Applicability of grid-net detection system for landfill leachate and diesel fuel release in the subsurface

The grid-net system estimating the electrical conductivity changes was evaluated as a potential detection system for the leakage of diesel fuel and landfill leachate. Aspects of electrical conductivity changes were varied upon the type of contaminant. The electrical conductivity in the homogeneous mixtures of soil and landfill leachate linearly increased with the ionic concentration of pore fluid, which became more significant at higher volumetric water contents. However, the electrical conductivity in soil/diesel fuel mixture decreased with diesel fuel content and it was more significant at lower water contents. The electrode spacing should be determined by considering the type of contaminant to enhance the electrode sensitivity especially when two-electrode sensors are to be used. The electrode sensitivity for landfill leachate was constantly maintained regardless of the electrode spacings while that for the diesel fuel significantly increased at smaller electrode spacings. This is possibly due to the fact that the insulating barrier effect of the diesel fuel in non-aqueous phase was less predominant at large electrode spacing because electrical current can form the round-about paths over the volume with relatively small diesel fuel content. The model test results showed that the grid-net detection system can be used to monitor the leakage from waste landfill and underground storage tank sites. However, for a successful application of the detection system in the field, data under various field conditions should be accumulated.     

Phase partitioning modeling of ethanol, isopropanol, and methanol with BTEX compounds in water

This study investigates the equilibrium phase partitioning behavior of ethanol, isopropanol, and methanol in a two-phase liquid-liquid system consisting of water and an individual BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes) compound. A previously developed computer program is enhanced to generate ternary phase diagrams for analysis of each three-component cosolvent-nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL)-water mixture combination. The required activity coefficients are estimated using the UNIFAC (Universal Quasichemical Functional group Activity Coefficient) model. The UNIFAC-derived ternary phase diagrams generally show good agreement against published experimental data, and similar phase partitioning behavior is observed for every BTEX compound in the presence of the same cosolvent. Furthermore, a set of laboratory experiments is conducted to determine the maximum single-phase water content for every mixture combination considered in this study where the volume composition of the cosolvent and the NAPL components is a blend of 85% alcohol and 15% BTEX compound. Comparison of experimentally-derived maximum single-phase water contents against UNIFAC-derived results shows good agreement for mixtures containing ethanol and methanol, but relatively poor agreement for mixtures containing isopropanol.     

Kinetic and dynamic aspects of soil-plant-snail transfer of cadmium in the field

The proper use of bioaccumulation in the assessment of environmental quality involves accounting for chemical fluxes in organisms. Cadmium (Cd) accumulation kinetics in a soil-plant-snail food chain were therefore investigated in the field under different soil contamination (from 0 to 40 mg kg(-1)), soil pH (6 and 7) and season. Allowing for an accurate and sensitive assessment of Cd transfer to snails, toxicokinetics appears an interesting tool in the improvement of risk assessment procedures and a way to quantify metal bioavailability for a defined target. On the basis of uptake fluxes, snails proved to be sensitive enough to distinguish moderate soil contaminations. The soil pH did not appear, in the range studied, as a modulating parameter of the Cd transfer from soil to snail whereas the season, by influencing the snail mass, may modify the internal concentrations. The present data specifying a time integrated assessment of environmental factors on metal bioavailability and transfer to terrestrial snails should ensure their rational use in environmental biomonitoring.     

Surfactant-soil interactions during surfactant-amended remediation of contaminated soils by hydrophobic organic compounds: a review

Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that reduce aqueous surface tension and increase the solubility of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs). Surfactant-amended remediation of HOC-contaminated soils and aquifers has received significant attention as an effective treatment strategy - similar in concept to using soaps and detergents as washing agents to remove grease from soiled fabrics. The proposed mechanisms involved in surfactant-amended remediation include: lowering of interfacial tension, surfactant solubilization of HOCs, and the phase transfer of HOC from soil-sorbed to pseudo-aqueous phase. However, as with any proposed chemical countermeasures, there is a concern regarding the fate of the added surfactant. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding nonionic micelle-forming surfactant sorption onto soil, and serves as an introduction to research on that topic. Surfactant sorption onto soil appears to increase with increasing surfactant concentration until the onset of micellization. Sorbed-phase surfactant may account for the majority of added surfactant in surfactant-amended remediation applications, and this may result in increased HOC partitioning onto soil until HOC solubilization by micellar phase surfactant successfully competes with increased HOC sorption on surfactant-modified soil. This review provides discussion of equilibrium partitioning theory to account for the distribution of HOCs between soil, aqueous phase, sorbed surfactant, and micellar surfactant phases, as well as recently developed models for surfactant sorption onto soil. HOC partitioning is characterized by apparent soil-water distribution coefficients in the presence of surfactant.     

扎龙湿地南山湖沉积岩芯重金属污染特征及来源判别

选取扎龙湿地南部围湖造田、湖水养殖典型湖泊——南山湖为研究区,分析NSH2沉积岩芯中Hg、Cd、Pb、Cr、As、Mn、Ag、Cu、Co、Fe和Zn这11种重金属元素总量的垂向分布特征,结合颗粒组成指标,采用主成分分析的方法,并辅以210Pbex测年数据,研究了自1829年以来该湖区沉积物重金属元素污染特征、来源及污染历史.结果表明：①近两百年以来沉积物沉积速率经历了由慢到快再到慢的过程,沉积历史与南山湖流域人类的生产活动和水土保持政策相吻合;②1957年以前各元素含量变化趋势平稳,1957～1985年间存在小幅波动,1985年以后变化明显,其中Hg、Cd和Ag含量明显偏高;③NSH2沉积岩芯重金属污染来源以生活污水、化肥农药的流失以及煤与汽油等燃料的燃烧为主,其次是有机质降解、岩石风化和侵蚀,还存在工业排污源,贡献率分别为50.14%、19.90%和10.32%.南山湖重金属污染具有一定的潜在风险,在当地湖泊湿地污染治理中应予以足够的重视,此研究可为扎龙湿地湖区生态环境的整治与改善提供基础性的数据资料.     

