Composition and major sources of organic compounds in urban aerosols

Total suspended particles (TSP), collected during June 2002 to July 2003 in Guangzhou, a typical economically developed city in South China, were analyzed for the organic compound compositions using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Over 140 organic compounds were detected in the aerosols and grouped into different classes including n-alkanes, hopanoids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanols, fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids excluding oxalic acid, polyols/polyacids, lignin products, phytosterols, phthalates and water-soluble sugars. The total amounts of the identified organic compounds including unresolved complex mixture (UCM) ranged from 3112 ng/m³ in spring to 5116 ng/m³ in winter, comprising on seasonal average 2.8% of TSP. Primary organic compounds peaked in winter although there are no heating systems burning fuels in Guangzhou. The highest saccharide levels occurred in fall due to agricultural activities. This study demonstrated that utilization of fossil fuels, biomass burning, soil resuspension and plastic/refuse burning are the major contributors to the identified organic compounds in the urban atmosphere of South China.     

Visualisation of bacterial degradation and mobilisation of oil in a porous medium

 Bacterial interaction with oil and sea water, in a porous medium, was studied using a transparent micro model mounted on a cybernetic-controlled positioning board of an inverted microscope. This was interfaced with computer-operated image analysis and surveillance equipment. Consecutive flooding of the model allowed oil to become trapped by capillary forces. Hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria were inoculated. The interaction of biofilm and oil was monitored during a period of 25 days, while mineral salts were supplied intermittently. A unique feature of biofilm behaviour was discovered. The phenomenon is discussed, and calculations are presented. A possible explanation of the phenomenon appears to be local reductions of the surface tension. The phenomenon helps explain why bacteria are able to mobilise oil trapped by capillary forces without reducing the interfacial tension to a level that leads to an increase in the capillary number sufficient to explain incremental oil recovery. The experimental design is believed to be suitable for studying biofilm behaviour on the pore level. Received: 26 January 1998 · Accepted: 9 July 1998     

Characterization of Estuarine and Fluvial Dissolved Organic Matter by Thermochemolysis using Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide

Selected samples of dissolved organic matter (DOM) isolated by ultrafiltration (UDOM) have been analyzed by thermochemolysis in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). This technique cleaves ester and ether bonds of bio‐ and geological macromolecules and releases monomer subunits and methylates them in situ as their methyl ethers and methyl esters. Compared with conventional pyrolysis, TMAH thermochemolysis avoids decarboxylation of preexisting carboxylic moieties and produces aromatic acids as their methyl esters. Various phenolic derivatives, which might originate from incorporated lignin‐derived structures, from the highly aliphatic and resistant biopolymer cutan and also from proteinaceous materials, were identified among the products produced from UDOM upon thermochemolysis. The presence of lignin derivatives in UDOM indicates input of organic matter derived from terrestrial sources. Various aromatic acids, perhaps representing the final steps in the oxidation of the side‐chain during microbial oxidation of lignin, were released upon TMAH thermochemolysis, suggesting they are structural constituents of the UDOM. Different ratios of lignin‐derived materials, commonly determined using the CuO oxidation method, such as the Δ value, indicative of the amount of lignin present, the acid/aldehyde ratio (Ad/Al)_G, indicative of the extent of oxidative degradation of the lignin component, and the syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) and p‐hydroxyphenyl/guaiacyl (P/G) ratios, indicative of the contribution for the different types of lignin, were determined.     

Untersuchungen zur adsorptiven Abtrennung von leichtflüchtigen chlorierten Kohlenwasserstoffen (LCKW) aus huminstoffhaltigen Wässern mit neuartigen Adsorberpolymeren und Aktivkohlen. Teil II:: Dynamik der Adsorption

Investigations of the Adsorptive Separation of Volatile Chlorinated Hydrocarbons (VCHC) from Water with Humic Substance by Novel Polymeric Adsorbents and Activated Carbons. Part II: Dynamics of Adsorption In this publication, the dynamics of adsorption of different volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHC) (1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene) and a humic substance from water as well as of these VCHC from water with humic substance onto novel polymeric ad-[QJ][HR] sorbents (WOFATIT EP 63, DOWEX XUS 43493, MACRONET MN 100 and MN 200) was studied in comparison to activated carbons (NORIT ROW 0.8 SUPRA, PRECOLITH BKK 3, HYDRAFFIN CG). The obtained breakthrough curves and the following predicted characteristic values reveal that the polymeric adsorbents do not remove or remove the humic substance only with low adsorption capacity in contrast to the activated carbons. At the adsorption of the VCHC from water with humic substance it was determined that the influence of the humic substance on the adsorption capacity is substantially less on polymeric adsorbents than on activated carbons.     

