RUNOFF EVENT IMPACTS ON A WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIR: SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADING, TURBID PLUME BEHAVIOR, AND SEDIMENT DEPOSITION1

Abstract: The impacts of runoff events on external suspended solids loading to Schoharie Reservoir, New York, and patterns of light scattering and sediment deposition in this reservoir are assessed. The assessment is based on monitoring of suspended solids concentrations in the reservoir's primary tributary, detailed vertical profiles of optical backscattering (a surrogate measure of light scattering) in the reservoir water column, and analysis of sediment trap collections, over a seven-month interval of high runoff. These impacts are reported to be tightly temporally coupled and strongly positively related to the magnitude of runoff events. The primary tributary entered the reservoir as a plunging inflow during runoff events, causing conspicuous subsurface peaks in light scattering, with vertical patterns that varied strongly for different events. Deposition quantified by near-bottom trap deployments is reported to be more representative than results from metalimnetic deployments that were generally within, rather than below, the turbid layers. Direct inputs of sediment, transported by density currents, are found to drive deposition, rather than resuspension/redeposition. More than 50 percent of the reported deposition occurred in less than 15 percent of the study period, associated with the four largest runoff events.     

METHANE FORMATION BY LAKE SEDIMENTS DURING IN VITRO INCUBATION1

ABSTRACT: Renewed (de novo) synthesis of methane gas was shown to occur when samples of lake sediment were dispersed on glass beads and incubated in a helium atmosphere at 23°C. Under the above conditions, sediment samples from hardwater and softwater lakes generated up to 440 nanomoles and 80 nanomoles per ml of sediment per two days, respectively. At the time of collection, sediment samples possessed approximately similar amounts of “native” methane. Nitrate, sulfate, and acetylene were shown to suppress methane synthesis by sediment incubated as described.     

Spatial and Temporal Comparison of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particles in Remote European Lakes

Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCP) and polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been measured in the dated sediment cores of 10 remote lakes distributed across Europe. The geographic trends were evaluated by examination of the superficial sediment fluxes and total sediment inventories. The highest levels of both markers were observed in the Eastern European lakes whereas the minimal values corresponded to the lake located in the Arctic. However, this SCP-PAH correlation was not observed after exclusion of the end member lakes from the series. The temporal trends of both pollutant markers are consistent with the history of pyrolytic emissions over Europe. However, the downcore SCP distributions are shorter than the PAH profiles in nearly all lakes. The differences are probably related to the different size particle fractions involved in the measurement of each marker, >5 and >1 m for SCP and PAH, respectively. Thus, the two proxies probably reflect pollution inputs from closer (SCP) and more distant sites (PAH).     

A case study of microwave processing of metal hydroxide sediment sludge from printed circuit board manufacturing wash water

The large quantity of wash water used in the electroplating and etching process in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards (PCBs) contains a high level of heavy metal ions (Cu⁺⁺, Zn⁺⁺, Ni⁺⁺, Cr⁺⁺⁺, Pb⁺⁺). These potentially toxic ions are removed from the wash water effluent through a polyelectrolyte flocculation and hydroxide precipitation process during which a hydroxide sediment sludge rich in metal ions and polymers is generated. This sediment sludge possesses some unique characteristics and properties in terms of composition, fine particle size distribution, high specific surface area, and a tendency to agglomerate after drying. Direct disposal of this classified “special waste” (Department of Environment of Northern Ireland, The Special Waste Regulations, Northern Ireland, 1998) at landfill sites may cause serious soil and underground water pollution through a gradual ionic leaching process. This paper describes an experimental investigation, exploratory in nature, which employs microwave radiation for detoxification of the sediment sludge through microwave heating, drying and metal ion immobilization within the sediment solids. The effectiveness of microwave assisted binding and immobilization of the metal ions within the sediment solids was studied in conjunction with an evaluation of microwave energy efficiency in comparison to the more conventional convective heating and drying processes. Given a sufficient amount of microwave radiation, leaching of Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ was reduced by 2700% and 1080%, respectively, over a period of 12 weeks, and further leaching was not detectable within six months at simulated local landfill aqueous conditions. This paper also attempts, through experimental observation, to add to the very limited understanding of the complex interactions and binding of free metal ions with the polymeric materials and metal hydroxides under the influence of an electromagnetic field. The high specific surface of the sediment solids and their adsorption properties were further explored and characterized in a study of adsorption of reactive dyes by the microwave processed solids.     

