GC × GC--A New Analytical Tool For Environmental Forensics

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, GC 2 GC, is a new analytical tool with a tremendous capability to separate and identify organic compounds in complex environmental samples. GC 2 GC uses two different chromatography columns coupled serially by a modulator to produce a volatility by polarity separation and distribute compound peaks across a two-dimensional retention time plane. The two-dimensional separation produces an order of magnitude more resolved peaks than traditional GC methods. The grouping or ordering of the peaks in the GC 2 GC chromatogram facilitates the identification of unknown compounds and the comparison of complex environmental samples. When a mass spectrometer detector is used, each resolved GC 2 GC peak yields a single-component, interference-free mass spectrum that leads to accurate matching with mass spectral libraries. GC 2 GC examination of marine sediment extracts identified a wide variety of chemical contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls, p -nonylphenol isomers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzotriazoles, and the alkane, cycloalkane, alkylbenzene, alkylnaphthalene, and biomarker fractions of petroleum. The two-dimensional GC 2 GC chromatogram image permits rapid screening of the sediment extracts for these and other unknown contaminants.     

Particle size distribution and characteristics of heavy metals in road-deposited sediments from Beijing Olympic Park

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, heavy metals in road-deposited sediments(RDSs) of parks are emitted into the terrestrial, atmospheric, and water environment, and have a severe impact on residents' and tourists' health. To identify the distribution and characteristic of heavy metals in RDS and to assess the road environmental quality in Chinese parks, samples were collected from Beijing Olympic Park in the present study. The results indicated that particles with small grain size(150 μm) were the dominant fraction. The length of dry period was one of the main factors affecting the particle size distribution, as indicated by the variation of size fraction with the increase of dry days. The amount of heavy metal(i.e., Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) content was the largest in particles with small size(150 μm) among all samples. Specifically, the percentage of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in these particles was 74.7%, 55.5%, 56.6% and 71.3%, respectively.Heavy metals adsorbed in sediments may mainly be contributed by road traffic emissions. The contamination levels of Pb and Cd were higher than Cu and Zn on the basis of the mean heavy metal contents. Specifically, the geoaccumulation index(I geo) decreased in the order:CdPbCuZn. This study analyzed the mobility of heavy metals in sediments using partial sequential extraction with the Tessier procedure. The results revealed that the apparent mobility and potential metal bioavailability of heavy metals in the sediments, based on the exchangeable and carbonate fractions, decreased in the order: CdZn≈PbCu.     

Impact of land-use types on nitrate concentration and δN in unconfined groundwater in rural areas of Korea

An understanding of the long-term changes in the nitrate contamination pattern of unconfined groundwater is critical to conservation of drinking water in rural areas supporting mixed land-use activities such as cropping, livestock farming, and residence. To examine the effect of different land-use activities on nitrate contamination, groundwater samples were collected monthly for 3 years (1997–1999) from 12 wells in rural areas with different land-use activities and analyzed for the concentrations and N isotopic ratios (δ¹⁵N) of nitrate. The characteristics of nitrate contamination clearly differed with land-use activities. The percentages of samples that had a nitrate concentration exceeding the national standard for drinking water (10 mg N L⁻¹) were 0, 23, 43, and 67% for the uncontaminated natural area, cropping area, cropping-livestock farming complex area, and residential area, respectively. The range of δ¹⁵N values was between +1.4 and +4.5‰ for groundwater nitrate from the uncontaminated natural area. In the cropping area, the δ¹⁵N values were slightly different with the type of fertilizer applied to fields in the vicinity of the well, and the values ranged between +8.7 and +14.4‰ for the compost-applied area and between +4.5 and +8.5‰ for the area where urea was applied with compost. The δ¹⁵N values of the cropping-livestock farming complex area ranged from +1.0 to +17.7‰, probably resulting from mixed contamination sources (inorganic fertilizer and livestock manure). The well located closest to the livestock feedlot had relatively higher δ¹⁵N values, with a range between +8.7 and +17.6‰. In the residential area, a higher δ¹⁵N (most frequently above +10‰) of nitrate suggested that the major source of contamination was effluent from leaky septic tanks. Our data showed that unconfined groundwater is susceptible to land-use activities above the aquifers, and the impacts of the activities could be more precisely inferred from long-term data on the concentration and δ¹⁵N of nitrate. By determining the impacts, more effective (specific to contamination sources) measures for preventing groundwater quality could be implemented.     

