Environmental release of dioxins from reservoir sources during beach nourishment programs

In late 1990s, USEPA/FDA made an important connection regarding the presence of elevated levels of dioxins (e.g., 1500 ng kg⁻¹ TEQ) in ball clays mined in Mississippi (USA) from a geological deposit dated to ∼40 million years (Mississippi Embayment) that stretches over several states (northern part of Mississippi to Kentucky) and levels of dioxins in selected animal food sources. Following a recent beach nourishment program along the mid-Atlantic coast of the US, a number of dark gray, blue tinted nuggets of varying sizes were found on beach strands and near the shoreline. Using the presence of these balls of clay (shape, color, and knowledge regarding their use in pottery) on the beach, together with our direct experience analyzing ball clays for dioxins, we made a possible association between these clays and elevated dioxins. Concerns regarding the potential of nourishment programs to cause severe damage to our beaches drove us to test the dioxin content of nourishment exposed clays. A number of the nuggets, along with freshly dredged and deposited sand (collected the morning after nourishment) with the same coloration, and others (sun-bleached), collected approximately 2 weeks after the completion of the nourishment efforts, were analyzed for the presence of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and selected semi-volatile chlorinated organics. The clay PCDD/F WHO2005-TEQs (dry weight; ND = DL; EMPC = EMPC) ranged from 0.41 to 5.78 ng kg⁻¹ with an average of 2.64 ng kg⁻¹, whereas the sand sample’s TEQs ranged from 0.18 to 0.31 ng kg⁻¹ PCDD/F WHO-2005, with an average of 0.22 ng kg⁻¹. The average total tetra- through octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin concentration was 2700 ng kg⁻¹ (with a maximum of 5800 ng kg⁻¹) for the clays and 8.5 ng kg⁻¹ (with a maximum of 16.8 ng kg⁻¹) for the sand samples. The congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD (TEF = 1) was detected in half of the clay samples (0.11-0.77 ng kg⁻¹). All of the clay and sand samples displayed an unambiguous and dominating 1,4,6,9-chlorination pattern across homolog groups. No other chlorinated aromatics were detected above background levels. The observations, along with the absence or an extremely low level of polychlorinated dibenzofurans, together with the mineralogical analysis, supports the conclusion that off-shore dredging activities are reaching reservoir sources containing dioxin-tainted, smectic/kaolinite clay minerals. Subsequent beach erosion provides additional environmental releases over time, as buried balls of clay from previous nourishment efforts become exposed.     

闽江福州段湿地沉积物重金属吸附-解吸特征及其对酸沉降变化的响应

选择闽江福州段为研究对象,通过采集淡水河段(A、B)、城市河段(C、D)和河口区(E、F)6个样点的沉积物柱样,探讨了湿地沉积物重金属的吸附-解吸特征及其对酸沉降变化的响应.结果表明,Langmuir吸附等温方程可较好地拟合不同河段湿地沉积物吸附4种重金属(Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺)的热力学过程(R²≥0.71).不同样点对Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺的吸附能力整体以河口区最高,城市河段次之,淡水河段最低,解吸能力则与之相反,这主要与沉积物颗粒组成(黏粒)及pH值的差异有关.从淡水河段至河口区(A～F),不同样点0～40 cm土层对Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺的解吸量均随吸附量的增加而升高.随着pH值的增加,Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、...     

中国水体环境中多氯联苯的存在水平研究

从自然水体、水体沉积物及水生生物3个层次,系统分析多氯联苯在中国部分水体环境中的污染水平及其可能的致污原因。其结果表明:中国的大部分水体直接含有多氯联苯的量符合相应的环境质量标准,对饮水安全不构成直接威胁;沉积物中存在的多氯联苯大多源于航海运输事业的污染物排放,有关部门应采取相应的管理措施对运输船只的排污进行限制;水生生物中多氯联苯的含量在香港和珠江口出现超标现象,应引起人们的注意,积极改善该地区的水产养殖环境。     

滇池宝丰湾疏浚区底泥污染程度评价及环保疏浚深度的确定

根据滇池外海主要入湖河口及重点区域底泥疏浚工程,宝丰湾疏浚区设计阶段勘察结果,采用内梅罗污染指数法及Lars Hakanson的重金属潜在生态风险指数法对疏浚区底泥进行了污染程度评价。针对底泥污染空间分布特征,确定疏浚深度,为环保施工提供依据。     

北方某水库表层沉积物重金属的赋存形态及其环境影响因子分析

为了解北方某水库重金属污染状况,采用BCR连续提取法对该水库表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd的赋存形态进行了分析,对其含量及空间分布进行了研究,结合重金属总量讨论了各元素的潜在环境风险。结果表明,该水库表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd的平均质量比分别为65.20 mg/kg、36.69 mg/kg、137.5 mg/kg、2.38 mg/kg,与该地区土壤元素背景值、该地区水系沉积物平均值及全国水系沉积物平均值相比,4种重金属元素均有一定程度的累积,其中Cd累积最为严重。形态分析结果表明,Cd主要以醋酸可提取态及可还原态存在,具有很高的环境风险;Pb主要以极高比例的可还原态存在,潜在风险较高;Zn和Cu存在较大比例的酸可提取态及可还原态,也具有一定程度的潜在风险。各元素生物有效性即可提取态含量排序为:Cd>Cu>Pb>Zn。     

