The Impact of the Hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake. Part I: Concentrations of Elements in Crops and Soil

In Asembagus (East Java, Indonesia) irrigation water is contaminated with effluent from the hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake resulting in a low pH and high levels of various elements. As a first step towards a risk assessment, locally produced food items (rice, maize, cassava leaf, cassava root, peanuts) were collected and concentrations of As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn were compared to samples from a reference area and with literature values. Further, concentrations in rice were compared to total soil concentrations in paddy fields. Compared to the reference area, food items produced in the contaminated area had increased levels of Cd, Co, Ni and Mn in particular, while levels of Mo were lower. In contrast, total soil concentrations of Cd and Mn in particular have decreased whereas especially Mo was increased. In combination with the observed soil acidification, it is likely that the bioavailable concentration of most elements in the contaminated soil is higher (except for Mo) due to an increased weathering rate and/or input via the contaminated irrigation water. In terms of human health, concentrations in foods were generally within normal literature values. However, it was observed that essential elements (in particular Fe) known for their inhibitory effects on e.g. Cd and Mn toxicity did not accumulate in crops whereas Cd and Mn did.     

Microorganisms for remediation of cadmium-contaminated soils

An alternative to the cleaning-up of agricultural soil contaminated by heavy metals is to avoid their transfer from soil to plant by inoculating soil with selected microorganisms able to biosorb heavy metals. Here, four bacteria species and a fungus isolated from contaminated soils revealed their ability to grow in the presence of high cadmium level. We tested their growth capacity related to pH and Cd concentration on synthetic and soil extract media. The comparison of their growth rate, the biosorbed cadmium rate and the specific biosorption allowed to select the most efficient microorganism to be used in bioremediation.     

Exposure to Selected Heavy Metals Through Water Ingestion in an Area Under the Influence of Tanneries

This study evaluated the potential toxicological risk posed to human health due to the exposure to heavy metals by water ingestion in an area affected by tanneries – the Cadeia-Feitoria hydrographic basin (Brazil). River water was collected at 10 sites, every 3 months, from July 1999 to April 2000. After acid digestion, total metal concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn), flame atomic absorption (Al, Fe, Pb, Mn), or cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (Hg). Cr(VI) was complexed with diphenyl-carbazide and detected by UV–vis spectrometry. In order to quantify the risk of exposure, the risk assessment methodology employed by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States was applied at a screening level. The assumed scenarios included extreme exposure patterns (ingestion of untreated water, conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), temporal peaks of pollution). Fe, Al, Cd, Hg, and Pb were not included in the risk analysis, since they showed a low toxicity potential or were undetected in the samples. The selected metals presented Hazard Quotients < 1, in the following order of increasing risk: Cu < Cr(III) < Zn < Ni < Mn < Cr(VI). Hazard indexes, representing the additive effect of contaminants, were also low in the basin (< 1), but comparatively increased in the lower reach of Feitoria and Cadeia Rivers. Although noncarcinogenic risk levels did not suggest possible adverse toxicological effects to the human population, a considerable deviation from background conditions was observed downstream the area where tanneries are mainly located.     

Enrichment of potentially toxic elements in areas underlain by black shales and slates in Korea

The Okchon black shale in Korea provides an important example of natural geological materials containing toxic elements; the Chung-Joo, Duk-Pyung, Geum-Kwan, I-Won and Chu-Bu areas are underlain by these black shales and slates of the Guryongsan Formation. This formation is part of the Okchon Group which is found in the central part of Korea. Geochemical surveys were undertaken in these five study areas in the Okchon Zone in order to examine the level of enrichment and dispersion patterns of potentially toxic elements in rocks and soils. After appropriate preparation, samples were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for a range of elements. Arsenic, Cu, Mo, V, U and Zn are highly enriched in the Okchon black shales and their mean concentrations are significantly higher than those in black slates. These elements are closely associated with one another from a geochemical viewpoint and may be enriched simultaneously. Mean concentrations of As, Mo and U in soils derived from black shales occurring in the Duk-Pyung and Chu-Bu areas are higher than the permissible level suggested by Kloke (1979), and the enrichment index decreases in the order of Duk- Pyung > Chu-Bu > Chung-Joo > Geum-Kwan = I-Won areas. Uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite and brannerite have been identified in black shales from the Chung-Joo area by electron probe micro-analysis. Uraninite grains are closely associated with monazite and pyrite with a grain size ranging from 2m to 10m whereas brannerite grains occur as a euhedral form 50m in diameter.     

