Age-dating Diesel Fuel Spills: Using the European Empirical Time-based Model in the U.S.A.

In 1993, a paper was published by Christensen and Larsen that offered a method for determining the age of diesel oil spills in soil (Christensen and Larsen, 1993 Ground Water Mount. R . Fall , 142-149). It presented an empirical time-based model of the degradation of diesel fuel in soils using chemical data gathered at petroleum release sites in Denmark and the Netherlands. Now, evaluation of the validity of the application of this work to subsurface petroleum releases in other countries remains. In the U.S.A., investigations assessing date(s) of release of diesel fuel in soils, e.g. age dating of subsurface petroleum contamination, have considerable interest. Litigation-driven scientific investigations with accompanying expert testimony in a court of law are underway. The number of instances where application of the Christensen and Larsen empirical time-based model to petroleum-contaminated properties is growing in the U.S.A. This paper presents two case studies which evaluate the applicability of the Christensen and Larsen empirical time-based model to petroleum-contaminated properties in general. It illustrates the approach using gas chromatographic data from two recently-completed projects evaluating the applicability of the Christensen and Larsen model to a No. 2 fuel oil/diesel fuel surface spill in the U.S.A. Results showed that the application of the model to petroleum-contaminated soils was scientifically valid, provided its applicability was evaluated using hypothesis testing for specific changes in the characteristics of the petroleum hydrocarbon distribution in a number of soil samples collected over time at one site. The paper offers observations on the application of the Christensen and Larsen model to petroleum found in the light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) phase and groundwater.     

Biotic transformation of anticoccidials in soil using a lab-scale bio-reactor as a precursor-tool

Two anticoccidial agents, salinomycin and robenidine, heavily used in the worldwide veterinary meat production, were investigated for their potential biotic degradation by cultured soil bacteria. The degradation-study was performed in lab-scale bio-reactors under aerobic and anaerobic conditions incubated for 200 h with a mixed culture of soil bacteria. Samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS and potential transformation products were tentatively identified. Salinomycin was degraded under aerobic conditions and traces could be found after 200 h, however, seems more persistent under anaerobic conditions. Four transformation products of salinomycin were discovered. Robenidine was degraded under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, however, traces of robenidine were observed after 200 h. Five biotic transformation products of robenidine were discovered.     

Photodegradation of quinestrol in waters and the transformation products by UV irradiation

Quinestrol is synthetic estrogen used in contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy and occasionally for treating breast cancer and prostate cancer. It can make its way into the environment through sewage discharge and waste disposal produced by human excretions. In this study, the photodegradation kinetics of quinestrol in various conditions was investigated by UV and solar irradiation. The affecting factors were studied including concentration of hydrogen peroxide, different water types, and the initial concentrations of quinestrol. Concurrently, the transformation products and presumed pathways of quinestrol in distilled water by UV irradiation were identified and proposed. The results showed that the degradation of quinestrol in both irradiation conditions followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. More rapid degradation was observed by UV irradiation (k = 0.018 min⁻¹) than solar irradiation (k = 0.004 h⁻¹), and the photodegradation rate of quinestrol depended on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the initial concentration of quinestrol and water types. The transformation products of quinestrol in distilled water were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. When exposed to UV irradiation, quinestrol in aqueous solution was rapidly degraded, giving at least ten photodegradation products. The chemical structures of ten degradation products were identified on the basis of mass spectrum interpretation and literature data.     

Recent progress on application of UV excilamps for degradation of organic pollutants and microbial inactivation

Excilamps as modern mercury-free sources of narrow-band UV radiation represent an attractive alternative in environmental applications. This review focuses on recent studies on the water and surface decontamination with excilamps by means of direct photolysis and advanced oxidation processes. To date, direct photolysis and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as UV/H₂O₂, UV/Fenton and UV/O₃ have been applied for degradation of organic compounds (mainly, phenols, dyes and herbicides) in model aqueous solutions. Special emphasis is placed on studies combining UV irradiation (as a pre-treatment or post-treatment step) with biological treatment. In this review, the efficiencies of direct UV, UV/H₂O₂ and UV/TiO₂ processes for inactivation of a variety of pathogenic microorganisms in water and on surfaces are discussed. The analysis of the literature shows that more works need to be done on scaling up the processes, degradation/mineralization of target pollutant(s) in real effluents and evaluation of energy requirements.     

Fungal degradation of an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor pyrazosulfuron-ethyl in soil

Owing to reported phytotoxicity of some sulfonylurea class of herbicides in number of sensitive crops and higher persistence in soil, present study was conducted to isolate and identify pyrazosulfuron-ethyl degrading fungi from soil of rice field. Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger, were isolated and identified from rhizospere soil of rice field, as potent pyrazosulfuron-ethyl degrading fungi. Degradation of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl by P. chrysogenum and A. niger, yielded transformation products/metabolites which were identified and characterized by LC/MS/MS. The rate of dissipation of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl was found higher in soil of rice field and soil inoculated with P. chrysogenum. This showed important route of degradation of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl by microbes apart from chemical degradation.     

