Dissolved Ions of Trace and Major Elements and in Suspended Sediments in the Nile, Egypt

Dissolved ions and suspended participates from twelve water samples from Sohag (different localities) and Aswan (behind and below the High Dam) areas were collected along the River Nile, upper Egypt, which is at present affected seriously by pressure of population, intense industrial and agricultural activities, and atmospheric fallout. Eighteen trace and nine major ions in solution and fourteen metals in suspension were analyzed to establish whether elements are of anthropogenic or natural origin. Results of this study show that the Nile water was contaminated with high concentrations of dissolved lead, and with copper, nickel and mercury to a lesser extent, suggesting that these contaminants are generated from anthropogenic activities. the other dissolved ions in the Nile are of natural origin because their metal concentrations fall within the range of the normal background and average world dissolved values for inland waters. Results show that the usual constituents of suspended particulates in the Nile seem to be some metals (Cu and Zn) adsorbed on iron and manganese oxide/hydroxide. the results also reveal that most trace and major metal particulates increase from south to north due to activities associated with the dense population living along the Nile banks. No significant differences were observed between the chemical composition of trace and major elements taken on the east and west river Nile banks.     

A case study of spatial variation and enrichment of selected elements in ambient particulate matter around a large coal-fired power station in Central India

The dominant use of coal in power sectors has been associated with adverse environmental impacts. Ambient air monitoring for the two size fractions of particulate matter, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and non-respirable suspended particulate matter (NRSPM) in the downwind and upwind directions of a large coal-fired power station in central India, was carried out. Collected samples of ambient particulate matter were analysed atomic absorption spectrophotometrically for 15 elements. Spatial variability in elemental composition of RSPM and NRSPM and the degree of enrichment of these toxic metals in RSPM were investigated. A significant spatial variability for the elements in RSPM and NRSPM and higher degrees of enrichment of the elements were observed.     

Epiphytic Lichens and Tree Leaves As Biomonitors of Trace Elements Released By Geothermal Power Plants

Leaves of the oak, Quercus cerris, and thalli of the epiphytic lichen, Parmelia caperata, from the Travale-Radicondoli geothermal area (central Italy) were analyzed for their trace elements (As, B, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Zn). the results showed that concentrations of arsenic and boron in leaf and lichen samples were higher than in remote areas. the mean concentrations of many trace elements were higher in lichens than in oak leaves, suggesting that these organisms can be used in similar biomonitoring studies. the levels of boron and manganese were higher in tree leaves, so that for these two elements, the higher plant foliage could constitute a better biomonitor than lichens. the correlations found between the concentrations of cadmium and manganese in leaves and lichens suggests foliar leaching and washing of the elements down the tree trunk, where lichens may intercept them.     

Germination,Growth, and Nodulation of Sesbania rostrata Grown in Pb/Zn Mine Tailings

Sesbania rostrata in pure and amended Pb/Zn tailings. About 90% of seeds of S. rostrata germinated in pure Pb/Zn tailings, which contained high concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd. Although seedling growth suffered from the adverse environment of Pb/Zn tailings, they became established on tailings stands, in the greenhouse, as well as on the actual tailings dam, and completed their life cycle in 4 months. Dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation was 3200 kg/ha and 69.4 kg/ha, respectively in the actual tailings dam. Applying inorganic fertilizer to Pb/Zn tailings led to no obvious improvement in growth and nodulation of S. rostrata, while tailings amended by river sediment or domestic refuse rich in organic matter improved the growth and nodulation of the species. Azorhizobium caulinodans survived and formed N-fixing stem and root nodules in S. rostrata grown in pure Pb/Zn tailings with a nodule biomass exceeding 300 mg fresh matter per plant.     

Comparative study of heavy metal distribution in some coastal seaweeds of Alexandria, Egypt

The distribution of Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentration in five algae species (Enteromorpha intestinalis, Enteromorpha linza, Ulva lactuca, Corallina mediterranea, Pterocladia capillacea) collected from three areas having different types of metal contamination along Alexandria coastal waters (Egypt) were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The recovery study was carried out using a Certified Reference Material TORT-2. The obtained heavy metal contents indicate that different species demonstrate various degree of metal accumulation. Enteromorpha intestinalis (green algae) recorded the highest levels of Fe and Mn while Corallina mediterranea (Calcareous red algae) recorded the highest concentration of Pb, Ni, and Cd in the three areas under study. According to the present study, filamentous algae (Enteromorpha intestinalis) showed the ability to concentrate greater amount of trace elements than the foliaceous ones (Enteromorpha linza). In each area, mercury concentration has nearly the same value for all species under study.     

