Integrated Source Apportionment,Screening Risk Assessment,and Risk Mapping of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments: A Case Study of the Dongting Lake,Middle China

Surface sediment samples were collected from 10 typical locations throughout the Dongting Lake, China, in January 2009. Samples were assayed by atom absorption spectrophotometer and cold atomic fluorescent spectrophotometer for Pb, Cd, As, Hg. In order to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics, sources, and potential ecological risks of heavy metals, the geostatistics method, potential ecological risk index, and multivariate statistical analysis were applied. The results showed that except for the content of Hg, the contents of Pb, Cd, and As had similar spatial distribution characteristics. The average contents of Cd and As exceeded the second class contents of the National Standard for Soil Environment Quality (GB15618-1995), especially that for Cd. The potential ecological risk posed by these heavy metals decreased in the order of the outlet of the Dongting Lake > the East Dongting Lake > the South Dongting Lake > the West Dongting Lake spatially. From the results of multivariate statistical analysis, Pb and Cd, as the first group, were considered to be rooted in mining smelting processes for developed mining and heavy industry. And Hg, as the second group, was mainly derived from parent material weathering, while As was probably considered to originate from both sources above.     

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Electricity Generated from Conventionally Produced Natural Gas

This research provides a systematic review and harmonization of the life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of electricity generated from conventionally produced natural gas. We focus on estimates of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted in the life cycle of electricity generation from natural gas‐fired combustion turbine (NGCT) and combined‐cycle (NGCC) systems. The smaller set of LCAs of liquefied natural gas power systems and natural gas plants with carbon capture and storage were also collected, but analyzed to a lesser extent. A meta‐analytical process we term “harmonization” was employed to align several system boundaries and technical performance parameters to better allow for cross‐study comparisons, with the aim of clarifying central tendency and reducing variability in estimates of life cycle GHG emissions. Of over 250 references identified, 42 passed screens for technological relevance and study quality, providing a total of 69 estimates for NGCT and NGCC. Harmonization increased the median estimates in each category as a result of several factors not typically considered in the previous research, including the regular clearing of liquids from a well, and consolidated the interquartile range for NGCC to 420 to 480 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt‐hour (g CO₂‐eq/kWh) and for NGCT to 570 to 750 g CO₂‐eq/kWh, with medians of 450 and 670 CO₂‐eq/kWh, respectively. Harmonization of thermal efficiency had the largest effect in reducing variability; methane leakage rate is likely similarly influential, but was unharmonized in this assessment as a result of the significant current uncertainties in its estimation, an area that is justifiably receiving significant research attention.     

Forest floor vegetation response to nitrogen deposition in Europe

Chronic nitrogen (N) deposition is a threat to biodiversity that results from the eutrophication of ecosystems. We studied long‐term monitoring data from 28 forest sites with a total of 1,335 permanent forest floor vegetation plots from northern Fennoscandia to southern Italy to analyse temporal trends in vascular plant species cover and diversity. We found that the cover of plant species which prefer nutrient‐poor soils (oligotrophic species) decreased the more the measured N deposition exceeded the empirical critical load (CL) for eutrophication effects (P = 0.002). Although species preferring nutrient‐rich sites (eutrophic species) did not experience a significantly increase in cover (P = 0.440), in comparison to oligotrophic species they had a marginally higher proportion among new occurring species (P = 0.091). The observed gradual replacement of oligotrophic species by eutrophic species as a response to N deposition seems to be a general pattern, as it was consistent on the European scale. Contrary to species cover changes, neither the decrease in species richness nor of homogeneity correlated with nitrogen CL exceedance (ExCL_empN). We assume that the lack of diversity changes resulted from the restricted time period of our observations. Although existing habitat‐specific empirical CL still hold some uncertainty, we exemplify that they are useful indicators for the sensitivity of forest floor vegetation to N deposition.     

The protection of high quality waters in China calls for antidegradation policy

The deterioration of high quality waters has become an issue of great concern in China. The Chinese government has implemented a series of policies, laws and regulations to control water pollution and improve the surface water quality. However, these measures cannot fundamentally change the status of surface water pollution in China. Some high quality waters have been degraded and do not obtain effective protection. In this paper, we present our views that the lack of antidegradation policy restricts the protection of high quality waters in China. The viewpoint will be beneficial in solving the problem of water pollution in China and also to support other countries in their protection of high quality waters.     

