Seasonal variation in dissolved gaseous mercury and total mercury concentrations in Juam Reservoir, Korea

Dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) and total mercury (TM) concentrations were measured in Juam Reservoir, Korea. DGM concentrations were higher in spring (64+/-13pgL(-1)) and summer (109+/-15pgL(-1)), and lower in fall (20+/-2pgL(-1)) and winter (23+/-6pgL(-1)). In contrast, TM concentrations were higher in fall (3.2+/-0.1ngL(-1)) and winter (3.3+/-0.1ngL(-1)) than in spring (2.3+/-0.1ngL(-1)) and summer (2.2+/-0.4ngL(-1)). DGM concentrations were correlated with water temperature (p<0.0001), ORP (p<0.0001), UV intensity (UV-A: p=0.008; UV-B: p=0.003), and DOC concentration (p=0.0107). DGM concentrations varied diurnally with UV intensity. The average summer DGM (109+/-15pgL(-1)) and TM (2.2+/-0.4ngL(-1)) concentrations in Juam Reservoir were higher than the averages for North American lakes (DGM=38+/-16pgL(-1); TM=1.0+/-1.2ngL(-1)), but lower than levels reported for Baihua Reservoir in China.     

Seasonal and Inter-Annual Variations in Methyl Mercury Concentrations in Zooplankton from Boreal Lakes Impacted by Deforestation or Natural Forest Fires

We compared the effects of natural and anthropogenic watershed disturbances on methyl mercury (MeHg) concentration in bulk zooplankton from boreal Shield lakes. MeHg in zooplankton was monitored for three years in nine lakes impacted by deforestation, in nine lakes impacted by wildfire, and in twenty lakes with undisturbed catchments. Lakes were sampled during spring, mid- and late summer. MeHg in zooplankton showed a seasonal trend: concentrations were the lowest in spring, then peaked in mid-summer and decreased in late summer. Over the three study years, MeHg concentrations observed in mid-summer in zooplankton from forest harvested lakes were significantly higher than in reference and fire-impacted lakes, whereas differences between these two groups of lakes were not significant. The pattern of distribution of MeHg in zooplankton during the different seasons paralleled that of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is known as a vector of Hg from watershed soils to lake water. Besides DOC, MeHg in zooplankton also showed a positive significant correlation with epilimnetic temperature and sulfate concentrations. An inter-annual decreasing trend in MeHg was observed in zooplankton from reference and fire-impacted lakes. In forest harvested lakes, however, MeHg concentrations remained higher and nearly constant over three years following the impact. Overall these results indicate that the MeHg pulse observed in zooplankton following deforestation by harvesting is relatively long-lived, and may have repercussions to the accumulation of MeHg along the food chain. Therefore, potential effects of deforestation on the Hg contamination of fish should be taken into account in forest management practices.     

Determination of Nitrobenzene in Wastewater Using a Hanging Mercury Drop Electrode

The determination of trace amount nitrobenzene in wastewater on a hanging mercury drop electrode was studied. The determination conditions of pH, supporting electrolyte, accumulation potential, accumulation time, and voltammetric response were optimized. The sharp peak of the nitrobenzene was appeared at 0.05 V. The peak electric current was proportional to the concentration of nitrobenzene in the range of 1.47 × 10⁻⁵ ∼ 1.0 × 10⁻³ mol/l with relative standard deviations of 3.99 ∼ 8.94%. The detection limit of the nitrobenzene in water was 5 × 10⁻⁶ mol/l. The proposed method offered low limit of determination, easy operation, the use of simple instrumentation, high sensitivity and good reproducibility. It was applied to the determination of nitrobenzene in wastewater with an average recovery of 94.0% ∼ 105%. The proposed method provided fast, sensitive and sometimes real time detection of nitrobenzene.     

用膨润土处理油田污水的研究进展

介绍了膨润土的基本特性及其存油田污水处理中的研究情况。天然膨润土经改性后,可吸附去除油田污水中的油、烃类衍生物、注聚残留聚合物及表面活性剂;负载金属氧化物的改性膨润土可对光催化氧化产生协同效应,提高光催化氧化油田污水中有机物的能力;在高压下将膨润土制成薄膜,对油田污水中的无机离了有一定的截留去除作用。     

典型工业半焦的孔隙分形结构分析

工业半焦是一种具有复杂的微观孔隙拓扑结构的多孔物质.基于分形理论,引入分形维数对工业半焦不规则孔隙结构的粗糙、复杂程度进行了定量表征和描述.选取具有典型煤种和工艺代表性的工业半焦样品,用孔隙度分析仪对其孔隙结构特征进行了测量,并利用其测量数据进行了分形维数的分析计算.计算结果表明,工业半焦的孔隙结构符合分形特征,在样品颗粒尺寸为2.36～3.35mm的测量条件下,样品的分形维数在2.7982～2.9154之间,其可决系数在0.9157～0.9614之间;样品的分形维数与煤种和半焦热解工艺过程均有一定的关系.通过对工业半焦分形维数的计算分析,可以更加全面准确地了解其孔隙结构特征,以期为分析评价其吸附和活化潜力、制定恰当的活化工艺提供更加可靠的依据.     

