Role of the floodplain lakes in the methylmercury distribution and exchanges with the Amazon River, Brazil

Seasonal variability of dissolved and particulate methylmercury(F-MeHg, P-MeHg) concentrations was studied in the waters of the Amazon River and its associated Curuai floodplain during hydrological year 2005–2006, to understand the MeHg exchanges between these aquatic systems. In the oxic white water lakes, with neutral pH, high F-MeHg and P-MeHg concentrations were measured during the rising water stage(0.70 ± 0.37 pmol/L, n = 26) and flood peak(14.19 ± 9.32 pmol/g, n = 7) respectively, when the Amazon River water discharge into the lakes was at its maximum. The lowest mean values were reported during the dry season(0.18 ± 0.07 pmol/L F-MeHg, n = 10 and 1.35 ± 1.24 pmol/g P-MeHg, n = 8), when water and suspended sediments were outflowing from the lakes into the River. In these lakes,the MeHg concentrations were associated to the aluminium and organic carbon/nitrogen changes. In the black water lakes, with acidic pH and reducing conditions, elevated MeHg concentrations were recorded(0.58 ± 0.32 pmol/L F-MeHg, n = 16 and 19.82 ± 15.13 pmol/g PMeHg, n = 6), and correlated with the organic carbon and manganese concentrations. Elevated values of MeHg partition coefficient(4.87 Kd 5.08 log(L/kg) indicate that MeHg is mainly transported associated with the particulate phase. The P-MeHg enrichment detected in all lakes suggests autochthonous MeHg inputs from the sediments into the water column. The MeHg mass balance showed that the Curuai floodplain is not the source of P-MeHg for the Amazon River.     

DENSITY CURRENT INTRUSIONS IN AN ICE-COVERED URBAN LAKE1

ABSTRACT: Evidence is presented that snowmelt runoff from an urban watershed can produce density current intrusions (underflows) in a lake. Several episodes of density current intrusions are documented. Water temperatures and salinities measured near the bottom of a 10 m deep Minneapolis lake during the late winter warming periods in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1995 show significant rapid changes which are correlated with observed higher air temperatures and snowmelt runoff. The snowmelt runoff entering this particular lake (Ryan Lake) has increased electrical conductivity, salinity, and density. The source of the salinity is the salt spread on urban streets in the winter. Heating of littoral waters in spring may also contribute to the occurrence of the sinking flows, but is clearly not the only cause.     

Modelling Phosphorus Retention in Lakes and Reservoirs

Steady-state models for the prediction of P retention coefficient (R) in lakes were evaluated using data from 93 natural lakes and 119 reservoirs situated in the temperate zone. Most of the already existing models predicted R relatively successfully in lakes while it was seriously under-estimated in reservoirs. A statistical analysis indicated the main causes of differences in R between lakes and reservoirs: (a) distinct relationships between P sedimentation coefficient, depth, and water residence time; (b) existence of significant inflow–outflow P concentration gradients in reservoirs. Two new models of different complexity were developed for estimating R in reservoirs: , where τ is water residence time (year), was derived from the Vollenweider/Larsen and Mercier model by adding a calibrated parameter accounting for spatial P non-homogeneity in the water body, and is applicable for reservoirs but not lakes, and , where [P_in] is volume-weighted P concentration in all inputs to the water body (μg l⁻¹), was obtained by re-calibrating the OECD general equation, and is generally applicable for both lakes and reservoirs. These optimised models yield unbiased estimates over a large range of reservoir types.     

Organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in fish from lakes of the Tibetan Plateau and the implications

High mountains may play significant roles in the global transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This work aims to investigate the levels, patterns and distribution of semi-volatile organoclorine pollutants and to improve the understanding of the long-range atmospheric transport and fate of contaminants on the Tibetan Plateau. A total of 60 fish samples were collected from eight lakes located between 2813 and 4718 m above sea level across the Plateau. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in fish muscle. The results showed that concentrations of DDT, HCH and HCB were comparable to or lower than those found in remote mountains of Europe, Canada and US, while PCB concentrations in fish were, on average, about 4-150 times lower on Tibet than at other mountain areas. The transport and fate of contaminants in the Plateau are significantly influenced by the unique climatological and meteorological conditions, particularly by the summer Indian monsoon and winter westerly jet stream.     

