Two-dimensional numerical and eco-toxicological modeling of chemical spills

The effects of chemical spills on aquatic nontarget organisms were evaluated in this study. Based on a review of three types of current eco-toxicological models of chemicals, i.e., ACQUATOX model of the US-EPA, Hudson River Model of PCBs, and critical body residual (CBR) model and dynamic energy budget (DEBtox) model, this paper presents an uncoupled numerical ecotoxicological model. The transport and transformation of spilled chemicals were simulated by a chemical transport model (including flow and sediment transport), and the mortalities of an organism caused by the chemicals were simulated by the extended threshold damage model, separately. Due to extreme scarcity of data, this model was applied to two hypothetical cases of chemical spills happening upstream of a lake. Theoretical analysis and simulated results indicated that this model is capable of reasonably predicting the acute effects of chemical spills on aquatic ecosystems or organism killings.     

太湖流域河流及溪流大型底栖动物群落结构及影响因素

2012年10月对太湖流域93个样点大型底栖动物进行调查,分析西部丘陵水生态功能区和东部平原水生态功能区底栖动物群落结构及其与环境因子的关系.共采集到底栖动物104种,隶属4门8纲19目46科85属.各样点的底栖动物总密度差别很大,介于1.33~39080ind./m2.西部丘陵区的物种丰富度、物种多样性均高于东部平原区.东部平原区的优势种主要为铜锈环棱螺和霍甫水丝蚓等耐污种,而西部丘陵区的优势种中包括清洁种(毛翅目和蜉蝣目幼虫).相似性分析结果表明2个生态区底栖动物群落具有显著差异,铜锈环棱螺、霍甫水丝蚓、锯齿新米虾、大沼螺、苏氏尾鳃蚓等是造成2生态区之间群落结构差异的主要原因.典范对应分析结果表明影响底栖动物群落结构的主要因素为栖境多样性、营养状态及底质异质性.Goodnight-Whitley指数和BPI指数评价结果表明西部丘陵区整体处于轻污染状态,而东部平原区大部分采样点处于轻污染状态和中污染状态,部分采样点处于重污染状态.     

Pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic environment in China: locally screening and environmental risk assessment

An environmental risk assessment was performed for pharmaceutical compounds present in the aquatic environment of China. Predicted environmental concentration (PEC) of the compounds were calculated according to European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) guidelines. Available ecotoxicological data compromised by applying a very conservative assessment factor (AF) were employed to calculate the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC). The screening principle and the risk assessment were based on risk quotient (RQ), which derived from the PEC and related PNEC values. PEC results indicated that all the compounds except sulfadimethoxine and levocarnitine, should carry out phase II risk assessment in EMEA guideline. RQ values suggested that more than 36 pharmaceuticals may be imposed health threats to the aquatic environment; especially the antibiotic therapeutic class including amoxicillin, sulfasalazine, trimethoprim, oxytetracycline and erythromycin showed high RQ values. These substances with high RQ value (RQ≥1) were regarded as top-priority pharmaceuticals for control in the aquatic environment of China. However, the antibiotic substances which had low risk quotient (RQ <1), should be reassessed by its potentially induced resistance under low concentration in future.     

原位生态修复技术在城市河道中的应用

以昆山市凌家浜河道作为原位生态修复的试验对象,综合运用水生植物修复技术、生物膜技术等,改善水质。结合水生动物,平衡水体内浮游生物种类结构和数量,促进降解和转移水体中有机物质,达到河道生态系统原位修复的目的。研究表明:在有部分外源污染的情况下,采用该技术修复河道,水质改善显著,水体透明度、COD、TP、TN、NHN、叶绿素a等主要水质指标达到或优于地表水质标准。     

Trophic state,ecosystem efficiency and biodiversity of transitional aquatic ecosystems: analysis of environmental quality based on different benthic indicators

Estuaries and coastal lagoons are characterized by a strong spatial and temporal variability of physicochemical characteristics and productivity patterns. In these environments, the magnitude and direction of the ecological responses to inorganic nutrient increase (i.e. eutrophication) are difficult to predict. In the framework of the project, New Indicators of Trophic state and environmental quality of marine coastal ecosystems and transitional environments (NITIDA), we analysed benthic indicators of trophic state, ecosystem efficiency, and environmental quality in four different transitional environments. The trophic state of the sediments was assessed in terms of quantity and bioavailability of sediment organic C pools; ecosystem efficiency was determined in terms of the prokaryote efficiency in exploiting enzymatycally degraded organic C; environmental quality was determined in terms of meiofaunal diversity. Here, we provide a synopsis of the results obtained and a meta-analysis of the scores assessments obtained using the different ecological indicators of environmental quality and demonstrate that trophic state, ecosystem efficiency, and biodiversity in transitional ecosystems are closely linked. We conclude that the assessment of the environmental quality of transitional ecosystems should be based upon a battery of trophic state indicators and ‘sensors’ of ecosystem functioning, efficiency, and quality.     

