重庆铁山坪森林土壤汞释放通量的影响因子研究

对位于重庆铁山坪的马尾松林下的山地黄壤进行表层土壤(0~5 cm)的原状采集,并在实验室中进行控制实验,利用通量箱法测量原状土块表面的汞释放通量,以研究环境因子对土壤汞释放量的影响.结果表明,土壤汞释放量与辐射强度呈显著的正相关,在相同的空气温度和土壤含水量等条件下,土壤汞释放量在光下是遮阳条件下的3~9倍.不过,由于林下土壤常处于背阴状态,可能遮阳条件更能代表白天林下土壤汞的排放情况.土壤汞释放量存在明显的季节变化,夏季>春秋季>冬季,空气温度与土壤汞释放呈正相关.在低温下土壤汞释放量很低,土壤含水量影响较弱,而在高温时土壤含水量增加能明显促进土壤汞释放.枯落物的移除会显著降低土壤汞释放通量,主要原因可能是枯落物的汞含量较高并易于还原.土壤汞释放量在一天内也存在明显的衰减趋势,表明土壤表层的汞含量可能是森林土壤汞释放的重要限制因素.本研究测得森林土壤汞释放通量(白天)为:夏季(14.3±19.6)ng·(m2·h)-1、春秋季(3.50±5.36)ng·(m2·h)-1、冬季(1.48±3.27)ng·(m2·h)-1,以上稳态测试结果可能高估了实际的汞排放量.     

我国14种典型土壤脲酶、脱氢酶活性对汞胁迫的响应

Hg作为环境的主要污染重金属之一,其对土壤酶的影响是表征其环境效应的重要方面,结果可为土壤环境监测等提供生物学依据.因此,本文通过室内模拟试验,较系统地分析了全国14种主要类型18个土样的脲酶和脱氢酶活性在Hg胁迫下的响应.结果表明,Hg会抑制土壤酶活性,其降幅随土壤类型的不同有明显差异;随着Hg含量的升高,土壤脲酶和脱氢酶活性均显著降低;模型U=A/(1+B×C)可较好地拟合酶活性(U)与汞含量(C)之间的关系,揭示出土壤脲酶和脱氢酶在一定程度上可监测土壤Hg污染的程度,且机理为完全抑制(包括竞争性抑制和非竞争性抑制)作用.同时,实验获得的供试土样脲酶的生态剂量(ED10)范围为0.08~0.77 mg·kg-1,脱氢酶ED10范围为0.11~2.58mg·kg-1,从土壤酶角度获得的土壤汞轻度污染临界值为0.08 mg·kg-1,此值要小于国家土壤质量标准中的二级标准.有机质、pH、CEC和粘粒显著影响了汞与土壤脱氢酶的关系,上述4个土壤性状参数值越高,汞对土壤酶的毒害作用就越弱;酸性土壤中汞的毒害作用强于碱性土壤.表明在我国主要土壤类型上,土壤脲酶、脱氢酶对Hg毒性均较为敏感,可在更广范围内作为Hg污染程度的监测指标之一.     

燃煤电厂周围渔业养殖行为对水生生态环境中汞形态变化的影响

为研究燃煤电厂周围渔业养殖行为对水生生态环境中汞形态变化的影响,以浙江省象山港渔业养殖区为研究对象,对养殖区和对照区海水样品中不同形态汞浓度进行了测定.结果表明,燃煤电厂周围海域上覆水总汞浓度达到83.0 pmol·L-1±97.1 pmol·L-1.沉积物表层孔隙水中总溶解态汞随深度的下降而下降,并且10cm以上孔隙水中溶解态汞浓度显著高于10cm以下溶解态汞含量(P0.001),以上结果表明象山港海域水体中较高的汞浓度很有可能源于燃煤电厂的烟气释放.养殖区水体总汞浓度(96.5 pmol·L-1±133 pmol·L-1)高于对照区(69.5 pmol·L-1±39.4 pmol·L-1),主要源于养殖行为过程中从业人员生活污水的排放以及鱼饲料等物质在沉积物中的积累,进而向上覆水中释放.渔业养殖区孔隙水表层甲基汞(24.0pmol·L-1±16.7 pmol·L-1)浓度高于对照区(6.60 pmol·L-1±5.11 pmol·L-1),说明渔业养殖行为造成了沉积物中有机质积累,促进了汞的甲基化.     

三峡库区消落带土壤中硫酸盐还原菌对汞甲基化作用的影响

为探究三峡水库这一特殊的周期性干湿交替环境中,硫酸盐还原菌(sulfate-reducing bacteria,SRB)是否在汞的生物甲基化过程中起主导作用,本文以库区消落带原土为研究对象,以灭菌土+接种硫酸盐还原菌Desulfovibrio africanus(D.africanus,DSM-2603)为对照(试验A),在每公斤土壤分别添加0、1、5 mg汞浓度条件下,模拟研究原土(试验B)中总汞(THg)和甲基汞(MeHg)含量的动态变化、总硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)数量变化,以及影响土壤中甲基汞含量的环境因子分析.结果表明,淹水状况有利于THg从土壤中释放,且Hg含量越高,释放越快;菌株D.africanus对汞具生态适应性,其菌数与MeHg含量显著正相关:在5 mg·kg~(-1)Hg条件下,D.africanus菌数可达3.65×10~4cfu·g~(-1),MeHg含量也高达7.60×10~4ng·kg~(-1).值得注意的是,试验B处理中,一方面消落区原土中SRB菌数较少,平均仅193 cfu·g~(-1);另一方面,土壤MeHg含量较低:在5mg·kg~(-1)Hg条件下,MeHg含量仅为5.54×10~3ng·kg~(-1),且总SRB菌数与MeHg含量无显著相关性.由此可以推测,在三峡水库消落区这种非严格厌氧土壤环境中,SRB并非优势菌群,其中还存在着其它对生物汞甲基化起主导作用的好氧或兼性厌氧微生物种群.     

