The relationships between mercury and selenium in plankton and fish from a tropical food web

Background, aim, and scope  Selenium (Se) has been shown to reduce mercury (Hg) bioavailability and trophic transfer in aquatic ecosystems. The study of methylmercury (MeHg) and Se bioaccumulation by plankton is therefore of great significance in order to obtain a better understanding of the estuarine processes concerning Hg and Se accumulation and biomagnification throughout the food web. In the western South Atlantic, few studies have documented trace element and MeHg in fish tissues. No previous study about trace elements and MeHg in plankton has been conducted concerning tropical marine food webs. Se, Hg, and MeHg were determined in two size classes of plankton, microplankton (70–290 μm) and mesoplankton (≥290 μm), and also in muscle tissues and livers of four fish species of different trophic levels (Mugil liza, a planktivorous fish; Bagre spp., an omnivorous fish; Micropogonias furnieri, a benthic carnivorous fish; and Centropomus undecimalis, a pelagic carnivorous fish) from a polluted estuary in the Brazilian Southeast coast, Guanabara Bay. Biological and ecological factors such as body length, feeding habits, and trophic transfer were considered in order to outline the relationships between these two elements. The differences in trace element levels among the different trophic levels were investigated. Materials and methods  Fish were collected from July 2004 to August 2005 at Guanabara Bay. Plankton was collected from six locations within the bay in August 2005. Total mercury (THg) was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. MeHg analysis was conducted by digesting samples with an alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution followed by dithizone-toluene extraction. MeHg was then identified and quantified in the toluene layer by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Se was determined by AAS using graphite tube with Pin platform and Zeeman background correction. Results and discussion  Total mercury, MeHg, and Se increased with plankton size class. THg and Se values were below 2.0 and 4.8 μg g⁻¹ dry wt in microplankton and mesoplankton, respectively. A large excess of molar concentrations of Se in relation to THg was observed in both plankton size class and both fish tissues. Plankton presented the lowest concentrations of this element. In fish, the liver showed the highest THg and Se concentrations. THg and Se in muscle were higher in Centropomus undecimalis (3.4 and 25.5 nmol g⁻¹) than in Micropogonias furnieri (2.9 and 15.3 nmol g⁻¹), Bagre spp (1.3 and 3.4 nmol g⁻¹) and Mugil liza (0.3 and 5.1 nmol g⁻¹), respectively. The trophic transfer of THg and Se was observed between trophic levels from prey (considering microplankton and mesoplankton) to top predator (fish). The top predators in this ecosystem, Centropomus undecimalis and Micropogonias furnieri, presented similar MeHg concentrations in muscles and liver. Microplankton presented lower ratios of methylmercury to total mercury concentration (MeHg/THg) (34%) than those found in mesoplankton (69%) and in the muscle of planktivorous fish, Mugil liza (56%). The other fish species presented similar MeHg/THg in muscle tissue (of around 100%). M. liza showed lower MeHg/THg in the liver than C. undecimalis (35%), M. furnieri (31%) and Bagre spp. (22%). Significant positive linear relationships were observed between the molar concentrations of THg and Se in the muscle tissue of M. furnieri and M. liza. These fish species also showed significant inverse linear relationships between hepatic MeHg and Se, suggesting a strong antagonistic effect of Se on MeHg assimilation and accumulation. Conclusions  Differences found among the concentrations THg, MeHg, and Se in microplankton, mesozooplankton, and fishes were probably related to the preferred prey and bioavailability of these elements in the marine environment. The increasing concentration of MeHg and Se at successively higher trophic levels of the food web of Guanabara Bay corresponds to a transfer between trophic levels from the lower trophic level to the top-level predator, suggesting that MeHg and Se were biomagnified throughout the food web. Hg and Se were positively correlated with the fish standard length, suggesting that larger and older fish bioaccumulated more of these trace elements. THg, MeHg, and Se were a function of the plankton size. Recommendations and perspectives  There is a need to assess the role of selenium in mercury accumulation in tropical ecosystems. Without further studies of the speciation of selenium in livers of fishes from this region, the precise role of this element, if any, cannot be verified in positively affecting mercury accumulation. Further studies of this element in the study of marine species should include liver samples containing relatively high concentrations of mercury. A basin-wide survey of selenium in fishes is also recommended.     

