Source identification, contamination status and health risk assessment of heavy metals from road dusts in Dhaka, Bangladesh

In this study, concentrations of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were determined in road dusts collected from different locations in Dhaka to assess source, contamination status and health risk. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to determine Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb and their mean concentrations were 162.27 ± 29.46, 721.18 ± 180.14, 35.65 ± 12.55, 104.56 ± 128.33, 515.32 ± 321.90, BDL, and 342.82 ± 591.20 mg/kg, respectively. Among the heavy metals, highest concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb were found at urban sites-7 (municipal waste dumping) and 8 (medical waste incineration). Highest concentration of Cr followed by Cu and Zn was found at site-5 (Tejgaon, urban). Principal component analysis revealed that anthropogenic activities are the potential sources for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb while earth crust for Mn. Pollution index and pollution load index results suggested that all the sites were contaminated and/or degraded by Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb except sites-9 (urban), 10 (sub-urban), 11 (rural) while sites-7 and 8 (urban) were extremely degraded. For noncarcinogenic health risk, hazard quotient values for dermal were higher compared to that of inhalation/ingestion. Though hazard index values were less than 1 at all the sites, these were at least one order of magnitude higher for children group than that of adult group, thus the children group may face more noncarcinogenic health risk at sites-7 and 8. Values of incremental lifetime cancer risk were from 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻¹¹ showed no carcinogenic health risk by road dusts contaminated with the heavy metals.     

A review of Australian approaches for monitoring,assessing and reporting estuarine condition: III. Evaluation against international best practice and recommendations for the future

In this final component of a three-part review, we present a national synthesis and evaluation of approaches for monitoring, assessing and reporting estuarine condition across Australia. Progress is evaluated against objective criteria that together provide a model of international best practice. We critically assess the limitations, inconsistencies and gaps that are evident across Australian jurisdictions, and identify common obstacles to future progress. Major strengths and successes are also highlighted, together with specific examples of best practice from around Australia that are transferable to other States and beyond. Significant obstacles to greater national coordination of monitoring and reporting practices include inconsistent spatial scales of management, pluralistic governance structures and the lack of any overarching legislation. Nonetheless, many perceptible advances have been made over the last decade across Australia in estuarine monitoring and health assessment, and there is great potential for further progress. Finally, we provide a list of recommendations to address some of the most pressing limitations and gaps, and support improved future monitoring, assessment and reporting for Australian estuaries.     

WRF-Fluent耦合模式的构建及其对城市大气扩散的精细化模拟

为了准确刻画城市环境中的复杂建筑结构对大气运动和污染物输送及扩散过程的影响,结合中尺度模式WRF和微尺度模式Fluent构建了单向耦合的WRF-Fluent模式,并将其应用于榆中县城区高架源排放情景下大气扩散的模拟研究.基于城市气象/示踪外场试验期间获取的气象数据对WRF模式的模拟性能进行验证,发现WRF能够为Fluent提供比较准确的随时间变化的气象驱动场.在此基础上,将榆中县城区三维几何模型嵌入到WRF-Fluent中,对城区内的流场及污染烟羽的时空演变过程进行精细化模拟,并将模拟结果与实测示踪物浓度数据进行比对.结果显示,WRF-Fluent模式可以很好地描述城区内的复杂三维风场结构以及污染烟羽随时间的动态变化特征,而且模拟的地面和城市冠层顶浓度最大值基本位于观测值的0.3~3倍之内,这表明构建的WRF-Fluent模式具有较好的模拟性能,可作为一种有效的工具应用于实际城市规划和空气质量改善以及环境风险评估等方面的研究.     

黄河三角洲湿地表层沉积物中微塑料的分布、来源和风险评价

河口湿地是陆海相互作用强烈的重要地球关键带,同时还受到人类活动的强烈影响.黄河三角洲湿地作为年轻的暖温带河口湿地,其微塑料污染状况尚未得到充分研究.因此对黄河三角洲湿地表层沉积物中微塑料的形态、丰度、粒径和成分组成进行了测定,并使用污染负荷指数（PLI）和潜在污染风险指数（PRI）评估了研究区域微塑料污染状况和生态风险.结果表明,黄河三角洲湿地微塑料丰度为20~520 n ·kg^-1,中值为150 n ·kg^-1.微塑料形貌以纤维和黑色为主,粒径在1 mm以上,成分多为人造丝、聚乙烯、聚酯纤维和聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯等.湿地中微塑料的PLI值介于0.04~0.96之间,PRI值介于0.00~171.60之间,表明黄河三角洲湿地微塑料污染处于轻微污染和低生态风险水平.     

The Conservation Status and Conservation Strategy of Picea neoveitchii

Picea neoveitchii is an endemic species in China. It had been listed as an endangered species in red data books. It scatters in several locations of south slope of the Qinling Mountain of China. Upon reviewing the related literature, discussing with leading scholars on gymnosperm, ecology and plant conservation, the field survey was carried out in four locations. There are eleven mature individuals and two seedlings surviving in its natural habitats. With the survey of quadrat method in four locations, related community index were calculated such as relative important value （RIV）, species richness, similarity index, diversity index and evenness index etc. The community could be sorted and characterized as three groups based on the community parameters. The analysis of vegetation table elucidates that Picea neoveitchii is a dominant species with low grouping rate in most surveyed sites. The RAPD analysis shows target species has intraspecific genetic variability. The estimation of Shannon＇s phenotypic diversity index （Ho） also explains the difference of genetic variations of different locations. Due to the lack of enough knowledge and professional guide of conservation biological perspective, Picea neoveitchii had been clear-cut for timber production. The extent of occurrence and area of occupancy declined rapidly from 1950s to 1990s. According to the Conservation Category guideline proposed by the World Conservation Union, the conservation status of Picea neoveitchii was reevaluated as Critically Endangered （CR） B2b C2a D. Upon research in areas of ecology, molecular biology, cluster analysis of environmental parameters, a practical conservation strategy is recommended in this research.     

