Establishment of water quality criteria (WQC) is one procedure for protection of marine organisms and their ecosystems. This study, which integrated two separate approaches, quantitative ion character–activity relationships (QICARs) and species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), developed a novel QICAR-SSD model. The QICARs predict relative potencies of individual elements while SSDs integrate relative sensitivities among organisms. The QICAR-SSD approach was applied to derive saltwater WQC for 34 metals or metalloids. Relationships between physicochemical properties of metal ions and their corresponding potencies for acute toxicity to eight selected marine species were determined. The softness index (σp) exhibited the strongest correlation with the acute toxicity of metals (r² > 0.66, F > 5.88, P < 0.94 × 10⁻²). Predictive criteria maximum concentrations for the eight metals, derived by applying the SSD approach to values predicted by use of QICARs, were within the same order of magnitude as values recommended by the US EPA (2009). In general, the results support that the QICAR-SSD approach is a rapid method to estimate WQC for metals for which little or no information is available for marine organisms.

It is necessary to find an effective soil remediation technology for the simultaneous removal of hydrophobic organic contaminants and heavy metals from contaminated soils. In this work, a novel cysteine-β-cyclodextrin (CCD) was synthesized by the reaction of β-cyclodextrin with cysteine, and the structure of CCD was confirmed by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Pot-culture experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of CCD on the phytoremediation of soil co-contaminated with phenanthrene and lead. The results showed that CCD can enhance the phytoremediation of soil co-contaminated with phenanthrene and lead. When CCD was added to the co-contaminated soil, the concentrations of phenanthrene and Pb in roots and shoots of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) significantly increased, the presence of CCD is beneficial to the accumulation of phenanthrene and Pb in ryegrass, and the residual concentrations of phenanthrene and Pb in soils significantly decreased. Under the co-contamination of 500 mg Pb kg⁻¹ and 50 mg PHE kg⁻¹, the bioconcentration factor of phenanthrene and Pb in the presence of CCD was increased by 1.43-fold and 4.47-fold, respectively. After CCD was added to the contaminated soils, the residual concentration of phenanthrene and Pb in unplanted soil was decreased by 18 and 25 %, respectively. However, for the planted soil, the residual concentration of phenanthrene and Pb was decreased by 48 and 56 %, respectively. CCD may improve the bioavailability of phenanthrene and Pb in co-contaminated soil; CCD enhanced phytoremediation technology may be a good alternative for the removal of hydrophobic organic contaminants and heavy metals from contaminated soils.

This study aimed to investigate the emission and multimedia fate as well as potential risks of triclosan (TCS) in all of 58 basins in China. The results showed that the total usage of TCS in whole China was 100 t/year, and the discharge to the receiving environment was estimated to be 66.1 t/year. The predicted TCS concentrations by the level III fugacity model were within an order of magnitude of the reported measured concentrations. TCS (90.8 %) was discharged into the water compartment and 9.2 % to the soil compartment. The TCS concentration levels in east China were found generally higher than in west China. In addition, the input flux for TCS to seawater was largely attributed to the seasonal variations in advection flows. Preliminary risk assessment showed that medium to high ecological risks for TCS would be expected in the eastern part of China due to the high population density.

The underground extraction of Pb-Zn mineralization in the Touiref area stopped in 1958. A large volume of flotation tailings (more than 500 Mt) containing sulfides were deposited in a tailings impoundment. The goals of this study are to evaluate the neutralization capacity of the unoxidized and oxidized tailings, to assess the speciation of metals between the different components of the tailings material, and to assess the mobility of metals and the secondary minerals’ precipitation in pore waters using geochemical modeling. To accomplish these objectives, representative samples from both fresh and oxidized zones were collected along a vertical profile through the tailings pile. Physical, chemical (ICP-MS), and mineralogical characterization (X-ray diffraction (XRD), reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM)) of these samples was performed. Grain size analysis shows that the tailings are dominated by silt- to sand-sized fractions. The microscopic observation highlights the presence of pyrite, marcasite, galena, and sphalerite as primary minerals in a carbonated matrix. The study reveals also the presence of secondary minerals represented by cerussite, smithsonite, anglesite, and Fe oxi-hydroxides as important scavengers for trace elements. The static tests show that the presence of calcite in the tailing samples ensures acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC), which is significantly greater than the acidity potential (PA). The geochemical characterization of the unoxidized samples shows higher Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations than the oxidized samples containing the highest values for Fe and SO₄. Sequential extraction tests show that significant percentages of metals are distributed between the acid-soluble fractions (Cd, Pb, and Zn) and the reducible one (Zn). Pore water analysis indicates that Ca is the dominant cation (8,170 and 6,200 mg L⁻¹, respectively), whereas sulfate is the principal anion (6,900 and 5,100 mg L⁻¹, respectively). Saturation index (SI) calculations of minerals in pore water extracted from both the oxidized and unoxidized samples are indicative of gypsum (SI >0) and Fe(III) oxides (SI ≫0) precipitation. The latter controls the Fe concentration in solution.

