Effects of C60 nanoparticle exposure on earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and implications for population dynamics

Effects of C₆₀ nanoparticles (nominal concentrations 0, 15.4 and 154 mg/kg soil) on mortality, growth and reproduction of Lumbricus rubellus earthworms were assessed. C₆₀ exposure had a significant effect on cocoon production, juvenile growth rate and mortality. These endpoints were used to model effects on the population level. This demonstrated reduced population growth rate with increasing C₆₀ concentrations. Furthermore, a shift in stage structure was shown for C₆₀ exposed populations, i.e. a larger proportion of juveniles. This result implies that the lower juvenile growth rate due to exposure to C₆₀ resulted in a larger proportion of juveniles, despite increased mortality among juveniles. Overall, this study indicates that C₆₀ exposure may seriously affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that juveniles were more sensitive to C₆₀ exposure than adults.     

Potential for childhood lead poisoning in the inner cities of Australia due to exposure to lead in soil dust

This article presents evidence demonstrating that the historical use of leaded gasoline and lead (Pb) in exterior paints in Australia has contaminated urban soils in the older inner suburbs of large cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. While significant attention has been focused on Pb poisoning in mining and smelting towns in Australia, relatively little research has focused on exposure to Pb originating from inner-city soil dust and its potential for childhood Pb exposures. Due to a lack of systematic blood lead (PbB) screening and geochemical soil Pb mapping in the inner cities of Australia, the risks from environmental Pb exposure remain unconstrained within urban population centres.     

The impact of nitrogen deposition on acid grasslands in the Atlantic region of Europe

A survey of 153 acid grasslands from the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is changing plant species composition and soil and plant-tissue chemistry. Across the deposition gradient (2-44 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) grass richness as a proportion of total species richness increased whereas forb richness decreased. Soil C:N ratio increased, but soil extractable nitrate and ammonium concentrations did not show any relationship with nitrogen deposition. The above-ground tissue nitrogen contents of three plant species were examined: Agrostis capillaris (grass), Galium saxatile (forb) and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (bryophyte). The tissue nitrogen content of neither vascular plant species showed any relationship with nitrogen deposition, but there was a weak positive relationship between R. squarrosus nitrogen content and nitrogen deposition. None of the species showed strong relationships between above-ground tissue N:P or C:N and nitrogen deposition, indicating that they are not good indicators of deposition rate.     

Soil nitrogen transformations under elevated atmospheric CO₂ and O₃ during the soybean growing season

We investigated the influence of elevated CO₂ and O₃ on soil N cycling within the soybean growing season and across soil environments (i.e., rhizosphere and bulk soil) at the Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment (SoyFACE) experiment in Illinois, USA. Elevated O₃ decreased soil mineral N likely through a reduction in plant material input and increased denitrification, which was evidenced by the greater abundance of the denitrifier gene nosZ. Elevated CO₂ did not alter the parameters evaluated and both elevated CO₂ and O₃ showed no interactive effects on nitrifier and denitrifier abundance, nor on total and mineral N concentrations. These results indicate that elevated CO₂ may have limited effects on N transformations in soybean agroecosystems. However, elevated O₃ can lead to a decrease in soil N availability in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, and this likely also affects ecosystem productivity by reducing the mineralization rates of plant-derived residues.     

pH、盐度对微生物还原硫酸盐的影响研究

采用厌氧生物处理工艺,研究了在不同盐度下pH连续降低对硫酸盐还原和有机物去除率的影响。实验结果表明,硫酸盐还原菌有很强的适应pH变化的能力,在pH值达到4以下仍有60％的硫酸盐去除率。NaCl浓度由4g／L增加到50g／L抑制了各厌氧菌的活性,导致硫酸盐和有机物去除率的下降,但硫酸盐还原菌耐受性高于产甲烷菌等其他厌氧菌,在NaCl浓度为50g／L下,硫酸盐去除率能达到50％,而有机物去除率则低于30％。qRT—PCR表明了系统菌落中SRB随着环境的变化情况与化学指标结果相一致,该反应器体系中SRB在整个厌氧菌群落中只占了很小部分。     

油田回注水中优势硫酸盐还原菌的分离鉴定与生理特性研究

从胜利油田回注水中筛选得到一株硫酸盐还原菌,命名为zsz1209。经过16SrDNA序列分析,鉴定zsz1209为梭菌属（Clostridium）。实验研究了zsz109的生理特性,并对通过调节环境pH来抑制菌株zsz1209生长繁殖的可行性进行了探讨。实验结果表明：菌株zsz1209的理想碳源为乙酸钠,在30～60℃之间可较好地生长;SOi浓度低至50mg／L时,生长未受到明显抑制。当培养环境pH高至8．5～9．0或低至3．5～4．0时,检测菌株zsz1209对SO4^2-和碳源（COD）的利用情况,发现zsz1209的生长受到明显抑制,结果表明利用改变环境pH来抑制微生物对油田的腐蚀具有可行性。     

经济发达地区农村环境存在问题及对策建议——以江苏省丹阳市为例

农村环境问题已成为中国实现农业可持续发展、提高农民生活质量、建设和谐社会的重要制约因素,特别是在经济发达地区,农村环境问题尤为突出。文中以江苏省丹阳市为例,对发达地区农村环境问题进行深入分析,并从保障饮用水安全、加强农村生活污水和生活垃圾处理处置、减少农业面源污染、合理布局和控制工业污染源等方面提出对策建议。     

江苏省污染减排与空气质量变化相关性分析

利用2000—2007年大气污染物排放量数据和同期环境空气质量监测数据,分析了江苏省主要大气污染物减排与环境空气质量变化的相关性。结果表明,近年来江苏省SO2排放量与环境空气中SO2浓度存在正相关,而烟尘和粉尘排放总量与空气中可吸入颗粒物的浓度呈现出弱的负相关关系。对江苏省经济发展和环境关系的进一步分析揭示,江苏省环境库兹涅茨曲线呈现出倒U型关系,表明江苏省已经进入经济环境双赢区间,但近年来政策对经济环境关系的影响突出。该研究对中国十二五环境管理政策的制定有着重要的参考意义。     

影响分析空白值的因素及控制措施

化学实验中,经常会出现空白值异常的情况。文中从可能对空白值产生影响的各个因素逐一进行分析,并在此基础上提出了控制空白值的手段和措施。     

Environmental assessment of garden waste management in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark

An environmental assessment of six scenarios for handling of garden waste in the Municipality of Aarhus (Denmark) was performed from a life cycle perspective by means of the LCA-model EASEWASTE. In the first (baseline) scenario, the current garden waste management system based on windrow composting was assessed, while in the other five scenarios alternative solutions including incineration and home composting of fractions of the garden waste were evaluated. The environmental profile (normalised to Person Equivalent, PE) of the current garden waste management in Aarhus is in the order of −6 to 8 mPE Mg⁻¹ ww for the non-toxic categories and up to 100 mPE Mg⁻¹ ww for the toxic categories. The potential impacts on non-toxic categories are much smaller than what is found for other fractions of municipal solid waste. Incineration (up to 35% of the garden waste) and home composting (up to 18% of the garden waste) seem from an environmental point of view suitable for diverting waste away from the composting facility in order to increase its capacity. In particular the incineration of woody parts of the garden waste improved the environmental profile of the garden waste management significantly.