危险化学品装卸运输风险及防控对策

分析了扬子石化公司危险化学品装卸和运输的状况及存在的风险,对危险化学品装卸运输风险的成因、防控策略等方面进行了分析讨论,以最大限度地降低危化品装卸和运输风险。     

海洋牧场选址适宜性评估——以烟台北部海域为例

我国的海洋牧场事业迅速发展,选址问题对于海洋牧场的建设与发展至关重要。本文以全国海洋牧场建设示范之城 —烟台市为例,基于海洋功能区划及其他社会因素,在其北部海域选定A～F 六个海洋牧场拟建区域,选取水深、水动力、底质类型、水质及沉积物质量、叶绿素a、富营养化状况等指标对各拟选区域进行海洋牧场选址适宜性评价。通过计算各拟选区域的海洋物理化学环境综合适宜性指数发现:A区域综合适宜性指数最高、C区域最低,对于整个拟选区域海洋牧场建设的适宜程度来说,有36.88 km2的海域为适宜、625.63 km2的海域为较适宜、318.88 km2的海域为不适宜。在海洋生物环境方面,各拟选海域叶绿素a含量差距较小,但夏季叶绿素a含量均较低;F海域在夏秋季节易发生海水富营养化污染,对海洋牧场的健康运营有一定危害。该研究为烟台市海洋牧场的选址及建设问题提供了依据,也为国内外其他地区海洋牧场的建设问题提供了参考。     

双酚类化合物的毒理学效应及微生物降解机制的研究进展

双酚类化合物作为重要的有机化工原料,广泛应用于各行各业。然而双酚类化合物是一类内分泌干扰物,毒性评价结果表明其与许多疾病发病率的升高密切相关。伴随双酚类化合物的大量使用,诸多环境样品中都检测出双酚类化合物。由于双酚类化合物的结构稳定,很难在自然界中被完全降解,会不断累积,对生态安全和人体健康产生危害,亟待有效修复。有机污染物的物理化学修复方法易对环境造成二次污染,微生物降解因其获取容易、无二次污染等特点成为双酚类化合物修复的有效途径。本文总结概述了几种典型双酚类化合物的毒性评价及微生物降解机制。     

Phosphorus removal from sediments by Potamogeton crispus: New high-resolution in-situ evidence for rhizosphere assimilation and oxidization-induced retention

Macrophytes are usually chosen for phytoremediation tools to remove P in eutrophic aquatic ecosystems, but the lack of test methods hinders the understanding of removal mechanism and application. In this study, we used the novel technologies combined of Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), Planar optode (PO), and Non-invasive micro-test technology (NMT) to explore P dynamics in water-sediment continuum and rhizosphere of Potamogeton crispus over time. Results of the high-resolution in situ measurement showed that labile P(LP_DGT) fluxes at the surficial sediment significantly decreased from approximate 120, 140, and 200 pg/ (cm²?sec) via 30 days incubation period to 17, 40, and 56 pg/(cm²?sec) via that of 15 days. Obvious synchronous increase of LP_DGT was not detected in overlying water, suggesting the intense assimilation of dissolve reactive P via root over time. PO measurement indicated that O₂ concentration around the rhizosphere remarkably increased and radially diffused into deeper sediment until 100% saturation along with the root stretch downwards. NMT detection of roots showed the obvious O₂ inflow into root tissue with the uppermost flux of 30 pmol/(cm²?sec) from surroundings via aerenchyma on different treatment conditions. Different from previous reports, gradually saturating O₂ concentrations around the rhizosphere was principally driven by O₂ penetration through interspace attributing to root stretch downward rather than root O₂ leakage. Increased O₂ concentrations in deep sediment over time finally induced the oxidization of labile Fe(II) into Fe(III) bound P and local P immobilization.     

A review on China's constructed wetlands in recent three decades: Application and practice

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been introduced to and developed in China for environmental engineering over the most prosperous three decades (1990–2020). To study the origin, development process, and future trend of CWs, this review summarized a wide range of literatures between 1990 and 2020 by Chinese authors. Firstly, the publication number over years, research highlights, and the author contributions with the most published papers in this field were conducted through bibliometric analysis. Secondly, the most principal components of CWs, substrates and macrophytes were summarized and analyzed. Thirdly, the typical application cases from traditional CWs, pond systems to combined pond-wetland systems were presented. In China, CWs were predominately distributed in the east of the so-called 'Hu Huanyong Line'. Therefore CWs were limited by the socio-economic level and climatic conditions. It is unquestionable that the overall level of China's CWs has improved significantly, and one of the most prominent features has started towards the plural pattern development. There has been a trend of large-scale or low-cost CW application in the recent years. However, lifecycle research and management are required for better strategies in the future.     

Assessing the factors impacting the bioaccessibility of mercury (Hg) in rice consumption by an in-vitro method

Mercury (Hg) in rice is drawing mounting concern since methylmercury (MeHg) was found capable of accumulating in rice. In-vitro bioaccessibility is a feasible and reliable method to assess the health effects of Hg in rice and has been utilized in a number of studies. This study was done to investigate the impact of cultivar, planting location, and cooking on the total mercury (THg) and MeHg bioaccessibility of rice, for which multiple statistical analysis methods were used to analyze the significance of their effects. The THg concentrations of rice samples taken from non-Hg contaminated areas of China were all below 15 ng/g and their MeHg concentrations were below 2 ng/g. Cooking could significantly reduce the MeHg bioaccessibility of rice because the MeHg was mainly combined with protein and the protein will be denatured during the cooking process, and then the denatured MeHg is difficult to be dissolved into the liquid phase. Indica- and japonica-type rice cultivars did not show significant differentiation in either the concentration of Hg or its bioaccessibility. However, the glutinous rice type differed significantly from the above rice types, and it showed greater bioaccessibility of THg and MeHg due to its distinct protein contents and starch properties. Planting location can affect the Hg concentration in rice and THg bioaccessibility but has a limited impact on MeHg bioaccessibility. Based on these results, two macro factors (rice cultivar, planting location) are presumed to impact Hg bioaccessibility by how they affect micro factors (i.e., Hg forms).     

