Stability of arsenopyrite and As(III) in low-temperature acidic solutions

Arsenopyrite is one of the most important pri-mary arsenic mineral. In the Eh-pH diagram of the As-O2-S-H2O system, if the total arsenic concentration (TAs) is taken to be 0.75 mg/L, the total sulfur con-centration, 32 mg/L, the temperature, 25℃and the pressure, one atmosphere pressure for the discrimina-tion of arsenic species, it may be found that under hy-pergene conditions, arsenopyrite is a moderately stable mineral. Only in the strongly alkaline and reducing environment can arsenopy…     

Dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic substrates in the River Warnow (North-Eastern Germany) – Utilisation by bacterioplankton

After 1990, external loads of Central European rivers with inorganic nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and organic material were reduced because of changed environmental laws. However, in the eutrophic lowland River Warnow, North-Eastern Germany, nitrate concentrations remained high with 35–185 μmol l⁻¹ without a significant decrease since 1992. In contrast, phosphate concentrations, varying between 0.3 and 5.2 μmol l⁻¹ during the growth season 2002, decreased significantly over the years. However, its concentrations still exceeded 1 μmol l⁻¹ regularly in the growth seasons. This load led to a substantial accumulation of organic matter additional to high terrestrial inputs. Despite the high organic load, the remineralising bacteria were mainly inactive in River Warnow. Therefore, the composition of the dissolved organic material, especially its bioavailability, were investigated during the growth season 2002 and discussed with other potential controlling factors. River Warnow carried a high load of dissolved organic carbon (14 mg l⁻¹), especially of humic substances (5.5 mg C l⁻¹). Bacterial abundance (12×10⁶ ml⁻¹) as well as production (1.7 μg C l⁻¹ h⁻¹) depended on temperature. During late spring and summer at constantly higher temperatures, bacterial production correlated positively to readily utilisable substrates and to humic compounds. Thus, the bacterial community in River Warnow may be well adapted or contain enough species using the available amino acids and carbohydrates as well as humic matter compounds. However, calculated from protozoan biomass, grazing may control bacterial biomass and perhaps community composition profoundly, what lead to the low percentages of active bacteria.     

Structure of microbial communities and hydrocarbon-dependent sulfate reduction in the anoxic layer of a polluted microbial mat

The bacterial communities in the anoxic layer of a heavily polluted microbial mat and their growth on hydrocarbons under sulfate-reducing conditions were investigated. Microbial communities were dominated by members of Alphaproteobacteria (27% of the total rRNA), Planctomycetes (21.1%) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB: 17.5%). 16S rRNA cloning revealed sequences beloning to the same bacterial groups with SRB affiliated to the genera Desulfobulbus, Desulfocapsa, Desulfomicrobium, Desulfobacterium and Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus. The derived enrichment cultures on crude oil, hexadecane and toluene were dominated by SRB. While most SRB sequences of the toluene and hexadecane cultures were related to the sequence of Desulfotignum toluolica, the crude oil enrichment showed a more diverse bacterial community with sequences from the genera Desulfotignum, Desulfobacter, Desulfatibacillus, Desulfosalina, and Desulfococcus. We conclude that the anoxic layer of the studied mats contains a diverse community of anaerobic bacteria, dominated by SRB, some of which are able to grow on hydrocarbons.     

Analysis of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacers (IGSs) of marine vibrios for species-specific signature DNA sequences

Vibrios are widespread in the marine environment and a few pathogenic species are known to be commonly associated with outbreaks of diarrheal diseases in humans due to the consumption of raw or improperly cooked seafood. However, there are also many Vibrio species which are potentially pathogenic to vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic animals, and of which little is known. In an attempt to develop rapid PCR detection methods for these latter class of vibrios, we have examined the 16S-23S intergenic spacers (IGSs) of 10 lesser-known Vibrio species and successfully developed species-specific primers for eight of them--Vibrio costicola, V. diazotrophicus, V. fluvialis, V. nigripulchritudo, V. proteolyticus, V. salmonicida, V. splendidus and V. tubiashii. The IGS amplicons were amplified using primers complementary to conserved regions of the 16S and 23S rRNA genes, and cloned into plasmid vectors and sequenced. Analysis of the IGS sequences showed that 37 ribosomal RNA (rrn) operons representing seven different IGS types have been cloned from the 10 vibrios. The three IGS types--IGS(0), IGS(IA) and IGS(Glu)--were the most prevalent forms detected. Multiple alignment of representative sequences of these three IGS types from different Vibrio species revealed several domains of high sequence variability, which were used to design species-specific primers for PCR. The specificity of the primers were evaluated using total DNA prepared from different Vibrio species and bacterial genera. The results showed that the PCR method can be used to reliably detect eight of the 10 Vibrio species in marine waters in this study.     

