Nutrient Loadings to Streams of the Continental United States from Municipal and Industrial Effluent1

Maupin, Molly A. and Tamara Ivahnenko, 2011. Nutrient Loadings to Streams of the Continental United States From Municipal and Industrial Effluent. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):950‐964. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00576.x Abstract: Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Permit Compliance System national database were used to calculate annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads to surface waters from municipal and industrial facilities in six major regions of the United States for 1992, 1997, and 2002. Concentration and effluent flow data were examined for approximately 118,250 facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Inconsistent and incomplete discharge locations, effluent flows, and effluent nutrient concentrations limited the use of these data for calculating nutrient loads. More concentrations were reported for major facilities, those discharging more than 1 million gallons per day, than for minor facilities, and more concentrations were reported for TP than for TN. Analytical methods to check and improve the quality of the Permit Compliance System data were used. Annual loads were calculated using “typical pollutant concentrations” to supplement missing concentrations based on the type and size of facilities. Annual nutrient loads for over 26,600 facilities were calculated for at least one of the three years. Sewage systems represented 74% of all TN loads and 58% of all TP loads. This work represents an initial set of data to develop a comprehensive and consistent national database of point‐source nutrient loads. These loads can be used to inform a wide range of water‐quality management, watershed modeling, and research efforts at multiple scales.     

Factors Affecting Stream Nutrient Loads: A Synthesis of Regional SPARROW Model Results for the Continental United States1

Preston, Stephen D., Richard B. Alexander, Gregory E. Schwarz, and Charles G. Crawford, 2011. Factors Affecting Stream Nutrient Loads: A Synthesis of Regional SPARROW Model Results for the Continental United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):891‐915. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00577.x Abstract: We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models – 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus – all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but those for major river basins in the eastern half of the country were somewhat more accurate. The models simulate long‐term mean annual stream nutrient loads as a function of a wide range of known sources and climatic (precipitation, temperature), landscape (e.g., soils, geology), and aquatic factors affecting nutrient fate and transport. The results confirm the dominant effects of urban and agricultural sources on stream nutrient loads nationally and regionally, but reveal considerable spatial variability in the specific types of sources that control water quality. These include regional differences in the relative importance of different types of urban (municipal and industrial point vs. diffuse urban runoff) and agriculture (crop cultivation vs. animal waste) sources, as well as the effects of atmospheric deposition, mining, and background (e.g., soil phosphorus) sources on stream nutrients. Overall, we found that the SPARROW model results provide a consistent set of information for identifying the major sources and environmental factors affecting nutrient fate and transport in United States watersheds at regional and subregional scales.     

Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic Regions of the United States1

Moore, Richard B., Craig M. Johnston, Richard A. Smith, and Bryan Milstead, 2011. Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic Regions of the United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):965‐990. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00582.x Abstract: This study investigates nutrient sources and transport to receiving waters, in order to provide spatially detailed information to aid water‐resources managers concerned with eutrophication and nutrient management strategies. SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) nutrient models were developed for the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic (NE US) regions of the United States to represent source conditions for the year 2002. The model developed to examine the source and delivery of nitrogen to the estuaries of nine large rivers along the NE US Seaboard indicated that agricultural sources contribute the largest percentage (37%) of the total nitrogen load delivered to the estuaries. Point sources account for 28% while atmospheric deposition accounts for 20%. A second SPARROW model was used to examine the sources and delivery of phosphorus to lakes and reservoirs throughout the NE US. The greatest attenuation of phosphorus occurred in lakes that were large relative to the size of their watershed. Model results show that, within the NE US, aquatic decay of nutrients is quite limited on an annual basis and that we especially cannot rely on natural attenuation to remove nutrients within the larger rivers nor within lakes with large watersheds relative to the size of the lake.     

