Direct measurement of denitrification activity in a Gulf coast freshwater marsh receiving diverted Mississippi River water

Wetland loss along the Louisiana Gulf coast and excessive nitrate loading into the Gulf of Mexico are interrelated environmental problems. Nitrate removal by soil denitrification activity was studied in a ponded freshwater marsh receiving diverted Mississippi River water for the purpose of reversing or slowing wetland loss. Labeled ¹⁵N-nitrate was applied at 3.8 g N m⁻² into four replicate study plots after removing above ground vegetation. Nitrogen gas (N₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from the plots were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Nitrous oxide emissions were also compared with the results determined by gas chromatograph (GC). Results showed that it took 2 weeks to remove the added nitrate with N₂O emission occurring over a period of 4 d. The apparent denitrification dynamics were assumed to follow the Michaelis–Menten equation. The maximum denitrification rate and K_m value were determined as 12.6 mg N m ⁻² h⁻¹, and 6.5 mg N l⁻¹, respectively. Therefore the maximum capacity for nitrate removal by the marsh soil would be equivalent to 110 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹, with more than 30% of nitrogen gas evolved as N₂O. For typical nitrate concentrations in Mississippi River water of about 1 mg N l⁻¹, nitrate would be removed at a rate of 14.7 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹ with N₂O emission about 1.5%. A denitrification dynamic model showed that the efficiency of nitrate removal would largely depend on the water discharge rate into the ponded wetland. Higher discharge rate will result in less retention time for the water in the marsh where nitrate is denitrified.     

Human Freshwater Demand for Economic Activity and Ecosystems in Taiwan

Freshwater is necessary to economic activity, and humans depend on goods and services generated by water-dependent ecosystems. However, national freshwater management usually focuses on direct use of domestic freshwater. With an increasing scarcity of freshwater, attention has turned to two indirect uses of freshwater by humans. The first indirect use is freshwater used by foreign countries when producing products for export. The second use is freshwater required by local ecosystems: human survival and development depend on goods and services generated in these ecosystems. This work adopted Taiwan as a case study. In addition to two widely recognized ecosystem freshwater demands, evapotranspiration and reversed river flow, this study suggests that freshwater is a constituent of some abiotic components, such as groundwater in aquifers, because excessive withdrawal has already caused significant land subsidence in Taiwan. Moreover, the estimated results show that Taiwan’s net imports of freshwater through trade amounts to approximately 25% of its total freshwater use for economic production. Integrating industrial policy, trade policy, and national freshwater management is a useful approach for developing strategies to limit the growing use of freshwater in Taiwan. Policy implications are then developed by further analyzing withdrawal sources of freshwater (domestic and foreign) for supporting economic production in Taiwan and identifying the factors (domestic final demand and export) driving freshwater-intensive products.     

基于USEtox的焦化行业优先污染物筛选排序研究

针对焦化污染物的毒性影响,以山西省清徐市某焦化厂为研究对象,通过采样分析、文献调研,构建了焦化厂污染物排放清单,采用生命周期影响评价(LCIA)模型USEtox计算焦化污染物排放的人体及生态毒性影响,对结果进行排序筛选,分析并识别了焦化行业优先污染物、污染优先控制工段以及焦化厂选址对毒性排放的影响,为区域人体健康及生态环境保护提供了科学依据.结果表明,焦化行业排放的人体毒性优先污染物为苯并[a]芘、锌等,生态毒性优先污染物为芘、蒽等;在装煤、焦炉烟囱、推焦和熄焦这4个工段的排放中,有机毒性排放集中于装煤工段,优先污染物为苯并[a]芘、苯、萘、二苯[a,h]蒽等,金属毒性排放集中于熄焦工段,优先污染物为锌、砷、锑、汞等;焦化污染物毒性受排放地区的影响,厂区从城市迁至农村的过程可以大幅降低有机物的毒性影响,但是对于金属毒性的降低并无积极作用,并且会增加农村土壤和水体受重金属污染的风险.     

