Solid partitioning and solid-liquid distribution of Po and Pb in marine anoxic sediments: roads of Cherbourg at the northwestern France

A sequential extraction protocol has been used to determine the solid-phase partition of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in anoxic marine sediment from the roads of Cherbourg (France) in the central English Channel. Measurements were also obtained in pore waters, in which ²¹⁰Po activities range between 1 and 20 mBq L⁻¹ and ²¹⁰Pb activities between 2.4 and 3.8 mBq L⁻¹, with highest activities in the topmost layer. These activities are higher than in seawater, suggesting that sediment act as a source of both ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb for overlying water. The ²¹⁰Po profile in the pore waters is apparently correlated with those obtained for Fe, Mn and SO₄²⁻, suggesting an influence of early diagenetic processes on the ²¹⁰Po solid-liquid distribution. In the sediment, ²¹⁰Po is predominantly bound to organic matter or chromium reducible sulphides, and residuals (clay minerals and refractory oxides). Our results indicate that ²¹⁰Po is not significantly bound to AVS, i.e. acid volatile sulphides: bioturbation could play a role by the early redistribution of ²¹⁰Po bound to acid volatile sulphides in the sediment. ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb and Pb exhibit differences in terms of distribution, probably due to a different mode of penetration in the sediment. This work provides information on solid and liquid distribution of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in marine sediment. These data are very scarce in the litterature.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lake sediments from the High Tatras

European alpine lake systems are used as indicators of air quality over the continent. Preliminary data showed high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) loads in the High Tatras (Eastern Europe) in comparison to other mountain regions. Here, insight on the spatial distribution of PAH is provided from analysis of top-core sediments of 27 alpine lakes distributed along the High Tatras.Top-core sediment concentrations were higher than those in deep-cores, and they were higher than those observed in other European high mountain regions. The PAH profiles were uniform and comparable to those observed in aerosols and snow, indicating that atmospheric deposition was the predominant PAH input pathway to the lakes. Good agreement between estimated atmospheric deposition and sedimentation fluxes was observed. However, in several lakes in the western range higher sediment fluxes may correspond to higher PAH depositions levels. The higher concentrations may also reflect inputs from potential emission source areas.     

Distribution of total mercury and methylmercury in lake sediments in Arctic Ny-Ålesund

The toxicities and bioavailabilities of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic systems have made them the subjects of recent research. In this study, we collected a lake sediment core from Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard and analyzed the distributions of THg and MeHg in the sediments. The increased trend of THg was caused by anthropogenic contamination since the 14th century through long-range transportation, especially after the industrial era. However, the peak values of Hg in surface sediment samples could be explained by the increased algal scavenging process in recent decades. All the biogeochemical proxies (e.g., pigments and diatom biomass) revealed recent sharp increases in aquatic primary production due to the current climate warming. Rock-Eval analyses indicated that algal-derived organic matter took up a large portion, and quantitative calculation showed that 89.6-95.8% of the Hg in post-1950 could be explained by scavenging. The distribution of MeHg has a close relationship with total Hg and organic matter. The oxidation-reduction condition is one of the possible factors affecting the methylation rates in H2 lake sediments. Higher algal productivity and organic matter actually led to the increased trend of methylation in the uppermost sediment. This study supports some new key hypotheses on climate-driven factors affecting Hg and MeHg cycling in High Arctic lake sediments.     

干旱半干旱地区湖泊沉积物对Cu2+的吸附-解吸研究

吸附-解吸是重金属在沉积物中迁移转化的重要过程。本文研究干旱半干旱地区湖泊———乌梁素海不同区域沉积物对Cu2+的吸附-解吸过程。结果表明,吸附过程中,pH值逐渐降低;沉积物TOC含量越高,其对Cu2+的吸附能力也越强;生活污水和工业废水影响的S1样点及受农田退水影响的S2样点对Cu2+的吸附量相对较低,而相对较洁净的S3和S4样点具有较高的Cu2+吸附量。4个样点吸附量能力大小为S3>S4>S2>S1。解吸实验显示,沉积物吸附的Cu2+大部分都不能被解吸。试验结果符合Langmuir和Freundlich等温吸附方程,Langmuir方程的拟合效果要好于Freundlich方程,Langmuir方程拟合的饱和吸附量分别为3.31 mg/g、4.84 mg/g、8.39 mg/g和7.75 mg/g。     

城市内河沉积物硝态氮释放行为的模拟研究

沉积物营养盐的释放已引起相关学者的极大兴趣,对沉积物中硝态氮的释放行为研究还鲜有关注。通过室内模拟研究,考察不同pH、温度、扰动、曝气和光照条件下硝态氮的释放行为。研究结果表明,中性条件下,沉积物硝态氮释放速率最快;温度对硝态氮的释放起着明显的促进作用,随着温度的增加,硝化菌活性增强,硝态氮释放速率明显加快。同时,扰动、曝气和光照对硝态氮的释放也起着一定的促进作用。     

Environmental release of dioxins from reservoir sources during beach nourishment programs

