Fractionation of plutonium in environmental and bio-shielding concrete samples using dynamic sequential extraction

Fractionation of plutonium isotopes (²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu) in environmental samples (i.e. soil and sediment) and bio-shielding concrete from decommissioning of nuclear reactor were carried out by dynamic sequential extraction using an on-line sequential injection (SI) system combined with a specially designed extraction column. Plutonium in the fractions from the sequential extraction was separated by ion exchange chromatography and measured using alpha spectrometry. The analytical results show a higher mobility of plutonium in bio-shielding concrete, which means attention should be paid to the treatment and disposal of nuclear waste from decommissioning.     

Dynamic Tracking and Comprehensive Evaluation on the Natural Resources Security Elements and System in China

System theory,pressure-state-response and drivingpressure-state-impact-response model have been applied to establishing China's dynamic tracking evaluation system of natural resources security in this article.Based on analytic hierarchy process and Delphi methods,the natural resources security situation has been evaluated systematically from 1991 to 2007.The result showed that the overall level of China's natural resources security presented a downtrend from 1991 to 2007.The basic reasons are the pressure indicators such as population,GDP,natural resources trade increased gradually,resulting in tension and fragility of natural resources security.     

Development and field validation of an indicator to assess the relative mobility and risk of pesticides in the Lourens River catchment,South Africa

A GIS based pesticide risk indicator that integrates exposure variables (i.e. pesticide application, geographic, physicochemical and crop data) and toxicity endpoints (using species sensitivity distributions) was developed to estimate the Predicted Relative Exposure (PREX) and Predicted Relative Risk (PRRI) of applied pesticides to aquatic ecosystem health in the Lourens River catchment, Western Cape, South Africa. Samples were collected weekly at five sites from the beginning of the spraying season (October) till the beginning of the rainy season (April) and were semi quantitatively analysed for relevant pesticides applied according to the local farmers spraying programme. Monitoring data indicate that physicochemical data obtained from international databases are reliable indicators of pesticide behaviour in the Western Cape of South Africa. Sensitivity analysis identified K_OC as the most important parameter influencing predictions of pesticide loading derived from runoff. A comparison to monitoring data showed that the PREX successfully identified hotspot sites, gave a reasonable estimation of the relative contamination potential of different pesticides at a site and identified important routes of exposure (i.e. runoff or spray drift) of different pesticides at different sites. All pesticides detected during a monitored runoff event, were indicated as being more associated with runoff than spray drift by the PREX. The PRRI identified azinphos-methyl and chlorpyrifos as high risk pesticides towards the aquatic ecosystem. These results contribute to providing increased confidence in the use of risk indicator applications and, in particular, could lead to improved utilisation of limited resources for monitoring and management in resource constrained countries.     

Speciation and transport of arsenic in an acid sulfate soil-dominated catchment, eastern Australia

Factors controlling the transport of geogenically-derived arsenic from a coastal acid sulfate soil into downstream sediments are identified in this study with both solid-phase associations and aqueous speciation clearly critical to the mobility and toxicity of arsenic. The data from both sequential extractions and X-ray adsorption spectroscopy indicate that arsenic in the unoxidised Holocene acid sulfate soils is essentially non-labile in the absence of prolonged oxidation, existing primarily as arsenopyrite or as an arsenopyrite-like species, likely arsenian pyrite. Anthropogenically-accelerated pedogenic processes, which have oxidised this material over time, have greatly enhanced the potential bioavailability of arsenic, with solid-phase arsenic almost solely present as As(V) associated with secondary Fe(III) minerals present. Analyses of downstream sediments reveal that a portion of the arsenic is retained as a mixed As(III)/As(V) solid-phase, though not at levels considered to be environmentally deleterious. Determination of arsenic speciation in pore waters using high performance liquid chromatography/Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry shows a dominance of As(III) in upstream pore waters whilst an unidentified As species reaches comparative levels within the downstream, estuarine locations. Pore water As(V) was detected at trace concentrations only. The results demonstrate the importance of landscape processes to arsenic transport and availability within acid sulfate soil environments.     

Accumulation of heavy metals from contaminated soil to plants and evaluation of soil remediation by vermiculite

We evaluated the distribution of 15 metal ions, namely Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, La, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn and Zr, in the soil of a contaminated site in Piedmont (Italy). This area was found to be heavily contaminated with Cu, Cr and Ni. The availability of these metal ions was studied using Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure: the fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful for the environment, was much higher than that normally present in unpolluted soils. This soil was hence used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with vermiculite to reduce the availability of the pollutants to two plants, Lactuca sativa and Spinacia oleracea, by pot experiments. The results indicated that the addition of vermiculite significantly reduces the uptake of metal pollutants by plants, confirming the possibility of using this clay in amendment treatments of metal-contaminated soils. The effect of plant growth on metal fractionation in soils was investigated. Finally, the sum of the metal percentages extracted into the first two fractions of Tessier’s protocol was found to be suitable in predicting the phytoavailability of most of the pollutants present in the investigated soil.     

