Sediment and Suspended Matter Lead Contamination in the Gulf of Kavala, Greece

Sediment and suspended particulate matter samples from 24 stations in the Gulf of Kavala have been examined for lead contamination. Grain size analysis and organic matter content were also performed. Total – anthropogenic sediment lead concentrations and enrichment factors at stations close to harbors and chemical industries were found higher (up to 209–135μg/g and 4.12 respectively), in relation to concentrations from the rest of the coastal zone. In the above areas, increased suspended particulate lead in the bottom of the water column was also recorded (up to 109μg/g). Total sediment lead concentrations composed of high natural Pb background increased with decreasing grain size, suggesting their association with the fine fractions of the sediments (31.1–66.0% mud presence) and the organic matter content (6–9% higher values). Overall, higher total lead concentrations in the sediments, determined by this work, appear to be significantly different from those reported for the Gulf of Kavala in previous studies and similar to those detected in other highly contaminated eastern Mediterranean coastal areas.     

An Analysis of Secondary Pollutants in Buenos Aires City

Air pollutant concentrations from a monitoring campaign in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, are used to investigate the relationships between ambient levels of ozone (O₃), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) as a function of NO _x (=NO + NO₂). This campaign undertaken by the electricity sector was aimed at elucidating the apportionment of thermal power plants to air quality deterioration. Concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) were also registered. Photo stationary state (PSS) of the NO, NO₂, O₃ and peroxy radicals species has been analysed. The ‘oxidant’ level concept has been introduced, OX (=O₃ + NO₂), which varies with the level of NO _x . It is shown that this level is made up of NO _x -independent and NO _x -dependent contributions. The former is a regional contribution that equates the background O₃ level, whereas the latter is a local contribution that correlates with the level of primary pollution. Furthermore, the anticorrelation between NO₂ and O₃ levels, which is a characteristic of the atmospheric photo stationary cycle has been verified.The analysis of the concentration of the primary pollutants CO and NO strongly suggests that the vehicle traffic is the principal source of them. Levels of continuous measurements of SO₂ for Buenos Aires City are reported in this work as a complement of previously published results.     

Spatial Characterization and Prioritization of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil-Water Resources in Peri-Urban Areas of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization during last two decades, contamination of soils by heavy metals is on an increase globally. Lands under peri-urban agriculture are the worst affected. In NCT, Delhi about 14.4% of land area is chemically degraded. In order to take care of this problem, recently the Supreme Court of India ordered to shift various non-confirming (about 39,000 units) industries to regions outside NCT, Delhi. However in spite of this, there have been several reports and parliamentary debates on the phyto-toxicity and extensive accumulation of heavy metals in the region. Literature review revealed that the basis of these debates is a few studies on some point locations in/around Delhi. It was further observed that information on the distribution and extent of heavy metal pollution problem in the region was completely missing. The present study was thus basically aimed at assessing the spatial distribution/extent and type of heavy metal pollution in the study area, for enabling future designing of appropriate site-specific management measures by the decision makers.For this, detailed spatial information on bio-available heavy metal concentrations in the soils and surface/sub-surface waters of NCT (Delhi) was generated through actual soil/water surveys, standard laboratory methods and GIS techniques. The study showed that concentration of all micronutrients (viz. Zn: 0.05–0.18 ppm; Cu: in traces; Fe: 0–0.5 ppm; and Mn: 0–1.2 ppm) and most heavy metals (viz. Ni: 0–0.7 ppm; Pb: 0–0.15 ppm and Cd: in traces) in the surface/sub-surface irrigation waters were well within permissible limits. However Cr concentrations in irrigation waters of Alipur and Shahdara blocks were far above their maximum permissible limit of 1 ppm. It was further observed that Ni and Cr concentrations in the drinking waters of almost entire test area were far above maximum permissible levels of 0.02 and 0.01 ppm, respectively. Bio-available concentrations of several heavy metals (viz. Pb: 0.1–2 ppm; Cd: traces; Ni: 0.05–2 ppm and Cr: 0–0.4 ppm) in the study area soils were also observed to be well within the maximum permissible limits. However there were point Cu contaminations (5–10 ppm) in the sewage-sludge amended soils of vegetable growing areas near south Shahdara block. This was attributed to increased Cu availability due to oxidized acidic conditions generated by over-irrigation of agricultural lands. Available Mn concentrations in Kanjhawala, western Najafgarh and Alipur soils were also observed to be above maximum permissible limit of 10 ppm. This was observed to be mainly due to the geology (i.e. presence of Mn rich sedimentary rocks) and prevalence of reduced acidic conditions, due to paddy cultivation, in these areas. It was further observed that there is acute zinc (Zn) deficiency (< 0.6 ppm) in paddy growing soils of north Kanjhawala, Alipur and some parts of Najafgarh and Shahdara blocks due to extensive leaching of available Zn fractions to lower soil horizons. Similar available Zn deficiencies in high pH (8.5) soils of areas around Bamnoli village in E-Najafgarh block were also observed.     

