Sources and mass fluxes of the main contaminants in a heavily polluted and modified river of the North China Plain

Many rivers in China and other newly industrialized countries have suffered from severe degradation of water quality in the context of rapid economic growth. An accounting method was developed to investigate the source and mass fluxes of the main contaminants in the Ziya River, a severely polluted and heavily modified river in a semiarid area of the North China Plain, where chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH₄-N) were the most important indicators of pollution. The results showed that the urban sewage with high concentration of COD and NH₄-N dominated the streams, contributing to 80.7 % of the streamflow, 92.2 % of COD, and 94.5 % of NH₄-N. The concentrations of COD and NH₄-N in streams varied from 24.0–195.0 to 5.8–43.8 mg/L, respectively. Mass fluxes of COD and NH₄-N of all pathways were quantified. Much of the polluted water was diverted to irrigation, and some eventually flowed into the Bohai Sea. Installation of adequate wastewater treatment facilities and making strict discharge standards can help improve the water quality. Our findings imply that a simple accounting method provides an extremely well-documented example for load estimation and can be useful for intervention strategies in heavily polluted and modified rivers in newly industrialized countries.     

Role of economic growth and innovative technologies in the outlook of energy and environmental efficiency: a way forward for developing Asian economies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Energy consumption is widely regarded as the primary driver of economic development and environmental degradation. The current study examines how...     

Diurnal vertical migration of Cochlodinium polykrikoides during the red tide in Korean coastal sea waters

The diurnal vertical migration of Cochlodinium polykrikoides (C. polykrikoides), which caused a red tide in the Korean coastal waters of the East Sea/Sea of Japan in September 2003, was examined by determining the time-dependent changes in the density of living cells in relation to the depth of the water column. The ascent of this species into the surface layer (depth of water 2 m) occurred during 1400-1500. The descent started at 1600 and a high distribution rate (86%) at 15-20 m was observed at 0300. During the ascent, the cells were widely distributed at each depth level from 0600 hr and at 0800-1100, the cells were primarily distributed in the middle layer (0-6 m). The concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen was generally < or = 2.86 micromol l(-1), but at 1400-1500, the concentration in the surface layer reduced to < or = 0.14 micromol l(-1). Moreover, the concentration gradually increased as the depth increased to > or = 5 m. These results showed that the nutrient-consumption rate associated with the proliferation of C. polykrikoides during a red tide is more influenced by the inorganic-nitrogen resources ratherthan the inorganic-phosphorus compounds.     

Rainfall-human-spatial interactions in a salinity-prone agricultural region of the Western Australian wheat-belt

To explore the complexity of temporal and spatial dynamics of an agricultural landscape under various external and internal driven scenarios, SimKat, an agent-based model, has been developed with the simulation computer program CORMAS. This model combines simplified bio-physical processes of land cover, regional dry-land salinity changes, rainfall impact on productivity, farm profitability and the complexity of land-use decisions of individual farmers in a dry-land agricultural catchment (no irrigation). In this model, simulated farmers formulate individual decisions dealing with land-use changes based on the combined performance of their past land cover productivity and market returns. The willingness to adapt to market drivers and the ability to maximize returns vary between farmers. In addition, farmers in the model can demonstrate various attitudes towards dry-land salinity mitigation as a consequence of experiencing and perceiving salinity on their farm, in the neighborhood or across the entire region. Consequently, farmers can adopt land cover strategies aimed at reducing dry-land salinity. Aggregating the simulated individual behavior of farmers combined with historical rainfall and market price records, reproduced similar aggregated trends of land-cover changes, regional salinity change and farm number decline as observed in the last 20 years in the subject region (Katanning, Western Australia). Using the model in an initial exploratory study on the impact of rainfall variability and change highlighted the importance of average rainfall decline and the widespread willingness of farmers to adapt perennial vegetation in their farming systems to combat regional dry-land salinity. Rainfall decline, as one of the observed consequences of climate change in this region, can also lead to prolonged sequences of dry seasons in the future. Adaptation by farmers to sequences of dry and wet seasons, rather than an average trend in rainfall, seems to be critical for farm survival in this region. Intensifying cropping during wet seasons to maximize farm returns can increase vulnerability in subsequent periods of dry seasons, in particular where alternative income from pasture and sheep production has been lost in the adaptation process.     

基于土壤酶活性变化的铅污染土壤修复基准

近年来,污染土壤修复技术发展很快,而污染土壤修复标准的建立则相对迟缓。为了推进我国该领域的工作,对铅胁迫下土壤酶活性（如过氧化氢酶,磷酸酶,脲酶）随时间的变化进行了研究,以确定棕壤土中铅的土壤修复基准。结果表明：土壤中的铅能够刺激土壤中过氧化氢酶活性的增加,但随着土壤铅浓度的增加,这种刺激作用逐渐减小。土壤过氧化氢酶活性不宜作为铅污染土壤的生物标记物。土壤磷酸酶活性没有一致的变化规律,土壤磷酸酶活性不能作为铅污染土壤的生物标记物。在整个实验时间范围内,土壤脲酶活性与土壤中铅的浓度具有明显的剂量-效应关系（P〈0.01）,土壤脲酶活性可以作为铅污染土壤生物标记物。以土壤脲酶抑制率降低25%为依据,确定棕壤中铅的土壤修复基准为94mg·kg-1,以土壤脲酶抑制率降低45%为依据,确定棕壤中铅的土壤修复基准为178mg·kg-1。     

