Mercury pollution caused by a chlor-alkali plant

Since the beginning of the last decade, a chlor-alkali plant operates in Sagua la Grande, in the central part of Cuba. The factor is equipped with a treatment system for trapping Hg in the waste water, which did not always function efficiently. During 1985–1988, a first evaluatian of the environmental impact by Hg was made. Analyses of a terrestrial plant (Mimosa pudica), soils, sediments and aquatic organisms, taken from a dam upstream, that atmospheric pollution by Hg is only restricted to the factory and its surrounding. Nevertheless, the liquid wastes discharged to Sagua la Grande River, have affected aquatic systems downstream up to the estuarine zone of the river mouth. This is confirmed by the examination of core and surface sediment samples, suspended matter, awnaquatic plant (water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes) and a sea urchin (Lytechinus variegatus). Different control measures have now limited the Hg discharges and should bring a progressive recuperation of the affected area.     

Mercury and arsenic pollution in soil and biological samples around the mining town of Obuasi,Ghana

Young seedlings raised from six different Norway spruce seed provenances were grown in heavy-metal contaminated soils at two severely polluted areas. After ten months, the rate of survival ranged from 30% – 42% and from 45% – 52% at the two polluted areas, respectively. Comparisons of the genetic structure analysed at eight polymorphic enzyme loci showed that the heterozygote frequencies at four of these loci have substantially increased in the surviving seedling collections across all provenances as compared to the initial embryo samples. These results were discussed in relation to the metabolic role of the respective enzymes in response to environmental stress and the possibly greater reaction efficiency of the heterozygous enzyme phenotypes in order to recognize a probable overdominant selection regime.     

Metal plant and soil pollution indexes

Micro-constituent ionic impulsion, a parameter related to metal content and introduced to explain plant uptake, is now used to propose a plant global pollution index for an industrialized area. Plant toxic levels and previous analytical results (Pb, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn) for five wild plant species and whole herbage from 14 sampling points with rural, industrial or urban character within Bilbao (Spain) zone, are used to calculate this index. On similar bases a soil pollution index is also suggested, excluding Fe as it is a natural and very variable macrocomponent. Comparisons between these two indexes are included; differences are discussed through leaf uptake or strong retention of metals by soils.     

Mercury pollution of effluent,air, and soil near a battery factory in Tanzania

Effluent, air, and soil samples near a battery factory in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where HgCl₂ is used to prevent mold growth, were collected to explore the potential for pollution of the environment from industrial discharge of Hg. Flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for Hg determinations. The concentration of Hg in the effluent ranged from <0.2 to 5.2 mg L^?1 and the Hg concentration varied greatly within and among sampling days, showing different peaks. Air contained a mean of 4.0 μg m^?3 with little variation within and between sampling days. Soils near the factory contained high Hg levels, from 6.7 to 472 mg kg^?1 in the immediate vicinity, the highest level being associated with disposal of solid waste (defective batteries). Downwind the concentration of Hg decreased with increasing distance from the factory resulting in a soil concentration of 1.0 mg Hg kg^?1 about 2 km away. Upwind the Hg concentration decreased drastically within a distance of 100 to 200 m.     

Monitoring of plant and soil pollution based on ionic impulsion

Total pollution indexes for measuring heavy metal contamination of industrialized areas may be quickly estimated from selected metal partial indexes for soil (M-SPI) or plants (M-PPI). Partial pollution indexes for plants (or soils) are calculated by the formula M-PPI (or M-SPI) = 100 (I ? I _unp)/(I _tox ?I _unp), where I = c _i ^1/ni is the ionic impulsion of the selected metal M, with oxidation number n _i, for its actual plant (or soil) concentration c _i,and I _unp and I _tox, the ionic impulsions for unpolluted and toxid levels of the M in plants (or soils). The total pollution indexes were proposed by analogous formulae containing the sums of contributions of metals accumulated in roots (Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and also Fe for plants), without participation of macroconstituents (K, Mg, Ca, Na, and also Mn), accumulated in plant tops. Partial pollution indexes may also serve to show (i) deficiency or toxicity levels of plants (or soils) and (ii) associations between pollutants, easily detected by a numerical taxonomy's dendrogram. Using correlation coefficient techniques for the Bilbao (Spain) model zone, the total soil pollution index, SPI, may be calculated from Zn-SPI, Pb-SPI, Cu-SPI or Cu-PPI. The total plant pollution index, PPI, is similarly related to Fe-PPI or Zn-PPI, though some distortion is evident when the sampling point is close to specific industrial factories. The best estimation (without distortion) for monitoring total plant pollution index is based on the sum of contributions of essential elements (Fe, Cu, and Zn). This fact suggests the existence of defense mechanisms of plants for balancing both the uptake of toxic metals and deficiencies of essential constituents. Finally total pollution indexes may be used for the estimation of the number of pollutants with toxic levels in plants or soils.     

