Wetland influence on mercury fate and transport in a temperate forested watershed

The transport and fate of mercury (Hg) was studied in two forest wetlands; a riparian peatland and an abandoned beaver meadow. The proportion of total mercury (THg) that was methyl mercury (% MeHg) increased from 2% to 6% from the upland inlets to the outlet of the wetlands. During the growing season, MeHg concentrations were approximately three times higher (0.27ng/L) than values during the non-growing season (0.10ng/L). Transport of Hg species was facilitated by DOC production as indicated by significant positive relations with THg and MeHg. Elevated concentrations of MeHg and % MeHg (as high as 70%) were found in pore waters of the riparian and beaver meadow wetlands. Groundwater interaction with the stream was limited at the riparian peatland due to the low hydraulic conductivity of the peat. The annual fluxes of THg and MeHg at the outlet of the watershed were 2.3 and 0.092microg/m2-year respectively.     

Comparison of total mercury and methylmercury cycling at five sites using the small watershed approach

The small watershed approach is well-suited but underutilized in mercury research. We applied the small watershed approach to investigate total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) dynamics in streamwater at the five diverse forested headwater catchments of the US Geological Survey Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program. At all sites, baseflow THg was generally less than 1ng L(-1) and MeHg was less than 0.2ng L(-1). THg and MeHg concentrations increased with streamflow, so export was primarily episodic. At three sites, THg and MeHg concentration and export were dominated by the particulate fraction in association with POC at high flows, with maximum THg (MeHg) concentrations of 94 (2.56)ng L(-1) at Sleepers River, Vermont; 112 (0.75)ng L(-1) at Rio Icacos, Puerto Rico; and 55 (0.80)ng L(-1) at Panola Mt., Georgia. Filtered (<0.7microm) THg increased more modestly with flow in association with the hydrophobic acid fraction (HPOA) of DOC, with maximum filtered THg concentrations near 5ng L(-1) at both Sleepers and Icacos. At Andrews Creek, Colorado, THg export was also episodic but was dominated by filtered THg, as POC concentrations were low. MeHg typically tracked THg so that each site had a fairly constant MeHg/THg ratio, which ranged from near zero at Andrews to 15% at the low-relief, groundwater-dominated Allequash Creek, Wisconsin. Allequash was the only site with filtered MeHg consistently above detection, and the filtered fraction dominated both THg and MeHg. Relative to inputs in wet deposition, watershed retention of THg (minus any subsequent volatilization) was 96.6% at Allequash, 60% at Sleepers, and 83% at Andrews. Icacos had a net export of THg, possibly due to historic gold mining or frequent disturbance from landslides. Quantification and interpretation of Hg dynamics was facilitated by the small watershed approach with emphasis on event sampling.     

Local and distant residence times of contaminants in multi-compartment models. Part II: application to assessing environmental mobility and long-range atmospheric transport

In Part I, the concepts of inherent, local and distant residence times (DRTs) were reviewed as metrics of the extent to which chemical discharges or emissions in one region or box are transported to distant regions. In this second part, the concepts are applied to geographically relevant systems to illustrate their applicability to the assessment of chemicals for long-range transport potential (LRTP). It is shown that the relative ranking of chemicals as characterized by the DRT method is similar to that of the characteristic travel distance concept. A DRT source-receptor matrix is developed that can express the chemical-specific potential of source regions to contaminate a specific receptor region of concern such as the Arctic. The matrix can be modified to identify for a specific source region the likely destinations of emissions as well as to assess the relative vulnerability of regions in the global environment to contaminants of concern.     

Evaluation of various tests for the diagnosis of soil contamination by 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP)

Soil response to contamination with 2,4,5-triclorophenol was studied to test the validity of the concept of Generic Reference Levels (GRL), the main criterion used to define soil contamination. Soil samples were artificially contaminated with doses between 0 and 5000 mg kg⁻¹ of 2,4,5-triclorophenol, and analysed by various tests. Where possible, the response of soils to the contaminant was modelled by a sigmoidal dose-response curve in order to estimate the ED₅₀ values. The tests provided different responses, but only microbial biomass-C and dehydrogenase and urease activities demonstrated soil deterioration in response to contamination. The results suggest that the diagnosis of soil contamination has been greatly simplified in the legislation by the provision of a single figure for each compound, and that the GRL concept could perhaps be substituted by measurement of ED₅₀ values, which better reflect the alteration of a soil due to the presence of a xenobiotic substance.     

华北某农药厂周边的滴滴涕污染状况初步研究

对华北某从事滴滴涕加工的农药厂周边的土壤和植物样品进行了取样分析,利用气相色谱/电子捕获检测器(GC/ECD)法测定了样品中的滴滴涕含量.结果表明,在生产区域下风向900 m内采集的土壤样品中的滴滴涕超过《土壤环境质量标准》规定的三级标准(1.0 mg/kg);植物样品中的滴滴涕均大于0.2 mg/kg,超出《粮食、蔬菜等食品中六六六、滴滴涕残留量标准》的相关限值.     

