Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes in ambient air and Pinus sylvestris L. needles: a comparative study between Belgium, Hungary and Latvia

Concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) in ambient air and in 1 yr old Pinus sylvestris pine needles were monitored along a busy road, petrol station and rural area of Belgium, Hungary and Latvia in a 1 yr period. To test P. sylvestris as a possible biomonitor for the BTEX concentrations, samples were taken in the four seasons. As the distribution of data was not normal, the level of pollution on different sites and seasons was compared and evaluated by non-parametric tests. The measured air concentrations did not differ significantly from one season to another throughout the year. There were, however, differences between sampling places. The C₂-alkylbenzene and toluene concentrations in the needles were similar in the autumn/winter and spring/summer periods but a significant decrease in their concentration was observed in every place between winter and spring. This effect was less obvious for toluene.     

环境空气中挥发性有机物的测定方法探讨

环境空气中VOCs的测定方法是国内外研究的焦点。本文通过对国内外环境空气中VOCs的测定方法进行总结，结合我国实际情况，指出在我国有两种方法测定环境空气中VOCs具有较高可行性及推广性：一种是固体吸附／热脱附／GC或GC—MS方法，一种是罐采样／冷冻预浓缩／GC或GC—MS方法。     

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and Other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Public Water Systems,Private Wells,and Ambient Groundwater Wells in New Jersey Compared to Regulatory and Human-Health Benchmarks

Potential threats to drinking water and water quality continue to be a major concern in many regions of the United States. New Jersey, in particular, has been at the forefront of assessing and managing potential contamination of its drinking water supplies from hazardous substances. The purpose of the current analysis is to provide an up-to-date evaluation of the occurrence and detected concentrations of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and several other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in public water systems, private wells, and ambient groundwater wells in New Jersey based on the best available data, and to put these results into context with federal and state regulatory and human-health benchmarks. Analyses are based on the following three databases that contain water quality monitoring data for New Jersey: Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Private Well Testing Act (PWTA), and National Water Information System (NWIS). For public water systems served by groundwater in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 30 (2%), 21 (1.4%), and five (0.3%) of sampled systems from 1997 to 2011, respectively. For private wells in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 385 (0.5%), 183 (0.2%), and 46 (0.05%) of sampled wells from 2001 to 2011, respectively. For ambient groundwater wells in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 14 (2.1%), 9 (1.3%), and 4 (0.6%) of sampled wells from 1993 to 2012, respectively. Average detected concentrations of MTBE, as well as detected concentrations at upper-end percentiles, were less than corresponding benchmarks for all three datasets. The available data show that MTBE is rarely detected in various source waters in New Jersey at a concentration that exceeds the State's health-based drinking water standard or other published benchmarks, and there is no evidence of an increasing trend in the detection frequency of MTBE. Other VOCs, such as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and benzene, are detected more often above corresponding regulatory or human-health benchmarks due to their higher detected concentrations in water and/or greater toxicity values. The current analysis provides useful data for evaluating the nature and extent of historical and current contamination of water supplies in New Jersey and potential opportunities for public exposures and health risks due to MTBE and other VOCs on a statewide basis. Additional forensic or forecasting analyses are required to identify the sources or timing of releases of individual contaminants at specific locations or to predict potential future water contamination in New Jersey.     

