Regional differences in mercury levels in aquatic ecosystems: A discussion of possible causal factors with implications for the Tennessee river system and the Northern Hemisphere

Concern about mercury pollution from atmospheric deposition has risen markedly in the last decade because of high levels of mercury in freshwater fish from relatively pristine waters. Whereas high concentrations have been found principally in Canada, the northern United States, and Scandinavia, they have also recently been observed throughout much of Florida. Recent surveys of the Tennessee River system, however, have found no locations where fish levels exceed EPA guidelines for fish consumption. This paper evaluates a number of factors that may cause certain regions in the northern hemisphere to experience unacceptable fish mercury levels while other regions do not. Relevant regional differences include: (1) Waters of the Tennessee River system are generally nonacidic (pH>6) and well buffered, whereas 16%, 22%, and 40% of the lakes in upper Midwest, Northeast, and Florida, respectively, have acid-neutralizing capacities below 50 μeq/liter. Acidity correlates highly with fish mercury levels in a number of lake surveys, and experimental manipulations of acidity have significantly raised fish mercury levels. (2) The ratio of land area to water surface area in the Tennessee Valley averages about 30, whereas it is 15 in the upper Midwest and 6 in Florida. Low ratios allow mercury in precipitation to be directly deposited to aquatic bodies, without an opportunity for the mercury to be sequestered by terrestrial ecosystems. (3) Stream organic matter concentrations in Florida, the upper Midwest, and Sweden are 2–10 times those in the Tennessee Valley. Mercury binds strongly to organic matter, and organic matter transport in runoff is a major pathway by which mercury enters aquatic ecosystems.     

Detection of a Toxic Product Released by a Polyurethane-Containing Film Using a Composting Test Method Based on a Mineral Bed

The degradation of a film containing a 4,4diphenyl methane diisocyanate (MDI) poly(€-caprolactone)-based polyurethane was followed in a test system based on a mineral solid bed designed to facilitate analysis of break-down products released under composting conditions. The use of a mineral solid bed can help extraction and analytical procedures which could be hindered by the heterogeneous nature of compost. The fermentation conditions are typical of the composting environment and generate a powerfully degradative environment. The film fully disintegrated within 30 days of treatment. Analysis on the mineral bed extracts showed that: (i) about 40% of the initial polyurethane was still present in the bed extracts; (ii) this residue was strongly degraded in the poly(€-caprolactone) part, while the urethane part was almost completely recovered (from 80 to 95%, according to the measurement method); (iii) 4,4 diamino diphenyl methane (MDA), a very dangerous product of MDI, was released during biodegradation. The results indicate that a mineral bed can be employed to study degradation and metabolites formation in solid phase fermentation and that the MDI-based polyurethanes are not susceptible of a full degradation during composting and maintain the potential of a slow release of MDA into the environment after soil application.     

大气细颗粒物(PM2.5)对心血管内皮细胞NOS的影响

运用体外试验方法,探讨了大气细颗粒物的心血管毒性及其可能的作用机制采集上海城区大气中的PM25,并以0.01、0.05、0.2、1 mg·mL-1剂量染毒大鼠心血管内皮细胞24 h后,观察PM2.5对心血管内皮细胞内总NOS,iNOS及cNOS活力等指标的影响.发现与对照组相比,0.2 mg·mL-1染毒组的心血管内皮细胞总NOS和iNOS活力显著增加,而cNOS活力显著降低,并且随着PM25染毒剂量的增加,存在剂量-反应关系.这一结果表明,PM2.5可通过诱导心血管内皮细胞的iNOS活性,对心血管系统产生氧化应激损伤,氧化应激作用可能是PM2.5心血管系统毒性的作用机制之一.     

Soil phosphorus extractability and uptake in a Cirsio-Molinietum fen-meadow and an adjacent Holcus lanatus pasture on the culm measures, north Devon, UK

