Increased Bioavailability of Mercury in the Lagoons of Lomé, Togo: The Possible Role of Dredging

Surface sediments of the lagoons of Lomé, Togo, were analyzed for mercury, methylmercury, and trace elements. Concentrations were greater than typical for natural lagoon sediments, and with greater variability within the Eastern lagoon compared to the Western one. The Eastern lagoon is larger and has been dredged in the past, while the Western lagoon, which also receives major waste inputs, has not been dredged and shows less tidal flushing. Accordingly, one naturally believes that the Eastern lagoon is cleaner and probably safe to use due to its natural resources, including fishes to eat. Unexpectedly, we describe here that mercury methylation was greater in the Eastern lagoon, indicating increased bioavailability of mercury, as probably facilitated by past dredging that decreased solid-phase retention of inorganic mercury. Urbanization has historically been more developed in the southern part of the lagoons, which is still reflected in contamination levels of sediment despite dredging, probably because sources of contamination are still more important there today. Such urban contamination emphasizes the need to regulate waste discharges and possible airborne contamination in growing cities of developing countries, and implements environmental and public health monitoring, especially in relation to misbelieves systematically associated with the cleansing effect of dredging activity.     

Global Urban Growth and the Geography of Water Availability,Quality, and Delivery

Globally, urban growth will add 1.5 billion people to cities by 2030, making the difficult task of urban water provisions even more challenging. In this article, we develop a conceptual framework of urban water provision as composed of three axes: water availability, water quality, and water delivery. For each axis, we calculate quantitative proxy measures for all cities with more than 50,000 residents, and then briefly discuss the strategies cities are using in response if they are deficient on one of the axes. We show that 523 million people are in cities where water availability may be an issue, 890 million people are in cities where water quality may be an issue, and 1.3 billion people are in cities where water delivery may be an issue. Tapping into groundwater is a widespread response, regardless of the management challenge, with many cities unsustainably using this resource. The strategies used by cities deficient on the water delivery axis are different than for cities deficient on the water quantity or water quality axis, as lack of financial resources pushes cities toward a different and potentially less effective set of strategies.     

Atmospheric particle characterization, distribution, and deposition in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Central China

Physical characterization and chemical analysis of settled dusts collected in Xi’an from November 2007 to December 2008 show that (1) dust deposition rates ranged from 14.6 to 350.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. The average deposition rate (76.7 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) ranks the 11th out of 56 dust deposition rates observed throughout the world. The coal-burning power was the major particle source; (2) on average (except site 4), ∼10% of the settled dusts having size <2.6, ∼30% having size <10.5, and >70% having size <30 μm; (3) the concentrations for 20 out of 27 elements analyzed were upto 18 times higher than their soil background values in China. With such high deposition rates of dusts that contain elevated levels of toxic elements, actions should be taken to reduce emission and studies are needed to assess the potential impacts of settled particles on surface ecosystem, water resource, and human health in the area.     

Assessment of oral bioaccessibility of arsenic in playground soil in Madrid (Spain): a three-method comparison and implications for risk assessment

Three methodologies to assess As bioaccessibility were evaluated using playground soil collected from 16 playgrounds in Madrid, Spain: two (Simplified Bioaccessibility Extraction Test: SBET, and hydrochloric acid-extraction: HCl) assess gastric-only bioaccessibility and the third (Physiologically Based Extraction Test: PBET) evaluates mouth-gastric-intestinal bioaccessibility. Aqua regia-extractable (pseudo total) As contents, which are routinely employed in risk assessments, were used as the reference to establish the following percentages of bioaccessibility: SBET - 63.1; HCl - 51.8; PBET - 41.6, the highest values associated with the gastric-only extractions. For Madrid playground soils - characterised by a very uniform, weakly alkaline pH, and low Fe oxide and organic matter contents - the statistical analysis of the results indicates that, in contrast with other studies, the highest percentage of As in the samples was bound to carbonates and/or present as calcium arsenate. As opposed to the As bound to Fe oxides, this As is readily released in the gastric environment as the carbonate matrix is decomposed and calcium arsenate is dissolved, but some of it is subsequently sequestered in unavailable forms as the pH is raised to 5.5 to mimic intestinal conditions. The HCl extraction can be used as a simple and reliable (i.e. low residual standard error) proxy for the more expensive, time consuming, and error-prone PBET methodology. The HCl method would essentially halve the estimate of carcinogenic risk for children playing in Madrid playground soils, providing a more representative value of associated risk than the pseudo-total concentrations used at present.     

