Contamination status and potential release of trace metals in a mangrove forest sediment in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam

Can Gio district is located in the coastal area of Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam. Discharge of wastewater from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces to the rivers of Can Gio has led to concerns about the accumulation of trace metals (As, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the coastal sediments. The main objective of this study was to assess the distribution of As, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in surface and core sediments and to evaluate the contamination status in relation to local background values, as well as the potential release of these selected trace metals from sediments to the water environment. Sediment characteristization, including determination of fine fraction, pH, organic matter, and major elements (Al, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, and S), was carried out to investigate which parameters affect the trace metal enrichment. Fine fraction and Al contents were found to be the controlling proxies affecting the distribution of trace metals while other sediment characteristics did not show any clear influence on trace metals’ distribution. Although As concentrations in the sediments were much higher compared to its reference value in other areas, the enrichment factor based on local background values suggests minor contamination of this element as well as for Cr, Cu, and Pb. Risk assessment suggested a medium to very high risk of Mn, Zn, and Ni under acidification. Of importance is also that trace metals in sediments were not easily mobilized by organic complexation based on their low extractabilities by ammonium-EDTA extraction.

     

丙烯腈诱导的氧化应激对大鼠睾丸NF-κB信号通路的影响

为探索丙烯腈(acrylonitrile,ACN)诱导的氧化应激对大鼠睾丸NF-κB信号通路的影响,将50只SPF级健康SD雄性大鼠按体重随机分为12.5、25、50 mg·kg~(-1)ACN染毒组,50 mg·kg~(-1)ACN+300 mg·kg~(-1)N-乙酰半胱氨酸(N-acetylcysteine,NAC)干预组(NAC干预组),对照组(给予等体积玉米油),每组10只,灌胃,1次/天,6天/周,共90 d。可见光分光光度法检测睾丸组织中超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathione peroxidase,GSH-Px)、还原型谷胱甘肽/氧化型谷胱甘肽比值(glutathione/oxidized glutathione,GSH/GSSG)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)。免疫荧光染色法检测睾丸核因子-κB(nuclear factorκB,NF-κB)激活及核转移。Western Blot检测睾丸p65、IκB蛋白表达。结果显示,低、高剂量染毒组大鼠睾丸GSH/GSSG比值、GSH-Px酶活性与对照组比较降低(P0.05)。中、高剂量染毒组大鼠睾丸MDA含量与对照组比较升高(P0.05)。NAC干预组大鼠睾丸MDA含量与高ACN组比较降低(P0.05);NAC干预组大鼠睾丸GSH/GSSG比值与高ACN组比较升高(P0.05);免疫荧光结果显示,高ACN组大鼠睾丸NF-κB被激活,并转移入细胞核。NAC干预组与高ACN组比较p65蛋白表达及核转移显著减少。Western Blot结果显示,高剂量染毒组大鼠睾丸p65蛋白表达与对照组比较升高(P0.05),IκB蛋白表达与对照组比较降低(P0.05);NAC干预组大鼠睾丸p65蛋白表达与高ACN组比较降低,IκB蛋白表达与高ACN组比较升高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结果表明丙烯腈引起的氧化应激激活了大鼠睾丸生殖细胞NF-κB信号通路。     

用高精度磁测圈定煤田自燃区的应用效果

煤田自燃在中国北方非常普遍,每年都给中国的煤炭资源以及生态环境造成重大损失。为控制和监测煤田自燃,须对其自燃边界进行圈定。煤层自燃后产生“热剩磁”,基于这一理论,运用高精度磁测圈定了西北某煤田自燃区的边界范围,并建立了“倾斜磁化有限延伸的板状体”模型进行正演。由钻孔验证的结果来看,高精度磁测圈定煤田自燃区边界范围的应用效果良好。     

烧结烟气活性炭脱硫研究

研究了烧结烟气脱硫剂活性炭的反应原理。根据烧结厂烟气参数,在活性炭烧结烟气脱硫试验装置中,研究了活性炭粒度,烟气温度及活性炭质量对烧结烟气脱硫率的影响。研究结果表明:利用活性炭脱硫效率可以达到95.5%以上,为进一步工业应用奠定了基础。     

Responses of community to the possible use of recycled water for washing machines: A case study in Sydney, Australia

Recycled water is a valuable resource that has potential to free up potable water supplies and recharge systems while improving the environment. Recycled water for washing machine could be one of the options as new end use of recycled water to alleviate the demand on existing and limited water supplies. This paper summarizes the findings of a research survey in Sydney, Australia to explore the attitudes and opinions of community towards the use of recycled water for different purposes, especially for the washing machine. The survey showed that 97% of the respondents were aware of the persisting water shortage problem while more than 60% of the respondents supported the use of recycled water for washing clothes. This paper exposes the basic concern of participants for using recycled water in washing machine. Health issue was found as the most concerns of the community. The survey also presents the further conditions to be considered for using recycled water for washing machine according to the participants’ opinions. Correlation between knowledge and attitudes of respondents was also found in this survey.     

