A fast and reliable method for quantitative determination of total mercury in vegetables

A cloud-point extraction (CPE) process using the nonionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol tert octylphenyl ether (Triton X-114) was employed for determination of Hg(II) ions in aqueous solutions. The method is based on the ion-pairing reaction of Hg(II) with Pyronin B (PyrB⁺) in the presence of excess iodide at pH 6.0 and extraction of the complex formed. The chemical variables affecting CPE efficiency were studied, and the analytical characteristics of the method were obtained. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 1–40 μg L^?1 with the detection limits of 0.35 and 0.30 μg L^?1 at 556 and 521 nm. Selectivity was also tested. The coefficients of variation of the method are 2.4% and 5.2% for five replicate measurements of mercury at levels of 10 and 25 μg L^?1, respectively. The results obtained for two certified reference samples were in a good agreement with the certified values. The method was applied to the determination of total mercury in vegetable samples.     

Substitution of toxicologically critical solvents in the residue analysis of acetamiprid: Towards green chemistry

The article presents the reduced use of toxicologically critical solvents for the extraction and clean-up of a neo-nicotinoid pesticide, acetamiprid from vegetables. Acetamiprid was extracted from spiked vegetable samples of cabbage by the use of different techniques like microwave-assisted extraction (MWAE), sonication and by the conventional method of homogenization. The study revealed that though higher percent recoveries of 78–92 were obtained in the blending method, solvent use was high as compared to MWAE. In MWAE, the percent recoveries recorded were in the range of 46–89 depending upon the solvent used and power employed. A mixture of methanol–water and methanol–acetone at 400 W power levels gave percent recoveries of 72 and 82, respectively, as compared to solvent mixtures, namely, acetone–hexane and acetone–hexane–water, which recorded recoveries of 49 and 67%. The study indicates that the choice of solvent and power employed plays a significant role in MWAE for enhanced recoveries.     

Microbial nitrogen transformation potential in surface run-off leachate from a tropical landfill

Ammonium is one of the major toxic compounds and a critical long-term pollutant in landfill leachate. Leachate from the Jatibarang landfill in Semarang, Indonesia, contains ammonium in concentrations ranging from 376 to 929 mg N L⁻¹. The objective of this study was to determine seasonal variation in the potential for organic nitrogen ammonification, aerobic nitrification, anaerobic nitrate reduction and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) at this landfilling site. Seasonal samples from leachate collection treatment ponds were used as an inoculum to feed synthetic media to determine potential rates of nitrogen transformations. Aerobic ammonium oxidation potential (<0.06 mg N L⁻¹ h⁻¹) was more than a hundred times lower than the anaerobic nitrogen transformation processes and organic nitrogen ammonification, which were of the same order of magnitude. Anaerobic nitrate oxidation did not proceed beyond nitrite; isolates grown with nitrate as electron acceptor did not degrade nitrite further. Effects of season were only observed for aerobic nitrification and anammox, and were relatively minor: rates were up to three times higher in the dry season. To completely remove the excess ammonium from the leachate, we propose a two-stage treatment system to be implemented. Aeration in the first leachate pond would strongly contribute to aerobic ammonium oxidation to nitrate by providing the currently missing oxygen in the anaerobic leachate and allowing for the growth of ammonium oxidisers. In the second pond the remaining ammonium and produced nitrate can be converted by a combination of nitrate reduction to nitrite and anammox. Such optimization of microbial nitrogen transformations can contribute to alleviating the ammonium discharge to surface water draining the landfill.     

Modelling the effects of litter decomposition on tree diversity patterns

Current theories may not fully explain why latitudinal patterns of plant diversity differ between terrestrial and flooded ecosystems. Moreover, the co-occurrence of hyper diverse stands in lowland tierra firma (not inundated) forests and almost monospecific stands in mangroves and gallery riparian vegetation within the tropics remains enigmatic. Building on evidence from ecology and agriculture, we present a new model investigating the hypothesis that, besides the general positive feedback of plant growth by nutrients release, litter decomposition builds up an intra-specific negative feedback functionally linked with tree diversity. The model results were compared with extensive published data sets both across and within latitudinal zones. The model predicts correctly the biomass production and decomposition process, as well as the number of tree species, their relative abundance in all environmental conditions providing a novel, putative explanation also for the diversity variations observed within the tropics. The model demonstrates a possible mechanistic link between the carbon cycle and biodiversity patterns, which is interesting in the debate about advancing in the direction of a unifying ecosystem theory.     

Cadmium Concentration in Vegetables Grown on Urban Soils Irrigated with Untreated Municipal Sewage

Cadmium (Cd) is considered as a potential toxin that is principally dispersed in natural and agricultural environments through anthropogenic sources. Untreated municipal sewage, often a potential source of Cd, is generally used to irrigate urban agricultural soils in many developing countries. A study was carried out to determine Cd concentration in untreated municipal sewage and sewage-irrigated soils and vegetables. The metal ion concentration in municipal sewage was found 3-fold (0.03mgL^–1) its permissible concentration in irrigation water (0.01mgL^–1). Ammonium bicarbonate–diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid NH₄HCO₃–DTPA) extractable Cd concentration in top 0.15m soil ranged between 0.25 and 0.34mgkg^–1. Soil Cd concentration was significantly correlated with soil clay content, pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchange capacity. Cadmium availability index (CDI) decreased with an increase in soil depth. The metal ion was found in leaf (0.17–0.24mgkg^–1 fresh weight) and fruit (0.07–0.18mgkg^–1 fresh weight) portions of all the sampled vegetables: bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum L.), okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], onion (Allium cepa L.), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Leafy tissue accumulated Cd about twice that of the fruit portion. Our results suggest that prolonged ingestion of sewage-irrigated leafy vegetables can develop such Cd levels in human body that may cause a number of illnesses.     

