Determination of Cadmium and Lead in Different Cigarette Brands in Jordan

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentrations in different cigarette brands sold and/or produced in Jordan were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Average levels of Cd and Pb in different cigarette brands in Jordan were 2.64 and 2.67 g g^{– 1} (DW), respectively. The results obtained in this study estimate the average quantity of Cd inhaled from smoking one packet of 20 cigarettes to be in the range of 3.65–7.30 g. Results suggest that the quantity of Pb inhaled of smoking one packet of 20 cigarettes, is estimated to be 0.74–2.22 g. The concentrations of Cd and Pb in cigarettes were significantly different between cigarette brands tested. Our results were compared with other worldwide studies.     

Metal Levels in Raccoon Tissues: Differences On and Off the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina

Levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, selenium, and strontium⁸⁸ were examined in heart, kidney, muscle, spleen and liver of raccoons (Procyon lotor) from four areas on the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS), including near a former reactor cooling reservoir and a coal ash basin, and from public hunting areas within 15 km of the site. Mercury is mentioned briefly because it is discussed more fully in another paper. We test the hypotheses that there are no differences in metal levels between raccoons on SRS and off the SRS (off-site), and among different locations on the SRS. Although raccoons collected off-site had significantly lower levels of mercury and selenium in both the liver and kidney, there were few consistencies otherwise. There were significantly higher levels of cadmium in liver of on-site compared to off-site raccoons, and significantly higher levels of chromium and strontium⁸⁸ in kidney of on-site compared to off-site raccoons. Copper and manganese were highest in the liver; cadmium, lead, mercury and selenium were highest in the liver and kidney; chromium was highest in the spleen and muscle; arsenic was highest in the heart, and strontium⁸⁸ was slightly higher in the kidney than other organs. Where there were significant differences on site, chromium, manganese were highest in raccoon tissues from Steel Creek; arsenic, lead and selenium were highest in the Ash Basin; cadmium was highest at Upper Three Runs; and strontium⁸⁸ was highest at Upper Three Runs and Steel Creek. The patterns were far from consistent.     

Distribution of heavy metals in sediment and water of river Gomti

Gomti river receives industrial as well as domestic wastes from various drains of Lucknow city. In the process the water and sediment of the river Gomti get contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants. In the present study, impacts of domestic/industrial wastes on the water and sediment chemistry of river Gomti with special reference to heavy metals have been investigated in different seasons (summer, winter and rainy). For this, seven sampling sites: Gaughat, Mohan Meakin, Martyrs Memorial, Hanuman Setu, Nishatganj bridge, Pipraghat and Malhaur, in the river Gomti in Lucknow region were identified and samples of water and sediments were collected in all the three seasons. In the collected water and sediment samples, six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were analyzed on ICP-AES (Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy) Labtam Plasmalab 8440. High concentrations of all the metals were noticed in water and sediment in rainy season compared to summer and winter. Because in rainy season runoff from open contaminated sites, agricultural field and industries, directly comes into the river without any treatment. In both the cases, the concentration of zinc was maximum (0.091 g/ml in water and 182.13 g/g in sediment) and the concentration of cadmium (0.001 g/ml in water and 17.26 g/g in sediment) was minimum. Higher concentration of metal in water and sediment during rainy season could be due to the industrial/agricultural/domestic runoff coming into the river.     

Concentrations of Cadmium, Mercury and Selenium in Blood, Liver and Kidney of Common Eider Ducks from the Canadian Arctic

