Effects of a herbicide-insecticide mixture in freshwater microcosms: risk assessment and ecological effect chain

Effects of chronic application of a mixture of the herbicide atrazine and the insecticide lindane were studied in indoor freshwater plankton-dominated microcosms. The macroinvertebrate community was seriously affected at all but the lowest treatment levels, the zooplankton community at the three highest treatment levels, with crustaceans, caddisflies and dipterans being the most sensitive groups. Increased abundance of the phytoplankton taxa Cyclotella sp. was found at the highest treatment level. Threshold levels for lindane, both at population and community level, corresponded well with those reported in the literature. Atrazine produced fewer effects than expected, probably due to decreased grazer stress on the algae as a result of the lindane application. The safety factors set by the Uniform Principles for individual compounds were also found to ensure protection against chronic exposure to a mixture of a herbicide and insecticide at community level, though not always at the population level.     

Evidence for changing the critical level for ammonia

The current critical level for ammonia (CLE_NH3) in Europe is set at 8 μg NH₃ m⁻³ as an annual average concentration. Recent evidence has shown specific effects of ammonia (NH₃) on plant community composition (a true ecological effect) at much smaller concentrations. The methods used in setting a CLE_NH3 are reviewed, and the available evidence collated, in proposing a new CLE_NH3 for different types of vegetation. For lichens and bryophytes, we propose a new CLE_NH3 of 1 μg NH₃ m⁻³ as a long-term (several year) average concentration; for higher plants, there is less evidence, but we propose a CLE_NH3 of 3 ± 1 μg NH₃ m⁻³ for herbaceous species. There is insufficient evidence to provide a separate CLE_NH3 for forest trees, but the value of 3 ± 1 μg NH₃ m⁻³ is likely to exceed the empirical critical load for N deposition for most forest ecosystems.     

气候变化·城市化·长江三角洲

长江三角洲,是中国经济社会最发达、人口和产业最密集、发展最具活力的地区之一,正在成长为具有重要国际影响的世界级城市群,在中国经济社会发展中具有举足轻重的地位。长江三角洲的城市化与建设环境互为影响。一方面,用2008年数据概括了长江三角洲城市化现状特征,重点分析了长江三角洲城市化的发展趋势是城市化过程进一步加速;另一方面,综述了常见三角洲海平面上升研究,在未来20 a长江三角洲海平面上升估计将达到220～380 mm;在未来50 a,长江三角洲海平面上升保守的估计将达到270~610 mm。未来气候变化导致海平面上升,必然对长江三角洲城市化过程造成影响,主要是：土地淹没面积大,洪涝灾害加剧,影响生产和能源,以及进一步滋生环境问题。     

Ecotoxicologial evaluation of wastewater ozonation based on detritus-detritivore interactions

Advanced oxidation technologies such as ozonation have been proposed to improve removal efficiency of micropollutants during wastewater treatment. In a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed literature, we found no ecotoxicological effects of wastewater ozonation on invertebrates (n = 82), but significant adverse effects on bacteria (n = 24) and fish (n = 5). As information on functional endpoints or trophic interactions is lacking, we applied a bioassay relating to leaf litter decomposition to fill this gap. Leaf discs exposed to ozone-treated wastewater with a high (1.04 mg O₃ (mg DOC)⁻¹, n = 49) ozone concentration were significantly preferred by an aquatic detritivore, Gammarus fossarum, over discs conditioned in wastewater not treated with ozone. This effect might have been mediated by reduced bacterial and elevated fungal biomass, and appears to be the first demonstration of wastewater ozonation impacts on invertebrates and an associated ecosystem process. In accordance with the food-choice trials, chemical analyses revealed significantly decreased concentrations of organic micropollutants in wastewater treated with ozone at high concentrations. Thus, food-choice trials as applied here hold promise to assess environmental effects of advanced oxidation technologies in wastewater treatment and appear to be a valuable complement to the ecotoxicological toolbox in general.     

