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.     

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.     

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。     

腐殖酸对土壤铅镉吸附、赋存形态及生物可给性的影响

腐殖酸（HAs）对重金属土壤环境行为及其生物有效性的影响与其组分分子量大小关系密切.通过3种in vitro试验方法（PBET、SBRC、IVG）探讨了HAs不同分子量组分（F1：<5kDa、F2：5~10kDa、F3：10~30kDa、F4：>30kDa）对土壤镉（Cd）、铅（Pb）生物可给性的影响,同时结合批量等温吸附实验、化学连续提取形态分级方法,分析了土壤Cd、Pb吸附和形态转化与生物可给性的关系.结果表明：土壤对Cd、Pb吸附能力既受HAs添加量的影响,也受到HAs分子量大小的影响.HAs添加量为0.2% C~1% C条件下,<5kDa分子量组分促进了土壤对Cd、Pb的吸附,且随着HAs添加量的增加,促进作用更强.而>10kDa的其他组分则降低了土壤吸附Cd、Pb的能力.在本试验HAs添加量范围内,不同组分均促进了土壤中酸提取态Cd向残渣态转化,且低分子量组分对其促进作用更强.土壤Pb²⁺主要以可还原态的形式存在,占57%~89%,随着HAs组分分子量的增加,酸交换态Pb占比逐渐下降,HAs的添加促进了活性态Pb向难利用态Pb转化,从而降低了Pb²⁺活性.3种in vitro方法生物可给性测定结果表明,<5k和5~10k组分均提高了胃、肠阶段土壤Cd、Pb生物可给性（BA_Cd、BA_Pb）,而其余组分则使土壤Cd、Pb生物可给性降低.Cd、Pb生物可给性取决于Cd、Pb在土壤中转化平衡后的赋存形态,酸交换态占比高生物可给性相应也越高,土壤对重金属的吸附固定难以反映生物可给性.     

土壤有机质组分中多环芳烃分配特征和生态风险

土壤有机质是影响多环芳烃（PAHs）环境行为的一个重要因素,不同有机质组分结合的PAHs生物有效性和环境风险有所不同.本文对6个野外污染土壤中15种优控PAHs的含量和组成及其在土壤轻组（LF）和重组（HF）中的分配特征进行了研究,并采用苯并[a]芘（BaP）毒性当量浓度（TEQ_BaP）评价了全土、LF和HF中PAHs的生态风险.结果表明,6个土样中15种PAHs总量范围为8.31×10²~2.97×10⁴μg/kg,4环PAHs百分含量最高,范围为35.7%~59.6%.6个土样LF中PAHs总量范围为2.38×10⁴~1.17×10⁵μg/kg,HF中PAHs总量范围为3.75×10²~2.12×10⁴μg/kg.虽然土壤中LF质量百分比只有1.0%~9.8%,但其结合的PAHs量却占土壤中PAHs总量的5.9%~60.6%.LF中15种PAHs总TEQ_BaP值范围为2.99×10²~1.68×10⁴μg/kg,分别是全土和HF的2.7~33.2倍和3.6~69.5倍.在PAHs污染土壤修复和生态风险评估中,应重视LF中PAHs.对LF中PAHs量占土壤中PAHs总量百分比较高的土壤,可以通过分离LF的方法来修复污染土壤.     

我国典型土壤中铜对白符跳(Folsomia candida)的毒性阈值及其预测模型

为确定我国土壤中Cu对白符跳的毒性阈值并建立其预测模型,以外源添加的方式研究了我国9种典型土壤（江西红壤、安徽黄棕壤、重庆紫色土、云南黄红壤、湖南水稻土、山东潮土、黑龙江黑土、新疆灰漠土、陕西垆土）中Cu对模式生物——白符跳（Folsomia candida）存活率与繁殖率的影响.结果表明:白符跳存活率对Cu毒害的敏感性远低于繁殖率.9种土壤中基于w（TCu）实测值推导的土壤Cu对白符跳繁殖率的EC₅₀（半数效应浓度）变化范围为65~668 mg/kg,表明不同土壤中Cu的毒性阈值差异显著,但基于w（Cu_Ca）（Cu_Ca为CaCl₂溶液提取的Cu）推导的不同土壤中EC₅₀的差异有所减小.相关性分析表明,基于w（TCu）实测值推导的EC₅₀值与土壤pH、w（CaCO₃）均呈显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.801和0.670.进一步利用回归分析建立了基于pH和w（OM）的土壤Cu对白符跳繁殖的EC₅₀预测模型——lg（EC₅₀）=0.213+0.288pH+0.016 w（OM）,基于该模型预测与推导的EC₅₀值之间相关性较好.研究显示,氯化钙提取态Cu的存在能在一定程度上解释不同土壤中Cu对白符跳繁殖的EC₅₀值的差异,pH和w（OM）可较好地预测不同土壤中Cu对白符跳繁殖的EC₅₀值.      

A型和Y型分子筛在两段式热解过程中对WPCB热解油轻质化的影响

在500℃下,利用3种分子筛(4A、5A和Al_2O_3分子筛)对废弃印刷线路板(WPCBs)非金属粉末进行共催化热解试验.通过对热解三相产物产率的计算、热解油馏程分布、成分和碳数分布分析,研究不同分子筛对WPCBs热解过程中热解油轻质化效果的影响.结果表明,5A分子筛对WPCBs热解油轻质化效果最好,其中轻组分或汽油组分(馏出温度在0~200℃)含量最高,达到45%,而柴油组分(馏出温度在200~350℃)含量也达到了45%,成分主要以苯酚、异丙基苯酚和双酚A为主,选择性较好,热解油的碳数分布与汽油碳数分布相近,且热解油的含溴有机物(如2-溴苯酚)有一定的去除效果.Al_2O_3对热解油轻质化和脱溴的效果比5A分子筛稍差.而4A分子筛对热解油的轻质化效果和脱溴效果都较弱.综上所述,5A分子筛在热解油轻质化研究中具有良好的催化作用.