Experimental study and modeling of the transfer of zinc in a low reactive sand column in the presence of acetate

Nowadays, it is necessary to understand and identify the reactions governing the fate of heavy metals introduced into the environment with low complexing organic compounds, particularly when they are transferred through soils in urban areas. In this work the concomitant influence of pH and acetate on the fate of zinc on siliceous sand was studied in batch and non-saturated column experiments. Total zinc concentrations varied between 2 and 20 mg/l, and total acetate concentrations were fixed at 22, 72, 132, and 223 mM to obtain solution pHs of 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively. Natural sand (diameter, 0.3-2 mm), mainly constituted of silica, was used. In batch adsorption experiments, zinc adsorption is insignificant at pH 4, low and linear at pH 5, and increasingly nonlinear, of the Langmuir type, at pH 6 and 7 indicating near-saturation conditions of surface sites at these high pH values. In column experiments, Zn retardation increases and the maximum outlet concentration of Zn decreases with rising pH and acetate concentrations. Previous column tracer experiments revealed the occurrence of regionalized water transport in the column. Modeling these data was based on a non-electrostatic approach. Batch and column data modeling was based on the PHREEQC code that allows concomitant resolution of chemical speciation and regionalized water transport. The speciation calculation indicates that the ZnAcetate+ species is the dominant Zn species in the solutions used. Batch experimental curves are correctly modeled assuming the formation of the three surface species triple bond SiOZn+, triple bond SiOH-Zn Acetate+ and triple bond SiO-Zn(Acetate)2-. The column data could be adequately modeled assuming a two-region water transport and the formation of the same three species with the same thermodynamic constants determined in the batch experiments. The hypothesis of the modeling leads to a slight overestimation of the quantities of zinc eluted (10%) at pH 6 and 7, mostly in the desorption phase. These results show that the methodology used facilitates the correct modeling of both batch and transport experiments and formulation of the hypothesis on the interactions between the low reactive sand and a complex solution.     

MBR工艺中溶解性有机物的分子量和EEM解析

采用凝胶过滤色谱(GFC)分子量测定技术和三维荧光(EEM)光谱技术,对平板膜-生物反应器工艺应用于餐饮废水和粪便污水处理的工程实例进行研究,对比分析2套工艺中的调节池水和出水的溶解性有机物(DOM)及污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)的性质变化.研究表明,餐饮废水处理过程的调节池水DOM中大分子(＞100 kDa)物质比例为6...     

Direct determination of neonicotinoid insecticides in an analytically challenging crop such as Chinese chives using selective ELISAs

ABSTRACT

Easy-to-use commercial kit-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have been used to detect neonicotinoid dinotefuran, clothianidin and imidacloprid in Chinese chives, which are considered a troublesome matrix for chromatographic techniques. Based on their high water solubility, water was used as an extractant. Matrix interference could be avoided substantially just diluting sample extracts. Average recoveries of insecticides from spiked samples were 85–113%, with relative standard deviation of <15%. The concentrations of insecticides detected from the spiked samples with the proposed ELISA methods correlated well with those by the reference high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The residues analyzed by the ELISA methods were consistently 1.24 times that found by the HPLC method, attributable to loss of analyte during sample clean-up for HPLC analyses. It was revealed that the ELISA methods can be applied easily to pesticide residue analysis in troublesome matrix such as Chinese chives.     

某耗能减震框肢剪力墙转换结构分析

采用复合型铅粘弹性阻尼器对带转换层框肢剪力墙结构的某酒店进行了耗能减震设计,对耗能减震结构和钢支撑结构进行了对比分析,包括反应谱和局部非线性多遇地震作用和罕遇地震作用下的时程分析。结果表明,底部框架结构布置复合型铅粘弹性阻尼器后,在多遇和罕遇地震情况下层间位移能满足《建筑抗震设计规范》要求,并且采用耗能减震结构能优化整体结构,不会对转换层上部结构产生不利的影响,能更好地改善结构的抗震性能。     