Urinary analysis reveals high Alternaria mycotoxins exposure in the general population from Beijing, China

Alternaria mycotoxins are of concern due to its adverse health effect, they affect various cereal crops and grain-based food along with modified forms that contribute to overall exposure. This study aimed to determine the frequency and level of exposure to Alternaria mycotoxins (tenuazonic acid, TeA; alternariol, AOH; alternariol monomethyl ether, AME; tentoxin, TEN; and altenuene, ALT) in human urine from Beijing adults. A total of 2212 urine samples were collected and analyzed for five mycotoxins using LC–ESI–MS/MS. More than 98% of the samples had at least one Alternaria mycotoxin detected. Among the mycotoxins, AME had the highest detection rate (96.0%), followed by TeA (70.5%). The calculated average daily intake values of AME (12.5 ng/kg b.w.) was 5 times the TTC value (2.5 ng/kg b.w.) set by the EFSA, indicating the potential health risks associated with mycotoxins. Immediate attention and subsequent actions should be taken to identify the sources of mycotoxins and the corresponding exposure pathways to humans in the investigated regions.     

Influence of dissolved organic matter on methylmercury transformation during aerobic composting of municipal sewage sludge under different C/N ratios

Current knowledge about the transformation of total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) in aerobic composting process is limited. In this study, the composition and transformation of mercury and dissovled organic matter (DOM) in aerobic composting process of municipal sewage sludge were were comprehensively characterized, and the differences among the three C/N ratio (20, 26 and 30) were investigated. The main form of mercury in C/N 20 and 26 was organo-chelated Hg (F3, 46%-60%); while the main form of mercury in C/N 30 was mercuric sulfide (F5, 64%-70%). The main component of DOM in C/N 20 and 26 were tyrosine-like substance (C1, 53%-76%) while the main fractions in C/N 30 were tyrosine-like substance (C1, 28%-37%) and fulvic-like substance (C2, 17%-39%). The mercury and DOM varied significantly during the 9 days composting process. Compared to C/N 20 and 26, C/N 30 produced the less MeHg after aerobic composting process, with values of 658% (C/N 20), 1400% (C/N 26) and 139% (C/N 30) of the initial, respectively. Meanwhile, C/N 30 produced the best compost showed greater degree of DOM molecular condensation and humification. Hg fraction had been altered by DOM, as indicated by a significant correlation between mercury species and DOM components. Notably, C/N 30 should be used as an appropriate C/N ratio to control the methylation processes of mercury and degration of DOM.     

Sulfur-driven methylmercury production in paddies continues following soil oxidation

Methylmercury (MeHg) production in paddy soils and its accumulation in rice raise global concerns since rice consumption has been identified as an important pathway of human exposure to MeHg. Sulfur (S) amendment via fertilization has been reported to facilitate Hg methylation in paddy soils under anaerobic conditions, while the dynamic of S-amendment induced MeHg production in soils with increasing redox potential remains unclear. This critical gap hinders a comprehensive understanding of Hg biogeochemistry in rice paddy system which is characterized by the fluctuation of redox potential. Here, we conducted soil incubation experiments to explore MeHg production in slow-oxidizing paddy soils amended with different species of S and doses of sulfate. Results show that the elevated redox potential (1) increased MeHg concentrations by 10.9%−35.2%, which were mainly attributed to the re-oxidation of other S species to sulfate and thus the elevated abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria, and (2) increased MeHg phytoavailability by up to 75% due to the reductions in acid volatile sulfide (AVS) that strongly binds MeHg in soils. Results obtained from this study call for attention to the increased MeHg production and phytoavailability in paddy soils under elevated redox potentials due to water management, which might aggravate the MeHg production induced by S fertilization and thus enhance MeHg accumulation in rice.     

Understanding the risks of mercury sulfide nanoparticles in the environment: Formation, presence, and environmental behaviors

Mercury (Hg) could be microbially methylated to the bioaccumulative neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg), raising health concerns. Understanding the methylation of various Hg species is thus critical in predicting the MeHg risk. Among the known Hg species, mercury sulfide (HgS) is the largest Hg reservoir in the lithosphere and has long been considered to be highly inert. However, with advances in the analytical methods of nanoparticles, HgS nanoparticles (HgS NPs) have recently been detected in various environmental matrices or organisms. Furthermore, pioneering laboratory studies have reported the high bioavailability of HgS NPs. The formation, presence, and transformation (e.g., methylation) of HgS NPs are intricately related to several environmental factors, especially dissolved organic matter (DOM). The complexity of the behavior of HgS NPs and the heterogeneity of DOM prevent us from comprehensively understanding and predicting the risk of HgS NPs. To reveal the role of HgS NPs in Hg biogeochemical cycling, research needs should focus on the following aspects: the formation pathways, the presence, and the environmental behaviors of HgS NPs impacted by the dominant influential factor of DOM. We thus summarized the latest progress in these aspects and proposed future research priorities, e.g., developing the detection techniques of HgS NPs and probing HgS NPs in various matrices, further exploring the interactions between DOM and HgS NPs. Besides, as most of the previous studies were conducted in laboratories, our current knowledge should be further refreshed through field observations, which would help to gain better insights into predicting the Hg risks in natural environment.