UV/H2O2 oxidation of tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and toxicity evaluation

Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) with the initial concentration of 5 mg/L was degraded by UV/H₂O₂ oxidation process. The removal rate of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system was 89.1% with the production of Cl^? and PO₄^3? of 0.23 and 0.64 mg/L. The removal rate of total organic carbon of the reaction was 48.8% and the pH reached 3.3 after the reaction. The oxidative degradation process of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system obeyed the first order kinetic reaction with the apparent rate constant of 0.0025 min^?1 (R²=0.9788). The intermediate products were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The addition reaction of HO? and H₂O and the oxidation reaction with H₂O₂ were found during the degradation pathway of 5 mg/L TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system. For the first time, environment risk was estimated via the “ecological structure activity relationships” program and acute and chronic toxicity changes of intermediate products were pointed out. The luminescence inhibition rate of photobacterium was used to evaluate the acute toxicity of intermediate products. The results showed that the toxicity of the intermediate products increased with the increase of reaction time, which may be due to the production of chlorine compounds. Some measures should be introduced to the UV/H₂O₂ system to remove the highly toxic Cl-containing compounds, such as a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit.     

Chemical characteristics of road dust PM2.5 fraction in oasis cities at the margin of Tarim Basin

In order to understand the compositions characteristics of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) fraction in road dust (RD_2.5) of oasis cities on the edge of Tarim Basin, 30 road dust (RD) samples were collected in Kashi, Cele, and Yutian in the spring, 2018, and RD_2.5 was collected using the resuspension approach. Eight water-soluble ions, 39 trace elements and 8 fractions of carbon-containing species in PM_2.5 were analyzed. Ca²⁺ and Ca were the most abundant ions and elements in RD_2.5 (7.1% and 9.5%). Cl^- in RD_2.5 was affected not only by attributed to saline-alkali soils in oasis cities of the Tarim Basin and dust from Taklimakan Desert but also by human activities. Moreover, the organic carbon/elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratio indicated that carbon components in RD_2.5 in Cele town mainly come from fossil fuel combustion, while those in Yutian and Kashi mainly come from biomass combustion. It is noteworthy that high Ca in RD_2.5 was seriously affected by anthropogenic emissions, and high Na and K contents in RD_2.5 could be derived from soil and desert dust. It was estimated that Cd, Tl, Sn and Cr were emitted from anthropogenic emissions using the enrichment factor. The coefficients of divergence (COD) result indicated that the influence of local emission on road dust emission is greater than that of long-distance transmission. This study is the first time to comprehensively analyze the chemical characteristics of road dust in oasis cities, and the results provides the sources of road dust at the margin of Tarim Basin.     

Metabolomic modulations in a freshwater microbial community exposed to the fungicide azoxystrobin

An effective broad-spectrum fungicide, azoxystrobin (AZ), has been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems, potentially affecting the growth of aquatic microorganisms. In the present study, the eukaryotic alga Monoraphidium sp. and the cyanobacterium Pseudanabaena sp. were exposed to AZ for 7 days. Our results showed that 0.2–0.5 mg/L concentrations of AZ slightly inhibited the growth of Monoraphidium sp. but stimulated Pseudanabaena sp. growth. Meanwhile, AZ treatment effectively increased the secretion of total organic carbon (TOC) in the culture media of the two species, and this phenomenon was also found in a freshwater microcosm experiment (containing the natural microbial community). We attempted to assess the effect of AZ on the function of aquatic microbial communities through metabolomic analysis and further explore the potential risks of this compound. The metabonomic profiles of the microcosm indicated that the most varied metabolites after AZ treatment were related to the citrate cycle (TCA), fatty acid biosynthesis and purine metabolism. We thereby inferred that the microbial community increased extracellular secretions by adjusting metabolic pathways, which might be a stress response to reduce AZ toxicity. Our results provide an important theoretical basis for further study of fungicide stress responses in aquatic microcosm microbial communities, as well as a good start for further explorations of AZ detoxification mechanisms, which will be valuable for the evaluation of AZ environmental risk.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in benthos of the northern Bering Sea Shelf and Chukchi Sea Shelf

Eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in benthos collected onboard the ‘Snow Dragon’ in the Northern Bering Sea Shelf and Chukchi Sea Shelf during the 6^th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 2014). Σ₁₈PAHs for all biota samples ranged from 34.2 to 128.1 ng/g dry weight (dw), with the highest concentration observed in fish muscle (Boreogadus saida) samples close to St. Lawrence Island. The PAH composition pattern was dominated by the presence of lighter 3 ring (57%) and 2 ring (28%) PAHs, indicating oil-related or petrogenic sources as important origins of PAH contamination. Concentrations of alkyl-PAHs (1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene) were lower than their parent PAH (naphthalene) in all biological tissue, and their percentage also decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared with those in the corresponding sediment. There were no significant relationships between PAH concentrations and trophic levels, which is possibly due to the combined results of the complex benthic foodweb in the subarctic/Arctic shelf region, as well as a low assimilation/effective metabolism for PAHs. According to toxic potency evaluation results from TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQs) and BaP-equivalent (BaPE) values, whelk (Neptunea heros) and starfish (Ctenodiscus crispatus) are two macroinvertebrate species showing relatively higher dioxin-like toxicity and carcinogenic risk.     

Analytical methods and environmental processes of nanoplastics

The degradation of plastic debris may result in the generation of nanoplastics (NPs). Their high specific surface area for the sorption of organic pollutions and toxic heavy metals and possible transfer between organisms at different nutrient levels make the study of NPs an urgent priority. However, there is very limited understanding on the occurrence, distribution, abundant, and fate of NPs in the environment, partially due to the lack of suitable techniques for the separation and identification of NPs from complex environmental matrices. In this review, we first overviewed the state-of-the-art methods for the extraction, separation, identification and quantification of NPs in the environment. Some of them have been successfully applied for the field determination of NPs, while some are borrowed from the detection of microplastics or engineered nanomaterials. Then the possible fate and transport of NPs in the environment are thoroughly described. Although great efforts have been made during the recent years, large knowledge gaps still exist, such as the relatively high detection limit of existing method failing to detect ultralow masses of NPs in the environment, and spherical polystyrene NP models failing to represent the various compositions of NPs with different irregular shapes, which needs further investigation.     

Reviews of emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in Asia

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the atmosphere play important roles in the formation of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in global scale and also in regional scale under some condition due to their large amount and relatively higher reactivity. In places with high plant cover in the tropics and in China where air pollution is serious, the effect of BVOCs on ozone and secondary organic aerosols is strong. The present research aims to provide a comprehensive review about the emission rate, emission inventory, research methods, the influencing factors of BVOCs emissions, as well as their impacts on atmospheric environment quality and human health in recent years in Asia based on the summary and analysis of literatures. It is suggested to use field direct measurement method to obtain the emission rate and model method to calculate the emission amount. Several recommendations are given for future investigation and policy development on BVOCs emission.     

基于TMVOC的地下水位波动带苯系物迁移转化模拟

为探究水位波动情况下苯系物的迁移转化规律,提高石油污染场地地下水污染治理精度,以西北某傍河石化场地为研究对象,基于TMVOC模型对特征污染物苯系物开展泄漏模拟,通过情景模拟比较水位波动对苯系物迁移转化的影响,并从污染分布、相间转化等方面,解析地下水位稳定和波动状态下苯系物迁移转化过程差异.结果表明:①TMVOC模型较好地模拟了水位波动状态下苯系物迁移转化过程.②相较于水位稳定状态下,水位波动作用下苯系物污染深度增加0.5 m,污染面积增加25%,总质量增加12 kg.③水位稳定和波动状态下苯系物"气-液-NAPL（Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids）相"占比分别为0.17%、2.03%、97.8%和0.04%、3.69%、96.27%.④NAPL相苯系物饱和度分布与苯系物质量分布呈正相关,水位波动造成NAPL相初始饱和度降低,且初始水位面以下NAPL相饱和度升高.⑤对于苯而言,水位波动状态下非饱和带中苯在液相中的质量是水位稳定状态下的1.11倍,饱和带为10.15倍.研究显示,水位波动显著地影响了苯系物的迁移转化过程,促进了苯系物的溶解,并使更多的苯系物残留在地下介质中.      

