In this paper we present the studies conducted on blood samples taken from Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Birds were captured for ringing purposes (n = 43) in two small and two big towns (including highly urbanized areas). For comparison samples of blood from birds shot on fish ponds were used (n = 26). Based on the body mass all sampled individuals can be assessed as being in good condition. Levels of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in blood samples were measured with AAS. Concentrations of metals did not differ statistically between sexes and made up a following order: Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr ≈ Ni > Pb > Cd. Mallards from towns revealed lower concentrations of Zn and Cu but higher concentration of Fe. There was no difference in exposition to Pb between birds from towns and fish ponds.

The use of accumulation bioindicator to assess metal bioavailability has mainly concerned individual species. This work addresses this issue at the plant community level. Metal content within different species from plant communities found at three contaminated and one uncontaminated site was compared. Results showed that for two contaminated sites, leaf metals concentrations were comparable to those in plants from control site, i.e. approx (mg/kg) 0.1 Cd, 0.2 Cr, 9.2 Cu, 1.8 Ni, 0.5 Pb and 42 Zn. Only plants from the third site showed higher metal contents, ranging from 1.5- to 8-fold those of the control community. This contrasted with ammonium acetate–EDTA extractions, which indicated a very high “availability” of metals at the three sites, as compared to the control site. Thus, metal content in plant communities provided accurate information on actual transfer toward the ensemble of vegetation, which could be used to establish site-specific “fingerprints” of metal bioavailability.

Coastal lagoons are constantly subjected to releases of chemical pollutants, and so organisms may be exposed to such toxicants. This study investigated through a multivariate approach the physiological status of bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, farmed in Sacca di Goro lagoon. Biomarkers at different levels of biological organization (catalase, superoxide dismutase, genotoxicity, reburrowing behavior) were evaluated at three sites exposed to different environmental conditions. A seasonal trend was observed, and micronucleus frequency was significantly lowest at the relatively pristine reference site. Enzymatic activity toward oxyradicals be quite efficient since variations in responsiveness were not consistent. However, behavioral impairment was observed in reburrowing rates. Sediment concentrations showed low PAH levels and high natural levels of trace metals Cr and Ni. DistLM statistical analysis revealed a non-significant relationship between selected biomarkers and xenobiotics. Therefore other potentially toxic compounds in admixture at low doses may be involved in driving differing spatial distribution of physiological impairment.

Reliable approaches for predicting pollutant build-up are essential for accurate urban stormwater quality modelling. Based on the in-depth investigation of metal build-up on residential road surfaces, this paper presents empirical models for predicting metal loads on these surfaces. The study investigated metals commonly present in the urban environment. Analysis undertaken found that the build-up process for metals primarily originating from anthropogenic (copper and zinc) and geogenic (aluminium, calcium, iron and manganese) sources were different. Chromium and nickel were below detection limits. Lead was primarily associated with geogenic sources, but also exhibited a significant relationship with anthropogenic sources. The empirical prediction models developed were validated using an independent data set and found to have relative prediction errors of 12–50%, which is generally acceptable for complex systems such as urban road surfaces. Also, the predicted values were very close to the observed values and well within 95% prediction interval.

The concentration of heavy metals and soil properties in fifty urban garden soils of Szeged (SE Hungary) were determined to evaluate the cumulative impacts of urbanization and cultivation on these soils. Using two enrichment factors (EFs) (based on reference horizon; Ti as reference element) and multivariate statistical analysis (PCA), the origin of the studied elements was defined.According to statistical coincidence of EFs confirmed by t-test, anthropogenic enrichment of Cu (EF = 4), Zn (EF = 2.7) and Pb (EF = 2.5) was significant in topsoils. Moreover, PCA also revealed the geogenic origin of Ni, Co, Cr and As and differentiated two groups of the anthropogenic metals [Pb, Zn] [Cu]. Spatial distribution of the metals visualized by GIS reflected the traffic origin of Pb; while based on ANOVA, the anthropogenic source of Cu is relevant (mainly pesticides) and there is a statistically significant difference in its concentration depending on land use.

