Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was used to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from macrophyte decomposition, and to study its complexation with Cu (II) and Cd (II). Both the protein-like and the humic-like components showed a marked quenching effect by Cu (II). Negligible quenching effects were found for Cd (II) by components 1, 5 and 6. The stability constants and the fraction of the binding fluorophores for humic-like components and Cu (II) can be influenced by macrophyte decomposition of various weight gradients in aquatic plants. Macrophyte decomposition within the scope of the appropriate aquatic phytomass can maximize the stability constant of DOM-metal complexes. A large amount of organic matter was introduced into the aquatic environment by macrophyte decomposition, suggesting that the potential risk of DOM as a carrier of heavy metal contamination in macrophytic lakes should not be ignored.

For twenty-five world lakes and three engineered nanoparticles (ENP), lake retention was calculated using a uniformly mixed lake mass balance model. This follows similar approaches traditionally used in water quality management. Lakes were selected such that lake residence times, depths and areal hydraulic loadings covered the widest possible range among existing lakes. Sedimentation accounted for natural colloid as well as suspended solid settling regimes. An ENP-specific mixed sedimentation regime is proposed. This regime combines ENP sedimentation through slow settling with natural colloids from the water column, with faster settling with suspended solids from a selected part of the water column. Although sedimentation data and hydrodynamic concepts as such were not new, their first time combination for application to ENPs shows in which cases lake retention is important for these particles. In combination with ENP emission data, lake retention translates directly into potential risks of ENPs for lake benthic communities.

The removal efficiency of sediment phosphorus (P) in all fractions with a combined technology of porous ceramic filter media (PCFM) and submerged macrophytes was studied in Donghu Lake, Wuhan, China. The adsorption kinetic models of the sediment P in all fractions on PCFM could be described well by a power function equations (Qt = k · ta, 0 < a < 1). The P removal capacity of the combination of PCFM and Potamogeton crispus, a submerged macrophyte, was higher for all P forms than that of the combination of PCFM and another macrophyte, Vallisneria spiralis. This study suggested that the combination of PCFM and macrophytes could achieve a synergetic sediment P removal because the removal rates of the combinations were higher than the sum of that of PCFM and macrophytes used separately. The combined technology could be further applied to treat internal P loading in eutrophic waters.

The fraction of trans-chlordane (TC) in chlordane was used to indicate racemic degradation while the enantiomer fractions (EFs) indicated enantioselective depletion. In 44 soils of the Central Tibetan Plateau, the fractions of TC ranged from 0.368 to 0.411. The EFs ranged from 0.174 to 0.696 for TC and from 0.483 to 0.672 for cis-chlordane (CC). (−) enantiomer excess (ee) was found to be 80.0% in the soils for TC and (+) ee was 86.5% for CC. The fraction of TC changed with the clay content while the EFs changed with the soil organic carbon. Meanwhile, the fractions of TC and the EFs were determined for the surficial sediments in Yamzhog Yumco Lake, which were compared with those in the soils at its catchment area. The composition and chiral signature of chlordane did not vary between soils and sediments. Our results will help to elucidate the transformation of chlordane in soils and in surficial transport.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from bloom-forming cyanobacteria exist ubiquitously in eutrophic waters, while their effects on the aggregation/stabilization of nanoparticles remain unknown. In this study, the stability of ZnO nanoparticles (ZNPs) upon adsorption of cyanobacterial EPS was investigated by using two dimensional ATR-FTIR correlation spectroscopy, XPS and DLVO theory. Results showed that the adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics both for the total organic contents as well as the individual parallel factor-derived components. The physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques revealed the mechanism of both electrostatic attraction and surface complexation in EPS adsorption. Further analysis showed increased absorbance and turbidity of ZNPs solutions with EPS addition, demonstrating the enhanced colloidal stability. The DLVO theory explained that the increased energy barriers and values of second energy maximum were responsible for the stability enhancement. This study facilitates a deeper insight into the environmental behavior of nanoparticles in eutrophic algae-rich waters.