土壤污染物溶质运移模型研究进展

土壤中污染物溶质的运移已经成为了近年来研究的热点。本文回顾了关于土壤中溶质运移模型的研究成果,讨论了各个模型的优势及其不足之处,介绍了应用最为广泛的传统微分方程模型。对应用于非均匀介质中的随机运移模型进行了描述,并将其和传统微分方程模型进行了比较。介绍了可动-不可动水体模型并讨论了其相关参数的影响因素。列举了几种和其他学科或研究方向结合的溶质运移模型。最后提出了今后模型开发的发展方向。     

甲基叔丁基醚的污染治理技术研究进展

甲基叔丁基醚(MTBE)是一种无铅汽油添加剂,其广泛使用造成了土壤和地下水污染;同时对人类有可疑致癌作用,因此成为人们关注的焦点.对近年来国外MTBE的污染治理技术研究进展进行了综述,并对主要方法进行了对比.在适宜的微生物存在条件下,MTBE的生物降解是可以发生的;植物修复技术可用于地下水和土壤污染治理;物理化学方法种类繁多,包括吸附和高级氧化等,其处理效率高成本也较高;新的处理技术如渗透性活性障壁PRB、膜分离/催化技术等也在研究之中.     

污染地下水原位治理技术--透水性反应墙法

20世纪90年代初期在美国和加拿大兴起的原位被动修复技术--透水性反应墙,是一种地下水污染原位处理方法.其通过在垂直于地下水流动方向设置活性渗滤墙,当地下水流通过活性渗滤墙时,污染物与墙体材料发生化学反应,从而达到环境修复的目的.该技术具有原理简单,施工方便,能持续原位处理,处理组分多,且运行费用低廉等特点,能有效吸附和降解多种重金属和有机污染物.该方法目前在欧美已开始进入广泛的工程应用阶段,正逐步取代运行成本昂贵的抽水处理技术,成为地下水修复技术的发展方向.系统介绍了透水性反应墙法,阐述了反应墙的类型、活性材料的选取、反应机理、反应墙的构建以及应用实例,同时分析了其存在问题并展望其今后的研究方向.     

连云港春季PM2.5中主要水溶性无机离子污染特征及来源解析

于2017年3月1日—5月31日监测分析了连云港市大气PM_(2.5)中主要水溶性无机离子质量浓度的日变化规律,以及与气象因子、PM10、PM_(2.5)相关性。结果表明,水溶性无机离子质量浓度与环境空气中NO_2、CO、PM_(10)、PM_(2. 5)显著相关,与气温、风速、能见度等呈负相关;日变化呈明显单峰型,峰值出现在08:00左右;水溶性无机离子季度均值为27. 2μg/m~3,占ρ(PM_(2.5))平均50%左右,ρ(NO_3~-)、ρ(SO_4~(2-))和ρ(NH_4~+)占ρ(水溶性无机离子)总85%以上;指出,SO_4~(2-)主要受远距离传输的影响,NO_3~-和NH_4~+主要受局地源的影响。     

Sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment: a review

Studies of radionuclides in the environment have entered a new era with the renaissance of nuclear energy and associated fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level nuclear wastes, and concerns about national security with respect to nuclear non-proliferation. This work presents an overview on sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment, as well as a brief discussion of salient geochemical behavior of important radionuclides. We first discuss the following major anthropogenic sources and current developments that have lead, or could potentially contribute, to the radionuclide contamination of the environment: (1) nuclear weapons program; (2) nuclear weapons testing; (3) nuclear power plants; (4) uranium mining and milling; (5) commercial fuel reprocessing; (6) geological repository of high-level nuclear wastes that include radionuclides might be released in the future, and (7) nuclear accidents. Then, we briefly summarize the inventory of radionuclides ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I, as well as geochemical behavior for radionuclides ⁹⁹Tc, ¹²⁹I, and ²³⁷Np, because of their complex geochemical behavior, long half-lives, and presumably high mobility in the environment; biogeochemical cycling and environment risk assessment must take into account speciation of these redox-sensitive radionuclides.     

Contamination Characteristics and Degradation Behavior of Low-Density Polyethylene Film Residues in Typical Farmland Soils of China

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film residues left in farmlands due to agricultural activities were extensively investigated to evaluate the present pollution situation by selecting the typical areas with LDPE film application, including Harbin, Baoding, and Handan of China. The survey results demonstrated that the film residues were ubiquitous within the investigaed areas and the amount reached 2400–8200 g ha^?1. Breakage rates of the film residues were almost at the same level in the studied fields. There were relatively small amounts of film residues remaining in neighboring farmland fields without application of LDPE film. The studies showed that the sheets of LDPE residues had the same oxidative deterioration, which was probably due to photodegradation instead of biodegradation. The higher molecular weight components of the LDPE film gradually decreased, which were reflected by the appearance of some small flakes detached from the film bodies. LDPE films in the investigated fields gradually deteriorated and the decomposing levels developed with their left time increasing. The degradation behaviors of LDPE films were confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), and gel permeation chromatography analyses.