Contamination assessment of arsenic and heavy metals in a typical abandoned estuary wetland—a case study of the Yellow River Delta Natural Reserve

Coastal and estuarine areas are often polluted by heavy metals that result from industrial production and agricultural activities. In this study, we investigated the concentration trait and vertical pattern of trace elements, such as As, Cd, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cr, and the relationship between those trace elements and the soil properties in coastal wetlands using 28 profiles that were surveyed across the Diaokouhe Nature Reserve (DKHNR). The goal of this study is to investigate profile distribution characteristics of heavy metals in different wetland types and their variations with the soil depth to assess heavy metal pollution using pollution indices and to identify the pollution sources using multivariate analysis and sediment quality guidelines. Principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and pollution level indices were applied to evaluate the contamination conditions due to wetland degradation. The findings indicated that the concentration of trace elements decreased with the soil depth, while Cd increases with soil depth. The As concentrations in reed swamps and Suaeda heteroptera surface layers were slightly higher than those in other land use types. All six heavy metals, i.e., Ni, Cu, As, Zn, Cr, and Pb, were strongly associated with PC1 (positive loading) and could reflect the contribution of natural geological sources of metals into the coastal sediments. PC2 is highly associated with Cd and could represent anthropogenic sources of metal pollution. Most of the heavy metals exhibited significant positive correlations with total concentrations; however, no significant correlations were observed between them and the soil salt and soil organic carbon. Soil organic carbon exhibited a positive linear relationship with Cu, Pb, and Zn in the first soil layer (0–20 cm); As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the second layer (20–40 cm); and As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the third layer (40–60 cm). Soil organic carbon exhibited only a negative correlation with Cd (P?I _geo values), which averaged less than 0 in the three soil layers, this finding indicates that the soils have remained unpolluted by these heavy metals. The mean concentrations of these trace elements were lower than Class I criteria. The degradation wetland restoration suggestions have also been provided in such a way as to restore the reserved flow path of the Yellow River. The results that are associated with trace element contamination would be helpful in providing scientific directions to restore wetlands across the world.     

Using ecological memory as an indicator to monitor the ecological restoration of four forest plantations in subtropical China

A large area of plantations has been established worldwide and especially in China. Evaluating the restoration status of these plantations is essential for their long-term management. Based on our previous work, we used an ecological memory (EM) approach to evaluate four 26-year-old plantations that represent four common kinds of plantations in subtropical China, i.e., mixed broad-leaved plantation (MBP), mixed coniferous plantation (MCP), eucalyptus plantation (EP), and mixed legume plantation (MLP). Comparing them with the regional climax community, i.e., monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (BF), all four plantations accumulated nearly the same pattern of EM during succession. EM was >50 % for soil minerals, light conditions, soil age, soil animals, and soil microbes. EM was about 25 % for soil pollen and 10 % for birds, soil seed bank, and plant species. The total EM value of the four plantations ranged from 50.96 to 52.54, which indicated that all four plantations were in the regional, natural trajectory of succession and between the early and medium successional stages. The results indicated that natural succession processes are unlikely to be accelerated by planting late-stage tree species without sufficient EM. The results also demonstrated that all four plantations were in positive successional trajectories, and the positive succession dynamics were greater in the MLP and MCP. We suggest that the entire natural succession trajectory be used to evaluate the restoration of a site and that the ultimate restoration target be divided into several milestones along the reference trajectory to monitor progress. Forest restoration may be accelerated by starting with a minimum dynamic unit supporting sufficient EM.     

Determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water using fluorinated polyaniline-based solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography

The study on the performance of a fluorinated polyaniline (PANI) as a fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) had been reported and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were selected to evaluate the performance of this fiber. Various parameters including sample volume, extraction temperature, time of desorption and extraction, pH and ionic strength were investigated intensively. A direct comparison between PANI-SPME fiber and commercial fiber was conducted. The results showed that the PANI-SPME coating had high affinity towards target compounds and the proposed method was successfully applied for the detection of real samples: rainfall and Taihu Lake water collected from Southern China. The whole PANI-SPME-GC method offers acceptable accuracy, precision and sensitivity and low detection limits, which is applicable to monitor trace levels of PAHs in real water bodies.     

