Transport of a non-volatile contaminant in unsaturated porous media in the presence of colloids

Stable colloidal particles can travel long distances in subsurface environments and carry particle-reactive contaminants with them to locations further than predicted by the conventional advective-dispersive transport equation. When such carriers exist in a saturated porous medium, the system can be idealized as consisting of three phases: an aqueous phase, a carrier phase, and a stationary solid matrix phase. However, when colloids are present in an unsaturated porous medium, the system representation should include one more phase, i.e. the air phase. In the work reported, a mathematical model was developed to describe the transport and fate of the colloidal particles and a non-volatile contaminant in unsaturated porous media. The model is based on mass balance equations in a four-phase porous medium. Colloid mass transfer mechanisms among aqueous, solid matrix, and air phases, and contaminant mass transfer between aqueous and colloid phases are represented by kinetic expressions. Governing equations are non-dimensionalized and solved to investigate colloid and contaminant transport in an unsaturated porous medium. A sensitivity analysis of the transport model was utilized to assess the effects of several parameters on model behavior. The colloid transport model matches successfully with experimental data of Wan and Wilson. The presence of air-water interface retards the colloid transport significantly counterbalancing the facilitating effect of colloids. However, the retardation of contaminant transport by colloids is highly dependent on the properties of the contaminant and the colloidal surface.     

Hepatic and immune biological effect assays in C57BL/6 mice to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioavailability under laboratory exposures with increasing environmental relevance

Background Monitoring biological responses that are mediated via the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in animals exposed to environmental contaminants can indicate both the presence to chemicals that act through this biochemical pathway and whether these chemicals are bioavailable. Objectives The use of an ex-situ method that incorporated biological responsiveness monitoring in mice for determining the presence of ‘biologically active’ hydrocarbons in contaminated soils was investigated. Methods The use of C57BL/6 as a test organism was validated by determining hepatic and immune responsiveness to two polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): 3,4 benz[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 1,2 benz (a)anthracene (BA) administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. The responsiveness of mice exposed to soils spiked with hydrocarbons or ex situ exposures to soil removed from two contaminated sites was also investigated. Results and Discussion Mice that were exposed to B[a]P via i.p. injections showed a 14-fold increase in liver microsomal ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity compared to the control group. In contrast EROD activity following BA exposure at the same level was not significantly enhanced. Mouse immune response was significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by i.p. injections of B[a]P. No significant inhibition occurred with the same doses of BA. Following i.p. exposure, the retention of B[a]P in mouse carcasses was greater than BA. Mice exposed to clean soils spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations of B[a]P and BA failed to show any significantly different hepatic or immune responses. Carcass residue data indicated a limited uptake of PAH from the soil. In contrast, EROD activity in mice exposed (ex situ) to hydrocarbon-contaminated soils removed from a fuel-loading depot and decommissioned gas works was significantly enhanced (4- and 2-fold respectively). However, this increase in EROD activity did not appear to correlate with either soil or carcass PAH concentrations. Conclusions and Outlook These results support the assumption that B[a]P has a higher affinity for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) compared to BA. Soil parameters such as organic carbon content, structure and particle size distribution can modulate the bioavailability of contaminants to biological receptors. These factors are implicated in the lack of responsiveness demonstrated in the spiked soil experiments. However the responsiveness of EROD activity in mice exposed (ex situ) to soil contaminated with complex mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds confirms the potential usefulness of this model to determine the presence of ‘biologically active’ compounds in aged soils removed from contaminated sites.     

镉在土壤-植物系统中的迁移转化及其影响因素

重金属镉(Cd)被列为环境污染物中最危险的五种物质之一。因其极易通过食物链在人体内积累并危害人体健康的特性，环境Cd污染尤其是土壤系统的Cd污染已成为国内外环境污染研究的热点，Cd在土壤一植物系统中迁移转化规律备受关注。本文概述了国内外土壤Cd污染研究现状；在已有研究的基础上，总结并阐述了影响Cd在土壤一植物系统中迁移转化的几个重要因素：土壤基本理化性质(pH值、有机质等)、Zn元素、P元素、陪伴阴离子Cl^-和SO4^2-，其中包括尚未被普遍认识的P元素和陪伴阴离子Cl^-和SO4^2-；并详细论述了各因子对Cd在土壤一植物系统中迁移转化的影响及其可能机理。     

无公害清洗剂的研制

研制了无公害清洗剂,该剂为弱碱性水基清洗剂,不含强酸,强碱,磷,铝等有害成分,能有效地清洗任何硬表面的油污,对人,畜基本无毒。     

典型矿冶周边地区土壤重金属污染及有效性含量

对湖南长沙、株洲、衡阳、郴州等地区的典型矿冶污染土壤进行了采样分析与有效性含量提取,结果表明,土壤中重金属污染严重,矿区土壤主要污染元素为Pb、Zn、As、Cr、Cu,而冶炼业周边污染土壤中主要是Zn、Pb、Cr、As、Cu、Cd,其污染程度均远远高于国家环境质量二级标准;Pb、Cd和Zn污染主要来源于采矿、冶炼活动而As污染可能还与农业生产有关。不同浸提液对土壤中Pb、Zn、Cd、As、Cu有效性质量分数的提取能力(设其符号为u)依次为u(NH4NO3)>u(HCl)>u(CaCl2);而对有效性Cr,HCl提取量为最高;盐基离子,尤其是NH4、NO3效应和酸效应(H+)大大促+-进了土壤中重金属离子的环境危害行为。     

