Changes in arsenic fractionation, bioaccessibility and speciation in organo-arsenical pesticide amended soils as a function of soil aging

Although organoarsenical pesticides are being phased out, sites with high concentrations of organic arsenical residues still exist due to the long-term application of these pesticides. The biotic and abiotic speciation of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) can result in the formation of inorganic arsenic (As) species. Oxidation state, retention, and thereby persistence, varies according to temporal changes, influencing the availability and toxicity of contaminants. The current greenhouse study aimed at evaluating temporal changes in the oxidation state of As, geochemical partitioning, and bioaccessibility. Four soils with varying physiochemical properties were contaminated with DMA at two concentrations (675 and 1500 mg kg⁻¹ of As). Rice plants were grown for a 6 months period, following which, the soils were allowed to age. The operationally defined forms of As and its bioaccessibility was analyzed at 0, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years. Changes in oxidation state of As were evaluated immediately after spiking and after 3 years of soil-pesticide equilibration. Results show that geochemical partitioning of As was affected significantly (P < 0.05) by soil type, loading rates, and equilibration time. Arsenic was bound mainly to the poorly-crystalline Fe/Al-oxyhydroxides in the soil. However, these interactions did not affect As bioaccessibility, presumably due to the dissolution of the bound fractions of As in the acidic stomach. While 74-94% of the total bioaccessible As was transformed to As(V), 4-19% was transformed to the more toxic As(III). This study indicates that although aging affected the geochemical partitioning of As in the soil, bioaccesibility was controlled by the gastric pH.     

用稳定同位素方法探讨大气颗粒物中硫的来源

以五级撞击式大气颗粒物采样器采集贵阳城、郊大气颗粒物样品,分析了不同粒径大气颗粒物的全硫同位素组成,以此为基础,探讨了大气颗粒物中硫的来源,同时初步查明了贵阳城、郊大气颗粒物全硫同位素组成在时间和粒径上的变化趋势：（1）大气颗粒物的硫同位素组成变化范围随粒径变小而减小。说明伴随粒径变小,颗粒物中硫的来源趋向简单,硫越来越多地由气相硫转化而来。（2）春季样品各级颗粒物的δ₃₄S值有低于夏季的趋势。这反映出,燃煤排放的SO2通量与生物源硫化物通量在时间上的消长关系是控制颗粒物中硫的来源构成的一个重要因素。     

Elemental analysis of the edible fruit of Carpobrotus dimidiatus (from Kwazulu-Natal,South Africa) and the influence of soil quality on its elemental uptake

Abstract

Carpobrotus dimidiatus is an indigenous South African medicinal plant species from the Aizoaceae family that bears edible fruit that is consumed for nutritional value. In this study, the elemental distribution in C. dimidiatus fruit and growth soil from fifteen sites in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) was determined along with soil pH, soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity, to assess for nutritional value and the effect of soil quality on elemental uptake. The results showed elemental concentrations in fruit to be in decreasing order of Ca (6235–32755?mg kg^?1) > Mg (2250–5262?mg kg^?1) > Fe?>?Mn?>?Zn (20.9–50.6?mg kg^?1) > Cu (3.83–20.6?mg kg^?1) > Pb?>?Cr?>?Cd?>?As?～?Co?～?Ni?～?Se and no potential health risk due to metal toxicity from average consumption. For sites that had high levels of Cd and Pb, bioaccumulation occurred from atmospheric deposition. Concentrations of elements in soil were found to be in decreasing order of Fe (1059–63747?mg kg^?1) > Ca (1048–41475?mg kg^?1) > Mg?>?Mn (9.76–174?mg kg^?1) > Cr (1.55–135?mg kg^?1) > Zn (0.76–58.2?mg kg^?1) > Se?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?Pb?>?Co?>?As?～?Cd with no evidence of heavy metal contamination. This study revealed that the plant inherently controlled uptake of essential elements according to physiological needs and that the concentrations of essential elements in the fruit could contribute positively to the diet.     

