Analysis of heavy metal distribution in superficial estuarine sediments (estuary of Bilbao, Basque Country) by open-focused microwave-assisted extraction and ICP-OES

Open-focused microwave-assisted extraction and ICP-OES determination of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn from surface sediments of the estuary of Bilbao (Basque Country, North of Spain) was carried out. All the samples were collected at three different tributaries of the estuary (Asua, Galindo and Nerbioi-Ibaizabal) every two months during 1999. The digestion procedure was proposed from the conclusions of a fractionated factorial design, and the precision and accuracy of the method was verified using a certified reference sediment (RTC008-050). The results of the analysis were statistically treated by means of principal component analysis and correlation analysis. The principal component analysis of sediment data (32 samples × 9 metals) indicated different patterns of contamination regarding the tributary and sampling station. The two main patterns observed were a steady increment of the metal concentration along all the campaigns in the samples collected in the Galindo River and a seasonal variation in the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal River, with higher metallic content during summertime and lower content during wintertime.     

Resistant sorption of in situ chlorobenzenes and a polychlorinated biphenyl in river Rhine suspended matter

The desorption kinetics of in situ chlorobenzenes (dichlorobenzenes, pentachlorobenzene and hexachlorobenzene) and 2,4,4^′-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB-28) were measured with a gas-purge technique for river Rhine suspended matter sampled in Lobith, The Netherlands. This suspended matter is the main source of sediment accumulation in lake Ketelmeer. In lake Ketelmeer sediment earlier observations showed that slow and very slow fractions dominate the desorption profile.

For the river Rhine suspended matter, only for PCB-28 a fast desorbing fraction of around 1.6% could be detected. The observed rate constants were on the average 0.2 h⁻¹ for fast desorption, 0.004 h⁻¹ for slow desorption, and 0.00022 h⁻¹ for very slow desorption. These values are in agreement with previous findings for the sediment from lake Ketelmeer and with available literature data on fast, slow, and very slow desorption kinetics.

The results from this study show the similarity of desorption profiles between river Rhine suspended matter, and the top layer sediment from lake Ketelmeer. This indicates that slow and very slow fractions are already present in material forming the top layer of lake Ketelmeer, and were not formed after deposition of this material in the lake. The absence of detectable fast fractions for most compounds could be caused by the absence of recent pollution of the suspended matter. But, the observations may also be explained by a rapid disappearance of compounds from the fast fraction due to a combination of a high affinity of very slow sites for these compounds, and their relatively high volatility.     

Growth of Plants on TBT-contaminated Harbour Sludge and Effect on TBT Removal (10 pp)

Background Worldwide, large amounts of sediments have to be dredged annually from waterways and harbours. These sediments are sometimes polluted with a variety of toxic compounds. In some countries, including Belgium, the load with the biocide tributyltin (TBT) from ship coatings prohibits the dumping of harbour sludge into the sea. Land-based dumping is a commonly used alternative. Objective This research investigated the feasibility to use land-deposited harbour sludge for plant production. In a field trial, the growth of 38 more or less salt-tolerant plant species on low and high TBT-contaminated sediments was studied. The elimination of TBT from sludge with and without vegetation was compared. The uptake of TBT and its degradation products di- and monobutyltin (DBT and MBT) into harvest products under field conditions was determined. - Experimental Set-up. Sediments dredged in May 2003 from the brackish waters of the port of Antwerp were analysed in the laboratory for soil texture, pH, electroconductivity, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, ammonium, nitrate, total nitrogen, chloride, sulphur and the organotins TBT, DBT and MBT. The sediments were lagooned for one year to dewater, desalinate and improve their structure. Salt-tolerant domestic and wild plants were selected and sown in May 2004. In August 2004, plants were harvested and the produced biomass was determined. Samples were taken from vegetated and non-vegetated top and bottom sediments and from plants growing above soil and analysed for TBT, DBT and MBT. Results The fresh sediments showed a good supply with nutrients and a neutral pH, but were rather saline (EC 14 mS cm-1 of the saturated paste extract). The salinity decreased to 3.7 mS cm-1 during lagoonation. The high and the low contaminated sediment had initially 43 and 1.6 mg TBT kg-1 dry weight, respectively. Besides TBT, several other contaminants were present in the sediments at critical levels. The biomass production of the plant species from the field trial ranged from 0.2 to 13 tons dry mass per hectare. Plants performing excellently were barley, sorghum, rape seed, a clover/grass mix and reed. If at all, a positive influence of TBT on plant growth was seen. TBT was degraded significantly faster (>40%) below barley. The uptake of TBT, DBT and MBT into stem and leaves of reed, grass and clover was very low, but measurable and not related to concentrations in soil. No uptake of TBT or its metabolites into corn of barley was found. Discussion This study confirmed former results: the toxicity of TBT to higher plants is low, and even high levels in soils would not be a hindrance for crop production. The removal of TBT seemed to be increased by both lagooning and plant growth, although the target values for sea dumping in use in certain European countries were not reached. A plausible explanation for the faster degradation of TBT under vegetation is that oxygen is a limiting factor, and plants dewater the soil, thus aerating it. The uptake of the organotins TBT, DBT and MBT into harvest products is probably due to attached soil particles. Conclusions To summarize, barley was the optimal species: it grew very well despite the salinity of the dredged sediments, it had a significantly positive effect on TBT removal; it showed no measurable uptake of TBT or the other butyltins into the harvested product; and it is a cash crop well established in European agriculture. Outlook The amounts of dredged sediments are high, and good soils are becoming increasingly rare. The feasibility of using dredged sediments for non-food production, such as energy crops, should be investigated by a critical risk assessment.     

