Microbial cycling of iron and sulfur in acidic coal mining lake sediments

Lakes caused by coal mining processes are characterized by low pH, low nutrient status, and high concentrations of Fe(II) and sulfate due to the oxidation of pyrite in the surrounding mine tailings. Fe(III) produced during Fe(II) oxidation precipitates to the anoxic acidic sediment, where the microbial reduction of Fe(III) is the dominant electron-accepting process for the oxidation of organic matter, apparently mediated by acidophilic Acidiphilium species. Those bacteria can reduce a great variety of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides and reduce Fe(III) and oxygen simultaneously which might be due to the small differences in the redox potentials under low pH conditions. Due to the absence of sulfide, Fe(II) formed in the upper 6 cm of the sediment diffuses to oxic zones in the water layer where itcan be reoxidized by Acidithiobacillus species. Thus, acidic conditions are stabilized by the cycling of iron which inhibits fermentative and sulfate-reducing activities. With increasing sediment depth, the amount of reactive iron decrease, the pH increases above 5, and fermentative and as yet unknown Fe(III)-reducing bacteria are also involved in the reduction of Fe(III). Sulfate is reduced apparently by the activity of spore-forming sulfate reducers including new species of Desulfosporosinus that have their pH optimum similar to in situconditions and are not capable of growth at pH 7. However, generation of alkalinity via sulfate reduction is reduced by the anaerobic reoxidation of sulfide back to sulfate. Thus, the microbial cycling of iron at the oxic-anoxic interface and the anaerobic cycling of sulfur maintains environmental conditions appropriate for acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing and acid-tolerant sulfate-reducing microbial communities.     

Quantitative Assessment of the Intertidal Environment of Kuwait I: Integrated Environmental Classification

Quantitative analysis of physical, chemical and biological data of the intertidal zone in Kuwait was undertaken to develop an integrated basis for assessing and protecting this sensitive coastal ecosystem. Cluster analyses were performed to determine the resemblance between the sampling stations based on the sediment composition, the benthic macrofauna and the physico-chemical characteristics of the intertidal sediment/water. Five distinct sub-environments were delineated within the intertidal zone of Kuwait. Each sub-environment was described in terms of number of taxa, mean density of organisms, sediment type, tidal level and dominant organisms. The physico-chemical parameters investigated were found to be unimportant in the distribution of the intertidal benthic macrofauna. On the other hand, sediment type was found to be a major factor in the overall composition of the benthic community. The benthic fauna and related characteristics of the sub-environments could be used as indicators to monitor changes in the intertidal ecosystem and as guides to protection and management of the different coasts. The approach described in this paper could also be adopted elsewhere to provide a sound basis for evaluating environmental impacts and for developing sustainable coastal management.     

三门峡水库水体中不同形态汞的分布特征

为了解三门峡水库水体中不同形态汞的分布特征,在丰水期和枯水期对三门峡水库进行采样,分别采用冷原子荧光光谱法(CVAFS)和蒸馏-乙基化衍生-气相色谱-冷原子荧光法(GC-CVAFS)测定水样中总汞、总甲基汞、溶解态总汞和溶解态甲基汞的浓度.结果表明,三门峡水库水体中总汞、溶解态汞和颗粒态汞浓度范围分别为1.65~9.65、0.80~3.16和0.70~7.81 ng·L~(-1),符合国家地表水环境质量标准(GB 3838-2002)一类水汞浓度标准限值;总甲基汞、溶解态甲基汞和颗粒态甲基汞浓度分别为0.05~0.36、0.02~0.14和ND~0.26 ng·L~(-1).三门峡水库水体总汞和甲基汞在季节和空间分布上没有呈现出明显的变化规律.总汞和甲基汞与未受污染的天然水体差别不大,水库未受到明显的汞污染.丰、枯水期沉积物中总汞浓度分别为(92.96±10.65)ng·g~(-1)和(80.06±19.14)ng·g~(-1),甲基汞浓度分别为(0.33±0.14)ng·g~(-1)和(0.50±0.19)ng·g~(-1).较低的甲基汞浓度说明在三门峡水库汞的迁移转化过程中,甲基化作用可能并非主要的过程,这可能与水体底层溶解氧浓度较高以及沉积物中有机质浓度较低有关.     

桑沟湾表层沉积物性质及对磷的吸附特征

通过研究桑沟湾表层沉积物对磷的吸附动力学曲线和吸附等温线,并结合沉积物的表面电荷性质及磷的形态分析,考察了沉积物对磷的吸附性能和吸附机制.结果表明,桑沟湾表层沉积物对磷的吸附过程包括快吸附过程和慢吸附过程,可用快慢二段一级动力学方程描述,等温线符合Langmuir交叉式模型.夏季沉积物样品的最大吸附量高于春季样品,粒级较小的沉积物吸附能力较强.沉积物样品对磷的最大吸附量Qm在0.047 1~0.123 0 mg·g-1之间,吸附/解吸平衡磷浓度(EPC0)范围在0.059 6~0.192 7 mg·L-1,沉积物充当"磷源"的作用.不同站位表层沉积物中无机磷(IP)是磷在沉积物中的主要赋存形态,吸附后的沉积物样品中弱吸附态磷(Ex-P)、铁结合态磷(Fe-P)明显增加.吸附过程包括物理吸附和化学吸附,以物理吸附为主.     

