Geochemical fractionation and ecological risks assessment of benthic sediment-bound heavy metals from coastal ecosystems off the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean

This study determines the pollution, fractionation, and ecological risks of sediment-bound heavy metals from coastal ecosystems off the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Contamination Factor(CF), pollution load index(PLI), and geoaccumulation index(Igeo) were used to assess the extent of the heavy metal pollution, while the potential ecological risk was evaluated using the risks assessment code(RAC) and Hkanson potential ecological risk. The analysis revealed concentrations(mg/g, dw) of the cadmium(Cd),chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), nickel(Ni), and lead(Pb) in sediments for wet and dry seasons vary from 4.40-5.08, 14.80-21.09. 35.03-44.8, 2.14-2.28, and 172.24-196.39, respectively. The results also showed that the metal fractionation percentages in the residual, oxidizable, and reducible fractions are the most significant, while the exchangeable and carbonate bound trace metals are relatively low. The RAC values indicate no risk for Cd and Ni and low risk for other metals at all the studied sites during both seasons.Potential ecological risk analysis of the heavy metal concentrations indicates that Cd had high individual potential ecological risk, while the other metals have low risk at all investigated sites. The multi-elemental potential ecological risk indices(R_1) indicate high ecological risk in all the ecosystems.     

Evolution of seismic hazard maps in Turkey

A review on the historical evolution of seismic hazard maps in Turkey is followed by summarizing the important aspects of the updated national probabilistic seismic hazard maps. Comparisons with the predecessor probabilistic seismic hazard maps as well as the implications on the national design codes conclude the paper.     

Die neue EG‐Wasserrahmenrichtlinie: Bewertung der chemischen und ökologischen Qualität von Oberflächengewässern

The New EC Framework Water Directive: Assessment of the Chemical and Ecological Status of Surface Waters The main objective of the draft EC Framework Water Directive is the good quality of all surface waters. The directive provides for an assessment of the chemical status of surface waters (EU‐wide valid environmental quality standards for approximately 30 priority substances) and a five‐stage ecological classification of waters, comprising the stages high, good, moderate, poor, and bad. The starting point for the assessment are the reference conditions, which are defined as corresponding to high water quality and characterising a water status with no significant anthropogenic impact. The reference sites in the various water body types are to be selected using hydromorphological and physico‐chemical parameters and subsequently characterised by means of biological parameters. For surface waters, three groups of characteristics are provided for, namely: 1. with priority the biology – in the case of surface waters – with the four elements phytoplankton, macrophytes/phytobenthos, benthic invertebrate fauna, and fish fauna; 2. supporting the hydromorphology, e.g. flowing waters with the three elements hydrological regime, river continuity, and morphological conditions and 3. supporting the physico‐chemical conditions with the three elements general conditions, specific synthetic pollutants, and specific non synthetic pollutants (other than the priority substances of the chemical status).     

Combining EGM2008 and SRTM/DTM2006.0 residual terrain model data to improve quasigeoid computations in mountainous areas devoid of gravity data

A global geopotential model, like EGM2008, is not capable of representing the high-frequency components of Earth’s gravity field. This is known as the omission error. In mountainous terrain, omission errors in EGM2008, even when expanded to degree 2,190, may reach amplitudes of 10 cm and more for height anomalies. The present paper proposes the utilisation of high-resolution residual terrain model (RTM) data for computing estimates of the omission error in rugged terrain. RTM elevations may be constructed as the difference between the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) elevation model and the DTM2006.0 spherical harmonic topographic expansion. Numerical tests, carried out in the German Alps with a precise gravimetric quasigeoid model (GCG05) and GPS/levelling data as references, demonstrate that RTM-based omission error estimates improve EGM2008 height anomaly differences by 10 cm in many cases. The comparisons of EGM2008-only height anomalies and the GCG05 model showed 3.7 cm standard deviation after a bias-fit. Applying RTM omission error estimates to EGM2008 reduces the standard deviation to 1.9 cm which equates to a significant improvement rate of 47%. Using GPS/levelling data strongly corroborates these findings with an improvement rate of 49%. The proposed RTM approach may be of practical value to improve quasigeoid determination in mountainous areas without sufficient regional gravity data coverage, e.g., in parts of Asia, South America or Africa. As a further application, RTM omission error estimates will allow refined validation of global gravity field models like EGM2008 from GPS/levelling data.     

西藏山地淋溶土系列与大骨节病分布的关系

通过西藏大骨节病县与非病县棕壤与暗棕壤各土属、土种的分布面积的对比分析对西藏耕型棕壤和暗棕壤分布与西藏大骨节病区分布的关系进行研究.结果表明,西藏大骨节病的分布与棕壤、暗棕壤为主的耕型淋溶土壤的分布有一定的联系,但土壤母质和发育程度不同,对大骨节病的分布影响不同.对于残坡积土壤,病区趋于分布在泥质土壤环境,而麻砂质土壤基本是大骨节病的非病区.同样的母质环境,大骨节病区趋于分布在土壤厚度较小,发育程度较低的地区;就洪积土壤来说,其与大骨节病分布的关系似乎与土壤质地有一定的联系,底部砾石含量高的土壤多集中在大骨节病地区.总体而言,山地棕壤、暗棕壤环境是西藏大骨节病区的主要土壤类型之一,西藏未开发的自然棕壤和暗棕壤环境将是大骨节病潜在危险区,因此系统研究西藏典型大骨节病区的土壤分异对探讨未来西藏大骨节病的分布与流行有重要意义.     