锡矿尾矿库土壤-食用马铃薯和豌豆中重金属污染状况

通过对云南个旧锡矿尾矿库土壤和作物中重金属含量分布特征的初步研究,结果表明尾矿库内作物的根际土壤中Pb、As和Cu含量严重超过国家土壤二级标准(GB15168-1995),污染指数分别为41-49、158-173和22-29,均属重度污染.生长在尾矿库内的作物也受到重金属的不同程度污染,马铃薯(Solanaceae Solanum Tuberosum)和豌豆(Pisum Sativum Linn)的食用部分Pb、As和Cu的含量与国家食品卫生标准上限值相比.高达152和38.5倍、17.4和1.2倍、2和0.95倍.尽管土壤中Sn含量很高,但作物中Sn含量正常,表明Sn未通过土壤-作物系统而进入矿区食物链中.因此应根据尾矿库中土壤的重金属地球化学分布特征.对其进行针对性地修复,避免在尾矿库内种植作物以减少矿区重金属污染在食物链中的扩散.     

我国土壤环境质量研究几个值得探讨的问题

针对当前我国土壤环境工作情况,讨论了土壤环境质量研究中3个值得探讨的问题:土壤污染定义、土壤环境质量标准修订和土壤污染防治法立法.关于土壤污染的定义,目前尚无一致的认识.笔者在综合国内外主要观点的基础上提出了土壤污染的定义,并建议建立基于风险评估的土壤环境质量标准体系,认为目前宜制订土壤环境质量目标值、土壤(分别有农业、居住、工业用地土壤)环境质量指导值和土壤污染危害临界值3类标准值,同时分别提出了初步的制订方法.制定土壤污染防治法是我国建立一套行之有效的土壤环境管理体系的需要,笔者在技术层面上讨论了土壤污染防治法的制定问题.     

农田重金属污染原位钝化修复研究进展

污染土壤重金属原位钝化修复是通过向土壤中施加一些活性钝化修复材料,通过溶解沉淀、离子交换吸附、氧化还原、有机络合等反应来改变重金属在土壤中的赋存状态,降低土壤中重金属的有效浓度、迁移性和生物有效性。这种方法成本较低、操作简单、见效快且适合大面积推广,在重金属污染土壤修复中有着不可替代的作用。尤其对主要由污水灌溉、大气沉降等造成的农田土壤面源污染,一些具有吸附固定土壤中重金属离子特性的天然物质和工业副产品都可运用在实地的钝化修复中,且不同类型的钝化修复剂对重金属污染土壤的钝化修复效果各不相同。采用实验室评价和实地应用评价,一方面可以评估钝化修复材料对污染土壤中重金属离子的固定效率;另一方面可以评估钝化修复材料对土壤理化性状、养分状况和生物活性的影响。对重金属污染土壤原位钝化修复中不同来源的钝化剂进行了分类,目前广泛使用的钝化修复剂主要包括硅钙物质、含磷材料、有机物料、黏土矿物、金属及金属氧化物、生物碳及新型材料等,概述了它们各自对重金属污染土壤的钝化修复效果。从研究方法、评价指标、环境影响因子、钝化机制以及环境风险评价等方面分析了该领域的研究现状以及存在的主要问题,今后应重点关注钝化修复剂对土壤-作物系统的潜在环境风险以及钝化材料修复效果的田间长期稳定性评价。     

矿区周围土壤中重金属危害性评估研究

分别用总量法和连续萃取法对广东大宝山矿周围土壤、植物和沉积物中重金属的总量和化学形态进行了详细分析。结果发现，矿山废水流入的横石河沉积物中Pb、Zn、Cu和Cd的质量分数分别为1841．02、2326．28、1522．61和10.33mg／kg；经此河水灌溉的稻田中重金属(Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn)的质量分数也远远超出了土壤环境二级标准值，其中Cu、Cd超标倍数分别为14．01和4．17倍。结果还表明，生长在矿区周围的植物也受到不同程度重金属的污染且不同植物吸收和积累重金属的能力相差很大。用Tessier连续法对土壤中重金属进行萃取发现，虽然重金属主要存在于残余态中，但在Fe-Mn氧化态、有机结合态中的质量分数也很高．说明这些土壤确实受到了有毒有害重金属元素的严重污染。     

叶面喷施铈硅复合溶胶抑制生菜砷积累效应研究

采用水热合成法,利用正硅酸乙酯和硝酸铈分别制备了二氧化硅和二氧化铈溶胶。通过土培盆栽试验,在广东省汕头市莲花山钨矿区砷污染土壤上种植意大利生菜,研究了叶面喷施不同浓度二氧化硅、二氧化铈以及不同掺杂比的铈硅复合溶胶对生菜地上部生物量、叶绿素含量、砷含量以及生菜地上部砷积累量的影响。结果表明：叶面喷施不同浓度铈、硅溶胶及不同掺杂比的铈硅复合溶胶均可以缓解生菜砷毒害,表现为生菜的地上部鲜重升高了9%～58.8%,砷含量降低了23%～48%。叶面喷施低浓度的二氧化铈掺杂5mmol·L-1二氧化硅复合溶胶可以增加生菜叶片叶绿素含量,进一步提高二氧化硅缓解生菜砷毒害效果。其中以叶面喷施5mmol·L-12%铈掺杂二氧化硅复合溶胶生菜地上部鲜重最高为对照的1.6倍;砷含量最低为对照的51.4%。叶面喷施铈、硅复合溶胶不仅可以降低生菜可食用部位砷浓度,而且可以减少生菜地上部吸收积累砷总量,从而降低了砷通过食物链对人体健康的危害。与传统土壤施用硅肥相比,叶面施用硅溶胶具有经济高效的优点,为土壤砷污染控制提供了一种新的选择。