In late 1990s, USEPA/FDA made an important connection regarding the presence of elevated levels of dioxins (e.g., 1500 ng kg⁻¹ TEQ) in ball clays mined in Mississippi (USA) from a geological deposit dated to ∼40 million years (Mississippi Embayment) that stretches over several states (northern part of Mississippi to Kentucky) and levels of dioxins in selected animal food sources. Following a recent beach nourishment program along the mid-Atlantic coast of the US, a number of dark gray, blue tinted nuggets of varying sizes were found on beach strands and near the shoreline. Using the presence of these balls of clay (shape, color, and knowledge regarding their use in pottery) on the beach, together with our direct experience analyzing ball clays for dioxins, we made a possible association between these clays and elevated dioxins. Concerns regarding the potential of nourishment programs to cause severe damage to our beaches drove us to test the dioxin content of nourishment exposed clays. A number of the nuggets, along with freshly dredged and deposited sand (collected the morning after nourishment) with the same coloration, and others (sun-bleached), collected approximately 2 weeks after the completion of the nourishment efforts, were analyzed for the presence of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and selected semi-volatile chlorinated organics. The clay PCDD/F WHO2005-TEQs (dry weight; ND = DL; EMPC = EMPC) ranged from 0.41 to 5.78 ng kg⁻¹ with an average of 2.64 ng kg⁻¹, whereas the sand sample’s TEQs ranged from 0.18 to 0.31 ng kg⁻¹ PCDD/F WHO-2005, with an average of 0.22 ng kg⁻¹. The average total tetra- through octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin concentration was 2700 ng kg⁻¹ (with a maximum of 5800 ng kg⁻¹) for the clays and 8.5 ng kg⁻¹ (with a maximum of 16.8 ng kg⁻¹) for the sand samples. The congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD (TEF = 1) was detected in half of the clay samples (0.11-0.77 ng kg⁻¹). All of the clay and sand samples displayed an unambiguous and dominating 1,4,6,9-chlorination pattern across homolog groups. No other chlorinated aromatics were detected above background levels. The observations, along with the absence or an extremely low level of polychlorinated dibenzofurans, together with the mineralogical analysis, supports the conclusion that off-shore dredging activities are reaching reservoir sources containing dioxin-tainted, smectic/kaolinite clay minerals. Subsequent beach erosion provides additional environmental releases over time, as buried balls of clay from previous nourishment efforts become exposed.     

闽江福州段湿地沉积物重金属吸附-解吸特征及其对酸沉降变化的响应

选择闽江福州段为研究对象,通过采集淡水河段(A、B)、城市河段(C、D)和河口区(E、F)6个样点的沉积物柱样,探讨了湿地沉积物重金属的吸附-解吸特征及其对酸沉降变化的响应.结果表明,Langmuir吸附等温方程可较好地拟合不同河段湿地沉积物吸附4种重金属(Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺)的热力学过程(R²≥0.71).不同样点对Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺的吸附能力整体以河口区最高,城市河段次之,淡水河段最低,解吸能力则与之相反,这主要与沉积物颗粒组成(黏粒)及pH值的差异有关.从淡水河段至河口区(A～F),不同样点0～40 cm土层对Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺的解吸量均随吸附量的增加而升高.随着pH值的增加,Ni²⁺、Cu²⁺、...     

中国水体环境中多氯联苯的存在水平研究

从自然水体、水体沉积物及水生生物3个层次,系统分析多氯联苯在中国部分水体环境中的污染水平及其可能的致污原因。其结果表明:中国的大部分水体直接含有多氯联苯的量符合相应的环境质量标准,对饮水安全不构成直接威胁;沉积物中存在的多氯联苯大多源于航海运输事业的污染物排放,有关部门应采取相应的管理措施对运输船只的排污进行限制;水生生物中多氯联苯的含量在香港和珠江口出现超标现象,应引起人们的注意,积极改善该地区的水产养殖环境。     

滇池宝丰湾疏浚区底泥污染程度评价及环保疏浚深度的确定

根据滇池外海主要入湖河口及重点区域底泥疏浚工程,宝丰湾疏浚区设计阶段勘察结果,采用内梅罗污染指数法及Lars Hakanson的重金属潜在生态风险指数法对疏浚区底泥进行了污染程度评价。针对底泥污染空间分布特征,确定疏浚深度,为环保施工提供依据。     

北方某水库表层沉积物重金属的赋存形态及其环境影响因子分析

为了解北方某水库重金属污染状况,采用BCR连续提取法对该水库表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd的赋存形态进行了分析,对其含量及空间分布进行了研究,结合重金属总量讨论了各元素的潜在环境风险。结果表明,该水库表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd的平均质量比分别为65.20 mg/kg、36.69 mg/kg、137.5 mg/kg、2.38 mg/kg,与该地区土壤元素背景值、该地区水系沉积物平均值及全国水系沉积物平均值相比,4种重金属元素均有一定程度的累积,其中Cd累积最为严重。形态分析结果表明,Cd主要以醋酸可提取态及可还原态存在,具有很高的环境风险;Pb主要以极高比例的可还原态存在,潜在风险较高;Zn和Cu存在较大比例的酸可提取态及可还原态,也具有一定程度的潜在风险。各元素生物有效性即可提取态含量排序为:Cd>Cu>Pb>Zn。