Interference effects in the extraction of trace metals from estuarine waters

We have found that a commonly used complexation and solvent extraction technique (using mixed dithiocarbamates/Freon/HNO3) does not always extract Cd, Co, Cu and Ni from estuarine samples with the same efficiency as from Milli-Q water. For samples collected from the Derwent Estuary (Australia), the reduced extraction efficiency only occurred for unfiltered samples, but low extraction efficiencies were also observed for a (filtered) riverine certified reference material (SLRS-3) suggesting that the effect may be widespread. We have not been able to identify the reason for the low extraction efficiency and, although it is strongly correlated with the presence of high concentrations of suspended solids, dissolved organic matter and particulate iron, we have no experimental evidence to directly link any of these parameters to the effect. It is possible that similar effects may occur in other techniques which rely on a preconcentration step prior to analysis and that some literature values of heavy metals in estuarine waters may be low. We propose a modification of the standard complexation/solvent extraction method which overcomes these difficulties without adding significantly to the time taken for analyses.

Anodic Stripping Voltammetry at Bismuth-Coated and Uncoated Carbon Microdisk Electrodes:Application to Trace Metals Analysis in Flood Samples

This article reports on the performance of a bismuth-coated carbon microdisk electrode (BiFμE) for the determination of trace heavy metals by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The BiFμE was prepared by electrodeposition of a metallic bismuth film onto the microdisk, by applying an in-situ electroplating procedure. To test the performance of the BiFμE, ASV measurements were performed on synthetic solutions containing Cd2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ as target ions. The results indicated that cadmium and lead gave well-defined ASV peaks with no interference, and their quantitative determination could be carried out straightforwardly. In particular, linear calibration curves over the range 5.0 x 10-8-1.0 x 10-6M for both ions, and detection limits of 7.8 and 2.9 nM, for cadmium and lead, respectively, after applying a 60 sec preconcentration step, were obtained. The reproducibility was also satisfactory, the relative standard deviation (RSD) being within 2.5% for both ions. Copper, instead, gave an ASV response that. in most experimental conditions, overlapped with that of bismuth. This circumstance made the determination of copper at the BiFμE difficult. Since the latter element could be detected reliably at the uncoated carbon microdisk electrode (CμE), both BiFμE and CμE were employed, respectively, for the determination of lead and copper ions in drinking water, wine, and tomato sauce.

Trends in heavy metal levels in the dissolved and particulate phase in the Dutch rhine-meuse (MAAS) delta*

Levels of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn, in both the dissolved and particulate phase, were determined in two sampling campaigns in August 1978 and August 1984 in the Dutch Rhine-Meuse (Maas) Delta. Besides the heavy metal concentrations, other important parameters were determined, such as the concentrations of seston, chlorophyll and nutrients. The concentrations of dissolved Cd and of Cd, Pb and Cu in particulate matter were much higher in 1978 than in 1984, especially for Cd. This may be due to the strict regulations implemented in Germany to reduce the pollution of natural waters by heavy metals. The correlation between the high Cd content and the chlorophyll content is explained by the binding of Cd to living and dead organisms. The distribution of the metals between the dissolved and the particulate phase, indicated by the distribution quotient Kd , increases from low values of Kd for Cu and Zn, to higher values for Cd and Cr, and the highest values for Pb. The differences are explained by various binding forms of each of these metals in natural waters

Spatial distribution of soil heavy metal pollution estimated by different interpolation methods: Accuracy and uncertainty analysis

Mapping the spatial distribution of contaminants in soils is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Interpolation methods are extensively applied in the mapping processes to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled sites. The performances of interpolation methods (inverse distance weighting, local polynomial, ordinary kriging and radial basis functions) were assessed and compared using the root mean square error for cross validation. The results indicated that all interpolation methods provided a high prediction accuracy of the mean concentration of soil heavy metals. However, the classic method based on percentages of polluted samples, gave a pollution area 23.54-41.92% larger than that estimated by interpolation methods. The difference in contaminated area estimation among the four methods reached 6.14%. According to the interpolation results, the spatial uncertainty of polluted areas was mainly located in three types of region: (a) the local maxima concentration region surrounded by low concentration (clean) sites, (b) the local minima concentration region surrounded with highly polluted samples; and (c) the boundaries of the contaminated areas. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Narion/Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) mixed coating modified bismuth film electrode for the determination of trace metals by anodic stripping voltammetry

To improve the reproducibility, stability, and sensitivity of bismuth film electrode (BiFE), we studied the performances of a mixed coating of two cation-exchange polymers, Nafion (NA) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), modified glassy carbon BiFE (GC/NA-PSS/BiFE). The characteristics of GC/NA-PSS/BiFE were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Various parameters were studied in terms of their effect on the anodic stripping voltarnmetry (ASV) signals. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection were 71 ng L-1 for Cd(II) and 93 ng L-1 for Pb(II) with a 10 min preconcentration. The results exhibited that GC/NA-PSS/BiFE can be a reproducible and robust toot for monitor of trace metals by ASV rapidly and environmentally friendly, even in the presence of surface-active compounds.

