Atmospheric lead deposition to Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, USA

Contamination of the environment from atmospheric deposition during the twentieth century is pervasive even in areas ostensibly considered pristine or remote from point sources. In this study, Pb concentrations in a 210Pb-dated peat core collected from the Okefenokee Swamp, GA were used to assess historical contaminant input via atmospheric deposition. Lead isotope ratios were determined by dynamic reaction cell ICP-MS (DRC-ICP-MS). Increases in Pb concentration occurred in the late nineteenth century and a marked rise in Pb concentrations pre-dated the widespread use of leaded gasoline within the US. The 206Pb/207Pb ratios of 1.19 during this period were consistent with coal combustion emissions. A later increase in Pb concentration, concurrent with a trend toward more radiogenic 206Pb/207Pb ratios in gasoline is consistent with an increased input of Pb from leaded gasoline emissions. However, it appears that coal combustion emissions remain a major source of Pb to the Okefenokee.     

The effect of EDTA and citric acid on phytoremediation of Cd, Cr, and Ni from soil using Helianthus annuus

The possibility to clean heavy metal contaminated soils with hyperaccumulator plants has shown great potential. One of the most recently studied species used in phytoremediation applications are sunflowers. In this study, two cultivars of Helianthus annuus were used in conjunction with ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) and citric acid (CA) as chelators. Two different concentrations of the chelators were studied for enhancing the uptake and translocation of Cd, Cr, and Ni from a silty-clay loam soil. When 1.0 g/kg CA was used, the highest total metal uptake was only 0.65 mg. Increasing the CA concentration posed a severe phytotoxicity to both cultivars as evidenced by stunted growth and diminished uptake rates. Decreasing the CA concentration to 0.1 and 0.3 g/kg yielded results that were not statistically different from the control. EDTA at a concentration of 0.1 g/kg yielded the best results for both cultivars achieving a total metal uptake of approximately 0.73 mg compared to approximately 0.40 mg when EDTA was present at 0.3 g/kg.     

Sorption and oxic degradation of the explosive CL-20 during transport in subsurface sediments

The abiotic sorption and oxic degradation processes that control the fate of the explosive CL-20, Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane, in the subsurface environment were investigated to determine the potential for vadose and groundwater contamination. Sorption of aqueous CL-20 is relatively small (K(d) = 0.02-3.83 cm3 g(-1) for 7 sediments and 12 minerals), which results in only slight retardation relative to water movement. Thus, CL-20 could move quickly through unsaturated and saturated sediments of comparable composition to groundwater, similar to the subsurface behavior of RDX. CL-20 sorption was mainly to mineral surfaces of the sediments, and the resulting isotherm was nonlinear. CL-20 abiotically degrades in oxic environments at slow rates (i.e., 10s to 100s of hours) with a wide variety of minerals, but at fast rates (i.e., minutes) in the presence of 2:1 phyllosilicate clays (hectorite, montmorillonite, nontronite), micas (biotite, illite), and specific oxides (MnO2 and the ferrous-ferric iron oxide magnetite). High concentrations of surface ferrous iron in a dithionite reduced sediment degraded CL-20 the fastest (half-life < 0.05 h), but 2:1 clays containing no structural or adsorbed ferrous iron (hectorite) could also quickly degrade CL-20 (half-life < 0.2 h). CL-20 degradation rates were slower in natural sediments (half-life 3-800 h) compared to minerals. Sediments with slow degradation rates and small sorption would exhibit the highest potential for deep subsurface migration. Products of CL-20 oxic degradation included three high molecular weight compounds and anions (nitrite and formate). The 2-3.5 moles of nitrite produced suggest CL-20 nitro-groups are degraded, and the amount of formate produced (0.2-1.2 moles) suggests the CL-20 cage structure is broken in some sediments. Identification of further degradation products and CL-20 mineralization rates is needed to fully assess the impact of these CL-20 transformation rates on the risk of CL-20 (and degradation product) subsurface movement.     

Monitoring of toxicity during degradation of selected pesticides using ionizing radiation

The optimization of experimental conditions for radiolytic removal of organic pollutants from water and waste with the use of ionizing radiation via controlling the concentration of target compound(s) requires also monitoring the toxicity changes during the process. Commonly used herbicides 2,4-D and dicamba were shown to increase toxicity measured with the Microtox test at low irradiation doses resulting from formation of more toxic transient products, which can be decomposed at larger doses. The changes of toxicity were examined with respect to dose magnitude and the presence of commonly occurring scavengers of radiation.     