山林地表慢渗系统处理农村生活污水厂尾水研究

利用山区污水处理厂周边森林植被构建慢速渗滤污水处理系统,用来处理山区农村生活污水厂尾水。结果表明,慢渗系统能够深度净化污水尾水,对COD_(Cr)、NH_3-N、NO_3-N、TN、TP的平均去除率分别为23.8%、40.2%、14.3%、11.3%和23.6%。并且土层越深,COD_(Cr)、TN、TP浓度越低,相应的去除率越高,而NO_3-N、TN去除率则呈降低趋势;山体坡度越大,COD_(Cr)、氨氮浓度有升高趋势,硝态氮、TN、TP有降低趋势;而坡长越大,COD_(Cr)、NH_3-N、NO_3-N、TN浓度有降低趋势,TP有升高趋势。此外,植被类型对水样化学性质有一定影响,竹林更利于COD_(Cr)、NH_3-N、TP浓度的降低,针阔混交林更利于NO_3-N、TN浓度的降低。     

苏州河表层沉积物中总汞测定的研究

采用金汞齐富集-冷原子吸收光谱法直接测定苏州河表层沉积物中的总汞。结果表明:该方法在0.00～200ng范围内呈良好线性关系,检出限为0.005mg/kg(样品以0.2g计)。实际样品测定的RSD为1.24%～4.36%,加标回收率为91.8%～101%。与原子荧光光谱法相比,两种方法测定的结果没有显著差异。     

青藏高原东北部更尕海沉积软体动物壳体同位素初步研究

文章通过建立更尕海湖泊沉积岩芯软体动物化石属种组合,对比分析了软体动物壳体碳氧同位素的种内、种间变化。结果显示,壳体氧同位素种内变化较小,通常小于0.3‰;相同属不同种的壳体氧同位素种间差异约为0.3‰,但较相同属种的波动幅度大:不同属种的壳体氧同位素的种间差异最大,且波动幅度更大一些。壳体碳同位素的种内和种间差异均较氧同位素大,尤其是碳同位素的种间差异更为显著,可能与软体动物的"生命效应"有关。合理评价软体动物壳体同位素种内和种间变化对于理解软体动物壳体同位素所记录的气候变化具有重要的意义。     

大连小窑湾海域表层沉积物重金属潜在生态风险评价

基于2009年在大连小窑湾海域表层沉积物中的重金属监测数据,采用Hakanson生态风险指数法对湾内沉积物中的重金属的潜在生态风险进行了分析和评价,并对结果进行了地理空间表达,结果表明:调查研究海域的潜在生态风险较低,该海域的沉积物重金属潜在的生态风险因子为Cd和Hg。     

微生物对土壤与沉积物吸附多环芳烃的影响

以枯草芽孢杆菌为接种微生物,研究微生物对沉积物和湿地土壤吸附多环芳烃（PAHs）菲、苯并［a］芘过程的影响.结果表明,枯草芽孢杆菌对菲与苯并［a］芘都可进行吸附或生物降解,48h液相PAHs浓度达到平衡时,微生物对菲消除了98％,对苯并［a］芘消除85％;接种的样品48h吸附等温线均呈线形,能较好地符合线性方程;在接种微生物情况下,沉积物与土壤对菲和苯并［a］芘吸附特征均发生较大变化,对菲的吸附量增大约35倍,而对苯并［a］芘的吸附量却降低了2/3左右;未接种微生物的土壤和沉积物对菲解吸率为20％,接种的样品组为2.9％,而对苯并［a］芘的解吸结果与菲相反,未接种的对照组为4％,接种的样品组为13％.微生物在土壤与沉积物吸附PAHs的过程中起主导作用.     

第二松花江中下游沉积物汞的时空变化规律

将1973、1976、1983、1991年和本次的研究结果进行对比分析,得出了第二松花江中下游表层沉积物汞含量的时间变化规律.1976年以前汞含量处于增加趋势;1976～1982年汞含量有所下降;1982年汞污染源被切断,汞含量骤降;随后,汞污染浓度处于缓慢净化时期.将本次采集的沉积物样品分为3个粒度等级,最后以63 μm粒级的沉积物汞含量为代表分析了汞的水平变化规律,总体趋势是,排污口处汞含量最高;哨口至朝阳桥断面汞含量增加;朝阳桥至五家站断面,汞含量骤降,在五家站断面汞含量达到最小值;五家站至泔水缸断面汞含量又略有增加.并给出了本次研究中各断面沉积物汞的垂直变化规律.