The involvement of HSP22 from bay scallop Argopecten irradians in response to heavy metal stress

Heat shock protein 22 (HSP22) is an important member of small heat shock protein (sHSP) subfamily which plays a key role in the process of protecting cells, facilitating the folding of nascent peptides, and responding to stress. In the present study, the cDNA of HSP22 was cloned from Argopecten irradians (designated as AiHSP22) by rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) based on the expressed sequence tags (ESTs). The full-length cDNA of AiHSP22 was of 1,112 bp, with an open reading frame of 588 bp encoding a polypeptide of 195 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of AiHSP22 showed high similarity to previously identified HSP22s. The expression patterns of AiHSP22 mRNA in different tissues and in haemocytes of scallops exposed to Cd2+, Pb2+ or Cu2+ were investigated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The mRNA of AiHSP22 was constitutively expressed in all examined tissues, including haemocyte, muscle, kidney, gonad, gill and heart. The expression level in heart and muscle was higher than that in other tissues. The mRNA level of AiHSP22 in haemocytes was up-regulated after a 10 days exposure of scallops to Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+. However, the expression of AiHSP22 did not increase linearly along with the rise of heavy metal concentration. Different concentrations of the same metal resulted in different effects on AiHSP22 expression. The sensitive response of AiHSP22 to Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+ stress indicated that it could be developed as an indicator of exposure to heavy metals for the pollution monitoring programs in aquatic environment.

Distribution and mobility of metals in agricultural soils near a copper smelter in South China

The distribution and mobility of heavy metals in the paddy soils surrounding a copper smelting plant in south China was investigated. We assessed the degree of metal contamination using an index of geoaccumulation. The metals were divided into two groups: (1) Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd, whose concentrations were heavily affected by anthropogenic inputs, and (2) Ni, Co and Cr, which were mainly of geochemical origin. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn, and Pb in the polluted soils were higher than the Chinese soil quality criteria. The chemical partitioning patterns of Pb, Zn and Cu indicated that Pb was largely associated with the residual and NH2OH HCl extractable fractions. In contrast, Cd was predominantly associated with the MgCl2 extractable fraction. A large proportion of Cu was bound to the acidic H2O2 extractable fractions, while Zn was predominantly found in the residual phase. The fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful to the environment, was found to be elevated compared to unpolluted soils in which heavy metals are more strongly bound to the matrix. The mobility of the metals was studied by water extraction using a modification of Tessier's procedure, and the order of mobility was Zn > Cd > Cu > Ce > Pb.

Environmental changes reflected by sedimentary geochemistry in recent hundred years of Jiaozhou Bay, North China

Sediment geochemical technique was employed to assess how the sediment records reflect the environmental changes of Jiaozhou Bay, a semi-enclosed bay adjacent to Qingdao, China. In the past hundred years, Jiaozhou Bay has been greatly impacted by human interventions. A dated core sediment by Pb-210 chronology was analyzed for trace metals including Li, Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn together with C, N, P and BSi. Based on the research, the development of Jiaozhou Bay environment in the past hundred years can be divided into three stages: (1) before the 1980s characterized by relatively low sedimentation rate, weak heavy metal pollution and scarce eutrophication; (2) from the 1980s to 2000, accelerating in the 1990s, during which high sedimentation rates, polluted by heavy metals and the frequent occurrence of red tide; (3) after 2000, the period of the improvement of environment, the whole system has been meliorated including the heavy metal pollution and hypernutrification. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