上海市公园绿地常见落叶树木叶片汞浓度时空特征及环境意义

植物叶片汞浓度与大气气态单质汞(GEM/Hg0)浓度的线性关系表明叶片汞浓度大小可用于指示植物生长区内GEM浓度的高低水平.通过分析上海市绿地公园(25座)中常见落叶树木樱花、水杉、法桐叶片汞浓度的时空变化特征,探究区域内GEM含量水平及分布特征.2017年5-10月对7座公园中这3种树木叶汞浓度进行连续监测,结果显示...     

贵州汞矿矿区不同位置土壤中总汞和甲基汞污染特征的研究

为了深入理解汞矿矿区土壤中总汞和甲基汞的污染特征,应用AAS、GC-CVAFS方法,分别对贵州万山、务川和滥木厂汞矿矿区不同位置土壤以及对照区土壤中的总汞(THg)和甲基汞(MeHg)进行了测定.结果表明,万山汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为1.1～790 mg·kg^-1和0.19～15μg·kg^-1,务川汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.33～317mg·kg^-1和0.41～20μg·kg^-1,滥木厂汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.41～610 mg·kg^-1和0.70～8.8μg·kg^-1.对照区土壤汞含量明显低于矿区土壤,其THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.14～1.2 mg·kg^-1和0.09～0.23μg·kg^-1;对照区土壤THg含量接近或稍高于全球背景土壤THg含量0.01～0.5 mg·kg^-1.研究表明,汞矿区稻田土壤具有较强的汞甲基化能力,其MeHg含量明显高于菜地和旱田土壤;万山汞矿区土壤汞污染程度明显高于滥木厂和务川汞矿区土壤汞污染.     

Trace Element Concentrations and Bioindicator Responses in Tree Swallows from Northwestern Minnesota

Extremely high concentrations of cadmium (3.5 μg/g dry wgt.) and elevated concentrations of chromium (>10 μg/g dry wgt.) and mercury (1.6 μg/g dry wgt.) were reported in waterbird tissues at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota in 1994. Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were studied during 1998–2001 at three drainages into the Refuge, two pools on the Refuge, and at a nearby reference location to document whether high levels of contaminants were still present, and if so to quantify the source and severity of the contamination. Trace elements were measured in tree swallow eggs, livers, and diet. Reproductive success and bioindicator responses were monitored. In 2000, water was drawn down on Agassiz Pool, one of the main pools on the Refuge. This presented an opportunity to evaluate the response of trace element concentrations in the diet and tissues of tree swallows after reflooding. High concentrations of trace elements were not detected in swallow tissues, nor were there differences among locations. Less than 20% of swallow samples had detectable concentrations of cadmium or chromium. Mercury concentrations were low and averaged <0.25 μg/g dry wgt. in swallow tissues. Trace elements, including mercury, did not increase in tree swallows following the 2000 drawdown at Agassiz Pool. Hatching success and survival of nestlings to 12 days-of-age for tree swallows on the Refuge were similar to the national average and consistent with background trace element concentrations. Bioindicator measurements were within the normal ranges as well.     

Cancer and Non-Cancer Health Risk from Eating Cassava Grown in Some Mining Communities in Ghana

Food crops such as cassava, cocoyam and other tuber crops grown in mining communities uptake toxic or hazardous chemicals such as arsenic, and cadmium, from the soil. Cassava is a stable food for Ghanaians. This study evaluated human health risk from eating cassava grown in some mining communities in Ghana such as Bogoso, Prestea, Tarkwa and Tamso, which are important mining towns in the Western Region of Ghana. The study evaluated cancer and non-cancer health effects from eating cassava grown in the study areas in accordance with US Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Assessment guidelines. The results of the study revealed the following: cancer health risk for Tamso, 0.098 (RME – Reasonable Maximum Exposure) and 0.082 (CTE – Central Tendency Exposure). This means that approximately 10 and 8 out of 100 resident adults are likely to suffer from cancer related cases by RME and CTE parameters respectively. For Prestea, we have 0.010 and 0.12, which also means that approximately 1 out of 100 and 10 resident adults out of 100 are also likely to suffer from cancer related diseases by RME and CTE parameters. The results of the study obtained were found to be above the acceptable cancer risk range of 1× 10⁻⁶ to 1× 10⁻⁴, i.e., 1 case of cancer out of 1 million or 100,000 people respectively.     

Spatial Patterns and Rankings of Contaminant Concentrations in Herring Gull Eggs from 15 Sites in the Great Lakes and Connecting Channels, 1998–2002

Mean values of eight contaminants in Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) eggs were calculated for 15 Great Lakes sites for the 5 year period 1998–2002. The sites were ranked according to the concentrations of each of seven compounds relative to fish flesh criteria for the protection of piscivorous wildlife, and a single overall rank of contamination was calculated for each site. Based on this weighted ranking scheme, we found that sum PCBs, dioxin and DDE contributed the most (60.2, 30.5% and 8.5%, respectively) to the overall rankings. The weighted ranking scheme showed that eggs from Channel-Shelter Island (Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron), Strachan Island (St. Lawrence River) and Gull Island (northern Lake Michigan) ranked as the three most contaminated sites, while Agawa Rocks (eastern Lake Superior), Chantry Island (southern Lake Huron) and Port Colborne (eastern Lake Erie) ranked as the three least contaminated sites. Two of the three most contaminated sites are Areas of Concern; none of the three least contaminated sites are Areas of Concern.