Contaminated sediments and bioassay responses of three macroinvertebrates, the midge larva Chironomus riparius, the water louse Asellus aquaticus and the mayfly nymph Ephoron virgo

Bioassays are widely used to estimate ecological risks of contaminated sediments. We compared the results of three whole sediment bioassays, using the midge larva Chironomus riparius, the water louse Asellus aquaticus, and the mayfly nymph Ephoron virgo. We used sediments from sixteen locations in the Dutch Rhine-Meuse Delta that differed in level of contamination. Previously developed protocols for each bioassay were followed, which differed in sediment pretreatment, replication, and food availability. The Chironomus bioassay was conducted in situ, whereas the other two were conducted in the laboratory. The measured endpoints, survival and growth, were related to contaminant levels in the sediment and to food quantity in water and sediment.

Only the response of A. aquaticus in the bioassay was correlated with sediment contamination. Food availability in overlying water was much more important for C. riparius and E. virgo, thereby masking potential sediment contaminant effects. We conclude that growth of A. aquaticus was depressed by sediment contamination, whereas growth of E. virgo and C. riparius was stimulated by seston food quantity. We discuss that the trophic state of the ecosystem largely affects the ecological risks of contaminated sediments.     

Surface Consolidation of Pentelic Marble: Criteria for the selection of methods and materials - The Acropolis case (6 pp)

Goal and Scope In order to realize surface consolidation of Pentelic marble on the Acropolis monuments, we have collected the criteria that have to be fulfilled by the methods and materials without side effects on the marbles (and other stones). When the existing methods and materials did not satisfy the requirements (criteria), we invented new ones.Methods The criteria were collected from the literature, by thermodynamic and kinetic viewpoints, by laboratory experiments and in situ observations on monuments, both in Greece and in several countries in which the various methods and materials were applied. Concerning our method of ‘Inversion of sulfation’, performed by spraying a K2CO3 solution, its concentration and its temperature were controlled in order to have a total inversion (certified by liquid crystals) of gypsum back to CaCO3. For the new material of ours, ‘Reinforced Lime’, in order to eliminate the disadvantages of plain lime (low carbonation rate, low mechanical properties of CaCO3 formed, lack of carbonation in the bulk of lime), measurements of the rate of carbonation were performed in plain lime and in lime with a different CaCO3 concentration beforehand as well as in a different CO2 environments, using DTG and XRD to measure the rate of carbonation. The detachment (kg/cm2) of marble specimens stuck by lime in each case was also measured. A microscope was also used to measure the dimensions of the grain in each case as well as ammonium citrate and thymolphthalein to certify the depth of carbonation in each case. Part of the work was communicated in an international congress.Results A table with the criteria of the selection of the methods and materials for the consolidation of Pentelic marble surfaces (and other stones) was established. None of the employed methods and materials fulfilled the criteria. Only the ‘Inversion of gypsum ‘ and the ‘Reinforced Lime’ were adopted and applied to the Acropolis monuments and to other monuments in Greece and in several other countries.Recommendation and Outlook All criteria must be used for the selection of methods and materials for the consolidation of the monument surfaces. This is why we have already studied with the same procedures, methods and materials for restoration, surface cleaning and protection.     

Endocrine disruption of water and sediment extracts in a non-radioactive dot blot/RNAse protection-assay using isolated hepatocytes of rainbow trout