近岸海域石油污染生物修复技术的研究进展

生物修复技术是治理大面积污染区域的一种有价值的修复方法。对国内外最新的生物刺激和生物强化技术进行调研,总结了该技术对治理近岸海域石油污染的研究进展,分析总结了施加营养盐技术对海洋环境的影响,以及生物修复技术尚存在的一些局限性。     

太湖草型湖区沉积物再悬浮对水体营养盐的影响

再悬浮过程中沉积物对水体营养盐的内源贡献是湖泊,特别是浅水湖泊富营养化研究中的重要问题.采用原位沉积物柱样和原状上覆水的Y型扰动装置,被用来研究常规风情下太湖草型湖区沉积物的再悬浮和沉降过程对水体营养盐负荷的影响.结果表明,小风和中风的再悬浮过程导致水体氨氮和磷酸根磷含量显著下降,单位面积水柱含量最大变化量分别为-0.140 g·m-2和-1.59 mg·m-2;大风条件下,水体氨氮含量下降幅度很小,磷酸盐则出现明显增加趋势,最大增量为0.81mg·m-2.再悬浮过程之后的沉降过程中,中、小风条件的水体氨氮含量变小,大风条件的含量没有明显变化.磷酸根磷含量在中、小风条件下与风浪前差别较小,大风条件的含量则明显增大,最大增量为1.36 mg·m-2.因此,沉积物的再悬浮过程和沉降过程对上覆水体的营养盐动态负荷都产生重要影响.与太湖无植被湖区的研究结果对比说明,水生植物的存在对风浪作用下沉积物与上覆水的物质交换有一定的抑制作用.     

河流营养物参照状态的建立方法研究进展

建立营养物参照状态是河流水污染控制的关键问题之一。系统论述了参照状态的各种内涵,重点分析了国外建立河流营养物参照状态的各种方法及优缺点,并分析了其在中国的适用性。最后,提出了河流营养物参照状态的进一步研究的重点。参照状态根据允许人类活动影响的程度可有多种含义:最小干扰状态、历史状态、最少干扰状态和最佳可达成状态。其中,最少干扰状态和最佳可达成状态在现实管理中具有一定程度的可操作性。参照河流百分比法是建立营养物参照状态的首选方法,但中国水环境污染形势严峻,参照点变得越来越少。当参照点不存在时,一般河流百分比法是参照河流百分比法的替代方法,然而一般河流百分比法和参照河流百分比法的匹配性关系并不完全保持一致。由于栖息地退化等因素对生物完整性的影响程度可能比营养物浓度更大,生物响应法在实际应用中是非常困难的。流域模型法虽然有众多优点,但是数据要求较高,并且常用流域模型的机理与中国有较大差距,在中国应用的结果具有较大的不确定性。综合考虑中国水环境污染现状和数据要求,以多元线性回归模型为代表的简易模型方法在中国应有最大的适用性。然而,环境因素与营养物质间的关系往往都是非线性的,今后应着重研究建立河流营养物参照状态的多元非线性回归模型方法。此外,还应加强季风河流营养物参照状态的季节性差异与年际差异研究,并在全国层面上根据自然因素划分适当规模的生态区,分区确定各生态区的河流营养物参照状态。     

程海冬季水华暴发期间氮、磷营养元素的形态与分布

氮、磷营养元素是湖泊生态系统中极其重要的生态因子,它们以不同形态存在于湖泊水体中,表现出不同的地球化学行为和生态效应,从而支配着湖泊生态系统的生产力水平和湖泊富营养化进程。通过设置3个断面9个采样站14个采样点,研究了程海湖水体中氮、磷营养元素的形态与分布,结果表明：2009年11月23日—2010年2月20日,以铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa Kutz.）为主的程海冬季水华暴发期间,总氮质量浓度0.540~3.906 mg.L-1,平均0.836 mg.L-1;总磷质量浓度0.036~0.166 mg.L-1,平均0.061 mg.L-1。其中,溶解态氮、溶解态磷分别为61.7%和50.8%。溶解态氮以有机氮为主,溶解态磷则以无机磷为主。水华期间生物可直接利用氮质量浓度0.118 mg.L-1;生物可直接利用磷质量浓度0.021 mg.L-1,分别占总氮、总磷质量浓度的14.1%和34.4%,显示出此特定时期,氮的消耗速度较磷快。氮素、磷素及其赋存形态在程海的时间分布上有不同的节奏;水平分布差异不明显;垂直分布在水表层至亚底层的水柱中差异也不明显,而在湖底层最高。     