Simulation of the impacts of diagenesis or low-grade metamorphism on neutrophilic microaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing biofilm

The microaerobic iron-oxidizing bacteria in circumneutral environment produce extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)with unique morphologic features,such as stalks or sheaths,which can be regarded as geobiological signatures.The Archean and early Palaeoproterozoic oceans were anoxic with high soluble Fe(II)that were suggested to have been oxidized through the metabolism of Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria.The precursor of the ultrafine hematite in banded iron formation(BIF),e.g.,ferrihydrite,was suggested to be the mineral record of microbial Fe(II)-oxidation at that time.However,both the biological materials and primary iron minerals were prone to being altered by diagenetic or low-grade metamorphic processes.This makes it difficult to interpret the genesis of Precambrian BIFs.Here,we report experimental simulation on the effects of diagenesis or low-grade metamorphism on neutrophilic microaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria and their biomass.Stalks,sheaths,and iron oxide spheroidal aggregates are partially preserved after the 100 MPa/300°C treatments,which indicates the mixed organic matters and iron oxides could survive the diagenetic or low-grade metamorphic processes.Some organic-mineral mixing structures carry information on microbial processes,though they appear similar to pseudomorphs of fossilized bacteria.     

内陆水体好氧甲烷氧化过程研究进展

内陆水体是全球碳循环的关键组成部分,是大气中甲烷(CH4)的重要来源,每年从内陆淡水与自然湿地排放进入大气的CH4约为185～357 Tg/a.通常,内陆水体中CH4主要由分布于水层底部的厌氧区或沉积层内的产甲烷菌介导产生,其向水层表面传输的过程中易被甲烷氧化菌所氧化.甲烷氧化菌可分为好氧甲烷氧化菌和厌氧甲烷氧化菌,有...     

太湖梅梁湾沉积物中氮铁硫转化细菌的毫米级垂向分布及对氮磷迁移转化的潜在影响

本研究在太湖梅梁湾采集沉积柱,采用一种自制的毫米级柱状沉积物自动垂向分层切割装置对表层50 mm沉积物进行垂向切割(间隔2 mm),结合高通量测序技术分析沉积物中细菌群落的毫米级垂向分布;同时采用毫米级高分辨透析技术和薄膜扩散梯度技术(DGT)分析溶解态和DGT可获取态铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)、硝态氮(NO₃^--N)、Fe、P的垂向分布特征。结果显示,沉积物中细菌群落与溶解态和DGT可获取态氮铁磷浓度在垂向上呈现显著的异质性。细菌硝酸盐还原主要发生在-16～0 mm沉积物深度,这可能导致了溶解态和DGT可获取态NO₃^--N含量在该沉积物深度的明显减少。细菌铁还原主要分布在-32～-18 mm沉积物深度,细菌硫酸盐还原主要分布在-50～-34 mm的沉积物深度;细菌硫酸盐还原是导致沉积物溶解态和DGT可获取态铁磷浓度从-32 mm随沉积物的深度增加而显著增加的主要原因。本研究加深了对富营养化湖泊沉积物中细菌影响氮磷在垂向上迁移转化的认识。     

Joint FAO/WHO/IOC activities to provide scientific advice on marine biotoxins (research report)

