Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009 and upcoming challenges for exposure assessment of plant protection products--Harmonisation or national modelling approaches?

In the new European Pesticide Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009, the harmonisation of approaches for estimation of the environmental exposure of pesticides is considered a major goal. Several member states currently require their own models for the calculation of predicted environmental concentrations (PEC) in surface water. The variety of methods makes risk evaluations rather time-consuming for both notifiers and evaluating authorities. In the present study we compare surface water concentrations of 19 compounds using EU and country-specific models and risk assessment approaches to evaluate to which extent the resulting estimated exposure concentrations differ. Our results show that EU and country specific approaches and the resulting surface water concentrations differ considerably regarding basic model assumptions and assessment methods. The results indicate that the aimed harmonisation of risk assessment approaches within the EU will be difficult based on current models. New scenarios may help to achieve a harmonisation taking country-specific features into account.     

室内空气中颗粒物污染特征研究

为获得室内空气颗粒物污染特征,2009年8月18～24日在某单位工作及生活区选取4个室内点和1个室外点进行颗粒物采样和成分分析.结果表明,室内粗颗粒(PM10)符合<室内空气质量标准>(GB/T 18883-2002),而细粒子(PM2.5)的浓度水平较高,表明室内PM2.5的污染较重;室内与室外PM2.5比值显示,P...     

微生物燃料电池恒电流预培养阳极生物膜分析表征

阳极性能是影响微生物燃料电池(Microbial Fuel Cells,MFCs)性能的关键因素之一,同时阳极的接种挂膜过程是影响微生物燃料电池启动效率的关键因素.因此,本课题组提出了预培养阳极作为微生物燃料电池的一种新型阳极的概念,在三电极体系下,通过外加恒定电流预培养阳极,在不同条件下对阳极表面进行电化学选择和生物膜驯化以丰富生物膜结构和厚度.结果表明,阳极的性能与预培养电流大小密切相关,预培养阳极CF-4i(外加4 A·m-2电流密度)通过循环伏安法、塔菲尔曲线、电化学阻抗谱测试,性能好于其他测试组及对照组,装配阳极CF-4i的微生物燃料电池能实现最大功率密度968.20 m W·m-2,是对照组的2.53倍.同时,通过共聚焦显微镜观察发现,生物膜大体分两层,外层的活细胞及内层的死细胞,外层活细胞长在内层死细胞之上.这种结构分布表明,阳极生物膜中的活细胞部分绝大多数都分布于生物膜的外侧,而不是均布于整个阳极生物膜中;同时这也表明不是整个阳极生物膜都具有新陈代谢活性,但死亡的细胞可以继续积累在电极表面附近,活的外层膜负责电流的产生,而内层的死细胞作为一种导电基质.     

长三角典型站点冬季大气PM2.5中OC、EC污染特征

对2015年1月9日~2015年1月31日临安、南京和苏州3个站点采集的PM_(2.5)样品(共计279组),使用热光反射法(thermal/optical reflectance,TOR)分析了样品中有机碳(OC)与元素碳(EC)的含量,并研究了长三角地区冬季PM_(2.5)中OC和EC的污染特征.结果表明,采样期间临安、南京和苏州的PM_(2.5)平均质量浓度分别为(123.56±61.11)、(144.77±62.91)和(156.5±68.97)μg·m-3,均超过我国《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012)规定的PM_(2.5)日均值75μg·m-3;其中3个站点OC与EC的平均质量浓度依次分别为(21.93±11.69)/(6±3.6)、(20.32±10.3)/(5.39±3.07)和(27.08±14.35)/(6.4±4.29)μg·m-3.临安作为长三角大气环境背景点,OC与EC的污染也较为严重.3个站点OC与EC的相关性为临安(R2=0.83)、南京(R2=0.72)和苏州(R2=0.72),表明冬季长三角地区的碳质气溶胶的来源较为一致和稳定.3个站点样品中的OC/EC值均大于2.0,样品的OC/EC值主要分布在2.5~6.0这个区间内,表明燃煤源和机动车尾气排放源是OC与EC的主要来源.使用EC示踪法估算临安、南京和苏州3个站点的二次有机碳(SOC)平均质量浓度分别为(9.23±5.26)、(6.82±4.36)和(12.56±7.52)μg·m-3,在OC中占比为42%、34%和46%,表明SOC是OC的重要组成部分.后向轨迹显示,PM_(2.5)、OC和EC的质量浓度与主要气团的传输路径有较好的相关性,自空气质量较差区域气团的PM_(2.5)、OC和EC的质量浓度是来自空气质量较好区域的1.14~1.7倍、1.55~2.1倍和1.94~2.47倍.     

