Journal of Environmental Monitoring最新文献

The microbiological quality of 165 1 litre well water samples collected in the Québec City region was assessed by culture-based methods (mFC agar, Chromocult coliform agar, Colilert(®), MI agar, Chromocult enterococci, Enterolert™, and mEI agar) and by a molecular microbiology strategy, dubbed CRENAME-rtPCR, developed for the detection of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Enterococcus faecalis/faecium, and Bacillus atrophaeus subsp. globigii. In these drinking water samples, approved culture-based methods detected E. coli at rates varying from 1.8 to 3.6% and Enterococcus spp. at rates varying from 3.0 to 11.5%, while the molecular microbiology approach for E. coli was found to be as efficient, detecting contamination in 3.0% of samples. In contrast, CRENAME-rtPCR detected Enterococcus spp. in 27.9% of samples while the E. faecalis/faecium molecular assay did not uncover a single contaminated sample, thereby revealing a discrepancy in the coverage of waterborne enterococcal species detected by classical and molecular microbiology methods. The validation of the CRENAME-E. coli rtPCR test as a new tool to assess the quality of drinking water will require larger scale studies elaborated to demonstrate its equivalence to approved methods.

Excess phosphorus, particularly in surface waters can lead to severe eutrophication. Identifying source areas, quantifying contributions, and evaluating management practices are required to address current and future water quality concerns. A before-after study was conducted from 2003-2010 on a sub-watershed of Northland Country Club Golf Course in Duluth, MN to demonstrate the impacts of two different phosphorus management approaches (Period 1: traditional application and timing using commercially available synthetic blends; Period 2: reduced rate, low dose applications, and organic formulations). Outflow median dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) stream concentrations were significantly less in Period 2 compared to Period 1. There was no statistical difference in the mean TP loading in Period 1 (0.25 kg ha(-1) year(-1)) compared to Period 2 (0.20 kg ha(-1) year(-1)) or between the DRP loading in Period 1 (0.15 kg ha(-1) year(-1)) compared to Period 2 (0.09 kg ha(-1) year(-1)). However, by switching to organic phosphorus formulations and reducing application rates by greater than 75%, substantial reduction in DRP and TP concentrations was achieved. Based on these findings it is recommended that turf managers (parks and recreation to golf courses) explore the feasibility of altering their fertility management related to phosphorus by including organic formulations, low dose applications, and overall rate reductions. Additionally, it is recommended that the fertilizer industry develop and make more readily available commercial blends with lesser to zero amounts of phosphorus.

The effect of climate change on the global distribution and fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is of growing interest to both scientists and policy makers alike. The impact of warmer temperatures and the resulting changes to earth system processes on chemical fate are, however, unclear, although there are a growing number of studies that are beginning to examine these impacts and changes in a quantitative way. In this review, we examine broad areas where changes are occurring or are likely to occur with regard to the environmental cycling and fate of chemical contaminants. For this purpose we are examining scientific information from long-term monitoring data with particular emphasis on the Arctic, to show apparent changes in chemical patterns and behaviour. In addition, we examine evidence of changing chemical processes for a number of environmental compartments and indirect effects of climate change on contaminant emissions and behaviour. We also recommend areas of research to address knowledge gaps. In general, our findings indicate that the indirect consequences of climate change (i.e. shifts in agriculture, resource exploitation opportunities, etc.) will have a more marked impact on contaminants distribution and fate than direct climate change.

