Contamination by arsenic and other trace elements of tube-well water along the Mekong River in Lao PDR

Arsenic and other trace element concentrations were determined for tube-well water collected in the Lao PDR provinces of Attapeu, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Savannakhet, Saravane, and Vientiane. Water samples, especially from floodplain areas of central and southern Laos, were significantly contaminated not only with As, but with B, Ba, Mn, U, and Fe as well. Total As concentrations ranged from <0.5 μg L⁻¹ to 278 μg L⁻¹, with over half exceeding the WHO guideline of 10 μg L⁻¹. 46% of samples, notably, were dominated by As(III). Samples from Vientiane, further north, were all acceptable except on pH, which was below drinking water limits. A principal component analysis found associations between general water characteristics, As, and other trace elements. Causes of elevated As concentrations in Lao tube wells were considered similar to those in other Mekong River countries, particularly Cambodia and Vietnam, where young alluvial aquifers give rise to reducing conditions.     

Removal of trace elements in three horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands in the Czech Republic

Between March 2006 and June 2008 removal of 34 trace elements was measured on a monthly basis at three horizontal-flow constructed wetlands in the Czech Republic designed to treat municipal wastewater. In general, the results indicated a very wide range of removal efficiencies among studied elements. The highest degree of removal (average of 90%) was found for aluminum. High average removal was also recorded for zinc (78%). Elements removed in the range of 50-75% were uranium, antimony, copper, lead, molybdenum, chromium, barium, iron and gallium. Removal of cadmium, tin, mercury, silver, selenium and nickel varied between 25 and 50%. Low retention (0-25%) was observed for vanadium, lithium, boron, cobalt and strontium. There were two elements (manganese and arsenic) for which average outflow concentrations were higher compared to inflow concentrations. Reduced manganese compounds are very soluble and therefore they are washed out under anaerobic conditions.     

On causes of gigantism in herbaceous plants

Landscape-geochemical features providing for manifestation of gigantism in herbaceous plants have been revealed in natural habitats in the south of Sakhalin and Kunashir islands. Tall herb assemblages have proved to be associated with geochemical landscapes characterized by reducing (gley or hydrogen sulfide) conditions and increased contents of petroleum hydrocarbons and some trace elements (total and movable forms). A hypothesis is put forward that gigantism in herbaceous plants is manifested in zones of active faults, which serve as a kind of conduits supplying endogenous heat, matter, and water to the root systems.     

Distribution of environmentally sensitive elements in residential soils near a coal-fired power plant: Potential risks to ecology and children’s health

One hundred and twelve soil samples were collected from residential areas surrounding a coal-fired power plant at Huainan City, Anhui Province, China. The concentrations of environmentally sensitive elements (ESEs As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in soil samples were determined, and their potential ecological and health risks were assessed. Mean concentrations of ESEs in the downwind soils of the power plant are relatively higher than those in the upwind soils, pointing to a potential ESEs input from coal combustion. The calculated ecological risk of ESEs in soils indicates a relatively low ecological risk. Hazard quotient (HQ) of ESEs in downwind soils is 1.5, suggesting a potential health risk for children. However, the carcinogenic risk values of ESEs in soils are within the acceptable non-hazardous range of 1E−06–1E−04.     

某1000 MW燃煤机组脱硝催化剂运行性能检测

以某1000 MW燃煤机组脱硝系统使用的脱硝催化剂为研究对象,分别对不同运行时间的催化剂进行了对比检测。检测结果表明,运行初期,催化剂表面沉积了一定量的碱金属,但属于正常范围内;没有出现过多的硫化合物的沉积;催化剂微观结构遭到一定程度的破坏,比表面积有下降趋势;催化剂机械强度基本保持良好;催化剂活性衰减在正常范围内,催化剂可以继续使用或添加加装层。     

A human health risk assessment of rare earth elements in soil and vegetables from a mining area in Fujian Province,Southeast China

