The quantity, intensity, and quality of urban stormwater runoff are changing as a consequence of urbanization and climate change. Low impact development (LID) techniques (e.g., bioretention systems) are emerging to manage runoff quantity and quality. Street tree pits were used as bioretention units in Montreal, Canada. The concentration and mass flux of contaminants (Na, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured in soil solution samples from the tree pits. The soil organic matter (SOM) and the permeability of the area nearby the tree pit (sidewalk and front lawn) were tested. The SOM did not affect contaminant concentrations. However, tree pits with higher SOM reduced the mass flux of contaminants more than tree pits with lower SOM. Sidewalk permeability decreased the concentration and mass flux of contaminants observed (e.g., Na and Cr). The estimated water flux in the open part of the tree pit changed from 6.15 to 1.64 mm week⁻¹ from the less permeable units (absence of lawn + impermeable sidewalk) to the more permeable units (presence of lawn + permeable sidewalk). Urban runoff quality and quantity were locally affected by the tree pits. This indicates that the increase in surface permeability and SOM in street tree pits is advisable. Street tree pits have the potential as bioretention units to locally mitigate some of the impacts of urbanization. City planners could consider the use of street tree pits as bioretention units to help the management of urban runoff.

Reductions in sulfur emissions have initiated chemical recovery of surface waters impacted by acidic deposition in the Adirondack region of New York State. However, acidified streams remain common in the region, which limits recovery of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations. To investigate liming as a method to accelerate recovery of brook trout, the channels of two acidified streams were limed annually from 2012 to 2015, and an entire watershed of a third acidified tributary was limed by helicopter in 2013. Stream flow, water chemistry, and density of young-of-year (YOY) brook trout were measured in limed streams, an untreated acidified stream, and a buffered reference stream. Lime additions increased pH and acid-neutralizing capacity and decreased inorganic monomeric aluminum concentrations to less than 2.0 μmol/L, the minimum concentration at which in situ brook trout mortality has been documented. However, of the two channel-limed streams, only stream T8 showed a significant response (P < 0.01) in YOY density, increasing from a mean of 0.4 fish/m² before liming to 2.7 fish/m² after liming. No YOY brook trout response was observed in the stream within the limed watershed. Groundwater inputs to streams were identified by relative differences in temperature and concentrations of silica and sodium. YOY brook trout densities increased only in the channel-limed stream (T8) with suitable groundwater inputs for fall spawning and a summer nursery. Results suggest that targeted liming of acidified streams with the necessary groundwater habitat could be beneficial in accelerating recovery of brook trout populations.

Deca-bromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) regulates various aspects of spermatogenesis and male fertility through its effect on estrogen receptor α (ERα), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Because molecular mechanisms such as remodeling of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) play crucial roles in spermatogenesis, we investigated the disruptive effects of ERα agonists on the BTB in spermatogenesis. In this study, 0, 300, and 500 mg/kg/day of BDE-209 were administered to pregnant adult mice by oral gavage from gestation day 7 to postnatal day 21. SerW3 cells were treated with methylpiperidino pyrazole (MPP) for 30 min before being treated with 50 μg/mL of BDE-209. BDE-209 increases ERα in time- and dose-dependent manners and decreases formin 1 and BTB-associated protein in F1 male mice. Furthermore, BDE-209 impairs the structure and function of the BTB. Activation of ERα signaling could disrupt the BTB, leading to spermatogenesis dysfunction. The results identified the role of ERα in BTB disruption during spermatogenesis and suggested that BTB disruption occurs because of exposure to BDE-209, which could potentially affect spermatogenesis. In conclusion, Sertoli cells seem to be the primary target of BDE-209 in the perinatal period, and this period constitutes a critical window of susceptibility to BDE-209. Also, the SerW3 cell model may not be a particularly useful cell model for studying the function of the cytoskeleton.