不锈钢板式热沉传热特性的实验与模拟研究

目的 研究流量、胀高及焊点排布方式对不锈钢板式热沉传热特性的影响。方法 搭建实验平台,加工出结构参数不同的板式热沉实验件,同时采用静力隐式算法建立相应的几何模型,通过实验与数值模拟相结合的方法,研究流量、胀高和焊点排布方式的变化对板式热沉热阻的影响规律,并分析热沉流道内部流场状态。结果 首先计算了6个工况下的热阻,发现实际换热量为540 W时,数值模拟与实验结果的最大相对误差不大于25%。然后分析了误差来源,最后得到了热沉全流道速度场与温度场的分布情况。结论 实验与模拟结果有较好的符合程度,证明了数值模拟方法的可靠性。在换热量相同时,板式热沉的热阻随流量与胀高的增大而减小,焊点为菱形排布的热沉传热性能相对更好。板式热沉内部的流场具有周期性,焊点使流体扰动增强,并形成射流和旋涡,起到了强化传热的效果。     

水淬渣人工湿地强化除磷作用研究

研究了水淬渣的磷吸附-解吸效果,构建了以水淬渣为主要基质的模拟垂直流人工湿地系统,分析了水力停留时间(HRT)和污染负荷变化对污水中磷去除的影响,探讨了湿地上行、下行流单元各层基质的除磷贡献.结果表明,水淬渣基质的磷饱和吸附量为3 333 mg.kg-1,其水溶性钙含量为0.084%,pH值为7.54,适合作为湿地除磷基质.HRT与磷除去率呈正相关,当HRT从1 d缩短为0.5 d时,TP去除率降低5.9%~4.7%,当HRT从2 d缩短为1 d时,TP去除率降低2.4%~4.7%,HRT为1 d条件下,水淬渣湿地的磷去除率>85%,说明无限延长HRT无益于强化除磷,适宜的HRT为1 d.在进水浓度稳定的条件下,进水污染负荷与磷去除率呈负相关,当污染负荷范围在12.2~36.8 g.(m2.d)-1时,水淬渣湿地的磷除去率可维持在85%,当污染负荷达到48.9 g.(m2.d)-1后,水淬渣湿地的磷除去率下降至65%,当污染负荷<36.8 g.(m2.d)-1时,水淬渣湿地的磷去除率>82%,说明高污染负荷可抑制基质表面及孔隙中Ca、Al等吸附磷的活跃位点,适宜的进水污染负荷为24.5~36.8g.(m2.d...     

东平湖水生植物的衰退及南水北调工程对其影响

对南水北调东线工程中的调蓄枢纽东平湖进行了考察.发现,目前东平湖仅存水生植物18种,覆盖度为51%.简要分析了1979年至今东平湖水生植物的衰退状况及其形成驱动力.根据调水状态下东平湖水环境将会发生的变化,系统探讨了调水工程对东平湖水生植物的可能影响.结果表明,二期工程物种多样性变化不大,分布面积将会有不同程度的下降,群落总体的断带状分布将更为典型;三期工程物种多样性将明显下降,种群结构趋向单一化,沉水植物仍将成为优势种群.     

我国酸性降水来源探讨

我国的酸性降水存在着大气污染物的局地冲刷和中、长距离传输双重来源机制。我国南方重污染城市的酸性降水主要来源于城市高浓度大气污染物的局地冲刷;广阔区域和清洁地区的酸性降水则主要来源于大气污染物的中、长距离传输。酸性降水中局地来源和传输作用的贡献,因地而异,主要取决于当地的大气污染条件和气象条件。     

水环境模拟中多孔介质场空间变异性研究方法述评

阐述了研究多孔介质空间变异性的经典统计法、地质统计学方法以及新兴的分形方法.经典统计方法由于不考虑研究对象的空间相关性,已经不能对这种变异性做出客观的分析;地质统计学方法很好地克服了经典统计学的缺点,是目前应用最多的一种方法;分形的研究对象为无规则和具有自相似性的体系,这一特性决定了它研究这种变异性有着独特的优点.最后对多孔介质空间变异性研究的趋势进行了展望.