We determined concentrations of selected trace elements inlivers, kidneys and blood samples from common eiders (Somateria mollissima borealis) from the eastern Canadianarctic during 1997 and 1998. Concentrations of totalmercury and organic mercury were generally low in the liversof these birds (less than 6 and 4 g g^–1 dry wt,respectively). Selenium ranged between 11–47 g g^–1 inlivers. Renal cadmium concentrations were among the highestever published for this species (range: 47–281 g g^–1). The regressions of log-transformed concentrations ofthese trace elements in blood samples on those in liver orkidney were significant (all P-values < 0.05) andpositive. However, except for organic mercury (RM ² = 0.83), the co-efficients of determination were low tomoderate (range of R ²: 0.26–0.52), suggesting poorto moderate predictive capability. Furthermore, therelationships between total mercury in blood and liverchanged between 1997 and 1998, suggesting that it would notbe possible to predict consistently, concentrations ofmercury in blood from those in liver based on samples takenin one year. Blood samples can be used to determineconcentrations of these trace elements in common eiders (andprobably other sea duck species as well). The use of bloodsamples is especially warranted when it is undesirable tokill the animal such as when working with rare or endangeredsea duck species or when the objective is to relate traceelement exposure to annual survival rates. However, thepredictive equations developed here should not be used topredict expected concentrations in one type of tissue fromthose in the other.     

大气污染对城市绿化植物叶片叶绿素含量的影响

研究了南阳市城市大气对该市5种常见城市绿化植物叶片叶绿素(a、b)含量比例(Ca/Cb)以及叶片叶绿素总含量(Ct)的影响。通过研究发现,污染严重的南阳卷烟厂区域植物叶片叶绿素Ca/Cb值相对较高,叶绿素总含量(Ct)相对较低;无污染的对照区域(南阳师范学院院内绿化区)植物叶片叶绿素Ca/Cb值相对较低,叶片叶绿素总含量(Ct)相对较高。通过数据分析,进一步得出了5种常见城市绿化植物抗大气污染能力的大小:女贞>大叶黄杨>月季>金叶女贞>三叶草。     

牛粪生物炭对重金属镉污染土壤的钝化修复研究

为了探讨以牛粪为原材料制备的生物炭对重金属镉污染土壤的钝化修复作用,采用人工模拟重金属镉污染土壤进行盆栽试验,研究分别添加在低温300℃和高温700℃条件下制备的牛粪生物炭,对重金属镉污染土壤p H值、镉含量、镉形态及供试作物中镉含量的影响。结果显示:高温700℃制备的生物炭效果好于低温300℃,与对照值(CK)相比,当两种牛粪生物炭添加量为10 g/kg时处理效果最佳,土壤p H值、镉含量依次升高0.2和0.1、42.2%和21.84%,供试作物中镉含量降低了71.59%和51.22%,酸可提取态镉降低了21.69%和22.89%,残渣态镉含量升高了51.59%和77.71%;牛粪生物炭添加量为2.5g/kg时,Fe-Mn氧化结合态镉、有机结合态镉含量降幅最大,分别为21.88%和14.06%、31.82%和12.12%。牛粪生物炭对重金属镉污染土壤具有良好的钝化修复效果。     

污泥掺烧过程中Cl/S/P/矿物质的热交互作用对Cd迁移转化行为的影响

采用化学热力学平衡分析方法,应用污泥实测数据模拟计算了污泥掺烧过程中Cl/S/P与矿物质的交互作用,重点模拟研究了Cl/S/P/矿物质交互体系对Cd迁移转化的影响.研究结果表明,污泥掺烧过程含Cl、S及P逸出气体以HCl(g)、SO_2(g)及(P_2O_5)_2(g)形式排放.污泥掺烧含有CaO-SiO_2-Al_2O_3体系中,CaO可以抑制S以SO_2(g)释放,而SiO_2及Al_2O_3对SO_2(g)逸出有促进作用,同时CaO及Al_2O_3可以抑制P的挥发.污泥掺烧过程中SiO_2及Al_2O_3对Cd挥发都有一定抑制作用,但CaO及Fe_2O_3对Cd基本无影响;当Cl存在时,Ti O2和SiO_2对Cd吸附作用减弱,并使Al_2O_3吸附剂失效;当S存在时,可导致吸附剂对Cd中毒,而P可导致Al_2O_3吸附剂失效;Cl-S-P耦合体系中,单一矿物质对Cd迁移转化影响主要受Cl和S控制.SiO_2+CaO+Al_2O_3共存体系中,Cl的存在可导致固体吸附剂SiO_2和Al_2O_3失效;S、S+Cl、S+P、S+Cl+P的存在受控元素为S,并且可以抑制Cd的挥发;P、Cl+P的存在对Cd影响受控元素为Cl,可促进Cd挥发.     

