Integration of chemical and biological methods: A case study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution monitoring in Shandong Peninsula, China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), as persistent toxic substances(PTS), have been widely monitored in coastal environment, including seawater and sediment. However, scientific monitoring methods, like ecological risk assessment and integrated biomarker response, still need massive researches to verify their availabilities. This study was performed in March, May, August and October of 2018 at eight sites, Yellow River estuary(S1), Guangli Port(S2), Xiaying(S3), Laizhou(S4), Inner Bay(S5), Ou...     

Erosional Consequence of Saltcedar Control

Removal of nonnative riparian trees is accelerating to conserve water and improve habitat for native species. Widespread control of dominant species, however, can lead to unintended erosion. Helicopter herbicide application in 2003 along a 12-km reach of the Rio Puerco, New Mexico, eliminated the target invasive species saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), which dominated the floodplain, as well as the native species sandbar willow (Salix exigua Nuttall), which occurred as a fringe along the channel. Herbicide application initiated a natural experiment testing the importance of riparian vegetation for bank stability along this data-rich river. A flood three years later eroded about 680,000 m³ of sediment, increasing mean channel width of the sprayed reach by 84%. Erosion upstream and downstream from the sprayed reach during this flood was inconsequential. Sand eroded from channel banks was transported an average of 5 km downstream and deposited on the floodplain and channel bed. Although vegetation was killed across the floodplain in the sprayed reach, erosion was almost entirely confined to the channel banks. The absence of dense, flexible woody stems on the banks reduced drag on the flow, leading to high shear stress at the toe of the banks, fluvial erosion, bank undercutting, and mass failure. The potential for increased erosion must be included in consideration of phreatophyte control projects.     

Benthic Response to Mucilaginous Aggregates in the Northern Adriatic Sea: Biochemical Indicators of Eutrophication

Abstract

In summer 1997, gelatinous aggregates appeared in the Adriatic Sea, covering large areas of the northern basin. This study deals with the comparison between the biochemical composition of the sedimentary organic matter in summer, 1996 (when no aggregates appeared), and in summer, 1997 (during the appearance of aggregates). the biochemical composition of organic matter in surface sediments (determined in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, phytopigments and nucleic acids) has been investigated in two areas along the coast of the NW-Adriatic Sea in order to characterize benthic processes during aggregate deposition on the sea floor. During mucilage accumulation, a significant increase of biochemical compounds was observed, and chlorophyll-a and carbohydrate concentrations doubled their concentrations. in contrast, protein concentrations decreased, so that overall biopolymeric carbon content (expressed as the sum of lipid, protein and carbohydrate carbon equivalents) did not display significant differences between sampling periods (1579.3 in June, 1996 1678.8 μgCg^?1 and June, 1997). the protein to carbohydrate ratio decreased from 4.9 in June, 1996 to 1.8 in June, 1997. Mucilage production in June, 1997, modified significantly the biochemical composition of the sedimentary OM, thus affecting the potential availability of OM to benthic consumers. We hypothesise that the production of highly refractory composition of the sedimentary OM during mucilage accumulation might have an important biogeochemical implications.     

基于SOM和多元分析的滇池沉积物污染特征空间模式研究

联合运用层次聚类分析(HCA)、判别分析(DA)和自组织映射神经网络(SOM)3种数值方法,对滇池2008—2010年17个底泥监测点位(10个常规点位及7个新增点位)9种污染物进行空间差异性和相似性分析,并评价各指标在空间的分布特征及监测点代表性.结果表明:滇池沉积物整体污染程度为草海>外海中部及南部>外海北部.As、Hg、Pb、Cd、Cu和Zn污染最严重的点位是断桥;草海中心的凯氏氮污染最严重,其他指标污染水平仅次于断桥;Cr和TP污染最严重的点位是新增点位盘龙江2;海埂是全局污染最轻的点位.现有的常规监测点位对整体污染特征的代表性较弱,建议取消异质性最低的白鱼口、观音山西、观音山东和罗家营站点;考虑污染特征和监测点位空间分布的均匀性,建议将盘龙江2、海埂和马料河设为常规监测点位.     

NITROGEN TRANSFORMATIONS IN SEDIMENTS AS AFFECTED BY CHEMICAL AMENDMENTS1

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to elucidate some of the chemical factors affecting the rate and pathways of N transformations in lake sediments. The main emphasis was placed on modifying a noncalcareous sediment with CaCO₃ to approximate the composition of a calcareous sediment. Additionally, the effects of Ca²⁺, CO₃^2-, Mg2⁺ and OH^- were evaluated by using appropriate chemicals. Further, the effect of aluminum sulfate was evaluated with both sediment types. Sediment pH at 7 days was not affected by CaCO₃, but was decreased by aluminum sulfate. The CaCO₃ treatment increased the rate of ammonification, nitrification, reduction of acetylene to ethylene and methane formation, while with few exceptions the other treatments decreased the rate of the transformations studied. Aluminum sulfate, which has been proposed as a lake restoration treatment, increased ammonification but decreased most of the other transformations.     

