Arsenic in mine waters: an international study

 Hydrochemical data are presented for arsenic (As) in the mine waters of 34 gold and base-metal mining localities in seven countries of south-east Asia, Africa and Latin America, encompassing contrasting climatic settings and at least eight discrete styles of primary mineralization. Peak dissolved As concentrations at these sites range from 0.005–72 mg/l, with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) potable water threshold of 50 μg/l exceeded in 25 cases. Arsenate (As⁵⁺) constitutes the dominant species at over 80% of sites. Very high dissolved As concentrations (>1 mg/l) show no systematic between-site relationship with mine water pH/Eh regime. Important determinants of mine water As fluxes include iron hydrochemistry, the presence of cyanic ore processing effluents, site geology, the paragenetic sequence that follows sulphide oxidation, climate and mine management. Human toxicological impacts of As contamination have been recognized at only one case-study site, with a further four considered to warrant more detailed risk assessment. Received: 2 November 1999 · Accepted: 21 March 2000     

用臭氧处理海水对鱼虾的急性毒性效应研究

本实验检测了不同浓度臭氧残留对中国对虾(Penaeus chinensis)、牙鲆（Paralichthys oilvaceus）存活率的影响。结果表明，对虾的耐受力要比牙鲆鱼强，中国对虾在臭氧浓度≥1.0mg/L时，可存活至少48h，而芽鲆在此浓度下3h后，即出现鳃部充血肿胀、呼吸频率加快等不适应现象，48h LC50为0.13mg/L。如果能正确控制臭氧的残留量，利用臭氧净化养殖用水是一个不容质疑的水质净化的好方法。     

Plastic pollution and the open burning of plastic wastes

The open burning of plastic wastes is a practice that is highly prevalent across the globe, toxic to human and environmental health, and a critical—but often overlooked—aspect of plastic pollution. Most of the countries where such burning is widespread have laws and policies in place against it; open burning continues nevertheless. In this article, using data from ethnographic fieldwork in urban and rural sites in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Zambia, we examine local practices of open burning and investigate why regulations to tackle it have proven largely ineffective. Adopting a harm reduction approach, we then suggest preliminary measures to mitigate the health risks of open burning by targeting those plastics and packaging types that are most toxic when burned.     

Interaction of Humic Substances and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the Biodegradation of PAHs

The influence of humic substances (HS) on the biodegradation of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene was studied. As a source of HS, water samples of a bog lake (Hohlohsee) were used. PAH degradation experiments, both in the presence and absence of HS were carried out. All investigated PAHs were degradable by the used bacterial mixed culture. A correlation between the number of aromatic rings of the PAHs and the influence of HS on biodegradation has been shown. Adding of HS led to a decrease in degradation rate in the case of naphthalene. By way of contrast, the presence of HS gave rise to an increase of degradation rate in the case of phenanthrene. The degradation processes of pyrene revealed a marked alteration in the presence of HS which could be deduced from the biochemical oxygen demand (t(1/2BOD_max) values). With regard to the total turnover of the PAHs, there was no noticeable difference between degradation experiments with and without HS. Analyses of the HS after degradation experiments using liquid chromatography coupled with DOC detection (LC/OCD) verify that there was no formation of stable associations between HS and PAHs or their metabolites. The determination of the toxicity of the degradation media as luminescence inhibition against Vibrio fischeri (Photobacterium phosphoreum) showed no detoxification as a result of the presence of HS.     

Relationships between sediment contamination and toxicity in San Francisco Bay

Sediment contamination and toxicity were monitored at 14 sites in San Francisco Bay between 1991 and 1996. Sediment contamination patterns were different in the major reaches of the Bay, and at each site. Several contaminants were consistently above concentrations previously associated with toxicity at most sites. Bulk sediment bioassays using the amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius and sediment elutriate bioassays using larval bivalves (Mytilus spp., Crassostrea gigas) also indicated different patterns of sediment toxicity in space and time. Sediments were most toxic to the amphipods at Redwood Creek (90% of the tests), and were toxic in at least half the tests conducted at five other sites. Sediment elutriates severely reduced normal bivalve larval development at the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers in all samples, but toxicity occurred in less than a third of the tests in the Central and South Bays. Toxicity could not be statistically related to seasonal freshwater flow or rainfall in the Bay, but seasonal variation in contaminant concentrations and toxicity was observed. Amphipod toxicity was inversely and significantly related to the mean effects range-median quotient, suggesting that cumulative concentrations of several contaminants were related to toxicity. Further analysis identified suites of specific contaminants at each site that were variably related to amphipod toxicity at each site. Chlordanes, cadmium, and silver were significantly related to amphipod survival in the North Bay. Seasonal patterns in low, and high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were related to toxicity at Alameda, and metals and PAHs were related to toxicity at Castro Cove. Larval bivalve toxicity was associated with metals in bulk sediments, but elutriate chemistry was not measured, and relationships with toxicity could not be examined. Hypotheses about effective concentrations of several individual contaminants and mixtures of contaminants were posed.     

Mercury biogeochemistry: Paradigm shifts,outstanding issues and research needs

Half a century of mercury research has provided scientists and policy makers with a detailed understanding of mercury toxicology, biogeochemical cycling and past and future impacts on human exposure. The complexity of the global biogeochemical mercury cycle has led to repeated and ongoing paradigm shifts in numerous mercury-related disciplines and outstanding questions remain. In this review, we highlight some of the paradigm shifts and questions on mercury toxicity, the risks and benefits of seafood consumption, the source of mercury in seafood, and the Arctic mercury cycle. We see a continued need for research on mercury toxicology and epidemiology, for marine mercury dynamics and ecology, and for a closer collaboration between observational mercury science and mercury modeling in general. As anthropogenic mercury emissions are closely tied to the energy cycle (in particular coal combustion), mercury exposure to humans and wildlife are likely to persist unless drastic emission reductions are put in place.     

