Comparison of Nitrate Levels in Raw Water and Finished Water from Historical Monitoring Data on Iowa Municipal Drinking Water Supplies

Nitrate contamination of water sources is a concern where large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers are regularly applied to soils. Ingested nitrate from dietary sources and drinking water can be converted to nitrite and ultimately to N-nitroso compounds, many of which are known carcinogens. Epidemiologic studies of drinking water nitrate and cancer report mixed findings; a criticism is the use of nitrate concentrations from retrospective drinking water data to assign exposure levels. Residential point-of-use nitrate data are scarce; gaps in historical data for municipal supply finished water hamper exposure classification efforts. We used generalized linear regression models to estimate and compare historical raw water and finished water nitrate levels (1960s--1990s) in single source Iowa municipal supplies to determine whether raw water monitoring data could supplement finished water data to improve exposure assessment. Comparison of raw water and finished water samples (same sampling date) showed a significant difference in nitrate levels in municipalities using rivers; municipalities using other surface water or alluvial groundwater had no difference in nitrate levels. A regional aggregation of alluvial groundwater municipalities was constructed based on results from a previous study showing regional differences in nitrate contamination of private wells; results from this analysis were mixed, dependent upon region and decade. These analyses demonstrate using historical raw water nitrate monitoring data to supplement finished water data for exposure assessment is appropriate for individual Iowa municipal supplies using alluvial groundwater, lakes or reservoirs. Using alluvial raw water data on a regional basis is dependent on region and decade.     

Characterization and Identification of the Sources of Chromium, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Nickel, Manganese and Iron in Pm10 Particulates at the Two Sites of Kolkata, India

Monitoring of ambient PM₁₀ (particulate matter which passes through a size selective impactor inlet with a 50% efficiency cut-off at 10 μm aerodynamic diameter) has been done at residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) sites of an urban region of Kolkata during November 2003 to November 2004. These sites were selected depending on the dominant anthropogenic activities. Metal constituents of atmospheric PM₁₀ deposited on glass fibre filter paper were estimated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). Chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are the seven toxic trace metals quantified from the measured PM₁₀ concentrations. The 24 h average concentrations of Cr, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn and Fe from ninety PM₁₀ particulate samples of Kolkata were found to be 6.9, 506.1, 79.1, 3.3, 7.4, 2.4 and 103.6 ng/m³, respectively. The 24 h average PM₁₀ concentration exceeded national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) as specified by central pollution control board, India at both residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) areas with mean concentration of 140.1 and 196.6 μg/m³, respectively. A simultaneous meteorology study was performed to assess the influence of air masses by wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, relative humidity and temperature. The measured toxic trace metals generally showed inverse relationship with wind speed, relative humidity and temperature. Factor analysis, a receptor modeling technique has been used for identification of the possible sources contributing to the PM₁₀. Varimax rotated factor analysis identified four possible sources of measured trace metals comprising solid waste dumping, vehicular traffic with the influence of road dust, road dust and soil dust at residential site (Kasba), while vehicular traffic with the influence of soil dust, road dust, galvanizing and electroplating industry, and tanning industry at industrial site (Cossipore).     

装甲钢自然环境试验与人工加速试验的相关性

对某型装甲钢在酸雨大气环境下自然暴露与人工模拟加速试验的相关性进行了研究。利用腐蚀机理对比、Spearman秩相关系数、灰色关联度、加速转换因子等方法进行了相关性的定性定量评价。评价结果表明模拟加速试验与自然环境暴露试验有较好相关性。     

苯甲酸类化合物对发光菌的毒性及定量构效

测定了9种苯甲酸类化合物在pH=7时对发光菌的急性毒性(15min-EC50)。应用两种理化参数TSA和ELUMO对毒性数据进行了定量构效关系(QSARs)研究,并在此基础上初步探讨了苯甲酸类化合物的毒性机制。结果表明,苯甲酸类化合物对发光菌的毒性随取代基团的种类及取代位置不同而不同;苯甲酸类化合物对发光菌的致毒机制中可能有亲电作用发生,毒性可用TSA和ELUMO来联合描述。     

有机磷农药对缢蛏[Sinonovacula constricta (Lamarck)]显微结构的影响

在实验室模拟缢蛏的生长环境,研究乐果和三唑磷对缢蛏的毒性效应.以气相色谱法测定缢蛏体内有机磷农药的含量,并通过光镜观察有机磷农药对缢蛏鳃和消化腺显微结构的影响.结果表明:缢蛏体内乐果和三唑磷的含量随着水体中有机磷农药的增加而增加,有很好的剂量-效应关系,但是无线性相关性.乐果和三唑磷对缢蛏鳃显微结构的影响是:鳃丝变短,鳃丝间隔和基底膜结缔组织增生,鳃孔、血管腔堵塞;不同的是:在乐果胁迫下,上皮细胞纤毛脱落严重,而三唑磷胁迫下,上皮细胞纤毛增生.乐果和三唑磷对缢蛏消化腺显微结构的影响主要表现为腺细胞界限模糊,腺泡水肿变形、部分坏死;结缔组织增生,细胞间质疏松,出现许多空泡;有机磷农药的浓度高时消化腺细胞变性、坏死,细胞质囊泡化.     