银负载对活性炭纤维汞吸附性能的影响

银氨溶液浸渍活性炭纤维制得载银量14.07%的载银活性炭纤维.以筒状吸附体吸附气态Hg0的方式研究活性炭纤维银载前后的汞吸附性能,结果表明,载银后活性炭纤维汞吸附性能明显提高.实验还发现:随吸附温度升高,活性炭纤维的汞吸附效率随先增加后降低,而载银活性炭纤维的汞吸附效率随吸附温度升高而一直降低;延长停留时间和添加H2O(g)对两者汞吸附均有利.采用片状吸附体对2种吸附剂的汞饱和吸附量进行了测定,实验得出:70℃下活性炭纤维汞饱和吸附量为29.4 mg/g,载银活性炭纤维汞饱和吸附量为192.3 mg/g,即活性炭纤维载银后汞饱和吸附量提高到原来的6.54倍.扫描电镜分析发现:活性炭纤维上物理吸附汞占绝大多数,化学吸附汞很少;负载银后汞只吸附在活性炭纤维的含银活性点上,银粒子与汞结合生成银汞齐后形状趋于规则,且主要分布于活性炭纤维微晶的晶棱交界处.     

具有超压/负压防护功能的急救车防生物污染的安全性试验研究

采用粘质沙雷菌气溶胶,对具有超压/负压防护功能的急救车防生物污染的安全性进行试验考核。分别测试气溶胶发生后30s,1min,5min,10min时,车厢在超压防护和负压防护下的过滤效率,其结果表明:急救车在超压防护状态下开启空调时的平均过滤效率能达到99.99%,不开空调时的平均过滤效率能达到99.95%;在负压防护状态下开启空调时的平均过滤效率能达到99.93%,不开空调时的平均过滤效率能达到99.95%。证明急救车能够通过生物污染区域安全运送、急救伤病员,也能够运送、急救生物污染伤病员或烈性传染病员确保沿途环境不受污染,该研究成果为应对生物恐怖袭击和突发公共卫生事件(烈性传染病)提供了一种安全可靠的机动医疗救治平台。     

Case study: examining the contribution of historical sources of lead in urban soils in Portland,Maine, USA

While the presence of lead in urban soils from residential lead paint and leaded gasoline is well documented, the relative contribution of lead from area historical industrial activities is not. This study examined the connection between historical industrial sources of lead in Portland, Maine, USA from 1860 to 1970 to current, spatial distributions of soil lead. Collecting 1859 surface and 122 sub-surface soil samples in accordance with USEPA's Lead Safe Yard Protocols, lead concentrations varied from 9 mg/kg to >100,000 mg/kg with most of the samples greater than USEPA's critical value for lead (400 mg/kg). Using historical documents, probable sources of lead were mapped. In comparing two datasets, no clear relationship emerged. Findings were hampered by inability to sample under large areas of impervious surfaces and private properties. Because of lead's immobility in soil, one would expect decreasing concentration with depth, but lead concentrations varied with depth and location. The haphazard dumping of lead-contaminated industrial waste and the relocation of contaminated fill are likely factors. These findings suggest that in urban areas where multiple historical sources of lead existed, surface sampling to determine presence of lead may not be sufficient to protect public health.     

Trace metals assessment in water, sediment, mussel and seagrass species--validation of the use of Posidonia oceanica as a metal biomonitor

The accumulation of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb) was measured in water, sediment, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Samples were collected in three locations of the north-western Mediterranean (Canari, Livorno and Porto-Torres) which present different levels and sources of human impact. Analyses in the different compartments (water, sediment, M. galloprovincialis and P. oceanica) have allowed to identify Canari as the most Cd, Co, Cr and Ni contaminated site; Livorno as the most Hg contaminated and Porto-Torres as the most Pb contaminated. Furthermore, for the first time, metal concentrations found in P. oceanica have been compared with those found in the water column, in the sediment and in the recognized metal bio-indicator species M. galloprovincialis and the results obtained have led to the same conclusions. Thus, this study allows to validate the use of P. oceanica as metal biomonitor of coastal waters.     

石油污染场地土壤修复技术及工程化应用

在分析当前我国土壤受石油污染的状况基础上,介绍目前修复石油污染场地土壤的技术,包括物理修复、化学修复和生物修复等.并对各种技术的修复原理、研究进展、优缺点及其发展趋势进行了综述,结合我国的研究现状与工作基础对该领域今后的研究方向与重点进行了展望.