Oxygen tolerance capacity of upflow anaerobic solid-state (UASS) with anaerobic filter (AF) system

In order to investigate the oxygen tolerance capacity of upflow anaerobic solid-state(UASS)with anaerobic filter(AF) system, the effect of microaeration on thermophilic anaerobic digestion of maize straw was investigated under batch conditions and in the UASS with AF system. Aeration intensities of 0–431 m L O2/gvswere conducted as pretreatment under batch conditions. Aeration pretreatment obviously enhanced anaerobic digestion and an aeration intensity of 431 m L O2/gvsincreased the methane yield by 82.2%. Aeration intensities of 0–355 m L O2/gvswere conducted in the process liquor circulation of the UASS with AF system. Dissolved oxygen(DO) of UASS and AF reactors kept around 1.39 ±0.27 and 0.99 ± 0.38 mg/L, respectively. p H was relatively stable around 7.11 ± 0.04. Volatile fatty acids and soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration in UASS reactor were higher than those in AF reactor. Methane yield of the whole system was almost stable at 85 ± 7 m L/gvs as aeration intensity increased step by step. The UASS with AF system showed good oxygen tolerance capacity.     

Effects of multitasking on operator performance using computational and auditory tasks

This study investigated the effects of multiple cognitive tasks on human performance. Twenty-four students at North Carolina A&;T State University participated in the study. The primary task was auditory signal change perception and the secondary task was a computational task. Results showed that participants' performance in a single task was statistically significantly different from their performance in combined tasks: (a) algebra problems (algebra problem primary and auditory perception secondary); (b) auditory perception tasks (auditory perception primary and algebra problems secondary); and (c) mean false-alarm score in auditory perception (auditory detection primary and algebra problems secondary). Using signal detection theory (SDT), participants' performance measured in terms of sensitivity was calculated as ?0.54 for combined tasks (algebra problems the primary task) and ?0.53 auditory perceptions the primary task. During auditory perception tasks alone, SDT was found to be 2.51. Performance was 83% in a single task compared to 17% when combined tasks.     

旱柳(Salix matsudana Koidz)对Pb的耐性、富集、转运与胁迫响应研究

耐性机理的系统解析对于旱柳在土壤Pb污染控制上的应用具有重要意义.为了明确旱柳对Pb的耐性机理,通过盆栽试验研究了旱柳对Pb的耐性、富集、转运特征,采用STEM、EDAX、FTIR分析了旱柳对Pb的胁迫响应机制.结果表明:低含量(≤600 mg·kg-1)Pb对旱柳生长有促进作用,高含量(≥1000 mg·kg-1)Pb明显抑制旱柳的生长;旱柳对Pb具有很高的耐性,耐性指数TI(%)可达108.32,属Pb高耐性植物;旱柳对Pb的富集能力较强,富集系数均值可达7.5773,而对Pb的转运能力较弱,转运系数均小于1;低含量Pb胁迫不影响叶绿素的合成,也不会促生丙二醛(MDA),而高含量Pb胁迫明显抑制叶绿素的合成,促使MDA大量生成,导致严重的细胞膜脂过氧化和膜损伤;抗氧化酶(POD、CAT、SOD)及可溶性蛋白能够对低含量Pb胁迫做出积极有效的响应,但无法清除高含量Pb胁迫所产生的毒害;扫描透射电镜(STEM)分析表明,Pb胁迫使根系发黑、萎蔫,茎部破败、堵塞,叶片褶皱、卷曲,破坏气孔结构;傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)分析表明,Pb胁迫使导致膜脂过氧化和膜损伤的自由羟基增多,而使对Pb具有络合、螯合作用的连生羟基、巯基、羰基数量减少;能谱(EDAX)分析表明,Pb胁迫抑制了Ca、K的吸收,同时干扰其他矿质元素的吸收利用.