烟花爆竹燃放对大气污染物及PM2.5组分影响

为了解烟花爆竹燃放对保定市大气污染物和PM_2.5中水溶性离子及有机碳(OC)、元素碳(EC)浓度的影响,对保定市春节期间大气污染物和颗粒物组分的浓度特征进行了分析,并评估了烟花爆竹的贡献.结果表明:2019年春节期间烟花爆竹集中燃放期PM_2.5、PM10、SO2、NO2、CO平均浓度比非集中燃放期分别增加了1.3、1.0、1.1、0.4、0.02倍;保定市春节期间禁燃措施施行后,除夕、初一2d污染物平均浓度、最高浓度和高浓度持续时间均明显下降,集中燃放期烟花爆竹燃放对PM_2.5、PM10和SO2浓度贡献量从50%左右(2018年、2017年)下降至30%左右(2019年),其中SO2贡献量下降幅度超过PM_2.5和PM10;组分分析表明,接待中心站点(主城区)、涿州站点(区县建成区)烟花爆竹燃放期K⁺、Mg²⁺、Cl^-浓度在水溶性离子中的总占比分别为39.3%、51.1%,比非燃放期的占比显著上升;烟花爆竹燃放对PM_2.5     

Effect of curacron toxicity on the total serum protein content of Cyprinus carpio

An experiment was conducted on freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio to study the effect of the pesticide curacron on total serum protein. Curacron is an organophosphate pesticide and used by the farmers to protect their crops. This pesticide reaches the aquatic ecosystem by direct or indirect means and affects aquatic fauna. LC50 for curacron for C. carpio was calculated by the log-dose/probit regression line method and found to be 0.38?ppm at 96?h. Three sub-lethal concentrations (0.1, 0.01, and 0.001?mL?L^?1) were selected to expose the fish for 1, 7, 14, and 21days. Changes in total serum protein were observed at all pesticide concentrations and exposure periods. Total serum protein was decreased from control. At 1 and 7 days, the decrease was quantitative at all concentrations, while at 14 and 21 days, the fall was significant at all concentrations. Hence, human population may be at risk by consuming these contaminated fish.     

Acute toxicity of the synthetic pyrethroid pesticide fenvalerate to some air breathing fishes

Lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) of a synthetic pyrethroid pesticide, fenvalerate, for three species of air breathing fish Clarias batrachus, Channa punctatus and Heteropneustes fossilis were determined under water and acetone soluble condition in the laboratory using the static bioassay procedure of the American Public Health Association (APHA,1995). Acetone soluble fenvalerate was found more toxic than the water-soluble fenvalerate irrespective of species and exposure periods. The LC₅₀ value upon 96 days exposure to acetone soluble fenvalerate for C. batrachus, Channa C. punctatus and Heteropneustes H. fossilis were 1.35, 1.0 and 0.65?µg?L^?1, respectively. It is concluded from the present study that fenvalerate is highly toxic even to the hardy air breathing fishes and the pesticide, when dissolved in water, remains photostable and active to render toxicity for long duration.     

Carbonaceous species in fine particles at the background sites in Korea between 1994 and 1999

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in fine particles (PM_2.5) at two background sites, Kosan and Kangwha in Korea were measured during intensive field studies between 1994 and 1999. Fine particles were collected on pre-fired quartz filters in a low-volume sampler and analyzed using the selective thermal oxidation method with MnO₂ catalyst. The OC and EC concentrations at Kosan located at western tip of Cheju Island in southern Korea are lower than those at Kangwha located at western coastal area in mid-Korean peninsula. Still, the OC concentrations at Kosan are generally higher than those at other background areas in Japan and USA. The EC concentrations at Kosan are lower than or comparable to those at other background areas. The total carbon (TC, sum of OC and EC) to EC ratio values at both sites were higher than those at other background areas in Japan and USA. At Kosan, the OC and EC concentrations when air parcels were from southern China were higher than those when air parcels were coming from northern China. However, at Kangwha, the differences were statistically not clear since most air parcels were from northern China. Except when air parcels were from the North Pacific during summer, the OC and EC concentrations are well correlated indicating that both OC and EC share the same emission/transport characteristics. From the gaseous hydrocarbon data and the OC and EC relationship, it was found that during summer local biogenic emissions of OC might be significant at Kosan.     

Soil Lead at Elementary Public Schools: Comparison Between School Properties and Residential Neighbourhoods of New Orleans

Soil studies, conducted in Maryland, Minnesota and Louisiana, have described the urban pattern of lead contamination. They have shown that the highest amounts of lead cluster within the interior of the largest cities. The results of the New Orleans urban patterns of distribution of soil lead provided the basis for further study. The hypothesis was tested that elementary school properties have the same pattern of soil lead contamination as their neighbouring residential communities. Thirty New Orleans Public Elementary Schools were selected for this study. Surface samples (2.5cm or 1 inch depth) were collected from playgrounds and next to entrances of each school. Results showed that soil lead on school properties follows the same relative contamination patterns (pvalue10^–5) as soil lead on residential properties of neighbouring communities. Schools however, have significantly lower lead contamination than the neighbouring residential properties. Innercity school properties present a higher risk of soil lead exposure than mid and outercity schools. Soils next to innercity school entrances showed the highest lead, with 18.5% having concentrations over 400gg^–1. Systematic landscaping around the school entrances would significantly reduce the hazard from lead dust contaminated soils.