陆地生物配体模型（t-BLM）初探：镁离子降低铜离子对小麦根的毒性

生物配体模型(BLM)同时考虑了水中金属离子的化学形态以及阳离子与金属离子在生物配体(BL)上的竞争对其毒性的影响,能成功预测水体金属的生物毒性/有效性.最近,BLM呈现出向土壤环境中拓展的趋势,发展能预测重金属对土壤生物毒性的陆地生物配体模型(t-BLM)正成为最新的国际研究热点.论文模拟土壤溶液,以土壤溶液中的主要阳离子Mg2+为例,通过单因素浓度控制-恒pH营养液培养-陆生植物根伸长抑制试验,定量探讨了不同浓度Mg2+存在下,铜离子(Cu2+)对小麦(Triticum aestivum)根的毒性.结果表明,Mg2+浓度升高显著减弱了Cu2+对小麦根的毒性,即呈现出保护效应.证实陆地生态系统中也存在阳离子对重金属植物毒性的保护效应,支持了BLM中阳离子和重金属离子在生物配体上存在竞争结合的假设,即BLM概念适用于陆生植物.定量分析表明,小麦根生长抑制的毒性效应指标EC50(以自由铜离子活度表示)与自由镁离子活度间存在良好的相关性,线性回归方程为:pEC50(Cu2+)=-0.36(Mg2+)+6.47(r2=0.9976),Mg2+对Cu2+毒性的影响强度可以通过该方程进行预测.论文积累了重金属铜对典型陆生受试植物小麦的毒性数据,探讨了t-BLM的构建方法学,并为其发展提供了思路.联合了土壤理化性质、金属形态及生物积累和毒性效应的t-BLM,将提供一个环境风险评价和制定土壤质量标准的新工具.     

淀山湖上覆水与沉积物孔隙水中重金属的分布特征

研究了淀山湖上覆水和沉积物孔隙水中Pb ,Cd,Cr,Cu ,Fe和Mn的浓度及Eh 分布 ,分析了孔隙水中重金属的扩散通量 .结果表明 ,淀山湖中重金属的浓度由高到低依次为 :Mn >Fe >Cr,Cu ,Pb >Cd ;Fe和Mn在孔隙水中的浓度远远大于它们在上覆水中的浓度 ,表层沉积物孔隙水中Pb ,Cd ,Cr,Cu的浓度稍大于它们在上覆水中的浓度 ;沉积物中的重金属可能按照浓度梯度经孔隙水从沉积物向上覆水中扩散而最终影响上覆水的水质     

Heavy Metals in the Bed and Suspended Sediments of Anyang River, Korea: Implications for Water Quality

The objective of this study is to compare Anyang River bed sediments with water chemical composition and to assess the anthropogenic chemical inputs into the river system. Eight sampling locations were chosen along the river channel. Bed and suspended river sediments and water samples were collected, and analyzed for their chemical and physical composition. Data revealed that trace element concentrations in the river water were generally below world average, except for As, Mn, Ni and Cr. Among the three phases: water, bed and suspended sediment, more than 99% of the trace elements was associated with the bed sediment. Concentrations of trace elements in the sediment were a function a particle size distribution and organic content. The calculated degrees of enrichment based on the least influenced sample (ASD 1) indicated the river sediments were enriched with respect to background. The enrichment factors for Pb, Zn and As were relatively lower than for Cr, Co, Ni and Zn. The difference in the enrichment seems to reflect the human activities influence in the basin, and specially for Cd. Speciation of the elements in the five different chemical forms in the sediment by sequential extraction indicated that the reducible fraction was predominant for Fe, Zinc and Cu showed an irregular variation among the different fractions; whereas, Cd and Pb were more regular. Zinc and Cu highly existed mostly in exchangeable forms. Acid soluble and reducible forms were also important for most metals. The speciation implies that the metals associated with the sediment are subject to release into water bodies as goechemical variables (pH and Eh) change. Currently, the introduced metals are deposited near the source area and are mostly associated with the sediment, implying that the river bed sediment acts mainly as a sink, rather than a pool. The accumulated and enriched toxic trace elements can pose a potential pollution of river water.     