Trace Element Contaminants in Sediments From the Noaa National Status and Trends Programme Compared to Data From Throughout the World

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Status and Trends (NS&T) Programme has analyzed samples of surface sediment collected at almost 300 coastal and estuarine sites throughout the United States since 1984. the overall distributions for concentrations of each element are approximately lognormal allowing a definition of geometric means and of “high” concentrations as those exceeding the mean plus one standard deviation of the lognormal distribution. Those mean and “high” concentrations should be useful for comparing the NS&T data set and with other reports on sediment contamination. A world-wide data set, constructed from data in the literature, was summarized in an identical manner. It was found, after excluding locally extreme values, that the NS&T and world-wide data sets yielded very similar mean and “high” concentrations for Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. Chromium was the sole element showing higher summary statistics in the NS&T data set, a result attributed to NS&T sampling in areas of naturally (not contaminated) elevated Cr content. It remains undetermined, however, why the world-wide data set, even with exclusion of “hot spots”, yielded higher means and “highs” for Cd, Hg, As, and Ag.     

Differences in responses of herpetobionts and geobionts to impact from the Kosogorsky Metallurgical Plant (Tula region,Russia)

The influence of the Kosogorsky Metallurgical Plant (KMP; Tula region, Russia) on the abundance and biodiversity of carabid beetles and soil macrofauna and on the trophic activity of soil biota was studied. Metal concentrations in the impact plot were many times higher than those in the control plot located on the same transect. As the transect approached KMP, both the abundance of soil invertebrates (geobionts) and trophic activity of the soil biota remained unchanged, whereas the abundance and diversity of carabids (herpetobionts) decreased drastically. It is suggested that the impact of the KMP on herpetobionts is accounted for by modification of the structure of ecosystems and that herpetobiontic and geobiontic groups of the macrofauna respond differently to this impact because of differences in the ecological mechanisms of population response.     

Approaches to Quantitative Assessment of Biological Damage to Forest Communities under Technogenic Load

General trends in simplification of the structure and composition of forest communities in the zone of impact from the metallurgical industry are revealed. The load of toxicants is estimated from the concentrations of heavy metals in the snow and soil. The method is proposed for assessing biological damage on the basis of the main characteristics of phytocenosis, such as its species diversity and the cenotic significance of its structural components. The resultant integrated index of phytocenosis preservation (IIP _p) characterizes the degree of biological damage, and its value depends on the load of toxicants and resistance of plant communities characteristic of different natural zones.     

两种消化方法对无齿相手蟹重金属含量测定结果的影响

生物样品分别经湿灰法和干灰法消化处理后，测定其Zn,Cu和Pb的含量。结果表明，不同消化方法对样品中Cu含量的测定没有显著的影响，而对Zn和Pb含量的测定都有显著的影响，湿灰法处理后样品中Zn和Pb含量的测定值均普遍高于干灰法处理后相应的测定值。根据本研究结果可知。测定Cu含量的生物样品可用常规灰化温度进行处理，而测定Zn和Pb含量的生物样品宜用低温灰化技术进行处理。图6表1参12     

重金属元素在樟树人工林中的累积与迁移

结合樟树人工林生态系统生物产量研究,采用Hp3510原子吸收分光光度法测定樟树人工林生态系统不同组分中Cu、Zn、Mn、Pd、Ni、Cd的含量,探讨了重金属元素Cu、Zn、Mn、Pb、Ni、Cd在湖南株洲市樟树人工林中的累积与迁移.结果表明,樟树人工林地土壤层(0～100 cm)中,6种重金属元素的平均含量以Pb为最高,为67.929 mg/kg,Cd最低,仅为0.699 mg/kg,排序为Pb＞Zn＞Mn＞Ni＞Cu＞Cd,总储量为2 737 174 kg/hm2.在樟树不同器官中,Cu、Zn、Mn、Pd、Ni、Cd的含量范围分别为6.849～13.178 mg/kg,3.776～37.443 mg/kg,32.214～659.130 mg/kg,1.626～15.544 mg/kg,0.218～3.719 mg/kg,1.033～9.506 mg/kg.樟树对土壤中6种重金属元素富集能力排序为Cd＞Mn＞Zn＞Cu＞Pb＞Ni.在樟树林中,6种重金属元素的总积累量为11.124 kg/hm2,且排序为Mn(8.097 kg/hm2)＞Zn(1.429 kg/hm2)＞Cu(0.763 kg/hm2)＞Pb(0.491 kg/hm2)＞ Cd(0.272 kg/hm2)＞Ni(0.072 kg/hm2),重金属元素积累量空间分布为叶(3.447 kg/hm2)＞枝(2.863 kg/hm2)＞皮(1.685 kg/hm2)＞干(1.635 kg/hm2)＞根(1.307 kg/hm2).樟树林与环境之间,Mn的交换能力最强,其次是Cd、Zn、Cu,再次为Ni、Pb.