温度对污泥焚烧残渣中重金属形态分布及残渣综合毒性的影响

通过实验考察了干污泥在固定床焚烧炉中停留20 min,温度分别为500 ℃、700 ℃和900 ℃的焚烧残渣中重金属(Cr、Cu、Ni、Zn、Pb、Cd)的残留特性及形态分布规律.在实验温度范围内,重金属的残留率因元素和焚烧温度而异,Cu的残留率最高在80%以上,Cd的最低,900 ℃时仅为3.4%;焚烧残渣中各重金属在稳定态的分布比例均较干污泥中有显著提高.提出了用于重金属毒性定量分析的指标--重金属综合毒性指数,并采用该指数对污泥和残渣中重金属的综合毒性进行了评价.结果显示,单位质量污泥焚烧后的各残渣中重金属综合毒性均较干污泥小且随焚烧温度升高而降低,焚烧能够实现一定程度的无害化; 并且,单位质量残渣中重金属的综合毒性也随焚烧温度的升高而降低.     

Affected Ignorance And Animal Suffering: Why Our Failure To Debate Factory Farming Puts Us At Moral Risk

It is widely recognized that our social and moral environments influence our actions and belief formations. We are never fully immune to the effects of cultural membership. What is not clear, however, is whether these influences excuse average moral agents who fail to scrutinize conventional norms. In this paper, I argue that the lack of extensive public debate about factory farming and, its corollary, extreme animal suffering, is probably due, in part, to affected ignorance. Although a complex phenomenon because of its many manifestations, affected ignorance is morally culpable because it involves a choice not to investigate whether some practice in which one participates in might be immoral. I contend further that James Montmarquet’s set of intellectual virtues can provide a positive account of what it means to act as a responsible moral agent while immersed in a meat eating culture; they also represent the moral and epistemic framework for the kind of public discourse that should be taking place.     

Fast preparation of the seawater accommodated fraction of heavy fuel oil by sonication

The seawater accommodated fraction (SWAF) of oil is widely used for the assessment of its toxicity. However, its preparation in the laboratory is time consuming, and results from different authors are difficult to compare as preparation methods vary. Here we describe a simple and fast set up, using sonication, to produce reproducible SWAF in the laboratory. The system was tested on heavy fuel oil placed on seawater at different salinity and temperature conditions. Maximum dissolution of the oil was achieved after 24 h, independently of both seawater salinity and temperature. Our findings are discussed in relation to the fate of the oil from the deep spill of the Prestige tanker. Changes in temperature in the open ocean are bound to have larger impact in the concentration of the SWAF than the corresponding values of sea water salinity. We anticipate that in this type of incident the highest SWAF, as the oil reaches the sea surface, should be expected in the warmest and less saline waters of the water column.     

东北地区近50年农作物生长季干旱趋势研究

采用Penman-Monteith模型计算了东北三省72个台站1960-2008年生长季的潜在蒸散量,进而计算了潜在蒸散量与降水量的比值,得到各站生长季干燥度。东北三省1960-2008年生长季干燥度总体上表现出从西南向东北方向逐渐减小的变化特征,大值区位于辽西地区,小值区位于黑龙江省北部。东北区生长季降水量与潜在蒸散量相当;东北南部生长季略干,东北北部较为湿润。东北地区生长季干燥度近50年增加趋势通过显著性检验;东北地区干燥度序列在1996年发生了突变。东北三省1973年以来干旱绝收面积、成灾面积占旱作农作物播种面积比例的增加趋势均通过了显著性检验。以1996年为分界点,1997-2007年成灾面积、绝收面积占旱作农作物播种面积比例分别是1973-1996年均值的1.99倍和5.58倍,上升幅度非常明显。从而证明了采用Penman-Monteith模型得到的干燥度公式来评价东北地区生长季干旱是符合实际的。     

Interaction of DNA with aromatic hydrocarbons fraction in atmospheric particulates of Xigu District of Lanzhou, China