The Joint FAO/WHO/IOC ad hoc Expert Consultation on Biotoxins in Molluscan Bivalves performed risk assessments for a number of biotoxins present in bivalve molluscs. For performing risk assessments, the Expert Consultation categorized the biotoxins into eight distinct groups based on chemical structure. The Expert Consultation established LOAELs for the azaspiracid (AZA), okadaic acid (OA), saxitoxin (STX), and domoic acid (DA) toxin groups. The derived provisional acute RfDs for the AZA, OA, STX, and DA toxin groups were 0.04 μg/kg bw, 0.33 μg/kg bw, 0.7 μg/kg bw, and 100 μg/kg bw, respectively. For the yessotoxin (YTX) group, a NOAEL was established, based on animal studies. Applying a safety factor of 100, a provisional acute RfD of 50 μg/kg bw was suggested for the YTX group. The Expert Consultation considered that the database for cyclic imines, brevetoxins, and pectenotoxins was insufficient to establish provisional acute RfDs for these three toxin groups.     

Phytoremediation of Sb,As, Cu,and Zn from Contaminated Water by the Aquatic Macrophyte Eleocharis acicularis

Sb, As, Cu, and Zn toxicity and contamination have become a growing concern in recent years. Phytoremediation, a plant based and cost effective technology, may be an effective approach in the cleanup of water contaminated by these metals. In this study, the aquatic macrophyte Eleocharis acicularis was used in laboratory and field experiments to assess its capability to accumulate Sb, As, Cu, and Zn, and thereby investigate its potential application in phytoremediation. The results showed that E. acicularis adapted well to water contaminated by these metals. The removal rates of Sb, As, Cu, and Zn in the laboratory experiment were 3.04, 2.75, 0.417, and 1.49 μg/L/day, respectively. The highest concentrations of these metals accumulated in E. acicularis after 10 days of the laboratory experiment were 6.29, 6.44, 20.5, and 73.5 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. Only 8% of As, 12% of Sb, 87% of Cu and 93% of Zn removed from the water were used by E. acicularis. The highest concentrations of Sb, As, Cu, and Zn accumulated in E. acicularis after 10 wk of the field experiment were 76.0, 22.4, 33.9, and 266 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The results indicate that E. acicularis has the ability to accumulate Sb, As, Cu, and Zn from contaminated water.     

Field validation of antioxidant enzyme biomarkers in mussels (Perna viridis) and clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) transplanted in Hong Kong coastal waters

Green-lipped mussels, Perna viridis, and Manila clams, Ruditapes philippinarum were sourced from “clean” sites in the Hong Kong region, depurated in a laboratory using uncontaminated filtered seawater for 8 days, and transplanted to a suspected gradient of chemically polluted sites in Hong Kong. After 14- and 28-days of field exposure, several antioxidant parameters including glutathione S transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) were quantified in gill and hepatopancreas tissues. Whole body tissue concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) were determined in pooled site samples. Chemical analyses indicated that: (a) clams had higher levels of PAHs, PHCs, DDTs and PCBs, whereas mussels had higher hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) and there was no difference between species for dieldrin and remaining OCs; (b) Kat O should not be continued as a “clean” reference site for Hong Kong, because of the levels of contaminants measured and (c) PAH concentrations in the current survey were similar to those previously measured. Toxicological conclusions were: (a) antioxidant responses were different between species; (b) CAT and GST have highest utility in clams for field use in Hong Kong, whereas CAT in both gill and hepatopancreas tissue showed most potential in mussels; (c) significant induction of antioxidant responses over day 0 (excluding GPx in both tissues, and GST in mussel hepatic tissue); (d) groups of contaminants do not consistently induce antioxidant responses and (e) organochlorines and PCBs correlated significantly with CAT and GST in clam hepatopancreas and with CAT in mussel gill and hepatic tissue. Multivariate statistical techniques indicated little relationship between the site patterns for antioxidant responses and the contaminant gradients identified in body burden analysis.     