Characteristics and assessment of phthalate esters in urban dusts in Guangzhou city, China

Phthalate esters (PAEs) were examined in indoor and outdoor dust samples from the subtropical city of Guangzhou, China. The ∑(16)PAEs concentrations ranged from 121 to 3,223 μg g(-1) dust, with the median concentration of 840 μg g(-1) dust. Significantly higher concentrations of PAEs in dust samples were found in offices where electrical and electronic devices, carpet pads, and office furniture were widely used. Of the 16 PAEs, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dominated the PAEs in indoor and outdoor dust samples, and accounted for >96.8% and >93.1% of the ∑(16)PAEs concentrations, respectively. The median daily inhalation exposure of ∑(16)PAEs were 3.53 and 0.247 μg kg(-1) body weight day(-1), and at the 95(th) percentile were 7.62 and 0.530 μg kg(-1) body weight day(-1), up on the measured concentrations and estimated dust ingestion rates, respectively, for toddles and adults. The ubiquitous distribution of PAEs as noted in this study suggests the need for detailed assessment of PAEs concentrations using more sites and to further investigate the factors influencing PAEs exposure in China.     

Sedimentary record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a sediment core from a maar lake, Northeast China: evidence in historical atmospheric deposition

A maar lake is an excellent ecosystem to study the atmospheric deposition of pollutants, as its contaminants are primarily by atmospheric deposition. In this study, a sediment core from Sihailongwan Maar Lake, Northeast China, was collected and the historical atmospherically deposited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed. The concentrations of TPAHs (the sum of the US EPA proposed 16 priority PAHs, excluding naphthalene and pyrene) ranged from 473.9 to 2289 ng g(-1) with a slow increasing stage in the deeper sediments and a sharp increasing stage in the upper sediments. The input rate of TPAHs, especially that of PAH(9) (the sum of fluoranthene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, dibenzo(ah)anthrathene, and benzo(ghi)perylene), correlated well to the Chinese historical socioeconomic data. This indicates that sediment PAHs were mainly derived from human activities and PAH(9) can be regarded as a better indicator of the local socioeconomic development. Source identification suggested that PAHs were originated primarily from mixed sources (e.g., coal and biomass burning and petroleum combustion), except for perylene which was mostly of diagenetic origin. In addition, the down-core PAHs profile clearly illustrated that PAHs sources in Northeast China experienced a transformation from low- and moderate temperature to high-temperature combustion processes, especially after the late 1980s. Additionally, an ecological risk assessment using two redefined biological thresholds (TEQ(ERL) and TEQ(ERM)) indicated that most of the PAHs measured in the present sediment core would not cause an immediate toxic effect; only FLU and PHEN are a potential source of concern for biological impairment.     

Evaluation of rural wastewater treatment processes in a county of eastern China

With the rapid urbanization and industrialization in China, wastewater treatment in rural areas has become an increasing national concern. The selection of appropriate treatment processes closely based on the actual local status is crucial for the prevention of water quality deterioration in rural areas of China. This study presents a full year survey on the performances of various rural wastewater treatment processes at a county level in eastern China including seven three-chamber septic tanks (ST), five micro-power biological facilities (MP), seven constructed wetlands (CW), three stabilization ponds (SP) and five centralized activated sludge treatment plants (AS). It was found that although ST could remove a notable portion of total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD(Cr)), it was ineffective in reducing nutrients and pathogens. Reliability and stability analyses showed that the centralized AS and decentralized CW processes outperformed the SP and MP processes. There were obvious discrepancies between the mean design concentrations, which ensure that 95% of the effluents meet the discharge standards, and the actual effluent concentrations determined for each process. The expected compliance with the tentatively adopted second-grade discharge standards (GB 18918-2002) was unsatisfactory for most of the water quality parameters examined, indicating an urgent need to design more practical discharge standards for decentralized treatment processes. Based on an overall assessment of reliability, stability and cost-effectiveness, the centralized AS was suitable for densely populated towns while the decentralized CW was suitable for sparsely populated villages.     

