Combining passive samplers and biomonitors to evaluate endocrine disrupting compounds in a wastewater treatment plant by LC/MS/MS and bioassay analyses

Two types of integrative sampling approaches (passive samplers and biomonitors) were tested for their sampling characteristics of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Chemical analyses (LC/MS/MS) were used to determine the amounts of five EDCs (nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol) in polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and freshwater mussels (Unio pictorum); both had been deployed in the influent and effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Genoa, Italy. Estrogenicity of the POCIS samples was assessed using the yeast estrogen screen (YES). Estradiol equivalent values derived from the bioassay showed a positive correlation with estradiol equivalents calculated from chemical analyses data. As expected, the amount of estrogens and EEQ values in the effluent were lower than those in the influent. Passive sampling proved to be the preferred method for assessing the presence of these compounds since employing mussels had several disadvantages both in sampling efficiency and sample analyses.     

Long-term air monitoring of organochlorine pesticides using Semi Permeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) in the Alps

Atmospheric sampling of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was conducted using Semi Permeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) deployed in the Alps at different altitudinal transects for two consecutive exposure periods of half a year and a third simultaneous year-long period. Along all the altitude profiles, the sequestered amounts of OCPs increased in general with altitude. SPMDs were still working as kinetic samplers after half a year for the majority of the OCPs. However, compounds with the lowest octanol-air partition coefficient (K_oa), reached equilibrium within six months. This change in the SPMD uptake was determined for the temperature gradient along the altitude profile influencing K_oa, OCPs availability in the gaseous phase, and SPMD performance. In sum, it seems two effects are working in parallel along the altitude profiles: the change in SPMD performance and the different availability of OCPs along the altitudinal transects determined by their compound properties and concentrations in air.     

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Atmospheric Air of Tamil Nadu,India, and Human Health Risk Assessment

This study analyzed the seasonal distribution and the possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmospheric environment of Tamil Nadu, India. Passive air sampling was performed at 32 locations during the period from April 2009 to January 2010, and PAHs were quantified using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Analysis showed that the concentrations of PAHs were in the range of 5–47.5 ng/m³ with uniform distribution in urban areas in all seasons. Pre-monsoon season showed the highest cumulative concentration of PAHs in both agricultural and coastal areas. Among PAHs, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene levels were found to be predominant in all the samples, contributing up to 36%, 35.5%, and 24.5% of total PAHs, respectively. The signature of the PAHs obtained through diagnostic ratio and principal component analysis revealed that diesel emissions was the probable source of PAHs in all locations. Based on Word Health Organization guidelines, the human lung cancer risk due to observed level of PAH concentration (i.e., PAHs exposure) is meager. However, the risk is predicted to be more in the coastal area during summer (18 individuals among 0.1 million people). To the knowledge of these authors, this report is the first on the seasonal analysis of PAHs using passive air sampling in India.     

Univariate Bayesian nonparametric binary regression with application in environmental management

In environmental management, we often have to deal with binary response variables whose outcome dictates the course of action. This paper introduces a nonparametric Bayesian binary regression model with a single predictor variable that is more flexible than the commonly used logistic or probit models. Due to the Bayesian feature, the model can be easily used to combine observed data with our knowledge of the subject to produce site-specific results. By using three examples, this paper shows the potential application of the model in the environmental management, and its advantages in terms of flexibility in model specification, robustness to outliers, and realistic interpretation of data.     