铅锌矿区周边农田土壤跳虫群落特征与重金属污染的关联

以云南兰坪铅锌矿区周边的农田为对象,按距矿区距离设四条样带,每个样带按距河流由近至远等距选3个样点进行定量采样,测定和分析土壤跳虫物种多样性和群落结构、土壤重金属含量和理化性质、及跳虫体内的铅含量.共获跳虫26种,平均密度12042 ind·m2.样点与矿区或河流距离增加,土壤中镉、铅和锌含量下降,跳虫体内重金属含量下...     

Interdependence of air,water, and soil pollution control strategies in a power plant and a kraft mill

An analysis of cross-media (air, water, and soil) emissions resulting from various control strategies is necessary in the evaluations of emission standards as well as control strategies. This paper presents such analysis on seven control strategies for a coal-fired power plant and ten control strategies for a kraft pulp and paper mill. The data illustrated include uncontrolled and controlled emissions to all three environmental media as well as power requirement, and capital and operating costs.     

Evaluating top soil trace element pollution in the vicinity of a cement plant and a former open-cast uranium mine in central Argentina

Purpose  

Heavy metals are especially dangerous because of their persistence and toxicity. Soil behaves as a sink of heavy metals by aerial deposition of particles emitted by different human activities. The aims of this work were to identify the levels and sources of heavy metal and trace elements in agricultural and residential areas in Argentina and to evaluate the enrichment of total and HCl-extracted heavy metals.     

Mercury in plants,soil and atmosphere near a chlor-alkali complex

Data of atmospheric Hg concentrations measured near the chlor-alkali complex of Rosignano Solvay (Livorno, Italy) show that the impact of the industry on the terrestrial environment is restricted to a close area around; background values (3 to 5 ng m^?3) are reached within a radius of 4 to 5 km. Hg levels in plants (Poa sp. Pinus nigra and Solidago sp.) and in soil show the highest values in the sampling stations near the electrolytic cells.     

酸沉降区土壤－作物系统的汞污染

In acid precipitation area of Chongqing suburb the average of Hg in soil rose from 0.158mg/kg in 1984 to 0.20mg/kg in 1989,and Hg content of crops grown on these soils increased too.Both soil and vegetable Hg came mainly from power plant emission.which caused Hg and acid precipitiation pollution in environment and the Hg pollution of water,crops and milk in the area.     

逐渐干旱胁迫下两种生物土壤结皮藓类的渗透调节作用响应

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) widely occur in semiarid and arid regions throughout the world and play important roles in many desert ecosystems: protecting soil from wind erosion and detaining nutrient-rich dust and organic carbon. An experiment was conducted in the Shapotou revegetated area of the Tengger Desert, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China to investigate the physiological responses of the dominant biocrust mosses, Bryum argenteum and Didymodon vinealis, to desiccant stress using different osmotic adjustments. B. argenteum and D. vinealis accumulated K⁺, total soluble sugar, sucrose, trehalose, proline, and glycine betaine during desiccation. The proline content of B. argenteum was about two times higher than that of D. vinealis. The K⁺ and glycine betaine contents in B. argenteum were slightly higher than those in D. vinealis. In contrast, the total soluble sugar, sucrose, and trehalose contents in D. vinealis were about 3 to 5 times higher than those in B. argenteum. With gradual desiccation stress, the Na⁺ content of B. argenteum was low and did not significantly change. On the contrary, the Na⁺ content of D. vinealis sharply increased and reached a very high level of about 10 to 18 times higher than that of B. argenteum, indicating that B. argenteum and D. vinealis gradually adapted to desiccation stress by osmotic substances accumulation to different degrees.     