Preliminary study on health risk from mercury exposure to residents of Wujiazhan town on the Di’er Songhua river, Northeast China

Mercury concentrations in hair are typically used as a biomarker to assess exposure to mercury. A total of 108 hair samples were collected from residents (age range 5–73 years) of Wujiazhan town, northeast China, to determine total mercury concentrations. Hair mercury concentrations ranged from 0.16 to 199 mg kg^–1 with an average value of 3.41 mg kg⁻¹. The relationships between mercury concentration and gender and between hair mercury concentration and age were not significant. Overall, 16.7% of all samples were above the RfD value published by the United States Environmental Protection agency. The results indicate that there may be some been health risk from mercury exposure to the residents in the study area.     

Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in surface soils, Pueblo, Colorado: implications for population health risk

Decades of intensive industrial and agricultural practices as well as rapid urbanization have left communities like Pueblo, Colorado facing potential health threats from pollution of its soils, air, water and food supply. To address such concerns about environmental contamination, we conducted an urban geochemical study of the city of Pueblo to offer insights into the potential chemical hazards in soil and inform priorities for future health studies and population interventions aimed at reducing exposures to inorganic substances. The current study characterizes the environmental landscape of Pueblo in terms of heavy metals, and relates this to population distributions. Soil was sampled within the city along transects and analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb). We also profiled Pueblo’s communities in terms of their socioeconomic status and demographics. ArcGIS 9.0 was used to perform exploratory spatial data analysis and generate community profiles and prediction maps. The topsoil in Pueblo contains more As, Cd, Hg and Pb than national soil averages, although average Hg content in Pueblo was within reported baseline ranges. The highest levels of As concentrations ranged between 56.6 and 66.5 ppm. Lead concentrations exceeded 300 ppm in several of Pueblo’s residential communities. Elevated levels of lead are concentrated in low-income Hispanic and African-American communities. Areas of excessively high Cd concentration exist around Pueblo, including low income and minority communities, raising additional health and environmental justice concerns. Although the distribution patterns vary by element and may reflect both industrial and non-industrial sources, the study confirms that there is environmental contamination around Pueblo and underscores the need for a comprehensive public health approach to address environmental threats in urban communities.     

MERCURY CONTAMINATION AND FLOODPLAIN SEDIMENTATION FROM FORMER GOLD MINES IN NORTH GEORGIA1

ABSTRACT: Gold was discovered in Georgia in 1829 and mined until about 1940 in the Dahionega Gold Belt of the north Goorgia Piedmont. Streams there are characterized by gravel beds and fine sandy to silty banks. Historical mining-related alluvium is clearly distinguished from prehistoric alluvium because it is contaminated with mercury (Hg), which was used by miners to amalgamate gold. Mercury concentrations in historical floodplain sediments range from 0.04 to 4.0 mg kg^?1, exceeding background (0.04 mg kg¹) by as much as two orders of magnitude near the core of the mining district and decreasing in the downstream direction. Low levels (≤ 0.1 mg kg¹) of Hg are established within about 10–15 km from the source mines. The mercury-contaminated sediment exceeds sediment quality guidelines set by many agencies, and is a significant nonpoint source for mercury pollution. Hydraulic mining of saprolite, which began in 1868, and cutting of forests associated with mining and settlement caused unusually rapid sedimentation (1–3 cm yr^?l) and floodplain aggradation in the region. After mining ceased, streams adjusted by downcutting and forming an historical-age terrace. A new floodplain is currently being formed as streams migrate lateraily and erode the mining-related sediment of the historical terrace. High magnitude floods are contained within the confines of the historical terrace, thus limiting quantities of over-bank sedimentation, causing channel bank erosion, and transmitting high sediment yields to reservoirs in the region.     

Mercury Vapor Determination in Hospitals

The measurements of metallic mercury vapor were carried out in seven local hospitals, where mercury-containing products are widely used, as well as in one residence to check effectiveness of decontamination after mercury spillage. Hopcalite as a solid sorbent was used in active and passive sampling methods, and mercury was analyzed by CV-AAS technique. Good agreement was found between results of mercury measurements using active samplers (pumped hopcalite adsorption tubes) and passive (diffusion) monitors applied in indoor atmosphere. The results indicated the presence of metallic mercury vaporization sources in the assessed hospital rooms but in the majority of cases mercury levels did not exceed 1 g/m³ i.e. Polish permissible concentration for residence. However, in some of the hospital rooms, elevated concentrations of mercury vapor were found and airborne levels of up to 13.9 g/m³ were recorded. Higher concentrations of mercury vapor were observed in autumn season when compared to summer.     

氯磺酚偶氮硫代若丹宁光度法测定环境水样中的汞

研究了氯磺酚偶氮硫代若丹宁(HSCT)与汞的显色反应。在pH3 8的HAc-NaAc缓冲介质中,TritonX-100存在下,HSCT与汞反应生成2∶1稳定络合物,λmax=550nm,体系ε=8 46×104L·mol-1·cm-1。汞含量在0—1 5mg/L内符合比耳定律。方法可用于水样中痕量汞含量的测定。