Mitigation needs adaptation: Tropical forestry and climate change

The relationship between tropical forests and global climate change has so far focused on mitigation, while much less emphasis has been placed on how management activities may help forest ecosystems adapt to this change. This paper discusses how tropical forestry practices can contribute to maintaining or enhancing the adaptive capacity of natural and planted forests to global climate change and considers challenges and opportunities for the integration of tropical forest management in broader climate change adaptation. In addition to the use of reduced impact logging to maintain ecosystem integrity, other approaches may be needed, such as fire prevention and management, as well as specific silvicultural options aimed at facilitating genetic adaptation. In the case of planted forests, the normally higher intensity of management (with respect to natural forest) offers additional opportunities for implementing adaptation measures, at both industrial and smallholder levels. Although the integration in forest management of measures aimed at enhancing adaptation to climate change may not involve substantial additional effort with respect to current practice, little action appears to have been taken to date. Tropical foresters and forest-dependent communities appear not to appreciate the risks posed by climate change and, for those who are aware of them, practical guidance on how to respond is largely non-existent. The extent to which forestry research and national policies will promote and adopt management practices in order to assist production forests adapt to climate change is currently uncertain. Mainstreaming adaptation into national development and planning programs may represent an initial step towards the incorporation of climate change considerations into tropical forestry.     

On the value of temporary carbon: a comment on Kirschbaum

A recent paper by Miko Kirschbaum (Mitigat Adapt Strategies Glob Change 11(5–6):1151–1164, 2006) argues that temporary carbon (C) storage has “virtually no climate-change mitigation value.” However, temporary carbon has value in delaying global warming that needs to be recognized in carbon accounting methodologies. The conclusions reached are very sensitive to any value that is attached to time. Basing analysis exclusively on the maximum temperature reached within a 100-year time frame ignores other important impacts of global warming that also need to be included when mitigation strategies are assessed. The relative weightings for long-term versus short-term impacts represent policy choices that result in a greater or a lesser value being attributed to temporary carbon, but that value should not be zero. Global warming is too formidable an enemy to allow us the luxury of discarding part of our arsenal in fighting against it. Both reducing fossil-fuel combustion and increasing biosphere carbon stocks are needed.     

设施栽培对土壤与蔬菜中PAHs污染特征及其健康风险评价

利用现场设施栽培试验,研究了大棚内外土壤、蔬菜(生菜、苋菜、空心菜和青菜)及蔬菜生长期内湿沉降样品中16种PAHs的含量特征、可能来源以及对人的健康风险.结果表明,大棚内外蔬菜中PAHs含量平均值分别为99.27 ng·g~(-1)和109.11 ng·g~(-1);棚内外土壤中PAHs含量分别为128.01 ng·g~(-1)和173.07 ng·g~(-1).棚内PAHs含量明显低于棚外,棚内外土壤与蔬菜体内的PAHs均以低环为主.湿沉降颗粒态与溶解态PAHs含量分别为2 986.49 ng·g~(-1)和61.9 ng·L~(-1).通过分析蔬菜对土壤中PAHs的生物富集系数发现蔬菜对低环PAHs富集系数较大.土壤与蔬菜中PAHs主要来源为石油排放和草、木和煤的燃烧;湿沉降颗粒态中PAHs主要来源为油类排放与草、木和煤的燃烧;溶解态主要来源为化石燃料的燃烧和汽油排放.分析终身暴露致癌风险,儿童与成人食用不同种类蔬菜的终身暴露致癌风险值ILCR在10-6~10-4(排除苋菜)之间,都存在潜在致癌风险,棚外蔬菜致癌风险高于棚内,相比较其他3种蔬菜食用苋菜(ILCR10-6)的致癌风险最低,青菜的终身暴露风险ILCR10-5,有较高的致癌风险.     

东莞市蔬菜重金属污染状况研究

人类活动对土壤造成的影响越来越严重,特别是土壤重金属污染,通过食物链转移,对人体健康造成极大危害。通过对东莞市主要蔬菜生产基地的11种蔬菜48个样品的可食部分的重金属含量测试,得出了2大类11种蔬菜中Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd、Cr、As、Hg、Ni等八种重金属的含量。发现Pb对该地区蔬菜的污染较普遍,超标率达到了20.9%,最高检出值为标准的2.2倍,其次是Cd、Hg,超标率分别为11.6%和2.3%。研究发现重金属元素含量超标的蔬菜均为叶菜类蔬菜,其中菠菜有四种重金属元素的含量在各品种蔬菜中最高。     

重庆市畜禽粪便及菜田土壤中四环素类抗生素生态风险评价

近年来新型有机污染物抗生素在环境中的残留及对生态环境的风险成为国内外研究的热点.在畜禽养殖业中四环素类抗生素(tetracycline antibiotics,TCs)使用量最大,在畜禽粪便中的残留量也最高.本文采用调查研究结合室内分析,客观评价了重庆市主要大型养殖场畜禽粪便和主要蔬菜基地菜田土壤中3种农用四环素类抗生素[土霉素(OTC)、四环素(TC)和金霉素(CTC)]可能存在的环境生态风险.结果表明, 2014年猪粪和鸡粪中的OTC、TC、CTC和TCs总量(∑TCs)的平均值分别为13.05、 91.81、 62.48、 167.34 mg·kg^-1和4.25、 4.6、 28.55、 37.40 mg·kg^-1.2019年所调查的样品中猪粪和鸡粪中的OTC、TC、CTC和∑TCs平均含量分别为3.39、 4.82、 5.92、 15.95 mg·kg^-1和1.10、 1.35、 4.22、 5.16 mg·kg^-1,相比2014年, 2019年重庆市畜禽粪便中TCs含量有大幅度的下降,TC...