A stochastic-advective transport model for NAPL dissolution and degradation in non-uniform flows in porous media

Remediation schemes for contaminated sites are often evaluated to assess their potential for source zone reduction of mass, or treatment of the contaminant between the source and a control plane (CP) to achieve regulatory limits. In this study, we utilize a stochastic stream tube model to explain the behavior of breakthrough curves (BTCs) across a CP. At the local scale, mass dissolution at the source is combined with an advection model with first-order decay for the dissolved plume. Field-scale averaging is then employed to account for spatial variation in mass within the source zone, and variation in the velocity field. Under the assumption of instantaneous mass transfer from the source to the moving liquid, semi-analytical expressions for the BTC and temporal moments are developed, followed by derivation of expressions for effective velocity, dispersion, and degradation coefficients using the method of moments. It is found that degradation strongly influences the behavior of moments and the effective parameters. While increased heterogeneity in the velocity field results in increased dispersion, degradation causes the center of mass of the plume to shift to earlier times, and reduces the dispersion of the BTC by lowering the concentrations in the tail. Modified definitions of effective parameters are presented for degrading solutes to account for the normalization constant (zeroth moment) that keeps changing with time or distance to the CP. It is shown that anomalous dispersion can result for high degradation rates combined with wide variation in velocity fluctuations. Implications of model results on estimating cleanup times and fulfillment of regulatory limits are discussed. Relating mass removal at the source to flux reductions past a control plane is confounded by many factors. Increased heterogeneity in velocity fields causes mass fluxes past a control plane to persist, however, aggressive remediation between the source and CP can reduce these fluxes.     

影响街区峡谷浓度扩散的因素

对街区峡谷内污染扩散规律的研究是城市空气质量预测的主要内容之一。应用现代流体力学数值模拟方法进行大量算例的计算和分析,研究了城市街区峡谷污染物二维扩散的规律。在分析二维街区峡谷内浓度扩散的规律时,发现对街区峡谷浓度扩散的两个影响因素,其中定量分析了湍流脉动对浓度扩散的影响,与层流时得到的浓度扩散进行了通量积分的比较;此外,定性分析了不同类型的街区峡谷对扩散的影响。     

突发性大气污染事件数字化动态应急预案系统及其应用

针对近些年频繁发生的突发性大气污染事件,构建了数字化动态应急预案系统。该系统由基础信息数据库、气象环境模式与健康风险评估系统、数字化动态应急预案三部分组成,并利用地理信息系统将三者有机结合,将事故基本信息、事故发展预测及救援状况直观、动态地展现在系统界面,使应急行动得以及时、高效地展开。实地外场综合应急演习证明,该系统技术路线稳定畅通,运行高效,功能强大,具有较好的可行性和实效性。     

含硫天然气净化厂硫化氢泄漏分析及对策

以川东北某含硫天然气净化厂为对象,通过分析该净化厂的处理工艺及可能造成泄漏的各种原因,确定了硫化氢泄漏危险较高的生产单元。通过工艺压力、流量、物料组分的比对,选取了脱硫单元原料气和硫磺回收单元酸性气作为模拟泄漏物料。对该厂所在地的气象条件和厂区的地形地貌进行了调查,净化厂当地近5年风速、云量统计表明低风速和多云为主导天气,将D1.5m/s作为模拟硫化氢泄漏扩散的典型气象条件。采用了美国石油学会(API)推荐地面粗糙度长度。运用PHAST软件计算了在典型气象条件下通过3种不同孔径泄漏1 min,5min和30min,形成的立即危及生命或健康(IDLH)范围。在典型气象条件下IDLH的下风向边界距离在41m至1190m范围内,以硫磺回收单元的大孔径泄漏为最远。以小孔泄漏为例模拟并讨论了风速、大气稳定度对硫化氢扩散的影响。为降低H2S泄漏风险提出了在线监测及联锁系统设置的要求,对避免和减少硫化氢中毒伤亡事故具有指导意义。     

Effects of mercury graded doses on redox status,metallothionein levels and genotoxicity in the intestine of sea cucumber Holothuria forskali

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous and a major environmental metal pollutant in the aquatic ecosystem. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of mercury graded doses exposure on oxidative stress, redox status, metallothionein levels and genotoxicity in the intestine of sea cucumber Holothuria forskali. Specimens were exposed for 96?h to three concentrations of Hg (40, 80 and 160?µg/L). Exposure of H. forskali to Hg promoted oxidative stress with an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels. An increase of glutathione (GSH), vitamin C (ViteC) and non-protein thiols (NPSH) contents was also observed. Additionally, antioxidant activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased especially with the highest doses of Hg indicating a great defense of the antioxidant system. Our investigation revealed an increase in total Metallothionein (MT) content which was more pronounced at the sharpest concentrations of Hg. A significant decline of AChE activity was also observed. In the intestine of Hg-treated H. forskali genotoxicity was confirmed by DNA degradation.