江苏近岸海域营养盐类污染分布特征与评价

江苏沿海大多属于淤泥质平原海岸,开发利用方式以农业为主,海水中的营养盐类污染物质量浓度分布与人海河流和海岸区域农田化肥施用强度有重要的关系,因此,了解和探讨江苏近岸营养盐类污染的污染程度及其分布有重要的意义。根据江苏近海区域特征,选择近岸海域19个站点作为研究地点,分别对这些地点的总氮、总磷、无机氮和磷酸盐等营养盐类污染物质量浓度进行了分析,首先探讨了这些营养盐污染物在分布江苏近岸海域沿岸方向和向海方向的空间分布特点,然后结合海水水质标准,利用等标污染指数和综合污染指数等方法进行了污染程度评价,得出了江苏沿海营养盐类污染物在空间分布上具有南北两端和中间部位都比较高,而中部辐射沙洲附近和南北两端之间的质量浓度较低的“w”形分布特征,在向海方向上具有营养盐污染物质量浓度基本上都表现为靠近海岸质量浓度高,远离海岸略低的变化趋势,在污染程度评价方面,总磷等标污染指数普遍超过1,总氮等标污染指数大多小于1,综合污染指数在1．63—14．08之间,差异比较明显,一般表现为南北高中间低的特点,最后结合江苏沿海地区河流排污人海情况以及农田化肥农药施用强度,对江苏近岸海域营养盐类污染分布状况进行了讨论。     

长期棉花连作对北疆棉区土壤生物活性与酶学性状的影响

以长期连作棉田为研究对象,通过对5-15年连作棉田土壤理化性质和生物学性状的测定,揭示北疆长期连作对土壤主要肥力性质、土壤酶活性、微生物量碳氮以及土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明：长期棉花（Gossypium spp）连作对土壤肥力性状影响显著,表层土壤（0-20cm）肥力明显高于亚表层（20-40cm）。长期棉花连作对土壤酶活性、微生物量碳氮、土壤呼吸等生物活性有显著影响,脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、纤维素酶和多酚氧化酶均随棉花连作年限增加而下降,棉花/苜蓿（Medicago sativa Linn）轮作（CtR-AR）处理各酶酶活性均高于棉花连作处理。微生物量碳（MBC）随棉花连作年限逐渐下降,而微生物量氮（MBN）随不同棉花连作年限并无一致性变化。不同棉花连作年限处理之间的呼吸商（q（CO2））有很大的差异,15年棉花连作非病区（CtN15）土壤呼吸商最高为19.00g？mg-1？h-1,CtR-AR处理的呼吸商最低为13.64g？mg-1？h-1。土壤微生物商随棉花连作年限延长呈现下降趋势,CtN15处理出现最低值,为0.81%。随棉花连作年限增加,土壤微生物活性降低,不利于土壤健康持续利用。     

秸秆与氮肥配施对辽西旱区土壤酶活性与土壤养分的影响

通过田间试验研究了玉米（Zea mays L.）秸秆与氮肥配施对耕层土壤酶活性及土壤养分的影响。试验设4个秸秆还田量水平,2个施氮量水平。结果表明：在秸秆配施氮肥条件下,耕层土壤中性磷酸酶、脲酶、转化酶和过氧化氢酶活性以及有机质和全氮质量分数均表现为随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加而提高,而硝态氮（3NO-N）和铵态氮（＋4NH-N）质量分数则表现为随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加而减少,4种土壤酶活性与土壤有机质和全氮质量分数均呈显著正相关,与土壤硝态氮和铵态氮质量分数则呈显著负相关。玉米秸秆还田量9 000 kg.hm-2配施氮肥量420 kg.hm-2是辽西风沙半干旱区效果较好的技术措施。