Comparison of benthic macroinvertebrate indices for the assessment of the impact of acid mine drainage on an Irish river below an abandoned Cu-S mine

A range of macroinvertebrate indices were compared to assess the most appropriate metric for the assessment of acid mine drainage (AMD) in a low alkalinity, highly erosional river in south-east Ireland. Differences were found in the ability of indices to discriminate AMD impact with the Brillouin, BMWP score, Margalef and Shannon Indices the most precise. Taxon richness was also strongly correlated with AMD indicator parameters (e.g. pH alkalinity, sulphate, Zn and Fe) at impacted sites being an equally reliable metric. The response of the community structure to AMD in this river does not fulfil the optimum criteria for either diversity or biological indices, which may explain the variation in the success of different indices seen in this and other studies. The development of indices that model the expected community response to AMD more accurately or are based on the response of indicator species to AMD pollutants are required.     

Comparison of different pre-treatment methods for enriching hydrogen-producing bacteria from intertidal sludge

Batch tests of cultivations were conducted to analyze influences of pre-treatment methods (heat–shock, acid, and alkaline) on hydrogen production. The hydrogen yields of the pre-treated samples were significantly higher than those without pre-treatment. Heat–shock pre-treatment yielded maximum hydrogen (75.5 ± 4.0 mL/g sucrose_removed), and had the highest sucrose removal efficiency (81.20 ± 1.23%). Heat–shock pre-treatment produced more ethanol and acetate (80.44 ± 0.55% of the total soluble metabolites), which belonged to ethanol-type fermentation. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles showed that pre-treatment methods affected the composition of microbial communities. The results showed that pre-treatment methods play a key role in the hydrogen production process of marine hydrogen-producing microflora.     

Biological activity and bioavailability of grain bound 14C‐malathion residues in rats

Abstract

Paddy (unmilled rice), milled rice and maize‐bound ¹⁴C residues were prepared using ¹⁴C‐succinate‐labelled malathion at 10 and 152 ppm. After 3 months, the bound residues accounted for 12%, 6.5% and 17.7% of the applied dose in paddy, milled rice and maize respectively in the grains treated at 10 ppm. The corresponding values for the 152 ppm were 16.6%, 8.5% and 18.8%. Rats fed milled rice ‐ bound ¹⁴C‐residues eliminated 61% of the ¹⁴C in the faeces and 28% in the urine. The corresponding percentages for paddy and maize were 72%, 9% and 53%, 41% respectively; indicating that bound residues from milled rice and maize were moderately bioavailable. When rice‐bound malathion residues (0.65 ppm in feed) were administered to rats in a 5 week feeding study, no signs of toxicity were observed. Plasma and RBC cholinesterase activities were slightly inhibited: blood urea nitrogen was significantly elevated in the test animals. Other parameters examined showed no or marginal changes.     

Fate of 14C‐lindane in a rice‐fish model ecosystem*

Abstract

A model ecosystem has been used to evaluate the impact of ¹⁴C‐lindane on rice‐fish agricultural system. The distribution of ¹⁴C‐residues among the constituents of the model ecosystem was studied over a period of 90 days. The insecticide was found to be readily absorbed by the roots and translocated to all parts of the rice plant. The peak level in the shoots (26 ppm) and roots (105 ppm) of plants was reached to within three weeks. Lindane was concentrated in fish and residues as high as 90 ppm could be detected after 30 days.

The major part of the residues present in the different constituents of the ecosystem could be extracted with hexane and proved to contain soley the parent compound. The data obtained show that lindane possesses a relatively low biodegradability in fish and in rice plant. The insecticide accumulates in fish and rice plant to considerable extent.     

Biological monitoring of chlorpyrifos exposure to rice farmers in Vietnam

Chlorpyrifos is the most common organophosphate insecticide registered for use in Vietnam and is widely used in agriculture, particularly rice farming. However, chlorpyrifos exposure to and adverse effects on farmers has not been evaluated. In this study, biological monitoring of chlorpyrifos exposure in a group of rice farmers was conducted after a typical application event using back-pack spraying.Urine samples (24 h) were collected from the rice farmers before and post insecticide application. Samples were analysed for 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (TCP), the major urinary metabolite of chlorpyrifos, using an enzymatic pre-treatment before extraction followed by HPLC-MS/MS. Absorbed Daily Dose (ADD) of chlorpyrifos for farmers were then estimated from urinary TCP levels, expressed as μg g⁻¹ creatinine. The analytical method for urinary TCP had a low detection limit (0.6 μg L⁻¹), acceptable recovery values (80-114%), and low relative percentage differences in duplicate and repeated samples.Post-application chlorpyrifos ADD of farmers varied from 0.4 to 94.2 μg kg⁻¹ (body weight) d⁻¹ with a mean of 19.4 μg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹ which was approximately 80-fold higher than the mean baseline exposure level (0.24 μg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹). Hazard Quotients (ratio of the mean ADD for rice farmers to acute oral reference dose) calculated using acute oral reference doses recommended by United States and Australian agencies varied from 2.1 (Australian NRA), 4.2 (US EPA) to 6.9 (ATSDR).Biological monitoring using HPLC-MS/MS analysis of urinary TCP (24 h) was found to be an effective method for measuring chlorpyrifos exposure among farmers. This case study found that Vietnamese rice farmers had relatively high exposures to chlorpyrifos after application, which were likely to have adverse health effects.     