土壤、蔬菜的铅污染相关性分析及土壤铅污染阈限值研究

为探求土壤重金属污染和蔬菜污染的相关性,为绿色蔬菜生产提供技术支持,以郑州市常见的5种叶菜类蔬菜[油麦菜（Lactuca sativa var．Asparagina）、荆芥（Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq）、蕹菜（Lpomoea aquelica）、生菜（Lactuca sativa）、苋菜（Amaranthus hypochondriacus）]为试验材料,采用温室盆栽土培的方法研究了土壤Pb浓度与蔬菜污染的相关性,并对绿色蔬菜生产要求的土壤Pb污染阈限值进行了预测。研究结果表明：低浓度Pb污染的土壤对蔬菜生长、产量无明显影响;随着施Pb浓度的增加,5种蔬菜中的Pb含量均呈增加趋势,且与土壤中的Pb含量相关性显著;模拟得出的Pb阈限值油麦菜为39．9092&#177;2．4469mg&#183;kg^-1,荆芥43．8986&#177;3．5855mg&#183;kg^-1,蕹菜35．2934&#177;1．7872mg&#183;kg^-1,生菜33．6964&#177;2．1512mg&#183;kg^-1,苋菜34．5396&#177;2．4254mg&#183;kg^-1;对Pb富集能力由大到小排序为生菜〉苋菜〉蕹菜〉油麦菜〉荆芥。     

土壤、蔬菜Cd污染相关性分析与土壤污染阈限值研究

为探求土壤重金属污染和蔬菜污染的相关性,为绿色蔬菜生产提供技术支持,该研究以郑州市常见的5种叶菜类蔬菜(油麦菜、荆芥、蕹菜、生菜、苋菜)为试验材料,采用温室盆栽土培试验方法研究了土壤不同浓度 Cd污染与蔬菜污染的相关性,并对绿色蔬菜生产要求的土壤污染阈限值进行了分析。研究结果表明：低浓度Cd污染的土壤对蔬菜生长、产量有促进作用;随着Cd浓度的增加,5种蔬菜中的Cd含量都呈现增加趋势。蔬菜中的Cd含量与土壤中的含量相关性较好;模拟得出土壤Cd阈限值为：油麦菜(0.3199±0.0349)mg/kg,荆芥(0.3335±0.01904)mg/kg,蕹菜(0.1952±0.1072)mg/kg,生菜(0.1554±0.0064)mg/kg,苋菜(0.2690±0.0532)mg/kg;对Cd富集能力由大到小排序为：生菜、蕹菜、苋菜、油麦菜、荆芥。     

红壤中重金属的复合污染及污染指数

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of Pb,Cd,Cu,Zn and As coexisting in red soil on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) mung bean(Vigna rabiata(Linn.) Wilczek),alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.),Slash pine(Pinus elliottii Engelm.)and aspen(Populus L.).Results showed that rice,mung bean and alfalfa were significantly influenced by combined poollution of the heavy metals,the contents of Pb,Cd and As in rice grains greatly exceeded the National Standards for Food Hygiene of China.Heavy metals at a high concentration seriously retarded growth of mung bean and alfalfa,but not so obviously with slash pine and aspen.The composite index is suggested for evaluating the relativity of combined pollution with heavy metals in soil.     

Humus forms and metal pollution in soil

Smelters in northern France are a serious source of soil pollution by heavy metals. We have studied a poplar plantation downwind of an active zinc smelter. Three humus profiles were sampled at increasing distance from the smelter, and the thickness of topsoil horizons was measured along a transect. We analysed the vertical distribution of humus components and plant debris to assess the impact of heavy metal pollution on the humus forms and on soil faunal activity. We compared horizons within a profile, humus profiles between them, and traced the recent history of the site. Near the smelter, poplar trees are stunted or dead and the humus form is a mor, with a well‐developed holorganic OM horizon. Here faunal activity is inhibited, so there is little faecal deposition and humification of plant litter. At the distant site poplar grows well and faunal activity is intense, so there are skeletonized leaves and many organo–mineral earthworm and millipede faecal pellets. The humus form is a mull, with a well‐developed hemorganic A horizon. The passage from mor to mull along the transect was abrupt, mor turning to mull at 250 m from the smelter, though there was a progressive decrease in heavy metal deposition. This indicates that there was a threshold (estimated to be 20 000 mg Zn kg^?1) in the resilience of the soil foodweb.     

Mercury volatilization from a floodplain soil during a simulated flooding event

Purpose

Middle-European floodplain soils are often contaminated with mercury (Hg) and periodically flooded. In this study, the influence of a flooding event and subsequent dewatering on the volatilization of elemental Hg and methylated species was investigated in a laboratory experiment.