Effect of Pb,Cd and Cu on survival and development of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

ABSTRACT

The present research aimed to determine the lowest levels of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Cu) to which the larvae of Southern House Mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus are susceptible in water. The study also aimed to investigate the effects of these heavy metals on the development of Cx. quinquefasciatus at concentrations set by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) as permissible levels for liquid industrial effluents. The 2nd instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus were exposed to different concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cu and their effects on oviposition preference, egg hatching rate and larval development were studied. The LC₅₀ values of Pb, Cd and Cu were 12.6, 6.3 and 2.6?ppm, respectively. Gravid female mosquito adults deposited a significantly lower number of egg rafts in containers containing 0.50?ppm Pb or 1.0?ppm Cu in water. Each of the heavy metals in water resulted in significantly (p?<?0.05) lower egg hatching rate, prolonged time to pupation, lower pupation rate, prolonged time to adult emergence, lower adult emergence rate and higher female to male ratio. It is concluded that the 2nd instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus are susceptible to Pak-EPA permissible levels of Pb, Cd and Cu in municipal and liquid industrial effluents.     

海洋酸化与重金属、有机污染物和人工纳米颗粒的联合毒性效应研究进展

由于大量人类活动的影响,大气CO_2浓度持续增加,其中约1/3被海洋吸收,导致表层海水pH值降低和碳酸盐平衡体系波动,即"海洋酸化"现象。污染物的海洋环境效应一直是全球环境科学领域研究的热点。在实际环境中,海洋酸化往往与污染物共同存在并作用于海洋生态系统,且海洋酸化极有可能改变污染物的海洋环境行为从而影响其毒性效应。但现有研究大多针对海洋酸化或者污染物单独作用下的毒性效应展开,对海洋酸化与污染物的联合毒性效应的研究不足、亟待加强。为此,综述了近年来海洋酸化与典型污染物(重金属、有机污染物)及新型污染物(人工纳米颗粒)的相关文献,重点阐述了海洋酸化对污染物环境行为的影响和海洋酸化与污染物对海洋生物的联合毒性效应,指出当前的研究不足,并对未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

Trace Metal Distribution and Enrichment in Benthic, Estuarine Sediments: Southport Broadwater, Australia

The distribution and enrichment of selected trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn) in benthic sediments of the Southport Broadwater, a semi-enclosed coastal body of water adjacent to the Gold Coast city, south-eastern Queensland, Australia, was studied with the objective of assessing the extent and degree of sediment contamination. Sediment samples from the 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm depth intervals of 32 sites within the Southport Broadwater and surrounding residential canals were analysed for particle size distribution, pH, organic C and ‘near-total’ major (Al, Ca, Fe, Mn) and trace (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn) metal contents. Sediment contamination for each trace metal was assessed by (1) comparison with Australian sediment quality guidelines, (2) calculation of the index of geoaccumulation based on regional background values, and (3) geochemical normalisation against Al (i.e. the abundance of alumino-silicate clay minerals). Based on this approach, the results indicate that submerged sediments in the study area are not presently enriched with Cd, Cr or Ni, with the spatial distribution of these metals being very well explained by the abundance of alumino-silicate clay minerals. However, several sites were strongly enriched with Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn, arising from sources related to either urban runoff or vessel maintenance activities. The study indicates that several varying approaches are needed for a satisfactory assessment of contaminant enrichment in estuarine sediments.