Seasonal variations and mechanisms of groundwater nitrate pollution in the Gaza Strip

Nitrate represents one of the major pollutants of groundwater in the Gaza Strip. Several cases of blue babies disease were reported in the last couple of years. The present study is an investigation of the seasonal variations in nitrate concentration to better understand the mechanisms and parameters controlling this perilous pollutant. Nitrate was analysed in 100 wells (47 agricultural and 53 domestic) in five governorates. The results showed that 90% of the tested wells have nitrate far beyond the allowed values set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The average concentration of nitrate in domestic wells is 128 mg/L in June-July and 118 mg/L in Jan-Feb, and for the agricultural wells, the average is 100 mg/L in June-July, and 96 mg/L for Jan-Feb. The results suggest that the seasonal differences in nitrate concentrations of the domestic wells are slightly more observable than those of the agricultural wells. The environmental factors that control nitrate in groundwater are: a partially-confined aquifer, lack of a sewage system, population density, the presence of refugee camps, the presence of fertilizers and the annual rain. The variations in nitrate concentration of the domestic wells are not of considerable values. It is suggested that concrete policies in pollution control and/or prevention measures could be formulated upon better understanding of the environmental factors.     

京津冀地区霾成因机制研究进展与展望

为满足当前对京津冀地区霾研究和控制的迫切要求,本文梳理了近年来京津冀地区霾的长期变化特征、天气学特征、污染物来源等相关研究成果,发现:从2000年以后,京津冀地区的霾日数呈现出了下降趋势;北京细颗粒物(PM2.5)质量浓度也在总体上呈现下降的趋势,但2013年年均质量浓度仍高达89.5μg m–3,约为我国空气质量标准的3倍(35μg m–3),京津冀空气污染的形势依然严峻;近年来京津冀地区的霾污染事件频发可以归因为不利天气条件与大量污染物人为排放的共同作用;大量的研究表明,区域输送对京津冀地区霾事件的形成和维持有不可忽视的影响;京津冀地区的大气污染不再局限于一时一地,针对重污染天气的预警以及应急控制应该以区域预报为基础实现区域联动;京津冀地区独特的地理环境条件加上城市群的快速发展,形成的局地大气环流也会对局地的污染过程产生重大的影响;大气边界层内气象要素的变化对重污染发生具有显著贡献。京津冀地区的污染控制需要城市群的联动应对治理。     

Mapping the expansion of galamsey gold mines in the cocoa growing area of Ghana using optical remote sensing

Artisanal gold mining (galamsey) and cocoa farming are essential sources of income for local populations in Ghana. Unfortunately the former poses serious threats to the environment and human health, and conflicts with cocoa farming and other livelihoods. Timely and spatially referenced information on the extent of galamsey is needed to understand and limit the negative impacts of mining. To address this, we use multi-date UK-DMC2 satellite images to map the extent and expansion of galamsey from 2011 to 2015. We map the total area of galamsey in 2013 over the cocoa growing area, using k-means clustering on a cloud-free 2013 image with strong spectral contrast between galamsey and the surrounding vegetation. We also process a pair of hazy images from 2011 and 2015 with Multivariate Alteration Detection to map the 2011–2015 galamsey expansion in a subset, labelled the change area. We use a set of visually interpreted random sample points to compute bias-corrected area estimates. We also delineate an indicative impact zone of pollution proportional to the density of galamsey, assuming a maximum radius of 10 km. In the cocoa growing area of Ghana, the estimated total area of galamsey in 2013 is 27,839 ha with an impact zone of 551,496 ha. In the change area, galamsey has more than tripled between 2011 and 2015, resulting in 603 ha of direct encroachment into protected forest reserves. Assuming the same growth rate for the rest of the cocoa growing area, the total area of galamsey in 2015 is estimated at 43,879 ha. Galamsey is developing along most of the river network (Offin, Ankobra, Birim, Anum, Tano), with downstream pollution affecting both land and water.     

浅论河北煤矿区水环境问题与水资源保护

本义就煤炭资源的开发利用中,煤矿区产生的水资源浪费、水资源污染、含水层疏于和区域地下水水位下降,以及矿井突水等环境水文地质问题进行了论述,提出加强水资源的综合规划和管理,进行污水处理与重复利用,实行水资源有偿使用等水资源保护和开发利用措施,并提出了开发采空积水的建议。     

Investigation of trace metals distribution in water,sediments and wetland plants of K(i)z(i)l(i)rmak Delta,Turkey

In this study,accumulation and distribution of Pb,Cu,Zn,Co,Ni,Mn and Fe in water,bottom sediments and four plant species (Myriophyllum verticillatum,Hydrocharis morsus-ranae,Nymphaea alba and Typha latifolia) were investigated in (C)ernek Lake of Kizihrmak Delta.The Kizdirmak Delta is one of the largest natural wetlands of Turkey and it is protected by the Ramsar convention since 1993.Selected physico-chemical parameters such as pH,conductivity and dissolved oxygen and also trace metal concentrations were monitored in water.All the parameters obtained were found higher than that of the national standards for the protected lakes and reserves.The accumulated amounts of various trace metals in bottom sediments and wetland plants were found in the following order of Fe ＞ Mn ＞ Zn ＞ Ni ＞ Co ＞ Cu ＞ Pb and Fe ＞ Mn ＞ Zn ＞ Ni ＞ Co respectively.The historical trace metal intake of Myriophyllum verticillatum,Hydrocharis morsus-ranae,Typha latifolia and Nymphaea alba were obtained higher than that of the toxic metal levels and these plants may be accepted as accumulators for the detected trace metals and also bioindicators in the historically polluted natural areas.     