影响石榴品质的地球化学因素——以石家庄市元氏县变质岩山区为例

本文依据1∶20万化探资料,对石家庄市元氏县石榴种植区岩石、土壤元素地球化学特征进行了分析,探讨了石榴品质与地球化学因素之间的关系。结果表明:土壤元素地球化学特征和石榴品质有着密切的关系,在1∶20万化探图中,P、Zn、Mg、Fe、Cu、Na等元素的高低与石榴品质的空间分布具有很好的吻合性,品质较好的石榴主要分布在黑云斜长片麻岩和浅变质砂砾岩区,其母岩及土壤中植物营养元素P、K、Mg、Fe、Mn、Zn、B、S、Mo有效态含量都较其它类型母岩及土壤中元素有效态含量高,研究认为,在地貌及水热条件、土壤结构等条件具备的前提下,母岩及土壤中植物营养元素的高低是决定石榴品质的最重要的因素之一,1∶20万化探资料可以做为种植优质石榴科学布局的依据。     

MapGIS技术支持下的宜宾市翠屏区宋家乡环境地球化学质量评价

采用地质累积指数和污染程度分析方法,结合MapGIS空间分析技术,对宜宾市翠屏区宋家乡项目区土地质量进行系统的环境地球化学质量评价,重点对调查区的重金属元素(As、Hg、Cd、Cr、Zn、Cu、Pb、Ni)情况进行土壤质量评价。结果显示,宋家乡研究区土壤中存在不同程度的Hg、Cd、Cr、Zn、Pb、Ni和Cu重金属超标,主要集中在洋坪村、丘陵村和大地村,而大地村的镉超标较为严重,整个研究区砷没有出现污染。为此,结合实际查明造成重金属污染的原因,为该区土壤资源、环境评价和农业经济发展规划提供实用的地球化学信息。     

A modeling assessment of the thermal regime for an urban sport fishery

Water temperature is almost certainly a limiting factor in the maintenance of a self-sustaining rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerlySalmo gairdneri) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) fishery in the lower reaches of the Cache la Poudre River near Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Irrigation diversions dewater portions of the river, but cold reservoir releases moderate water temperatures during some periods. The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Stream Network Temperature Model (SNTEMP) was applied to a 31-km segment of the river using readily available stream geometry and hydrological and meteorological data. The calibrated model produced satisfactory water temperature predictions (R ²=0.88,P<0.001, N=49) for a 62-day summer period. It was used to evaluate a variety of flow and nonflow alternatives to keep water temperatures below 23.3°C for the trout. Supplemental flows or reduced diversions of 3 m³/sec would be needed to maintain suitable summer temperatures throughout most of the study area. Such flows would be especially beneficial during weekends when current irrigation patterns reduce flows. The model indicated that increasing the riparian shade would result in little improvement in water temperatures but that decreasing the stream width would result in significant temperature reductions. Introduction of a more thermally tolerant redband trout (Oncorhynchus sp.), or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) might prove beneficial to the fishery. Construction of deep pools for thermal refugia might also be helpful.     

Urban growth management in Jeddah

The towns and cities of Saudi Arabia have been subjected to sustained growth pressures since the transformation of the country's economy following the discovery of oil in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. The rapid growth which has been experienced has created major problems for the central and local government agencies responsible for planning and managing urban growth. The experience of Jeddah, one of the major cities in Saudi Arabia, is described and the problems of planning and managing its growth are analysed. Weaknesses relating to the structure of the planning system are identified, as are major difficulties in relation to the quality and quantity of professional staff. Recent attempts to improve the operation of the planning system are described and evaluated.     

IDENTIFICATION OF DISSOLVED-CONSTITUENT SOURCES IN MINE-SITE GROUND WATER USING BATCH MIXING1

ABSTRACT: Batch-mixing experiments were used to help identify lithologic and mineralogic sources of increased concentrations of dissolved solids in water affected by surface coal mining in northwestern Colorado. Ten overburden core samples were analyzed for mineral composition and mixed with distilled water for 90 days until mineral-water equilibrium was reached. Between one day and 90 days after initial contact, specific conductance in the sample mixtures had a median increase of 306 percent. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 200 to 8,700 mg/L in water samples extracted from the mixtures after 90 days. Mass. balance simulations were conducted using the geochemical models BALANCE and WATEQF to quantify mineral-water interactions occurring in five selected sample mixtures and in water collected from a spring at a reclaimed mine site. The spring water is affected by mineral-water interactions occurring in all of the lithologic units comprising the overburden. Results of the simulations indicate that oxidation of pyrite, dissolution of dolomite, gypsum, and epsomite, and cation-exchange reactions are the primary mineral-water interactions occurring in the overburden. Three lithologic units in the overburden (a coal, a sandstone, and a shale) probably contribute most of the dissolved solids to the spring water. Water sample extracts from mixtures using core from these three units accounted for 85 percent of the total dissolved solids in the 10 sample extracts. Other lithologic units in the overburden probably contribute smaller quantities of dissolved solids to the spring water.     

Inner City regeneration: perspectives on the G.E.A.R. Project

Government responses to the problems of the inner city currently focus on comprehensive programmes of positive discrimination. The first and most extensive is the G.E.A.R. project in Glasgow. Regular monitoring of the effectiveness of such large‐scale initiatives is essential. If the physical and social aims of such policies are to be realised, assessments must utilise both objective and subjective indicators.