利用AQUATOX模型评价淀山湖二氯甲烷生态风险

淀山湖地处上海的饮用水源地,水体中有机污染物的生态风险逐渐引起人们的重视。淀山湖水质监测结果显示,淀山湖中的挥发性有机物以二氯甲烷为主。应用美国环境保护署的AQUATOX模型对淀山湖水体中二氯甲烷进行模拟,并进行生态风险评价,旨在构建基于AQUATOX模型的水环境中有机物浓度模拟方法及风险评价的研究体系。结果显示,淀山湖中的二氯甲烷尚处于安全范围,但是需要加强观测,避免高风险的发生。     

Levels and speciation of arsenic in the atmosphere in Beijing, China

Arsenic levels and speciation in the total suspended particles (TSPs) were quantitatively determined by high performance liquid chromatography on-line coupled with hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry in Beijing, China from February 2009 to March 2011. The high TSP levels fluctuated between 0.07 and 0.79 mg m⁻³, with a mean level of 0.32 ± 0.17 mg m⁻³. The total arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 0.31 μg m⁻³ (mean: 0.13 ± 0.06 μg m⁻³) in Beijing‘s air. The concentrations of As(III) and As(V) ranged from 0.73 to 20 ng m⁻³ (mean: 4.7 ± 3.6 ng m⁻³) and from 14 to 2.5 × 10² ng m⁻³ (mean: 67 ± 35 ng m⁻³), respectively. As levels and speciation demonstrated relative higher levels in spring and autumn and lower values in summer and winter. As(V) accounted for 81-99% of the extractable species in the TSP samples which showed that As(V) was the major fraction of the extractable As. Organoarsenic species, monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA) were not found in all samples. Higher values of enrichment factors demonstrated that arsenic in TSP mainly come from anthropogenic sources. High As and its species levels in air and respiratory exposure (0.30-0.84 μg d⁻¹) attributed to higher excess cancer risk ((4.2 ± 2.0) × 10⁻⁴) for people in Beijing.     

Fertility Intentions and Risk Management: Exploring the Fertility Decline in Eastern Europe During Transition

Between 1985 and 1995, fertility in Eastern Europe declined from 2.2 children per woman to merely 1.5 on region-average. Previous research has emphasized mainly the economic turmoil during transition or the influx of new ideas regarding fertility and family relations. This article suggests that applying a risk management perspective on fertility patterns may put additional light on the reasons behind the fertility decline in post-communist Europe. The complexity of modern social systems has made people increasingly dependent on the state for risk evaluation and risk management. The article formulates the hypothesis that transition itself disrupted the mental models that helped people to navigate among the risks associated to having and raising children. Left to their own devices, women in Eastern Europe became more inclined to postpone childbirth or discard this option altogether.     

Coping with Complexity,Uncertainty and Ambiguity in Risk Governance: A Synthesis

The term governance describes the multitude of actors and processes that lead to collectively binding decisions. The term risk governance translates the core principles of governance to the context of risk-related policy making. We aim to delineate some basic lessons from the insights of the other articles in this special issue for our understanding of risk governance. Risk governance provides a conceptual as well as normative basis for how to cope with uncertain, complex and/or ambiguous risks. We propose to synthesize the breadth of the articles in this special issue by suggesting some changes to the risk governance framework proposed by the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) and adding some insights to its analytical and normative implications.     

The effects of the insecticide lambda-Cyhalothrin on the earthworm Eisenia fetida under experimental conditions of tropical and temperate regions

Plant Protection Products can affect soil organisms and thus might have negative impacts on soil functions. Little research has been performed on their impact on tropical soils. Therefore, the effects of the insecticide lambda-Cyhalothrin on earthworms were evaluated in acute and chronic laboratory tests modified for tropical conditions, i.e. at selected temperatures (20 and 28 °C) and with two strains (temperate and tropical) of the compost worm Eisenia fetida. The insecticide was spiked in two natural soils, in OECD artificial soil and a newly developed tropical artificial soil. The effects of lambda-Cyhalothrin did rarely vary in the same soil at tropical (LC50: 68.5-229 mg a.i./kg dry weight (DW); EC50: 54.2-60.2 mg a.i./kg DW) and temperate (LC50: 99.8-140 mg a.i./kg DW; EC50: 37.4-44.5 mg a.i./kg DW) temperatures. In tests with tropical soils and high temperature, effect values differed by up to a factor of ten.     

