Different proxies for the reactivity of aquatic sediments towards oxygen: A model assessment

Information on benthic carbon mineralization rates is often derived from the analysis of oxygen microprofiles in sediments. To enable a direct comparison of different sediment environments, it is often desirable to characterize sediments by a single proxy that expresses their “reactivity” towards oxygen. For this, there are three commonly used proxies: the oxygen penetration depth (OPD), the oxygen flux at the sediment-water interface (DOU), and the maximum volumetric oxygen consumption rate (R_max). The OPD can be directly determined from the oxygen depth profile, while the DOU is usually obtained by a linear fit to the oxygen gradient either in diffusive boundary layer. The oxygen consumption rate R_max requires the fitting of a reactive-transport model to the data profile. This article shows that the OPD alone is a suboptimal proxy, because it shows a strong dependence on the half-saturation constant K_s, and secondly, because it is sensitive to the particular re-oxidation conditions right above the oxic-anoxic interface. Similarly, the volumetric oxygen consumption rate R_max is rather strongly dependent on the kinetic model formulation employed. To show this we fitted three different (Bouldin, Blackman and Monod) kinetics to the same oxygen data profiles. When fitting these models, the R_max values obtained differed by 20% for exactly the same oxygen profile. Accordingly, if one reports R_max values, it is crucial to specify the kinetic model alongside. Overall, DOU emerges as sediment reactivity proxy which is the least model dependent.     

硅和磷配合施入对镉污染土壤的修复改良

为了研究两种改良剂配合施入对重金属污染土壤的改良效果,以棕壤为供试土壤,以玉米（OryzasativaL.）作为供试作物,采用二元二次正交回归组合设计方法,通过室外盆栽试验,研究了硅和磷配合施入对镉污染土壤中玉米生物量以及玉米茎叶中镉吸收量的影响。结果表明：硅、磷施入都能增加镉污染条件下玉米的生物量,其中磷的增产作用大于硅;硅、磷施入都能降低镉污染条件下玉米茎叶中的镉含量,硅降低玉米茎叶中镉含量的效应大于磷;硅、磷配合施入降低玉米茎叶中镉含量的效果大于上述两种改良剂单独施入。在本实验条件范围内,当硅为6.60g·kg-1,磷施入量范围在2.29～2.39g·kg-1时,玉米茎叶中镉含量为最低。因此可以由硅磷配合施入改良重金属污染的土壤。     

南运河重金属污染状况及生态风险评价

采集南运河的水样和沉积物样品,对其重金属污染状况和生态风险进行了分析评价。利用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)对水、沉积物中铅(Pb)、铬(Cr)、砷(As)、铜(Cu)和镉(Cd)浓度进行分析。结果显示南运河水样中这5种重金属浓度均低于地表水环境质量标准I类水质标准,虽然运河上游沉积物中As和Cd浓度较高,但沉积物中重金属浓度总体上均处于较低水平。地累积指数法计算显示:As和Cd在部分河段达到重度和中度污染水平,Cu、Cr、Pb均处于无污染水平。各种重金属的潜在生态风险指数(Eir)从大到小的顺序为:CdAsCuPbCr,与地累积指数法结果相似。南运河总的潜在生态风险指数(RI)均值为128.85,潜在生态风险程度为"中",沉积物中Cd和As是南运河需要优先控制的重金属污染物。     

Exploring the lay/expert divide: the attribution of responsibilities for coal ash pollution in Tuzla,Bosnia and Herzegovina

Invoking expert knowledge is a common strategy in attempts to settle environmental disputes. However, the validity of expertise is contingent upon the context in which an actor is recognised as an expert. In complex environmental conflicts the distinction between lay and expert knowledge is not always fixed a priori. However, as conflicts unfold, intervening parties tend to present their cases in ways that reinforce this distinction. This is apparent in the attribution of environmental responsibilities. This paper presents an empirical case of an environmental conflict related to land contamination due to coal ash disposal in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis revealed two polar positions in the conflict: the first one, mainly held by scientists and industry representatives, invoked expert knowledge and presented a distributed approach to the attribution of responsibilities; the second one, mainly held by local residents and municipal officials, presented an experiential understanding of pollution, as lay knowledge, and attributed direct responsibilities to the local energy industry. The paper concludes that the persistence of the distinction between expert and lay knowledge is a manifestation of the social structures that underlie the conflict.     