Occurrence and abatement of volatile sulfur compounds during biogas production

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in biogas originating from a biogas production plant and from a municipal sewage water treatment plant were identified. Samples were taken at various stages of the biogas-producing process, including upgrading the gas to vehicle-fuel quality. Solid-phase microextraction was used for preconcentration of the VSCs, which were subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry. Other volatile organic compounds present also were identified. The most commonly occurring VSCs in the biogas were hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide, and hydrogen sulfide was not always the most abundant sulfur (S) compound. Besides VSCs, oxygenated organic compounds were commonly present (e.g., ketones, alcohols, and esters). The effect of adding iron chloride to the biogas reactor on the occurrence of VSCs also was investigated. It was found that additions of 500-g/m3 substrate gave an optimal removal of VSCs. Also, the use of a prefermentation step could reduce the amount of VSCs formed in the biogas process. Moreover, in the carbon dioxide scrubber used for upgrading the gas, VSCs were removed efficiently, leaving traces (ppbv levels). The scrubber also removed other organic compounds.     

Growth response to ozone of annual species from Mediterranean pastures

Ozone (O3) phytotoxicity has been reported on a wide range of plant species. However, scarce information has been provided regarding the sensitivity of semi-natural grassland species, especially those from dehesa Mediterranean grasslands, in spite of their great biological diversity and the high O3 levels recorded in the region. A screening study was carried out in open-top chambers (OTCs) to assess the O3-sensitivity of representative therophytes of these ecosystems based on the response of selected growth-related parameters. Three O3 treatments and 3 OTCs per treatment were used. Legume species were very sensitive to O3, because 78% of the tested species showed detrimental effects on their total biomass relative growth rate (RGR) following their exposure to O3. The Trifolium genus was particularly sensitive showing O3-induced adverse effects on most of the assessed parameters. Gramineae plants were less sensitive than Leguminosae species because detrimental effects on total biomass RGR were only observed in 14% of the assessed species. No relationship was found between relative growth rates when growing in clean air and O3 susceptibility. The implications of these effects on the performance of dehesa acidic grasslands and on the definition of ozone critical levels for the protection of semi-natural vegetation are discussed.     

Source apportionment of indoor, outdoor, and personal PM2.5 in Seattle, Washington, using positive matrix factorization

As part of a large exposure assessment and health-effects panel study, 33 trace elements and light-absorbing carbon were measured on 24-hr fixed-site filter samples for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 microm (PM2.5) collected between September 26, 2000, and May 25, 2001, at a central outdoor site, immediately outside each subject's residence, inside each residence, and on each subject (personal sample). Both two-way (PMF2) and three-way (PMF3) positive matrix factorization were used to deduce the sources contributing to PM2.5. Five sources contributing to the indoor and outdoor samples were identified: vegetative burning, mobile emissions, secondary sulfate, a source rich in chlorine, and a source of crustal-derived material. Vegetative burning contributed more PM2.5 mass on average than any other source in all microenvironments, with average values estimated by PMF2 and PMF3, respectively, of 7.6 and 8.7 microg/m3 for the outdoor samples, 4 and 5.3 microg/m3 for the indoor samples, and 3.8 and 3.4 microg/m3 for the personal samples. Personal exposure to the combustion-related particles was correlated with outdoor sources, whereas exposure to the crustal and chlorine-rich particles was not. Personal exposures to crustal sources were strongly associated with personal activities, especially time spent at school among the child subjects.     