Americium,plutonium and uranium contamination and speciation in well waters,streams and atomic lakes in the Sarzhal region of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site,Kazakhstan

New data are reported on the concentrations, isotopic composition and speciation of americium, plutonium and uranium in surface and ground waters in the Sarzhal region of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, and an adjacent area including the settlement of Sarzhal. The data relate to filtered water and suspended particulate from (a) streams originating in the Degelen Mountains, (b) the Tel′kem 1 and Tel′kem 2 atomic craters, and (c) wells on farms located within the study area and at Sarzhal. The measurements show that ²⁴¹Am, ^239,240Pu and ²³⁸U concentrations in well waters within the study area are in the range 0.04–87 mBq dm⁻³, 0.7–99 mBq dm⁻³, and 74–213 mBq dm⁻³, respectively, and for ²⁴¹Am and ^239,240Pu are elevated above the levels expected solely on the basis of global fallout. Concentrations in streams sourced in the Degelen Mountains are similar, while concentrations in the two water-filled atomic craters are somewhat higher. Suspended particulate concentrations in well waters vary considerably, though median values are very low, at 0.01 mBq dm⁻³, 0.08 mBq dm⁻³ and 0.32 mBq dm⁻³ for ²⁴¹Am, ^239,240Pu and ²³⁸U, respectively. The ²³⁵U/²³⁸U isotopic ratio in almost all well and stream waters is slightly elevated above the ‘best estimate’ value for natural uranium worldwide, suggesting that some of the uranium in these waters is of test-site provenance. Redox analysis shows that on average most of the plutonium present in the microfiltered fraction of these waters is in a chemically reduced form (mean 69%; 95% confidence interval 53–85%). In the case of the atomic craters, the proportion is even higher. As expected, all of the americium present appears to be in a reduced form. Calculations suggest that annual committed effective doses to individual adults arising from the daily ingestion of these well waters are in the range 11–42 μSv (mean 21 μSv). Presently, the ground water feeding these wells would not appear to be contaminated with radioactivity from past underground testing in the Degelen Mountains or from the Tel′kem explosions.     

河北水库及湖泊沉积物中DDT农药的残留特征与风险评估

分析了河北省主要湖泊水库沉积物中有机氯农药(DDT)的残留特征与生态风险.2004年秋季采集了河北12个水库和2个湖泊的表层沉积物样品,利用GC-ECD测定DDTs农药的含量,在此基础上分析了其残留与组成特征以及生态风险.结果表明:1)河北省主要湖泊水库沉积物中DDTs的平均含量为3.328 ng·g-1,其含量范围为1.014～9.022 ng·g-1;并且,不同样品中DDTs的含量的差异较大,变异系数均超过65%.2)临城水库、陡河水库、龙门水库3个样点的表面沉积物中wDDT/(wDDD wDDE)＞1,表明有新的DDT输入;岗南水库、邱庄水库、黄壁庄水库3个样点的表面沉积物中wDDD/wDDE＞1,说明DDD降解环境为厌氧条件;其余8个样点wDDD/wDDE＜1,说明DDD降解环境为好氧条件.3)所有样点中DDT、DDD和DDE浓度均低于ERM,并且大部分小于ERL,表明其生态风险大多低于10%;但11个样点的DDTs含量介于ERL和ERM之间,表明其生态风险大多介于10%～50%.     