Cross-species toxicogenomic analyses and phenotypic anchoring in response to groundwater low-level pollution

Background

Comparison of toxicogenomic data facilitates the identification of deregulated gene patterns and maximizes health risk prediction in human.

Results

Here, we performed phenotypic anchoring on the effects of acute exposure to low-grade polluted groundwater using mouse and zebrafish. Also, we evaluated two windows of chronic exposure in mouse, starting in utero and at the end of lactation. Bioinformatic analysis of livers microarray data showed that the number of deregulated biofunctions and pathways is higher after acute exposure, compared to the chronic one. It also revealed specific profiles of altered gene expression in all treatments, pointing to stress response/mitochondrial pathways as major players of environmental toxicity. Of note, dysfunction of steroid hormones was also predicted by bioinformatic analysis and verified in both models by traditional approaches, serum estrogens measurement and vitellogenin mRNA determination in mice and zebrafish, respectively.

Conclusions

In our report, phenotypic anchoring in two vertebrate model organisms highlights the toxicity of low-grade pollution, with varying susceptibility based on exposure window. The overlay of zebrafish and mice deregulated pathways, more than single genes, is useful in risk identification from chemicals implicated in the observed effects.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1067) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

基于模型的农业非点源污染最佳管理措施效率评估研究进展

随着点源污染的逐步控制,农业非点源污染已成为世界范围内关注的热点,由于其特有的时空异质性特点导致对其进行有效控制较为困难,最佳管理措施(BMPs,Best Management Practices)是实现流域农业非点源污染控制的有效手段,对拟实施的BMPs效率进行评估是实施流域非点源污染BMPs配置的前提。通过模型模拟的方法可对拟采用的不同措施的削减效率及经济成本进行评估以获取最具成本-效益的BMPs空间配置方案,为措施有效选择提供依据。通过对多种模型在工程型和管理型BMPs评估方面的研究进行论述表明,通常概念化模型多用于对污染源控制类措施进行评估,而机制类模型则可用于对不同时空尺度下的过程控制类BMPs进行评估;措施效率发挥的时间滞后性及模型模拟不确定性是模型模拟过程中需要重点考虑的问题,可通过增加野外监测点数量、监测频率、优化监测点位置并选择合适的评估指标以降低模型评估BMPs过程中滞后效应的影响;此外BMPs实施时间与空间位置的不匹配、时空尺度异质性、污染物形态及生态系统服务功能转换风险均需在BMPs评估过程中加以考虑。模型模拟是BMPs效率评估(包括非点源污染关键源区的时空识别)、污染物迁移转化以及成本效益分析的有效工具,同时对于流域非点源污染管理控制及BMPs实施利益相关者有效参与问题的分析也具有重要意义。     

基于农业面源污染分区的三峡库区生态农业园建设研究

在三峡库区建立生态农业园是解决库区农业、环境和生态问题的有效措施。以农业面源污染分区为基础,探讨三峡库区重庆段生态农业园的建设模式和对策。结果表明:(1)根据地形地貌特征,将生态农业园规划为三大生态农业区,低海拔平坝丘陵生态农业区适宜发展"粮果蔬-猪-沼气-粮果蔬+休闲旅游"复合型高效农业模式,中海拔低山生态农业区可采用"粮-林-畜-沼气-草"的生态农业园建立模式,高海拔高山生态农业区适宜发展林草牧药复合型高效生态农业发展模式。(2)结合农业产业发展,确定了生态种植园、生态养殖园和生态综合园为该区的生态农业园建设方向。划分归并后的五大农业面源污染产污区中,库首外围丘陵山地产污区适宜以生态种植园为主导发展方向;库尾丘陵山地产污区可主营生态养殖园;余下3个产污区的发展核心都宜放在生态综合园建设。(3)三大生态农业区中的中海拔低山生态农业区和五大产污区中的库中平行岭谷产污区是库区生态农业园的建设重点。(4)为保障生态农业园的建设,应积极促进国家、政府、企业和农户之间的合作关系,不断创新和提升农业面源污染防控和农业生产技术。