Investigation of interactions between surface water and petroleum-type pollutants

Background, Aims and Scope In oil spill investigations, one of the most important steps is a proper choice of approaches that imply an investigation of samples taken from different sedimentary environments, samples of oil contaminants taken in different periods of time and samples taken at different distances from the oil spill. In all these cases, conclusion on the influence of the environment, microorganisms or migration on the oil contaminants' composition can be drawn from the comparison of chemical compositions of the investigated contaminants. However, in case of water contaminants, it is very important to define which part of organic matter has been analyzed. Namely, previous investigations showed that there were some differences in chemical composition of the same oil contaminant depending on the intensity of its contact with ground water. The aim of this work is to define more precisely the interactions between oil contaminant and water, i.e. the influence of the intensity of interaction between the oil contaminant and water on its chemical composition. The study was based on a comparison of four fractionated extracts of an oil pollutant, after they had been analyzed in details. Methods Oil polluted surface water (wastewater canal, Pančevo, Serbia) was investigated. The study was based on a comparison of four extracts of an oil contaminant: extract 1 (decanted part), and extracts 2, 3 and 4 (extracted by shaking for 1 minute, 5 minutes and 24 hours, respectively). The fractionated extracts were saponified with a solution of KOH in methanol, and neutralized with 10% hydrochloric acid. The products were dissolved in a mixture of dichloromethane and hexane, and individually fractionated by column chromatography on alumina and silica gel (saturated hydrocarbon, aromatic, alcohol and fatty acid fractions). n-Alkanes and isoprenoid aliphatic alkanes, polycyclic alkanes of sterane and triterpane types, alcohols and fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). δ13CPDB values of individual n-alkanes in the aliphatic fractions were determined using gas chromatography-isotope ratio monitoring-mass spectrometry (GC-irmMS). Results and discussion. Extracts 1 and 2 are characterized by uniform distribution of n-alkanes, whereas extract 3 is characterized by an even-numbered members dominating the odd-ones, and extract 4 showed a bimodal distribution. Extract 1 is characterized by the least negative δ13CPDB values of C19-C26 n-alkanes. Sterane and triterpane analysis confirmed that all extracts originated from the same oil contaminant. n-Fatty acids, C19-C24, in all extracts are very low, being somewhat higher in extract 4. Even-numbered n-alcohols, C12–C16, were identified in the highest concentration in extract 3. It was assumed that algae were responsible for the composition of extract 3. Furthermore, a possible reason for higher concentrations of C19–C26 n-alkanes and C19–C24 fatty acids in extract 4 is the formation of inclusion compounds with colloidal micelles formed between the oil contaminant's NSO-compounds and water. Conclusion It was undoubtedly confirmed that there were specific differences in the compositions of the different extracts depending on the intensity of the interaction between the oil contaminant and the surface water. Recommendation and Outlook. When comparing the composition of oil contaminants from different water samples (regardless of the ultimate investigation goal) it is necessary to compare the extracts isolated under the same conditions, in other words, extracts that were in the same or very similar interaction with water.     

Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations

A multidisciplinary study of a crude-oil contaminated aquifer shows that the distribution of microbial physiologic types is strongly controlled by the aquifer properties and crude oil location. The microbial populations of four physiologic types were analyzed together with permeability, pore-water chemistry, nonaqueous oil content, and extractable sediment iron. Microbial data from three vertical profiles through the anaerobic portion of the contaminated aquifer clearly show areas that have progressed from iron-reduction to methanogenesis. These locations contain lower numbers of iron reducers, and increased numbers of fermenters with detectable methanogens. Methanogenic conditions exist both in the area contaminated by nonaqueous oil and also below the oil where high hydrocarbon concentrations correspond to local increases in aquifer permeability. The results indicate that high contaminant flux either from local dissolution or by advective transport plays a key role in determining which areas first become methanogenic. Other factors besides flux that are important include the sediment Fe(II) content and proximity to the water table. In locations near a seasonally oscillating water table, methanogenic conditions exist only below the lowest typical water table elevation. During 20 years since the oil spill occurred, a laterally continuous methanogenic zone has developed along a narrow horizon extending from the source area to 50-60 m downgradient. A companion paper [J. Contam. Hydrol. 53, 369-386] documents how the growth of the methanogenic zone results in expansion of the aquifer volume contaminated with the highest concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes.     