Contamination of nonylphenolic compounds in creek water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and sediments from Lake Shihwa and vicinity, Korea: comparison with fecal pollution

Nonylphenolic compounds (NPs), coprostanol (COP), and cholestanol, major contaminants in industrial and domestic wastewaters, were analyzed in creek water, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and sediment samples from artificial Lake Shihwa and its vicinity, one of the most industrialized regions in Korea. We also determined mass discharge of NPs and COP, a fecal sterol, into the lake, to understand the linkage between discharge and sediment contamination. Total NP (the sum of nonylphenol, and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates) were 0.32-875 μg L⁻¹ in creeks, 0.61-87.0 μg L⁻¹ in WWTP effluents, and 29.3-230 μg g⁻¹ TOC in sediments. Concentrations of COP were 0.09-19.0 μg L⁻¹ in creeks, 0.11-44.0 μg L⁻¹ in WWTP effluents, and 2.51-438 μg g⁻¹ TOC in sediments. The spatial distributions of NPs in creeks and sediments from the inshore region were different from those of COP, suggesting that Lake Shihwa contamination patterns from industrial effluents differ from those from domestic effluents. The mass discharge from the combined outfall of the WWTPs, located in the offshore region, was 2.27 kg d⁻¹ for NPs and 1.00 kg d⁻¹ for COP, accounting for 91% and 95% of the total discharge into Lake Shihwa, respectively. The highest concentrations of NPs and COP in sediments were found in samples at sites near the submarine outfall of the WWTPs, indicating that the submarine outfall is an important point source of wastewater pollution in Lake Shihwa.     

Developing Mechanism of Rubber-tea-chicken Agro-forestry Model in Tropical Area of China

As a typical tropical agro-forestry ecosystem in Wenchang,Hainan Province,China,rational mechanisms of the rubber-tea-chicken eco-agricultural model were studied with the Solow technological level index,stability indicator,harmonizing coefficient,grey correlation coefficient and production dominance.This study focused on rational hierarchical structure,the limiting factors and optimal strategies of the model development based on model structure,resource conditions and external market demands.Results showed that rational mechanism of the rubber-tea-chicken ecosystem model mainly included technological contributions,leverage function of dominance component(livestock husbandry),stability of the model structure and harmony of its components,the model dominant product’s market demand and government’s supporting policies.The contributions of fund,technology,information and talent resources played an important role in improving sustainability and productivity of the agro-forestry model.     

基于"脱钩"模式的低碳城市评价

由于历史及现状等诸多因素,以二氧化碳减排绝对量为基础的低碳城市评价模式并不适用于中国;本研究从经济发展、物质消耗与污染物排放相互关系的视角,以"脱钩"模式为目标层,经济发展、碳排放、污染物排放与经济发展为准则层,CO2排放等8个具体指标为指标层建立低碳城市评价指标体系,定量描述经济发展过程中单位GDP污染物排放降低的态势,进而表征城市发展过程中的经济、资源、环境变化的历史趋势并反映城市低碳建设现状.针对沈阳市的案例研究表明,沈阳市2001年至2008年总体的生态效率与资源利用效率呈现逐渐提高的态势,沈阳市现阶段的低碳城市建设水平处于"相对脱钩"阶段,与目前中国经济宏观发展态势相符合.本研究表明,"脱钩"评价模式可以避免基于污染物总量的评价模式中忽略经济发展因素而产生的片面性,可以表征中国当前经济高速发展前提下的城市低碳建设水平,为目前的"低碳城市"评价方法提供有益尝试.     

瑞士土壤环境监测网络构建与运行对中国的启示

“十三五”期间,中国初步构建了国家土壤环境监测网并开展了监测工作。当前,国家层面土壤环境监测网络的构建和运行还处于起步阶段,笔者选取土壤环境监测开展较为成熟的瑞士土壤环境监测网(NABO)作为研究对象,综述了NABO的技术体系及多年来的土壤环境监测结果,并结合中国土壤环境监测工作现状进行讨论,认为NABO在监测网络建立、指标选取、数据分析等方面建立了较为成熟的技术体系,未来中国国家土壤环境监测网可在此方面借鉴瑞士经验。     

基于云模型的富水岩溶隧道涌水风险评价

为适应风险因素不确定性、随机性及动态反馈性等特点,建立新型富水岩溶隧道涌水风险评价体系,提出1种基于云模型的模糊综合评价方法.选取5个1级指标、29个2级指标构建评价指标体系;综合层次分析、熵权与加权平均计算法合理分配各指标权重;利用云生成算法计算出云数字特征参数并生成足够数量的云滴;将方法应用于贵州省某隧道涌水风险评...