Human pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are routinely found in biosolids from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Once land applied, the PPCPs in biosolids are potentially available for plant uptake and bioaccumulation. This study used a greenhouse model to investigate uptake of PPCPs commonly detected in biosolids by the agricultural plant Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris). Two series of greenhouse experiments were conducted as part of this project. In the first set of experiments, four pharmaceuticals were added to an organic matter-rich soil in environmentally relevant concentrations based on typical biosolids application rates, resulting in final soil concentrations of 2.6 ng g(-1) carbamazepine, 3.1 ng g(-1) sulfamethoxazole, 5.4 ng g(-1) salbutamol, and 0.5 ng g(-1) trimethoprim. In the second set of experiments, the cabbage was grown in soil amended with an agronomic rate of biosolids from a local WWTP. The ambient concentration of PPCPs in the biosolids resulted in final soil concentrations of 93.1 ng g(-1) carbamazepine, 67.4 ng g(-1) sulfamethoxazole, 30.3 ng g(-1) salbutamol, 433.7 ng g(-1) triclosan, and 24.7 ng g(-1) trimethoprim. After growing to maturity, the aerials of the plants were separated from roots and the two tissue types were analyzed separately. All four human pharmaceuticals were detected in both tissues in the cabbage grown in the soil fortified with the four pharmaceuticals with median concentrations of 255.4 ng g(-1) aerials and 272.9 ng g(-1) roots carbamazepine; 222.8 ng g(-1) aerials and 260.3 ng g(-1) roots sulfamethoxazole; 108.3 ng g(-1) aerials and 140.6 ng g(-1) roots salbutamol; and 20.6 ng g(-1) aerials and 53.7 ng g(-1) roots trimethoprim. Although all study compounds were present in the biosolids-amended planting soil, only carbamazepine (317.6 ng g(-1) aerials and 416.2 ng g(-1) roots), salbutamol (21.2 ng g(-1) aerials and 187.6 ng g(-1) roots), and triclosan (22.9 ng g(-1) aerials and 1220.1 ng g(-1) roots) were detected in the aerials of the cabbage. In addition to the study compounds detected in the aerials, sulfamethoxazole was detected in the roots of one of the plants in the biosolid-amended soil. In comparison to many previous studies that have utilized PPCP concentration that exceed environmentally relevant concentrations, plants in this study were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the PPCPs, yet resulted in uptake concentrations similar to or greater than those reported in comparable studies. We suggest that rhizosphere conditions, particularly the presence of dissolved organic matter in the planting matrix, might be one of the critical factors determining mobilization and bioavailability of xenobiotic compounds such as PPCPs.

The activity concentrations of radionuclides within the uranium and thorium series were determined in wheat and lettuce at five sites in France, and in their respective potential sources: crop soils of wheat and crop soils and irrigation waters of lettuce. These data were used to calculate concentration ratios and to enrich the database supported by the technical report series N°472 of the IAEA (2010). For wheat and lettuce, the activity concentrations were in the same range for all radionuclides studied, except for (210)Pb, which had higher activity concentrations in wheat, ranging between 1.3 and 11 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) as compared to 0.4 and 0.7 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) for lettuce. For wheat, the range of activity concentrations (mBq kg(−1); fresh weight) decreased as (210)Pb > (226)Ra (56–1511) ≈ (228)Ra (86–769) > (228)Th (19–176) ≈ (238)U (11–169) ≈ (234)U (12–150) ≈ (230)Th (9.08–197.18) ≈ (232)Th (8.61–121.45) > (235)U (0.53–7.9). For lettuce, it decreased as (228)Ra (<320–1221) > (210)Pb (409–746) > (226)Ra (30–599) ≈ (228)Th (<29–347) > (238)U (8–120) ≈ (234)U (8–121) ≈ (230)Th (5.21–134.63) ≈ (232)Th (5.25–156.99) > (235)U (0.35–5.63). The species differences may reflect different plant physiologies. Through the study of activity ratios of wheat and lettuce in relation with those of the various radionuclide sources it has been possible to highlight the contribution of the main sources of natural radionuclides. Indeed, irrigation water when the uranium concentration is enhanced (>30 mBq L(−1)) contributed significantly to the activity concentration of uranium in lettuces. Concerning the high activity concentrations of (210)Pb, it could be explained by atmospheric particle deposition. The effect of soil particles resuspension and their adhesion to the plant surface seemed to be important in some cases. The soil-to-plant transfer factors were calculated for lettuce and wheat. The values were lower in wheat than in lettuce except for (210)Pb which had similar values in the two species (0.11–0.13 respectively). For both species, (210)Pb followed by (228)Ra (0.015–0.10) and (226)Ra (0.010–0.051) displayed the highest transfer factor, whereas (238)U had intermediate values (0.0015–0.030) and (232)Th exhibited the lowest (0.0014–0.013).

