Activities of Po and Pb in the water column at Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Natural radionuclides, such as ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb were measured in the water samples collected from six stations at Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. Results for ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in dissolved and particulate phases have showed the difference in distribution and chemical behavior. The fluctuation activities of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb depend on wave action, geology and degree of fresh water input occurring at study areas and probably due to different sampling dates. The distribution coefficient, K_d, values of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb ranged from 2.0 × 10³ l g⁻¹ to 265.15 × 10⁵ l g⁻¹, and from 3.0 × 10³ l g⁻¹ to 558.16 × 10⁵ l g⁻¹, respectively. High K_d values of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb indicated that a strong adsorption of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb onto suspended particles, and the sinking of both nuclides on the seabed at study locations were controlled by the characteristics of suspended particles.     

成都市大气颗粒物工业和民用污染源的调查分析与对策

针对成都市大气中颗粒物污染现状,对烟(粉)尘排放的来源,烟(粉)尘排放的重点行业,烟(粉)尘排放的分布地区做了调查,并结合颗粒物污染的分布区域对照分析,提出了相应对策。     

Load Estimation Method Using Distributions with Covariates: A Comparison with Commonly Used Estimation Methods

Load estimates obtained using an approach based on statistical distributions with parameters expressed as a function of covariates (e.g., streamflow) (distribution with covariates hereafter called DC method) were compared to four load estimation methods: (1) flow‐weighted mean concentration; (2) integral regression; (3) segmented regression (the last two with Ferguson's correction factor); and (4) hydrograph separation methods. A total of 25 datasets (from 19 stations) of daily concentrations of total dissolved solids, nutrients, or suspended particulate matter were used. The selected stations represented a wide range of hydrological conditions. Annual flux errors were determined by randomly generating 50 monthly sample series from daily series. Annual and interannual biases and dispersions were evaluated and compared. The impact of sampling frequency was investigated through the generation of bimonthly and weekly surveys. Interannual uncertainty analysis showed that the performance of the DC method was comparable with those of the other methods, except for stations showing high hydrological variability. In this case, the DC method performed better, with annual biases lower than those characterizing the other methods. Results show that the DC method generated the smallest pollutant load errors when considering a monthly sampling frequency for rivers showing high variability in hydrological conditions and contaminant concentrations.     

上海冬季公共交通出行PM1污染暴露特征

使用DustTrakTM-II-8530粉尘仪对上海市居民出行的典型公共交通出行(地铁和公交车)的PM1暴露水平进行了平行监测,以了解其暴露特征.结果表明,公交车和地铁出行的单程平均PM1暴露浓度分别为(0.079±0.067)mg/m3和(0.065±0.056)mg/m3;交通工具内的暴露浓度低于户外步行的暴露浓度,尤其是地铁车厢内.公交车和地铁出行的单程暴露剂量分别为(0.028±0.024)mg和(0.034±0.033)mg.公交车出行的暴露剂量主要来源于车内,其贡献率达52.2%;地铁出行的暴露剂量主要来源于地面步行段(42.4%)及进站候车(44.2%).2种出行方式之间的暴露剂量和暴露浓度相对大小的不同表明,空气污染对公众健康影响的分析需要综合考虑出行方式和呼吸速率等的影响.     

大气颗粒物物理化学属性致病效应与损伤机制的研究进展

近些年,我国大气颗粒物所带来的健康问题越发突出,由此产生的环境疾病日益引起人们的广泛关注。大量的流行病学和毒理学研究发现,大气颗粒物能引起呼吸系统、心血管系统、神经系统、免疫系统等的损伤,造成新生儿出生缺陷,增加罹患癌症的风险,且与人群发病率和死亡率上升有关。但是由于大气颗粒物物化属性比较复杂,一种或几种损伤机制并不能完全解释其与致病效应的关系,因此具体的损伤机制目前还没有统一的说法,大气颗粒物物理化学属性与致病效应的关系仍在探索当中。本文从大气颗粒物的粒径、浓度、比表面积、来源、成分等基本属性入手,剖析其基本特点和可能影响健康的原因,探讨大气颗粒物通过氧化损伤途径诱导致病效应,并结合当前大气颗粒物健康影响研究现状提出在未来研究中应注重的相关内容。     