阿斯旺建坝后尼罗河三角洲重金属污染研究进展——对长江三角洲的启示

人类活动尤其是流域建坝对下游三角洲会产生深远的环境影响。1964年阿斯旺建坝后尼罗河三角洲沉积环境发生重大改变,以廉价水电为基础的埃及工业迅速发展,大量工农业废水排入沿海泻湖,造成了严重的重金属污染并威胁人体健康。本文详细梳理了埃及阿斯旺建坝后尼罗河三角洲重金属研究历史与现状,及重金属污染导致的生态效应。同时,本文针对我国三峡大坝的修建及长江口可能出现的环境响应,提出了今后应关注的研究方向。     

华北地区天气型对区域大气污染的影响

分析了2000—2001年采暖期重污染天气型演变、垂直温湿层结结构及区域污染特征。区域性重污染背景为各类重污染天气型相继影响的复合系统,其中有各类天气型组成的污染物传输、汇聚和区域污染同步累积系统。华北平原区域性同步污染现象受制于高空持续稳定的西风及低空各类稳定的天气型配置。各地同一时期污染指数的差异与排放源群结构及输送汇聚天气型移动和演变影响有关。区域性重污染温湿层结多为喇叭口状(沙尘型污染除外)。      

Metals in sediment/pore water in Chaohu Lake: Distribution, trends and flux

Nine metals, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, As, Cr, Zn, Fe, and Mn in sediment and pore water from 57 sampling sites in Chaohu Lake (Anhui Province, China) were analyzed for spatial distribution, temporal trends and diffuse flux in 2010. Metals in the surface sediment were generally the highest in the western lake center and Nanfei-Dianbu River estuary, with another higher area of As, Fe, and Mn occurring in the Qiyang River estuary. Metal contamination assessment using the New York sediment screening criteria showed that the sediment was severely contaminated in 44% of the area with Mn, 20% with Zn, 16% with Fe, 14% with As, and 6% with Cr and Ni. An increasing trend of toxic metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, As, Cr, Zn) and Mn with depth was shown in the western lake. Compared with metal content data from the sediment survey conducted in 1980s, the metal content of surface sediment in 2010 was 2.0 times that in the 1980s for Cr, Cu, Zn, and As in the western lake, and less than 1.5 times higher for most of the metals in the eastern lake. Among the metals, only Mn and As had a widespread positive diffuse flux from the pore water to overlying water across the whole lake. The estimated flux in the whole lake was on average 3.36 mg/(m². day) for Mn and 0.08 mg/(m². day) for As, which indicated a daily increase of 0.93 μg/L for Mn and 0.02 μg/L for As in surface water. The increasing concentration of metals in the sediment and the flux of metals from pore water to overlying water by diffusion and other physical processes should not be ignored for drinking-water sources.     

运用主成分分析(PCA)评价海洋沉积物中重金属污染来源

测定了胶州湾表层沉积物中重金属和有机质的含量,并用平均富集因子(Average Enrichment Factors,AEF)进行污染状况评价,发现胶州湾表层沉积物重金属污染可分为3类:轻度污染(AEFs<2),其中有Zn(AEF=1.11)、Pb(AEF=1.15)、Cr(AEF=1.52)、Mn(AEF=0.80)、Fe(AEF=0.45);中度污染(AEFs=2～3),包括Cu(AEF=2.79)和Cd(AEF=2.52);严重污染(AEFs>3),主要有As(AEF=3.03)和Hg(AEF=8.08).进一步通过主成分分析(Principal Component Analysis,PCA)研究沉积物中重金属的来源,发现前3个主成分的贡献率分别为52.61%、17.37%和15.60%,表明重金属主要有3个来源:工业排污、有机质降解、岩石的自然风化与侵蚀过程.PCA的聚类分析指出,本次研究中所调查的14个站位在污染程度上可分为5大类,此结果既反映了胶州湾表层沉积物近河口污染程度重远河口污染程度轻的特点,同时也支持了工业排污是沉积物中重金属污染主要来源的分析.     

蜈蚣草对污染土壤中As、Pb、Zn、Cu的原位去除效果

通过2年的原位修复试验,探讨了蜈蚣草对污染土地中As、Pb、Zn、Cu的修复(去除)潜力.研究结果表明,蜈蚣草除了能富集As外,对Pb也有较强的富集能力,地上部Pb含量可高达1303mg·kg-1·蜈蚣草生物量达到了极大值时,地上部As、Pb、Zn、Cu含量可分别高达1455、937、365、101mg·kg-1.蜈蚣草对As和Pb都具有良好的修复效果,每年刈割2次蜈蚣草,As、Pb分别能够去除15.5kg·hm-2·a-1和8.5kg·hm-·2a-1.蜈蚣草对As、Pb、Zn有很强的耐性,在土壤中Pb、Zn、Cu含量高达10913、2511、510mg·kg-1时,不会显著降低蜈蚣草的生物量.