Precipitation samples were collected at an urban site in Xi'an, northwest China during March to November in 2009 and were then analyzed to determine the pH and concentrations of water-soluble inorganic ions (Na(+), NH(4)(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-), Cl(-), and F(-)) in precipitation. The pH of precipitation ranged from 4.1 to 7.6 for all of the samples with an annual volume-weighted mean of 6.4. While a large portion of the precipitation events were weakly acidic or alkaline, around 30% of the precipitation events in the autumn were strongly acidic. Precipitation events with air masses from the northeast and the southeast were weakly acidic while those with air masses from the northwest and the southwest were alkaline. SO(4)(2-), Ca(2+), NH(4)(+), and NO(3)(-) were dominant ions in the precipitation, accounting for 37%, 25%, 18%, and 9%, respectively, of the total analyzed ions. Ca(2+) and NH(4)(+) were found to be the major neutralizers of precipitation acidity; however, the contribution of Mg(2+), although much lower than those of Ca(2+) and NH(4)(+), was important, in many cases, in changing the precipitation from weakly acidic to weakly alkaline. Enrichment factor analysis confirmed that SO(4)(2-) and NO(3)(-) were produced from anthropogenic sources, Ca(2+), K(+), and 80% Mg(2+) were from crustal sources, and Na(+), Cl(-), and ∼20% of Mg(2+) were from marine sources. The annual wet depositions were estimated to be 3.5 t km(-2) per year for sulfur; 2.3 t km(-2) per year for nitrogen, of which 0.8 t km(-2) per year was oxidized nitrogen and 1.5 t km(-2) per year was reduced nitrogen; and 3.0 t km(-2) per year for Ca(2+).

In this study, the dynamic interactions between cyclodextrin (CD), an organic chemical and granular activated carbon (GAC) were investigated using column studies. Breakthrough curves of a chlorinated solvent, trichloroethylene (TCE) were obtained over a range of concentrations of 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD) (0, 20, and 50 g L(-1)) and flow velocities (1.0, 4.0, and 10.2 mL min(-1)). Important transport parameters (i.e. residence time, dispersion coefficient, retardation factor) were estimated using truncated temporal moment analysis. Our result shows that increasing CD concentration resulted in earlier TCE breakthrough, demonstrated by decreasing residence times which are 306.23, 151.26, and 102.24 pore volumes for 0, 20, and 50 g L(-1) CD respectively. Comparison of the original breakthrough curves (BTCs) under different CD concentrations to the solubility-enhancement-rescaled BTCs showed (1) the presence of CD decreases the relative degree of TCE sorption to GAC and (2) all 3 curves exhibited similar rescaled times at which they reach 50% of the input concentration. The lowest flow rate, (1.0 mL min(-1)), resulted in a more symmetrical BTC, indicating more ideal conditions were achieved under the longer exposure time provided by this flow rate. As the flow rate increases the first appearance of TCE in the eluent occurs relatively earlier and exhibits comparatively greater delay in achieving full breakthrough, suggesting non-equilibrium processes are more significant at higher flow rates.

