Environmental assessment of mercury dispersion, transformation and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria Goldfields, Tanzania

Environmental dispersion and transformation of mercury discharged from gold mining operations has been investigated in field and laboratory studies in order to provide better understanding of the degree of mercury (Hg) pollution and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria goldfields (LVGF) ecosystems. This paper reviews results already published elsewhere and presents additional data on Hg dynamics in the LVGF. Studies conducted at the Mugusu and Rwamagaza artisanal mines indicated different degrees of Hg contamination and dispersion in environmental matrices. Mercury concentration in contaminated river sediments near the Mugusu mine varied from 6.0 to 0.5 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. The highest Hg contamination levels (165-232 mg/kg) were associated with mine tailings at the Rwamagaza mine. Mercury concentrations in fish representing different dietary habits on the southwestern shore of Lake Victoria at the Nungwe Bay were very low (2-35 microg/kg) and thought to represent background levels. These and other results suggested that the use of Hg in gold extraction in the LVGF has not caused high Hg levels in lake fish. The study of Hg in lichens showed Parmelia lichen to be an effective bioindicator for atmospheric Hg contamination due to Hg emissions from gold-amalgam firing and purification operations. The Hg levels in the lichens around the Mugusu mine ranged from 3.1 to 0.1 microg/g; the highest levels were recorded in the lichens sampled close to gold-amalgam processing sites. The regional background level in the Parmelia lichen was 0.05-0.10 microg/g, with a mean level of 0.07 microg/g. Studies of Hg transformation in the mine tailings revealed unexpectedly high methylmercury (MeHg) levels in the tailings (629-710 ng/g), which indicated that oxidation and methylation of metallic Hg in the tailings occurred at significant levels under tropical conditions. Re-equilibration of the tailings with freshwater (FW) indicated the MeHg was firmly bound in the tailings and therefore very little MeHg was released to the water column (0.2-1.5 ng/L). The methylation of Hg in tropical loamy clay soil contaminated with HgCl(2) (5 mg Hg/kg) yielded MeHg concentrations of 11 and 14 ng/g when inundated with seawater and FW, respectively, for 4 weeks. Little MeHg was transferred from the soil to the equilibrated water (< or = 0.4 ng/L). Atmospheric exposure of the soil pre-inundated with FW resulted in net degradation of MeHg during the 1st week of exposure, followed by net production and accumulation of MeHg in the soil (up to 15.5 ng/g) during atmospheric desiccation. Mercury uptake by fish from the Hg(0)-contaminated aquatic sediment-tailings system in the aquarium experiment was found to be low, suggesting the low availability of MeHg for bioaccumulation in the system. These and other results provide useful insights into Hg transformation, mobility and bioavailability in tropical aquatic systems affected by Hg pollution from gold mining operations.     

Assessment of Environmental Water Demands (EWD) of Forests for Two Distinct Indian Ecosystems

Sustainable use of water and land resources requires that these scarce resources be appropriately allocated among various competing human activities. Worldwide, there is a realization now that sustainable river basin management should be accorded the highest priority, because it deals not only with technical, but also with ecological and socioeconomic aspects, and thus calls for a multidisciplinary and integrated approach. However, most of the policy and planning documents have either remained silent, or have made only implicit reference to the importance of environmental water demand (EWD) and its quantification. Therefore, in the light of its importance, a methodology has been evolved in this article for quantifying EWD for various forested areas in two distinctly different Indian river basins: Brahmani (humid zone) and Sabarmati (dry zone). The article analyzes and discusses EWD estimates at three different spatial levels: river basins, states, and districts within them, and finally presents a comparative analysis of all these results. Findings of the present study will be immensely useful in understanding various ecological issues connected with water resource projects and proposals in these river basins.     

Applying Integrated Urban Water Management Concepts: A Review of Australian Experience

This article explores recent Australian experiences in the application of the concept of integrated urban water management (IUWM) to land development sites through the review of 15 case studies. It discusses lUWM’s emergence and comments on the success or otherwise of Australian experience in its application. The understanding of IUWM is maturing within the Australian water industry, an occurrence that has been facilitated by demonstration sites such as those reviewed. Successes include the translation of IUWM concepts into well-functioning operational urban developments, significant reductions in the impact of the urban developments on the total water cycle, and the increasing acceptance of the concept within the water and land development industries. However, there is still room for greater integration of the water supply, stormwater, and wastewater components of the urban water cycle, improved dissemination of knowledge, enhancement of skills in both public and private organisations, and monitoring the performance of systems and technologies.     

河口近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化

对长江口崇明东滩近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化特征及其影响机制进行了研究.结果表明,受粒度影响,底层水体中颗粒态Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Cr、Al的总量分别高出表层沉积物的184%、99%、56%、62%、147%、50%和45%,其中Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Al可还原态部分在底层水体悬浮颗粒物中的含量也明显高出表层沉积物的2～3倍,但与重金属总量相比,上述元素的可还原态部分所占比例与表层沉积物相差不大.在5次潮汐循环过程中,颗粒态重金属均在涨潮初期、高平潮前后及落潮末期出现较高含量.这种变化主要与水动力条件有关,当水体流速增大时,从底部沉积物再悬浮起来的颗粒态重金属对水体中的永久性悬浮颗粒起了很大的稀释效应.水体中的盐度、DO及pH等环境因子对潮周期内颗粒态重金属的变化影响不大.     

