Effects of soil pH and organic matter on distribution of thorium fractions in soil contaminated by rare-earth industries

The labilities of thorium fractions including mobility and bioavailability vary significantly with soil properties. The effects of soil pH and soil organic matter on the distribution and transfer of thorium fractions defined by a sequential extraction procedure were investigated. Decrease of soil pH could enhance the phytoavailability and the potential availability of thorium in soil. Increase of organic matter reduced the phytoavailability of thorium, but enhanced the potential availability of it.

Adsorption Behavior of Exogenous Thorium on Soil Contaminated by Rare Earth Industries

The adsorption behavior of exogenous thorium on soil was studied to evaluate the contaminated risk on soil. The adsorption capacity, equilibrium time, distribution coefficient and desorption ability were investigated by the experiments of static adsorption. The strong adsorption ability of exogenous thorium on soil samples was observed by high adsorption ratio (> 92%) and low desorption ratio (< 5%) in equilibrium, and the biggest distribution coefficient was over 10(4). The adsorption capacity and equilibrium time were related to soil properties. According to the results of adsorption, Freundlich equation (r >= 0.916 7) and Elovich equation (R-2 >= 0. 898 0) were primely fit for describing the thermodynamics and kinetics of the adsorption of exogenous thorium on soil samples, respectively, which indicated that the adsorption was belonged to the nonlinear adsorption, and was affected by the diffusion of thorium on soil surface and in mineral interbed. Sequential extraction procedure was employed to evaluate the bound fractions of exogenous thorium adsorbed on soil samples.

Specific determination of As(V) by an acid phosphatase-polyphenol oxidase biosensor

An original amperometric biosensor based on the simultaneous entrapment of acid phosphatase (AcP) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) into anionic clays (layered double hydroxides) was developed for the specific detection of As(V). The functioning principle of the bienzyme electrode consisted of the successive hydrolysis of phenyl phosphate into phenol by AcP, followed by the oxidation of phenol into o-quinone by PPO. The phenyl phosphate concentration was, thus, monitored by potentiostating the biosensor at -0.2 V vs Ag/AgCl to detect amperometrically the generated quinone. The detection of As(V) was based on its inhibitory effect on AcP activity toward the hydrolysis of phenyl phosphate into phenol. The As(V) can be specifically determined in pH 6.0 acetate buffer without any interferences of As(III) or phosphate, the detection limit being 2 nM or 0.15 ppb after an incubation step for 20 min.

Evaluation and application of micro-sampling system for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Two Meinhard microconcentric nebulizers, model AR30-07-FM02 and AR 30-07-FM005, were employed as a self-installed micro-sampling system for inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The FM02 nebulizer at 22 muL/min of solution uptake rate gave the relative standard deviations of 7.6%, 3.0%, 2.7%, 1.8% for determinations (n = 10) of 20 mug/L Be, Co, In and Bi, respectively, and the detection limits (3s) of 0.14, 0.10, 0.02 and 0.01 mug/L for Be, Co In and Bi, respectively. The mass intensity of In-115 obtained by this micro-sampling system was 60% of that by conventional pneumatic nebulizer system at 1.3 mL/min. The analytical results for La, Ce, Pr and Nd in 20 muL Wistar rat amniotic fluid obtained by the present micro-sampling system were precisely in good agreement with those obtained using conventional pneumatic nebulization system.

Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in biological samples analysis

Recent important applications of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in biological samples analysis are reviewed. The sample preparation, sample introduction techniques, interference correction and typical applications are introduced in detail with 154 references.

Overview on the environmental analysis of mercury in China

This paper summarizes some of the research and evaluation studies about mercury analysis in the environment during the past years in China. The main contents is as follows: 1) Determination of total mercury and speciation of mercury in air; 2) Storage and handling of water samples; 3) pre-treatment of solid samples; 4) Determination of total mercury and speciation of mercury in water and solid samples; 5) Certified reference materials.

LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY AMPEROMETRIC DETECTION OF CARBOXYLIC-ACIDS AND PHENOLIC-ACIDS WITH A COPPER-BASED CHEMICALLY-MODIFIED ELECTRODE

A copper-based chemically-modified electrode has been constructed and characterized by various experimental parameters in flow-through amperometric detection of carboxylic acids and phenolic acids. Novel hydrodynamic voltamperograms were first obtained in flow-through amperometric detection with the Cu-based CME and subsequently negative and positive peaks were observed in a single chromatogram. This unique and flexible potential dependence could be of great benefit in chromatographic speciation and quantification. These observations suggest that the detector response was governed by the complexation reaction of copper ions with the solutes.