Sources and distribution of polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins and -dibenzofurans in soil and sediment from the Yellow Sea region of China and Korea

Polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins and -dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were measured in soils and sediments from the Yellow Sea region. Korean soils and sediments mostly contained detectable PCDD/Fs and showed a widespread distribution among locations. Soil and sedimentary PCDD/Fs from China were comparable to or less than those in Korea. The patterns of relative concentrations of individual congeners in soils were different between the two countries, but similar in sediments. Sources of PCDD/Fs in China and Korea were found to be independent of each other and their distributions reflected matrix-dependent accumulation. Spatial distribution indicated some point sources in Korea while Chinese sources were more widespread and diffuse. PCDD/Fs measured in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea were comparable to or less than those previously reported in for eastern Asia. However, ∑TEQs in soils and sediments were near to or, in some cases exceeded environmental quality guidelines.     

In vitro and in vivo approaches for the measurement of oral bioavailability of lead (Pb) in contaminated soils: a review

We reviewed the published evidence of lead (Pb) contamination of urban soils, soil Pb risk to children through hand-to-mouth activity, reduction of soil Pb bioavailability due to soil amendments, and methods to assess bioaccessibility which correlate with bioavailability of soil Pb. Feeding tests have shown that urban soils may have much lower Pb bioavailability than previously assumed. Hence bioavailability of soil Pb is the important measure for protection of public health, not total soil Pb. Chemical extraction tests (Pb bioaccessibility) have been developed which are well correlated with the results of bioavailability tests; application of these tests can save money and time compared with feeding tests. Recent findings have revealed that fractional bioaccessibility (bioaccessible compared to total) of Pb in urban soils is only 5-10% of total soil Pb, far lower than the 60% as bioavailable as food-Pb presumed by U.S.-EPA (30% absolute bioavailability used in IEUBK model).     

Screening of pharmaceuticals and hormones at the regional scale, in surface and groundwaters intended to human consumption

As part of a regional screening to evaluate the risk, for the health of populations, to certain classes of emerging substances, several families of pharmaceuticals and hormones were looked for in waters intended to drinking. Thus, 52 substances were investigated in 71 surface waters and 70 groundwaters. Results indicate that no water was free of pollutants, regardless of its origin (surface or groundwater) and the season of collect. The pharmaceuticals most frequently detected and with the highest concentration levels were salicylic acid, carbamazepine and acetaminophen. Among hormones, testosterone, androstenedione and progesterone were detected in almost all the samples. Globally the groundwaters were less contaminated than surface waters in regards pharmaceuticals frequencies and levels. On the other side, androgens and progestagens were present with comparable frequencies and levels in both compartments. The risk linked to the presence of these substances on human health is discussed.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in local waterbird eggs from Hong Kong: risk assessment to local waterbirds

The contamination status of the marine environment in Hong Kong was studied by measuring concentrations of organochlorine (OC) pollutants (i.e., hexachlorobenzene, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, mirex, total heptachlor, total chlordane, total DDTs, total PCBs, and total toxaphenes) in the eggs of selected waterbird species from different locations around the city: Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) from Mai Po Village, Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) from A Chau, and Chinese Pond Heron (A. bacchus) from Ho Sheung Heung. The mean concentrations of total PCBs and total DDTs ranged from 191-11 100 ng g⁻¹ lipid and 453-49 000 ng g⁻¹ lipid, respectively. Recent exposure of waterbirds to technical chlordane was found in Hong Kong. The risk characterization demonstrated potential risks to birds associated with exposure to DDE, which was found to cause a reduction in survival of young in Hong Kong Ardeids based on the endpoint in the risk assessment.