Preliminary evaluation of the occurrence of herbicides and PAHs in the Wet Tropics region of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, using passive samplers

The proximity of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park to areas of intensive agriculture and increasing urbanisation places the park under potential threat of contamination by land-based pollutants. Passive samplers were deployed at inshore reef and river mouth sites in the Wet Tropics region of the GBR during a dry and a wet season to measure levels of land-based organic pollutants in this environment. Two types of passive sampling devices were deployed: (i) a polar sampler, which can be used to monitor polar herbicides and (ii) semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) which sequester more hydrophobic compounds (e.g. PAHs, chlorpyrifos). Herbicides (diuron, simazine, atrazine, hexazinone and/or flumeturon) were detected at low concentrations (ng L⁻¹) at all sites sampled and in both seasons. Chlorpyrifos was not detected while PAHs were present in SPMDs at levels below limits of detection. The results show that the GBR environment does contain low levels of organic pollutants and that passive sampling provides a sensitive monitoring tool for measuring waterborne organic pollutants.     

Assessing surface water quality of the Yangtze Estuary with genotoxicity data

The present study investigated the genotoxicity of the surface water samples from the Yangtze Estuary with the Ames test in three seasons. Several important chemical parameters, such as COD inorganic nitrogen, active phosphate and heavy metals, were also analyzed at the same time. According the results, surface water samples from the south branch and a few of samples at the seaward end of the Yangtze Estuary show positive genotoxicity in some seasons. Chemical analysis revealed that the Yangtze Estuary was seriously polluted by inorganic nitrogen and by active phosphate. However, chemical parameters could not demonstrate the spatial variation of water quality of the estuary, and they could not assess adverse effects of chemicals in mixtures as well. Therefore, it is recommended that genotoxicity data, mutation rate of the Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 at the dose of 1 l per plate, be taken as a new parameter assessing surface water quality of the Yangtze Estuary. Our studies also suggested that genetic toxicology assays, such as the Ames test, could be applied as a routine measure to monitoring marine environment in China. The paper proposes a development of the National Seawater Quality Standard of China.     

Groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and agricultural use in Chithar River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India

Hydrochemistry of groundwater in Chithar Basin, Tamil Nadu, India was used to assess the quality of groundwater for determining its suitability for drinking and agricultural purposes. Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^–, HCO₃^–, CO₃^2–, SO₄^2–, NO^–₃, F^–, B^– and SiO₂ were determined. Concentrations of the chemical constituents in groundwater vary spatially and temporarily. Interpretation of analytical data shows that mixed Ca–Mg–Cl, Ca–Cl and Na–Cl are the dominant hydrochemical facies in the study area. Alkali earths (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) and strong acids (Cl^–, SO₄^2–) are slightly dominating over alkalis (Na⁺, K⁺) and weak acids (HCO₃^–, CO₃^2–). The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺ Ca²⁺ Mg²⁺ > K⁺ = Cl^– > HCO₃^–> SO₄^2– > NO₃^– > CO₃^2– . Groundwater in the area is generally hard, fresh to brackish, high to very high saline and low alkaline in nature. High total hardness and TDS in a few places identify the unsuitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation. Such areas require special care to provide adequate drainage and introduce alternative salt tolerance cropping. Fluoride and boron are within the permissible limits for human consumption and crops as per the international standards.     

Methodological Development of the Conditional Sampling Method. Part II: Quality Control Criteria of Relaxed Eddy Accumulation Flux Measurements

Determination of biosphere–atmosphere exchanges requires accurate quantification of the turbulent fluxes of energy and of a wide variety of trace gases. Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) is a method that has received increasing attention in recent years, because it does not require any rapid sensor for the scalar measurements as the Eddy Correlation method (EC) does. As in all micrometeorological studies, REA measurements in the atmospheric surface layer are valid under some restrictive conditions so as to be representative of a specific ecosystem. These conditions are the homogeneity of the underlying surface, stationary and horizontally homogeneous turbulence. For most experiments these conditions are not fully satisfied. Data uncertainties can also be related to not fulfilling the method principles or to the technical characteristics of the REA system itself. In order to assess REA measurement quality, a methodological approach of data analysis is developed in this study. This methodological analysis is based on the establishment of criteria for data quality control. A set of them, deduced from the mean and turbulent flow, are called ‘Dynamic criteria’ and are designated to control the stationarity and homogeneity of the w function and the validation of Taylor’s hypothesis. A second set (‘REA operational criteria’) is designed to check the sampling process and, more precisely, the homogeneity of the negative and positive selection process throughout the sampling period. A third set of criteria (‘Chemical scalar criteria’) concerns the scalar measurements. Results of the criteria application to data measured at two different experimental sites are also presented. Cut-off limits of criteria are defined based on their statistical distribution and shown to be specific for each site. Strictness of each criterion, defined by the percentage of flagged samples, is analysed in conjunction with the meteorological conditions and atmospheric stability. It is found that flagged samples mainly correspond to neutral and stable nocturnal conditions. During daytime, nearly free convection conditions can also yield poor quality data.     