The freshwater planarian Polycelis felina as a sensitive species to assess the long-term toxicity of ammonia

Behavioural endpoints are a good link between physiological and ecological effects. However long-term behavioural endpoints are not uniformly studied over all different organism groups. For example behaviour has been scarcely studied in planarians. Unionized ammonia (NH₃) is one of the most widespread pollutants in developed countries, and is known to alter animal behaviour. In this study a long-term (30 d) bioassay was conducted to assess the effect of this pollutant on survival and behavioural activity (e.g. locomotion activity) of the freshwater planarian Polycelis felina. One control and three environmentally-realistic concentrations of unionized ammonia (treatments of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.09 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹) were used in quintuplicate. The behaviour of planarians was measured after 0, 10, 20 and 30 d of ammonia exposure. Mortality was recorded every 2 d. Unionized ammonia increased mortality in the two highest NH₃ concentrations and the locomotory activity was depressed in all treatments after 20 d of exposure. Behavioural effect was observed at concentrations 20 times lower than the short-term LC50 for this species. Previous studies proposed safe concentrations of unionized ammonia of 0.01-0.10 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹ to aquatic ecosystems, but our study has shown that these concentrations will affect planarians. Because planarians play a key role in streams (as predator/scavenger), safe concentrations should be below 0.02 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹ to protect this species in the freshwater community. Our results can contribute to improve the knowledge about ammonia toxicity to freshwater ecosystems, we recommend that safe concentrations of unionized ammonia should be based on very sensitive species.     

Assessment of short and long-term effects of imidacloprid on the burrowing behaviour of two earthworm species (Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris) by using 2D and 3D post-exposure techniques

Adverse effects of agrochemicals on earthworms’ burrowing behaviour can have crucial impacts on the entire ecosystem. In the present study, we have therefore assessed short- and long-term effects on burrowing behaviour in the earthworm species Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris after exposure to a range of imidacloprid concentrations (0.2-4 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight (DW)) for different exposure times (1, 7, 14 d). 2D-terraria were used for the examination of post-exposure short-term effects (24-96 h), while post-exposure long-term effects were assessed by means of X-ray burrow reconstruction in three dimensional soil cores (6 weeks). For the latter each core was incubated with two specimens of L. terrestris and four of A. calignosa. Short-term effects on the burrowing behaviour (2D) of A. caliginosa were already detected at the lowest test concentration (0.2 mg kg⁻¹ DW), whereas such effects in L. terrestris were not observed until exposure to concentrations 10 times higher (2 mg kg⁻¹ DW). For both species tested in the 2D-terraria, “total burrow length after 24 h” and “maximal burrow depth after 24 h” were the most sensitive endpoints. 3D reconstructions of the burrow systems made by both earthworm species in the repacked soil cores revealed a significant linear decrease in burrow volume with increasing imidacloprid concentration.Since many of the observed effects occurred at imidacloprid concentrations relevant to natural conditions and since reduced activities of earthworms in soils can have crucial impacts on the ecosystem level, our results are of environmental concern.     

Effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on fish hepatoma cells treated with mercury chloride and ionizing radiation

Organisms are exposed to natural radiations from cosmic or terrestrial origins. Furthermore the combined action of radiation with various chemicals is an inevitable feature of modern life. Radiation is known to cause cell death, mainly due to its ability to produce reactive oxygen species in cells. N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) is a well-known sulfhydryl-containing antioxidant whose role in radioprotection has been reported. Synergistic effects of radiation and mercury chloride on human cells was previously reported by the authors. Based on the previous report, this study was designed to assess the synergistic effects of radiation and mercury chloride on fish hepatoma cells, as well as to investigate the protective effects of NAC on the cells. The cytotoxicity of radiation was enhanced in the presence of mercury chloride. NAC in lower concentrations prevented cells from death after irradiation with lower doses (<300 Gy) while it did not prevent cells from radiation-induced death after irradiation with higher doses (300, 500 Gy). The intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels significantly decreased after irradiation while the combined treatment of NAC and radiation alleviated the decrease in the GSH levels. The investigations give a clue for the action mechanism of synergistic or protective effects of NAC on the cells. Due to their high resistance to ionizing radiation, the PLHC-1 cells can be effectively used as a screening tool for assessing the combined effects of radiation with toxic chemicals.     

