Natural formation and degradation of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines in forest soil--challenges to understanding

- DOI: http:/dx.doi.org/10.1065/espr2005.06.262 Goal, Scope and Background The anthropogenic environmental emissions of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines have been under scrutiny in recent years because the two compound groups are suspected to contribute to forest dieback and stratospheric ozone destruction, respectively. The two organochlorine groups are linked because the atmospheric photochemical oxidation of some volatile organochlorine compounds is one source of phytotoxic chloroacetic acids in the environment. Moreover, both groups are produced in higher amounts by natural chlorination of organic matter, e.g. by soil microorganisms, marine macroalgae and salt lake bacteria, and show similar metabolism pathways. Elucidating the origin and fate of these organohalogens is necessary to implement actions to counteract environmental problems caused by these compounds. Main Features While the anthropogenic sources of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines are relatively well-known and within human control, knowledge of relevant natural processes is scarce and fragmented. This article reviews current knowledge on natural formation and degradation processes of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines in forest soils, with particular emphasis on processes in the rhizosphere, and discusses future studies necessary to understand the role of forest soils in the formation and degradation of these compounds. Results and Discussion Reviewing the present knowledge of the natural formation and degradation processes of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines in forest soil has revealed gaps in knowledge regarding the actual mechanisms behind these processes. In particular, there remains insufficient quantification of reliable budgets and rates of formation and degradation of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines in forest soil (both biotic and abiotic processes) to evaluate the strength of forest ecosystems regarding the emission and uptake of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines, both on a regional scale and on a global scale. Conclusion It is concluded that the overall role of forest soil as a source and/or sink for chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines is still unclear; the available laboratory and field data reveal only bits of the puzzle. Detailed knowledge of the natural degradation and formation processes in forest soil is important to evaluate the strength of forest ecosystems for the emission and uptake of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines, both on a regional scale and on a global scale. Recommendation and Perspective As the natural formation and degradation processes of chloroacetic acids and volatile organochlorines in forest soil can be influenced by human activities, evaluation of the extent of this influence will help to identify what future actions are needed to reduce human influences and thus prevent further damage to the environment and to human health caused by these compounds.     

Natural attenuation/phytoremediation in the vadose zone of a former industrial sludge basin

The natural attenuation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the vadose zone of a naturally revegetated former industrial sludge basin (0.45 ha) was examined. This was accomplished by comparing the concentration of 16 PAH contaminants present in sludge collected below the root zone of plants with contaminants present at 3 shallower depths within the root zone. Chemical analysis of 240 samples from 60 cores showed the average concentration of total and individual PAHs in the 0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, and bottom of the root zone strata were approximately 10, 20, and 50%, respectively, of the 16, 800 ppm average total PAH concentration in deep non-rooted sludge. Statistically significant differences in average PAH concentrations were observed between each strata studied and the non-rooted sludge except for the concentrations of acenaphthene and chrysene present at the bottom of the root zone in comparison to sludge values. The rooting depth of the vegetation growing in the basin was dependent on both vegetation type and plant age. Average rooting depths for trees, forbs (herbaceous non-grasses), and grasses were 90, 60, and 50 cm, respectively. The deepest root systems observed (100-120 cm) were associated with the oldest (12-14 year-old) mulberry trees. Examination of root systems and PAH concentrations at numerous locations and depths within the basin indicated that plant roots and their microbially active rhizospheres fostered PAH disappearance; including water insoluble, low volatility compounds, i.e. benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene. The reduced concentration of PAHs in the upper strata of this revegetated former sludge basin indicated that natural attenuation had occurred. This observation supports the concept that through appropriate planting and management practices (phytoremediation) it will be possible to accelerate, maximize, and sustain natural processes, whereby even the most recalcitrant PAH contaminants (i.e. benzo(a)pyrene) can be remediated over time.     

生物法净化再生胶生产废气工业试验研究

在再生橡胶厂进行橡胶再生低浓度有机废气的生物法净化工业试验研究，对于甲苯浓度为300～1400mg/m^3的再生胶脱硫废气，在常温常压下以气体流量10～20m^3/h、循环液体喷淋量300～500L/h运行生物法废气净化装置获得了良好物净化效果。该装置连续运行100d的结果显示，其对再生胶废气中甲苯的净化效率可较长时间的保持在90%左右，废气经处理后可以实现达标排放，废气处理成本约为工厂再生胶产值的0.12%～0.14%，具有明显的技术先进性和经济合理性。     

天然气引射调峰系统的噪声形成及其治理研究

采用天然气引射调峰技术，能使上海某储配站10台天然气高压球罐的储气调峰能率提高68％，大大有助于解决天然气用气高峰时的供需平衡问题，并能节约初投资人民币1亿元。但使用超音速引射器后，当球罐压力下降到某一值时会产生高频噪声，影响管束区操作环境。本文分析了噪声产生的原因．提出了合理的噪声治理方案，并进行了方案的实施。实践证明：噪声治理效果良好，降低了管束区噪声污染，达到了国家“工业企业噪声卫生标准”。     

能源结构改变对兰州大气环境的影响

以煤为主的能源结构和不利于污染物扩散的自然环境是兰州市区大气污染严重的主要原因。分析了兰州市区能源结构和能源消费现状,重点论证了天然气工程对兰州市区能源结构的改变及对改善兰州市大气环境质量的作用,在此基础上设计了电供热、集中供热、型煤工程等多种改变能源结构的方案,并对其综合环境效益进行了估算。     