We present here observations on diurnal and seasonal variation of mixing ratio and δ¹³C of air CO₂, from an urban station—Bangalore (BLR), India, monitored between October 2008 and December 2011. On a diurnal scale, higher mixing ratio with depleted δ¹³C of air CO₂ was found for the samples collected during early morning compared to the samples collected during late afternoon. On a seasonal scale, mixing ratio was found to be higher for dry summer months (April–May) and lower for southwest monsoon months (June–July). The maximum enrichment in δ¹³C of air CO₂ (−8.04 ± 0.02‰) was seen in October, then δ¹³C started depleting and maximum depletion (−9.31 ± 0.07‰) was observed during dry summer months. Immediately after that an increasing trend in δ¹³C was monitored coincidental with the advancement of southwest monsoon months and maximum enrichment was seen again in October. Although a similar pattern in seasonal variation was observed for the three consecutive years, the dry summer months of 2011 captured distinctly lower amplitude in both the mixing ratio and δ¹³C of air CO₂ compared to the dry summer months of 2009 and 2010. This was explained with reduced biomass burning and increased productivity associated with prominent La Nina condition. While compared with the observations from the nearest coastal and open ocean stations—Cabo de Rama (CRI) and Seychelles (SEY), BLR being located within an urban region captured higher amplitude of seasonal variation. The average δ¹³C value of the end member source CO₂ was identified based on both diurnal and seasonal scale variation. The δ¹³C value of source CO₂ (−24.9 ± 3‰) determined based on diurnal variation was found to differ drastically from the source value (−14.6 ± 0.7‰) identified based on seasonal scale variation. The source CO₂ identified based on diurnal variation incorporated both early morning and late afternoon sample; whereas, the source CO₂ identified based on seasonal variation included only afternoon samples. Thus, it is evident from the study that sampling timing is one of the important factors while characterizing the composition of end member source CO₂ for a particular station. The difference in δ¹³C value of source CO₂ obtained based on both diurnal and seasonal variation might be due to possible contribution from cement industry along with fossil fuel / biomass burning as predominant sources for the station along with differential meteorological conditions prevailed.

The increasing levels of heavy metals in the environment generally related with the rapid industrialization and urbanization. Mercury (Hg) is a global toxin with wide concerns, and China gradually becomes the main producer, consumer, and emitter of Hg in the world. However, few historical data are available on the occurrence of Hg in Chinese urban areas. Here, we collected 35 lake surface sediment samples from 35 public parks and 1 sediment core in the Luxun Park in Shanghai, a hyper-urbanization city in China, to determine the spatial and vertical distributions of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) and to explore the Hg pollution history with the industrial development. Higher concentrations of Hg and MeHg and greater Hg enrichment were found in urban areas compared with suburban area with the following order: central urban core area > developed urban area > developing urban area > suburban area. The THg concentration in the sediment core showed an increasing trend from 1876 to 2000 and a decreasing trend from 2000 to 2012, coinciding with the process of industrialization and urbanization in Shanghai. However, THg fluxes unceasingly increased from 1876 to present probably attributed to coal consumption in the suburban area and transportation agglomeration in the central urban core area. Unlike THg, no significant variations for MeHg with time and the maximum value (0.17 μg/kg) appeared in 1947. The methylation ratio of MeHg to THg in the sediment is pretty low, and more studies are needed to further understand the fate of Hg in the environment.