Evaluating heavy metal contamination of riverine sediment cores in different land-use areas

• Metal pollution was studied in riverine sediments from different land-use areas. • Cd was the most serious heavy metal contaminant in riverine sediment cores. • Riverine sediment cores from industrial area were most polluted by heavy metals. • B1 fraction determined metal pollution, risk and toxicity in riverine sediments. Anthropogenic activities are regarded as the main sources of heavy metal pollution, yet few studies have investigated the effects of land-use setting on heavy metal accumulation in riverine sediments. Based on both total contents and geochemical fractions, heavy metal pollution, risk and toxicity were determined in riverine sediment cores from different land-use areas (mountain area- MA, farm area- FA, city area- CA, and industrial area- IA) of the Yang River Basin in North China. The results showed that FA had higher contents of riverine sedimentary Cu; CA had higher contents of Cd; IA had higher contents of both Cd and Zn. Most riverine sediments from FA and IA were contaminated with the investigated metals, although these concentrations were evaluated to have low potential ecological risk and no toxicity to benthic organisms. However, a high proportion of Cd in the B1 fraction of riverine sediments in IA indicating high risk should receive more attention. The B1 fraction largely determined the contamination, risk and toxicity levels associated with heavy metals in the riverine sediments of the Yang River Basin.     

长江重庆段主城水体沉积物溶解性有机质(DOM)的光谱特性

应用荧光发射光谱、荧光激发 发射光谱矩阵（EEMs）结合紫外 可见光吸收光谱对长江重庆段主城水体沉积物溶解性有机质(DOM)的光谱特性进行了研究。通过应用吸收指数E2/E3、荧光指数〖WTBX〗f450/f〖WTBZ〗500和三维荧光光谱特征指纹等参数,对长江重庆段主城水体沉积物溶解性有机质(DOM) 的来源、组成和空间分布规律进行了探讨。结果表明：沉积物溶解性有机质以类胡敏酸为主,其他的类富里酸、水体微生物代谢物质和类蛋白物质均有检出,陆源输入为水体沉积物溶解性有机质(DOM)主要来源,并且荧光强度在空间分布上呈现先升高后降低再升高的趋势     

Indications of Recovery from Hypoxia in the Inner Stockholm Archipelago

Improved benthic conditions compared to the 1990s were found during benthic investigations, including sediment and benthic macrofauna in the inner Stockholm archipelago during 2008. In the 1990s, these areas were dominated by black and laminated surface sediments and very sparse fauna. A clear relationship was found when comparing sediment status with the benthic macrofauna. Reduced surface sediment and impoverished macroinvertebrate community was only found at one sampling station representing an enclosed part of the inner archipelago, whereas the other seven stations, with depths ranging from 20 to 50 m, had oxidized surface sediments and considerable biomasses of benthic macrofauna (6–65 g m⁻²) dominated by the invading polychaete Marenzelleria neglecta. An extrapolation of the results shows that, within the investigated area, the coverage of reduced surface sediments had decreased from approximately 17% in the late 1990s to 4% in 2008.     

Effect of sorbed and desorbed Zn(Ⅱ) on the growth of a green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidosa)

Toxic effect of Zn(Ⅱ) on a green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidasa) in the presence of sepiolite and kaolinite was investigated.The Zn-free clays were found to have a negative impact on the growth of C.pyrenoidosa in comparison with control samples (without adding any clay or Zn(Ⅱ)).When Zn(Ⅱ) was added,the algae in the presence of clays could be better survived than the control samples,which was actually caused by a decrease in Zn(Ⅱ) concentration in the solution owing to the adsorption of Zn(Ⅱ) on the clays.When the solution system was diluted,the growth of algae could be further inhibited as compared to that in a system which had the same initial Zn(Ⅱ) concentration as in the diluted system.This in fact resulted from desorption of Zn(Ⅱ) from the zinc-contaminated clays,although the effect varied according to the different desorption capabilities of sepiolite and kaolinite.Therefore the adsorption and desorption processes of Zn(Ⅱ) played an important part in its toxicity,and adsorption and desorption of pollutants on soils/sediments should be well considered in natural eco-environmental systems before their risk of toxicity to aquatic organisms was assessed objectively.     

南黄海中部E2柱样沉积物来源的稀土元素及微量元素示踪

应用稀土元素地球化学示踪方法,分析了南黄海中部E2柱样的∑REE、∑LREE、∑HREE、∑LREE/∑HREE、δEu和δce的变化特征.结果表明,近200年来南黄海中部沉积物的稀土元素可能均受相同来源控制,稀土元素分布具上陆壳特征.南黄海中部E2柱样和中国东部上地壳的稀土分布模式一致,而与深海沉积物的稀土分布模式相差较大,反映了黄海沉积物和中国大陆壳的亲缘性.近200年来沉积物的δCe和δEu变化不大,且其平均值与上陆壳基本一致,说明近200年来源区的氧化-还原条件和酸碱性可能变化不大,稀土元素主要是由大陆岩石风化和搬运而来,而不是海水提供的.高场强元素丰度及其特征比值的变化幅度不大,与中国东部上地壳一致,指示中国大陆岩石的风化产物是黄海沉积物的主要源区.∑REE与TiO2具有良好的相关性,指示稀土元素与TiO2一样主要来自陆源碎屑物质.