Effects of human activities on migratory waterbirds at Lashihai Lake, China

Surveys on migratory waterbirds and their habitats at Lashihai Lake, China, were conducted from October 1999 to April 2000. Five fixed points, representing different degrees of habitat disturbance and quality, were selected around the lake. We used counts (n = 30) to compare diversity and abundance of waterbirds at each point and evaluate the effects of habitat disturbance. The distribution of waterbirds was affected by disturbance, with snore than one-third of the total species and nearly half of the total individuals occurring at the least disturbed point. Species richness was weakly and abundance was strongly correlated to habitat disturbance, but not to habitat quality. Habitat destruction and use of canoes were prominent at the lake. Naxi ethnic fishermen (n = 37) were interviewed. They caught 570 waterbirds between October 1999 and March 2000 in fishing nets. An estimation of the total number of waterbirds been trapped on the lake is 6164. Diving species were most susceptible. Conservation measures that should implement immediately include the cessation of habitat destruction, better plan for the development of tourism, a reduction in the number of canoes and zoning of the non-fishing area. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

First Identification of the Hepatotoxic Microcystins in the Serum of a Chronically Exposed Human Population Together with Indication of Hepatocellular Damage

Hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs) are the most commonly reported cyanotoxins in eutrophic freshwaters. In 1996, human intoxications by MCs caused deaths of 76 patients at Caruaru dialysis centers in Brazil. So far, there have been no direct evidences of MC occurrence in human tissue in consequence of exposure to MC. In this study, we improved cleanup procedures for detecting MCs in serum sample using liquid chromatographymass spectrometry, and confirmed for the first time the presence of MCs in serum samples (average 0.39 ng/ml, which amounts to ca. 1/87 of the concentrations found in tissue samples of the Caruaru victims) of fishermen at Lake Chaohu. Daily intake by the fishermen was estimated to be in the range of 2.2-3.9 mu g MC-LReq, whereas the provisional World Health Organization tolerable daily intake (TDI) for daily lifetime exposure is 0.04 mu g/kg or 2-3 mu g per person. Moreover, statistical analysis showed closer positive relationships between MC serum concentrations and concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase than between the MC concentrations and other biochemical indicators. Thus, the data raise the question whether extended exposure in the range of the TDI or up to a factor of 10 above it may already lead to indication of liver damage. The results also demonstrate a risk of health effects from chronic exposure to MCs at least for populations with high levels of exposure, like these fishermen.

Tide-influenced acidic hydrothermal system offshore NE Taiwan

Elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide emitted offshore of northeastern Taiwan known to local fishermen for generations, but never studied until recently, are found to have originated from a cluster of shallow (< 30 m depth) hydrothermal vents. Among the mounds is a massive 6 m high chimney with a diameter of 4 m at the base composed of almost pure sulfur and discharging hydrothermal fluid containing sulfur particles. The sulfur in the chimney has a delta(34)S= 1.1 parts per thousand that is isotopically lighter than seawater. A yellow smoker at shallow depths with such characteristics has never been reported on anywhere else in the world. Gas discharges from these vents are dominated by CO2 (> 92%) with small amounts of H2S. Helium isotopic ratios 7.5 times that of air indicate that these gases originate from the mantle. High temperature hydrothermal fluids have measured temperatures of 78-116 degrees C and pH (25 degrees C) values as low as 1.52, likely the lowest to be found in world records. Low temperature vents (30-65 degrees C) have higher pH values. Continuous temperature records from one vent show a close correlation with diumal tides, suggesting rapid circulation of the hydrothermal fluids. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