The protective effect of green space on heat-related respiratory hospitalization among children under 5 years of age in Hanoi,Vietnam

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Combined effects of global warming and rapid urbanization replace green spaces with urban facilities. Children in urban areas are at a higher risk of...     

Simultaneous determination of estrogenic odorant alkylphenols,chlorophenols, and their derivatives in water using online headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A simple online headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of trace amounts of nine estrogenic odorant alkylphenols and chlorophenols and their derivatives in water samples. The extraction conditions of HS-SPME were optimized including fiber selection, extraction temperature, extraction time, and salt concentration. Results showed that divinylbenzene/Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber was the most appropriate one among the three selected commercial fibers, and the optimal extraction temperature, time, and salt concentration were 70 °C, 30 min, and 0.25 g/mL, respectively. The developed method was validated and showed good linearity (R ²?>?0.989), low limit of detection (LOD, 0.002–0.5 μg/L), and excellent recoveries (76–126 %) with low relative standard deviation (RSD, 0.7–12.9 %). The developed method was finally applied to two surface water samples and some of these target compounds were detected. All these detected compounds were below their odor thresholds, except for 2,4,6-TCAS and 2,4,6-TBAS wherein their concentrations were near their odor thresholds. However, in the two surface water samples, these detected compounds contributed to a certain amount of estrogenicity, which seemed to suggest that more attention should be paid to the issue of estrogenicity rather than to the odor problem.     

A Simulation of Temporal and Spatial Variations in Carbon at Landscape Level: A Case Study for Lake Abitibi Model Forest in Ontario,Canada

Using a case study of the Lake Abitibi Model Forest (LAMF), this study aims to assess the temporal and spatial variability in carbon storage during 1990–2000, and to present a comprehensive estimation of the carbon budget for LAMF's ecosystems. As well, it provided the information needed by local forest managers to develop ecological and carbon-based indicators and monitor the sustainability of forest ecosystems. Temporal and spatial carbon dynamics were simulated at the landscape level using ecosystem model TRIPLEX1.0 and Geographical Information System (GIS). The simulated net primary productivity (NPP) and carbon storage in forest biomass and soil were compared with field data and results from other studies for Canada's boreal forests. The results show that simulated NPP ranged from 3.26 to 3.34 tC ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the 1990s and was consistent with the range measured during the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Studies (BOREAS) in central Canada. Modeled NPP was also compared with the estimation from remote sensing data. The density of total above-and belowground biomass was 125.3, 111.8, and 106.5 tC ha⁻¹ for black spruce, trembling aspen, and jack pine in the LAMF ecosystem, respectively. The total carbon density of forested land was estimated at 154.4 tC ha⁻¹ with the proportion of 4:6 for total biomass and soil. The analysis of net carbon balance of ecosystem suggested that the LAMF forest ecosystem was acting as a carbon sink with an allowable harvest in the 1990s.     

A novel sigma coordinate system to simulate abrupt changes of underwater terrain in a hydrodynamic model: application to Lake Mead,USA

The sigma (SIG) coordinate system in ocean circulation simulation models results inevitably in horizontal pressure gradient error. This problem also emerges in models of deep lakes or reservoirs with the same characteristics of underwater terrain mutation. SIG coordinates reflect vertical relative stratification but cannot be used to calculate horizontal pressure gradient force in places with drastic topographic changes; this results in vertical water temperature and circulation errors. In deep lakes or reservoirs, differences in water density caused by the temperature difference between upper and lower water bodies is the primary cause of thermal stratification phenomena. Lake Mead was used as a case study on steep topography based on Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) model in this study. SIG coordinates result in close agreement between the calibrated temperature time series at the top and middle water layers, but disparity in the bottom water layer. The error emerges in the horizontal pressure gradient error due to the SIG coordinate transformation. Neither increasing the vertical resolution nor adjusting the horizontal viscosity coefficient resolve this error. We test the sigma-zed (SGZ) coordinate which combines Z coordinate and SIG coordinate as a replacement for the SIG coordinate to find that they effectively reduce the model’s runtime and simulation efficiency. The vertical temperature distribution in SGZ coordinate mode is more accurate than the distribution in SIG coordinate mode. The Navier-Stokes horizontal gradient and advection diffusion equation results under SIG coordinates are very sensitive to the pressure gradient. The replacement also enhances resolution near the thermocline, facilitates reclosing of the water bottom and the equal sigma surface, lends significant advantages in terms of vertical temperature in the simulation for local deep water with steep terrain, and shortens runtime for 0.14 h. SGZ mixed coordinates are recommended in the simulation of deep lakes or reservoirs wherein the underwater topography is large (with abundant continuous deep trenches or reefs).

     

Dynamic characteristics of chlorine dispersion process and quantitative risk assessment of pollution hazard

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this study was to analyze dispersion behavior characteristics and pollution hazard risk after a release of liquid chlorine. A full-scale...