Voluminously epidemiological studies show that the relationships exist between the air pollution and human health and cancer. Aromatic hydrocarbons(AHs)in air form a large class of organic pollutants,which are widely in environment and many of them are known to be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic and contribute to ambient air pollution.In the past decades,bioassays mainly have been used to evaluate the toxicity of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates or aqueous environment.However,it is well known that the covalent complexes formed by carcinogens with DNA may be exert negative results in bioassay.So the main aim of this paper is to develop an evaluation method of toxicity effects of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates from chemical standpoint.In this study,the in vitro interaction of the AHs with DNA was investigated by absorption,fluorescence and resonance light scattering (RLS)spectroscopic techniques.The results showed that the AHs in the atmospheric particulates could combine with calf thymus DNA(ctDNA)and herring sperm DNA(hsDNA)without being activated or metabolized by organism,respectively.Intercalation may be present in the mechanism of interaction.The binding constants of the AHs with ctDNA and hsDNA were 2.5×10~2 and 2.0×10~3, respectively,which indicated that the interaction of the AHs with hsDNA is stronger than that with ctDNA.In addition,the relationships of dose-effect between the total mole concentration of chemical components and the ability of binding ctDNA and hsDNA were confirmed.This research made it possible to study the toxicity effects of chemical mixtures in atmospheric particulates by chemical method.It is believed that the composition and contents of unknown AHs and the interaction of DNA with AHs in atmospheric particulates of Xigu District of Lanzhou City,China are first reported in the past twenty years.     

Effects of two sludge application on fractionation and phytotoxicity of zinc and copper in the soil

The potential harm of heavy metals is a primary concern in application of sludge to the agricultural land. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of two sludges on fractionation of Zn and Cu in soil and their phytotoxicity to pakchoi. The loamy soil was mixed with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% (by weight) of digested sewage sludge (SS) and composted sludge (SC). The additions of both sludges caused a significant raise in all fractions, resulting in that exchangeable (EXCH) and organic bound (OM) became predominance of Zn and organic bound Cu occupied the largest portion. There was more available amount of Zn and Cu in SS treatments than SC treatments. During the pot experiment, the concentration of Zn in EXCH, carbonate (CAR) and OM and Cu in EXCH and OM fractions decreased in all treatments, so their bioavailability reduced. Germination rate and plant biomass decreased when the addition rate was high and the best yield appeared in 20% mixtures at the harvest of pakchoi. The two sludges increased tissue contents of Zn and Cu especially in the SS treatments. Zn in pakchoi was not only in relationship to ΔEXCH and ΔCAR forms but also in ΔOM forms in the sludge-soil mixtures. Tissue content of Cu in pakchoi grown on SC-soils could not be predicted by ΔEXCH. These correlation rates between Zn and Cu accumulation in pakchoi and variation of different fractions increased with time, which might indicate that sludges represented stronger impacts on the plant in long-term land application.     

三峡工程蓄水运用对长江口径流来沙的影响

三峡工程蓄水运用后,下游来沙量大大减少,直接影响长江口的径流来沙量。依据实测资料,统计计算了宜昌、大通及中间水文站各粒径组泥沙多年平均输沙量。考虑到沿程冲淤变化及区间支流来沙,建立了上下游水文站各粒径组泥沙输沙量之间的对应关系,初步探讨了宜昌和大通两站不同粒径组泥沙输沙量之间的关系。在此基础上,根据一维数学模型的计算结果,分析了三峡工程蓄水后宜昌站各粒径组泥沙的来沙量的减少及大通站各粒径组泥沙输沙量相应的变化。结果表明：在输沙总量上,大通站输沙量中的70％来自宜昌上游河道,其余的则来自区间的补充;如果考虑不同粒径组,则细颗粒对上游来沙的依赖程度高于中等粒径泥沙,三峡建库后,在不考虑沿程冲刷恢复的条件下,宜昌上游来沙量减少了71.7%,通过大通站的输沙量较建库前减少了40％;其中细颗粒减少的程度低于中等粒径颗粒。