Tissue nutrient concentrations in aquatic macrophytes: comparison across biophysical zones,surface water habitats and plant life forms

Aquatic plant tissue (nitrogen) N and phosphorus (P) concentrations, together with the N:P ratio in general, respond poorly to ambient nutrient supply. The variability in plant tissue nutrient concentrations appears to be highly conditioned by taxonomic (mostly species) effects. The significant role that other attributes of the surrounding environment may have in modifying the degree of taxonomic dependence on plant nutrient concentration is yet to be tested with a broader characterisation of plant life forms (bryophytes, helophytes, hydrophytes), so as to investigate implications for ecosystem processes. Plant samples (378) were collected across 65 sites spanning a wide range of aquatic habitats (lotic and lentic) and biophysical zones (floodplain, glacial terraces, mountains) located in NE Scotland. Significant differences in plant tissues N, P and the N:P were found after grouping sampling sites by either habitat or biophysical zones; the latter even after removing the largest taxonomic effect. The range in plant tissue N and P was relatively wide within habitats and zones, reflecting the high species diversity of the studied area. As a group, bryophytes had smaller N and P concentrations, and consequently wider biomass C:N and C:P ratios, a situation which may impose constraints on the flow of energy through food-webs of the mountain and bog areas where they dominate.     

Elemental composition of bottom-sediments from Pangani river basin,Tanzania: lithogenic and anthropogenic sources

River-bed sediments from the Pangani basin, Tanzania, were characterized for elemental compositions, following contamination risks from rapid expansions of human activities in the area. Samples were collected during two individual seasons and analyzed by high-polarizing beam energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) for eight major and 14 trace elements. Evaluation of enrichment factors (EFs) was used to investigate the elemental flux and assess the contributions of natural and anthropogenic influences. The abundances of the major elements followed the order Si?>?Al?>?Fe?>?Ca?>?K?>?Ti?>?Mn?>?P, similar to that of the upper earth's crust, and were generally from the weathering of the bed-rock. The high concentrations of typical anthropogenic trace-elements (Cr??1, V??1, Ni??1, Cu??1, La??1) coupled with high EFs (>2) in some locations indicated contamination associated with agricultural and industrial activities. Factor analysis extracted five principal components that contributed to 96.0% of the total observed variance. The results indicated that river-bed sediments of the Pangani basin were influenced to a larger extent by lithogenic sources than anthropogenic impacts.     

β-肾上腺受体阻滞剂的水生态毒理学研究进展

β-肾上腺受体阻滞剂是一类治疗心血管疾病的药物,其药理作用是和β-肾上腺受体结合但不使其活化。由于此类化合物在环境水体中的高检出率以及自身所具有的生物活性,近年来有关其对非靶生物的生态毒性效应日益受到关注。在概括了β-受体阻滞剂的使用现状及其在水体环境中的归趋后,重点介绍了此类化合物对鱼类以及其他水生生物的毒性效应。最后,针对目前的研究现状对今后的工作做出展望。     

不同曝气能耗对水蚯蚓原位消解污泥的影响

水蚯蚓原位消解污泥过程中,曝气参数的设定十分重要。为评价曝气能耗对水蚯蚓消解污泥的影响并设定适宜的曝气量,研究污水处理系统耦合水蚯蚓后不同曝气梯度下的运行情况,并对耦合水蚯蚓前后的系统进行比较。结果表明:溶解氧最适范围为2～3 mg/L,曝气能耗约为0.19 kW.h/t;溶解氧高于3 mg/L时系统能效并无提高,且能耗增大。     

UV/TiO2协同交变脉冲电流对梯恩梯废液处理的优化研究

以猛炸药TNT为最终目标降解物,采用响应曲面分析方法（RSM ）,探讨紫外光光照时间、电解电流、溶液 pH 三者交互作用对 TNT 废液降解处理效果的影响,并对工艺参数进行优化。结果表明：试验因子与评价指标之间的关系符合二次方程模型;UV／TiO2协同交变脉冲电流对 TNT 废液处理最优工艺条件是：紫外光光照时间2．5 h（波长366～380 nm ,催化剂为 TiO2）、电解电流75 A（脉冲峰值电流）、溶液 pH 3．7,在此工艺条件下,TNT 废液的 COD 去除率可达81．34％。