The SeKT joint research project: definition of reference conditions, control sediments and toxicity thresholds for limnic sediment contact tests

- In current biotest approaches, intact organisms or in vitro systems are exposed to sediments using different exposure scenarios. The most important issue in sediment toxicity testing protocols is the question which test phase (solid or liquid) should be used. Whole-sediment exposure protocols represent the most realistic scenario to simulate in situ exposure conditions in the laboratory. However, until now there is no agreement in how to acquire and to evaluate the data of the various available sediment contact assays. The SeKT joint research project was initiated with the aim to compare recently developed sediment contact assays by addressing reference conditions, control sediments and toxicity thresholds for limnic sediment contact tests.     

Speciation of heavy metals in estuarine sediments in the northeast of Brazil

An analytical procedure involving a three-step sequential extraction was used to determine the chemical association of heavy metals (Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe) with the major phases (exchangable, reducible and oxidizable) in samples from a fishpond of estuarine sediments. The pond is located in the Capibaribe River estuary, within the boundaries of the city of Recife, in the State of Pernambuco in the northeast of Brazil. The total metal content was determined as well. All metals were extracted from the residual fraction at a percentage greater than 50%.     

Cu/ZnO-RGO的抗菌性能及应用

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备铜锌复合氧化物（Cu/ZnO）,并将Cu/ZnO纳米粒子负载到还原氧化石墨烯（RGO）表面制备Cu/ZnO-RGO复合材料.对Cu/ZnO-RGO复合材料进行表征分析及抗菌性能考察,结果表明,Cu/ZnO纳米粒子成功负载在RGO表面,负载前后Cu/ZnO纳米粒子形态不发生改变,复合材料纯度较高.Cu/ZnO-RGO复合材料对大肠杆菌与金黄色葡萄球菌均有着优异的抗菌性能,可以破坏细菌细胞膜,导致细菌内容物流出,延长细菌进入对数生长期所需的时间.当RGO质量分数为15%?Cu/ZnO-RGO复合材料使用量为120μg/mL时,在循环冷却水系统中作用2h即可拥有96.76%的抗菌率.     

辽河口沉积物环境要素时空动态及影响因素分析

以辽河口为研究区域,利用遥感影像数据、现状调查数据和历史监测数据,系统地分析了辽河口沉积物质量历史变化趋势和空间分异规律,并进一步研究不同海域使用类型和不同植被演替阶段对沉积物环境要素分异特征的影响.结果表明,辽河口区域沉积物质量总体良好,各要素平均含量均符合一类沉积物质量要求;沉积物营养元素呈现显著的带状分布规律,重金属元素空间分布具有一定随机性,未呈现显著规律;不同海域使用类型对沉积物污染物富集的影响具有一定差异显著性,说明重金属及污染物的分布受到人类活动的影响,具有一定的随机性;植被不同演替阶段下主控因子具有显著差异,初级阶段主要受盐度控制,随着由盐生植被向陆生植被逐渐过渡,植被分布特征与总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)的内在联系逐渐增大,同时重金属等污染物含量与植被群落内在联系并不显著.     

