Journal of Environmental Monitoring最新文献

A field campaign was conducted from October 2009 to July 2010 at Covilhã, a small town located in the region of Beira Interior (Portugal) in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The ambient light-absorption coefficient, σ(a) (522 nm), obtained from a Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), presented a daily mean value of 12.1 Mm⁻¹ (StD = 7.3 Mm⁻¹). The wavelength dependence of aerosol light absorption is investigated through the Ångström parameter, α(a). The α(a) values for the pair of wavelengths 470-660 nm ranged from 0.86 to 1.47 during the period of measurements. The PSAP data were used to infer the mass of light absorbing carbon (LAC) and the daily mean varied from 0.1 to 6.8 μg m⁻³. A detailed study of special events with different aerosol characteristics is carried out and, to support data interpretation, air masses trajectory analysis is performed.

The assessment of the adequacy of sampling locations is an important aspect in the validation of an effective and efficient water quality monitoring network. Two geostatistical approaches (e.g., kriging and Moran's I) are presented to assess multiple sampling locations. A flexible and comprehensive framework was developed for the selection of multiple sampling locations of multiple variables which was accomplished by coupling geostatistical approaches with principal component analysis (PCA) and fuzzy optimal model (FOM). The FOM was used in the integrated assessment of both multiple principal components and multiple geostatistical approaches. These integrated methods were successfully applied to the assessment of two independent water quality monitoring networks (WQMNs) of Lake Winnipeg, Canada, which respectively included 14 and 30 stations from 2006 to 2010.

Rivers play a significant role in providing water resources for human and ecosystem survival and health. Hence, river water quality is an important parameter that must be preserved and monitored. As the state of Selangor and the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are undergoing tremendous development, the river is subjected to pollution from point and non-point sources. The water quality of the Klang River basin, one of the most densely populated areas within the region, is significantly degraded due to human activities as well as urbanization. Evaluation of the overall river water quality status is normally represented by a water quality index (WQI), which consists of six parameters, namely dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, ammoniacal nitrogen and pH. The objectives of this study are to assess the water quality status for this tropical, urban river and to establish the WQI trend. Using monthly WQI data from 1997 to 2007, time series were plotted and trend analysis was performed by employing the first-order autocorrelated trend model on the moving average values for every station. The initial and final values of either the moving average or the trend model were used as the estimates of the initial and final WQI at the stations. It was found that Klang River water quality has shown some improvement between 1997 and 2007. Water quality remains good in the upper stream area, which provides vital water sources for water treatment plants in the Klang valley. Meanwhile, the water quality has also improved in other stations. Results of the current study suggest that the present policy on managing river quality in the Klang River has produced encouraging results; the policy should, however, be further improved alongside more vigorous monitoring of pollution discharge from various point sources such as industrial wastewater, municipal sewers, wet markets, sand mining and landfills, as well as non-point sources such as agricultural or urban runoff and commercial activity.

This paper aimed to illustrate the most reliable biomarkers to detect pollution-related oxidative stress in white stork nestlings in polluted (from copper manufacture), suburban and Odra meadows (as a control area) areas . Lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content, TBARS) and oxidative modified protein levels (stable 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine derivates of the carbonyl groups) were used as indicators of the oxidative stress, as well as other selected biochemical parameters, which are used as diagnostic tools in avian medicine (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase activities, lactate and pyruvate concentrations). It was found that the blood of chicks from the polluted area was more susceptible to oxidative stress due to lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, manifested as protein carbonyls, the elevation of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases activities, and lactate and pyruvate concentrations than those of chicks from suburban and Odra meadows areas. Direct connections between lactate and pyruvate concentrations and lipid peroxidation (TBARS level), as well as between derivates of carbonyl oxidation levels in the blood of chicks from the polluted area were detected. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was slightly inhibited in the blood of chicks from the polluted environment, perhaps because of increased lactate concentration in the blood of chicks from polluted areas. It can be suggested that alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase activities, lactate and pyruvate concentrations can be used as indicators of oxidative stress. The activities of these enzymes were perhaps not directly related to environmental pollution, but more likely to some secondary pollution-related changes in the nestlings' conditions.