浑河-大辽河水系水体与沉积物中典型全氟化合物的污染水平及生态风险评价

采用超高效液相色谱串联质谱(UPLC-ESI-MS/MS)分析了水体和沉积物中全氟化合物(PFCs)浓度水平,结果表明,浑河-大辽河的干流水中,PFCs总浓度范围为1.80~13.0 ng·L-1,其中,PFHx A、PFHp A、PFOA、PFOS和PFDA是主要污染物;沈阳细河中PFCs的总浓度为27.0~50.0 ng·L-1,其主要污染物为PFPA、PFOA、PFOS和PFDA.在浑河-大辽河沉积物中,PFHx A是唯一的检出物,其含量为0.130~0.490 ng·g-1干重;除了PFHx A,PFOS也是细河中的主要污染物,其浓度水平分别为0.070~0.220 ng·g-1和0.180~0.830 ng·g-1干重.采用实测的水和沉积物中PFOA和PFOS的暴露浓度以及预测的无效应浓度(PNEC),运用商值法对浑河-大辽河干流及沈阳细河水体和沉积物中PFOA和PFOS的生态风险进行评价.结果表明水体和沉积物中PFOA和PFOS的浓度均未达到对生态环境具有风险的水平.     

二噁英类化合物的毒性作用机制及其生物检测方法

二噁英类化合物具有高毒性,来源多样且分布广泛,是持久性有机物的典型代表,二噁英类污染物及其对健康的危害已引起了公众的普遍关注。一些二噁英类同系物具有代谢稳定性,其毒性效应主要是通过芳香烃受体介导,而越来越多的研究表明二噁英类毒性作用机制的复杂性。在此背景下,综述了近些年在二噁英类毒性作用机制及其代谢途径的新认识,评价比较了主要二噁英类高通量生物检测方法,以期为该类污染物的环境污染物筛查和风险评估提供参考。     

全氟化合物前体物质生物转化与毒性研究进展

全氟化合物前体物质在环境和人体中广泛分布,是全氟化合物污染的重要间接来源.由于这些前体物质可以转化为具有生物富集性、多器官毒性,并且半衰期更长的全氟磺酸(PFSAs)和全氟烷酸(PFCAs),近年来受到了越来越多的关注.此外,一些全氟化合物前体物质自身或者代谢中间体也具有一定的生物学毒性,如类激素作用、蛋白偶联、细胞毒性等等,这些都可能造成人群暴露的潜在健康危害.本篇综述针对于全氟烷酸和全氟磺酸类的前体物质,总结了该类化合物在环境分布、生物转化和相关毒性研究方面的最新进展.     

低分子量有机化合物对MnO_2和土壤氧化锰的还原溶解作用

为考察土壤锰氧化物的还原溶解行为,本文选取常见的根系分泌的8种有机酸(抗坏血酸、香草酸、柠檬酸、草酸、酒石酸、水杨酸、半胱氨酸和邻苯二甲酸)和1种酚类化合物(邻苯二酚),人工合成的Mn O2和5种富含氧化锰的土壤(广东徐闻的砖红壤、海南澄迈的砖红壤、云南昆明的砖红壤、浙江嵊县的红壤和江苏南京的黄棕壤),研究了有机化合物对氧化锰的还原溶解作用.结果表明,较低p H和较高温度有利于有机化合物对Mn O2的还原溶解.在p H 4.5—5.5和温度5—45℃范围内,不同有机化合物还原溶解Mn O2能力的大小顺序为:邻苯二酚半胱氨酸抗坏血酸香草酸柠檬酸草酸≈酒石酸水杨酸≈邻苯二甲酸.邻苯二酚、半胱氨酸和抗坏血酸对土壤中氧化锰也有较强的还原溶解能力.当5种土壤比较时,徐闻砖红壤中还原溶解出的锰量最高,其次为昆明砖红壤,嵊县红壤中还原溶解出的锰量最小.当有还原性有机化合物存在时徐闻砖红壤、昆明砖红壤和澄迈砖红壤中的氧化锰容易发生还原溶解反应,增加土壤中可溶态和交换态Mn2+的含量,并可能对植物产生锰毒害.     