Fruit Stones from Industrial Waste for the Removal of Lead Ions from Polluted Water

Lead, one of the earliest metals recognized and used by humans, has a long history of beneficial use. However, it is now recognized as toxic and as posing a widespread threat to humans and wildlife. Treatment of lead from polluted water and wastewater has received a great deal of attention. Adsorption is one of the most common technologies for the treatment of lead-polluted water. This technique was evaluated here, with the goal of identifying innovative, low-cost adsorbent. This study presents experiments undertaken to determine the suitable conditions for the use of peach and apricot stones, produced from food industries as solid waste, as adsorbents for the removal of lead from aqueous solution. Chemical stability of adsorbents, effect of pH, adsorbents dose, adsorption time and equilibrium concentration were studied. The results reveal that adsorption of lead ions onto peach stone was stronger than onto apricot stone up to 3.36% at 3 h adsorption time. Suitable equilibrium time for the adsorption was 3–5 h (% Pb adsorption 93% for apricot and 97.64% for peach). The effective adsorption range for pH in the range was 7–8. Application of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models show high adsorption maximum and binding energies for using these adsorbents for the removal of lead ions from contaminated water and wastewater.     

A Screening Test for the Determination of Ethylene Sensitivity

Ethephon, which releases ethylene within plant tissues after application, was chosen to perform assessments of the relative sensitivity of crops to ethylene and to determine which stages of plant development were most sensitive. The species chosen were: barley, wheat, oats, canola and field pea, all of which are important crops in the province of Alberta, Canada. Plants were treated with ethephon at one of 7 different stages. Plants were assessed for their vegetative and reproductive growth, including height, biomass, yield and seed quality. Visual symptoms were photographed and documented to compare them with symptoms caused by ethylene applied as a gas. It was concluded that in barley, wheat and canola the late vegetative and early reproductive stages were most sensitive, at least when sensitivity was defined as reductions in yield and quality. As for field pea, ethephon had no effect on yield but did cause increased numbers of pods, which in certain conditions could lead to increased yields. Significant effects on vegetative growth were only observed in the early vegetative stages of development but with no effects on yield. The screening protocol successfully identified sensitive cultivars and growth stages for further investigation of the effects of ethylene exposure.     

An Analogy on Assessment of Urban Air Pollution in Turkey Over the Turn of the Millennium (1992–2001)

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in Turkey, especially over the last twenty five years, has provided better living standards to its residents, but it also caused a decrease in environmental quality. In late 1970's, air quality monitoring activities were started in some major cities by individual researchers in Turkey. It was just around the 1990's that a countrywide program on continuous air pollution monitoring in major province centers and selected large towns was launched. The impact of air pollution on people depend on various factors, such as existence and magnitude of coal powered energy generation plants, type of urban heating and their efficiency, and the numbers and specifications of vehicles. In this study, current Turkish urban air quality over the turn of the Millennium (1992–2001) is studied in the light of the country's worst cities in terms of outdoor air quality, the number of upper respiratory diseases, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia cases in these provinces reported by the state medical treatment facilities in 2001. The population that is under outdoor urban air pollution hazard was computed. A comparative analysis between the provinces that use natural gas and others that use fossil fuels was also completed in order to project monetary gains if the studied provinces will transform their indoor heating and industrial operations to be run by natural gas or other cleaner energy sources. If natural gas use in air polluted urban centers could be realized in the near future, approximately 212 to 350 million US dollars per annum could to be saved just by reducing health related problems caused by outdoor air pollution.     