Effects of ethyl 2-methyl acetoacetate (EMA) on the growth of Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Skeletonema costatum

We investigated the effects of ethyl 2-methyl acetoacetate (EMA) on growth of the marine diatom algae Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P. tricornutum) and Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum). Growth of P. tricornutum was significantly inhibited by the minimum concentration (3.5 mmol·L ^?1) of EMA at lower initial algal densities (IADs) (3.6×10⁴ and 3.3×10⁵ cells·mL ^?1). However, at the highest IAD, significant growth inhibition was found at above 7 mmol·L ^?1 of EMA exposure. In S. costatum, EMA concentrations of 10.5 mmol·L ^?1 or more significantly inhibited growth at lower IAD (3×10⁴ and 1.8×10⁵ cells·mL ^?1); at the highest IAD, only EMA concentrations above 14 mmol·L ^?1 obviously inhibited the growth of S. costatum. Changes in specific growth rates and pigment were consistent with algal growth, but only at higher EMA concentrations or lower IAD values was the ratio of chlorophyll a (Chla) to carotenoid significantly lower than the control. Medium effective concentration (EC ₅₀) values were in the order 4.07, 8.03 and 12.27 mmol·L ^?1 for P. tricornutum and 7.48, 11.92 and 17.22 mmol·L ^?1 for S. costatum. All these results show that the effect of EMA on the growth of algae was species specific and mainly depended on IAD, which might be an important factor to influence algal growth.     

Analysis,accumulation and central effects of trihalomethanes. I. bromoform†

The paper presents the results obtained in a study on the effects of organic micropollutants on the central nervous system of the rat, used herein as a suitable model for neurotoxicologic work. Bromoform, a member of the trihalomethane (THM) family, was the pollutant selected since it becomes a characteristic marker in the Barcelona potable water supply.

Analytical data on the GC‐ECD separation of THMs from other volatile halocarbons is presented. A mixed packed column 10% SE‐30/PEG 20M (94:6) at 70°C provides an adequate separation. The distribution of bromoform in rat plasma and tissues showed an accumulation in brain, kidney and fat, increasing in this order and a rapid elimination after 30 min. The effect on the central aminergic metabolism is studied by HPLC. The increased metabolic activity detected could be attributed either to an increased nervous activity, stimulating the metabolism of serotonin, or to its greater degradation.     

Remote sensing of global change: growth in China's Jiangsu Province

SUMMARY

This paper examines how remote-sensing data and regional social and economic data can be used together to identify changes in land-use patterns in particular regions. Study of the spatiotemporal dynamics of remote-sensing data can identify trends in competing uses of land, water and other natural resources for agriculture, industrial development and urban settlements. When combined with information on trends in industrial production, population, agricultural production, pollutant releases, water usage and natural forest coverage, these data reveal patterns of anthropogenic disturbance that can provide early signals of problems in resource decline or land-use management. This study focuses on land-cover changes in southern Jiangsu Province of the People's Republic of China between 1976 and 1984. This region, to the west of Shanghai and to the south of the Yangtze River, experienced unprecedented economic growth after the end of the Cultural Revolution. Remote-sensing imagery reveals the rapid growth of urban centres, commensurate declines in surface water area, and changing patterns of agriculture. The observed changes cast doubt on the ability of the region to sustain such rapid and intense land-use conflicts over a long period.     

节球藻毒素对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应

研究了节球藻毒素对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎的急性毒性效应。采用水浴染毒法,将受精后2h的斑马鱼卵分别暴露于含有0、50、100、200、400、800、1600及3200μg·L-1节球藻毒素的试液中,显微观察不同浓度节球藻毒素对斑马鱼受精卵及其胚胎发育过程的影响,并通过累计孵化率、死亡率、发育畸形率的比较,评价节球藻毒素对斑马鱼胚胎的发育毒性。结果显示:随着节球藻毒素浓度的增加,斑马鱼胚胎的孵化率降低、死亡率和畸形率增加。与对照组比较,浓度≥1600μg·L-1的实验组胚胎发育明显迟缓。浓度≥400μg·L-1时,胚胎孵化率显著降低,72hpf的孵化率由对照组的87%降低到高浓度组(3200μg·L-1)的7%。浓度≥800μg·L-1时,斑马鱼的死亡率、畸形率明显升高;144hpf的死亡率由对照组的7%增加到73%;144hpf的畸形率由对照组的0%增加到93%,畸形主要表现为脊柱弯曲,心包囊肿,尾畸弯曲等。节球藻毒素暴露48hpf对斑马鱼半致死浓度LC50为2572.76μg·L-1,暴露144hpf时为1056.33μg·L-1。节球藻毒素对斑马鱼早期生命发育阶段有一定的抑制效应,高浓度亦会导致死亡。