Removal of Nitro Aromatic Compounds from 2,4,6‐Trinitrotoluene Red Water Using 1,2‐Ethanediamine Modified Macroporous Polystyrene Microspheres

To remove nitro aromatic compounds (NACs) from 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) red water, large‐pore‐size (pore size = 200 nm) polystyrene (PSt) microspheres were activated with chloroacetyl chloride followed by reaction with 1,2‐ethanediamine (EDA). Fourier transform IR analyses showed that the amino group was introduced onto PSt microspheres. Determination of the total amino group and primary amino densities suggested that the imino group was the functional group of EDA–PSt. Scanning electron microscope images and mercury porosimetry measurements indicated that the pore structure was well maintained during the reaction. After adsorption with EDA–PSt, 98.5% chemical oxygen demand and 99% acute toxicity of TNT red water was removed. As shown by HPLC and GC–MS, all the neutral and acid NACs in TNT red water were removed by EDA–PSt, while the basic NACs were not. The results showed that hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction were involved in adsorption. The adsorbed neutral and acid NACs were eluted using methanol and 0.1 mol L^?1 NaOH, respectively.     

Toxicological and chemical assessment of ordinance compounds in marine sediments and porewaters

Toxicological and chemical studies were performed with a silty and a sandy marine sediment spiked with 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), 2,4,6-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine (tetryl), or 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid). Whole sediment toxicity was analyzed by the 10-day survival test with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita, and porewater toxicity tests assessed macro-algae (Ulva fasciata) zoospore germination and germling growth, sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) embryological development, and polychaete (Dinophilus gyrociliatus) survival and reproduction. Whole sediments spiked with 2,6-DNT were not toxic to amphipods. The fine-grained sediment spiked with tetryl was also not acutely toxic. The tetryl and picric acid LC50 values in the sandy sediment were 3.24 and 144 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The fine-grained sediment spiked with picric acid generated a U-shaped concentration-response curve in the amphipod test, with increased survival both in the lowest and highest concentration. Grain-size distribution and organic carbon content strongly influenced the behavior of ordnance compounds in spiked sediments. Very low concentrations were measured in some of the treatments and irreversible binding and biodegradation are suggested as the processes responsible for the low measurements. Porewater toxicity varied with its sedimentary origin and with ordnance compound. The sea urchin embryological development test tended to be the least sensitive. Tetryl was the most toxic chemical in all porewater tests, and picric acid the least toxic. Samples spiked with 2,6-DNT contained a degradation product identified as 2-methyl-3-nitroaniline (also known as 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene), and unidentified peaks, possibly degradation products, were also seen in some of the picric acid- and tetryl-spiked samples. Degradation products may have played a role in observed toxicity.     

Visualization of gold nanoparticle on the microscopic picture of red blood cell: implication for possible risk of nanoparticle exposure

In medicine, there is limited knowledge on the toxicity of nanoparticles. In reproductive medicine, there has been limited knowledge on the effect of gold nanoparticle on the human red blood cell. In this work, the author performed a study to demonstrate if gold nanoparticle can be detected inside red blood cell on microscopic test. Chulalongkorn Univesity, Bangkok Thailand. This study was performed as an experimental study. Mixture of gold nanoparticle solution and blood sample was prepared and further analyzed. According to this work, accumulation of gold nanoparticle in the red blood cell can be observed after mixing the blood sample with gold nanoparticle solution. However, no significant destruction of the red cell can be seen. The effect of gold nanoparticle on red blood cell can be detected and the implication for the possible chronic toxicity of the accumulated gold nanoparticle in red cell is raised.

Toxicity of a secondary-treated sewage effluent to marine biota in Bass Strait, Australia: development of action trigger values for a toxicity monitoring program

Melbourne Water's Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) produces a secondary-treated sewage effluent which is chlorinated and discharged into Bass Strait at Boags Rocks, Victoria, Australia. Disappearance of the sensitive brown seaweed Hormosira banksii from rock platforms immediately adjacent to the shore-line discharge was identified in the early 1990s. Subsequently, Melbourne Water and CSIRO undertook an environmental impact assessment and review of land and marine effluent disposal options, which included ambient water quality monitoring, biological monitoring, bioaccumulation studies and toxicity testing of existing effluent to assess the nature and magnitude of the environmental effects. This paper presents data from the toxicity monitoring programs since 2001. Chronic toxicity testing using macroalgal germination and cell division (H. banksii), microalgal growth rate (Nitzschia closterium) and scallop larval development (Chlamys asperrima), confirmed that ammonia was the major cause of effluent toxicity. Results from this toxicity monitoring program were used to develop action trigger values for toxicity for each species, which were then used in a refined monitoring program in 2005-2007. An upgrade of the ETP is in progress to improve nitrification/denitrification in order to reduce ammonia concentrations and the toxicity of the effluent. Toxicity testing with a simulated upgraded effluent confirmed that ammonia concentrations and toxicity were reduced. Estimated "safe" dilutions of effluent, calculated using species sensitivity distributions, decreased from 1:140-300 for existing ETP effluent to 1:20 for nitrified effluent, further confirming that treatment improvements should reduce the impact on marine biota in the vicinity of the discharge.