Diffuse pollution by persistent organic pollutants as measured in plastic pellets sampled from various beaches in Greece

Plastic pellets found stranded on beaches are hydrophobic organic materials and thus, they are a favourable medium for persistent organic pollutants to absorb to. In the present study, plastic pellets are used to determine the diffuse pollution of selected Greek beaches. Samples of pellets were taken from these beaches and were analyzed for PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, and PAHs. The observed differences among pellets from various sampling sites are related to the pollution occurring at each site. Plastic pellets collected in Saronikos Gulf beaches demonstrate much higher pollutant loading than the ones collected in a remote island or close to an agricultural area. Based on data collected in this study and the International Pellet Watch program, pollution in Saronikos Gulf, Greece, is comparable to other heavily industrialized places of the world. The present study demonstrates the potential of pellet watch to be utilized as a detailed-scale monitoring tool within a single country.     

How fast does tufa grow? Very high-resolution measurement of the tufa growth rate on artificial substrates by the development of a contactless image-based modelling device

Accurate determination of the tufa growth rate (TGR) is required to answer the fundamental geomorphological question of tufa evolution. The TGR has been measured by various direct and indirect methods. One of the most popular direct methods uses modified micro-erosion meter (MEM), which has several drawbacks. Here, we present for the first time a coordinate measuring macro-photogrammetry device (CMD) for monitoring the TGR in a contactless manner. The CMD was applied on 28 limestone plates at 14 locations within the Skradinski buk area, Croatia, and measurements were performed in the laboratory. The TGR was derived from digital tufa high-resolution models (DTHRMs). The accuracy of the device was evaluated using state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) scanners and error calculation at checkpoints. Moreover, the precision was evaluated with the split test (n = 5). A total of 74 DTHRMs with a spatial resolution of 0.0236 mm were created. The TGR ranged from 0.327 to 19.302 mm a⁻¹, with an average of 5.771 mm a⁻¹. A higher TGR was observed on the limestone plates near mosses, located in fast and turbulent water rather than in stagnant water. We found that specific micro-environmental factors (e.g. proximity to moss) positively affected tufa growth. Erosion events were observed, as well as the presence of aquatic insect larvae (Simuliidae and Chironomidae), which positively affected tufa growth. The CMD is a precise and accurate device that does not suffer from the drawbacks of the MEM method and has many other advantages. It has a high capability of tufa erosion detection, enables the identification of macroinvertebrates, and multispectral or hyperspectral cameras can be mounted on the device for spectral reflectance analysis of the tufa surface. The CMD can be applied in any study requiring a sub-millimetre data quality and involving the comparison of consecutive 3D models and derivation of various parameters of smaller objects. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

用增量动力分析方法求解人字形中心支撑钢框架的结构影响系数和位移放大系数(Ⅰ)——方法

结构影响系数是基于强度的抗震设计中确定设计地震作用的关键,也是基于性态抗震设计理论的基础。位移放大系数则是根据结构的弹性位移估算弹塑性位移的关键参数。本文采用增量动力分析方法求解结构影响系数和位移放大系数,并结合具体算例详细说明了基于增量动力分析求解结构影响系数和位移放大系数的实施步骤。该方法能反映结构的动力特征,并能考虑高阶振型对结构抗震性能的影响。     

Projected 21st century climate change on snow conditions over Shasta Dam watershed by means of dynamical downscaling

Snow is an important component of the Earth's climate system and is particularly vulnerable to global warming. It has been suggested that warmer temperatures may cause significant declines in snow water content and snow cover duration. In this study, snowfall and snowmelt were projected by means of a regional climate model that was coupled to a physically based snow model over Shasta Dam watershed to assess changes in snow water content and snow cover duration during the 21st century. This physically based snow model requires both physical data and future climate projections. These physical data include topography, soils, vegetation, and land use/land cover, which were collected from associated organizations. The future climate projections were dynamically downscaled by means of the regional climate model under 4 emission scenarios simulated by 2 general circulation models (fifth‐generation of the ECHAM general circulation model and the third‐generation atmospheric general circulation model). The downscaled future projections were bias corrected before projecting snowfall and snowmelt processes over Shasta Dam watershed during 2010–2099. This study's results agree with those of previous studies that projected snow water equivalent is decreasing by 50–80% whereas the fraction of precipitation falling as snowfall is decreasing by 15% to 20%. The obtained projection results show that future snow water content will change in both time and space. Furthermore, the results confirm that physical data such as topography, land cover, and atmospheric–hydrologic data are instrumental in the studies on the impact of climate change on the water resources of a region.     

