A new direct thermal desorption-GC/MS method: Organic speciation of ambient particulate matter collected in Golden, BC

Particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is thought to be implicated in a number of medical conditions, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack, and aging. However, very little chemical speciation data is available for the organic fraction of ambient aerosols. A new direct thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) method was developed for the analysis of the organic fraction of PM2.5. Samples were collected in Golden, British Columbia, over a 15-month period. n-Alkanes constituted 33–98% by mass of the organic compounds identified. PAHs accounted for 1–65% and biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) 1–8% of the organic mass. Annual mean concentrations were: n-alkanes (0.07–1.55 ng m⁻³), 16 PAHs (0.02–1.83 ng m⁻³), and biomarkers (0.02–0.18 ng m⁻³). Daily levels of these organics were 4.89–74.38 ng m⁻³, 0.27–100.24 ng m⁻³, 0.14–4.39 ng m⁻³, respectively. Ratios of organic carbon to elemental carbon (OC/EC) and trends over time were similar to those observed for PM2.5. There was no clear seasonal variation in the distribution of petroleum biomarkers, but elevated levels of other organic species were observed during the winter. Strong correlations between PAHs and EC, and between petroleum biomarkers and EC, suggest a common emission source – most likely motor vehicles and space heating.     

Rapid genetic erosion in pollutant-exposed experimental chironomid populations

Few studies have evaluated how effectively environmental contamination may reduce genetic diversity of a population. Here, we chose a laboratory approach in order to test if tributyltin (TBT) exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations leads to reduced genetic variation in the midge Chironomus riparius. Two TBT-exposed and two unexposed experimental populations were reared simultaneously in the laboratory for 12 generations. We recorded several life-history traits in each generation and monitored genetic variation over time using five variable microsatellite markers. TBT-exposed strains showed increased larval mortality (treatments: 43.8%; controls: 27.8%), slightly reduced reproductive output, and delayed larval development. Reduction of genetic variation was strongest and only significant in the TBT-exposed strains (treatments: −45.9%, controls: −24.4% of initial heterozygosity) after 12 generations. Our findings document that chemical pollution may lead to a rapid decrease in genetic diversity, which has important implications for conservation strategies and ecological management in polluted environments.     

Phytoavailability and geospeciation of cadmium in contaminated soil remediated by Rhodobacter sphaeroides

A microorganism was isolated from oil field injection water and identified as Rhodobacter sphaeroides. It was used for the remediation of simulated cadmium-contaminated soil. The phytoavailability of Cd was investigated through wheat seedling method to determine the efficiency of remediation. It was found that after remediation, the accumulation of Cd in wheat roots and leaves decreased by 67% and 53%, respectively. The Cd speciation in soil was determined with Tessier extraction procedure. It was found that the total Cd content in soil did not change during the experiments, but the geo-speciation of Cd changed remarkably. Among the five fractions, the concentration of exchangeable phases decreased by 27-46% and that of the phases bound to Fe-Mn oxides increased by 22-44%. The decrease of Cd accumulation in wheat showed significant positive correlation with the decrease of exchangeable phases. It could be concluded that the remediation of R. sphaeroides was carried out through the conversion of Cd to more stable forms. The decrease of sulfate concentration in supernatant indicated that the R. sphaeroides consumed sulfate.     

Chromium speciation in river sediment pore water contaminated by tannery effluent

Cr(VI) is far more soluble and toxic than Cr(III). Sediment pore water was investigated in a river adjacent to the property of a large former tannery, into which Cr-contaminated effluent was discharged over a 55-year period, and where extremely high Cr concentrations have been found in the sediments. Dialysis cells, or peepers, were used to generate depth profiles of Cr concentration in sediment pore water. Samples were analyzed for total Cr using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and for Cr species using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-MS. The results show an absence of Cr(VI) in all samples. Furthermore, incomplete recovery of Cr(VI) added to the samples collected at the locations with highest sediment Cr concentrations indicate strong reducing conditions at those locations, which are not conducive to the presence of Cr(VI).     

化工储罐间距和体积对爆炸碎片多米诺效应概率的影响

化工储罐爆炸后将产生大量碎片,这些抛射碎片一旦击中相邻罐体容易引发多米诺效应。碎片的抛射方位和抛射距离具有很大的随机性,已有研究多采用概率模型来描述碎片抛射的各分过程。通过总结和发展已有的分过程模型,建立了求取多米诺效应的综合概率模型,并基于蒙特卡罗算法编制了模拟软件,可对化工储罐多米诺效应的发生概率进行预测计算。选取若干常用化工球罐为相邻目标储罐进行实例分析,计算结果表明储罐间距和体积是影响多米诺效应发生概率的两个重要影响因素：随着距离的增大,多米诺效应发生概率不断减小;目标储罐体积越大,多米诺效应发生概率将越大。其中,爆炸碎片对目标储罐的击中概率受上述因素的影响程度更大。该文工作对化工储罐区的安全评价具有一定的参考价值。     

合流制排水系统溢流污染就地调蓄处理控制技术研究

在对高效混合絮凝斜板沉淀工艺进行现场中试的基础上,将化学强化处理工艺与调蓄池相结合,针对上海市某合流制排水系统,进行调蓄/沉淀池的概念设计,提出主要设计参数,利用计算流体力学(CFD)模型对调蓄/沉淀池进行优化设计.试验和模拟结果表明,调蓄/沉淀池与单纯的调蓄池相比具有更好的溢流污染控制效果和效益/造价比.     