Exposure assessment of operators to pesticides in Kongou,a sub-watershed of Niger River valley

The use of pesticides in horticultural sector in Niger has become an integral part of modern agriculture. Nevertheless, their inappropriate use can generate negative health effects to operators. A study was carried out among Kongou farmers in order to assess their potential dermal exposure (PDE). The UK-POEM model was used to quantify the PDE during mixing/loading and application according to the local practices. In order to determine which parts of the operator body are subject to most contamination during spraying and to validate the theoretical model used, a patch method was used with a tartrazine dye. The deposits of the tartrazine on patches were measured by colorimetry thanks to the absorbance value determined after their extraction in water and a calibration curve. A total of ten spraying trials (five trials with the hand-held sprayer and five others with the backpack sprayer) were performed by different producers at 0.5 and 1 m height for each trial. The survey shows that 92% of the farmers are illiterate and the most common active substances identified are organophosphate or pyrethroids insecticides. Seventy percent of operators do not use any personal protective equipment (PPE) during mixing/loading or spraying. The predictive systemic exposure levels vary from 0.0027?mg kg^?1 bw per day to 0.7692?mg kg^?1 bw per day for backpack sprayer and from 0.0261?mg kg^?1 bw per day to 0.9788?mg kg^?1 bw per day for hand-held sprayer, several times higher the Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (AOEL) for some actives substances. Theoretical modeling indicates more exposure of operator by a hand-held sprayer than a backpack sprayer. The patch method results show that the deposits of dye increase when the position of sprayer nozzle increases from 0.5 to 1 m for the two sprayers. All parts of the operator body are contaminated but lower body parts and chest are the most exposed. The patch method results also show that hand spraying contaminates operator more than backpack spraying, confirming the results of the theoretical model.     

区域环境风险评价及其关键科学问题

随着环境中能够检出的有毒污染物种类不断增多,基于制定环境标准来控制有毒污染物的传统方法正在受到挑战,而环境风险评价研究已成为当前环境领域研究的热点.加强风险评价方法研究,认识区域具有潜在风险的有毒污染物环境暴露与环境效应的关系,探讨风险评价中的关键科学问题,为风险管理提供科学依据已显得尤为紧迫.综述和讨论了环境风险评价技术的发展历史和区域生态风险评价存在的科学问题,并对深入开展区域环境风险评价研究提出了建议.     

饮用水中有毒污染物的筛查和健康风险评价

饮用水中含有痕量有机有毒污染物,其中相当一部分并不在水质标准管理范围.应用安捷伦公司解卷积报告软件(DRS)提供的保留时间锁定(RTL)、谱图解卷积(Deconvolution)技术和有毒化合物数据库(HCD),建立了1种可以应用于饮用水中有毒污染物的筛查和健康风险评价的方法.应用此方法对北京市自来水厂进出水中的有毒有机污染物进行了分析,定性筛查到113种有毒有机污染物,并对其中多环芳烃、有机氯农药、挥发性有机物和酚类物质等62种污染物进行了定量分析.结果表明,在有定量分析数据的污染物中,列入标准的有机有毒污染物浓度均未超过国际主要水质标准限值;对未列入水质标准或没有浓度限值的有机有毒污染物,初步进行了健康风险分析和水厂工艺的去除效果评价,发现它们的健康风险基本处于可接受的水平.此外,还定性筛查到当前国际水质标准中没有列入的51种有毒有机物,包括敌敌畏、五氯硝基苯、仲丁威、残杀威、邻苯基苯酚、叔丁基-4-羟基茴香醚、苯胺和腐霉利等,并分析了这些污染物的风险特征,是否存在健康风险需要进一步的研究.     

多氯联苯醚类化合物污染研究进展

综述了当前国际上多氯联苯醚的研究现状,详细论述了环境中多氯联苯醚的来源、毒性效应、污染状况、迁移转化和生物富集规律以及多氯联苯醚形成机制.我国关于多氯联苯醚类污染物的研究相对滞后,当前开展适合我国国情的多氯联苯醚物质的环境水平、生态安全与毒理学研究十分必要.     

毒气泄漏事故居民疏散心理行为特征相关性研究

为了研究在毒气泄漏事故中居民的心理行为特征,选择发生过毒气泄漏事故的某化工企业,采用问卷法对其周边居民进行调查,并运用SPSS软件对调查问卷的结果进行独立性分析,从而得出居民在疏散过程中的各种心理行为反应的相关因素,为制定有效的应急疏散管理预案提供科学的依据。