Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations, compositions, sources, and associated carcinogenic risks to humans in farmland soils and riverine sediments from Guiyu, China

The concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) were measured in 23 farmland soil samples and 10 riverine sediment samples from Guiyu, China, and the carcinogenic risks associated with PAHs in the samples were evaluated. Guiyu is the largest electronic waste(EW) dismantling area globally, and has been well known for the primitive and crude manner in which EWs are disposed, such as by open burning and roasting. The total PAH concentrations were 56–567 ng/g in the soils and 181–3034 ng/g in the sediments.The Shanglian and Huamei districts were found to be more contaminated with PAHs than the north of Guiyu. The soils were relatively weakly contaminated but the sediments were more contaminated, and sediments in some river sections might cause carcinogenic risks to the groundwater system. The PAHs in the soils were derived from combustion sources,but the PAHs in the sediments were derived from both combustion and petroleum sources.     

Degradation of Soil Environment in the Post‐Flooding Area: Content of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and S‐Triazine Herbicides

Impacts of flooding on the soil environment with regard to soil pollution with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and s‐triazine (cyanazine, simazine, atriazine, propazine, prometryn) herbicides have been evaluated. No clear differences in the sum of the PAHs content were observed in the present studies. Only changes in the levels of individual PAHs were noted. In soils covered with flooding both at a depth of 0–20 and 20–40 high molecular weight PAHs were predominant (especially mutagenic and carcinogenic 5‐rings PAHs) whereas in non‐flooded areas, 2‐ and 3‐rings PAHs constituted over 80%. In the case of s‐triazine herbicides, no influence of flooding on the changes in their content in agriculturally used soils was noted. On the other hand, clearly lower levels of cyanazine, simazine and atriazine were not in the flooded forest soil as compared to the non‐flooded forest soil.     

Persistent pollutants and the patchiness of urban green areas as drivers of genetic richness in the epiphytic moss Leptodon smithii

We determined genetic variation and metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in Leptodon smithii moss collected in holm oak stands at cities, outskirts and remote areas of Campania and Tuscany（Italy） to investigate if anthropogenic pressure（pollutant emissions and land use change） affects moss genetic richness. In both regions, metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations reflected the trend urban 〉 outskirts 〉 remote areas, excepting Tuscany remote site. In both regions,the moss gene diversity increased from urban to remote areas. The findings suggest the extent and the fragmentation of urban green areas, as drivers of moss genetic richness.     

Determination of biodegradation potential by two culture-independent methods in PAH-contaminated soils

Biodegradation potentials of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined with soil samples collected from various depths of a PAH-contaminated site and of a site nearby where PAHs were not found. Putative dioxygenase genes were amplified by a primer set specific for initial dioxygenases and identified by web-based database homology search. They were further categorized into several groups of which four dioxygenases were selected as probes for DNA hybridization. The hybridization signals according to the presence of putative dioxygenases were positively related to the extent of PAH contamination. However, the signal intensities varied depending on the probes hybridized and moreover were not consistent with PAH biodegradation activities determined by CO2 evolution. Despite widely accepted advantages of molecular biodegradation assessment, our data clearly present the variations of assessment results depending on the genetic information used and suggest that the methodology may tend to underestimate the real biodegradation capacity of a site probably due to the limited dioxygenase database available at the moment. Therefore, the molecular assessment of biodegradation potential should involve a very careful primer and probe design and an extensive microbiological examination of a site of interest to accurately delineate the biodegradation potential of the site.     

Electrochemical or UV-photochemical oxidation of industrial wastes containing polar aromatic sulphonates

BACKGROUND AND INTENTION: Aromatic sulphonates other than surfactants and their hydroxy and amino-derivatives are important intermediates for the production of azo dyes. Their production on a large scale can be detrimental for the environment, if the by-products of their synthesis are not disposed of appropriately. An industrial waste, the organic components of which were mainly amino and hydroxy-substituted aromatic sulphonates, seriously endangers the environment close to an dismissed Italian industrial site. Inorganic sulphates and chlorides contained in the waste seriously hinder its disposal by incineration, since they corrode furnace walls. In this work, preliminary exploration of aqueous-phase electrochemically and photochemically induced oxidation techniques have been performed as possible alternatives to incineration. METHODS: Electrochemically-induced oxidation was experimented on individual aromatic sulphonates and on an industrial waste by electrolysing them between smooth platinum electrodes at low temperature (5 degrees C) and high current densities (0.4 A/cm2) with aqueous 0.5 M NaHSO4 electrolyte. Photochemically-induced oxidation was performed by irradiating individual aromatic sulphonates or industrial waste with a 500 W mercury lamp in the presence of sodium peroxydisulphate. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: After 200 min electrodegradation, 90% of the original compounds disappeared, while 50% Total Organic Carbon (TOC) of an industrial waste was removed from solution after 10 hours. After 180 min UV-photodegradation, 90% of two test aromatic sulphonates disappeared, while 65% of TOC of industrial waste was removed after 5 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Two methods, electrochemical and UV-persulphate oxidation of an industrial waste, were used in order to propose a disposal procedure alternative to incineration. Electrodegradation with smooth Pt anode in 0.5 M NaHSO4 at 5 degrees C halved TOC concentration within 10 hours, while persulphate-assisted UV-photochemical oxidation with a 500 W high pressure Hg lamp abated two-thirds of TOC concentration after 5 hours. Energetic consumption of electrodegradation was 0.33 kWh/g TOC, while that of photooxidation was larger than 2 kWh/g TOC. Although both techniques can be considered efficient from a purely chemical point of view, since both are capable of wet-oxidising the aromatic sulphonates and the industrial waste, electrodegradation seems more promising than a photochemical degradation if economical considerations are also taken into account. Considering also that neither cell design nor catalyst were optimised in this preliminary study, the energy yield of electrodegradation seems likely to be largely improved.     