Characterisation of the dilute HCl extraction method for the identification of metal contamination in Antarctic marine sediments

A regional survey of potential contaminants in marine or estuarine sediments is often one of the first steps in a post-disturbance environmental impact assessment. Of the many different chemical extraction or digestion procedures that have been proposed to quantify metal contamination, partial acid extractions are probably the best overall compromise between selectivity, sensitivity, precision, cost and expediency. The extent to which measured metal concentrations relate to the anthropogenic fraction that is bioavailable is contentious, but is one of the desired outcomes of an assessment or prediction of biological impact. As part of a regional survey of metal contamination associated with Australia's past waste management activities in Antarctica, we wanted to identify an acid type and extraction protocol that would allow a reasonable definition of the anthropogenic bioavailable fraction for a large number of samples. From a kinetic study of the 1 M HCl extraction of two Certified Reference Materials (MESS-2 and PACS-2) and two Antarctic marine sediments, we concluded that a 4 h extraction time allows the equilibrium dissolution of relatively labile metal contaminants, but does not favour the extraction of natural geogenic metals. In a regional survey of 88 marine samples from the Casey Station area of East Antarctica, the 4 h extraction procedure correlated best with biological data, and most clearly identified those sediments thought to be contaminated by runoff from abandoned waste disposal sites. Most importantly the 4 h extraction provided better definition of the low to moderately contaminated locations by picking up small differences in anthropogenic metal concentrations. For the purposes of inter-regional comparison, we recommend a 4 h 1 M HCl acid extraction as a standard method for assessing metal contamination in Antarctica.     

Synthesis of effects in four Arctic subregions

An assessment of impacts on Arctic terrestrial ecosystems has emphasized geographical variability in responses of species and ecosystems to environmental change. This variability is usually associated with north-south gradients in climate, biodiversity, vegetation zones, and ecosystem structure and function. It is clear, however, that significant east-west variability in environment, ecosystem structure and function, environmental history, and recent climate variability is also important. Some areas have cooled while others have become warmer. Also, east-west differences between geographical barriers of oceans, archipelagos and mountains have contributed significantly in the past to the ability of species and vegetation zones to relocate in response to climate changes, and they have created the isolation necessary for genetic differentiation of populations and biodiversity hot-spots to occur. These barriers will also affect the ability of species to relocate during projected future warming. To include this east-west variability and also to strike a balance between overgeneralization and overspecialization, the ACIA identified four major sub regions based on large-scale differences in weather and climate-shaping factors. Drawing on information, mostly model output that can be related to the four ACIA subregions, it is evident that geographical barriers to species re-location, particularly the distribution of landmasses and separation by seas, will affect the northwards shift in vegetation zones. The geographical constraints--or facilitation--of northward movement of vegetation zones will affect the future storage and release of carbon, and the exchange of energy and water between biosphere and atmosphere. In addition, differences in the ability of vegetation zones to re-locate will affect the biodiversity associated with each zone while the number of species threatened by climate change varies greatly between subregions with a significant hot-spot in Beringia. Overall, the subregional synthesis demonstrates the difficulty of generalizing projections of responses of ecosystem structure and function, species loss, and biospheric feedbacks to the climate system for the whole Arctic region and implies a need for a far greater understanding of the spatial variability in the responses of terrestrial arctic ecosystems to climate change.     

Emission rates and comparative chemical composition from selected in-use diesel and gasoline-fueled vehicles

Emission samples for toxicity testing and detailed chemical characterization were collected from a variety of gasoline- and diesel-fueled in-use vehicles operated on the Unified Driving Cycle on a chassis dynamometer. Gasoline vehicles included normal particle mass (particulate matter [PM]) emitters (tested at 72 and 30 degrees F), "black" and "white" smokers, and a new-technology vehicle (tested at 72 degrees F). Diesel vehicles included current-technology vehicles (tested at 72 and 30 degrees F) and a high PM emitter. Total PM emission rates ranged from below 3 mg/mi up to more than 700 mg/mi for the white smoker gasoline vehicle. Emission rates of organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC), elements (metals and associated analytes), ions, and a variety of particulate and semi-volatile organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAH], nitro-PAH, oxy-PAH, hopanes, and steranes) are reported for these vehicles. Speciated organic analysis also was conducted on the fuels and lube oils obtained from these vehicles after the emissions testing. The compositions of emissions were highly dependent on the fuel type (gasoline vs. diesel), the state of vehicle maintenance (low, average, or high emitters; white or black smokers), and ambient conditions (i.e., temperature) of the vehicles. Fuel and oil analyses from these vehicles showed that oil served as a repository for combustion byproducts (e.g., PAH), and oil-burning gasoline vehicles emitted PAH in higher concentrations than did other vehicles. These PAH emissions matched the PAH compositions observed in oil.