Evaluation of the Impact of Long-range Transport and Aerosol Concentration Temporal Variations at the Eastern Coast of the Baltic Sea

Ambient particles vary greatly in their ability to affect visibility, climate and human health. The fine fraction of aerosol is responsible for greater and wider effects on human health; thus, investigation of this fraction is very important. Continuous measurements of PM2.5 (particulate matter below 2.5 μm in size) concentrations at the Preila monitoring station started in 2003. During a period of 2 years, the episodes of high daily and semi-hourly concentrations of PM2.5 were measured. These episodes did not depend on the season or time of day. The substantial role of long-range transport of pollutants to these increases in concentration was shown using chemical and statistical analysis. It was found that most of the severe episodes occurred when air masses came from a specific site besides it was established that air masses of different origin were characterized by different mixing layer depth. Lower mixing depth was observed in air masses characterized by higher observed concentrations at the measuring site and vice versa. PM2.5 concentrations showed diurnal and seasonal variations whose pattern reflected the regional origin of the aerosol. The regional pollution level was evaluated by the statistical analysis of PM2.5 concentrations. The background annual average of PM2.5 mass concentration for the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea was 15.1 ± 0.8 μg m⁻³.     

WATCH

Abstract

The characteristics of fine particulate pollution (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) were measured at urban and suburban sites in Jinan during the 2008–2009 heating and non-heating seasons. The results showed that PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 pollution was quite serious, and PM mass concentration was higher during the heating season than the non-heating season. PM was the highest in the chemical factory and lowest in the development zone. The mass concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were linearly related, and the mass concentration ratio of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ was up to 0.59 in urban areas. PM pollution in Jinan was related to local meteorological factors: PM_2.5 mass concentration and humidity were positively correlated, and PM_2.5 mass concentration was negatively correlated with both click on the temperature and wind speed, although wind speed varied more.     

Changes in the Population Phenetic Structure of the Lacebug Dictyla humuli (Fabr.) (Heteroptera,Tingidae) in the Usman' Forest (Voronezh Oblast) in 1999–2001

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Seasonal Variations and Chemical Forms of Heavy Metals in Soils and Dusts from the Satellite Cities of Seoul, Korea

This research investigated heavy metal pollution of soils and dusts in two representative satellite cities of Seoul, Korea and studied the seasonal variations in metal concentrations through the rainy season and the chemical forms of metals using a sequential extraction analysis. The metal dispersion pattern was illustrated to match with urban structure. Soil and dust samples were collected from the cities of Uijeongbu and Koyang, which are the northern and northwestern satellite cities of Seoul (the capital), before and after rainy season. Concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn were higher than those of the world averages for soils, and their levels decreased after rain, particularly in highly contaminated samples. Relatively high pH values were found in roadside soils, but no seasonal variation was found after the rainy season. The three metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) in soils and dusts were associated with various chemical fractions of soils and dusts as distinguished by the sequential extraction scheme, and a strong similarity of metal association between soils and dusts was found, which indicates that airborne dust may be a principle source of soil contamination. Copper is uniformly distributed, and Pb is largely associated with the reducible phase. There is an appreciable proportion of total Zn in the exchangeable/water-acid soluble fraction. After the rainy season, the most soluble fractions in soils and dusts were leached away. In terms of mobility and bioavailability of metals in soils and dusts, the order Zn >> Cu > Pb is suggested. Geographical variations of total metals corresponded well with urbanised areas of cities, especially the industrial complex and major motorways.     

Fine Particulate Pollution Characteristics in Jinan City

The characteristics of fine particulate pollution(PM10and PM25)were measured at urban and suburban sites in Jinan during the 2008-2009 heating and non-heating seasons.The results showed that PM10 and PM2.5 pollution was quite serious,and PM mass concentration was higher during the heating season than the non-heating season.PM was the highest in the chemical factory and lowest in the development zone.The mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were linearly related,and the mass concentration ratio of PM2.5/PM10 was up to 0.59 in urban areas.PM pollution in Jinan was related to local meteorological factors: PM2.5 mass concentration and humidity were positively correlated,and PM2.5mass concentration was negatively correlated with both click on the temperature and wind speed,although wind speed varied more.     