黔西南滥木厂铊矿化区河流沉积物重金属环境地球化学及环境效应研究

矿山环境重金属污染及其生态效应研究是环境地球化学研究的热点问题之一，其中水环境生态系统中的沉积物重金属污染由于可能影响流域水环境安全而备受关注。贵州矿产资源丰富，其开采利用过程中的重金属元素污染十分严重，尤其是Tl、As和Hg的污染备受关注。本研究选择黔西南滥木厂铊矿化区为研究对象，通过分析该地区河流沉积物中铊、砷、汞等重金属元素的环境地球化学分布特征，对重金属污染状况进行评价，并探讨其对环境的生态危害，得到以下几点认识： 1. 滥木厂铊矿化区河流沉积物中重金属Tl、Hg、As和Cd的含量相对很高。其中，Tl、Hg和As在矿山影响区河流沉积物中平均含量分别为23.3 mg/kg、46.8 mg/kg 和97.3 mg/kg，比页岩平均含量高几十倍至上百倍，而矿山未影响区及对照区河流沉积物中含量都相对较低。Cd在矿渣以及清水河矿山影响区、矿山未影响区和对照区河流沉积物中的平均含量都相对较高，分别为0.97 mg/kg、1.31 mg/kg、1.17 mg/kg和1.21 mg/kg，约为页岩平均含量的2～5倍，且变化不明显。重金属环境地球化学分析表明，Tl、Hg和As为同源污染物质，主要来自矿山硫化物的风化淋漓；Cd的高含量与矿山联系不明显，可能是由于地域上的Cd异常所致。Cu、Cr、Zn和Pb的含量都相对较低，只略高于页岩平均含量。 2. 地质累积指数（Igeo）和潜在生态危害系数（RI）分析评价结果显示，滥木厂清水河沉积物主要受到Hg、Tl、As以及Cd的污染。受矿山影响的河流沉积物中Hg和Tl的污染很严重，具有很强的潜在生态危害；As和Cd次之；Zn、Cu、Cr和Pb的污染不明显，潜在生态危害很小。 3. 沉积物中重金属各形态分级提取分析（BCR）表明，受矿山影响的滥木厂清水河沉积物及剖面沉积物中：不但总Tl含量很高，有效态Tl含量也高，平均分别为6.0 mg/kg 和5.9 mg/kg，对环境的生态危害很大；Hg虽然总含量非常高，但其酸可提取态含量都低于仪器的检测下限，可还原态含量也不高，平均分别只为0.46 mg/kg 和1.53 mg/kg，主要集中在不易释放的可氧化态和非常稳定的残余态，对环境的生态危害一般；As的总含量较高，但有效态平均含量只为6.51 mg/kg和1.58 mg/kg，对环境的生态危害较小；Cd的总含量也相对较高，有效态平均含量也分别达0.55 mg/kg和0.52 mg/kg，对环境的危害可能较大；Cr、Cu、Zn及Pb的总含量和有效态含量都较低，对环境的生态危害较小。 4. 滥木厂铊矿化区河流沉积物中Tl、Hg和Cd的重金属污染的生态危害性主要表现为Tl、Hg和Cd对食物链的直接或间接污染。Tl和Cd易在农作物中富集，Hg甲基化后也可以在农作物中富集，其人体健康危害性较大。

The formation mechanism of low leaching glassy slag during plasma arc vitrification treatment of fly ash

In this paper, the glass formation theory is applied to study the formation mechanism of the low leaching glassy slag during the process of plasma waste treatment. The research shows that SiO2 acts as network former to form a 3-dimensional Si-O tetrahedral network in which heavy metals are bonded or encapsulated, so the Si-O tetrahedron protect heavy metals against leaching from the vitrified slag or acid corrosion. For given chemical compositions of waste, the formation ability of the vitrified slag can be represented by the ratio of the whole oxygen ions to the whole network former ions in glass (O/Si) which is appropriate in the range of 2~3. A plasma arc reactor is used to conduct the vitrification experiments of two kinds of fly ashes with additives in which effects of various parameters including arc power, cooling speed, treatment temperature are studied. The chemical compositions of fly ashes are analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. The experimental results show that both cooling speed and O/Si have important influence on the formation of the vitrified slag, which is qualitatively in accordance with the predictions of the glass formation theory.