In order to get insight into the impact of Three Gorges Dam construction on silicon distribution pattern due to the altered hydraulic and environmental conditions, the Xiangxi River was chosen as the delegate of the tributaries in the Three Gorges Reservoir; dissolved silica (DSi), biogenic silica (BSi), and lithogenic silica (LSi) were investigated monthly from November 2015 to October 2016 and the hydrodynamic conditions and environmental parameters were addressed synchronously. DSi, BSi, and LSi ranged from 56.07 to 106.07 μmol/L, 0 to 5.64 μmol/L, and 0.49 to 11.47 μmol/L, with the average concentration of 81.84 ± 14.65 μmol/L, 1.11 ± 0.69 μmol/L, and 2.68 ± 1.97 μmol/L, respectively. DSi was significantly lower in the wet season than the dry season (P < 0.05), but BSi and LSi showed a converse trend. DSi was the dominant component in the total silicon (> 90%) and it has a higher concentration in the midstream than other sites. While BSi and LSi exhibited a decrease trend from the upstream to the downstream. Statistical analysis showed that DSi and LSi was primarily controlled by discharge. BSi concentration was affected by algal growth since it was positively correlated with Chla. The backwater area retained 3.67% total silicon. It was concluded that the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of silicon distribution related to hydrodynamics was determined by the regulation of dam; permanent backwater area was the main deposition area for silicon.

Hexavalent chromium contamination of groundwater is a worldwide problem caused by anthropogenic and natural processes. We report the rate of Cr(VI) removal by two humic acids (extracted from Miocene age lignite and younger peat soil) in aqueous suspensions across a pH range likely to be encountered in terrestrial environments. Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III) in a first-order reaction with respect Cr(VI) concentration, but exhibited a partial order (~ 0.5) with respect to [H+]. This reaction was more rapid with the peat humic acid, where Cr(VI) reduction was observed at all pH values investigated (3.7 ≤ pH ≤ 10.5). ¹³C NMR and pyrolysis GC-MS spectroscopy indicate that the reaction results in loss of substituted phenolic moieties and hydroxyl groups from the humic acids. X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated that at all pH values the resulting Cr(III) was associated with the partially degraded humic acid in an inner-sphere adsorption complex. The reaction mechanism is likely to be controlled by ester formation between Cr(VI) and phenolic/hydroxyl moieties, as this initial step is rapid in acidic systems but far less favourable in alkaline conditions. Our findings highlight the potential of humic acid to reduce and remove Cr(VI) from solution in a range of environmental conditions.

Despite the Mediterranean Sea basin is among the most sensitive areas over the world for climate change and air quality issues, it still remains less studied than the oceanic regions. The domain investigated by the research ship Minerva Uno cruise in Summer 2015 was the Tyrrhenian Sea. An overview on the marine boundary layer (MBL) concentration levels of carbonyl compounds, ozone (O₃), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is reported. The north-western Tyrrhenian Sea samples showed a statistically significant difference in acetone and SO₂ concentrations when compared to the south-eastern ones. Acetone and SO₂ values were higher in the southern part of the basin; presumably, a blend of natural (including volcanism) and anthropogenic (shipping) sources caused this difference. The mean acetone concentration reached 5.4 μg/m³; formaldehyde and acetaldehyde means were equal to 1.1 μg/m³ and 0.38 μg/m³, respectively. Maximums of 3.0 μg/m³ for formaldehyde and 1.0 μg/m³ for acetaldehyde were detected along the route from Civitavecchia to Fiumicino. These two compounds were also present at levels above the average in proximity of petrol-refining plants on the coast; in fact, formaldehyde reached 1.56 μg/m³ and 1.60 μg/m³, respectively, near Milazzo and Augusta harbors; meanwhile, acetaldehyde was as high as 0.75 μg/m³ at both sites. The levels of formaldehyde agreed with previously reported measurements over Mediterranean Sea and elsewhere; besides, a day/night trend was observed, confirming the importance of photochemical formation for this pollutant. According to this study, Mediterranean Sea basin, which is a closed sea, was confirmed to suffer a high anthropic pressure impacting with diffuse emissions, while natural contribution to pollution could come from volcanic activity, particularly in the south-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea region.

