Occurrence and effects of tire wear particles in the environment--a critical review and an initial risk assessment

This review summarizes the existing knowledge on the occurrence of tire wear particles in the environment, and their ecotoxicological effects. A meta-analysis on tire components in the environment revealed that tire wear particles are present in all environmental compartments, including air, water, soils/sediments, and biota. The maximum Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PECs) of tire wear particles in surface waters range from 0.03 to 56 mg l⁻¹ and the maximum PECs in sediments range from 0.3 to 155 g kg⁻¹ d.w. The results from our previous long-term studies with Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were used to derive Predicted No Effect Concentrations (PNECs). The upper ranges for PEC/PNEC ratios in water and sediment were >1, meaning that tire wear particles present potential risks for aquatic organisms. We suggest that management should be directed towards development and production of more environmentally friendly tires and improved road runoff treatment.     

Fuel particles in the Chernobyl cooling pond: current state and prediction for remediation options

During the coming years, a management and remediation strategy for the Chernobyl cooling pond (CP) will be implemented. Remediation options include a controlled reduction in surface water level of the cooling pond and stabilisation of exposed sediments. In terrestrial soils, fuel particles deposited during the Chernobyl accident have now almost completely disintegrated. However, in the CP sediments the majority of ⁹⁰Sr activity is still in the form of fuel particles. Due to the low dissolved oxygen concentration and high pH, dissolution of fuel particles in the CP sediments is significantly slower than in soils. After the planned cessation of water pumping from the Pripyat River to the Pond, significant areas of sediments will be drained and exposed to the air. This will significantly enhance the dissolution rate and, correspondingly, the mobility and bioavailability of radionuclides will increase with time. The rate of acidification of exposed bottom sediments was predicted on the basis of acidification of similar soils after liming. Using empirical equations relating the fuel particle dissolution rate to soil and sediment pH allowed prediction of fuel particle dissolution and ⁹⁰Sr mobilisation for different remediation scenarios. It is shown that in exposed sediments, fuel particles will be almost completely dissolved in 15–25 years, while in parts of the cooling pond which remain flooded, fuel particle dissolution will take about a century.     

Aircraft emissions and local air quality impacts from takeoff activities at a large International Airport

Real time number concentrations and size distributions of ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter <100 nm) and time integrated black carbon, PM_2.5 mass, and chemical species were studied at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and a background reference site. At LAX, data were collected at the blast fence (∼140 m from the takeoff position) and five downwind sites up to 600 m from the takeoff runway and upwind of the 405 freeway. Size distributions of UFPs collected at the blast fence site showed very high number concentrations, with the highest numbers found at a particle size of approximately 14 nm. The highest spikes in the time series profile of UFP number concentrations were correlated with individual aircraft takeoff. Measurements indicate a more than 100-fold difference in particle number concentrations between the highest spikes during takeoffs and the lowest concentrations when no takeoff is occurring. Total UFP counts exceeded 10⁷ particles cm⁻³ during some monitored takeoffs. Time averaged concentrations of PM_2.5 mass and two carbonyl compounds, formaldehyde and acrolein, were statistically elevated at the airport site relative to a background reference site. Peaks of 15 nm particles, associated with aircraft takeoffs, that occurred at the blast fence were matched with peaks observed 600 m downwind, with time lags of less than 1 min. The results of this study demonstrate that commercial aircraft at LAX emit large quantities of UFP at the lower end of currently measurable particle size ranges. The observed highly elevated UFP concentrations downwind of LAX associated with aircraft takeoff activities have significant exposure and possible health implications.     

Source characterization of fine and coarse particles at the East Mediterranean coast

Fine and coarse atmospheric particles were collected in Ashdod—a midsize industrial city on the southeastern Mediterranean coast, and in Gedera—a rural site, to characterize ambient particles and to determine their long-range transport during two major seasons—winter and summer. Manual PM2.5 and PM10 samplers, dichotomous samplers, continuous automated PM10 samplers, and denuders were used to sample particulate and gaseous pollutants.Fine and coarse concentrations in Ashdod were 21.2 and 39.6 μg m⁻³, and 23.9 and 30.5 μg m⁻³ in the fall–winter and summer campaigns, respectively. Crustal material, as calcites or dolomites mixed with silicates, dominated the coarse fraction and also the fine fraction on dusty days. In the fall–winter, S, P, and Ni were coupled with minerals. Coarse Ni was associated with crustal material during dust storms, while P originated from shipping and deposition of phosphates in the urban area around.Sulfates dominated the fine fractions in the summer season averaging 12 μg m⁻³. Multivariate analysis indicated that S was associated with As and Se, V and Ni, both associated with heavy fuel combustion, and Zn and Pb. In winter, those mixed sources were local, but in summer they were part of long-range transport. In the fall–winter, Zn and Pb were strongly associated with Mn, Ga, and Cu—elements emitted from either traffic or metal processing plants.Although the influence of crustal material on both size fractions was significant, most heavy metals were associated with PM2.5. Higher concentrations were linked to a larger number of particles in this fraction, to a larger surface area available for biochemical reaction [Harrison, R., Shi, J., Xi, S., Khan, A., Mark, D., Kinnersley, R., Yin, J., Philos, T., 2000. Measurement of number, mass and size distribution of particles in the atmosphere. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 358, 2567–2579], and finally to a larger concern in regards to health effects.     