利用多基因转化技术培育重金属超富集植物的研究

植物耐受和积累重金属的细胞学基础是植物细胞内存在一些能够络合和区隔化金属离子的机制。细胞中络合重金属离子最重要的小肽分子是谷胱甘肽(GSH)和植物络合素(PCs)，而YCFⅠ基因编码的ABC-type 液泡膜转运蛋白负责将重金属离子及其与上述小肽形成的复合物转运进入细胞液泡中，即将重金属离子区隔化。植物细胞中合成GSH 和PCs 的关键酶分别是γ－谷氨酰氨半胱氨酸合成酶(GSHⅠ)和植物络合素合酶(PCS)，他们的编码基因分别为GSHⅠ 和PCS 。此外定位于细胞质中的小囊泡上且对二价阳离子的吸收和转运有重要作用的SMF2 蛋白可能也参与重金属离子的区隔化过程。 为了改良植物使之能够应用于清除土壤中的重金属污染，本研究基于植物耐受和积累重金属的细胞学机制，分别将酿酒酵母来源的GSHⅠ、YCFⅠ和SMF2 基因，以及GSHⅠ、YCFⅠ基因分别与镉抗性植物大蒜来源的AsPCSⅠ 基因构建为不同的基因组合表达载体，转化模式植物拟南芥。对不同组合转基因拟南芥的功能分析表明： 1、酵母来源的基因GHSⅠ、YCFⅠ分别在拟南芥中异源超表达可以在一定程度上提高转基因拟南芥耐受、积累重金属的能力;其中GSHⅠ基因在拟南芥超表达可以提高转基因拟南芥合成GSH 的能力，转基因拟南芥细胞中GSH 浓度比野生型增加。 2、将GSHⅠ基因和来自大蒜的AsPCSⅠ基因同时在拟南芥中超表达能够显著提高转基因拟南芥耐受和积累重金属的能力，且积累和耐受能力显著高于分别转GSHⅠ或AsPCSⅠ的单价转基因株系;将YCFⅠ基因和AsPCSⅠ基因同时在拟南芥中超表达也能够显著提高转基因拟南芥耐受和积累重金属的能力，且积累和耐受能力显著高于分别转YCFⅠ或AsPCSⅠ的单价转基因株系。两种双价转基因株系GSHⅠ＋AsPCSⅠ和YCFⅠ＋AsPCSⅠ在积累和耐受不同重金属胁迫方面没有明显差别。 3、将SMF2 基因在拟南芥中异源表达，研究了植物中囊泡转运是否参与了重金属离子的吸收和区隔化过程。研究结果表明：超表达SMF2 基因的拟南芥尽管耐受重金属胁迫的能力与野生型没有明显差异，但其积累重金属的能力显著提高。这为证明植物中小囊泡转运参与重金属转运提供了间接证据。 综上所述，同时将多个参与植物对重金属络合、转运和区隔化作用的关键基因在转基因植物中表达可以提高植物耐受和积累重金属的能力，是培育可用于植物修复的新型工程植物的值得探索的途径。本论文所设计和构建的双价基因组合及其对目标植物的转化，在环境重金属污染的清除中有潜在的应用价值。

北京市土壤--植物系统重金属硫的分布迁移相互间关系和主成份分析

本文选择了北京市香山北京植物园、北京动物园、长安街和北京化工厂4个功能区和国槐（Sophora japonica (L) Beauv)、毛白杨 (populus tomentosa Carr)、丁香(Syringa Oblata)、野牛草(Buohloe dactyloides (Nutt) Engelm)4种植物;采集植物样品105个、土壤样品40个;测定了各样品的镍(Ni)、锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)、镉(Cd)、铅(Pb)、铬 (Cr)、硫(S)7种元素含量;通过对样品元素含量的直观分析、回归分析、主成份分析(PCA)，得出以下结论：各样品各元素含量的最高值或异常值多出现在化工厂内，其次是长安街、动物园、北京植物园无;各功能区各样品各元素含量大小顺序多是：化工厂><长安街>动物园><北京植物园：表明化工厂内土壤、植物受污染的程度较重，其次是长安街，动物园稍轻，北京植物园则较洁净。土壤中7种元素分布特征是：S > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Cd;植物中7种元素分布特征是：S > Zn >< Cu > Pb > Cr >< Ni >< Cd。7种植物样品对S、Zn、Cu、 Cd具较大的富集系数;对Ni、Pb、Cr具较小的富集系数;说明前者比后者在土壤—植系统中较易迁移。7种植物样品对S均具积累效应;毛白杨叶对zn，毛白杨叶、枝、国槐皮对Cd，野牛草对Cu也都具积累效应。国槐各器官元素含量分配是：皮含量>叶含量>枝含量;毛白杨各器官元素含量分配是：叶含量>枝含量;表明植物各器官中，枝元素含量较低。对元素含量回归分析，发现植物各器官元素含量间具显著性正相关系;植物中元素含量与土壤中元素含量绝大多数呈正相关。前者说明植物各器官生长发育的正相关性;后者说明土壤条件与植物生长发育的正相关性。对元素含量的主成份分析和样品排序，揭示出采自同一功能区的样品大都可形成一集团，但尚存在交叉、重叠和过渡的样品;化工厂集团多处在排序图Z1轴左边，长安街集团多处在Z2轴上方，北京植物园集团多处在Z1轴右边或Z2轴下方。可明确得出，化工厂土壤、植物污染较重（元素含量较高），其次是长安街;动物园污染稍轻，北京植物园较洁净的结论。还可知，化工厂、长安街某些样点污染较轻;而北京植物园、动物园某些样点污染较重。