Physico-chemical characteristics of fine fraction materials from an old crystal glass dumpsite in Sweden

Physico-chemical characteristics of waste, particularly fine fraction (FF), from an old crystal glass waste dump in Sweden were studied to assess recycling or disposal alternatives. Hand-sorting of the waste indicated glass content of 44.1% while sieving established the FF as a more soil-like mix of glass and other materials constituting 33.3% of all excavated waste. The FF was around neutral pH with 24.4% moisture content, low values of Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Organic Carbon and fluorides, but hazardous concentrations of As, Cd, Pb and Zn according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. While the FF leached metals in low concentrations at neutral pH, it leached considerably during digestion with nitric acid, implying leaching risks at low pH. Thus, the waste requires safe storage in hazardous waste class ‘bank account’ storage cells to avoid environmental contamination as metal recovery and other recycling strategies for the glass waste are being developed. The study could fill the information gap regarding preservation of potential resources in the on-going, fast-paced excavation and re-landfilling of heavy metal contaminated materials in the region.     

PIXE characterization of PM10 and PM2.5 particulates sizes collected in Ikoyi Lagos,Nigeria

Ambient concentrations of PM₁₀ (x?≤?10?µm) and PM_2.5 (x?≤?2.5?µm) particulate fractions collected from Ikoyi Lagos, Nigeria, as well as their elemental compositions are presented in this study. Both size-segregated fractions were collected using a double staged ‘Gent’ stack filter unit sampler. Elemental characterizations of dust laden filters were carried out using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. Twenty-two elements (Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ag, Cd, and Ta) were detected as well as their concentrations and correlations were determined for both particulate size fractions. Their correlation matrix result indicates that some of the trace elements detected could have common source origins or similar chemical properties. The results were similar to the levels observed in moderately polluted urban areas and there is need for source identification and apportionment using receptor models in future studies.     

Biogeochemistry and cycling of zinc and copper in a dyked seasonally flooded savanna

There is very little information on the cycling of heavy metals in natural savannas. Venezuelan flooded savannas are characterised by acid soils with redox conditions which might induce Zn and Cu solubilisation. In those flooded savannas a network of small dykes has been constructed to control floods. The biomass accretion after dyking and the abundance of clay particles in the vertisols, dominant in the overflow plains, might be responsible for an increase in nutrient uptake and immobilisation. Due to the redox and pH conditions prevailing during flooding, some questions arise on the fate of the heavy metals. Are they significantly lost as soluble and particulate forms, which in turn, can induce a potential risk of microelement deficiency? Or, on the contrary, are heavy metal inputs in precipitation waters retained somewhere in the terrestrial pools of the watershed allowing for an adequate micronutrient economy? By using input-output budgets, which consider the total atmospheric input and total output in stream runoff (soluble and particulate) for zinc and copper we concluded that in Mantecal flooded savannas, a net accumulation of micronutrient in soils is actually occurring through organic and inorganic complexes, a process that is counterbalanced by the losses of particulates through erosion.     

Upgrade of three municipal wastewater treatment lagoons using a high surface area media

Lagoon-based municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing difficulties meeting the needs of rapid population growth as well as the more stringent requirements of discharge permits. Three municipal WWTPs were modified using a high surface area media with upgraded fine-bubble aeration systems. Performance data collected showed very promising results in terms of five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), ammonia (NH₃) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal. Two-year average ammonia effluents were 4.1 mg·L^-1 for Columbia WWTP, 4 mg·L^-1 for Larchmont WWTP and 2.1 mg·L^-1 for Laurelville WWTP, respectively. Two- year average BOD₅ effluents were 6.8, 4.9 and 2.7 mg·L^-1, and TSS effluents were 15.0, 9.6 and 7.5 mg·L^-1. The systems also showed low fecal coliform (FC) levels in their effluents.