Length of index and ring fingers differentially influence sexual attractiveness of men’s and women’s hands

Humans show intra- and intersexual variation in second (2D) relative to fourth (4D) finger length, men having smaller 2D:4D ratio, possibly because of differential exposure to sex hormones during fetal life. The relations between 2D:4D and phenotypic traits including fitness components reported by several studies may originate from the organizational effects that sex hormones have on diverse organs and their concomitant effect on 2D:4D. Evolutionary theory posits that sexual preferences are adaptations whereby choosy individuals obtain direct or genetic indirect benefits by choosing a particular mate. Since sex hormones influence both fitness and 2D:4D, hand sexual attractiveness should depend on 2D:4D, a hypothesis tested only in one correlational study so far. We first presented hand computer images to undergraduates and found that opposite-sex hands with long 2D and 4D were considered more sexually attractive. When we experimentally manipulated hand images by increasing or decreasing 2D and/or 4D length, women preferred opposite-sex hands that had been masculinized by elongating 4D, whereas men avoided masculinized opposite-sex right hands with shortened 2D. Hence, consensus exists about which hands are attractive among different opposite-sex judges. Finger length may signal desirable sex hormone-dependent traits or genetic quality of potential mates. Psychological mechanisms mediating hand attractiveness judgments may thus reflect adaptations functioning to provide direct or indirect benefits to choosy individuals. Because the genetic mechanisms that link digit development to sex hormones may be mediated by Hox genes which are conserved in vertebrates, present results have broad implications for sexual selection studies also in nonhuman taxa.     

Risk of motor vehicle accident death among 1.3 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars

Objective: We conducted a cohort study of recent wartime veterans to determine the postservice mortality risk due to motor vehicle accidents (MVAs).

Methods: Veterans were identified from the Defense Manpower Data Center records. Deployment to te Iraq or Afghanistan war zone was determined from the Contingency Tracking System. Vital status of 317,581 deployed and 964,493 nondeployed veterans was followed from their discharge dates between 2001 to 2007 until earlier of date of death or December 31, 2009. Underlying causes of death were obtained from the National Death Index Plus.

Results: Based on 9,353 deaths (deployed, 1,650; nondeployed, 7,703), of which 779 were MVA deaths as drivers (166; 613), both cohorts had 25 to 24% lower mortality risk from all causes but had 44 to 45% higher risk of MVA deaths relative to the U.S. general population. The higher MVA mortality risk was not associated with deployment to the war zone. After controlling for age, sex, race, marital status, branch of service, and rank, the risk for deployed veterans was comparable to that of nondeployed veterans (hazard ratio = 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–1.09).

Conclusions: Veterans exhibit significantly higher risk of MVA deaths compared to the U.S. general population. However, deployment to the Iraq or Afghanistan war was not associated with the excess risk.     

粘土改性条件的研究Ⅱ.沸石的改性

考察了改性沸石的CTMAB加入量、CTMAB溶液浓度和吸附时间对CTMAB吸附量的影响 .测得沸石对CTMAB的饱和吸附容量为 6 5 0 0± 1 0 0mg·1 0 0g- 1沸石 ,明显高于改性膨润土的饱和吸附量 ,吸附符合Langmuir吸附特征 . 2 5℃时 ,当CTMAB的加入量为沸石饱和吸附容量的 1 1— 1 2倍 ,CTMAB溶液浓度≥ 1 6mg·ml- 1,吸附时间超过 6h时 ,沸石基本达到饱和吸附 .考察了有机沸石对于水中BTEX的去除效果 .并对沸石和膨润土的性质进行了比较 .     

复合垂直流人工湿地微生物特征对典型污水的响应差异

污水性质是影响人工湿地微生物特征的重要因子,而微生物对人工湿地污染物净化功能的发挥至关重要. 运用两组IVCW(复合垂直流人工湿地)分别处理模拟生活污水和污水处理厂尾水,比较研究两组系统下行流、上行流池的基质酶活性及硝化反硝化强度,并通过脂肪酸甲酯图谱分析系统中的微生物群落结构,以解析人工湿地微生物特征对两种污水的响应差异. 结果表明:处理生活污水的IVCW下行流池中脱氢酶、过氧化氢酶、脲酶及硝酸盐还原酶活性均显著高于其他单元,四者平均值分别为其他单元的2.8~4.6、7.9~10.3、19.3~41.7和4.5~10.8倍. 处理生活污水IVCW基质的硝化强度是尾水处理系统对应单元的1.4~5.3倍(下行流)和1.3~3.9倍(上行流),而两组IVCW对应单元基质的反硝化强度之间无显著差异. IVCW下行流池中特征脂肪酸比值及微生物群落结构受污水类型的影响较小,均以厌氧细菌和革兰氏阳性菌为优势菌;上行流池微生物群落结构则受到污水类型的一定影响,真菌的相对丰度较高. 两种污水对IVCW基质酶活性和硝化强度的影响高于对反硝化强度和微生物群落结构的影响.      