木本植物对大气污染指示与监测作用研究

本文研究了木本植物的不同部位即叶片、枝条和树皮以及植物的生理指标如气孔阻力对大气S02、TSP和重金属污染的指示和监测作用，并用树木年轮指示大气污染的历史和程度。结果认为： 承德市大气污染自1703年城市化以来开始出现，但达到严重污染水平则出现在本世纪50年代以来尤其是最近10-20年城市化与工业化的加剧，主要污染物以S02为主，从避暑山庄修建前的<0.1μg m-3达到目前的30μg m-3，重金属污染Fe自1927-45大庙铁矿开采后出现，Mn、Ni、Pb等出现在工业化以来的最近40-50年中，上述污染物含量在木质部年轮中明显升高，如S增加了10倍以上，Pb增加了560% (P<0.00l)。 不同城市功能区树皮pH和气孔阻力不同，主要与大气中的S02和TSP有关，据此可监测大气S02和TSP污染。前者以榆树、加拿大杨、垂柳和国槐最佳，相关系数分别可达-0.8384 (P<0.0l)，-0.7447、-0.6904和-0.6552 (P<0.05);后者则以白腊和旱柳下表皮最好，相关系数达0.9968和0.9951 (P<0.00l)。在扫描电镜下发现气孔受大气TSP影响出现不同程度的堵塞现象，主要有2种途径，小型颗粒物(<5μm)进入气孔腔，大型颗粒物(>30μm)可将气孔封盖。 植物不同器官部位污染物含量以树皮为最高，其次是枝条或叶，因而适宜的指示或监测部位是叶或枝条。主分量分析认为：承德市大气污染物以S为主，重金属Fe、Zn、Mn也有一定的贡献，Pb仅出现在繁忙道路区。不同季节污染物含量变化以休眠期最高，生长初期次之，生长旺盛期最低，如S和Pb分别从0.75 mg g-1和0.7 mg g-1上升到1.5 mg g-1和2.0 mg g-1(P<0.001)。植物不同季节污染物含量的变化反应了大气污染物季节变化特点，因而可以指示或监测大气污染尤其是S02污染。其中刺槐多部位复相关模型监测效果最佳，复相关系数可达0.987;某些植物单一部位的监测作用也较好，叶以珍珠梅最佳，相关系数为0.8695 (P<0.001)，枝以油松、珍珠梅、垂柳为好(r≥0.8，P <0.001)，树皮以刺槐为佳，r=0.8615 (P<0.0l)。植物不同部位的污染物含量还可用来评价大气环境质量，其中复合污染指数可以 评价总的大气环境质量，S污染指数和重金属污染指数可以评价S02、重金属和TSP污染，与直接利用污染物浓度法基本一致。油松不同部位对于大气S02的指示作用可表现为年轮对大气污染历史的指示或监测，针叶对现状S02污染的预测，并利用针叶对于S02的监测结果，绘制了大气S02污染分布图。 总之，本文利用古松年轮和现状城市植物的枝条、叶和树皮中的污染物含量以及树皮酸度等不同方面的指标，对承德市大气污染的历史和现状进行了指示与监测，即承德市大气污染从过去到现在均以S02为主，植物不同部位可以非常有效地进行大气S02污染的监测与评价，其中多部位的复相关模型预测效果极佳。另外，由植物监测而绘制的大气S02分布图，较准确地揭示了承德市大气S02现状分布规律。

重金属在菲律宾蛤仔体内的富集及其毒理效应

本文研究了重金属在菲律宾蛤仔体内的富集及其毒理效应，包括镉（Cd）对菲律宾蛤仔的毒性、Cd在蛤仔体内不同组织的富集规律、锌（Zn），铅（Pb）单一胁迫及联合胁迫下，蛤仔消化腺和鳃Zn、Pb的富集及其金属硫蛋白的含量变化。 利用水生生物毒性试验方法，分6个浓度梯度进行Cd对蛤仔的急性毒性实验，得出48h、96h半数致死量，分别为4.790mg/L、0.878mg/L，计算出Cd对菲律宾蛤仔的安全质量浓度为0.00878mg/L。根据急性毒性实验结果设定实验用海水中Cd的浓度分别为10μg/L、50μg/L、100μg/L、200μg/L及一个对照组共5组，研究了Cd在蛤仔不同组织内的积累规律。结果表明菲律宾蛤仔鳃和消化腺对Cd的富集能力较强，远高于外套膜和肌肉。实验同时显示，随着时间的延长，Cd的浓度增加，Cd富集量也增加。