粉煤灰渗滤系统处理城市非点源污染物效果评估

对粉煤灰介质渗滤系统处理城市非点源污染物的效果进行了研究.吸附实验表明粉煤灰对氨氮和磷酸盐具有良好的吸附能力.渗滤系统对雨水径流污染处理采用室内小试的方式进行,在70 d内共模拟33次雨水负荷,期间渗滤装置对溶解有机碳（DOC）的平均去除率为88.1%,总氮（TN）的平均去除率为41.0%,氨氮（NH0-N）平均去除率为95.5%,总磷（TP）去除率为81.0%,符合城市非点源污染控制的实践要求.污染物去除主要以吸附过程为主,有机物、氨氮、磷的去除主要发生在渗滤柱表层的0—10 cm,硝化-反硝化主要发生在0—40 cm之间.滤层高度可以从130 cm适当减小为100 cm.吸附动力学表明粉煤灰对氨氮的吸附在3 h达到平衡,对磷酸盐的吸附平衡时间为6 h.微生物对渗滤系统的影响需要进一步研究,随着运行时间的延长,微生物效应将得以体现,污染物的去除效果可能会进一步提高.     

铜陵新桥矿区土壤中耐Cu微生物的筛选研究

选择安徽铜陵新桥矿区富Cu的污染土壤,充分利用微生物受自然环境重金属胁迫而产生耐性这一特点,进行土壤中耐Cu微生物的筛选研究。实验过程中分别配制三种不同的培养基,细菌、真菌和放线菌培养基。在水浴恒温振荡器中对土壤中耐受重金属的微生物进行驯化,将得到的对Cu2+耐受性最高的液体培养基作为菌源,在琼脂平板培养基上进行划线分离,并将得到的纯菌株在光学显微镜下进行形态观察,菌种经试管斜面富集培养后保存在4℃冰箱中以便后续使用。研究发现,土样中细菌和真菌对Cu的耐受性低,最高耐受质量浓度分别只达到500mg·L-1和1100mg·L-1。而放线菌表现出Cu高耐受性,分离得到的放线菌耐受Cu的质量浓度最高达到10000mg·L-1,初步鉴定该放线菌株为链霉菌属。该放线菌菌种可能同时对Cu有吸附降解特性,具有成为污染土壤生物治理的高效耐受吸附菌种的潜力巨大。     

徐州市区不同季节大气TSP和PM10中PAHs污染特征及健康风险评估

于2009年2月-8月利用高效液相色谱法对徐州市区冬、春、夏3个季节大气TSP和PM10中16种多环芳烃进行分析,结果表明：大气TSP和PM10中∑PAHs不同季节分布规律均为：冬季〉春季〉夏季;冬季,荧蒽污染浓度最高;春季和夏季苯并（g,h,i）芘浓度最高;不同环数PAHs春季和年均值呈规律均为：6环〉4环〉5环〉3环〉2环;夏季为：6环〉5环〉4环〉3环〉2环;冬季为：4环〉5环〉6环〉3环〉2环;大气TSP中整体苯并（a）芘等效致癌毒性（BEQ）不同季节分布规律为：冬季（4.517ng/m3）〉夏季（1.602ng/m3）〉春季（1.413ng/m3）;PM10中整体BEQ不同季节分布规律为：冬季（3.706ng/m3）〉春季（1.504ng/m3）〉夏季（1.331ng/m3）;采暖期大气颗粒物中PAHs污染对人体健康危害风险相对较高。     

利用废弃物煅烧水泥时重金属Pb、Cd的逸放污染

利用废弃物作为代替原料煅烧水泥已广泛应用于水泥生产,但其带来的环境污染问题不容忽视。以利用废弃物生产水泥的厂家为研究对象,采用原子吸收分光光度法检测所采集样品中重金属Pb、Cd的含量,对水泥生产过程中重金属Pb、Cd的逸放及其对周围土壤的污染进行研究。研究结果表明：利用废弃物煅烧水泥的过程中,重金属Pb、Cd的逸放率很高,其中立窑的Pb、Cd逸放率高达84％～90％。湿法回转窑的Pb、Cd逸放率达到63％～74％;在水泥厂上下风向500m、1000m和2000m处采集土壤样品,工厂周围的土壤均已受到不同程度的重金属污染,位于工厂下风向的土壤受到的污染更为严重,距离工厂500m处土壤中重金属Pb、Cd的含量均超过了国家标准的最大限量;对几家工厂员工的头发进行随机取样,头发样品中Pb含量均超过正常限量：