Evaluation of a fluorometric screening method for predicting total PAH concentrations in contaminated sediments

A fluorometric screening method was used to estimate total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (t-PAH) concentrations in sediments collected from the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) in northeastern Minnesota. Sediments were collected as part of a Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (R-EMAP) study to assess sediment quality in the AOC. The screening method was calibrated using a PAH surrogate standard consisting of eight PAHs commonly found in the St. LouisRiver system, at their approximate proportions. Estimated PAHconcentrations were compared to GC/MS measured `true' PAH concentrations to evaluate the overall predictive power of thescreening method. Regression analysis of log transformed estimated versus true PAH concentration yielded an r² of 0.72 (n = 86). In addition, the rates of false positive and false negative predictions associated with the screening methodwere determined relative to different sediment effects concentrations (SECs) for total PAHs. In general, the rate of false positive predictions was shown to increase as the SEC criteria value decreased, while false negative rates remainedconsistently low (below 7%). Methodological recommendations which led to a three-fold reduction in false negatives, and theimproved prediction of both high and low PAH samples, are presented.     

Preliminary Caesium Data From A Cooperative Us/Ussr Monitoring Survey for Chernobyl Radioactivity in the Black Sea

In June 1990, scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Radiation Programs (ORP), and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), travelled to Sevastopol in the Soviet Union to work with radioecologists and marine scientists from the USSR Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS). the purpose of this cooperative programme was to conduct a monitoring survey for radioactivity in the northwestern Black Sea. Samples of sediment, surface and in-situ water, and biota were collected from fourteen stations for post-survey radionuclide analyses to determine levels of radioactivity in the Black Sea environment resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion and subsequent transport of radioactivity via the Dnepr and Danube rivers. This paper presents the preliminary data for caesium-137 and caesium-134 in sediment samples analyzed by the EPA/ORP. Caesium-137 was measured at four shallow (20-114 m) stations on the shelf near the mouth of the Dnepr and Danube Rivers, but was not detected in sediments from comparable depths at stations further off shore or in slope sediments at depths of 510-1288 meters. Caesium-134 was detected only in sediments from the shallow-water station nearest to the Danube River.     

ESTIMATED BACKGROUND CONCENTRATIONS OF SULFATE IN DILUTE LAKES1

ABSTRACT: Lake water sulfate values were examined for two areas in western Norway and the western United States presently receiving low levels of sulfate in atmospheric deposition. Data from these areas were used to estimate background concentrations of sulfate in lakes found in areas currently receiving acidic deposition. The two areas contain dilute lakes with concentrations of sea-salt corrected Ca+ Mg less than 50 μeq/l or conductivity < 10μS cm^-1and receive precipitation with volume-weighted mean pH > 4.8. Based on observations from these areas, we conclude that background sulfate concentrations were probably no more than 10 to 15 μeq L^-1for areas of Norway and the U.S. containing lakes with low concentrations of base cations. For southern Norway and the northeastern U.S., present lakewater sulfate concentrations represent an increase of 7 to 10 fold above these estimated background values.     

REVERSIBLE ADSORPTION OF AQUEOUS DIVALENT COPPER ION BY ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS1

Sediments were equilibrated with solutions containing divalent copper ion. A colorimetric method using the triethylenete-tramine complex of the metal ion was employed to measure changes in uptake of copper by the sediments. Studies were made with sediments from rivers in the British Isles which were in the proximity of areas which had been mined for metals for several hundred years. For comparison, similar studies were performed with a sample of sand and a soil with a high organic content. It was possible to follow the uptake of copper ion by the materials and estimate their abilities to adsorb copper ion. In particular, a strong correlation was observed between the organic content of the sediment and the total amount of copper adsorbed by the sample. Under the employed circumstances it was possible to demonstrate that the adsorption of the metal ion was reversible.     

表面活性剂和有机粘土矿物对底泥吸附菲的影响

根据底泥原地处理技术原理,基于有机粘土矿物的环保性能,以菲为目标污染物,开展向底泥中加入表面活性剂(十六烷基三甲基溴化铵,HDTMA-Br)和有机粘土矿物(十六烷基三甲基溴化铵改性膨润土,HDTMA改性土)后对其吸附菲的性能影响研究。结果表明,底泥对菲的吸附作用主要表现为表面物理吸附特征,吸附等温线符合Freundlich方程;底泥中加入HDTMA+或HDTMA改性粘土后菲在两相间的表观分配系数增大,吸附分别为表面作用和分配作用;菲在底泥上的解吸曲线呈较好线性,吸附不存在滞后效应,而在加入表面活性剂和有机粘土矿物的底泥上线性变差,对菲的吸附出现不可逆吸附现象,吸附变得稳定;在污染物浓度很低的情况下,pH、盐度和温度的改变对吸附量的影响不大。     