Occurrence and Distribution of Organic Contaminants in the Aquatic System in Berlin. Part III: Determination of Synthetic Musks in Berlin Surface Water Applying Solid-phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)

Polycyclic musks and nitro musks were found as environmental pollutants in screening analyses of 30 representative surface water samples collected from rivers, lakes, and canals in Berlin. These synthetic musks, which are used as fragrances in cosmetics, detergents, and other products, are discharged by the municipal sewage treatment plants into Berlinπs surface waters. In particular, the polycyclic musks 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-(g)-2-benzopyrane (HHCB; Galaxolide®, Abbalide®) and 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetraline (AHTN; Tonalide®, Fixolide®) were found in the receiving surface waters at considerable concentrations up to the μg/L-level. In the Wuhle, a small brook almost totally consisting of sewage effluents, maximum concentrations were 12.5 μg/L for HHCB and 6.8 μg/L for AHTN. Additionally, the polycyclic musk 4-acetyl-1,1-dimethyl-6-tert-butylindane (ADBI; Celestolide®, Crysolide®) and 1-tert-butyl-3,5-dimethyl-2,6-dinitro-4-acetylbenzene (musk ketone) were detected at low concentrations in most of the samples. Two other nitro musks, namely 1,1,3,3,5-pentamethyl-4,6-dinitroindene (musk moskene) and 1-tert-butyl-3,5-dimethyl-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (musk xylene), were only detected in a single surface water sample. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has proven to be a rapid and reliable tool for the screening of synthetic musks in surface and sewage water samples. Internal calibration with a suitable internal standard enables reproducible quantitation of the analytes down to the low ng/L-level.     

The Paleogene vegetation and petroleum system in the tropics: A biomarker approach

The present study investigates the biomarker signatures of sediments and crude oils to infer the paleovegetation from the two petroleum systems of Assam Basin, eastern India. They are classified as the Paleocene-middle Eocene and the middle Eocene-Oligocene petroleum systems. The sediments are oil and gas prone with an early catagenetic stage of thermal evolution. Here we report tricyclic diterpanes such as rimuane, pimarane, rosane and isopimarane along with tetracyclic diterpanes: ent-beyerane, phyllocladane, kaurane from Paleocene-Eocene coal-bearing sediments and crude oils. These diterpane biomarkers attest dominant contribution from conifers, possibly from Podocarpaceae and Araucariaceae. However, diterpanes are not detected in Oligocene sediments and oils. Crude oils from both Paleocene-Eocene and Oligocene reservoirs and organic rich sediments contain angiosperm biomarkers such oleanane and related triterpanes along with bicadinane, a biomarker specific for the Dipterocarpaceae family of angiosperms. The equatorial position of India during early Paleogene along with the presence of angiosperm signatures including Dipterocarpaceae and gymnosperms reflect the emergence of tropical rainforest elements in eastern India. Absence of diterpenoids in Oligocene samples and difference in angiosperm parameters from Paleocene-Eocene samples suggests a change in source vegetation and organofacies.     

Distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Osaka Bay,Japan

Contaminations in sediments by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs were investigated at 44 sites in Osaka Bay, Japan. Concentrations of total PAHs and alkylated PAHs were in the range 6.40–7800 ng/g dry weights and 13.7–1700 ng/g dry weights, respectively. The PAH concentrations tended to be higher along the shoreline in the vicinities of big ports, industrialized areas, and densely populated regions such as the cities of Osaka and Kobe. The major sources appeared to be pyrogenic or both pyrogenic and petrogenic at most of the sites. PAH concentrations were remarkably high at a site near Kobe, where the concentrations of dibenzo(a,h)anthracene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene exceeded the effects-range-medium concentration and eight PAHs were above the corresponding effects-range-low concentrations. Those PAHs may have been derived from the great fire associated with the large earthquake in 1995.     

Marine sponges as bioindicators of oil and combustion derived PAH in coastal waters

The present study evaluates the potential of Hymeniacidon heliophila as bioindicator of PAH contamination. For this, concentration of 33 PAH was determined in organisms from sites with different contamination level including the heavily polluted Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and less impacted coastal areas. PAH concentration and typology were determined in sponges collected from different depths and in two different seasons. The brown mussel broadly studied as bioindicator was also sampled from the same sites for comparison. Both species provided similar information on total PAH concentration which is related to site contamination level. Sponges, however, revealed slight tendency to accumulation of combustion-derived PAH in relation to petrogenic compounds. Differences in PAH typology between species may derive from the interspecific variation in particle size ingestion. Different hydrocarbon typologies were observed in sponges from dry and wet season and PAH concentration varied with depth. H. heliophila may be used as an alternative approach to investigate the presence and sources of PAH in estuarine areas.     

Occurrence and distribution of hydrocarbons in the surface microlayer and subsurface water from the urban coastal marine area off Marseilles, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Aliphatic (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in dissolved and particulate material from surface microlayer (SML) and subsurface water (SSW) sampled at nearshore observation stations, sewage effluents and harbour sites from Marseilles coastal area (Northwestern Mediterranean) in 2009 and 2010. Dissolved and particulate AH concentrations ranged 0.05–0.41 and 0.04–4.3 μg l⁻¹ in the SSW, peaking up to 38 and 1366 μg l⁻¹ in the SML, respectively. Dissolved and particulate PAHs ranged 1.9–98 and 1.9–21 ng l⁻¹ in the SSW, amounting up 217 and 1597 ng l⁻¹ in the SML, respectively. In harbours, hydrocarbons were concentrated in the SML, with enrichment factors reaching 1138 for particulate AHs. Besides episodic dominance of biogenic and pyrogenic inputs, a moderate anthropisation from petrogenic sources dominated suggesting the impact of shipping traffic and surface runoffs on this urbanised area. Rainfalls increased hydrocarbon concentrations by a factor 1.9–11.5 in the dissolved phase.