贵州省典型土法炼汞地区汞的生物地球化学循环和人体汞暴露评价

贵州省是我国最重要的汞工业基地，境内分布着大量的汞矿床，汞金属储量88000 t，占全国总储量近80%。汞矿开采、冶炼历史悠久，大规模的汞矿开采冶炼活动都已经停止。但是，由于汞矿区偏僻的自然地理位置、落后的经济水平和近期金属汞价格的攀升，这些地区仍然存在着较大规模的土法炼汞活动。大面积的土法炼汞活动和长期的大规模汞矿开采冶炼活动，给矿区生态环境造成了严重的汞污染。土法炼汞工艺十分落后，冶炼过程向周围大气释放大量的汞，而土法炼汞工人也必然会遭受严重的汞蒸气暴露。释放到大气的汞在进入周围环境后，在自然条件下通过微生物活动，会转化为毒性、生物有效性更强的甲基汞，并通过食物链富集放大，最终对矿区居民的身体健康构成一定的威胁。 本文选择贵州省务川汞矿区、万山汞矿区和铜仁垢溪、老屋场土法炼汞地区，进行了土法炼汞的汞释放量估算、汞矿地区环境汞污染调查及炼汞工人和矿区居民汞暴露调查和健康风险评价，系统阐述了贵州典型土法炼汞地区汞的生物地球化学循环特征及人体汞暴露评价。 1. 务川和铜仁垢溪地区的土法炼汞活动是当地大气的最主要人为释汞源。务川汞矿区土法炼汞的平均释汞因子为18.2%（6.9-32.1%），土法炼汞活动每年向大气排汞3.7-9.6 t；铜仁垢溪地区土法炼汞的平均释汞因子为9.8%（6.6-14.5%），土法炼汞活动每年向大气排汞1.3-2.7 t。 2. 务川汞矿区大面积的土法炼汞活动和长期大规模的汞矿活动以及垢溪、老屋场地区的土法炼汞活动，给当地的大气、地表水体和土壤造成了严重的汞污染，而汞污染程度受汞矿开采冶炼活动的历史和规模的影响显著。务川汞矿区大气汞浓度空间变化很大（7-40000 ng•m-3），受矿业活动影响的区域，大气汞含量明显升高；重污染区大气汞平均浓度为15000 ng•m-3，轻污染区为120 ng•m-3，对照区为24 ng•m-3。务川矿区地表水体的总汞含量的变化范围为43-2100 ng•L-1，总甲基汞含量变化范围为0.30-1.1 ng•L-1；垢溪、老屋场地区地表水体总汞含量的变化范围为92-2300 ng•L-1，总甲基汞含量变化范围为2.6-7.9 ng•L-1，地表水体显示了极强的甲基化能力。颗粒态汞占地表水体总汞含量的绝大部分比例，是矿区地表水体汞迁移的主要方式；而甲基汞则以溶解态为主。务川汞矿区土壤总汞含量的变化范围为1.3-360 mg•kg-1，垢溪、老屋场地区土壤总汞含量的变化范围为0.18-47.5 mg•kg-1，土壤剖面表层土壤汞的富集表明大气汞的沉降是土壤汞的重要来源，而土壤pH、有机质含量和土地利用类型影响着土壤中汞的迁移和富集。 3. 务川汞矿区土法炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值高达1060 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁垢溪地区炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值为347 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁老屋场地区炼汞工人尿汞含量的平均值为917 g•g-1 Cr，土法炼汞工人尿汞平均含量远远超过世界卫生组织规定的职业暴露人群的最大允许值-50 g•g-1 Cr，说明土法炼汞工人遭受严重的汞蒸气暴露。部分土法炼汞工人已经表现出轻度慢性汞中毒的症状，其肾脏已经遭受到一定程度的损伤。铜仁垢溪地区一般居民尿汞的平均值为40.0 g•g-1 Cr，铜仁老屋场地区一般居民尿汞含量的平均值为66.2 g•g-1 Cr，万山汞矿区大水溪居民尿汞含量的平均值为56.9 g•g-1 Cr，说明土法炼汞地区一般居民也遭受一定的汞蒸气暴露。对照区人群尿汞含量的平均值为1.30 g•g-1 Cr，万山下场溪村居民尿汞含量的平均值为2.5 g•g-1 Cr，其尿汞水平与对照组接近。 4. 食用大米是汞矿区居民甲基汞暴露的主要途径。万山汞矿区大水溪、下场溪和报溪3个村庄居民头发总汞含量的几何平均值分别为7.3、1.9和2.3 g•g-1，而头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为2.8、1.3和1.5 g•g-1，说明万山汞矿区居民存在一定程度的汞暴露。3个村庄居民食用大米总汞的平均含量分别为58.5、21.3和33.1 ng•g-1，大米甲基汞的平均含量分别为14.6、5.7和4.0 ng•g-1。居民食用的蔬菜、猪肉和饮水也表现出很高的总汞含量，但是甲基汞含量很低。3个村庄居民食用大米的摄入量占总甲基汞摄入量的平均比例分别为97.5%、94.1%和93.5%，且不同参与者每日通过食用大米的甲基汞摄入量和对应的头发甲基汞含量之间存在显著的相关关系 (r=0.65, p<0.01)，这证实了居民头发甲基汞的来源确实是食用大米，食用大米是汞矿区居民甲基汞暴露的主要途径。 5. 铜仁垢溪、老屋场地区炼汞工人头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为5.05 g•g-1（2.35-10.6 g•g-1）和5.63 g•g-1（2.54-9.55 g•g-1），而一般居民头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为3.53 g•g-1（1.87-5.65 g•g-1）和4.01 g•g-1（2.29-9.23 g•g-1）。万山汞矿区大水溪、下场溪和报溪3个村庄居民头发甲基汞的平均含量分别为2.8、1.3和1.5 g•g-1。务川汞矿区土法炼汞工人和居民的头发甲基汞含量的变化范围为0.47-5.69 μg•g-1。对照组头发甲基汞的平均含量为0.65 g•g-1，变化范围为0.26¬-1.38 g•g-1。食用大米甲基汞摄入量的估算表明，铜仁垢溪和老屋场地区部分居民的甲基汞摄入量已经超过世界卫生组织2003年制定的标准-0.23 g•d-1•kg-1，汞矿区大部分人群的甲基汞摄入量超过了美国环保局的推荐值－0.1 g•d-1•kg-1 (USEPA, 1997)，而对照区居民的甲基汞摄入量均没有超过这一推荐值，表明铜仁垢溪和老屋场地区居民存在一定的甲基汞暴露风险，而其他汞矿区人群也存在通过食用大米暴露甲基汞的潜在风险。