An Analysis of the Structure of the Simple Mass Balance Equation: Implications for Testing National Critical Loads Maps

The critical loads concept is used by the UN-ECEConvention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution(CLRTAP) for setting pollution reduction targets.Increasing numbers of countries are adopting the SimpleMass Balance equation (SMB) to calculate critical loads ofacidifying S and N for forest soils. The equation is madeup of a series of mass balances each of which is used tocalculate a leaching flux. The assumptions in the SMBequation were investigated by testing its ability topredict current sulphur load and by comparing each of thecalculated leaching fluxes to measured rates. It was notpossible to predict current sulphur load at our sites usingthe SMB equation. The leaching tests demonstrated that,primarily due to its steady state assumptions, the SMBequation generates critical loads that are theoretical longterm estimates of risk, and are untestable. Thesimplifying assumptions sometimes lead to illogicalresults. Some of these can be improved by adding a final,simple but dynamic, calculation step to determine theexpected time until effects are observed. Theacceptability of combining annual average data, which bestapproximates steady state, with a biological indicator isquestionable. It is not possible to test critical loadscalculated using the SMB equation when applied with all ofits assumptions but it is possible to test its fundamentalapproach using non steady state data.     

Mobility and Methylation of Mercury in Forest Soils Development of an In-Situ Stable Isotope Tracer Technique and Initial Results

A method for investigating in-situmethylation and mobility of mercury has beendeveloped and applied to forest soil. The methodis based on additions of stable ¹⁹⁹Hgisotopes to forest soil plots followed bysampling and analysis of isotope ratios of totalmercury and MeHg using ICP-MS. Initial resultsindicate that a fraction (30%) of the mercuryadded to the forest soils is immobilised over atime scale of 16 months. A small but significantfraction of the mercury is methylated during thesame time scale. Higher methylation rates werefound in wetland soil than in dry forest podzolsoil.     

同步荧光法同时测定黄土中的菲和萘

建立了同时测定菲和萘混合液中二组分的固定波长同步荧光光谱法.菲和萘的线性范围分别为0.001～0.101mg/L和0.0025～0.25mg/L,检出限分别为0.47ng/mL和0.14ng/mL,相对标准偏差分别为0.48%和0.89%(n=12).此方法可用于研究黄土对菲、萘混合液吸附平衡后上清液中的菲和萘的同时测定.结果表明,黄土对菲和萘的吸附曲线满足Freundlich方程,为预测和治理土壤污染提供了一种快速简便的测试手段.     

Degradation of telone II in contaminated and noncontaminated soils

Abstract

Degradation of the nematicide Telone II (cis‐ and trans‐1,3‐dichloropropene comprise the active ingredients) in soil was studied using ¹⁴C‐l,3‐dichloropropene (DCP) along with soil samples collected from a field test site near Quincy, Florida. A mixed bacterial culture isolated from the soil in the presence of a second carbon source, glucose or yeast extract, completely degraded ¹⁴C‐DCP to ¹⁴CO₂, water‐soluble products, and microbial mass. ¹⁴C‐DCP in soil was also degraded to ¹⁴CO₂. After 28 days of incubation, the labeled chemical was completely degraded to ¹⁴CO₂, water‐soluble metabolites, bound‐residues, and possibly some microbial mass. Little or no difference was observed in the degradation of ¹⁴C‐DCP in soil samples collected one week prior to field application of Telone II, or two weeks and two years after application.     

Reduction of availability of trace metals in urban soils using inorganic amendments

