a baseline that provides basic information on pollution, its sources, and exposure routes for humans in the vicinity of Colombia’s major cities, characterized by their increasing urbanization and industrialization.

     

Can the environmental health of urban centers be assessed through pollutants trapped in lakes? A study case in the biggest city of the southern hemisphere

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Air and water quality in urban centers are summited to pollution from different sources, such as industrial activities, traffic, and wastewater...     

Effects of tea polyphenols on the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of related gene in the leaves of wheat seedlings under salt stress

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Longchun 30, a new wheat variety, was used to investigate seedling growth, element absorption, and antioxidant response under 150 mM NaCl and tea...     

水环境中碳纳米管对沙丁胺醇光降解的影响

选取沙丁胺醇(salbutamol,SAL)为目标污染物,研究了3种碳纳米管(CNTs,单壁碳纳米管SCNT、羟基衍生化多壁碳纳米管MWNT-OH和羧基衍生化多壁碳纳米管MWNT-COOH)对有机污染物在模拟太阳光照下降解的影响;并且研究了CNTs与天然水体中光活性物质三价铁离子(Fe3+)的相互作用.结果表明,3种CNTs能够通过竞争吸收光子,即光屏蔽作用抑制SAL光解;同时又能通过光致激发产生单线态氧(1O2)促进光解反应,两种作用机制同时存在,在绝大多数情况下,抑制作用占主导地位.此外,CNTs还能通过静电吸附作用使水体中的光活性物质Fe3+失活,从而影响有机污染物在天然水体中的光化学行为.     

水体pH值时空变化条件下絮凝除藻剂的pH值优化

研究了由光照、水深等造成的水体pH值变化对絮凝剂除藻效果的影响,并监测絮凝前后不同深度的水体pH值。结果表明:1)当水体pH值无垂向分层,但随光照在8.5~10.5变化时,表层水体终点pH值为5.8~7.9,除藻效率均高于80%,此时中下层水体pH值为5.4~8.0;2)当水体pH值有垂向分层,表层水体终点pH值为7.0~7.3时,除藻效率均高于80%,此时中下层水体pH值为7.0~7.1;3)水池实验中,当表层水体终点pH为6.8时,除藻率高达99.33%,此时中下层水体pH值为7.0~7.1,池水清澈见底。上述结果说明:不论水体pH值是否垂向分层,控制表层水体终点pH值为6.8~7.3时既能有效除藻,也不会使底层水体pH值过低;水体pH值有垂向分层时,絮凝剂的pH值应高于无垂向分层时的情况。     

闽南城市区域空气中挥发性有机物的污染特征

采用美国EPA TO-15的方法,研究了2011年3月份闽南城市区域空气中VOCs的含量及其污染特征。结果表明:1)漳州工业区空气的VOCs浓度为200.5μg/m3,污染较为严重;厦门交通干道VOCs浓度为74.0μg/m3,泉州商住区的VOCs浓度77.1μg/m3,污染较轻。2)漳州工业区采样点TOP5占TVOCs的比例最高,达77.3%;厦门交通干道与泉州商住区两采样点的TOP5占TVOCs的比例相近,分别为64.1%和62.0%。在所有的采样点中出现的TOP5组分比较集中,主要包括甲苯、苯、二氯甲烷、异丙醇、乙酸乙酯、1,1-二氯乙烯、萘等。3)机动车尾气的排放、工业溶剂的挥发和废气排放可能是厦漳泉三地大气VOCs的主要排放源。4)厦漳泉的BTEX主要来源于汽车尾气和汽油挥发;其中厦门和泉州BTEX浓度相比较处在较低污染水平,漳州处在中等水平。     

风力发电项目现状与发展趋势

随着风力发电技术的不断发展,风力发电已成为我国重点发展的可再生能源产业。而作为用源大户的电力行业在低碳经济中占有重要地位。由于风能具有无污染,可再生,蕴量巨大等优点,发展和利用风能等可再生资源已经成为国际电力发展的大趋势,所以风能发电在未来必然会具有广阔的前景。本文就风力发电现状及未来趋势进行探索。     

电解铝厂周边蔬菜氟含量特征

为了解电解铝厂氟污染对周边蔬菜的影响,通过采用氟离子选择电极法对凯里某电解铝厂周边蔬菜的氟含量进行测定,并对蔬菜的氟含量特征进行分析。结果表明:铝厂周边蔬菜中氟的含量最高为76.94 mg/kg,最低为19.90 mg/kg,平均含量为42.98 mg/kg,都已超过国家食品卫生标准规定的蔬菜中氟污染物最大容许含量,蔬菜受到了较为严重的氟污染。不同种类蔬菜中的氟含量存在较大差异;叶菜类蔬菜氟含量为茄果类蔬菜氟含量的1.5倍,叶菜类蔬菜积累氟的能力比茄果类蔬菜强,更容易受到氟的污染。铝厂周边不同区域的蔬菜都受到比较严重的氟污染,主要与铝厂的距离有关,距离铝厂越近,蔬菜受到氟污染更严重。     

Associated skeletons of a new middle Triassic "Rauisuchia" from Brazil

For more than 30 million years, in early Mesozoic Pangea, ??rauisuchian?? archosaurs were the apex predators in most terrestrial ecosystems, but their biology and evolutionary history remain poorly understood. We describe a new ??rauisuchian?? based on ten individuals found in a single locality from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) Santa Maria Formation of southern Brazil. Nine articulated and associated skeletons were discovered, three of which have nearly complete skulls. Along with sedimentological and taphonomic data, this suggests that those highly successful predators exhibited some kind of intraspecific interaction. Other monotaxic assemblages of Triassic archosaurs are Late Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian) in age, approximately 10 million years younger than the material described here. Indeed, the studied assemblage may represent the earliest evidence of gregariousness among archosaurs, adding to our knowledge on the origin of a behavior pattern typical of extant taxa.     

国内外土地利用区划研究的回顾与展望

土地利用区划是从区域角度观察和研究地域综合体,探讨土地利用的发展历史、现状特点、变化过程及趋势,从最大限度发挥土地生产潜力及改善土地生态系统的结构与功能出发,对土地的合理利用方向,包括确定国民经济各部门用地的合理分配、结构和布局形式等,在地域上进行分区。通过简要回顾国内外土地利用区划研究的发展历程,总结了土地利用区划研究的理论方法特点及存在的问题,并在此基础上探讨今后土地利用区划研究的重点及发展方向：从自然要素向自然与人文要素有机结合方向转变;从大空间尺度向多空间尺度方向转变;从传统的区划方法向综合集成的新技术手段转变;从静态的区划研究向多要素、多过程耦合的动态区划研究方向转变。