Material and methods

Undisturbed soil cores were taken from a topsoil (12.1?±?0.75 mg kg^?1 Hg) at the Elbe River in Lower Saxony, Germany. Soil columns were incubated at 20 °C with varying soil moisture (water-saturated for 2 weeks, 95 and 90 % water content for 1 week each), and the redox potential (E_H) was recorded. The gaseous Hg that accumulated in the headspace of the flux chamber of the columns was pumped over cooled traps filled with adsorber material and analyzed by gas chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the various Hg species.

Results and discussion

The watering of the soil resulted in a rapid decrease in the E_H and the achievement of strongly reducing conditions (E_H??1 Hg at the beginning to 5.78 μg L^?1 Hg at the end of the experiment. Species analyses revealed that exclusively elemental Hg volatilized. The volatilization rate was between 1.73 and 824 ng m^?2 h^?1 Hg, which is consistent with other studies at the Elbe River.

Conclusions

Even when flooded for a longer period of time, floodplain soils should show neither emission of methylated Hg nor exceptionally high volatilization of elemental Hg.     

Differential wind tolerance of soil crust mosses explains their micro-distribution in nature

Wind has extensive effects on biological and ecological performances of organisms throughout the world. However, the responses of desert biological soil crusts to wind are still largely unexplored. Bryum argenteum and Didymodon vinealis are two predominant soil crust mosses that exhibit restricted, contrasting microhabitats with B. argenteum being excluded from higher wind speed microsites in the windward slopes of fixed sand dunes in the Tennger Desert, Northern China. We conducted this study to determine if wind has negative effects on the ecophysiological variables of the two soil crust mosses and whether D. vinealis possesses greater resistance to high wind speed than B. argenteum. The results showed that photosynthesis, respiration, PSII photochemical efficiency, photosynthetic pigments, shoot upgrowth, productivity and regeneration potential of the two soil crust mosses were all drastically inhibited due to the rapid drying, prolonged drought period and unfavorable coupling of moisture and temperature under high wind speed conditions. In addition, D. vinealis displayed stronger resistance to wind than B. argenteum based on all of the aspects mentioned above. Overall, the negative effects of wind on the physiology of soil crust moss and the differential resistance to wind observed in this study suggest that wind is an important determinant regulator influencing ecological micro-distribution patterns of soil crust moss in desert ecosystems.     

Airborne heavy metal pollution in the environment of a danish steel plant

A survey of heavy metal deposition was carried out in the vicinity of a Danish steel plant. Bulk precipitation and transplanted lichen (Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl.) were sampled at 12 stations in the environment before and after the production had been converted from open-hearth furnaces to electric-arc furnaces. The samples were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn. The results show that heavy metal pollution from the steelworks still is severe and that it follows a decreasing power curve when the distance to the steelworks is increased. However, a reduction in the deposition of heavy metals close to the steelworks has been observed, pointing to the conclusion that the change from a situation of emission through a 46 m stack without any filter to emission from the electric arc furnaces equipped with bag-filters has lead to changes in the emission. At the sampling stations with the highest deposition levels measured in bulk precipitation the corresponding concentrations in the lichens were relatively lower indicating a change in particle size distribution. Within each station there was a direct proportionality of metal concentrations in lichens and atmospheric fallout measured in bulk precipitation.     

Differential effects of lichens and mosses on soil enzyme activity and litter decomposition

In the New Jersey Pinelands, canopy gaps in the pine-dominated forest support patches of lichens, mosses, and caespitose grasses. We tested the hypotheses that non-vascular plants and lichens can affect nutrient cycling processes and that mosses and lichens would differ from each other. We predicted that (1) lichen tissues would decompose more slowly than pine or moss tissues, (2) all plant materials would decompose more slowly beneath lichens than beneath mosses, and (3) soil enzyme activities would be higher under lichens than under mosses or grasses, reflecting greater nutrient limitation. We compared rates of decomposition of the litter of Pinus rigida and moss and lichen tissues, and measured soil enzyme activities responsible for nutrient mineralization from litter (acid and alkaline phosphatases, chitinase, β-glucosidase, aminopeptidase, and phenol oxidase) under three types of groundcover (lichens, mosses, and grasses) and unvegetated soil at two sites. While groundcover affected enzyme activities, the patterns of enzyme activities differed markedly between the two sites. In general, the enzyme activities were uniformly low. Decomposition rates were more strongly affected by the groundcover than by litter materials. While all litters tended to decompose more slowly under lichens than under mosses, supporting one of our initial hypotheses, the rates of decomposition were markedly different between the two sites. These results suggest that while mosses and lichens create patches of different soil function in both sites, the differences between the sites in unknown factors cause the enzyme activities and decomposition rates to differ.