The objective of our study was to determine the trace metal accumulation rates in the Misten bog, Hautes-Fagnes, Belgium, and assess these in relation to established histories of atmospheric emissions from anthropogenic sources. To address these aims we analyzed trace metals and metalloids (Pb, Cu, Ni, As, Sb, Cr, Co, V, Cd and Zn), as well as Pb isotopes, using XRF, Q-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively in two 40-cm peat sections, spanning the last 600 yr. The temporal increase of metal fluxes from the inception of the Industrial Revolution to the present varies by a factor of 5–50, with peak values found between AD 1930 and 1990. A cluster analysis combined with Pb isotopic composition allows the identification of the main sources of Pb and by inference of the other metals, which indicates that coal consumption and metallurgical activities were the predominant sources of pollution during the last 600 years.

A series of representative street dust samples were collected from a heavily industrialized city, Zhuzhou, in central China, with the aim to investigate the spatial distribution and pollution status of 17 trace metal/metalloid elements. Concentrations of twelve elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, As, Sb, In, Bi, Tl, Ag and Ga) were distinctly amplified by atmospheric deposition resulting from a large scale Pb/Zn smelter located in the northwest fringe of the city, and followed a declining trend towards the city center. Three metals (W, Mo and Co) were enriched in samples very close to a hard alloy manufacturing plant, while Ni and Cr appeared to derive predominantly from natural sources. Other industries and traffic had neglectable effects on the accumulation of observed elements. Cd, In, Zn, Ag and Pb were the five metal/metalloids with highest pollution levels and the northwestern part of city is especially affected by heavy metal pollution.

Airborne exposures of carcinogenic and co–carcinogenic pollutants, emitted from industries and various diffuse sources in a 10km radius of Gibraltar, were calculated at the west side of the Rock of Gibraltar facing the Bay. 2005 and 2008 industrial annual emission rates reported to E–PRTR and 2005 municipal diffuse annual emission rates were entered in OML–Multi, a multi–source version of an atmospheric Gaussian plume local scale dispersion model. The model results reveal that carcinogens PAH, represented by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), arsenic and nickel, and potentially chromium are the priority pollutants with respect to human cancer risk and that the contribution from industrial sources on the Spanish coastal area exceeds that from the diffuse sources from adjacent Spanish municipalities. There is a decrease in annual mean air concentrations from industrial emissions between the years 2005 and 2008. The assessment of contribution to the Gibraltar air concentrations of the priority pollutants from industrial sources shows that refinery CEPSA, chemical industry Petresa and petroleum industry Lubricantes del Sur are significant for nickel. Chemical industry Interquisa is significant for PAHs with a notable decrease in PAH emissions from 2006 to 2007, whereas the contribution from CEPSA is more constant. For arsenic only CEPSA shows a continuous trend and contributes to the 2008 air concentration together with sewerage Edar de la Linea de la Concepcion. CEPSA and metal industry Acerinox contribute the most to the chromium air concentrations. NO2/NOx is the most critical co–carcinogen and electricity plant Central Termica Los Barrios, CEPSA, electricity plant Generacion Electrica Peninsular and electricity plant Cogeneracion de Interquisa are the most significant contributors to the air concentrations in Gibraltar. Pollutant contributions from CEPSA flaring, ship traffic in the Bay and Strait, local road traffic and local diesel generators are currently un–quantified.

The main objective of this study was to test water samples collected from 10 locations in the Dilovası area (a town in the Kocaeli region of Turkey) for heavy metal contamination and to classify the heavy metal (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb and Hg) contents in water samples using chemometric methods. The heavy metals in the water samples were identified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To ascertain the relationship among the water samples and their possible sources, the correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA) were used as classification techniques. About 10 water samples were classified into five groups using PCA. A very similar grouping was obtained using CA.

Eight metals in sediment samples at 15 sites from the Shantou Bay were analyzed with BCR sequential extraction protocol to obtain the metal distribution patterns in the bay. The results showed that the heavy metal pollutions in upper bay were more severe than in middle and down reaches of the bay. Both total and non-residual fractions of metals with a exception of Mn showed a seaward decrease trend. More than 54% of the total concentrations of Cd, Mn and Zn existed in the acid soluble fraction. Ni, Co, Cr and Fe mainly (more than 51%) occurred in the residual fraction. While Pb and Cu dominantly presented in the reducible (50%) and oxidable (33%) fraction respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the heavy metals in the non-residual fractions resulted from largely anthropogenic sources, including river input, city runoff and port discharge. These contributing sources are highlighted by cluster analysis.