雨水管道沉积物沉淀特性及主要污染物含量分布

为研究雨水管道沉积物的沉淀特性和污染物含量特征,在武汉市对建筑(包括住宅小区)、道路和绿地3种用地类型的雨水管道沉积物进行采样和分析.沉速测试结果表明,高沉速颗粒在沉积物中所占比例较大,建筑和道路中沉积物的沉速分布相对稳定,建筑、道路和绿地中沉速大于3.00 cm·s-1的颗粒占比依次递减.粒径分析结果显示,沉积物粒径分布范围较广,大多集中在13~628μm范围内,且同种用地类型沉积物粒径分布差别很大.按沉降速度将每份沉积物样品分为7组,分析化学需氧量(COD)、总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)含量与沉降速度之间的联系.结果表明,沉速大于3.00 cm·s-1和小于0.025cm·s-1的沉积物中污染物含量较低,但高沉速沉积物中污染物总量较多.对沉积物样品整体而言,各用地类型COD含量从高到低依次为:绿地道路建筑;道路雨水管道沉积物中氮含量较低,其余两种用地中含量接近;建筑区雨水管道沉积物中磷含量较高,其余两种用地中含量接近;COD∶TN在(51~89)∶1之间,COD∶TP的值在(102~186)∶1之间.     

象山近海表层沉积物重金属分布特征和生态风险评价

浙江省象山东部的开阔海域接纳沉积了长江和浙北沿岸经济发达地区包括重金属污染物在内的入海物质.为全面了解象山近海沉积物重金属污染状况,基于2017年夏季54个采样点表层沉积物测试资料,分析其中Cr、Cu、Zn、Pb、Hg、As、Cd等7种重金属元素的分布特征、影响因素和主要来源,并应用地质累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法对重金属元素进行污染状况和生态风险评价.结果表明:研究区Cr、Cu、Zn、Pb、Hg、As、Cd平均质量分数分别为89.860、36.890、108.740、32.150、0.041、6.090和0.134 μg/g,研究区中部和韭山西北侧海域表层沉积物中的重金属含量较高,近岸区域和东南部外海区域含量较低.Cr、Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd受控于粒度和有机质分布,均以陆源输入为主;Hg、As以其他物质来源为主.主成分分析法将全部因子概括为3个主成分.地累积指数评价结果表明,象山近海表层沉积物中Cu和Cd属轻度污染;研究区中部大片区域具有中等潜在生态风险,主要生态风险因子为Hg和Cd.研究显示,象山近海仍以陆源输入型重金属污染物为主,同时受到海洋水动力、理化条件以及人类用海活动的影响.      

宜昌市天福庙水库沉积物磷形态分布特征及其释放通量估算

为揭示天福庙水库沉积物中磷的形态及空间分布特征,探讨沉积物-水界面磷的释放通量及其主要影响因素,在天福庙水库库区内设立了6个采样点,采用SMT（磷形态标准测试程序）法测量其沉积物中磷的形态组成,对沉积物磷空间分布、间隙水及上覆水PO₄3-质量浓度变化特征进行了分析,估算了磷释放通量.结果表明:①库区沉积物中TP主要由Ca-P（钙磷）构成,TP在水库库尾和支流入库处具有较高的质量分数,分别为4 904.6、5 015.2 mg/kg.TP、IP（无机磷）、Ca-P时空动态具有一致性,磷矿石灰污染是重要原因.②孔隙水中PO₄3-质量浓度在沉积物表层1~3 cm内存在很高的峰值,达11.3 mg/L,各采样点均高于上覆水中PO₄3-质量浓度,存在向上覆水释放PO₄3-的风险,孔隙水中PO₄3-质量浓度与TP质量分数及磷形态相关.③采用孔隙水扩散模型法估算PO₄3-在沉积物-上覆水界面上的释放通量,库区沉积物磷释放通量范围为0.13~3.08 mg/（m2·d）,平均值为1.03 mg/（m2·d）,处于较高水平.研究显示,磷矿开采是干流沉积物磷来源和形态组成的重要原因,库区磷释放通量与水流扰动密切相关,坝前、支流交汇处、库尾是库区内源磷污染的主要区域.