Urban soils in medium- and large-sized cities generally have shown elevated contents of environmentally important trace metals (e.g. lead, copper, zinc). Such high concentrations in soils of green areas, mainly recreational areas, can be a source of potentially toxic elements and pose a risk for human health. Thus the availability of these contaminants is an essential control parameter, as it indicates potential plant uptake and their transfer to humans via inhalation of suspended dust, or direct ingestion (i.e. hand to mouth pathway), or consumption of contaminated foodstuff. Young children are the most sensitive segment of the population. Addition of amendments to the soil is a feasible technique to reduce the availability of trace metals. Accordingly, four urban soils of green areas of Seville (Spain), with relatively high lead contents and moderate copper and zinc contents, were amended in the laboratory with four inorganic materials [acid zeolite (AZ), sodium zeolite (SZ), Slovakite (SL), apatite (AP)], at two rates (1%, 5% w/w) and incubated for 1 year. Significant decreases in EDTA-extractable metal contents were observed in some of the treatments after adding the amendments even before the incubation begun, mainly for SL treatments. The amendment that produced the longest lasting immobilisation effect, compared to control treatments, was AZ at the higher rate. The effects of SZ and SL tended to decrease with time, while the AP effect was almost negligible after 3 months of ageing. This study confirms the feasibility of using certain inexpensive soil amendments to at least temporarily immobilise metals in urban soils for the purpose of protecting human health, especially that of young children.     

Atmospheric mercury emissions from polluted gold mining areas (Venezuela)

Soil, waste rock and mud from mercury-gold amalgamation mining areas of El Callao (Venezuela) are highly enriched in Hg (0.5–500 μg g⁻¹) relative to natural background concentrations (<0.1 μg g⁻¹). Mercury fluxes to the atmosphere from twelve polluted sites of this area were measured in situ (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.) using a Plexiglas flux chamber connected to a portable mercury analyzer (model RA-915+; Lumex, St. Petersburg, Russia). Mercury fluxes ranged between 0.65 and 420.1 μg m⁻² h⁻¹, and the average flux range during the diurnal hours␣was 9.1–239.2 μg m⁻² h⁻¹. These flux values are five orders of magnitude higher than both reported world background Hg fluxes (1–69 ng m⁻² h⁻¹) and the regional values, which are in the range 2–10 ng m⁻² h⁻¹. The flux results obtained in this study are, however, similar to those measured at Hg polluted sites such as chloro-alkali plants or polymetallic ore mining districts (>100,000 ng m⁻² h⁻¹). The results from this study also show that Hg emissions from the soil are influenced by solar radiation, soil temperature and soil Hg concentration. Our data suggest that solar radiation may be the dominant factor affecting Hg° emission since the major species of mercury in polluted soil is Hg° (85–97% of total Hg). The simple release of Hg° vapor is probably the dominant process occurring with incident light in the field. The apparent activation energy for mercury emission indicates that the volatilization of mercury mainly occurred as a result of the vaporization of elemental mercury in soil. The degree of Hg emission differed significantly among the soil sites studied, which may be due to variations in soil texture, organic matter content and soil compaction.     

Ancient manuring practices pollute arable soils at the St Kilda World Heritage Site, Scottish North Atlantic

The impact of ancient fertilization practices on the biogeochemistry of arable soils on the remote Scottish island of Hirta, St Kilda was investigated. The island was relatively unusual in that the inhabitants exploited seabird colonies for food, enabling high population densities to be sustained on a limited, and naturally poor, soil resource. A few other Scottish islands, the Faeroes and some Icelandic Islands, had similar cultural dependence on seabirds. Fertilization with human and animal waste streams (mainly peat ash and bird carcases) on Hirta over millennia has led to over-deepened, nutrient-rich soils (plaggen). This project set out to examine if this high rate of fertilization had adversely impacted the soil, and if so, to determine which waste streams were responsible. Arable soils were considerably elevated in Pb and Zn compared to non-arable soils. Using Pb isotope signatures and analysis of the waste streams, it was determined that this pollution came from peat and turf ash (Pb and Zn) and from bird carcases (Zn). This was also confirmed by ¹³C and ¹⁵N analysis of the profiles which showed that soil organic matter was highly enriched in marine-derived C and N compared to non-arable soils. The pollution of such a remote island may be typical of other ‘bird culture’ islands, and peat ash contamination of marginal arable soils at high latitudes may be widespread in terms of geographical area, but less intense at specific locations due to lower population densities than on Hirta.     