厦门市大气降尘中重金属生态风险评价与源解析

用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-OES)对厦门市不同功能区大气降尘中12种重金属含量进行了分析,评价了重金属生态风险,并进行了源解析。结果表明,厦门市大气降尘中重金属Fe、Zn、Ti、Mn、Ba、Cu、Sr、Cr、Pb、Ni、V、Co的平均含量分别为47 843、4 515、2 797、800、780、448、199、179、151、41.39、27.85、11.22mg/kg。与土壤背景值相比,除Ti和V,其他元素存在不同程度的积累。富集因子结果显示,Cu和Zn在5个功能区都存在不同程度富集,其他元素为非富集状态。潜在生态风险评价结果显示,Cu的潜在生态危害程度很高,Zn较高,其他元素较低。所有功能区的重金属综合潜在生态风险程度都为极高:工业区最大、居住区最小。多元统计分析(因子分析和聚类分析)结果表明,厦门市大气降尘中重金属主要来源于工业污染和交通污染、土壤扬尘、燃烧活动,贡献率分别为42.5%、17.9%、14.2%。     

颗粒物再悬浮采样器研制与应用

研制了颗粒物再悬浮采样器,阐述了颗粒物再悬浮采样器的工作原理及系统结构。对颗粒物再悬浮采样器的PM10和PM2·5捕集效率以及采样时间进行了研究分析,选取了颗粒物再悬浮采样器合适的采样时间。     

Pollution characteristics of atmospheric dustfall and heavy metals in a typical inland heavy industry city in China

Through field sampling of atmospheric dustfall in regions of Zhuzhou City, China for a period of one year, the deposition fluxes of atmospheric dustfall and five heavy metals contained inside, including Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb, were analyzed. Meanwhile the enrichment factor and index methods were used to analyze the pollution characteristics of heavy metals of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou. The annual deposition flux of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou was 50.79 g/(m~2·year), while the annual deposition fluxes of Cr, As, Cd, Hg and Pb were 9.80, 59.69, 140.09, 0.87 and 1074.91 mg/(m~2·year), respectively.The pollution level of atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou was relatively lower compared with most other cities in China, but the deposition fluxes of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou were much higher than that in most cities and regions around the world. Cd is the typical heavy metal element in atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou, and both the enrichment factor and pollution index of Cd were the highest. Cd, Hg, Pb and As in atmospheric dustfall were mainly from human activities. According to the single-factor index, Nemerow index and pollution load index analyses, the atmospheric dustfall in Zhuzhou could easily cause severe heavy metal pollution to urban soil, and the most polluting element was Cd, followed by Pb, As and Hg. Only the pollution level of Cr lay in the safety region and mainly originated from natural sources.     

澳门大气降尘中优控多环芳烃研究

通过对澳门大气降尘中的优控多环芳烃含量特征研究以及与气溶胶中的对比研究认为 :①降尘中的优控多环芳烃含量受空间位置的影响 ,地面降尘由于受到土壤的稀释而使其中PAHs的含量降低 ,交通商业居民集中区降尘中的PAHs含量较高 ;②降尘中的PAHs含量较气溶胶中的低 ,与夜晚气溶胶中的含量比值为 0 0 2～ 0 0 8,与白天气溶胶中的含量比值为 0 0 3～ 0 12 ;③降尘中的优控多环芳烃的分布与气溶胶中的存在差异 ,气溶胶显示贫 2个苯环和 3个苯环PAHs的特征 ,降尘显示富 4个苯环PAHs的特征。      

城市降尘中16种金属元素的含量及安全评价

对上海市杨浦区降尘中16种金属元素的含量进行了调查和分析,结果表明降尘中Cd、Cu、Zn三种元素的含量较高,其平均浓度分别为4.1 mg/kg、1 072.9 mg/kg和3 014.9 mg/kg,是土壤背景值的16.4、42.7和16.0倍;使用地积累指数Igeo评价降尘中金属的污染状况,结果表明Cd、Cu、Zn、Pb四种元素在杨浦区降尘中高度富集,已达到中度污染以上,这可能与杨浦区的交通、工业生产和化石燃料使用状况密切相关。     

湖泊沉积物-水界面系列采样装置的研制

介绍了系列采样装置,包括沉积物-水界面取样器,孔隙水隔气抽取装置和电渗析沉积物剖面切割工作台等。可对75m深水湖泊采集到30—90cm的沉积物术及10—30cm底层水样品,并可在野外现场分样和提取孔隙水。沉积物分样的厚度最小是0.1cm。整套装置重量轻、可拆卸、操作简便且便于野外运输。