Regional distribution pattern of groundwater heavy metals resulting from agricultural activities

Contaminations of groundwater by heavy metals due to agricultural activities are growing recently. The objective of this study was to evaluate and map regional patterns of heavy metals (Cd, Zn and Cu) in groundwater on a plain with high agricultural activities. The study was conducted to investigate the concentration of heavy metals and distribution in groundwater in regions of Shush Danial and Andimeshk aquifers in the southern part of Iran. Presently, groundwater is the only appropriate and widely used source of drinking water for rural and urban communities in this region. The region covers an area of 1,100 km² between the Dez and Karkhe rivers, which lead to the Persian Gulf. For this study, the region was divided into four sub-regions A, B, C and D. Additionally, 168 groundwater samples were collected from 42 water wells during the earlier months of 2004. The flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS-Flame) was used to measure the concentration of heavy metals in water samples and the Surfer software was used for determination of the contour map of metal distribution. The results demonstrated that in all of the samples, Cd and Zn concentrations were below the EPA MCLG and EPA secondary standard, respectively. However, the Cu contents of 4.8 % of all samples were higher than EPA MCL. It is also indicated that the concentrations of metals were more pronounced at the southern part of the studied region than at the others. The analysis of fertilizers applied for agricultural activities at this region also indicated that a great majority of the above-mentioned heavy metals were discharged into the environment. Absence of confining layers, proximity to land surface, excess agricultural activities in the southern part and groundwater flow direction that is generally from the north to the southern parts in this area make the southern region of the Shush plain especially vulnerable to pollution by heavy metals than by other contaminants.     

郯庐断裂带的伸展活动及其动力学背景

郯庐断裂带的伸展活动发生于晚白垩世至早第三纪,控制形成了-系列断陷盆地.安徽段的断陷出现在晚白垩世至早第三纪,苏鲁段仅发生于晚白垩世,而山东潍坊以北的断陷皆出现在早第三纪,显示了伸展活动南早北晚的迁移规律.这一伸展活动叠加在前期走滑构造之上,呈现为幕式的正断层运动.现可鉴别出断裂带的伸展活动经历过5次显著的断陷事件.郯庐断裂带的伸展构造多不同于典型的裂谷.它与中国东部同期一系列伸展盆地形成的动力学背景一致,是太平洋板块向西正面高角度俯冲下、中国东部岩石圈上拱中出现的巨型伸展构造.     

Environmental and health risk assessment in abandoned mining area, Zlata Idka, Slovakia

The Zlata Idka village is a typical mountainous settlement. As a consequence of more than 500 years of mining activity, its environment has been extensively affected by pollution from potentially toxic elements. This paper presents the results of an environmental-geochemical and health research in the Zlata Idka village, Slovakia. Geochemical analysis indicates that arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) are enriched in soils, groundwater, surface water and stream sediments. The average As and Sb contents are 892 mg/kg and 818 mg/kg in soils, 195 mg/kg and 249 mg/kg in stream sediments, 0.028 mg/l and 0.021 mg/l in groundwater and 0.024 mg/l and 0.034 mg/l in surface water. Arsenic and Sb concentrations exceed upper permissible limits in locally grown vegetables. Within the epidemiological research the As and Sb contents in human tissues and fluids have been observed (blood, urine, nails and hair) in approximately one third of the village’s population (120 respondents). The average As and Sb concentrations were 16.3 μg/l and 3.8 μg/l in blood, 15.8 μg/l and 18.8 μg/l in urine, 3,179 μg/kg and 1,140 μg/kg in nails and 379 μg/kg and 357 μg/kg in hair. These concentrations are comparatively much higher than the average population. Health risk calculations for the ingestion of soil, water, and vegetables indicates a very high carcinogenic risk (>1/1,000) for as content in soil and water. The hazard quotient [HQ=average daily dose (ADD)/reference dose (RfD)] calculation method indicates a HQ>1 for groundwater As and Sb concentrations.     

现代河流沉积物碎屑及矿物组分研究新进展

现代河流沉积物忠实地记录了流域盆地内的母岩、风化、搬运和沉积过程中的化学、物理过程以及人类活动的改造作用,是探索和验证源- 汇系统等理论的重要媒介。本文以全球现代河流砂组分数据库为基础,总结了碎屑组分、重矿物组分在不同大陆的分布特征,探讨了其在物源识别、源区贡献率计算、沉积物产生及搬运过程中气候- 构造等影响因素的评估、对源- 汇系统的研究启示等方面的应用。今后建议加强基于大数据的沉积物组分对气候- 构造- 人类活动的响应、沉积物产生及通量、高时间分辨率的沉积物组分变异性、不同物源定量化方法的差异等方面的研究。     