Urban Atmospheric Chemistry During the PUMA Campaign 2: Radical Budgets for OH,HO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and RO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A detailed photochemical box model was used to investigate the key reaction pathways between OH, HO₂ and RO₂ radicals during the summer and winter PUMA field campaigns in the urban city-centre of Birmingham in the UK. The model employed the most recent version of the Master Chemical Mechanism and was constrained to 15-minute average measurements of long-lived species determined in situ at the site. The results showed that in the summer, OH initiation was dominated by the reactions of ozone with alkenes, nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis and the reaction of excited oxygen atoms atoms with water. In the winter, ozone+alkene reactions were the primary initiation route, with a minor contribution from HONO photolysis. Photolysis of aldehydes was the main initiation route for HO₂, in both summer and winter. RO₂ initiation was dominated by the photolysis of aldehydes in the summer with a smaller contribution from ozone+alkenes, a situation that was reversed in the winter. At night, ozone+alkene reactions were the main radical source. Termination, under all conditions, primarily involved reactions with NO (OH) and NO₂ (OH and RCO₃). These results demonstrate the importance of ozone+alkene reactions in urban atmospheres, particularly when photolysis reactions were less important during winter and at nighttime. The implications for urban atmospheric chemistry are discussed.     

2003广西主要城市空气质量评价及空气污染物浓度与气象条件关系

从南宁、桂林、北海三城市空气质量自动监测站监测到二氧化硫(SO2),二氧化氮(NO2),可吸入颗粒物(PM10)的日均浓度数据计算的空气污染指数API得出:2003年三城市空气质量状况整体为 级"优"或 级"良",达到了国家环境保护总局对城市环境规定的标准,特别是桂林市的空气质量最好。对各种污染物月平均浓度值与地面气象要素关系进行相关分析,发现相关性非常好,其中与气压呈正相关,与气温、水汽压、相对湿度、降雨量、风速、0厘米地温等要素呈反相关。各种污染物日平均浓度值与地面风速相关也非常好。     

Water quality and presence of pesticides in a tropical coastal wetland in southern Mexico

The water quality of the Pozuelos-Murillo lagoon system in southern Mexico was evaluated during three periods between March and October 2002, with particular emphasis on the detection of organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in water and sediments. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters of water were also measured and integrated in a water quality index (WQI). Multivariate analysis was used to regionalise the lagoon system as a function of the behaviour of all measured parameters. Solid phase micro-extraction followed by gas chromatography (SPME-GC) was used for pesticide analysis. The concentration of phosphorous was found to be higher than that of nitrogenous compounds. This, besides a deficiency in dissolved oxygen and a high organic matter concentration (as COD), reflects eutrophication processes in some areas of the system. Measured levels of faecal coliforms and oils and greases were above the limits established by Mexican law and comparable to the concentrations reported for other highly polluted systems in Mexico. Residues of DDD (2.0 microg L(-1)) in water and DDE (247 ng g(-1)) and endosulfan I (814 ng g(-1)) sediments were detected by SPME-GC. The spatial distribution of these contaminants implies major potential risks because the most polluted sites were found to be those with the highest fishing activity. Although in general the WQI is on acceptable levels (65-80%), some contamination problems are evident.     

Groundwater quality and its change over a decade: An analysis of a coastal urban environment from the west coast of India

Mangalore, one of the fastest growing cities along the west coast of India has witnessed a leap in industrialisation and urbanisation during the last decade. This study focuses on the quality of the groundwater of Mangalore city. The results are compared with an earlier study to record the change in water quality over a decade. HCO₃ and Na were found exceeding the highest desirable limit of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Indian Standards Institute (ISI) standards for drinking water. The pH values at seven localities are not within the limits prescribed by WHO or ISI (highest desirable level or maximum permissible level). The present study shows that there has been an enrichment of chemical constituents during the last decade and that the Gurupur River, which flows parallel to the coast, plays an important role in impeding saltwater intrusion along the coast.     

Groundwater chemistry and mass transfers in the Independence aquifer,central Mexico,by using multivariate statistics and mass-balance models

In the light of progressive depletion of groundwater reservoir and water quality deterioration of the Independence aquifer, an investigation on chemical data of dissolved major and minor constituents in 246 recent groundwater samples was performed. The main objective was the detection of processes responsible for the geochemical evolution and mineralization throughout the area. Multivariate techniques revealed different sources of solutes (a) dissolution of calcium and magnesium carbonate minerals, (b) weathering of acid volcanic minerals, (c) alteration of manganese containing alkaline silicates, (d) leaching of halite deposits of meteoric origin, (e) contamination from agricultural and urban wastewaters, and (f) evaporative effects due to intensive irrigation. Although nitrate contamination is associated with pollution from intensive cultivated areas, natural contamination plays an important role in the study area. The investigation reveals that weathering of acid volcanic rocks (rhyolite) and oxidation of arsenic bearing sulfide minerals are the responsible processes for high fluorine (up to 16 mg/l) and arsenic (up to 0.12 mg/l) contents, respectively, exceeding the Mexican maximum admissible concentration for drinking water. Except for kaolinite, all recharge processes are dissolution oriented (CO₂, calcite, dolomite, K-feldspar, plagioclase). Silicate precipitation (amorphous silica and chalcedony) is of growing importance in discharge zones. Cation exchange is not an important issue in the whole study area.     

地图内容质量特征和数量特征概括的数学模型

在分类的定义下,根据概念外延的包含关系,给出了质量特征概括的数学模型。在定义数量的基础上,推导出级距概念,并根据两个不同级距的偏序集中大级距子集包含多个小级距子集的关系,给出了数量特征概括的数学模型。本文给出的地物质量特征和数量特征概括的数学模型,可对地图编制过程中诸如随地图比例尺缩小而缩减分类,扩大级差等经验事实,作出定量的描述和理论阐释。