Salvage Logging, Ecosystem Processes, and Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract:  We summarize the documented and potential impacts of salvage logging—a form of logging that removes trees and other biological material from sites after natural disturbance. Such operations may reduce or eliminate biological legacies, modify rare postdisturbance habitats, influence populations, alter community composition, impair natural vegetation recovery, facilitate the colonization of invasive species, alter soil properties and nutrient levels, increase erosion, modify hydrological regimes and aquatic ecosystems, and alter patterns of landscape heterogeneity. These impacts can be assigned to three broad and interrelated effects: (1) altered stand structural complexity; (2) altered ecosystem processes and functions; and (3) altered populations of species and community composition. Some impacts may be different from or additional to the effects of traditional logging that is not preceded by a large natural disturbance because the conditions before, during, and after salvage logging may differ from those that characterize traditional timber harvesting. The potential impacts of salvage logging often have been overlooked, partly because the processes of ecosystem recovery after natural disturbance are still poorly understood and partly because potential cumulative effects of natural and human disturbance have not been well documented. Ecologically informed policies regarding salvage logging are needed prior to major natural disturbances so that when they occur ad hoc and crisis-mode decision making can be avoided. These policies should lead to salvage-exemption zones and limits on the amounts of disturbance-derived biological legacies (e.g., burned trees, logs) that are removed where salvage logging takes place. Finally, we believe new terminology is needed. The word salvage implies that something is being saved or recovered, whereas from an ecological perspective this is rarely the case.     

植物地上部分对大气CO2浓度升高的响应

大气CO2浓度升高对植物的影响，主要是促进了植物生长早期的光合作用，同时也增加了对其他资源的需求；植物的光合作用也存在对高CO2浓度的适应，不会一直维持较高的光合水平，而且植物的呼吸作用也可能会增加；大气CO2浓度升高和其他环境条件，如水分，温度和光照等对植物生长和产量存在相互作用，可以部分弥补条件的不足，也影响作物和杂草的竞争关系；自然植物群落由于有很高的多样性和复杂性，对其研究应该在生物群落水平上进行，用外推法回到植物水平，而不是相反，而且自然物种间的竞争是激烈的，CO2浓度升高或其他因素带来的任何改善，都会明显地改变竞争平衡。     

林窗大小和位置对丽江云杉自然更新幼苗存活和生长的影响

通过 1997～ 2 0 0 0年对 32个林窗的连续观测调查 ,研究了滇西北玉龙雪山自然保护区云杉坪亚高山丽江云杉林林窗大小和林窗位置对自然更新幼苗存活和生长的影响 .4个生长季节的观测结果表明 :林窗与林下非林窗内的幼苗大小和幼苗存活数量差异明显 .林窗由小到大 ,单位面积内的自然更新苗木数量逐渐减少 ,小林窗中更新苗为大林窗的 5倍左右 ,而林下的更新苗很少 ,0 .2ind .10m-2 .中等林窗和小林窗内的幼苗数量在从南到中心到北的位置上几乎没有明显的差异 ;大林窗中存在由南到北的位置差异 ,更新幼苗数量逐渐减少 .从更新幼苗的生长来看 ,中等林窗内的幼苗 ,高度最大、生长最快 ,定居阶段的平均年高生长为 (7.1± 0 .5 )cma-1,小林窗次之 ,大林窗和林下幼苗个体最小 ,生长最慢 .进一步从林窗位置来看 ,中、小林窗幼苗大小几无位置差异 ,大林窗则由南到北 ,幼苗由大变小 .从幼苗存活数量和大小来看 ,中等林窗大小是丽江云杉幼苗更新的适宜面积 ,对该类型退化亚高山针叶林恢复提供了一定的参考 .图 4表 2参 2 3     

Biosorption of copper ions from dilute aqueous solutions on base treated rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) leaves powder: kinetics, isotherm, and biosorption mechanisms

The effciency of sodium hydroxide treated rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) leaves powder (NHBL) for removing copper ions from aqueous solutions has been investigated. The e?ects of physicochemical parameters on biosorption capacities such as stirring speed, pH, biosorbent dose, initial concentrations of copper, and ionic strength were studied. The biosorption capacities of NHBL increased with increase in pH, stirring speed and copper concentration but decreased with increase in biosorbent dose and ionic strength...     

Two-Step Cultivation Method for Microbial Disintegration of Tire Rubber Particles

A rubber-degrading strain of Nocardia was cultured on tread rubber particles from a truck tire by a two-step cultivation method. At the first step, the culture medium was either not agitated or stirred at very slow rate of 40 rpm for one or 2 weeks. At the second step, the culture medium was stirred at relatively higher stirring rate of 150 or 300 rpm for seven or six weeks. It was found that the rate of disintegration was greatly increased and the weight losses of the particles with diameters of about 2.3 mm were as high as 40% in the two-step method and only 20–30% in a one-step method in which the stirring rate was kept constant throughout the culture period. With this method, microbial colonization and disintegration were depressed particularly at the corners of the cubic particles and characteristic protuberant structures were observed at the corners after the removal of microbial cells by washing.