Community epidemiology and environmental health risk from dioxin contamination in Paritutu

This article explores community-awareness perspectives and actions towards dioxin-related health exposure in Paritutu Community, New Plymouth, New Zealand. The actions are analysed through media reports, covering a 10-year period from 1998 to 2008. Since 1964, Paritutu Community residents have expressed concern about increased morbidity associated with dioxin contamination from a nearby agrichemical plant. Upon investigation, official agencies were at first unable to verify a causal link between dioxin and morbidity, precipitating community activism and increasing public pressure on relevant authorities. Residents played a major role in alleviating further damage to their community by analysing and evaluating data and providing information that ultimately resulted in both official recognition of their environmental health risk and preventative strategies to alleviate their morbidity. This article backgrounds the Paritutu Community Epidemiology approach and evaluates stages in how the Paritutu Community overcame indifference and lack of precaution and exerted influence leading to the removal of the source of contamination and positive policy changes in public health including the setting up of ameliorative health services for affected people. The findings of this research support theories of popular, lay, community and worker epidemiology.     

Sediment and nutrient dynamics during snowmelt runoff generation in a southern Taiga catchment of Russia

The water quality of the Volga catchment, Russia, is diminished and major nutrients reach critical levels. Proper management strategies depend on process knowledge about nutrient sources and pathways as well as appropriate models. For the 18.8 km² experimental catchment Lubazhinkha, 100 km south of Moscow, a monitoring scheme was conducted to identify runoff generation and nutrient source areas. The grey forest soils of the catchment are utilized with arable land and pasture (54%) and forest areas. The received results show a high intra-annual and inter-annual dynamic of the snowmelt runoff generation as major hydrological process. Overall sediment export rates during the 3 years of snowmelt investigation from 2003 to 2005 are low with a maximum of 0.33 t ha⁻¹ during snowmelt period 2005 and effectively reduced by a dam at the catchment outlet. Also, the total phosphorus loss from the catchment is low reaching from 0.03 to 0.35 kg ha⁻¹ during the snowmelt periods. However, sediment and total phosphorus concentrations vary within one snowmelt event and can reach high concentrations. Detailed analysis of element concentrations during snowmelt events allows an identification of different flow components and runoff generating mechanisms. During low flow situations phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon are transferred from the arable soils with slow flow components to the channel. In contrast to this situation, the sources of sediment and nutrients split up temporarily and spatially during high flow situations. Aside arable fields that are source of sediment and phosphorus during snowmelt episodes, the forested areas were detected as major source for the export of dissolved organic carbon with surface runoff. In particular these areas are characterized by a late thawing of the topsoil which causes a delayed peak of dissolved organic carbon concentration. The awareness of the dynamic and complex catchment reaction during snowmelt events is of importance for the development of proper management strategies.     

玉米对受污染河道复合沉积物的修复

为减轻城市河道沉积物的受污染程度,利用温室盆栽玉米对其中的污染物进行了修复研究试验.结果表明,玉米体内累积最多的重金属是zn,占沉积物中Zn总量的56.69%,其中地上部分为1 985.56 mg·kg-1,占沉积物中Zn总量的30.16%,其余重金属(Pb、Cu、Ni、Cd)均为地上部分小于地下部分;Cd在玉米地上部分的累积量为2.33 mg·kg-1,为沉积物中Cd总量的40.10%;地上部累积的Zn、Pb、Cu和Ni等重金属数量与其离子交换态量显著相关,与重金属总量相关性不明显.种植玉米后沉积物中大分子有机物逐渐向小分子过渡,有效降低了有机物的污染.玉米的根际作用增加了沉积物中的微生物和酶活性.种植玉米较好地修复了受污染河道复合沉积物.     