Habitat function of agricultural soils as affected by heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contamination

Ecotoxic activity of soils polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and heavy metals (HM) was evaluated in pot and laboratory experiments. Plants and soil microorganisms were chosen as test organisms and six different soil materials were used in the study. The applied levels of HM and PAH were aimed to reflect environmental conditions in the "worst case" situation. Zn(2+), Pb(2+) and Cd(2+) were introduced to the soils as an aqueous solution of the mixture of salts at the concentrations corresponding to 1000, 500 and 3 mg kg(-1), respectively. Mixture of four PAH compounds (flourene, anthracene, pyrene and chrysene) as a CH(2)Cl(2) solution was applied at levels of 10-100 mg summation operator 4PAH kg(-1). Population and activity of soil microflora was evaluated as measured of total bacteria counts, intensity of respiration and enzyme activity (dehydrogenases and phosphatases). Effect on plants was evaluated on the base of the growth (plant at an early stage of their development) and yield (mature plant) measurements. The results indicate that combined effect of PAH and heavy metals on soil microorganisms activity and on some plants at an early stage of their development can be stronger than in soils amended with HM or PAH separately. Reaction of tested organisms was related to soil properties, PAH concentration, time and plant species. Mature plants (maize) were insensitive to the applied levels of both group of contaminants.     

杭州市居室空气中芳香族化合物污染现状及其来源解析

用热解吸/气质联用技术研究了杭州市居室空气中芳香族化合物的组成。结果表明,杭州市居室空气中共存在60种芳香族化合物,其中苯系化合物48种,非苯芳香族化合物12种,检出率大于50%的23种;苯、甲苯、乙苯、苯乙烯、邻二甲苯、间(对)-二甲苯等10种化合物的总含量之和大于85.39%,是室内空气中主要的芳香族污染物,除萘外,其他22种污染物的平均浓度值均随装修时间间隔延长而降低;污染物主要来源是室内装修过程中使用的或装修材料中残留的有机溶剂、机动车辆排放的尾气、居民家庭中常用的清洁用品及含萘等成分的防蛀剂。     

水体沉积物中有毒有机污染物的监测研究进展

介绍了水体沉积物中有毒有机污染物监测的预处理技术,重点评述了我国水体沉积物中主要有毒有机污染物多环芳烃、多氯联苯和有机氯农药的监测研究现状,认为水体沉积物中有毒有机污染物研究领域今后发展的重点和方向是广泛开展国内主要河流、湖泊、海洋的监测研究和其在水体环境中的迁移及转化机理、生殖毒性以及污染消减与修复技术研究;加强新型预处理技术及其与大型仪器联用技术的研究;尽早建立水体沉积物中有毒有机污染物的监测方法标准及污染评价标准。     

多环芳烃的健康风险评价以及暴露参数的敏感性分析

在暴露情景假设和评估模型的确定下,有必要对污染场地的风险计算结果有影响的模型参数开展敏感性分析,以便在开展土壤健康风险评估工作时,提高评估的准确性和科学性,节约修复成本。以上海市某污染场地为例,对模型参数敏感性开展敏感性分析。贡献率结果显示,经口摄入土壤和皮肤接触土壤为场地表层污染土壤的主要致癌风险暴露途径。敏感性分析结果显示,致癌风险与体重呈反向变化,当体重参数减小时,暴露风险将向不利的方向移动。当体重参数在大范围减小时,敏感程度较高。致癌风险与暴露周期、暴露频率、每日摄入土壤量、暴露皮肤表面积、皮肤表面土壤粘附系数呈同向变化,当这些参数增大时,暴露风险将向不利的方向移动;其中暴露周期和暴露频率的敏感程度中等。上海市敏感用地下苯并(a)蒽、苯并(b)荧蒽、茚并(1,2,3-c,d)芘、苯并(a)芘、二苯并(a,h)蒽风险控制值分别为0.726、0.726、0.726、0.072 6、0.072 6 mg/kg。