On-line CO, CO2 emissions evaluation and (benzene, toluene, xylene) determination from experimental burn of tropical biomass

Atmospheric pollution and global warming issues are increasingly becoming major environmental concerns. Fire is one of the significant sources of pollutant gases released into the atmosphere; and tropical biomass fires, which are of particular interest in this study, contribute greatly to the global budget of CO and CO₂. This pioneer research simulates the natural biomass burning strategy in Malaysia using an experimental burning facility. The investigation was conducted on the emissions (CO₂, CO, and Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX)) from ten tropical biomass species. The selected species represent the major tropical forests that are frequently subjected to dry forest fire incidents. An experimental burning facility equipped with an on-line gas analyzer was employed to determine the burning emissions. The major emission factors were found to vary among the species, and the specific results were as follows. The moisture content of a particular biomass greatly influenced its emission pattern. The smoke analysis results revealed the existence of BTEX, which were sampled from a combustion chamber by enrichment traps aided with a universal gas sampler. The BTEX were determined by organic solvent extraction followed by GC/MS quantification, the results of which suggested that the biomass burning emission factor contributed significant amounts of benzene, toluene, and m,p-xylene. The modified combustion efficiency (MCE) changed in response to changes in the sample moisture content. Therefore, this study concluded that the emission of some pollutants mainly depends on the burning phase and sample moisture content of the biomass.     

苯系物对仿刺参catalase基因表达及酶活性的影响

以仿刺参(Apostichopus japonicus)为受试生物,采用半静水式试验方法,设置3种不同浓度(1/5、1/25、1/125的96 h-LC50)的苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻–二甲苯、间–二甲苯和对–二甲苯处理健康仿刺参,检测仿刺参过氧化氢酶(CAT)基因在呼吸树、肠组织中的表达和酶活性变化情况。结果发现:在各苯系物处理组的仿刺参呼吸树和肠组织中,cat基因的转录表达变化显著;苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻–二甲苯对呼吸树中CAT活性具有诱导作用,其中乙基苯的诱导倍数最高,为12.0~19.8倍;6种苯系物对肠组织中CAT活性具有抑制作用,抑制程度大小顺序为:邻–二甲苯乙基苯对–二甲苯甲苯间–二甲苯苯。表明苯系物对仿刺参呼吸树、肠具有氧化胁迫作用,可能造成2种组织的氧化损伤。相关性分析表明:苯系物处理后,仿刺参肠组织中cat m RNA相对表达倍数与CAT活性变化呈显著正相关;仿刺参肠和呼吸树中cat m RNA相对表达倍数变化呈显著正相关。以上结果为苯系物对仿刺参的生物毒性评价提供了基础数据。     

厦门春季 PM10中PAHs成分谱特征及其与气象要素相关性分析

为了研究厦门春季市区与郊区PM10中PAHs的污染状况和分布特征,利用GC-MS分析了2013年4月11~21日日间和夜间分别在厦门市、郊两地采集的气溶胶样品,并得到了厦门市区和郊区18种PAHs的浓度,研究得出厦门郊区ΣPAHs昼夜变化比市区小,市区的白天是夜间的1.83倍,并且PAHs的浓度仍然是低于国家的环境标准的.在不同的时间和空间尺度下,ΣPAHs均呈双峰型分布,市区和郊区昼、夜的PAHs组分均以中低环PAHs为主,高环PAHs随着粒径的增大而逐渐减小,而低环PAHs所占比例逐渐增大,市区的PM10中2~4环PAHs粒径的昼、夜分布有很大差异,而5~7环差异不大.并用DR方法分析了PAHs的来源,得出厦门春季市区和郊区PAHs的主要贡献源为汽油、柴油的燃烧和冶炼厂的熔炉排放的废气.在采样期间,郊区ΣPAHs浓度与温度、风向呈负相关关系,与能见度和风速呈正相关关系,而市区的ΣPAHs浓度除白天与温度的相关性跟郊区相同外,与其他气象要素的相关性和郊区基本相反.     

A new approach to estimate nuclide ratios from measurements with activities close to background

Measurements of low-level radioactivity often give results of the order of the detection limit. For many applications, interest is not only in estimating activity concentrations of a single radioactive isotope, but focuses on multi-isotope analyses, which often enable inference on the source of the activity detected (e.g. from activity ratios). Obviously, such conclusions become questionable if the measurement merely gives a detection limit for a specific isotope. This is particularly relevant if the presence of an isotope, which shows a low signal only (e.g. due to a short half-life or a small transition probability), is crucial for gaining the information of interest.