乌江流域石灰土中铀等元素形态与铀活性

以中国西南乌江流域石灰土为例，运用逐级提取(Sequential Extraction，SEE)技术，并结合化学成分和相关参数数据，研究了石灰土中铀(U)等元素的形态，并在此基础上探讨了石灰土中U的活动性及释放潜力，旨在增进对U等元素生物地球化学循环的了解，同时也为流域U污染防治提供科学依据。研究结果表明：①石灰土中Mn主要存在于锰(氢)氧化物中，Ca主要存在于碳酸盐和硅酸盐矿物中，P主要存在于硅酸盐矿物和有机质中，U主要赋存于硅酸盐等残留部分中，其次赋存于有机质结合部分和碳酸盐矿物中；②石灰土剖面中活动态U所占的比例为10%~30%，平均17%，说明石灰土中的部分U在酸性和氧化-还原界面等条件下具有一定的迁移活性，即在上述条件下，石灰土中的部分U可释放进入周围水体或植物中；③石灰土中U的潜在释放量为036~150 g/t，平均U潜在释放量为076 g/t，因此，在酸雨和侵蚀等作用下，石灰土U释放可显著提高乌江河水U通量。     

Groundwater Denitrification Capacity of Riparian Zones in Suburban and Agricultural Watersheds1

Watson, Tara K., Dorothy Q. Kellogg, Kelly Addy, Arthur J. Gold, Mark H. Stolt, Sean W. Donohue, and Peter M. Groffman, 2010. Groundwater Denitrification Capacity of Riparian Zones in Suburban and Agricultural Watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(2):237-245. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00418.x Abstract: We evaluated the relationship of dominant watershed land use to the structure and nitrogen (N) sink function of riparian zones. We focused on groundwater denitrification capacity, water table dynamics, and the presence and pattern of organically enriched deposits. We used the push-pull method (measurement of ¹⁵N-enriched denitrification gases derived from an introduced groundwater plume of ¹⁵N-enriched nitrate) to evaluate groundwater denitrification capacity on nine forested wetland riparian sites developed in alluvial or outwash parent materials in southern New England. Three replicate sites were located in each of the three watershed types, those with substantial (1) irrigated agriculture, (2) suburban development, and (3) forest. Soil morphology and water table dynamics were assessed at each site. We found significantly lower mean annual water tables at sites within watersheds with substantial irrigated agriculture or suburban development than forested watersheds. Water table dynamics were more variable at sites within suburban watersheds, especially during the summer. Groundwater denitrification capacity was significantly greater at sites within forested watersheds than in watersheds with substantial irrigated agriculture. Because of the high degree of variability observed in riparian sites within suburban watersheds, groundwater denitrification capacity was not significantly different from either forested or agricultural watersheds. The highly variable patterns of organically enriched deposits and water tables at sites within suburban watersheds suggests that depositional events are irregular, limiting the predictability of groundwater N dynamics in these riparian zones. The variability of riparian N removal in watersheds with extensive suburbia or irrigated agriculture argues for N management strategies emphasizing effective N source controls in these settings.     

硝酸盐和甲烷对覆土中苯系物厌氧氧化的影响

苯系物是填埋场填埋气中恶臭有机气体的重要成分之一,填埋气中的CH4则是重要的温室气体.填埋覆土层中的微生物可以氧化CH4和苯系物,因此,强化微生物的氧化效能有助于削减和控制填埋气的污染.电子受体还原可耦合甲烷和某些有机物的厌氧氧化,从而去除甲烷和有机物.鉴此,本研究通过静态培养试验,分析了电子受体SO2-4共存条件下,NO-3和CH4共存对覆土中苯系物厌氧降解的影响.结果表明不外加NO-3时,苯系物抑制CH4的降解,加入NO-3后,苯系物共存反而有利于CH4的去除;单独添加NO-3或CH4都能促进填埋覆土中苯系物的去除;而同时添加NO-3和CH4能更好地促进苯系物的去除,甲苯、二甲苯和异丙苯的去除率最高可达65%、88%和82%,远高于不添加NO-3和CH4对照处理的53%、76%和31%;NO-3还原与CH4厌氧氧化耦合过程能同步促进苯系物的厌氧氧化.