Goal, Scope and Background In order to evaluate the estrogenic activity of sediments and XAD water extracts of selected sites of the catchment area of the River Neckar, a river system in Southern Germany, an integrative assessment approach was used to assess the ecological hazard potential of endocrine-disrupting compounds in sediment and water. Methods The approach is based on estrogen receptor-mediated vitellogenin synthesis induced in isolated hepatocytes of rainbow trout and quantified in a non-radioactive dot blot/RNAse protection-assay in parallel to comprehensive chemical analyses of estrogenic substances. Results and Discussion Numerous investigated extracts revealed an estrogen activity comparable to that of the positive control (1 nM 17?-estradiol corresponding to 270 ng/L in the test medium). Based on a concentration factor of 30 in the extracts and a recovery of XAD resins of approximately 80 %, 17?-estradiol equivalent concentrations between 20 and 26.7 ng/L could be calculated downstream of a sewage treatment plant (< 0.1 ng/L for a reference site). A comparison of the bioassay-derived Bio-TEQs (toxicity equivalents) and the Chem-TEQs revealed a high correlation with a Pearson coefficient of 0.85, indicating that the same ranking of the samples could be obtained with respect to the endocrine disrupting potential with both chemical and bioanalytical analysis. However, the TEQ concentrations computed from chemical analyses were significantly lower than the bioassay-derived TEQ concentrations. In fact, in none of the samples, more than 14 % of the vitellogenin-inducing potency could be attributed to the substances (steroids, alkylphenols, bisphenol A, diethylstilbestrol) analyzed. A comparison of the endocrine disrupting potential of sediments extracted by the solvents acetone and methanol revealed lower biological effects for acetone-extracted samples. Possible reasons may be a masking of endocrine effects in acetone extracts by cytotoxicity, a low extraction efficiency of the solvent acetone, or anti-estrogen potencies of some extracted sediment compounds. Using a mass balance approach, the contribution of the compounds analyzed chemically (Chem-TEQs) to the total endocrine activity (Bio-TEQs) was calculated. Based on the very low detection limits, particularly of the steroids with their high TEF factors, results revealed that a calculation of the Chem-TEQs is associated with considerable scale inaccuracy: Whereas only 7-15 % of the biological effectiveness (Bio-TEQs) could be explained by endocrine substances identified above the detection limits, the assumption of concentrations slightly below the given detection limits would result in a significant over estimation (137-197 %) of the Bio-TEQs. Even the interassay variation of the dot blot assay with different fish donors for primary hepatocyte (factor 2 - 2.5) is relatively low, when compared to the large range of the Chem-TEQ concentrations (factor 20) obtained when applying different modes of calculation. Conclusions and Outlook Overall, only a minor portion of the endocrine activity detected by bioassays could be linked to compounds identified by chemical analysis. In vitro assays for assessment of endocrine activities are useful as sensitive integrating methods that provide quantitative estimates of the total activity of particular receptor-mediated responses. Although discrepancies may also result from different bioanalytical approaches, it is overall likely that bioanalytical and not chemical analytical approaches give the correct estimate of endocrine disrupting potencies in environmental samples. As a conclusion, assessment of endocrine disruption based on chemical analysis alone does not appear sufficient and further research into the spectrum of substances with potential endocrine activity as well as into additive or even synergistic effects in complex environmental samples is urgently needed.     

The SeKT joint research project: definition of reference conditions, control sediments and toxicity thresholds for limnic sediment contact tests

- In current biotest approaches, intact organisms or in vitro systems are exposed to sediments using different exposure scenarios. The most important issue in sediment toxicity testing protocols is the question which test phase (solid or liquid) should be used. Whole-sediment exposure protocols represent the most realistic scenario to simulate in situ exposure conditions in the laboratory. However, until now there is no agreement in how to acquire and to evaluate the data of the various available sediment contact assays. The SeKT joint research project was initiated with the aim to compare recently developed sediment contact assays by addressing reference conditions, control sediments and toxicity thresholds for limnic sediment contact tests.     