特殊区域地表水环境背景值表征技术方法研究与应用

选取黑龙江省源头水保护区作为研究对象,根据DEM数据对保护区内随机布设的水质监测点控制单元进行划分并提取单元内的相关指标建立监测点背景特性量化模型,基于量化结果提出地表水环境背景值监测方案,建立背景值数据库.选取研究区自然属性指标与空间属性指标,以空间叠置技术与聚类分析方法对研究区地表水进行背景值分区,最终将黑龙江省分为六大地表水水质背景值地理分区,并计算了各分区地表水环境背景值表征范围.表征范围显示：依据现行标准进行水质评价,保护区内水质背景值已超出Ⅱ类水质标准限值.因此,基于水质背景值研究成果提出了考虑背景值影响下的水环境质量评价方法,并将方法应用于研究区,结果表明方法切实可行且优于单因子评价法.研究成果可为区域制定背景值影响下的水环境评价方法提供科学的数据支撑与理论依据.     

生物炭复合青霉菌修复砷污染土壤对其微生物群落功能多样性的影响

真菌修复砷污染土壤是一种能够有效吸附固化环境中砷的重要措施.生物炭作为目前修复重金属的热点,其多空疏松的结构、较高的离子交换量、丰富的有机碳含量等都说明了其在土壤修复中的地位.为了探究生物炭与青霉菌在修复砷污染土壤的同时对土壤中微生物活性及其多样性的影响,在室内孵育条件下,运用Biolog法研究了3×3随机区组试验（3个生物炭梯度分别为0%、2%、4%,3个青霉菌梯度分别为0%、10%、20%）下土壤微生物对不同类型碳源的利用能力以及多种功能性指数的影响.结果表明:①添加青霉菌与生物炭后,土壤中有效砷含量较对照组显著下降,从而影响其微生物群落功能多样性.②砷污染土壤中微生物群落功能多样性、碳源利用丰富度随生物炭浓度梯度的升高呈先升后降的趋势.③高接菌量（20%）与低接菌量（10%）对砷污染土壤中微生物群落功能多样性的影响没有显著性差异.④2%生物炭与10%青霉菌处理土壤中微生物群落功能多样性、碳源利用丰度最高.⑤青霉菌对胺类及少部分酸类碳源的利用能力较弱（AWCD < 0.5,AWCD为Biolog微平板孔中溶液吸光值平均颜色变化率）,对氨基酸类中大部分碳源以及脂类碳源的代谢能力较强（AWCD>1.0）,对糖类、酚酸类的代谢能力稍弱（AWCD为0.3~1.0）,青霉菌对D-半乳糖醛酸、L-天冬酰胺酸、L-丝氨酸、L-精氨酸、r-羟基丁酸这5种碳源的利用率最高（AWCD>1.2）.研究显示,低浓度生物炭可增加砷污染土壤中微生物群落多样性,生物炭含量的继续增加会对微生物产生抑制作用;青霉菌添加到砷污染土壤后,会显著提升砷污染土壤中微生物的群落功能多样性,改善砷污染土壤中微生的物群落结构;青霉菌的优势碳源大多为植物根系分泌物,可为后续青霉菌与超积累植物复合修复砷污染土壤提供参考.      

我国燃煤电厂大气汞控制技术综合评估与对策探讨

采用模糊综合评价法与层次分析法或专家判定法相结合,对我国燃煤电厂非常规污染物大气汞控制技术进行了综合评估,以筛选出最佳控制技术.建立了环境、经济和技术为一级指标的三层指标体系,共22个评价指标;初步筛选出洗选煤+烟气净化协同脱除技术、烟气净化协同脱除技术、烟气净化协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术等七项技术及技术组合并对其开展评估.结果表明:强调环境因素的层次分析法综合评估结果表明,超低排放协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术得分最高（0.797 0）,为最佳控制技术.而专家判定法与强调经济因素的层次分析法的综合评估结果一致,洗选煤+烟气净化协同脱除技术最具经济优势,是专家认可的最佳可用技术（BAT）和最佳环境实践（BEP）.研究显示,我国现阶段可采用洗选煤+超低排放协同脱除技术对燃煤电厂的大气汞污染进行控制,但为达到发达国家的严格排放标准,必须采用超低排放协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术.