The factors controlling the partitioning of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in the water-column of the Pearl River Estuary in South China

In this study, the distribution and partition of polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water from the Pearl River Estuary were investigated. A seasonal dependence for dissolved and particle phase PCB and PBDE levels was observed. A high dissolved phase level occurred in the dry season. The positive correlation between POC content in the particles and phase distribution coefficients (K_p) suggested that POC may play an important role in determining the partition of PBDEs and PCBs. A linear correlation between the observed log K_OC and log K_OW for PBDEs and PCBs was found with slopes less than one. The observed log K_OC values were lower than the predicted log K_OC values for PBDEs (except for BDE28). The log K_OC values were higher than the predicted values for PCBs. A combination of sorption to colloids (10-98% for PBDEs and less than 25% for PCBs) and adsorption to BC was responsible for this observation.     

Data-based modelling approach for variable density flow and solute transport simulation in a coastal aquifer

Data-based models, namely artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), genetic programming (GP) and extreme learning machine (ELM), were developed to approximate three-dimensional, density-dependent flow and transport processes in a coastal aquifer. A simulation model, SEAWAT, was used to generate data required for the training and testing of the data-based models. Statistical analysis of the simulation results obtained by the four models show that the data-based models could simulate the complex salt water intrusion process successfully. The selected models were also compared based on their computational ability, and the results show that the ELM is the fastest technique, taking just 0.5 s to simulate the dataset; however, the SVM is the most accurate, with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) ≥ 0.95 and correlation coefficient R ≥ 0.92 for all the wells. The root mean square error (RMSE) for the SVM is also significantly less, ranging from 12.28 to 77.61 mg/L.     

Introducing the recharge–discharge relationship to evaluate the recharge coefficient of karstic aquifers: thematic and indexing approaches

ABSTRACT

Karst aquifers and springs are important with respect to their potential for supplying drinking water in regions suffering from water scarcity in Iran. Accordingly, it is essential to determine the recharge potential of the catchment and the regions with higher obtainability potential. This study provides a road map for the Sheshpeer catchment in southern Iran. A recharge potential (RP) map was produced from which a recharge index (RI) was computed for several selected springs in the catchment. Furthermore, the unit discharge (q) – defined as the average annual discharge for a given catchment area and unit rainfall depth for each spring – was calculated. The plot of q versus RI for the springs showed a linear positive relationship between the two variables (R ² = 0.9). Applying the trend equation of this plot to the whole Sheshpeer karstic catchment reveals that its long-term recharge coefficient is 0.74.     

Esterase activities and lipid peroxidation levels in offshore commercial species of the NW Mediterranean Sea

There is a lack of information on monitoring neurotoxicity in offshore commercial species. To help fill this gap, we sampled hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in fishing grounds off the coast of l’Ametlla de Mar (NW Mediterranean) in June 2005 at a depth of 100 m and 400 m. Additionally, at 400 m depth, two other fish species, Micromesistius poutassou and Phycis blennoides were included. Neurotoxicity markers such as Colinesterases (ChEs), namely acethyl- (AChE), butyryl- (BChE), propionyl- (PrChE) and carboxilesterase (CbE) were measured in muscle. Lipid peroxidation (LP), a marker of oxidative damage, was also included. The results are discussed in relation to the animal’s sex, size and fishing depth. A comparison of esterases and LP levels between muscle and liver of hake and between muscle and hepatopancreas of Norway Lobster was made.

AChE was dominant in muscle and CbE in hepatopancreas. No differences between fish species were seen for AChE. However, N. norvegicus, presented lower levels of ChEs and LP. A size-dependence in ChEs was seen for M. merluccius, with larger animals showing significantly lower activities (p < 0.05). Sex-dependence was seen in N. norvegicus for most esterases, except AChE, with males displaying higher activities (p < 0.05). A sampling-depth effect was also seen in the crustacea, with animals from 100 m generally presenting lower esterase activities and higher LP levels.