基于水劣化足迹的城市发展的水环境效应评价——以北京市为例

水劣化足迹是反映污染物排放对水质影响程度的一种评价方法和指标.为了评估和揭示北京市城市发展的水环境效应,本文基于水劣化足迹评价的方法框架,发展和完善相关模型和参数,选取关键污染因子,对北京市2004—2013年水体酸化足迹、水体富营养化足迹和水体生态毒性足迹进行了评价,进而对水劣化足迹与部分城市发展指标的相关关系进行了分析.结果显示:12004—2013年北京市水酸化足迹逐年减小,由2004年的19.1×107kg SO_2eq减少到2013年的8.7×107kg SO_2eq,污染排放对水体酸化的影响有所减弱;2水体富营养化足迹在2004—2009年和2010—2013年两个时间段内总体均呈现减少趋势,但后一时间段内水体富营养化绝对值总体高于前一时间段.2004—2009年,水体富营养化足迹减少了约1.5×10~7kg NO_3eq,而从2010—2013年减少了约0.8×107kg NO_3~-eq;2011年至2013年期间,基于新增污染物(氨氮、总氮和总磷)计算的水体富营养化足迹减少了2.4×10~7kg NO_3eq.从其组成来看,水体富营养化的关键因素为总磷;3选取铅(Pb)、汞(Hg)、铬(Cr)、镉(Cd)、砷(As)5种重金属污染物,对北京市2011—2013年的水体生态毒性足迹进行评价发现,水体生态毒性足迹从4234.7×106m3H_2O eq增加到4653.1×106m3H2O eq.从其组成来看,重金属水体生态毒性足迹的关键污染因子为镉(Cd);4水劣化足迹与城市发展特征指标的关系分析显示,人口数量增速减缓、产业结构调整(第二产业向第三产业转化)以及农业化肥用量的减少,对于水劣化足迹的改善有积极作用.     

Residual levels and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in freshwater fishes from Lake Small Bai-Yang-Dian, Northern China

The residual levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the liver, brain, gill and muscle tissues of four common edible freshwater fish species including crucian carp, snakehead fish, grass carp and silver carp collected from Lake Small Bai-Yang-Dian in northern China were measured by GC-MS. The distribution and composition pattern of PAHs in the fish tissues, and the effects of lipid contents in fish tissues and the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) of PAHs congeners on them were analyzed. The human health risk of PAHs though fish consumptions was estimated. The following results were obtained: (1) The average residual levels of total PAHs (PAH₁₆) on wet weight base in the different tissues of each fish species ranged from 4.764 to 144.254 ng/g ww. The differences in the average residual levels on wet weight base for PAH₁₆ within four fish species were not statistically significant (P > 0.05); however, these within four fish tissues were statistically significant (P < 0.01). (2) There were very similar distribution patterns of PAH congeners among both the fish tissues and the fish species, as indicated by statistically significant positive interrelationships (R = 0.58-0.97, P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs predominated the distribution in the fish tissues, accounting for 89.97% of total PAHs. Phe was the most dominant component, according for 37.79% of total PAHs, followed by Ant (18.59%), Flo (12.59%), Nap (10.79%), Fla (9.82%) and Pyr (6.43%). (3) The PAHs residues and distribution in the fish tissues are dependent on both the Kow of PAH congeners and the lipid contents in the fish tissues. There was a significant positive relationship (R = 0.7116, P < 0.0001) between lipid contents and PAHs residual levels. The statistically significant negative relationships (P < 0.05) were found between LogKow and log-transformed PAHs contents on wet weight base for all fish tissues except for the muscle tissue of snakehead fish, the brain and liver tissues of crucian carp. (4) The risk levels of total PAHs were lower than 10⁻⁵ for the muscle tissues of four studied fish species and for the brain tissues of grass carp and snakehead fish; while these were higher than 10⁻⁵ for the brain tissues of crucian carp and silver carp. The risk levels of total PAHs in the liver tissues of four studied fish species except for snakehead fish exceeded 10⁻⁵ for 2-4.5 times. However, the potency equivalent concentration (PEC) of total PAHs in four studied fish tissues were still lower than the maximum permissible BaP limits for crops and baked meat and for plants in the national criterions. The distributions of PAH congeners in fish were well simulated by a level III fugacity model, especially for low molecule weight PAHs.     

聚氯乙烯和橡胶中化学成分的浸出行为及生态毒性

为探究塑料中化学成分的浸出行为及其生态毒性,以环境中广泛存在的聚氯乙烯(PVC)和橡胶(CTR)为研究对象,筛选25种有机塑化剂和15种金属作为目标物质,分析其在PVC和CTR材料中的浸出潜能,利用大型溞的急性致死效应和慢性亚致死效应(心率、胸肢跳动和游泳活性)表征了PVC和CTR浸出液的生态毒性效应。结果表明,PVC和CTR浸出液中共检出21种化学成分,其中邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯(DiBP)、邻苯二甲酸二(2-甲氧基)乙酯(DMEP)、双酚A(BPA)、双酚F(BPF)、Ca和Zn的浸出浓度较高。CTR中浸出的塑化剂和金属总浓度分别是PVC的8.8倍和1.2倍,且CTR中浸出的新型塑化剂BPF浓度达到3.51μg/g,显著高于BPA的浸出浓度。对比不同条件下浸出的物质量差异,发现光照能够加速PVC和CTR中DiBP、Zn和Ca等物质的释放,其赋存状态还受到细菌作用的干扰。CTR浸出液对大型溞的急性致死效应明显,48h半数致死浓度(LC₅₀)为浸出原液的19.1%。慢性暴露条件下,PVC浸出液对大型溞心率、胸肢跳动和游泳活性产生明显抑制作用,并造成大型溞肢体肥大。PVC和CTR等塑料颗粒不断排放,并在环境中累积,其生物毒害效应不容忽视。     