华蓥山中段地区地下水资源量评价

四川华蓥山中段地区水流失比较严重,供需矛盾突出,水环境持续恶化,不但影响到居民正常的生产和生活,而且严重影响了该地区国民经济的建设和发展。通过野外调查和综合分析现场收集的资料,总结出华蓥山中段地区地下水资源量流失情况:该区每年流失的水资源量约为0.914 4亿m3,且华蓥山褶皱西翼水流失总量大于东翼,而西翼北端是区内水流失量最严重的区域,其水资源量流失的影响因素主要为气候、社会发展及人类活动等。      

Environmental contamination of Zn,Cd, Ni,Cu, and Pb from industrial areas in Hamadan Province,western Iran

Eleven surface soil samples from calcareous soils of industrial areas in Hamadan Province, western Iran were analyzed for total concentrations of Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu and Pb and were sequentially extracted into six fractions to determine the bioavailability of various heavy metal forms. Total Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu and Pb concentrations of the contaminated soils were 658 (57–5,803), 125.8 (1.18–1,361), 45.6 (30.7–64.4), 29.7 (11.7–83.5) and 2,419 (66–24,850) mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The soils were polluted with Zn, Pb, and Cu to some extent and heavily polluted with Cd. Nickel values were not above regulatory limits. Copper existed in soil mainly in residual (RES) and organic (OM) fractions (about 42 and 33%, respectively), whereas Zn occurred essentially as RES fraction (about 69%). The considerable presence of Cd (30.8%) and Pb (39%) in the CARB fraction suggests these elements have high potential biavailability and leachability in soils from contaminated soils. The mobile and bioavailable (EXCH and CARB) fractions of Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu, and Pb in contaminated soils averaged (7.3, 40.4, 16, 12.9 and 40.8%), respectively, which suggests that the mobility and bioavailability of the five metals probably decline in the following order: Cd = Pb > Ni > Cu > Zn.     

天津北大港构造带东翼断裂活动浅析

构造因素对油气的分布起着控制性的作用,断裂活动特征决定着一个盆地或凹陷油气的富集与分布.本文通过对北大港构造带东翼所有断裂的仔细研究,统计分析了区内20条规模较大断裂的断距在纵横向上的变化,结合20余条地震剖面和8条构造发育史剖面,综合分析认为北大港构造带东翼的断裂活动主要为:古近纪活动期和新构造期(0.78 Ma至今...     

气候变化与人类活动对水文影响的研究进展

气候变化与人类活动对水文过程产生了重大影响,估计和区分二者的影响是水科学研究中的热点问题。针对气候变化和人类活动(土地利用/覆盖变化)两个驱动因素,分别综述了气候变化、人类活动和两者综合对水文影响的研究进展;介绍了未来的气候情景和人类活动情景;阐述了区分气候变化和人类活动对水文要素过去和未来影响的研究方法,并总结了方法中常用的分布式水文模型。提出当前研究中存在气候和人类活动情景重复交叉、缺乏两者对水文极值事件的影响研究等问题。     

Methodological aspects of surveying the volume, structure, activities and perceptions of city centre visitors

Counting pedestrians on a street and visitors entering a store is a method used to measure the attractiveness of these places. Their volumes are governed by daily, weekly, monthly and yearly cycles and are subject to random influences. This must be taken into account especially where comparison counts reveal changes. When single streets or stores are counted, it must be ascertained whether this figure is representative of the whole city centre and its retailing. Pedestrian volumes can be used for adjusting interview samples to the distribution in time and space of the city centre visitors. Counts of the qualitative characteristics of the pedestrian with respect to composition of groups reveal that surveys among pedestrians are biased in relation to the size of the group. Special attention in surveys should be given to the linking of activities. Whereas much emphasis is given to the accessibility of the city centre from outside, the ‘inner accessibility’ of the city centre is just as important. Long distances are often walked and many destinations visited. This is best recorded by conducting interviews at public transport stops and car parks. The attractiveness of the city centre depends not only on its physical structures but very much on the subjective perception of them; therefore judgements on accessibility, goods and services offered and the urban ambiance should be recorded. Retailer's attitudes concerning the qualities of the city centre should also be compiled for comparison. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spatial dynamics of retail structure and the venerable retail hierarchy

The retail system is continuously adapting itself to changing demographic conditions, consumer behavior and economic conditions. Existing retail units, getting larger in order to achieve economics of scale, and new forms of large-scale retailing do not fit easily in the traditional spatial pattern of retail concentrations. Neverteless the spatial distribution of retailing in urban areas, as schematized by Berry thirty-five years ago, still has its value. Through an upward hierarchical movement the retail system has adapted itself to an inflexible spatial system, in which downtown has still a dominant position. Future developments, however, may weaken the position of central shopping areas in favour of peripheral locations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.