Biomonitoring in the Boulder River Watershed, Montana, USA: Metal Concentrations in Biofilm and Macroinvertebrates, and Relations with Macroinvertebrate Assemblage

Portions of the Boulder River watershed contain elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in water, sediment, and biota. We measured concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in biofilm and macroinvertebrates, and assessed macroinvertebrate assemblage and aquatic habitat with the objective of monitoring planned remediation efforts. Concentrations of metals were generally higher in downstream sites compared with upstream or reference sites, and two sites contained metal concentrations in macroinvertebrates greater than values reported to reduce health and survival of resident trout. Macroinvertebrate assemblage was correlated with metal concentrations in biofilm and macroinvertebrates. However, macroinvertebrate metrics were significantly correlated with a greater number of biofilm metals (8) than metals in invertebrates (4). Lead concentrations in biofilm appeared to have the most significant impact on macroinvertebrate assemblage. Metal concentrations in macroinvertebrates were directly proportional to concentrations in biofilm, indicating biofilm as a potential surrogate for monitoring metal impacts in aquatic systems.     

Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem

Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling. We highlight the importance of the Arctic benthic system in mitigating climatic and anthropogenic change and, with a focus on the Barents Sea, offer some observations and our perspectives on future management and policy.     

白铜和黄铜在SO2气氛中的腐蚀对比

通过SO2气体腐蚀试验、腐蚀表面的形貌观察和产物分析,对白铜和黄铜进行了对比研究。结果表明:两种铜的质量损失与SO2体积分数均成线性关系,在SO2污染环境中白铜的抗蚀能力优于黄铜;黄铜腐蚀产物主要为CuSO4.5H2O、Cu4(SO4)(OH)6.2H2O和Cu2O,白铜腐蚀产物主要为Cu4(SO4)(OH)6.2H2O和Cu2O。     

Kinetics and thermodynamic studies of Methyl Orange removal by polyvinylidene fluoride-PEDOT mats

We report the preparation of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-modified polyvinylidene fluoride electrospun fibers and their use as a novel adsorbent material for the removal of the anionic dye Methyl Orange (MO) from aqueous media. This novel adsorbent material can be used to selectively remove MO on a wide pH range (3.0–10.0), with a maximum capacity of 143.8 mg/g at pH 3.0. When used in a recirculating filtration system, the maximum absorption capacity was reached in a shorter time (20 min) than that observed for batch mode experiments (360 min). Based on the analyses of the kinetics and adsorption isotherm data, one can conclude that the predominant mechanism of interaction between the membrane and the dissolved dye molecules is electrostatic. Besides, considering the estimated values for the Gibbs energy, and entropy and enthalpy changes, it was established that the adsorption process is spontaneous and occurs in an endothermic manner. The good mechanical and environmental stability of these membranes allowed their use in at least 20 consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles, without significant loss of their characteristics. We suggest that the physical-chemical characteristics of PEDOT make these hybrid mats a promising adsorbent material for use in water remediation protocols and effluent treatment systems.     

砒砂岩区不同留茬高度及坡向下沙棘根系分形特征

为提高内蒙古砒砂岩区沙棘(Hippophae rhamnoides)人工林根系的生长能力,对东(E)、南(S)、西(W)、北(N)不同坡向沙棘植株进行了距地表0、10、15、20 cm(即a、b、c、d)留茬高度处理,而根系分形特征是植物根系构型应对环境异质性的表型可塑性,为反映沙棘根系对不同坡向不同留茬生长环境的适应...     

4种典型纳米材料对小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞毒性的初步研究

为探讨不同种类纳米材料对原代培养小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞(Mouse embryo fibroblasts,MEF)的毒性效应及作用机制,选择4种典型的纳米材料(纳米碳、单壁碳纳米管、纳米氧化锌、纳米二氧化硅)制备颗粒悬液,设立5个剂量组(5、10、20、50、100μg·mL-1)对BALB/c小鼠MEF细胞进行24、48、72h染毒培养,利用细胞形态学观察和噻唑蓝实验(MTT比色法)检测上述4种纳米材料对MEF细胞活性的影响,同时,测定染毒24h后细胞培养液上清中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性以探讨纳米颗粒对细胞膜完整性的影响.结果显示:1)4种纳米材料均能明显影响MEF细胞的生长形态.染毒24h后,MEF细胞发生不同程度的回缩变形,细胞间隙增大,排列稀疏,胞内颗粒物增多,细胞透明度下降.2)纳米碳、纳米氧化锌、纳米二氧化硅对MEF细胞增殖的抑制作用和对细胞膜完整性的损伤作用均随染毒剂量的升高而增强,具有明显的剂量-效应关系,其半数致死浓度(24h-IC50)分别为21.85、21.94、461.10μg·mL-1;碳纳米管组的剂量-效应之间不呈对数线性关系,未能得出其24h-IC50.3)在不同染毒剂量水平上,4种纳米材料的毒性对比差异显著:低剂量水平上纳米碳与碳纳米管的毒性强于纳米氧化锌和纳米二氧化硅,随着剂量的升高纳米氧化锌的细胞毒性升高最为显著.结果提示,纳米材料能够对MEF细胞造成毒性损伤,破坏细胞膜的完整性可能只是作用途径之一;纳米材料的毒性可能受粒径、形状、化学组成等许多因素的影响.     