广东某铀废石堆周边土壤中铀污染特征及其环境有效性

铀（U）矿冶过程中产生了大量铀废石。通常认为其放射性核素含量低,大多沿山谷露天自然堆放,一般不对堆场做防渗漏处置,对铀废石可能产生的潜在环境影响尚未引起重视。以广东某花岗岩型铀矿山的一个废石堆周边土壤为研究对象,在废石堆上、下游方向分别采集了2条（即BP1和BP2,视作背景土壤,距离废石堆的距离分别为10和20 m）和3条土壤剖面（即WP1、WP2和WP3,视作潜在U污染土壤,距离废石堆的距离分别为50、100和180 m）。通过对剖面间U分布特征的对比,定量估算了受污染土壤中外源U的输入通量;结合逐级化学提取技术,分析了U在土壤剖面的赋存形态及其环境有效性。结果表明：1）铀废石堆对周边土壤产生了显著的放射性污染,废石堆下游方向由近及远的3条U污染剖面（WP1、WP2和WP3）中U平均质量分数比背景剖面分别富集了634.6、10和3.7倍,其外源U的平均输入通量分别为4840.36、86.72和20.46μg·g-1。距污染源（废石堆）愈近,土壤中外源U的输入通量愈大;2）在近源区,大量的外源U优先在土壤表层聚集,随着远离污染源,逐渐转变为优先在剖面的深部淀积;3）与U 污染剖面相比,背景剖面（BP2）的惰性态 U（晶质铁锰氧化物/氢氧化物结合态+残渣态）所占比例最大,活性态 U（可交换态（包括水溶态）+碳酸盐结合态）所占比例最小,说明U污染土壤的外源U输入更倾向于对活性态U的贡献,这是对植物影响最直接的部分。另外,距污染源由近及远,U污染土壤中活性态U所占比例增大,潜在活性态U（有机质结合态+无定形铁锰氧化物/氢氧化物结合态）所占比例降低;4）3条U污染剖面中,平均90%以上的U（活性态和潜在活性态）对生态系统构成了威胁。因此,铀废石堆对周边环境产生的风险应得到充分重视。本研究为开展铀矿冶地域的放射性环境影响评价和土壤修复提供了有益的参考。     

内蒙古河套地区水体中砷的地球化学特征

采样分析典型地砷病区域——内蒙古河套地区地下水、地表水和自来水中砷含量和形态,研究河套地区水体中砷分布状况,并采集山西山阴县大营村(地下水)和山东招远地区水样(地表水、地下水),以用于污染特性比较和源解析。结果发现,内蒙古河套地区和山西省山阴县大营村作为生活饮用水的地下水中砷含量超标率较高,其中内蒙古临河区狼山镇先锋七社和山西大营村地下水砷含量平均值分别为368.9和443.5μg.L-1,分别有75%和100%的水样超过GB 5749—2006《生活饮用水卫生标准》中农村小型集中和分散式供水砷含量限值。内蒙古五原县乃日乡的175个水样中,也有59%的地下水样砷含量高于50μg.L-1,且砷形态主要以无机砷为主。河套地区地表水水样砷含量大部分在50μg.L-1以下,部分自来水(水源为地下水)样砷含量超过生活饮用水标准。     

环境样品中总钒、钒（Ⅴ）和钒（Ⅳ）分离测定方法探讨

钒是一种重要的生命冗索,同时也是环境污染物之一,因此环境样品及生命有机体中微量钒的测定具有重要的实际意义,是预测和评估其对人体健康、环境发全影响的重要前提之一。环境中钒主要以Ⅳ价和V价存在,因而对钒的测定方法研究主要集中在Ⅳ和Ⅴ价化合物的分离分析上,对Ⅴ（Ⅴ）和Ⅴ（Ⅳ）的分离方法,和光谱法、催化动力法、极谱法、酶学反应法等测定Ⅴ（Ⅴ）、Ⅴ（Ⅳ）和Ⅴ的方法进行了综述。     

干旱区绿洲土壤中重金属的形态分布及生物有效性研究

测定了Cd、Pb、Zn和Ni等重金属在不同处理土壤中的全量和各赋存形态,以及它们在盆栽试验油菜（Brassica cole）中的质量分数,并利用Pearson相关系数分析了该区土壤-油菜体系的生物有效性。结果表明,供试绿洲土壤原状土中,Cd、Pb、Zn和Ni均以稳定的残渣态形式存在;而在处理土壤中,重金属被钝化的量有限,Cd的存在形式主要以碳酸盐态为主,Pb、Zn和Ni则主要以铁锰氧化态为主。根据相关性分析,油菜根部和叶部的Ni质量分数均与土壤中Ni的各非残渣态分布系数有相关性,表明当土壤中Ni以非残渣态存在时,活动性Ni的质量分数较高,其被生物吸收利用的可能性也较大;油菜根部的Zn质量分数与土壤中Zn的碳酸盐结合态分布系数显著的正相关性;油菜各部位Cd和Pb的质量分数与土壤中Cd和Pb的各形态分布系数之间无显著相关关系。