An international survey of decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) in sewage sludge samples

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) is an additive flame retardant marketed as a replacement for decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE). The structures of the two chemicals are similar, and hence deBDethane may also become an environmental contaminant of concern. Environmental data on deBDethane are scarce. Since sewage sludge is an early indicator of leakage of these chemicals into the environment, an international survey of deBDethane and decaBDE levels in sludge was conducted. Samples were collected from 42 WWTPs in 12 different countries and analyzed with GC/LRMS. DeBDethane was present in sludge from all countries and may therefore be a worldwide concern. The levels of deBDethane in sludge samples from the Ruhr area of Germany were the highest so far reported in the literature (216 ng g⁻¹ d.wt.). The [deBDethane]/[decaBDE] quotient for the whole data set ranged from 0.0018 to 0.83. High ratios were found in and around Germany where deBDethane imports are known to have been high and substitution of decaBDE with deBDethane is likely to have occurred. Low ratios were found in the USA and the UK, countries that have traditionally been large users of decaBDE. An estimate of the flux of deBDEthane from the technosphere via WWTPs to the environment within the European Union gave 1.7 ± 0.34 mg annually per person. The corresponding value for decaBDE was 41 ± 22 mg annually per person.     

Lysimeter Experiments to Investigate the Fate of Chemicals in Soils – Comparison of Five Different Lysimeter Systems

Several lysimeter scenarios and approaches exist to study the fate of agro-chemicals or contaminants from deposition in soil columns. In many systems just transport and leaching of the parent compound is followed, in some systems the leaching and transport of the metabolites is investigated as well. In more sophisticated lysimeter systems the volatilization and also the mineralization of the applied chemicals can be additionally monitored. Depending on the lysimeter system used and on the fact whether the applied chemicals are ¹⁴C-labeled or not, different results and various interpretations of the results might be achieved. Different lysimeter systems are described in this paper and a real dataset of a specific lysimeter experiment was transferred and evaluated in a virtual approach in the different lysimeter systems in order to show the advantages and disadvantages of the various systems.     

Elemental Mercury Control by Novel Oxidant and Sorbent in an Entrained-Flow System

An entrained-flow system has been designed and constructed to simulate in-flight mercury capture by sorbents in ducts of coal-fired utility plants. The test conditions of 1.5 s residence time, 140°C temperature, 4.5 ppbv inlet Hg⁰ concentration, and 0–20 lb/MMacf sorbent injection rates were chosen to simulate conditions in the ducts. Novel oxidants developed in previous fixed-bed tests and novel sorbents derived from the novel oxidants were tested for their Hg⁰ capture in the entrained-flow system to examine the possibility of using those sorbents in a full-scale system. Darco-FGD and Darco Hg-LH served as benchmark sorbents with which mercury control capability of the novel oxidants and novel sorbents could be compared. The test results showed that the novel oxidants have remarkable Hg⁰ oxidation capability, and the novel sorbents showed a better performance in Hg⁰ removal than Darco Hg-LH.     

化学需氧量在造纸废水中分布规律及采样点位的优化

目前对造纸废水的监测通常采取随机取样,很少考虑污染物在废水中的分布情况,所以取得的样品很难反映污染物的实际排放情况。为此,通过对某造纸厂排废废水中化学需氧量分布夫妻及采样点位的优化研究。     

海南省几种草本植物微量元素的组成

海南省位于我国热带地区,草本植物微量元素组成可反映热带区域生物地球化学特点。海南植物微量元素含量属正常范围值,仅个别植物Ｃｄ、Ｈｇ含量偏高。植物Ｚｎ、Ｃｕ、Ｍｏ含量大多在５ｍｇ／ｋｇ以上,Ｐｂ、Ｃｕ、Ｃｄ含量一般低于２ｍｇ／ｋｇ,Ｈｇ、Ａｓ、Ｎｉ通常不足１ｍｇ／ｋｇ。雀稗（Ｐａｓｐａｌｕｍｃｏｍｍｅｒｓｏｎｉ）、地胆草（Ｅｌｅｐｈａｎｔｏｐｕｓｓｃａｂｅｒ）等微量元素含量普遍较高。红裂稃草（Ｓｃｈｉｚａｃｈｙｒｉｕｍｓａｎｇｕｉｎｅｕｍ）、白茅（Ｉｍｐｅｒａｔａｃｙｌｉｎｄｒｉｃａ）等微量元素含量一般较低。植物微量元素组成与植物种类及其生境条件有关。生物吸收系数反映植物摄取元素的强度,Ｍｏ、Ｃｄ、Ｈｇ、Ｚｎ、Ｃｕ的生物吸收系数通常大于１．０,属强积聚元素,Ｐｂ、Ｃｒ、Ｎｉ、Ａｓ的生物吸收系数大多低于０．３,是弱摄取元素。     

坡地赤红壤物理退化及其机理研究──Ⅲ.土壤物理退化机理分析

主要通过相关统计和综合分析,探讨坡地赤红壤物理退化的内部和外部环境的影响因素．指出养分贫瘠化,尤其是贫有机质化是坡地赤红壤物理性状退化的主要内部原因,植被破坏则是坡地赤红壤物理性状退化的外部因素、而人类活动的影响对坡地赤红壤的物理退化有重要作用。     

广州市区植物叶片重金属元素含量及其大气污染评价

文章通过对广州市区植物叶片中重金属元素含量的分析,研究了植物大气环境污染指数,探讨了植物叶片重金属元素含量与城市大气环境污染之间的关系。结果表明,植物叶片中Cu,Pb,Cd,Cr元素污染都较严重,在重污染区这些元素的含量明显高于清洁对照区;用植物污染指数可以综合评价大气环境质量状况;利用植物叶片内的重金属含量变化,为大气污染生物监测和环境质量评价提供了科学依据。     

木根麦冬的种群数量动态

运用静态生命表、生殖力表和Leslie矩阵模型,研究了木根麦冬种群数量动态过程,揭示了种群各龄级植株的动态规律,结果表明,木根麦冬种群为衰退型种群,种群的净增殖率、内禀增长率和周限增长率较低,种群世代周期偏长,种群不能自我更新,在20a内种群幼苗数量和总数量将持续快速下降,木根麦冬种群在16-20a年龄段受到了环境筛的强烈过滤作用。     

论中国种子植物特有属在台湾的分布

通过对台湾产的12个中国种子植物特有属即青钱柳属Cyclocarya,通脱木属Tetrapanax,华参属Sinopanax,八角莲属Dysosma,棱果花属Barthea,棱果茜属Hayataella,银脉爵床属Kudoacanthus,异叶苣苔属Whytockia,毛药花属Bostrychanthera,泡果荠属Hilliella,悬竹属Ampelocalamus.井岗寒竹属Gelidocalamus等的地理分布分析,发现台湾产的中国种子植物特有属具有衍生性质,属于次生的成分.