Dechlorination of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene in the sediment of Ise Bay

The relation between dechlorination activities of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and anaerobic microbial activity were studied in the sediment collected at three sites in Ise Bay in Japan. The degradation rate of spiked 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (3nmol ml⁻¹) ranged from 15 to 35 pmol day⁻¹ ml⁻¹ wet sediment and about 1/3 to 1/2 of degraded the trichlorobenzene was recovered as dechlorinated products. Among the dichlorobenzenes, the 1,2-isomer had the highest and 1,3-isomer had the lowest production rate. Comparing the three sampling sites, the trichlorobenzene degradation and dichlorobenzenes production rates were related to the sulfate reducing activity for the unit number of sulfate reducing bacteria. Production rates of dichlorobenzenes were completely inhibited by adding molybdate (20 mM), nitrate (60 mM), and formaldehyde solution (4 %). These results indicated that dechlorination activity in the Ise Bay sediment was supported by sulfate reduction activity in the sediment, and not supported by any other anaerobic microbial activity.     

高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻的研究

湖泊、水库等水源的富营养化，使藻类去除成为饮用水生产的重要任务。本研究采用高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮除藻，考察了混凝剂、气泡表面积通量和浮选柱高度等因素的影响。试验表明，高气泡表面积通量浮选柱气浮可高效地去除绿藻、硅藻和蓝藻，叶绿素a和藻类去除率达95％以上，比传统浮选柱气浮和沉降作业有较大幅度提高。与普通气浮柱比较，高气泡表面积通量浮选柱增加了气泡与藻的碰撞几率，防止因大表观充气速率造成的紊流和扰动，使气泡／藻结合体有相对静态的浮升环境，避免了气泡／藻结合体在浮升过程中的脱落，实现对藻类的迅速捕集和转移。     

长江表层土壤多氯联苯污染特征及风险评价

采用气质联用仪（GC-MS）对长江流域13个干流断面及18个支流断面处沿岸表层土壤样品中的多氯联苯（PCBs）进行测定,分析其残留特征、污染来源和健康风险.结果表明,长江流域表层土中ΣPCBs的含量范围为：1.05~50.11ng/g dw,平均值为5.71ng/g dw,含量处于较低污染水平.干流的PCBs含量从上游到下游呈现逐渐增大的趋势,且PCBs在宜昌、岳阳、武汉、重庆等二三线城市总含量较高.PCB 17,PCB 18,PCB 44,PCB 74,PCB 87的检出率较高,三氯联苯、四氯联苯是主要的同系物,表明长江流域表层土壤主要以低氯联苯污染为主.主成分分析表明研究区域PCBs主要来自于1号国产变压器油、Aorclor 1242、1248、大气沉降及地表径流的混合污染源;对长江流域表层土壤健康风险评价表明,PCBs存在较小健康风险,呼吸摄入潜在风险低于经口摄入及皮肤接触.     

叶片微观结构变化对其颗粒物滞纳能力的影响

叶片作为植物滞留大气颗粒物最主要的载体,其表面微观结构特征和粗糙度的差异是颗粒物滞纳能力的重要决定因素.叶片微观结构会随着生长(内部因素)以及环境污染强度(外部因素)发生变化,然而现有的粉尘喷洒模拟实验,一般持续时间较短,而微观结构变化响应具有明显的滞后性,其结果无法客观反映由内外因素作用引起的微观结构变化对颗粒物滞纳能力的影响.本研究利用新叶和老叶研究叶片生长,并选择自然状态下不同污染源条件研究污染强度,分析叶片表面微观结构的变化及其对颗粒物滞纳能力的影响.研究得到3种常绿树种(矮紫杉Taxus cuspidata var.、侧柏Platycladus orientalis和油松Pinus tabuliformis)的老叶滞纳TSP、 PM_(10)、 PM_(2.5)和PM_1量均高于新叶,随着叶片的生长其颗粒物滞纳量在增大,且新叶与老叶对不同粒径颗粒物的滞纳量间均存在极显著的差异.生长中叶片粗糙度Rq值的增大是老叶颗粒物滞纳能力增大的主要原因. 5个树种(侧柏、油松、国槐Sophora japonica、毛白杨Populus tomentosa和银杏Ginkgo biloba)TSP和PM_(10)滞纳量为重度污染区高于相对清洁区.而PM_(2.5)和PM_1滞纳量则是油松、银杏和侧柏为重度污染区高于相对清洁区,国槐和毛白杨为相对清洁区高于重度污染区.不同污染强度区域间叶片TSP、PM_(10)和PM_(2.5)滞纳量存在着极显著的差异,PM_1滞纳量也存在着差异.主要归因于与相对清洁区相比,重度污染区叶片的气孔指数降低,蜡质层退化,表面纹理和细胞边界更加不规则,绒毛变长,变硬,叶片微观结构的这些变化使得重度污染区叶片粗糙度Rq值高于相对清洁区,且叶片背面的增加较正面更明显.研究结果将为深入揭示叶片颗粒物滞纳能力的驱动因素,以及提出更科学地提升净化颗粒物功能的城市森林管理措施提供数据支持.     