Investigation of various physicochemical and environmental parameter influence on pesticide sorption to ditch bed substratum by means of experimental design

Diffuse pollution by pesticide applied in rural catchments may contribute to alter water quality. Besides actions relative to the way the substances are introduced into the environment, it is also possible to limit the contamination by interfering on their transfer pathways from fields to the main river network. Especially, interface areas such as buffer strips or small ditches may play a major part in pesticide diffuse pollution decrease. In ditches a great variety of materials may act as sorbents for organic contaminants: grass, leaves, wood debris or sediments. In this study, laboratory experiments were designed to determine sorption characteristics for three herbicides with different physicochemical properties on sediment and leaves in decay commonly found in agricultural ditches. Sorption capacities were assessed for the herbicides isoproturon, diuron and diflufenican.

Experimental design was carried out to investigate the effects of five parameters on herbicide sorption on sediment and dead leaves. These parameters have been chosen according to parallel field experiment needs. Thus, the influence of initial sorbent moisture, herbicide form, i.e. active substance or commercial formulation, water quality (tap or natural ditch water), bromide ions (used as conservative tracers) and solid/liquid ratio have been tested. Within the parameters investigated, pesticide formulation and solid/liquid ratio were the most important parameters affecting pesticide sorption on both ditch materials.     

Pilot survey of a broad range of priority pollutants in sediment and fish from the Ebro river basin (NE Spain)

Priority organic pollutants were investigated in sediments and fish collected along the Ebro river basin (NE Spain) to evaluate their occurrence, transport and bioavailability. Sediments were collected in 18 sites and two species of fish were captured in nine sites according to the availability in each area. The sampling sites covered industrial, urban and agricultural areas. Four methods were used to detect 20 organochlorine compounds (OCs), 8 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 3 organotin compounds, 2 alkylphenols and 40 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from purified extracts. The contamination pattern was site specific and no downstream increase in concentration of pollutants was observed but rather a generalized low level diffuse pollution. Target compounds were detected in sediments at 0.01 to 2331 microg/kg dry weight, and only OCs and PBDEs were accumulated in benthopelagic fish. Toxicological assessment was performed according to predicted environmental levels and revealed sites where adverse effects could occur.     

High Cu and Cd pollution in sediments from Sisimiut, Greenland. Adsorption to organic matter and fine particles

High concentrations of Cu of up to 200 mg/kg, and Cd of up to 4.0 mg/kg, were found in sediments from the aquatic environment around Sisimiut, Greenland. These concentrations are four times higher than the limiting concentration where toxicological effects are expected. The pollution could be linked to human activities in Sisimiut, a link that have not been investigated previously in Greenland. Except from the most polluted samples there was good correlation between heavy metal concentration and organic matter. Also some relationship between fine fraction and heavy metal concentration was observed.     

Toxicity of octameric elemental sulphur in aquatic sediments

The proportions of elemental sulphur species in sediment from a contaminated area and a reference sediment sample were compared with the acute toxicity measured in short-term toxicity tests. Octameric elemental sulphur was separated into three operationally defined fractions. Here we show that octameric elemental sulphur contributes to the acute toxicity measured by bioluminescence inhibition. Our findings show that only a small part of extractable elemental sulphur was effective during exposure to the test organisms. A firmly bound fraction of sulphur was found in a contaminated sediment. This information has to be taken into account while interpreting the acute sediment toxicity.     

苏州河市郊段底泥中COD_(Cr)和NH_3-N的空间分布特征

对苏州河截流区外河段(城郊段)东大盈河口—北新泾,按河道形态,支流与城镇分布等因素,沿程采集24个底泥柱样,测定其不同部位不同深度底泥中COD_(Cr)和NH_3-N含量,分析COD_(Cr)和NH_3-N在沿程和垂向上的分布特征及其成因。结果表明,底泥中污染沿程分布呈不规则波状起伏,东大盈河、蕴藻浜、盐铁塘、封浜、华漕港、新槎浦等支流口,浮泥层中COD_(Cr)含量达2万mg/kg,超过背景值2—3倍,支流口下游200m范围内均较高;黄渡小支流口、华漕港支流口浮泥层中NH_3-H含量达250mg/kg,超过背景值3倍。在垂向分布上,底泥柱样都出现峰值分布,在某些弯道及支流口出现递减分布。底泥耗氧污染程度主要与支流及其排污量有关,其次是弯道凸岸处污染物易于沉积富集。这为苏州河市郊段环境综合治理、底泥疏浚和处置提供了科学依据。