PM(10)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: biological indicators, lung cancer risk of realistic receptors and 'source-exposure-effect relationship' under different source scenarios

Cancer has become a critical health issue in the world heritage city Kandy, Sri Lanka. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one of persistent organic pollutants, in the atmosphere may be a major etiological factor in lung carcinogenicity. Over the very high concentrations of ambient air PAHs reported in Kandy, this paper is focused on setting priorities to control human exposure to PAHs in prevention of cancer.On re-appraisal of the classical indicator benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) for atmospheric PAHs-related carcinogenicity, B[a]P failed to reflect the toxicity completely and may not be the sole indicator for risk assessment studies in complex multi-sourced urban environments. The excess lifetime lung cancer risks of atmospheric PAHs with ‘less than lifetime exposure’ were assessed based on both ‘B[a]P toxic equivalents’ and ‘B[a]P surrogate epidemiological’ approach of risk quantification, over emissions characterized urban, suburban, and rural areas of Kandy. In urban heavy traffic areas, PAH-related additional cancer burden has been 942 million⁻¹ over 30 y of exposure. Over the whole study area, ∑p-PAHs show strong correlation (r = 0.8) to the predicted risk levels. While the urban and suburban predicted cancer risk levels could not show significant correlation to their emission sources indicating the real complexity in mega urban environments, the rural lung cancer risk levels correlated perfectly with the source, firewood combustion.Policy decisions on environment and health could be based on established correlations among ‘emission sources-exposures-health effects’. The priority for “analysis of options and policy formulation to reduce inhalation PAHs exposure of population in Kandy” was considered “moderate to high”.     

利用生物曝气滤池修复受污染水源

利用生物曝气滤池(BAF)对微污染水源水去除氨氮及有机物进行了试验研究。试验表明,在进水氨氮为6mg／L左右时,BAF可在8m／h的滤速下运行,氨氮去除率大于88％;在氨氮进水为2mg／L时,BAF可在16m／h的滤速下运行,氨氮去除率大于84％。BAF对水中的三氯甲烷前体物去除率较低(16％),对AOC的去除率为58％。BAF中载体上的生物膜主要聚集在表面的凹陷和孔洞处,不能完全覆盖载体表面。     

硫酸盐生物还原的限制性生态因子的影响研究

利用厌氧颗粒污泥对烟气中SO2吸收生成的硫酸盐或亚硫酸盐废水进行处理,考察起始SO4^2-质量浓度、初始COD／SO4^2-、初始pH、接种污泥质量、亚铁离子等限制性生态因子对硫酸盐还原的影响。结果表明：在起始SO4^2-质量浓度800mg／L,初始COD／SO4^2-为3．0,pH值为7．0,接种污泥质量为31．10gVSS／L,添加亚铁离子的条件下,进行半连续试验,硫酸根去除率可迭70％。表明在COD／SO4^2-较低的条件下,各生态因子综合作用下,硫酸盐还原可得较好效果。     

东沙沙洲离岸潮间带风电场建设对鸟类的影响

对东沙沙洲离岸潮间带风电场的建设给鸟类造成的影响进行了调查。分析表明,噪声对东沙沙洲迁徙鸟类影响不大;光对夜间迁徙鸟类造成一定的影响;风机对候鸟迁徙影响不大,少数低飞候鸟可能存在撞机风险;风机基础和人工岛的永久占地造成的直接生物量损失为3.2 t/a,总计损失约64万元;风电场建设将使东沙沙洲鸟类栖息地面积减少81.5 km2,约占总栖息地面积的13.9%,但风机对鸻鹬类等中小型涉禽、水鸟的觅食影响不大,风电场区域仍可作为这些鸟类的觅食地。在影响分析的基础上提出了设计、施工、运营阶段相应的防范措施。     

基于在线监测数据的青奥会废气重点污染源临时管控效果评估

简述了南京市废气重点污染源在线监测系统的组成和工作原理。根据2014年南京青奥会废气重点污染源环境临时管控要求,利用在线监控点位对7月份(青奥会前)和8月份(青奥会期间)重点废气污染源在线监测数据进行了统计分析。结果表明,青奥会期间南京市管控废气重点污染源的SO2和NOX排放量虽有个别企业出现增加,但整体排放量均有所降低,环境空气中SO2和NOX的平均值也有所降低,基本达到了临时管控要求。