黄铁矿还原固定水中的高铼酸根

以铼作为放射性锝的替代元素,用黄铁矿粉末对高铼酸根的还原固定进行了研究。采用球磨法制备出黄铁矿粉末。分别研究了不同固液比、不同的初始p H值和不同粒径条件下,黄铁矿粉末对高铼酸根的还原固定效果。结果显示,固液比为1∶10(g/m L)为宜,在体系初始p H为12时,形成铁氧体,吸附高铼酸根,提升还原固定效果。对产物进行XPS表征,证明还原产物为Re O2。在乙醇介质中机械活化后利用超声分散可得到具有大的比表面积和晶格畸变的粒径较小的黄铁矿粉末,使其反应的活性位点增多,处理效果明显好于大粒径的黄铁矿粉末,在相对较短的时间内,铼的去除率可以达42%。在缺氧环境下黄铁矿能够长期保持有效性,在地质处置库应用中有实际意义。     

钯/聚合物复合催化膜制备及催化还原对硝基苯酚

钯金属具有较高的催化加氢性能,钯催化还原降解水体中污染物的研究一直是国内外研究的热点。为了制备催化性能稳定、催化活性高且易于回收利用的Pd催化剂,实验以聚丙烯腈(PAN)聚合物分离膜作为基材,采用层层自组装方法将聚乙烯亚胺/钯配合物(PEI-Pd(II))和聚苯乙烯磺酸钠(PSS)交替组装在基膜表面,制备了(PEI-Pd(0)/PSS)n复合催化膜,并采用膜分离装置通过对硝基苯酚催化加氢反应来评价催化膜的催化性能。实验结果表明,荷电化处理时间、NaOH溶液浓度、PEI和Pd(II)摩尔比、自组装层数影响着膜的催化性能。当荷电化处理时间为1.5 h,NaOH溶液浓度为1.5 mol/L,PEI和Pd(II)摩尔比为60∶4,自组装层数为5层时,复合催化膜有最佳的催化性能,其对对硝基苯酚的去除率能达到90%以上。     

亚微米颗粒物和微米颗粒物中的铅在水稻叶片中的富集比较

叶片对大气颗粒物中铅的吸收富集会对水稻本身产生毒性效应,然而目前关于叶片对不同粒径颗粒物中铅富集能力的研究较少.因此,本研究采用叶片喷施等铅浓度飞灰颗粒物的方法,探讨水稻生长后期剑叶对亚微米颗粒物和微米颗粒物中铅的吸收作用,讨论不同粒径颗粒物中铅向叶片迁移的可能机制.结果表明,向水稻剑叶分别喷施等铅浓度的亚微米飞灰颗粒物和微米颗粒物后,亚微米颗粒物处理组的剑叶和稻米的铅含量均显著高于微米颗粒物处理组.亚微米颗粒物中的铅从叶片反面表皮向内扩散,富集在维管束中,并引起叶肉中铅含量的显著升高.相比之下,微米颗粒物处理组的铅向植物叶片内迁移扩散趋势较弱.基于铅同位素分析,亚微米颗粒物组飞灰源对叶肉中铅含量的贡献为80%,而微米颗粒物组飞灰源的贡献仅为31%～42%.亚微米颗粒物组铅在细胞质中的含量比例升高,由此产生的毒性作用会更大.因此,关注大气亚微米颗粒物中铅在水稻叶片的迁移富集具有一定的必要性.     

北京地区大气可吸入颗粒物中多环芳烃分布特征

采集北京城乡结合区和郊区冬季12个大气可吸入颗粒物不同粒径样品,用色谱-质谱技术分析鉴定了75种多环芳烃化合物,并对各粒径中美国EPA优控的16种多环芳烃做了定量分析,研究其在不同粒径的分布规律。结果表明:城乡结合区大气颗粒物中优控多环芳烃总量明显高于郊区;郊区和城乡结合区大气分别有68%和85%的优控多环芳烃吸附在粒径小于2 0μm颗粒物上;可吸入颗粒物中都相对富集高环数的多环芳烃;2个地区主要污染源可能为化石燃料的燃烧排放,燃煤的影响相对较大。      

地表水悬浮物分析中的几个问题

对地表水悬浮物分析中的样品烘干时间、次数和取样问题进行了实验,提出了减少悬的体操的烘干恒重次数、缩短分析过程呼时间的意见。同时提出悬浮物应单独采集样品,以提高悬浮物的分析质量。