Microplastics are a source of environmental pollution resulting from degradation of plastic products and spillage of resin pellets. We report the amounts of microplastics from various sites of Lake Ontario and evaluate their potential for preservation in the sediment record. A total of 4635 pellets were sampled from the Humber Bay shoreline on three sampling dates. Pellet colours were similar to those from the Humber River bank, suggesting that the river is a pathway for plastics transport into Lake Ontario. Once in the lake, high density microplastics, including mineral-polyethylene and mineral-polypropylene mixtures, sink to the bottom. The minerals may be fillers that were combined with plastics during production, or may have adsorbed to the surfaces of the polymers in the water column or on the lake bottom. Based on sediment depths and accumulation rates, microplastics have accumulated in the offshore region for less than 38 years. Their burial increases the chance of microplastics preservation. Shoreline pellets may not be preserved because they are mingled with organic debris that is reworked during storm events.

Bioinvasions are a major cause of biodiversity and ecosystem changes. The rapid range expansion of the invasive quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) causing a dominance shift from zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) to quagga mussels, may alter the risk of secondary poisoning to predators. Mussel samples were collected from various water bodies in the Netherlands, divided into size classes, and analysed for metal concentrations. Concentrations of nickel and copper in quagga mussels were significantly lower than in zebra mussels overall. In lakes, quagga mussels contained significantly higher concentrations of aluminium, iron and lead yet significantly lower concentrations of zinc66, cadmium111, copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum than zebra mussels. In the river water type quagga mussel soft tissues contained significantly lower concentrations of zinc66. Our results suggest that a dominance shift from zebra to quagga mussels may reduce metal exposure of predator species.

The Gulf of Riga, river Daugava and several interconnected lakes around the City of Riga, Latvia, form a dynamic brackish-freshwater system favouring occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria. We examined bioaccumulation of microcystins and nodularin-R in aquatic organisms in Latvian lakes, the Gulf of Riga and west coast of open Baltic Sea in 2002–2007. The freshwater unionids accumulated toxins efficiently, followed by snails. In contrast, Dreissena polymorpha and most lake fishes (except roach) accumulated much less hepatotoxins. Significant nodularin-R concentrations were detected also in marine clams and flounders. No transfer of nodularin-R and microcystins between lake and brackish water systems took place. Lake mussels can transfer hepatotoxins to higher organisms, and also effectively remove toxins from the water column. Obvious health risks to aquatic organisms and humans are discussed.

Within wetlands, epiphytes and macrophytes play an important role in storage and transfer of metals, through the food web. However, there is a lack of information about spatial and temporal changes in their metal levels, including those of mercury (Hg), a key priority contaminant of aquatic systems. We assessed total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations of epiphyte/macrophyte complexes in Lake St. Pierre, a large fluvial lake of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada). THg and MeHg concentrations were ten fold higher in epiphytes than in macrophytes. THg concentrations in epiphytes linearly decreased as a function of the autotrophic index, suggesting a role of algae in epiphyte Hg accumulation, and % of MeHg in epiphytes reached values as high as 74%. Spatio-temporal variability in THg and MeHg concentrations in epiphytes and macrophytes were influenced by water temperature, available light, host species, water level, dissolved organic carbon and dissolved oxygen.

To investigate the residues, compositions, distributions and potential ecological risks of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), water samples were collected seasonally between August 2011 and November 2012 from 20 sites in Lake Chaohu and its tributary rivers. The mean concentration of total PFAAs (TPFAAs) was 14.46 ± 6.84 ng/L. PFOA was the predominant contaminant (8.62 ± 4.40 ng/L), followed by PFBA (2.04 ± 1.16 ng/L) and PFHxA (1.23 ± 1.50 ng/L). The TPFAAs concentrations peaked in August 2012 in each area, except for the western river. The opposite spatial trends were found for PFOA and PFOS in both the lake and river areas. Except for PFOS and PFUdA, the levels of TPFAAs and PFAAs were significantly related to the composition of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) but not related to total DOM expressed by dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The risk of PFOS determined by a species sensitivity distribution model was notably above that of PFOA.