重金属污染土壤接种丛枝菌根真菌对蚕豆毒性的影响

采用盆栽实验的方法,研究了重金属（包括Cu、Zn、Pb和Cd）复合污染和接种丛枝菌根真菌（arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF）Glomus mosseae对蚕豆（Vicia faba）生长及DNA损伤的影响。结果表明,虽然接种菌根真菌对蚕豆生物量的影响并不显著,但是却显著影响植物对重金属的吸收,接种菌根真菌对蚕豆吸收4种重金属元素的作用有差异。采用单细胞凝胶电泳（single cell gel electrophoresis,SCGE）法研究接种菌根真菌对蚕豆叶片的DNA损伤的影响,与重金属吸收的结果相吻合。结果表明,接种处理可显著增加蚕豆叶片的DNA损伤程度,这与接种处理可提高植物的重金属吸收相一致。     

An integrated approach to the toxicity assessment of Irish marine sediments: validation of established marine bioassays for the monitoring of Irish marine sediments

This paper describes the ecotoxicological evaluation of marine sediments from three sites around Ireland representative of a range of contaminant burdens. A comprehensive assessment of potential sediment toxicity requires the consideration of multiple exposure phases. In addition to the evaluation of multi-exposure phases the use of a battery of multi-trophic test species has been advocated by a number of researchers as testing of single or few organisms may not detect toxicants with a specific mode of action. The Microtox(R) solid phase test (SPT) and the 10-d acute amphipod test with Corophium volutator were used to assess whole sediment toxicity. Porewater and elutriates were assessed with the Microtox(R) acute test, the marine prasinophyte Tetraselmis suecica, and the marine copepod Tisbe battagliai. Solvent extracts were assayed with the Microtox(R) and T. battagliai acute tests. Alexandra Basin was identified as the most toxic site according to all tests, except the Microtox(R) SPT which identified the Dunmore East site as being more toxic. However, it was not possible to correlate the observed ecotoxicological effects with a specific and/or class of contaminants based on sediment chemistry alone. Therefore porewaters found to elicit significant toxicity (Dunmore East and Alexandra Basin) with the test battery were selected for further TIE assessment with T. battalgiai and the Microtox(R) system. The results of this study have important implications for risk assessment in estuarine and coastal waters in Ireland, where, at present the monitoring of sediment and water quality is predominantly reliant on chemical analysis alone.     

西昌邛海沉积物重金属含量时空变化与污染评价

通过对四川省西昌市邛海沉积岩芯10种金属元素全量与表层沉积物7种重金属元素全量和赋存形态的分析,研究了近百年来重金属累积和污染的时空特征及其在表层沉积物中的潜在生态风险.20世纪70年代之前,沉积岩芯中金属元素含量均较为稳定;70年代沉积物中Al、Fe、K和Cr含量呈明显的峰值,与流域降水量增加及围湖造田和毁林开荒等导致的细颗粒表土侵蚀输入有关;90年代以来,随着流域土壤侵蚀强度降低,Al、Fe、K和Cr等含量总体呈下降趋势,而As、Cd、Cu、Pb和Zn含量逐渐升高或较为稳定.富集系数结果表明,沉积岩芯中Cd、Pb和Zn受到不同程度的人为污染;其中Cd污染最重,污染开始于20世纪60年代,90年代以来保持在中等污染水平.表层沉积物中,Cd在西北部湖区含量较高,其余重金属含量空间变化趋势不明显;Cd、Pb和Zn的有效态质量分数平均分别为95%、63%和48%,其中Cd以酸可提取态为主,Pb和Zn主要赋存于可还原态和可氧化态中;其余重金属有效态质量分数平均值小于27%.重金属全量与有效态含量结果均表明,表层沉积物中Pb和Zn为轻度污染或中度污染水平,Cd平均为中度污染水平,但在西北部湖区达到了重度污染水平.基于重金属全量与有效态含量分别估算的表层沉积物中人为源Cd、Pb和Zn的含量较为接近（P>0.05）,说明人为输入的重金属在沉积物中主要赋存于有效态中.综合沉积物质量基准、潜在生态风险指数评价结果及重金属赋存形态,表层沉积物中Cd具有较强的潜在生态风险,其余重金属表现为低生态风险.