Our goal was to reconstruct soil recovery from Acid Rain based upon removal of stemflow at beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands of known historic and recent soil status. Fourteen beech stands in the Vienna Woods were selected in 1984 and again in 2012 to study changes in soil and foliar chemistry over time. A part of those stands had been strip cut, and to assess reversibility of soil acidification, we analyzed soils around beech stumps from different years of felling, representing the years when acidic stemflow ceased to affect the soil. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that changes of soil chemistry are reflected in the stemwood of beech. Half-decadal samples of tree cores were analyzed for Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, and Al. Soil analyses indicated recovery in the top soil of the stemflow area but recovery was delayed in the between trees areas and deeper soil horizons. Differences in soil pH between proximal and distal area from beech stumps were still detectable after 30 years indicating that soils may not recover fully from acidification or do so at a rather slow rate. Stemwood contents indicated mobilization of base cations during the early 80s followed by a steady decrease thereafter. Backward reconstructions of soil pH and soil nutrients, building on regressions between recent stemwood and soil chemistry, could not be verified by measured soil data in 1984, but matched with declining cation foliar contents from 1984 to 2012. Dendrochemical reconstructions showed highest values in the 1980s, but measured soil exchangeable cation contents were clearly lower in 1984. Hence, we conclude that our reconstructions mimicked soil solution rather than soil exchanger chemistry.

Overland flow caused by rainfall is one of the critical factors influencing soil erosion and loss of soil nutrients. Therefore, the study on the mechanism and controlling measures of soil nutrient transport proposed is considered important. A simulation experiment was performed to investigate the effects of polyacrylamide application rates (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/m²) and flow rates (400 ml/min, 600 ml/min, and 800 ml/min) on runoff, infiltration rate, soil losses, and the concentration of ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺) in runoff at loess slope (0.8 m (width) × 1.5 m (length) and 5°). As the results suggest runoff, sediment loss, and soil nutrient loss increased by increasing flow rate. Applicable amount of polyacrylamide (PAM) can effectively increase infiltration and reduce soil erosion, but excess amount of dissolved PAM would plug porosity of soil which could decrease the infiltration. The ammonia nitrogen loss amount was decreased with the increase of the PAM application rate. The ammonia nitrogen loss amount respectively decreased by 40.0%, 57.0%, 59.1%, and 63.4% with the PAM application rate of 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/m². The best performance with the coefficient of determination (R²) showed that the ammonium transport with runoff can be well described by the proposed model in flow scour experiments of this study. Furthermore, the model parameter b has a significant positive exponential relation with the total amount of sediment.

We use a 32-year dataset from a rural, southeastern New York stream to describe the effect of long-term road salt use on concentrations of sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻). Mean annual stream Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations initially increased, reached a plateau, and then increased again. Trends in summer and winter stream concentrations were similar but summer concentrations were higher than winter, indicating that salt entered the stream via groundwater discharge. Seasonal and inter-annual variability in stream Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations and export were high in the latter years of the study and can be explained by increased variability in stream discharge. Stream water Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations were positively correlated with conductivity, and conductivity was negatively correlated with discharge during all seasons (p < 0.001). We used road salt application data from a local agency to examine effects of best management practices. Despite reductions in salt application, there was no commensurate decrease in stream water Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations. We estimate that the legacy of long-term salt accumulation in groundwater and soils may delay a decline in stream water Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations by 20–30 years. Continued research to develop road salt reduction practices is important to mitigate impacts on freshwater ecosystems and drinking water supplies.

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were measured in 24 h fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) samples collected from May 2015 to April 2016 at urban and rural sites in Nanchong, a rapidly urbanized but low-level industrialized city in the Sichuan Basin, China. The annual average PM₂.₅, OC, and EC concentrations at urban sites were 45.6–55.7, 8.5–11.5, and 2.8–3.4 μg m⁻³, respectively, which were similar to the corresponding values (48.3, 10.6, and 3.3 μg m⁻³) at the rural site. The PM₂.₅ concentrations displayed strong monthly variations, with the highest (78.8–105.0 μg m⁻³) in January or February. Likewise, daily OC and EC concentrations exhibited high values in October (only for OC) and December 2015 to February 2016. Correlation, positive matrix factorization, and concentration weighted trajectory analyses were combined to investigate the sources of carbonaceous aerosol. The results indicated that OC and EC were mainly from biomass burning (60.7% and 45.8%) and coal combustion (30.2% and 25.7%), followed by vehicle emissions and road dust. The enhanced emissions from residential coal and biofuel uses in winter and straw combustion in October contributed to higher concentrations of OC and EC during these months. The contributions of biomass burning to OC and EC were significantly higher at the rural site (69.2% and 51.8%) than urban sites (56.3–58.6% and 37.8–41.5%). In addition to local emissions, the high concentrations of OC and EC at Nanchong were also influenced by regional transport in the basin.