Little Egrets (Egretta Garzetta) and Trace-Metal Contamination in Wetlands of China

The rapidly developing Asian countries may face threatening environmental contamination, that however remains largely unassessed. We studied persistent trace elements in three wetlands, Poyang Lake, relatively unpolluted, and Tai Lake, and Pearl River Delta, selected as hotspots of pollution in Central China. We adopted as indicator the Little Egret, a widespread colonial waterbird, and during 1999 and 2000 we collected and analysed the same samples as for a parallel study we conducted in Pakistan, e.g. eggs, body feathers of chicks, prey spontaneously regurgitated by the chicks, and sediments at the areas most used by foraging egrets. The levels of trace-metals at our three study areas were similar, or within the range, of those found in the few other studies for East Asia, with few exceptions. The concentrations of the various elements were below the threshold that may affect the survival or reproduction of the birds, and even the highest concentrations relative to background, i.e. Se in eggs, and Hg in feathers at Pearl Delta, do not pose toxic hazards. In sediments, the levels of trace elements were lower than the critical levels assumed for contaminated soil, except for alarming high levels of As at Poyang. These results do not confirm our expectation, that Poyang was relatively uncontaminated, while Tai and Pearl were polluted. Although trace metal concentration differed significantly among the three study areas, these differences were minor and were not consistent among elements and samples. The bioaccumulation ratios from sediments through prey, feather and egg, were consistent with our previous findings for Pakistan. Only Hg exhibited high bioaccumulation, while Se and Zn had low accumulation, and the other elements no accumulation. This reasserts that feathers of predators such as egrets, may be more sensitive indicators of environmental contamination for the elements subject to bioaccumulation, whereas the sediments or the organisms low in the food chain are better indicators for the other elements.     

植物修复--大面积低剂量放射性污染的新治理技术

放射性污染是当今难以治理的环境污染问题,对于大面积低剂量的放射性污染,植物修复是种较适用的新型治理技术.系统阐述了植物修复技术的概念与内容,对放射性污染植物修复技术研究现状与进展、植物修复的优缺点进行了重点评述,并对这技术在未来放射性污染治理中的应用与研究提出了建议.     

土壤渗滤处理系统运行控制的模拟研究

通过建立地下水数学模型,回答了土壤渗滤工程运行控制中的两个难点问题:(1)工程运行水力负荷.当工程地块周边存在河流时,河流水位低时,有助于增加水力负荷,反之则降低水力负荷;实际土壤运行面积的增加和独立运行单元之间的间距增加也能够增加工程运行水力负荷.(2)地下水水质监测井的优化布设.模拟工程运行后地下水水质空间分布特征,在地下水水质最不利的位置和其他特别关注的位置布置监测井,从而能够以具有典型代表性且数目较少的监测井达到准确评估工程对地下水水质影响的目的.     

复合污染状态下尾矿区有害化学品的迁移研究

用混合尾矿浆及尾矿渣淋溶柱,研究选矿药剂在尾矿渣及尾矿废水中的静态分布及其淋溶作用,结果表明:①选矿药剂对整个尾矿区都污染,即使是水溶性好的药剂,它们在尾矿渣中的静态分布也占有相当的比例,油溶性好的药剂多存在于尾矿渣中,尾矿污染为多种药剂的复合污染,各种药剂在尾矿渣及尾矿废水中的总浓度成倍加大;②用尾矿渣淋溶柱测得单一药剂的淋溶值:25号黑药>MIBC> CN->二号油>乙基黄药>丁基黄药>Y-89黄药.但多种药剂复合污染时,药剂的淋溶距离明显加大,其中CN-和Y-89黄药加大近一倍.复合药剂污染加大药剂的残留期,也加大它们向地下水及其它水源迁移的几率.     

Fish mercury increase in Lago Manso, a new hydroelectric reservoir in tropical Brazil

It has been frequently demonstrated that mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish rise in newly constructed hydroelectric reservoirs in the Northern Hemisphere. In the present work, we studied whether similar effects take place also in a tropical upland reservoir during impoundment and discuss possible causes and implications. Total Hg concentrations in fish and several soil and water parameters were determined before and after flooding at Rio Manso hydroelectric power plant in western Brazil. The Hg concentrations in soil and sediment were within the background levels in the region (22-35 ng g(-1) dry weight). There was a strong positive correlation between Hg and carbon and sulphur in sediment. Predatory fish had total Hg concentrations ranging between 70 and 210 ng g(-1) f.w. 7 years before flooding and between 72 and 755 ng g(-1) f.w. during flooding, but increased to between 216 and 938 ng g(-1) f.w. in the piscivorous and carnivorous species Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, cachara, and Salminus brasiliensis, dourado, 3 years after flooding. At the same time, concentrations of organic carbon in the water increased and oxygen concentrations decreased, indicating increased decomposition and anoxia as contributing to the increased Hg concentrations in fish. The present fish Hg concentrations in commonly consumed piscivorous species are a threat to the health of the population dependent on fishing in the dam and downstream river for sustenance. Mercury exposure can be reduced by following fish consumption recommendations until fish Hg concentrations decrease to a safe level.     