Influence of Na2S on the degradation kinetics of CCl4 in the presence of very pure iron

This paper presents the results of kinetic studies to investigate the effect of FeS film formation on the degradation rate of CCl(4) by 99.99% pure metallic iron. The film was formed by submersing metallic iron grains in an oxygen free HCO(3)(-)/CO(3)(2-) electrolyte solution. When the grains had reached a quasi steady-state value of the corrosion potential, Na(2)S((aq)) was injected. Upon injection, a microm thick poorly crystalline FeS film formed immediately on the iron surface. Over time, the iron became strongly corroded and both the FeS film and the metallic iron grains began to crack leading to exposure of bare metallic iron to the solution. The effect of the surface film on the degradation rate of CCl(4) was investigated following four periods of aging, 1, 10, 30, and 60 days. Relative to the controls, the 1-day sulfide-aged iron showed a substantial decrease in rate of degradation of CCl(4.) However, over time, the rate of degradation increased and surpassed the degradation rate obtained in the controls. It has been proposed that CCl(4) is reduced to HCCl(3) by metallic iron by electron transfer. The FeS film is substantially less conducting than the bulk iron metal or non-stoichiometric magnetite and from the results of this study, greatly decreases the rate of CCl(4) degradation relative to iron that has not been exposed to Na(2)S. However, continued aging of the FeS film results in breakdown and stress-induced cracking of the film, followed by dissolution and cracking of the iron itself. The cracking of the bulk iron is believed to be a consequence of hydrogen embrittlement, which is promoted by sulfide. The increase in CCl(4) degradation rate, as the FeS films age, suggests that the process of hydrogen cracking increases the surface area available for charge transfer.     

淮河支流污染物综合降解系数动态测算

确定河流污染物综合降解系数动态变化规律对提高水环境容量测算精度和水环境管理具有重要意义。通过现场模拟法,采用一维稳态模型测算了淮河支流洪河五沟营-塔桥乡河段COD、氨氮和总磷在枯水期、平水期和丰水期的综合降解系数,COD、氨氮和总磷降解系数在各水期的关系为枯水期平水期丰水期,提出了建议值并利用实测浓度对计算结果进行了检验,结果表明,不同水期综合降解系数吻合情况较好。     

常州市臭氧污染传输路径和潜在源区

利用NCEP全球再分析资料和HYSPLIT4模式,计算了2013—2015年常州市臭氧(O_3)超标日的气流后向轨迹。结合聚类分析方法和常州市PM2.5、PM10、SO2、NO2、O_3数据,分析了O_3超标日不同类型气团来源对各污染物浓度的影响,并利用引入权重因子后的潜在污染源贡献函数分析了影响常州市O_3超标的潜在污染源区分布特征。结果表明:常州市O_3超标期间易受到东南和西南方向气流影响,其中从东海和黄海途经浙江东北部、上海、江苏南部等地的东南气流占比达50%以上。自内陆途经黄山-湖州-宜兴到常州的气流对应的O_3平均质量浓度最高,为116μg/m3。自山东经枣庄-宿迁-淮安-泰州-苏州-无锡到常州的气流对应的O_3平均质量浓度最低,为78μg/m3,但该气流对应的SO2和NO2平均值为各聚类中的最高。影响常州市O_3的潜在污染源区主要在常州周边200 km以内的区域,且集中在从南京至上海的长江下游沿线区域和杭州湾区域;其中太湖湖区为重点污染源源区之一。O_3超标日影响常州NO2的潜在污染源区主要集中在江苏南部、浙江东北部和上海3个区域,太湖周边的常州、无锡、苏州和湖州等几个临近城市为潜在的重点污染源区。与影响常州O_3的WPSCF高值区相比,影响NO2的高值区分布范围更大、距离更远。影响常州O_3的潜在污染源区分布,与长江三角洲地区人为源大气污染物的高排放区域较为一致,说明长江三角洲地区的O_3污染与本区域的人为源大气污染物排放有着极为密切的关联。     

浅谈滨海湿地生态环境退化监测与评价

指出了滨海湿地面临的主要环境问题。简述了美国、欧洲、澳大利亚等滨海湿地现状及监测评价方法。对我国滨海湿地管理与研究进展进行了分析探索。     

G C/MS法测定环境空气中痕量POPs类有机氯农药及降解产物

采用快速溶剂萃取-氟罗里硅土柱净化-气相色谱/质谱联用法测定环境空气中POPs类有机氯农药及其降解产物.艾氏剂、狄氏剂、异狄氏剂、六六六、滴滴涕,七氯、氯丹、灭蚁灵及其降解产物的检出限为2.0 ng～4.6 ng,空白加标回收率为62.1%～118%,RSD为6.8%～15.2%.