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles: synthesis,characterisations and aquatic ecotoxicity effects

Little information is available on the potential ecotoxicity of nanomaterials in the marine environment. In particular, the aquatic ecotoxicity impact of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) has been rarely reported. To carefully address this issue, we report on the synthesis of TiO₂ NPs using solvothermal process. The structure and morphology of the prepared TiO₂ nanoparticles were characterised using different techniques. To study the potential ecotoxicity effect of TiO₂, antioxidant system of mediterranean bivalves (Mytilus galloprovincialis) was used, measuring three oxidative biomarkers (ROS production, SOD activity and GSH/GSSG level). No considerable effect was found in the digestive glands of any of the groups treated with TiO₂ with concentration gradients ranging from 1 to 100?mg/L. Thus, the level of the superoxide anion, the activity of an antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the GSH/GSSG ratio showed no significantly differences in digestive glands of all treated groups compared to the control. However, slight modifications were observed in the gills at high concentrations. These results demonstrated that TiO₂ appears to exert little toxicity on marine mussels after a short-term exposure at high concentration. However, before considering the use of this nanomaterial in various applications, further complementary studies are required in order to ensure the environmental safety of these NPs.     

生态毒理数据筛查与评价准则研究

化学品生态风险评价和水质基准研究需要大量生态毒理数据,由于目前关于化学品毒性效应的研究较多,不同文献对同一测试终点的报道常常存在一定的差异,数据选择不当会直接影响最终评价结果。为了降低专业人员在数据筛选过程中的主观影响,有必要制定一套科学合理、操作性强的数据筛查与评价准则。本文整理比较了美国、荷兰、德国和澳大利亚等4个国家的5个毒理数据筛查与评价方法,并以荷兰的CRED方法为主,结合另外4个筛选方法以及现有的水质基准推导指南和生态风险评价技术导则,从可靠性、相关性、精确性三个方面详细阐述了数据质量评价标准与使用规范。其中数据质量评价包括五个方面:(1)实验设计,包括测试标准、操作规程、数据有效性、对照组设置;(2)实验试剂的纯度及其杂质的物理化学性质;(3)受试生物的基本信息和来源;(4)暴露条件,包括试验系统、暴露浓度设置及变化、暴露时间、生物负荷;(5)数据分析,包括平行样、统计分析方法、浓度-效应关系、原始数据;数据使用规范主要考虑受试生物、测试终点和暴露场景与评价目标的相关性,以及生态风险评价和水质基准推导对数据精确性的要求。这些均可为我国从事生态风险评价和水质基准研究的工作人员提供有益借鉴,使数据筛选过程更加客观、统一,同时还可以作为毒理实验论文撰写依据,提高数据报道质量。     

Ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on earthworm Eisenia fetida: responses of the antioxidant system,acid phosphatase and ATPase

Ecotoxicity of nanoparticles has received growing attention in recent years. This study investigated the influence of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) on earthworm Eisenia fetida. The experiment was performed with five test groups: control (without Ag-NP), 10?nm Ag-NP groups (20, 100 or 500?mg?kg^?1) and positive control (787?mg?kg^?1 AgNO₃). After 14-day acute exposure, activities of various enzymes, including glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), acid phosphatase (AP), and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase were determined. Effects of Ag-NP with different sizes (10 and 80?nm) were also tested. Data showed that the activity of GR was significantly lower at 500?mg?kg^?1. The activities of AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase were inhibited following the increase of Ag-NP concentration. When treated with Ag-NP with different sizes, activities of AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase of the 10?nm group were significantly lower than the control group, but those of the 80?nm group were similar to the control group. Data indicate that Ag-NP may be harmful to the earthworm E. fetida at 500?mg?kg^?1, and the toxicity of Ag-NP with 10?nm size is greater than 80?nm. In addition, AP and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase are sensitive biomakers to the effects of Ag-NP.     

Controlling pollution from land‐based sources in the Turkish Mediterranean coast—legislative aspects

The Turkish Mediterranean Coast is still the cleanest section in the region. This aspect needs to be strictly controlled and improved to allow for a sound development of touristic activities. Also, the adopted controlling policy should comply with the basic principles of the Mediterranean Action Plan. In Turkey, the regulations issued in connection with the “Water Products Law”; are now implemented to control wastewater discharges. Recently, major efforts were devoted to improve these regulations within the umbrella of the new “Environmental Law”;. The new proposals consider the issue from a much broader framework and provide technical support and criteria for marine outfalls, direct discharges of domestic and industrial sources and pretreatment requirement prior to discharge to the sewerage systems.