巨型减振结构体系风振效应的参数影响研究

巨型结构风激振动特性非常复杂,其动力性能受多种参数的影响。为合理考虑这些因素的影响,以某48层巨型钢结构为研究对象,针对无控、设置粘滞阻尼器和粘弹性阻尼器三种分析工况,系统研究了其在平均风和脉动风荷载共同作用下的动力响应。通过结构顺风向侧移响应、构件内力响应及顶层加速度响应等一系列数据,揭示了风速攻角、基本风压、附加阻尼比及二阶效应等对此类结构体系风振控制动力性能的影响规律与变化趋势,并依据分析结果对其抗风分析与设计提出了相应的建议,因而具有实用参考价值。     

工业经济结构、经济增长对环境污染的非线性影响

本文从生产要素投入端将环境污染引至索洛增长模型,理论考察工业经济结构、经济增长对环境污染的非线性影响机制,基于1999—2014年我国30个省份的面板数据,以SO_2排放量作为环境污染水平的代理变量,采用面板平滑迁移回归(PSTR)模型检验全国及分区域工业经济结构、经济增长对环境污染的非线性影响效应及区域差异性。研究结果表明:随着工业化进程的不断加快,工业产出及污染排放均呈现不断上升的趋势,但由于资本边际收益递减规律使得这种增长趋势逐渐减弱,最终导致经济增长和环境污染增长趋于稳态,当污染排放增长率降低为负时,经济增长对环境污染的影响作用由正向转变为负向。实证表明我国工业经济结构、经济增长与SO_2排放具有显著的产出水平门槛效应,随着经济产出水平由低区制平滑的过渡到高区制,经济增长对SO_2排放的影响由正向促进作用转变为负向减排效应,但工业经济结构对SO_2排放呈现逐渐增强正向促进作用,可见工业经济结构、经济增长对SO_2排放具有显著的非线性影响。此外,研究发现工业经济结构、经济增长对SO_2排放的非线性影响存在显著的区域差异性,东部地区经济增长与SO_2排放呈现显著的倒"U"型曲线关系,而在中西部地区表现出逐渐增强的促进作用,中部地区的工业经济结构对SO_2排放的促进作用最大,西部其次,东部最弱,研究还表明,减排技术水平以及环境治理投资增加对SO_2污染排放具有遏制作用,能源投资的增加加速了SO_2的排放。在未来经济发展中,应摒弃传统"高投入、高消耗"的工业化模式,政府应实施创新管理,完善环境保护立法,鼓励企业发展环境污染治理方面的技术,避免以环境容量过渡为代价,追求工业经济高质量、可持续发展模式。     

水培实验中不同粒径纳米TiO_2对芦苇种子发芽和植株生长和生理的影响

纳米二氧化钛(TiO_2-NPs)是目前应用最为广泛的纳米材料之一,进入到天然湿地和人工湿地中的TiO_2-NPs会在湿地生物、基质、水体之间进行迁移转化和归趋。目前针对TiO_2-NPs对湿地植物芦苇的毒性研究很少。本文采用水培实验方法,研究了不同粒径TiO_2对芦苇种子发芽和植株生长的影响,解析了TiO_2-NPs对芦苇的生态毒理效应。研究结果表明:几种粒径的TiO_2-NPs在较低浓度(≤200 mg·L~(-1))下对芦苇种子发芽均具有一定的促进作用,高浓度处理会抑制芦苇种子发芽;当TiO_2-NPs浓度为500 mg·L~(-1)时,处理后的芦苇种子的发芽指标较空白对照均出现显著降低,4 nm和20 nm的TiO_2-NPs对芦苇种子发芽的半数有效浓度(EC50)分别为1 075 mg·L~(-1)和1 680 mg·L~(-1)。TiO_2-NPs对芦苇植株的毒害作用表现为植株生长速度减缓甚至停滞、叶片失绿、植株萎焉或枯死、芦苇倒二叶面积增长率降低,并且TiO_2-NPs的粒径越小、浓度越高毒害作用越明显。随TiO_2-NPs浓度升高,处理后芦苇叶片的叶绿素含量和植株体内的Mg含量均降低,根系的超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)活性、丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)均升高,而且越小粒径的TiO_2-NPs对芦苇的处理效果越明显。3种粒径的TiO_2-NPs均能进入芦苇体内,粒径越小、浓度越高进入的量越多,但是TiO_2-NPs比较难以从根迁移转运至茎和叶。