Differences in the rDNA-bearing chromosome divide the Asian-Pacific and Atlantic species of Crassostrea (Bivalvia, Mollusca)

Karyotype and chromosomal location of the major ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) were studied using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in five species of Crassostrea: three Asian-Pacific species (C. gigas, C. plicatula, and C. ariakensis) and two Atlantic species (C. virginica and C. rhizophorae). FISH probes were made by PCR amplification of the intergenic transcribed spacer between the 18S and 5.8S rRNA genes, and labeled with digoxigenin-11-dUTP. All five species had a haploid number of 10 chromosomes. The Atlantic species had 1-2 submetacentric chromosomes, while the three Pacific species had none. FISH with metaphase chromosomes detected a single telomeric locus for rDNA in all five species without any variation. In all three Pacific species, rDNA was located on the long arm of Chromosome 10 (10q)-the smallest chromosome. In the two Atlantic species, rDNA was located on the short arm of Chromosome 2 (2p)-the second longest chromosome. A review of other studies reveals the same distribution of NOR sites (putative rDNA loci) in three other species: on 10q in C. sikamea and C. angulata from the Pacific Ocean and on 2p in C. gasar from the western Atlantic. All data support the conclusion that differences in size and shape of the rDNA-bearing chromosome represent a major divide between Asian-Pacific and Atlantic species of Crassostrea. This finding suggests that chromosomal divergence can occur under seemingly conserved karyotypes and may play a role in reproductive isolation and speciation.

Phycobilisomes linker family in cyanobacterial genomes: divergence and evolution

Cyanobacteria are the oldest life form making important contributions to global CO2 fixation on the Earth. Phycobilisomes (PBSs) are the major light harvesting systems of most cyanobacteria species. Recent availability of the whole genome database of cyanobacteria provides us a global and further view on the complex structural PBSs. A PBSs linker family is crucial in structure and function of major light-harvesting PBSs complexes. Linker polypeptides are considered to have the same ancestor with other phycobiliproteins (PBPs), and might have been diverged and evolved under particularly selective forces together. In this paper, a total of 192 putative linkers including 167 putative PBSs-associated linker genes and 25 Ferredoxin-NADP oxidoreductase (FNR) genes were detected through whole genome analysis of all 25 cyanobacterial genomes (20 finished and 5 in draft state). We compared the PBSs linker family of cyanobacteria in terms of gene structure, chromosome location, conservation domain, and polymorphic variants, and discussed the features and functions of the PBSs linker family. Most of PBSs-associated linkers in PBSs linker family are assembled into gene clusters with PBPs. A phylogenetic analysis based on protein data demonstrates a possibility of six classes of the linker family in cyanobacteria. Emergence, divergence, and disappearance of PBSs linkers among cyanobacterial species were due to speciation, gene duplication, gene transfer, or gene loss, and acclimation to various environmental selective pressures especially light.

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.