The seasonal pattern of extractable soil P and soil solution P was determined for topsoil samples taken from a Cirsio-Molinietum fen-meadow community, and also for an adjacent agriculturally improved pasture in Devon, UK. Phosphorus concentration was investigated using three methods during 1993; Olsen's reagent (sodium bicarbonate) for soil P, centrifuging and polymeric suction cups for soil solution P. Solutions were extracted at two-weekly intervals during the spring and at monthly intervals during the summer. Phosphorus removed from both sites by centrifuging was in the range 5–30 μg dm⁻³ soil, in comparison with 1–6 mg kg⁻¹ for Olsen P. Olsen P on the Cirsio-Molinietum was significantly lower than on the improved pasture in mid-March and mid-June. The concentration of P in soil solution removed by suction cups was below the level of detection (<2 μg dm⁻³) on the Cirsio-Molinietum. Suction cup P on the improved pasture peaked in April and May at 16–19 μg dm⁻³ soil. Herbage yield and P concentration were measured throughout the growing season. Above-ground standing crop was greater on the Cirsio-Molinietum than the improved pasture at the beginning of the grazing season, because of the large litter component on the former. Total P content of this material was only 1.81 kg P ha⁻¹ on the Cirsio-Molinietum, in comparison with 5.58 kg P ha⁻¹ on the improved pasture. Phosphorus concentration of plant material obtained by repeated defoliation was approximately 1.0 mg P g⁻¹ DM on the Cirsio-Molinietum, whereas a clear seasonal trend, peaking at 3.5 mg P g⁻¹ DM, was observed on the improved pasture. Phosphorus concentration of litter, grass and sedge from ungrazed plots on the Cirsio-Molinietum indicated distinct seasonal variations for the grass, with no seasonal pattern for the sedge component.     

吡虫啉的生物效应研究

应用不同的生物材料对新型杀虫剂的生态效应进行了研究，吡虫啉对泽蛙蝌蚪，黑斑蛙蝌蚪及青Jiang鱼的急性毒性表明，吡虫啉属于低毒农药，蚕豆根尖微核试验结果呈阴性，揭示其无致突变效应。     

酚类化合物的QSAR研究

直接应用化合物的分子结构式产生的结构描述参量研究了４５个酚类化合物的麻醉毒性和分子结构之间的相关性。用多元回归分析和神经网络法建立了相应的数学模型，并用其预测了５个酚类化合物的麻醉毒性。结果表明，所提取的结构参量较好地反映这类化合物的结构特性，而用神经网络法所得结果优于多元回归分析结果。     

我国环境污染物二恶英的污染与防治

以二恶英类(DIOXINs, DXNs)为代表的十二项物质是在环境中具有高残留性、高生物浓缩性和高生物毒性的物质,即POPs物质(PersistentOrganicPollutants,残留性有机污染物质)。控制和治理POPs物质是我国加入斯德哥尔摩公约后应尽的义务与责任。我国加入WTO后,国内产品若走向世界,二恶英标准的制定与评价是必不可少的,否则我们国家将受到沉重的打击。同时也是保证我国人民身心健康的重要保证。本文主要叙述了二英的毒性、我国现在的污染状况以及我们应该采取的措施。     

北京市工业固体有害废物浸出毒性研究

本文介绍了北京市工业固体废物和有害废物产生及利用情况 ,对采集的有害废物样品进行预处理后 ,用超声波浸提法制备浸出液进行浸出毒性实验 ,并对浸出毒性的影响因素进行研究 ,确定最佳浸提条件     

麻痹性贝毒素的毒理效应及检测技术

近年来世界各地，特别是我国浙江、广东等沿海地区赤潮发生过度频繁，许多赤潮生物分泌的毒素不但使其他海洋生物中毒，更会对人类健康造成潜在的危害。因此对赤潮毒素的研究已成为海洋环境科学研究的重要内容。麻痹性贝毒素是其中重要的一类赤潮藻毒素。它们毒性大，作用强，在全球的分布越来越广泛，并且已经在世界范围内造成了严重的危害，引起了国内外科学家的高度重视。本文详细综述了近年来国外在麻痹性贝毒素检测技术方面最新的研究进展，重点介绍了麻痹性贝毒素的化学结构、前处理技术和分析检测新技术及其毒性作用机理。     

溢油分散剂产品性能的评估

溢油分散剂是处理海上溢油的重要手段之一 ,产品性能直接关系到实际处理效果 ,其毒性也是人们一直关心的问题。中国海事部门规定 ,分散剂产品必须经过形式认可试验 ,才能在港口、码头和船舶上处理溢油。根据溢油分散剂产品性能的检测结果 ,对产品外观、pH值、燃点、运动粘度、乳化率 (30s ,10min)、鱼类急性毒性和可生物降解性等性能指标进行了评估。对加强溢油分散剂的使用、管理和监督检验具有一定的意义。