An estimation on budget and control of phosphorus in the Changjiang River catchment

Based on field investigations in the Changjiang River mouth, rain sampling from the river's upper reaches to the mouth, historical data, and relevant literatures, the budget and major control factors of total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in the river catchment were estimated and discussed from the catchment scale. It will supply a base for effective controlling P concentration in the Changjiang River and its mouth. Results show that the export fluxes of TP and DIP were mainly controlled by the river runoff. The TP and DIP in the Changjiang River came mainly from agricultural nonpoint source P losses from fertilizer and soil and point sources of industrial waste and residential sewage discharges. The export fluxes of TP and DIP in the river mouth were only 27.0% and 28.3% of the imports from the river catchment, respectively, suggesting that most of P were removed in transportation. A mass of freshwater marshes in the river catchment were the main areas to remove P. Significant increasing in utilization of fertilizer P and incessant increasing in water and soil loss areas were the primary reasons of agricultural nonpoint source P losses. How to decrease the agricultural nonpoint source P loss from the catchment scale is a key controlling P concentration in the Changjiang River and its mouth. The point source industrial waste P discharge has been primarily treated in the river catchment, but the residential sewage P discharge needs further control.     

一种室外声屏障过渡区域绕射衰减测量方法

提出了一种声屏障声影区与声亮区过渡区域的绕射衰减室外测量方法。方法采用5ms的正弦波作为测试信号,利用声波到达时间的差异有效地排除地面反射和有限长声屏障两侧绕射的影响,并通过背景噪声频谱分析选取测试声以及对接受信号FIR滤波以最大限度降低背景噪声的影响,同时考虑了气象条件变化导致的大气衰减修正。为进一步验证方法有效性,选取直立声屏障作为试验案例。结果表明,与室内全消声室试验结果、几何绕射理论结果接近,试验精度高。     

Determination of hydrazine hydrate based on electrochemiluminescence of Ru(bpy) 3 2+

Considering of the basic properties and also the two nitrogen atoms in the structure, hydrazine hydrate was employed to be an amine additive candidate, to build a Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ /hydrazine electrochemiluminescence (ECL) system, and ECL of Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ has been employed for the determination of hydrazine hydrate in the paper. The result demonstrated that the logarithmic ECL increasing (ΔECL?=?ECL_{after addition of hydrazine}???ECL_{before addition of hydrazine}) versus the logarithmic concentration of hydrazine hydrate is linear over a concentration range of 1.0?×?10^?9 to 1.0?×?10^?5?mol/L, on both glassy carbon and Pt electrodes in a pH 9 phosphate buffer. The hydrazine hydrate detection limit was down to 1.0?×?10^?9?mol/L, comparatively lower than other detection methods. To check its applicability, the proposed method was applied to the determination of hydrazine hydrate added into a tap water sample with good reproducibility and stability. All these provide a possibility to develop a novel ECL detection method for hydrazine in water.     

气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱测定水中超痕量多氯萘

采用固相萃取法处理水样,气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱法测定水中超痕量多氯萘,同位素内标法定量,并对样品前处理条件和仪器条件进行优化。试验表明：方法在0．500 ng/L～500 ng/L范围内线性良好;当取样体积为1 L时,方法检出限为0．005 ng/L～0．01 ng/L;对实际水样进行2个质量浓度水平的加标回收试验,平行测定6次的 RSD为2．7％～8．7％,回收率为70．2％～110％。方法适用性试验表明,水样中复杂的基质对测定无影响。