Physico-chemical,bacteriological and health hazard effect analysis of the water in Taladanda Canal,Paradip area,Odisha, India

The physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters of the water in Taladanda canal and associated water-borne diseases,from which the dwellers have suffered,were studied,by using statistical method. Overuse and the addition of the wastes with sources from urbane industrial sectors,as well as the decrease in water level have caused the canal water quality declined drastically and subsequently led to extensive eutrophication and bacterial contamination. According to the water sample analytical results,the water is lightly acidic with the pH value of 4.5~6.7. The measured indexes,such as total dissolved solid (TDS),electrical conductivity (EC),total suspended solid (TSS),Mn,Zn,Al,Fe,Cu,Cr,and Hg etc,mostly have very high concentrations which are higher than permissible limit,indicating that the canal water is completely unsuitable for human consumption. Furthermore,the biological analysis shows that the total coliform (TC) is in the range of 45.9~30.2 in per 100 mL water in April,30.5~25.3/100 mL in July and 52.9~35.4/100 mL in December,respectively. Similarly,fecal coliform (FC) ranges from 12.8 to 10.1,10.5~7.5 and 13.1~6.4 per 100 mL water in the months of April,July and December respectively. As a result,people who use the water have suffered from different water-borne diseases. On the basis of disease data derived from hospital observations in a period of three years,there had been 4 284 people affected by different water-borne diseases from 2016 to 2018.     

The Pollution Load from the River Odra in Comparison to That in Other Polish Rivers in 1988–1997

The discharge of organic matter, nutrients, and heavy metals from the river Odra into the Baltic Sea is compared with the combined discharge of the same substances from other Polish rivers into the Baltic during 1988–1997. The impact of the summer flood of 1997 is also discussed. The discharges of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds were closely correlated with the flow rate. The annual loads of these nutrients measured in 1988 and 1996 under similar flow conditions decreased by 15 to 40% in these rivers as a result of the reduction of point sources. A steady decrease in the heavy metal load, independent of weather conditions, has been recorded during the past decade. Zinc decreased by up to 85% in the Odra and 99% in the Wisła. Although the water outflow from the Odra was half that of the Wisła, it transported a proportionally higher load of chemical compounds. Despite the differences in flow rates, the contribution of both rivers to the total riverine phosphorus discharge was approximately the same. The total water outflow during the flood (from 1 July to 28 August 1997) increased by 65% near the mouth of the Odra in comparison to 1996. The phosphate discharge increased by 34%, that of nitrite nitrogen by 88%     

The degree of urbanization across the globe is not reflected in the δN of seagrass leaves

Many studies show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios increase with the amount of urbanization in coastal watersheds. However, there is little information on the relationship between urbanization and seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios on a global scale. We performed a meta-analysis on seagrass samples from 79 independent locations to test if seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios correlate with patterns of population density and fertilizer use within a radius of 10–200 km around the sample locations. Our results show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios are more influenced by intergeneric and latitudinal differences than the degree of urbanization or the amount of fertilizer used in nearby watersheds. The positive correlation between seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios and latitude hints at an underlying pattern in discrimination or a latitudinal gradient in the ¹⁵N isotopic signature of nitrogen assimilated by the plants. The actual mechanisms responsible for the correlation between δ¹⁵N and latitude remain unknown.     

Distribution,sources and potential toxicological significance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils of the Yellow River Delta,China

PAH concentrations of 61 surface soil samples collected from the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China were measured to determine occurrence levels, sources, and potential toxicological significance of PAHs. The total concentrations of ∑PAHs ranged from 27 to 753 ng/g d.w., with a mean of 118 ± 132 ng/g. The highest concentrations was found in the mid-southern part of the YRD (753 ng/g), which was associated with the oil exploration. The ratios indicated that the PAHs throughout the YRD were mostly of pyrogenic origin; while various sites in mid-southern part in the region were derived mainly from the petrogenic sources. Multivariate statistical analyses supported that the PAHs in surface soils of the YRD were principally from the coal and biomass combustion, petroleum spills, and/or vehicular emissions. The toxic assessment suggested that the PAHs in soils were at low potential of ecotoxicological contamination level for the YRD.     

δ15N variation in Ulva lactuca as a proxy for anthropogenic nitrogen inputs in coastal areas of Gulf of Gaeta (Mediterranean Sea)

We tested the capacity of Ulva lactuca to mark N sources across large marine areas by measuring variation in its δ¹⁵N at several sites in the Gulf of Gaeta. Comparisons were made with the macroalga Cystoseira amentacea. Variation of δ¹⁵N values was assessed also in the coastal waters off the Circeo Natural Park, where U. lactuca and C. amentacea were harvested, as these waters are barely influenced by human activities and were used as reference site. A small fragment from each frond was preserved before deployment in order to characterize the initial isotopic values. After 48 h of submersion, U. lactuca was more responsive than C. amentacea to environmental variation and δ¹⁵N enrichment in the Gulf of Gaeta was observed. The spatial distribution of δ¹⁵N enrichment indicated that different macro-areas in the Gulf were affected by N inputs from different origins. Comparison of the δ¹⁵N values of fragments taken from the same transplanted frond avoided bias arising from natural isotopic variability.