Contaminated food through dietary intake has become the main potential risk impacts on human health. This study investigated concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) in soil, vegetables, human hair and blood, and assessed human health risk through vegetables consumption in the vicinity of a large-scale mining area located in Hetian Town of Changting County, Fujian Province, Southeast China. The results of the study included the following mean concentrations for total and bio-available REEs of 242.92 ± 68.98 (135.85–327.56) μg g⁻¹ and 118.59 ± 38.49 (57.89–158.96) μg g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) in agricultural soil, respectively, and total REEs of 3.58 ± 5.28 (0.07–64.42) μg g⁻¹ dw in vegetable samples. Concentrations of total REEs in blood and hair collected from the local residents ranged from 424.76 to 1274.80 μg L⁻¹ with an average of 689.74 ± 254.25 μg L⁻¹ and from 0.06 to 1.59 μg g⁻¹ with an average of 0.48 ± 0.59 μg g⁻¹ of the study, respectively. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between REEs in blood and corresponding soil samples (R² = 0.6556, p < 0.05), however there was no correlation between REEs in hair and corresponding soils (p > 0.05). Mean concentrations of REEs of 2.85 (0.59–10.24) μg L⁻¹ in well water from the local households was 53-fold than that in the drinking water of Fuzhou city (0.054 μg L⁻¹). The health risk assessment indicated that vegetable consumption would not result in exceeding the safe values of estimate daily intake (EDI) REEs (100−110 μg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹) for adults and children, but attention should be paid to monitoring human beings health in such rare earth mining areas due to long-term exposure to high dose REEs from food consumptions.     

Soil Contribution to the Elemental Composition of Epiphytic Lichens (Tuscany, Central Italy)

Total concentrations of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sr, Ti, V and Zn in the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata and superficial soils from 60 remote sampling sites in Tuscany (central Italy) were determined to evaluate the contribution of soil to the elemental composition of the lichen. The results showed that in the Mediterranean environment, the trace element content of unwashed lichen samples is greatly affected by soil contamination. However, despite the strong correlations between the concentrations of lithogene elements such as Al, Fe and Ti in P. sulcata, lichen levels of these elements were not at all linearly correlated with their concentrations in the soil, suggesting that dust contamination is highly variable and probably dependent on local site characteristics. All methods evaluated to minimize soil contamination indicated Cu, Pb and Zn as elements of atmospheric origin. However, while levels of Pb were similar to those reported for background areas, moderate pollution by Cu and Zn, probably from fertilizers used in agriculture, was revealed. For elements such as Cd and Mo, identified as atmophile, some uncertainty exists due to the fact that they are essential for lichen metabolism and accumulate intracellularly in lichens; they may therefore occur in soluble form in the lichen thallus.     

广州市区植物叶片重金属元素含量及其大气污染评价

文章通过对广州市区植物叶片中重金属元素含量的分析,研究了植物大气环境污染指数,探讨了植物叶片重金属元素含量与城市大气环境污染之间的关系。结果表明,植物叶片中Cu,Pb,Cd,Cr元素污染都较严重,在重污染区这些元素的含量明显高于清洁对照区;用植物污染指数可以综合评价大气环境质量状况;利用植物叶片内的重金属含量变化,为大气污染生物监测和环境质量评价提供了科学依据。     

贵州省煤中挥发性和半挥发性微量元素分布规律的初步研究

研究了贵州省四大煤田不同层位、不同煤种中Hg,As,Se,Pb,Cd,Tl,Zn,Sb等挥发性和半挥发性微量元素的分布规律。贵州省原煤中Hg,As,Se,Pb,Cd,Sb等元素的含量高于地壳克拉克值;Tl,Zn等的含量低于地壳克拉克值;另外,除了Pb,Zn外,贵州省原煤中Hg,As,Se,Cd的含量远远高于东北和内蒙古东部地区。微量元素聚类分析结果表明,Hg,As,Sb可能主要分布于煤的黄铁矿中;Zn和Se可能主要赋存于闪锌矿中;Cd可能部分存在于硫化物中,部分存在于硅酸盐矿物相中;Pb可能主要存在于硅酸盐矿物相中;而Tl在煤中的赋存形式较复杂。     

京津冀典型城市采暖季颗粒物浓度与元素分布特征

选择京津冀地区3个典型城市和从南至北的4个国家大气背景站作为研究对象,收集采暖季空气颗粒物PM2.5、PM10样品,微波消解-ICP-MS法分析了样品中的68种元素。结果表明,北京、天津、石家庄PM2.5和PM10日均质量浓度均高于国家二级标准限值和背景点,一元线性回归分析结果表明,PM10与PM2.5质量浓度呈线性相关,Na、Mg、Al、S、K、Ca、Fe质量浓度为0.1~10μg/m3,Si、P、Ti、Mn、Ni、Cu、Zn、Ba、Pb质量浓度为10~100 ng/m3,其他元素质量浓度为0.01~10 ng/m3或未检出。在元素构成上,S、Na、Al、K、Fe、Mg、Ca、P、Si等是主要元素,元素含量均大于1%。其他微量元素每种元素含量为0.1%~1%。14种重点防控重金属在PM2.5中的吸附显著高于PM10,主要来源于燃煤、燃油、工业排放、机动车尾气等。