海洋沉积物对重金属吸附特性研究

以渤海湾北部海域沉积物为研究对象,研究其对重金属Cu2+、Pb2+的吸附特性。将沉积物分为不同粒级,通过吸附动力学、吸附突跃和吸附等温实验,探讨粒度、pH值、吸附时间和吸附剂初始浓度对重金属吸附的影响。结果表明,沉积物粒径越小,对重金属的吸附量越大;吸附平衡时间有所差异,但在1.5 h均能达到吸附平衡;吸附量均随pH值升高而逐渐增加,但铜的吸附较铅的吸附速度快;铜的吸附量与吸附剂初始浓度呈线性关系,而铅的吸附量在初始浓度较低时变化明显,随初始浓度增加吸附量增加减小;铜的吸附等温线符合Freundlich型,而铅吸附等温线符合Langmuir型,吸附类型存在差异。     

泉州湾沉积物重金属分布特征及环境质量评价

利用等离子质谱仪(ICP-MS)测定了泉州湾48个表层沉积物样品中Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Cd和Pb等元素的含量,其平均值分别为47.66、52.2、30.86、111.6、5.29、0.399和50.3μg/g.表层沉积物中各元素分布特征显示Cd、Pb、Zn和As元素主要来源于晋江径流;Cr元素主要来源于海湾周边输入;Ni和Cu元素既有晋江河流输入也有海湾周边输入.多元潜在生态风险指数评价结果显示,除Cd元素为强污染强潜在生态风险外,其他元素污染指数在中度污染左右,潜在生态风险轻微;泉州湾表层沉积物综合污染和潜在生态风险程度在中等以上,主要的污染和生态风险重金属是Ni和Cd;高污染区域与高潜在生态风险程度区域一致,位于晋江与洛阳江入海口交汇处.泉州湾表层沉积物中重金属污染仍然严重,应继续加强控制与治理.     

1株嗜酸硫杆菌的分离鉴定及其对污染底泥中重金属的去除效果

采用常规细菌分离方法,从河流底泥中筛选到1株细菌FD97,通过序批式摇瓶培养考察了不同温度下(22~40℃)该菌株对污染底泥中Zn、Cu和Cr的去除效果.结果表明,形态学和16S rDNA序列同源性分析鉴定菌株FD97为嗜酸硫杆菌属(Acidithiobacillussp.).在22~40℃条件下,以Acidithiobacillussp.FD97为主要菌株的生物沥浸作用可有效去除污染底泥中Zn、Cu和Cr.沥浸处理16 d,Zn、Cu和Cr的去除率可分别达70%、90%和25%.从底泥pH值变化、SO42-产生以及重金属去除率角度衡量不同温度的底泥沥浸处理效果依次为:34℃28℃≈40℃22℃.控温28℃较适宜今后的实际应用.底泥重金属生物沥浸去除率的大小与底泥pH值变化密切相关,与温度无直接关系.当底泥pH值降至5.0、3.5和2.5时,底泥中Zn、Cu和Cr分别开始溶出,pH值降为2.0,重金属去除率达最大.     

Phosphorus fractions and its release in the sediments of Haihe River, China

The amounts and forms of phosphorus (P) in surface sediments of Haihe River, Tianjin, North China, were examined using a sequential chemical extraction procedure. Five fractions of sedimentary P, including loosely sorbed P (NH4Cl-P), redox-sensitive P (BD-P), metal oxide bound P (NaOH-P), calcium bound P (HCl-P), and residual P (Res-P) (organic and refractory P), were separately quantified. The results indicated that the contents of di erent P fractions in the sediments varied greatly. The total P (TP) contents ranged from 968 to 2017 mg/kg. Phosphorus contents in NH4Cl-P, BD-P, NaOH-P, and HCl-P ranged from 6.7 to 26.6 mg/kg, 54.5 to 90.2 mg/kg, 185.2 to 382.5 mg/kg, and 252.3 to 425.5 mg/kg, respectively, which represented 1.2%–3.2%, 7.7%–13%, 33.3%–48.9%, and 36.2%–54.2% of the sedimentary inorganic P, respectively. For all the sediment samples, the rank order of P-fractions was Res-P > HCl-P > NaOH-P > BD-P > NH4Cl-P. The highly positive relationship between the amounts of P released from the sediments and those in the NH4Cl-P and BD-P fractions, indicated that NH4Cl-P and BD-P were the main fractions that can release P easily.     

In-situ stabilisation followed by ex-situ composting for treatment and disposal of heavy metals polluted sediments

An innovative in-situ stabilisation treatment followed by ex-situ sediment composting was tested for its ability to treat and dispose of heavy-metal-polluted sediments in a river near the Chinese Pearl Delta. First, polluted sediments were treated in-situ to stabilise the heavy metals. Then the treated sediments were dredged, dewatered and sent for high temperature aerobic composting (HTAC) treatment. Finally, the compost products were used as a fertiliser for river bank plants. The stabilisation efficiency of heavy metals during the process was investigated and the results are as follows: (1) using in-situ stabilisation, the extraction concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb were reduced by 65.0%, 82.2% and 90.0%, respectively, which are much lower than the national standard given in the Identification Standard for Hazardous Waste (GB5085.3-1996); (2) chemical fraction analysis showed that heavy metals were further stabilized during the HTAC treatment; (3) the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb in rainwater ieachate through the river bank met the level of class V in the Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water in China (GB3838-2002). Therefore, using this new process, the toxicities of heavy metals in sediments were reduced markedly.