China has witnessed rapid economic growth in the past three decades, especially in coastal areas. Particulate matter (PM) pollution is becoming increasingly serious in China’s cities along the western Pacific coast with the rapid development of China’s society and economy. This study analyzed PM (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) in terms of their mass and chemical composition in four coastal Chinese cities. The goal was to study the spatial variation and characteristics of PM pollution in sites under different levels of economic development and in diverse natural environments. A distinct trend for concentrations of PM and related chemical species was observed and increased from south to north in Haikou, Ningbo, Qingdao, and Tianjin. Secondary inorganic aerosols, crustal materials, and organic matter dominated the composition of both PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅. Crustal materials were the most abundant species in the northern coastal areas because these areas have less vegetation cover and lower humidity than southern coastal areas. The presence of high SO₄²⁻/nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations indicated that the burning of coals gives significant contributions to PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅. The differences observed in the characteristics of PM pollution in these coastal cities are probably caused by different levels of industrial and urban development.

Studies of metal accumulation in fish are mainly focused on the muscle tissue, while the metal accumulation patterns in other tissues have been largely neglected. Muscle is not always a good indicator of the whole fish body contamination. Elemental accumulation in many fish tissues and organs and their potential use in monitoring programs have not received proper attention. In the present study, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn concentrations were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the following 14 tissues of the wels catfish (Silurus glanis) from the Danube River: muscle, gills, spleen, liver, kidneys, intestine, gizzard, heart, brain, gallbladder, swim bladder, vertebra, operculum, and gonads. A high level of differential elemental accumulation among the studied tissues was observed. The maximum overall metal accumulation was observed in the vertebra, followed by the kidneys and liver, with the metal pollution index (MPI) values of 0.26, 0.25, and 0.24, respectively. The minimum values were observed in the gallbladder, muscle, brain, and swim bladder, with MPI values of 0.03, 0.06, 0.07, and 0.09, respectively. Average metal concentrations in the fish muscle were below the maximum allowed concentrations for human consumption. The mean As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations in the muscle were 0.028, 0.001, 0.001, 0.192, 3.966, and 3.969 μg/g wet weight, respectively. We believe that the presented findings could be of interest for the scientific community and freshwater ecosystem managers. There is a need for further research that would assess less studied tissues in different fish species.

A novel intimate integrated flocculation-adsorption fluidized bed (IFAFB) was designed based on the hydraulic classification theory, and the operation, performance, characterization, and mechanisms of the novel process were developed. In this system, 150 mg · L⁻¹kaolin clay and 100 mg · L⁻¹phenol were used to simulate multi-pollutants in synthetic influent; resin beads and silica beads were the solid phases for the fluidized flocculator, and polymer aluminum chloride (PAC) and granular activated carbon were the flocculant and the adsorbent, respectively. The results showed that the Euler numeral was the most suitable dynamic parameter for flocculation in the fluidized bed when compared with the velocity gradient (G), Reynolds number (Re), and GRe ⁻¹/² . Additionally, the adsorption capacities of the fluidized regime were 8.77 and 24.70 mg · g⁻¹greater than those of the fixed regime at superficial velocities of 6 and 8 mm · s⁻¹, respectively. In the IFAFB, the removal efficiencies of kaolin clay and phenol in the IFAFB reached 95 and 80 % simultaneously at total initial bed height of 35 mm. Flocs size, fractal dimension, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the relationship of flocculation and adsorption in the IFAFB was mutually beneficial. Adsorption favored continuous growth of flocs and protected flocs from breakage, while flocculation removed fine particles as the first stage to prevent the adsorption of kaolin clay.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) with endocrine disruption effects and carcinogenicity are widely detected in water environment. Occurrences of PAEs in source water and removal efficiencies of PAEs by drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in China were surveyed from publications in the last 10 years. Concentration of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in source water with median value of 1.3 μg/L was higher than that of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP). If the removal efficiencies of DEHP and DnBP reached 60 and 90 %, respectively, the calculated PAE concentration in drinking water can generally meet Standards for Drinking Water Quality in China. The health risks of PAEs, including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks via the “water source-DWTP-oral ingestion/dermal permeation” pathway, were evaluated with Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis under certain removal efficiencies from 0 to 95 %. The carcinogenic risk of DEHP was lower than the upper acceptable carcinogenic risk level (10⁻⁴), while the probability of DEHP’s carcinogenic risk between lower (10⁻⁶) and upper (10⁻⁴) acceptable carcinogenic risk level decreased from about 21.2 to 0.4 % through increasing DEHP removal efficiency from 0 to 95 %. The non-carcinogenic risk of DEHP was higher than that of DEP and DnBP. In all cases, the total non-carcinogenic risk of DEP, DnBP, and DEHP was lower than 1, indicating that there would be unlikely incremental non-carcinogenic risk to humans. Both carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk of PAEs in drinking water to female were a little higher than those to male.