赣南小流域的水文地球化学特征和主要风化过程

对赣南花岗岩小流域进行采样、测试及分析,发现其河水含有较低的矿化度,水化学组成以Na ,Ca2 ,Cl-1和HCO-3为主,溶解性Si的含量明显较高,代表了典型硅酸盐地区河流的相应化学组成.通过Gibbs图分析,赣南流域大部分地区受大气降水的影响比较显著,"蒸发-浓缩"类型的小流域也较多.根据主成分分析和因子分析的结果,定量地估算了大气中CO2和三类岩石对河水中各种离子的贡献比例.与黄河相比,赣南流域受硅酸盐岩风化作用强烈,但主要影响因素仍是碳酸盐和蒸发盐岩,二者对赣南流域溶解质的贡献率分别为42.8%和29.2%,大气中CO2对河水溶解质的贡献率为21.4%,低于世界平均水平.主要风化反应以岩盐和方解石的溶解为主,Si/(Na* K)比值较低,说明风化反应在表生环境中进行,其产物是富含阳离子的次生矿物.     

The influence of metal source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of mine water pollution abatement in catchments

In mine water pollution abatement, it is commonly assumed that known mine waste sites are the major pollution sources, thus neglecting the possibility of significant contribution from other old and diffuse sources within a catchment. We investigate the influence of different types of pollution source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of abatement measures for mine water pollution. A catchment-scale cost-minimization model is developed and applied to the catchment of the river Dalälven, Sweden, in order to exemplify important effects of such source uncertainty. Results indicate that, if the pollution distribution between point and diffuse sources is partly unknown, downstream abatement measures, such as constructed wetlands, at given compliance boundaries are often cost-effective. If downstream abatement measures are not practically feasible, the pollution source distribution between point and diffuse mine water sources is critical for cost-effective solutions to abatement measure allocation in catchments. In contrast, cost-effective solutions are relatively insensitive to uncertainty in total pollutant discharge from mine water sources.     

Managing disposal of water produced with petroleum in Kuwait

Disposal of water produced with petroleum has been of great interest in Kuwait for the last 20 years. The current problem arose when the Burgan oil field, which is the second largest field in the world, experienced successive increases in the water content of the produced oil. This study introduces a decision-making analysis of the considered alternatives for the disposal of the produced water. Four alternative solutions exist for the industry as practical solutions for the disposal of water produced in Kuwait. The first method utilizes a large number of pits to discharge water. The second alternative depends on discharging water into sealed pits. The third approach to dispose water is by injecting the water underground. The last method is similar to the previous one, but takes into consideration the recovery of reservoir pressure to maintain the rate of oil production. A questionnaire was distributed to 48 experts at the top management level of the petroleum companies and the governmental authority. The data collected considered cost, efficiency, and environmental parameters. Based on the data, a statistical analysis was conducted using the factor analysis method to reduce the number of investigated variables. The analysis concluded that the optimal solution is to use the effluent injection method to discharge water produced with oil in Burgan and similar fields in Kuwait.     

某市给水管网中铁释放现象影响因素与控制对策分析

针对某市管网水中铁浓度的变化规律进行了系统的研究,确定了管垢向管网水中释放出的铁是管网水中铁超标的主要原因.研究中发现铸铁管和镀锌钢管中管垢的主要化学组分为铁.在给水管网中,管网水的溶解氧和余氯浓度低时,对应的管网水中铁释放现象严重,其原因是还原条件使管垢表面的致密钝化层被破坏,造成二价铁的大量释放.根据试验结果提出了给水管网中铁释放和“红水”现象的控制对策.     

水蒸气电晕放电下的烟气脱硫效果

采用多针-板式电极,在70 m³/h烟气流量范围内,研究了水蒸气浓度、烟气流量、电场强度等因素对不饱和水蒸气正直流电晕放电烟气脱硫率的影响以及水蒸气电晕放电对脉冲放电烟气脱硫率的提高.研究结果表明,实验范围内,按照NH₃∶SO₂摩尔比为2∶1添加NH3的条件下,增加水蒸气流量、增强电场强度、减少烟气流量,烟气脱硫率能提高10%,达到60%左右.同时,水蒸气电晕放电能使脉冲放电的烟气脱硫率提高5%左右,达到90%以上.     

太湖水土界面氮磷交换通量的时空差异

利用原柱样静态释放实验及间隙水分子扩散模型对太湖典型草型湖区(东太湖)及藻型湖区(梅梁湾)的氮磷释放通量进行了逐月研究.原柱样氮磷静态界面交换通量(F_i)在同一湖泊不同生态类型湖区有差异性,东太湖氨态氮和可溶性磷酸盐的年平均交换通量分别为(44.9±21.9)mg·(m²·d)^-1(平均值±标准偏差)和(2.06±1.71)mg·(m²·d)^-1,梅梁湾为(16.2±12.0)mg·(m^-1·d)^-1和(0.53±0.52)mg·(m²·d)^-1.2湖区的分子扩散通量(F_m)同样表现为这样的差异,但是其绝对值与静态释放通量相比有数量级的差异,该模型不能用于太湖这样风浪显著且底栖生物活性较高的湖泊水土界面氮磷营养盐交换通量的估算.仅从不同生态类型的湖区比较结果看,草型湖区比藻型湖区有更高的氮磷交换通量.F_i/F_m比值作为1种反映底栖生物活性的指标反映出东太湖有更高的底栖活性.在水体溶解氧水平通常保持在较高的水平,即好氧状态下,氮磷界面交换通量与溶解氧水平(DO)无显著相关.同样,在现有浓度水平下,其水土界面交换通量与水体氮磷浓度无显著相关.东太湖较高的释放通量与相对较低的水体营养盐负荷的差异来自于大型水生植被的消浪促沉降及其本身的吸附吸收作用,这是恢复水生植被以重建健康水生生态系统的重要理论依据.