海洋环境中有机锡的形态分析及其代谢降解研究

有机锡化合物被广泛用作塑料制品中的稳定剂、船舶油漆的防污剂、工业催化剂、农林业杀虫杀菌剂以及用于木材的防腐保存等，已经引起严重的环境污染。世界上许多国家纷纷制定相应的法规对其使用加以禁止或限制。我国目前还没有明确的限制有机锡使用的法律法规，缺少有机锡污染的第一手资料，更没有长期的控制、监测与研究计划。由于有机锡的种类繁多，理化性质存在差别，所以在提取、分离和测定中均存在较大的困难。从我国这方面己有的工作来看，缺乏各种高选择性的分离方法和高灵敏度的检测方法是制约这项研究广泛开展的原因之一。有机锡的痕量与超痕量分析技术是当今环境和食品安全分析领域的前沿技术。 本论文利用高效液相色谱和电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术建立了海洋环境中多种有机化合物的同时快速检测方法；发展了多种海洋环境样品中有机锡的前处理技术；研究了有机锡在海洋生物中的分布、代谢及降解过程中化学形态的变化；同时发展了海洋环境中多种痕量元素的快速检测方法。所建立的高效液相色谱和电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术可同时、快速分析5种有机锡的形态(三甲基锡TMT、二苯基锡DPhT、二丁基锡DBT、三丁基锡TBT和三苯基锡TPhT)，其检出限均低于0.3μg/L。 用所建立方法对南海海洋生物样品中的有机锡污染进行了研究，利用SPSS软件对检测结果进行了探讨，发现在所研究海洋生物样品的97.2%中可检出丁基锡和苯基锡化合物，其浓度分布处于该化合物检出限～1487.8ng/g范围内。其中，贝类样品中总有机锡的平均浓度为416.9ng/g，远远高于鱼类样品中总有机锡的平均浓度（211.9ng/g）。海洋生物中存在高浓度的有机锡说明本海域有机锡污染严重，已经对生态环境造成了严重影响，危害到人类生活。其主要的污染源是防污涂料的应用，目前紧迫的问题是采取必要的措施来控制有机锡的使用。 本工作建立了海水样品和沉积物样品中五种有机锡的简单快速萃取方法。采用加入2%的环庚三烯酚（tropolone）的二氯甲烷CH2Cl2对海水中的有机锡进行萃取，大大提高了有机锡的萃取率，减少了萃取的时间，二苯基锡（DPhT）、二丁基锡（DBT）、三丁基锡（TBT）和三苯基锡（TPhT）的萃取率均在80%以上，仅三甲基锡（TMT）的萃取率较低（在50%左右），究其原因，可能是因为在萃取的过程中三甲基锡（TMT）产生了降解。采用流动相和0.2%环庚三烯酚酮（tropolone）对沉积物国际标准物质PACS-2进行超声萃取及高速离心后，用所建方法进行了分析。结果表明，测定值与标准值吻合。研究表明，所建立的方法可用于实际环境沉积物中有机锡的形态分析。 本文建立了流动注射与电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术直接同时测定海水中多种痕量元素的方法。该方法采用痕量进样技术，能够有效地减少海水中Na，Mg, Ca和Cl等大量基体元素对待测痕量元素测定的干扰，减少这些元素在电感耦合等离子体采样锥上的盐沉积，可以同时测量海水中的V、Cr、Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Mo、Cd、Pb，Hg和U等痕量级元素。用所建的方法测定南海海域海水中的重金属元素，发现Cd，Cr，As等有毒有害元素的污染很轻，均符合Ⅰ级海水的限量。 在海洋沉积物样品处理研究中，本工作改进了不需要赶走HF酸就可以对沉积物消解完全的密闭容器消解法，由于减少了赶走HF酸的步骤，使消解的时间由原来的二十个小时降低为十个小时，大大降低了消解的时间。采用该样品消解方法，并用ICP-MS测定了南黄海海域沉积物中锡及其他重金属元素的含量。建立了微波消解-ICP-MS测定海洋生物中锡、砷、镉、汞及铅等有害重金属元素的分析方法，并用于南黄海7个及南海海域29个海产品中的测定。测定结果表明海洋生物中上述有毒有害元素有不同程度的超标问题；不同种类，不同产地的海洋生物中重金属元素的含量有一定的差别，这些研究结果为海产品安全质量控制提供了有价值的科学信息。 在上述各章工作的基础上，本文研究了有机锡在海洋生物中的分布、代谢及降解过程，并初步建立了高效液相-电喷雾-飞行时间质谱（LC-APCI-TOF-MS）测定有机锡的方法，可对未知的有机锡化合物进行结构表征。有机锡在贝类中不同的组织显示，其内脏中有机锡的含量高于肌肉中有机锡含量。常规的煮、炸、蒸及微波的烹饪方式并不能降解海产品中的有机锡化合物。

Determination of Total Arsenic and Arsenic Metabolites in Human Liver Hepatocytes

The effects of direct sampling and three digestion methods were investigated on the determination of arsenic in Chang liver hepatocytes after ultrasonic disintegration were investigated. The results showed that the efficiency of microwave digestion and obturator digestion was better than cold digestion and direct sampling. The day precision (present as RSD) of microwave digestion and obturator digestion were 2.1% and 1.2% the inter-day precision were 1.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The spike recovery for the total As in the sample is 95.7% - 108.1%. The As detection limits with these four sample treatment methods (including direct sampling) were 0.74 - 0.93 mu g/L. In addition, arsenic speciation in Chang liver hepatocytes was also analyzed using the hyphenated technique of high performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The experimental results indicated that dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and an intermediate metabolite of DMA were found lit Chang liver hepatocytes besides inorganic arsenic (As(III) and As(V)).