底泥疏浚对湖泊沉积物的生态毒性效应的影响

采用淡水沉积物质量基准和微生物毒性试验方法,对疏浚前后五里湖沉积物提取液和全底泥沉积物的生态毒性进行了研究与分析.结果表明,疏浚后,沉积物中各重金属污染物的总体含量均显著降低,但是铬、铅和镍的含量仍然分布在阈值效应低值(TEL)和可能效应水平值(PEL)之间的灰色区域,仍可能对水体生态系统产生不良影响;疏浚后1个月,沉积物提取液中发光菌发光试验的EC50值降低约50%,毒性增加近1倍;与疏浚前相比,全底泥沉积物的细菌毒性试验的EC₅₀值降低11%～30%;全底泥月芽藻毒性试验的EC₅₀值也有显著降低.     

太湖东北部沉积物可溶性氮、磷的季节性变化

通过快速释放实验,研究了太湖东北部营养水平不同的梅梁湾、贡湖湾和胥口湾3个湖区表层沉积物中可溶性氮、磷的季节性变化.结果表明,沉积物总磷(TP)与其释放的可溶性总磷(DTP)在春、夏两季显著相关并且以可溶性有机磷(DOP)为主;春、夏两季DOP与可溶性无机磷(DIP)的形态间转化较秋、冬两季更为活跃.藻型湖区沉积物的总氮(TN)多为夏季减少,而清洁型湖区则为夏季大幅增加;沉积物释放的NH₄⁺-N以夏、冬两季居多,夏季达到最大值;沉积物释放的NO₃^--N夏季大幅度增加,冬季较少.清洁型湖区夏季沉积物的TN及其释放的NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N显著高于藻型湖区.     

多级生态塘/湿地系统底泥中磷的归趋模式

研究了多级生态塘/湿地处理系统不同单元底泥中磷的形态分布及释放规律,考察了季节和泥龄对磷形态分布及其释放的影响.结果表明,从系统前端到后端,钙磷在底泥中所占的比重逐渐增加,铝磷和碱可提取有机磷的比重逐渐减少;3～6月是底泥磷的集中释放期,主要释放单元为复合兼性塘,释放形态为铝磷和碱可提取有机磷;绝大多数铝磷和碱可提取有机磷在泥龄为 1.3 年时都释放到水体中.钙磷和铁磷是底泥中磷的主要贮存方式.     

苯及其取代物与对硝基苯胺在沉积物上的竞争吸附

研究了沉积物-水体系中苯及其单取代化合物甲苯、氯苯、硝基苯、苯酚、苯胺和苯甲酸(作为共溶质)与对硝基苯胺(作为主溶质)之间的竞争吸附作用.结果表明,在相同的相对浓度下,易与沉积物有机质形成氢键的共溶质竞争能力强于不易形成氢键的共溶质;共溶质对主溶质吸附的竞争效应主要发生在表面吸附部分,对分配部分影响不大;有机化合物在单溶质体系中吸附等温线的非线性程度与其在多溶质体系中作为共溶质时的竞争能力具有相关性.     

Biochemical composition and early diagenesis of organic matter in coastal sediments of the NW Adriatic Sea influenced by riverine inputs

River inputs influence trophodynamic and biogeochemical processes of adjacent continental shelves. In order to provide new insights on the influence of continental inputs on the benthic trophic state and early diagenesis of sediment organic matter we collected surface sediments in the NW Adriatic Sea at three stations located at increasing distance from the Po River. Sediment samples were collected in four periods characterized by different river outflows and analysed for chloropigment content (chlorophyll-a and phaeopygments), protein, carbohydrate and lipid concentrations, prokaryote abundance and aminopeptidase activity. Sediments of the NW Adriatic Sea displayed high organic loads, tightly coupled with the outflow dynamics of the Po River. A major flooding event was responsible of an enhanced accumulation of organic material on the sea bottom. The resulting increased nutrient load in the sediment impaired organic matter degradation processes. The results of the present study suggest that the enhanced trophic state of marine coastal sediments subjected to riverine inputs are related not only to the increased nutrient inputs, but that they may be amplified by impaired degradation processes.     

难降解有机物污染底质原位修复技术研究进展

随着水环境外污染源得到有效控制,底质污染逐渐成为人们关注的焦点.底质中的污染物尤其是难降解有机物可通过生物富集和生物放大等过程,进一步影响陆生生物和人类的健康.因此,对底质中难降解有机物的修复是目前所迫切需要解决的环境问题之一.基于异位修复成本较高易造成二次污染等缺点,文章针对难降解有机物污染底质,探讨了原位修复技术的研究进展,自然修复成本较低,对生态环境不产生干扰,但不适用于高浓度污染底质;植物修复操作简单,能有效防止污染底质再悬浮,但对高浓度难降解有机物耐受性较低;微生物修复适用范围广,修复效果较为显著,但菌体易流失,对环境的适应性较差.于是,固定化修复技术应运而生,固定化技术能解决传统的微生物修复存在的很多问题,但固定化载体的重复可利用性和再生性问题仍有待解决.文章最后对今后难降解有机物污染底质的研究方向进行了展望,由于污染底质多为复合污染,各取所长的联合修复技术将成为未来的研究热点.