气态甲醛对大鼠肺组织影响的病理学观察

为了研究大鼠吸入甲醛后其肺组织病理结构的改变并探讨其损伤机理,以雌性Wisar大鼠为实验材料,采用动式吸入方式染毒15d(暴露组甲醛浓度32～37mg·m-3,每日暴露4h)后,取肺组织进行光镜及透射电镜观察.光镜观察结果表明,甲醛暴露后,大鼠肺组织主要表现为间质性肺炎和肺泡性肺炎的病理学特点,肺泡壁毛细血管扩张、充血、出血严重,个别区域可见大量炎细胞浸润,肺内细支气管和肺泡腔内见大量血细胞,部分肺泡腔内有透明膜形成,内含脱落的肺泡上皮细胞.电镜观察结果表明,甲醛暴露后,大鼠肺泡上皮细胞损伤严重,线粒体嵴断裂、肿胀、空泡化,部分肺泡上皮细胞胞膜溶解,细胞器丢失,细胞坏死、脱落.推测甲醛吸入可致大鼠肺病理损伤,损伤机理可能与自由基损害和醛糖还原酶(AR)表达变化有关.     

Effect of temperature and organic nutrients on the biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) during the composting of anaerobically digested sludge from a wastewater treatment plant

Limits on the application of biosolids (anaerobically processed sludges from wastewater treatment plants) as fertilizers for the amendment of soil are becoming greater because of the accumulation of recalcitrant substances, making necessary the use of techniques that bring the concentration of xenobiotics to lower concentrations than those permitted. In general, the biosolids composting process is sufficient to reduce the usual concentration of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) to low levels. In this work, an assessment is made on the effect of temperature in the capacity of enriched bacterial populations to biodegrade LAS, together with the influence that the available nutrients may have in the biodegradation of these compounds. The results show that the microbial metabolism of LAS was not observed in the thermophilic range. The optimum temperature for the biodegradation of LAS appears to be around 40 degrees C, this is, the lowest assayed here, and at this temperature the differences in the biodegradation of LAS among the nutritionally supplemented cultures are small.     

Effects of the forced ventilation on composting of a solid olive-mill by-product ("alperujo") managed by mechanical turning

The evaluation of the most suitable aeration technology for olive-mill by-product "alperujo" (AL) composting was carried out by using two identical piles prepared by mixing AL with a bulking agent (fresh cow bedding) and a mature compost (as inoculant). Forced ventilation was employed in conjunction with mechanical turning in one of the piles, whereas only mechanical turning was used in the other pile. These two treatment methods were evaluated by assessing process efficiency and end-product quality. The results show that the composting process was completed in less time when forced ventilation was coupled with mechanical turning. A slight delay in the evolution of pH, C/N ratio, and biodegradation of fats and organic matter was observed when only turning was employed. However, the recommended method for composting AL was mechanical turning without forced ventilation since the composition of the end-product in this case was comparable to the composted AL using forced ventilation coupled with mechanical turning. Furthermore, there were substantial economic savings by selecting mechanical turning alone, which included capital costs for equipment.     

Mineralogical characterization of the Tournemire argillite after in situ interaction with concretes

This study aims to investigate, through mineralogical characterization (SEM, XRD) and mass-balance calculations, the effects of contact time, concrete types and presence of free water on the Tournemire argillite under in situ conditions. Three sampling zones from Excavation Disturbed Zone (EDZ) areas have been chosen: (1) dry contacts, collected at the tunnel masonry/argillite interface (contact time - 125 years), (2) wet contacts, taken close to drained areas below the tunnel roadbed in contact with the canal draining the Cernon fault water (contact time - 15 and 7 years) and at the tunnel masonry/argillite interface over 70 m from the Cernon fault (contact time - 125 years). This study shows that: in the absence of water, no significant modification of argillite is observed after 125 years, except for pyrite dissolution and gypsum precipitation; in the presence of water, precipitation of gypsum, recrystallization of mixed-layer clays, neoformation of zeolites and K-feldspars overgrowths are observed. At the concrete/argillite interface near the Cernon fault, important dolomite neoformation and leaching of chlorite and kaolinite occur. These processes are enhanced with contact time, low flow rate and the nature of the concrete (compound cement Portland CEM II 32.5). Evidence for oxidation processes linked to the EDZ (pyrite oxidation, Fe-oxy-hydroxide and gypsum precipitation) is observed.