Simultaneous Determination of Multi-Organotin Compounds in Seawater by Liquid-Liquid Extraction-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

The hyphenated technique of high performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) was applied to the simultaneous determination of five organotin compounds (trimethyltin, dibutyltin, tributyltin, diphenyltin and triphenyltin) in seawater samples. Agilent TC-C18 column was used for the separation, the mobile phase of HPLC was CH3CN : H2O: CH3COOH=65 : 23 : 12 (phi), 0.05% TEA, and pH value was adjusted to 3.0 by diluent ammonia. The flow rate was 0.6 mL . min(-1). Five mixed organotin compounds in a mix standard solution from 100 to 0.5 mu g . L-1 were applied for the method assessment. The experimental results indicate that the correlation coefficient of calibration curves (R-2) for each organotin compound was over 0.998 and the detection limits of the five organotin compounds were lower than 3 ng . L-1. Different mixed organic solvents including dichloromethane or toluene were used for extraction of organotin and the extraction condition of organotin from seawater was optimized. The 100 mL seawater acidized by hydrochloric acid was extracted by 10 mL carbon dichloride (CH2Cl2) with 2% tropolone for 10 min twice. Extracted organic solvents were mixed And blown to one drop by nitrogen with the rate of 1.7 mL . min(-1), then 1 mL acetonitrile was added to the drop for redissolving the organotin compounds. Finally, the mixed redissolution was filtered by 0.22 mu m organic filter membrane before analysis. it was found that the only organotin compound in seawater was triphenyltin (TPHT) and the content was 53.2 ng . L-1. The recoveries test from the standard addition for diphenyltin (DPHT), dibutyltin (DBT), tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPHT) were over 80%. However, the recovery for trimethyltin (TMT) was relatively low and the value was 50%. The reason might be attributed to the decomposition or adsorption of those compounds during the extraction procedure. Further study on this subject is in progress.

Copper complexation by fulvic acid affects copper toxicity to the larvae of the polychaete Hydroides elegans

Copper toxicity is influenced by a variety of environmental factors including dissolved organic matter (DOM). We examined the complexation of copper by fulvic acid (FA), one of the major components of DOM, by measuring the decline in labile copper by anodic stripping voltammetrically (ASV). The data were described using a one-site ligand binding model, with a ligand concentration of 0.19 mu mol site mg(-1) C, and a logK' of 6.2. The model was used to predict labile copper concentration in a bioassay designed to quantify the extent to which Cu-FA complexation affected copper toxicity to the larvae of marine polychaete Hydroides elegans. The toxicity data, when expressed as labile copper concentration causing abnormal development, were independent of FA concentration and could be modeled as a logistic function, with a 48-h EC50 of 58.9 mu g 1(-1). However, when the data were expressed as a function of total copper concentration, the toxicity was dependent on FA concentration, with a 48-h EC50 ranging from 55.6 mu g 1(-1) in the no-FA control to 137.4 mu g 1(-1) in the 20 mg 1(-1) FA treatment. Thus, FA was protective against copper toxicity to the larvae, and such an effect was caused by the reduction in labile copper due to Cu-FA complexation. Our results demonstrate the potential of ASV as a useful tool for predicting metal toxicity to the larvae in coastal environment where DOM plays an important role in complexing metal ions. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diploid and tetraploid distribution of Allium przewalskianum Regel. (Liliaceae) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions

Polyploidization plays an important role in generating the current high diversity of plants. Studies of distributional patterns of diploids and derivative autopolyploids have provided important insights into evolutionary processes and cryptic speciation of polyploidization within species defined on the basis of their morphology. However, few studies have been designed to examine distributions of infrageneric diploids and polyploids on the Asian Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Allium przewalskianum occurs widely on the QTP and in adjacent regions, at altitudes ranging from 2000m to 4500m. We collected a total of 844 individuals from 62 populations and determined their cytotypes over the entire distribution range of this species. Tetraploids tend to occur at high altitudes; however, the positive relationship between the ploidy and altitude was only marginally significant (P < 0.05). Contact zones between diploids and tetraploids were recorded on the eastern QTP from north to south. Four populations were found to harbor both cytotypes, but no triploid individuals. The wider distribution of tetraploids may be mainly due to their greater colonization ability in the new niches created by the Quaternary climatic oscillations in the QTP region. Our results offer a fundamental framework for studying evolutionary origins, adaptations and cryptic divergences of polyploids within this species complex based on molecular and/or ecological examinations in the future.