Tracing of Peroxidase Activity in Humic Lake Water

An enzyme assay was developed for studies on peroxidase activities in humic lake water. 3,4-Dimethoxybenzyl alcohol (veratryl alcohol, VeraOH) was used as tracer substrate, and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) activity was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The chemical stability of VeraOH and its application as peroxidase substrate was tested under light and dark conditions, different hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations and humic matter contents. VeraOH was stable under low UV radiation at in situ conditions in lake water (<0.010...0.25 kJ m^–2 d^–1), laboratory conditions (<0.05...0.30 kJ m^–2 d^–1), and low (1...100 μM) H₂O₂ concentrations. However, peroxides oxidized VeraOH above 1...10 mM H₂O₂ concentration in sterile Millipore-Q and humic lake water. Dark incubations showed little VeraOH oxidation products. The developed peroxidase assay was tested in the growth medium of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and a bacteria isolate (P.M.D. 20.4.3.1) from mesohumic lake Pääjärvi. Peroxidase activities were also measured in natural microbial communities under standard laboratory and under in situ conditions in humic lake water. Incubation times of about 5 to 12 days were usually needed to record significant (P < 0.05) peroxidase activities, in lake waters. In situ peroxidase activities varied in pelagial surface water (0...0.5 m) on a seasonal scale between 74 nmol L^–1 h^–1 and 273 nmol L^–1 (mean: 176 nmol L^–1 h^–1) and within the water column between 110 nmol L^–1 h^–1 and 800 nmol L^–1 h^–1 (mean: 500 nmol L^–1 h^–1) in polyhumic lake Mekkojärvi.     

Time-resolved Fluorescence Measurements of Aquatic Natural Organic Matter (NOM)

The fluorescence decay of aquatic natural organic matter (NOM) samples was investigated using the time-correlated single photon counting technique (TCSPC). Two different approaches for the data analysis are presented: the discrete component approach (DCA) and the exponential series method (ESM). The parameter set obtained in the DCA is discussed in terms of characterization for NOM of different origins. However, the obtained parameter set can only be interpreted as operationally defined. Using the ESM for a fluorescence decay time distribution analysis no a priori assumption about the number of fluorescing components was introduced into the data analysis. The interpretation of fluorescence decay time data for samples before and after ozonation is in good agreement with results of other analytical methods.     

Konzepte zur Mobilitätsabschätzung von Schadstoffen in Boden- und Abfallmaterialien

Concepts for the Evaluation of Contaminant Mobility in Soil and Waste Materials Elution tests (S4, pH_stat, and SDS test) are presented, enabling the evaluation of the mobility of hydrophilic/hydrophobic and inorganic/organic contaminants in soil and waste materials. While elution tests for estimation of the mobilization potential of hydrophilic substances are performed following the pH_stat method, for hydrophobic species surfactant-containing eluents are used. The individual parameters of the elution process are selected assuming a "worst-case" scenario. In principle, because of economic reasons, detailed analytical investigations should be preceded by relevant screening tests.     

Urease-Hemmtest für wirkungsbezogene Untersuchungen der Bindungsformen von Kupfer in Wässern und Bodeneluaten

Urease Inhibition Test for Effect-related Investigations of Copper Speciation in Water and Soil Extracts In 80 different water samples, the inhibition effect of cupric ions was measured by application of a simple urease inhibition test. In relation to the total copper concentration, the inhibition permits an effect-related classification of drinking water, rain water, spring water, surface water, leakage water, wastewater, and soil extracts. Drinking water contains high parts of cupric ions in the free hydrated form. Their copper content results in high urease inhibition and is caused by using copper pipes in house plumbing. In leakage water, wastewater, and soil extracts, cupric ions are mainly complexed by organic compounds in the sample matrix. Hence, the inhibition effects are low. In soil extracts, the urease inhibition increased after an UV-decomposition procedure, but a decreasing effect was observed for a surface and a drinking water sample, respectively. The chemical oxygen demand and UV-absorbance at 255 nm measured before and after the procedure were correlated to the content of organic compounds, i.e., humic acid. In most samples, the organic matrix was not decomposed completely. The oxidizing decomposition apparently forms further complexing agents, which suppress the inhibition effect of cupric ions. In the rain water samples investigated, the content of organic compounds depended on rain intensity. The chemical oxygen demand and UV-absorbance, respectively, were low for rain water collected during strong rain periods and increased with decreasing rain intensity. The rain water trickled over sheet-lead roof showed an increase of urease inhibition compared with the simultaneously collected rain. Consequently, a decomposition of organic matrix could be demonstrated in rain water by use of the urease inhibition test.     

Konzentrationsprofile in Rotationsscheibenreaktoren und deren Modellierung am Beispiel des anaeroben Acetatabbaus mit experimenteller Überprüfung

Concentration Profiles in Rotating Disc Reactors. Their Mathematical Model for the Anaerobic Digestion of Acetic Acid Including an Experimental Verification This paper presents rotating disc reactors for aerobic and anaerobic wastewater treatment. Unlike the activated sludge or contact processes, this reactor allows higher concentrations of biomass and lesser danger of the reactor becoming blocked. The reduced backmixing within the reactor leads to axial concentration profiles when continuously operated. These are presented for various biological processes. The axial concentration profiles generated during the continuous anaerobic degradation of acetic acid are measured and described by a mathematical model. A refined dispersion model is created on the basis of tracer experiments taking into account the actual construction of the reactor as well as the physical conditions in it. To determine the biodegradation a Haldane kinetics is used, in which the undissociated acetic acid is the substrate. The model takes into consideration all the local parameters (pH value, concentration of acetic acid, biomass, and ion activity). The difficult measurement of the concentration of the active biomass which is immobilized on the disk is accomplished by carrying out batch experiments. The results of the experiments are 22 concentration profiles with influent DOC concentrations from 200 to 2000 mg L^–1 which were measured and modelled. Some examples are shown to illustrate the influence of the ion activity and the refinement of the dispersion model.