Investigation of carbonyl compound sources at a rural site in the Yangtze River Delta region of China

Carbonyl compounds are important intermediates in atmospheric photochemistry, but their primary sources are still not understood well. In this work, carbonyls, hydrocarbons, and alkyl nitrates were continuously measured during November 2011 at a rural site in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. Mixing ratios of carbonyls and hydrocarbons showed large fluctuations during the entire measurement. The average level for total measured volatile organic compounds during the pollution episode from 25th to 27th November, 2011 was 91.6 ppb, about 7 times the value for the clean period of 7th–8th, November, 2011. To preliminarily identify toluene sources at this site, the emission ratio of toluene to benzene (T/B) during the pollution episode was determined based on photochemical ages derived from the relationship of alkyl nitrates to their parent alkanes. The calculated T/B was 5.8 ppb/ppb, significantly higher than the values of 0.2–1.7 ppb/ppb for vehicular exhaust and other combustion sources, indicating the dominant influence of industrial emissions on ambient toluene. The contributions of industrial sources to ambient carbonyls were then calculated using a multiple linear regression fit model that used toluene and alkyl nitrates as respective tracers for industrial emission and secondary production. During the pollution episode, 18.5%, 69.0%, and 52.9% of measured formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone were considered to be attributable to industrial emissions. The emission ratios relative to toluene for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone were determined to be 0.10, 0.20 and 0.40 ppb/ppb, respectively. More research on industrial carbonyl emission characteristics is needed to understand carbonyl sources better.     

Cu-Mn-Ce ternary mixed-oxide catalysts for catalytic combustion of toluene

Cu–Mn, Cu–Mn–Ce, and Cu–Ce mixed-oxide catalysts were prepared by a citric acid sol–gel method and then characterized by XRD, BET, H_2-TPR and XPS analyses. Their catalytic properties were investigated in the toluene combustion reaction. Results showed that the Cu–Mn–Ce ternary mixed-oxide catalyst with 1:2:4 mole ratios had the highest catalytic activity, and 99% toluene conversion was achieved at temperatures below 220°C. In the Cu–Mn–Ce catalyst, a portion of Cu and Mn species entered into the Ce O_2 fluorite lattice, which led to the formation of a ceria-based solid solution. Excess Cu and Mn oxides existed on the surface of the ceria-based solid solution. The coexistence of Cu–Mn mixed oxides and the ceria-based solid solution resulted in a better synergetic interaction than the Cu–Mn and Cu–Ce catalysts, which promoted catalyst reducibility, increased oxygen mobility, and enhanced the formation of abundant active oxygen species.     

Removal of formaldehyde over MnxCe1-xO2 catalysts: Thermal catalytic oxidation versus ozone catalytic oxidation

MnxCe1- xO2（x： 0.3–0.9） prepared by Pechini method was used as a catalyst for the thermal catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde（HCHO）. At x = 0.3 and 0.5, most of the manganese was incorporated in the fluorite structure of Ce O2 to form a solid solution. The catalytic activity was best at x = 0.5, at which the temperature of 100% removal rate is the lowest（270°C）. The temperature for 100% removal of HCHO oxidation is reduced by approximately 40°C by loading 5 wt.% Cu Oxinto Mn0.5Ce0.5O2. With ozone catalytic oxidation, HCHO（61 ppm） in gas stream was completely oxidized by adding 506 ppm O3 over Mn0.5Ce0.5O2 catalyst with a GHSV（gas hourly space velocity） of 10,000 hr-1at 25°C. The effect of the molar ratio of O3 to HCHO was also investigated. As O3/HCHO ratio was increased from 3 to 8, the removal efficiency of HCHO was increased from 83.3% to 100%. With O3/HCHO ratio of 8, the mineralization efficiency of HCHO to CO2 was 86.1%. At 25°C, the p-type oxide semiconductor（Mn0.5Ce0.5O2） exhibited an excellent ozone decomposition efficiency of 99.2%,which significantly exceeded that of n-type oxide semiconductors such as Ti O2, which had a low ozone decomposition efficiency（9.81%）. At a GHSV of 10,000 hr-1, [O3]/[HCHO] = 3 and temperature of 25°C, a high HCHO removal efficiency（≥ 81.2%） was maintained throughout the durability test of 80 hr, indicating the long-term stability of the catalyst for HCHO removal.