Exposure to pesticides places pregnant women and the developing foetus at the highest risk. The objective of this study is to obtain an exposure assessment by investigating levels of pesticides in blood plasma of delivering women. We report on the concentrations of α, β, γ HCH, endosulfan, HCB and the pyrethroids: cis-permethrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin found in the maternal blood plasma of delivering women (n = 241) in three coastal sites of KwaZulu Natal. γ-HCH and endosulfan 1 and 2 were the most dominant pesticides in all three sites. Significantly, higher levels of γ-HCH and endosulfan were found in site 3 (vicinity of Empangeni) compared to the other two sites (p < 0.05). The GM levels for γ-HCH, endosulfan 1 and 2 were 956, 141 and 21 ng g(-1) lipids in site 3, respectively. The pyrethroid pesticides, HCB, α-HCH and β-HCH were detected in less than 31% of the samples in all sites. γ-HCH correlated positively and strongly to both endosulfan 1 and 2 (r > 0.47), indicating a common source of exposure. The high levels of γ-HCH and endosulfan in maternal plasma samples in site 3 indicate the current and on-going exposure, which is of great concern for reproductive health and prenatal exposure.

We present a methodology for evaluating and quantifying the impact of inhalable mineral dust resuspension close to a potentially important industrial point source, in this case an open air plant producing sand, flux and kaolin in the Capuchinos district of Alcañiz (Teruel, NE Spain). PM(10) levels at Capuchinos were initially high (42 μg m(-3) as the annual average with 91 exceedances of the EU daily limit value during 2007) but subsequently decreased (26 μg m(-3) with 16 exceedances in 2010) due to a reduced demand for minerals from the ceramic industry and construction sector during the first stages of the economic crisis. Back trajectory and local wind pattern analyses revealed only limited contribution from exotic PM sources such as African dust intrusions whereas there was clearly a strong link with the mineral stockpiles of the local industry. This link was reinforced by chemical and mineral speciation and source apportionment analysis which showed a dominance of mineral matter (sum of CO(3)(2-), SiO(2), Al(2)O(3), Ca, Fe, K, Mg, P, and Ti: mostly aluminosilicates) which in 2007 contributed 76% of the PM(10) mass (44 μg m(-3) on average). The contribution from Secondary Inorganic Aerosols (SIA, sum of SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+)) reached 8.4 μg m(-3), accounting for 14% of the PM(10) mass, similar to the amount of calcareous road dust estimated to be present (8 μg m(-3); 13%). Organic matter and elemental carbon contributed 5.3 μg m(-3) (9%) whereas marine aerosol (Na + Cl) levels were minor with an average concentration of 0.4 μg m(-3) (1% of the PM(10) mass). Finally, chemical and mineralogical analysis of stockpile samples and comparison with filter samples confirmed the local industry to be the major source of ambient PM(10) in the area.

Arsenobetaine is one of the major organoarsenic compounds found in aquatic organisms, including seafood and fish meant for human consumption. It has been widely studied over the last 50 years because of its non-toxic properties, and its origin is postulated to be at bottom of the aquatic food chains. The present review focuses on arsenobetaine formation in marine and freshwater plankton, comparing the arsenic compounds found in the different plankton organisms, and the methods used to assess arsenic speciation. The main findings indicate that in the marine environment, phytoplankton and micro-algae contain arsenosugars, with the first traces of arsenobetaine appearing in herbivorous zooplankton, and becoming a major arsenic compound in carnivorous zooplankton. Freshwater plankton contains less arsenobetaine than their marine relatives, with arsenosugars dominating. The possible role and formation pathways of arsenobetaine in plankton organisms are reviewed and the literature suggests that arsenobetaine in zooplankton comes from the degradation of ingested arsenosugars, and is selectively accumulated by the organism to serve as osmolyte. Several arsenic compounds such as arsenocholine, dimethylarsinoylacetate or dimethylarsinoylethanol that are intermediates of this pathway have been detected in plankton. The gaps in research on arsenobetaine in aquatic environments are also addressed: primarily most of the conclusions are drawn on culture-based experiments, and few data are present from the natural environment, especially for freshwater ecosystems. Moreover, more data on arsenic in different zooplankton species would be helpful to confirm the trends observed between herbivorous and carnivorous organisms.