南京地区7Be沉降特征

7Be是研究大气科学与地球化学的核元素之一,对研究短期过程的地表土壤颗粒迁移具有较大价值。为了解南京地区利用7Be进行土壤侵蚀示踪研究的合适时机,于2010年1月~2011年12月收集南京地区各月的7Be沉降样品,经实验室化学实验处理和γ谱仪测量,计算7Be沉降通量,并分析7Be大气沉降的季节性变化趋势。结果表明：南京地区平均7Be沉降量为1 62178 Bq/（m2·a）,沉降通量为066～1449 Bq/（m2·d）,平均沉降通量为444 Bq/（m2·d）;7Be沉降通量的季节变化呈现双峰型趋势,冬末春初和夏季是两个高值区;7Be沉降的а值冬春季较大,夏季最低;降雨量大小与沉降量存在明显的正相关     

AIR-WATER TEMPERATURE RELATIONSHIP IN ILLINOIS RIVER1

Application of harmonic analysis to daily mean air, water temperature records for a location indicates that the first harmonic accounts for a major portion of the total variance in the records. Water temperature residuals are well correlated with air temperature residuals. Parametric values of the mathematical model for predicting water temperatures from air temperature records are stable from year to year. The air-water temperature relationship appears to be a stationary linear process. Consequently, it is possible to predict water temperatures at a location from the ambient temperature records provided both air and water temperature records are available for another similarly situated water body.     

Uptake of uranium and thorium by native and cultivated plants

Large part of available literature on biogeochemistry of uranium and thorium refers to the studies performed either in highly contaminated areas or in nutrient solutions that have been artificially ‘spiked’ with radionuclides. Effects of background levels of natural radioactivity on soil-grown plants have not been studied to the same extent. In this paper, we summarised results of greenhouse and field experiments performed by the author from 2000 to 2006. We examined some of the factors affecting transfer of U and Th from soil to plants, differences in uptake of these radionuclides by different plants, relationships between U and Th in soil and in plants, and temporal variations of U and Th in different plant species. Concentrations of radionuclides (critical point for experimental studies on biogeochemistry of U and Th - rare trace elements in non-contaminated regions) and essential plant nutrients and trace elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.     

城市土壤和地表灰尘重金属污染研究进展与展望

随着城市化和工业化的不断推进,城市土壤和地表灰尘重金属污染日趋严重,对城市环境和人类健康构成威胁,已成为国内外城市环境研究的热点问题.从重金属污染水平及其时空特征、污染源解析方法、生态和健康风险这3个主要方面,对国内外城市土壤和地表灰尘重金属研究成果进行了梳理和归纳.分析了当前研究存在的不足,并对未来研究进行了展望,即研究土壤和地表灰尘重金属在不同条件下的相互影响机制,通过丰富验证方法加强重金属来源解析模型结果的可靠性研究,加强来源驱动下重金属化学形态差异和地表灰尘短期累积污染过程的研究,完善暴露参数并深入探究重金属的化学形态对其生态和健康风险的影响,以提高风险预测水平.     

Spatial Variability of Nitrate Concentrations Under Diverse Conditions in Tributaries to a Lake Watershed1

Abstract: Nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) concentrations in stream water often respond uniquely to changes in inter‐annual conditions (e.g., biological N uptake and precipitation) in individual catchments. In this paper, we assess (1) how the spatial distribution of NO₃‐N concentrations varies across a dense network of nonnested catchments and (2) how relationships between multiple landscape factors [within whole catchments and hydrologically sensitive areas (HSAs) of the catchments] and stream NO₃‐N are expressed under a variety of annual conditions. Stream NO₃‐N data were collected during two synoptic sampling events across >55 tributaries and two synoptic sampling periods with >11 tributaries during summer low flow periods. Sample tributaries drain mixed land cover watersheds ranging in size from 0.150 to 312 km² and outlet directly to Cayuga Lake, New York. Changes in NO₃‐N concentration ratios between each sampling event suggest a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in catchment response across the Cayuga Lake Watershed, ranging from 0.230 to 61.4. Variations in NO₃‐N concentrations within each of the large synoptic sampling events were also high, ranging from 0.040 to 8.7 mg NO₃‐N/l (March) and 0.090 to 15.5 mg NO₃‐N/l (October). Although Pearson correlation coefficients suggest that this variability is related to multiple landscape factors during all four sampling events, partial correlations suggest percentage of row crops in the catchments as the only similar factor in March and October and catchment area as the only factor during summer low flows. Further, the strength of the relationships is typically lower in the HSAs of catchment. Advancing current understanding of such variations and relationships to landscape factors across multiple catchments – and under a variety of biogeochemical and hydrological conditions – is important, as (1) nitrate continues to be employed as an indicator of regional aquatic ecosystem health and services and (2) a unified framework approach for understanding individual catchment processes is a rapidly evolving focus for catchment‐based science and management.