长江流域武汉段典型湖泊中微塑料的的赋存特征及生态风险评估

塑料污染在环境中具有普遍性,对生态系统具有潜在的风险性,为新兴的全球性环境问题。武汉境内江河纵横、百湖密布,是全球同纬度地区和长江中下游湖泊型湿地的典型代表。调查了武汉湖泊表层水体中微塑料的分布特征,并采用生态风险指数 (RI) 评估了微塑料的生态风险。结果表明,微塑料丰度为2 000~7 733 items·m⁻³,远城区湖泊表层水体微塑料丰度通常高于城乡结合区湖泊,中心城区微塑料丰度具有显著差异。湖泊中微塑料以纤维状为主,其次是碎片状,大小以<1 mm的小颗粒为主,主要颜色为透明和蓝色,主要成分为聚乙烯 (PE) 、聚丙烯 (PP) 和聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯 (PET) 。武汉市典型湖泊表层水体中MPs生态风险指数为601.5~8 954,均属于危险或高危等级,且PE、PP和PET的生态风险指数普遍较高。该研究结果可为城市湖泊中微塑料污染治理提供参考。     

大型通江湖泊有色可溶性有机物对不同水文情景的响应

鄱阳湖和洞庭湖作为我国面积最大的两个通江湖泊,其湖体水质变化对长江干流水质以及湖区周围居民用水安全至关重要.通过三维荧光-平行因子分析得到4个荧光组分,研究两个湖泊的有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)光谱组成在丰、平和枯这3种水文情景下的变化规律,试图揭示鄱阳湖和洞庭湖CDOM来源及组成对不同丰枯情景的响应机制.结果表明:不同水文情景对鄱阳湖CDOM水质参数影响更为显著,CDOM吸收系数a(254)和溶解性有机碳(DOC)浓度表现为丰水期>平水期>枯水期(t-test,P<0.01),CDOM光谱吸收斜率S_275-295表现为枯水期>平水期>丰水期(t-test,P<0.01),洞庭湖a(254)在不同水文情景下差异不显著,比紫外吸收系数SUVA₂₅₄最大值出现在平水期.平行因子分析法解析三维荧光光谱得到4个荧光组分,枯水期两湖CDOM类蛋白组分贡献率较大,平水期类蛋白组分及类腐殖酸组分贡献率大致相当,丰水期两个湖泊类腐殖酸贡献率占主要部分.在空间分布上,枯水期鄱阳湖4个组分的荧光强度在上游南部湖区偏小,北部偏大...     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and mercury in fish from lakes of the Tibetan Plateau

High mountains may act as cold traps for globally transported persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg). In the present study, 60 fish samples were collected from eight alpine lakes across the Tibetan Plateau. Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), total mercury (HgT) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were quantified in the fish muscle tissues to improve the understanding of pollution status and factors regulating the transport and fate of these contaminants on the Plateau. The results showed that lake-averaged ∑₁₄PBDEs concentration was between 0.09 ng g⁻¹ dw and 4.32 ng g⁻¹ dw, which was lower than those reported for European mountains. The total mercury concentration in individual fish ranged from 243 to 2384 ng g⁻¹ dw, and that of MeHg from 131 to 1610 ng g⁻¹ dw, which is much higher than those reported in other mountain fish. The spatial variation of PBDEs and mercury in the Plateau is largely controlled by the specific meteorological patterns.     

滇池不同湖区沉积物正构烷烃的分布特征及其环境意义

为探明滇池沉积物中有机质的组成特征及其环境意义,2014年7月采集滇池北部和南部各一根柱状沉积物样品,分析了TOC(总有机碳)、TN(总氮)、正构烷烃含量剖面变化规律.结果表明:1滇池沉积物中TOC与TN自20世纪70年代以后增加显著,说明了滇池初级生产力不断提高;2滇池沉积物正构烷烃代用指标n-C27/n-C31比值及Paq和CPI表明,滇池沉积物从下往上草本植物与木本植物交替变化,且沉积物中的高碳数有机质主要来自滇池内源的沉水和漂浮大型植物;3C/N比值及正构烷烃分布特征表明,滇池不同湖区沉积物有机质来源存在差异:滇池北部沉积物中有机质主要来源于內源植物和陆源有机物的人为源;滇池南部沉积物中有机质主要来源于內源大型水生植物和陆源高等植物混源.为此,在今后滇池沉积物有机质的研究中,应加强对滇池不同湖区有机质的深入分析.