连云港海州湾海域表层水体和沉积物中微塑料的分布特征

近年来,微塑料成为国内外广泛关注的新型海洋污染物,海湾作为人类在海岸环境中的主要活动地区,一直是海洋污染物聚集地,但我国对近岸大部分中小型海湾环境中微塑料的分布状况仍鲜见报道.为了解我国近岸中小型海湾的微塑料污染特征,本研究以江苏省海州湾海域表层海水和沉积物中采集的微塑料为样本,通过定性和定量方法研究了表层水和沉积物中微塑料主要类型和丰度及空间分布特征.结果表明,海州湾表层水体和沉积物中的微塑料丰度分别为(2.60±1.40)个·m~(-3)和(0.33±0.26)个·g~(-1),在国内近岸环境(表层水0.33～545.00个·m~(-3),沉积物0.07～2.58个·g~(-1))中,海州湾表层水中的微塑料丰度处于较低水平,但沉积物中的微塑料处于较高水平.塑料污染物的粒径大小在水体中分布范围为0.08～13.48 mm,其中,微塑料(粒径5 mm)占91.8%,塑料污染物在沉积物中粒径的分布范围为0.04～14.74 mm,微塑料占91.4%,水体和沉积物中60%以上的微塑料粒径小于2.00 mm.海州湾海域微塑料的形态以纤维状为主,占92%;颜色以蓝色和黑色为主,占70%;材质以人造纤维和PET为主,占79.4%.表层水中微塑料的分布与悬浮物浓度分布具有显著的相关性(P0.05),沉积物中微塑料的分布受多方面因素影响,其分布规律与表层水中微塑料的分布以及沉积物中粒径的分布都具有较大差异性.通过对微塑料的形态特征以及成分组成的分析表明,海州湾的微塑料主要来源于海水养殖和沿岸陆源输入.     

淡水沉积物中重金属生物有效性的研究进展

淡水重金属污染已成为全球关注的热点环境问题之一。沉积物作为重金属的重要储库与污染内源,可对水环境质量及水生态系统产生严重危害。生物有效性是评价重金属生物可利用性及其毒性效应的关键指标,研究淡水沉积物中重金属的生物有效性与调控机制,有助于阐明重金属的污染机理及其生态环境效应,可为重金属的污染防治提供科技支撑。本文回溯了沉积物重金属生物有效性的定义内涵、发展历史,重点介绍了重金属生物有效性评价的主要方法、适用性及其优缺点,归纳了影响重金属生物有效性的主要因素与内在机制,概述了目前国内外典型河流、湖泊和水库等淡水水体沉积物中相关研究的最新进展。本文进一步指出,在今后研究中亟需整合现有分析方法,形成统一的沉积物重金属生物有效性评价指标与方法体系,并开展权威实验室比对研究。同时,应考虑不同淡水生态系统的区域差异性,采用生物监测方法与原位被动采样技术相结合,将生物配位体模型纳入重金属的生态毒理效应研究中。最终,依据不同淡水环境的特性,尽快建立相应的沉积物重金属质量基准,加强重金属环境污染的科学管理。