Determination of Frequency for Remeasuring Ground and Vegetation Cover Factor Needed for Soil Erosion Modeling

Determining a remeasurement frequency of variables over time is required in monitoring environmental systems. This article demonstrates methods based on regression modeling and spatio-temporal variability to determine the time interval to remeasure the ground and vegetation cover factor on permanent plots for monitoring a soil erosion system. The spatio-temporal variability methods include use of historical data to predict semivariograms, modeling average temporal variability, and temporal interpolation by two-step kriging. The results show that for the cover factor, the relative errors of the prediction increase with an increased length of time interval between remeasurements when using the regression and semivariogram models. Given precision or accuracy requirements, appropriate time intervals can be determined. However, the remeasurement frequency also varies depending on the prediction interval time. As an alternative method, the range parameter of a semivariogram model can be used to quantify average temporal variability that approximates the maximum time interval between remeasurements. This method is simpler than regression and semivariogram modeling, but it requires a long-term dataset based on permanent plots. In addition, the temporal interpolation by two-step kriging is also used to determine the time interval. This method is applicable when remeasurements in time are not sufficient. If spatial and temporal remeasurements are sufficient, it can be expanded and applied to design spatial and temporal sampling simultaneously.     

Effect of Cadmium on Microbial Activity and a Ryegrass Crop in Two Semiarid Soils

Soil pollution with Cd is an environmental problem common in the world, and it is necessary to establish what Cd concentrations in soil could be dangerous to its fertility from toxicity effects and the risk of transference of this element to plants and other organisms of the food chain. In this study, we assessed Cd toxicity on soil microorganisms and plants in two semiarid soils (uncultivated and cultivated). Soil ATP content, dehydrogenase activity, and plant growth were measured in the two soils spiked with concentrations ranging from 3 to 8000 mg Cd/kg soil and incubated for 3 h, 20 days, and 60 days. The Cd concentrations that produced 5%; 10%;, and 50%; inhibition of each of the two soil microbiological parameter studied (ecological dose, ED, values) were calculated using two different mathematical models. Also, the effect of Cd concentration on plant growth of ryegrass (Lolium perenne, L.) was studied in the two soils. The Cd ED values calculated for soil dehydrogenase activity and ATP content were higher in the agricultural soils than in the bare soil. For ATP inhibition, higher ED values were calculated than for dehydrogenase activity inhibition. The average yields of ryegrass were reduced from 5.03 to 3.56 g in abandoned soil and from 4.21 to 1.15 g in agricultural soil with increasing concentrations of Cd in the soil. Plant growth was totally inhibited in abandoned and agricultural soils at Cd concentrations above 2000 and 5000 mg/kg soil, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the concentration of Cd in the plants and the total or DTPA-extractable concentrations of Cd in the soil.     

流动注射-氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定土壤中铅

采用流动注射-氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定土壤中的铅,工作曲线线性关系良好,检出限为0.25 mg/kg,相对标准偏差＜3.5%,加标回收率为93.0%～105%.该方法简便快速,测定结果准确可靠.     

An efficient technology to treat heavy metal--lead--contaminated soil by microwave radiation

Microwave (MW) technology can be used to vitrify contaminated soil wastes and immobilize heavy metal ions in soils. More than 93% of the Pb(II)-contaminated soil was vitrified to a glass/ceramic formation after 30 min of MW radiation. In a 6-year study, the Pb(II) concentration of the vitrified soil in the leaching test was less than 1.0 mg/l, which is substantially below the USEPA regulatory limit of 5.0 mg/l.     

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by combined chemical pre-oxidation and bioremediation in creosote contaminated soil

The ability of pre-oxidation to overcome polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) recalcitrance to biodegradation was investigated in creosote contaminated soil. Sand and peat artificially spiked with creosote (quality WEI C) were used as model systems. Ozonation and Fenton-like treatment were proved to be feasible technologies for PAH degradation in soil. The efficiency of ozonation was strongly dependent on the water content of treated soil samples. The removal of PAH by Fenton-like treatment depended on the applied H2O2/soil weight ratio and ferrous ions addition. It was determined that the application of chemical oxidation in sand resulted in a higher PAH removal and required lower oxidant (ozone, hydrogen peroxide) doses. The enhancement of PAH biodegradability by different pre-treatment technologies also depended on the soil matrix. It was ascertained that combined chemical and biological treatment was more efficient in PAH elimination in creosote contaminated soil than either one alone. Thus, the combination of Fenton-like and the subsequent biological treatment resulted in the highest removal of PAH in creosote contaminated sand, and biodegradation with pre-ozonation was found to be the most effective technology for PAH elimination in peat.