Polyethylene passive samplers (PE) were deployed in Narragansett Bay, RI, to examine freely dissolved concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in surface, bottom, and sediment porewater. PBDE congeners in the water column and porewater were below 3 pg L⁻¹. In the surface water, only PBDE congeners containing up to 5 bromines were detected, while in the deeper water congeners 153 and 154 (6 bromines) were also detected. Activity ratios of surface-bottom water and porewater-bottom water suggested that lower brominated (di-tetra) congeners reached Narragansett Bay from surface waters and sediments. PBDEs in the surface water probably originated from a combination of air–water exchange, freshwater runoff, rivers, and wastewater treatment plants. It is suggested that deep water was the source of higher brominated PBDEs to the Bay implying that the more hydrophobic PBDEs reached depth on particles and/or that these congeners were degraded in sediments. On-going sources supply PBDEs to Narragansett Bay.

Three beehive matrices, sampled in eighteen apiaries from West France, were analysed for the presence of lead (Pb). Samples were collected during four different periods in both 2008 and 2009. Honey was the matrix the least contaminated by Pb (min = 0.004 μg g⁻¹; max = 0.378 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.047 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.057). The contamination of bees (min = 0.001 μg g⁻¹; max = 1.869 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.223 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.217) and pollen (min = 0.004 μg g⁻¹; max = 0.798 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.240 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.200) showed similar levels and temporal variations but bees seemed to be more sensitive bringing out the peaks of Pb contamination. Apiaries in urban and hedgerow landscapes appeared more contaminated than apiaries in cultivated and island landscapes. Sampling period had a significant effect on Pb contamination with higher Pb concentrations determined in dry seasons.

In natural environments fish are exposed to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) present at low concentrations and with different modes of actions. Here, adult zebrafish of both sexes were exposed for 21 days to an estrogenic mixture (Mix) of eleven EDCs previously quantified in Douro River estuary (Portugal) and to 100 ng/L 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) as positive control. Vitellogenin mRNA and HSI in males confirmed both exposure regimes as physiologically active. Potential candidates for estrogenic disturbance of steroidogenesis were identified (StAR, 17β-HSD1, cyp19a1), but Mix only affected cyp19a1 in females. Significant differences in the response of FSHβ, cypa19a2, 20β-HSD were observed between EE2 and Mix. Mtf-1 and tfap2c transcription factor binding sites were discovered in the putative promoter regions and corresponding transcription factors were found to be differentially expressed in response to Mix and EE2. The results suggest that “non-classical effects” of estrogenic EDC in fish are mediated via transcription factors.

In this study, three classification techniques (self-organizing maps, hierarchical cluster analysis and discriminant analysis) were applied to identify spatial water pollution levels, temporal water quality response delay phenomena (WQRDP), source pollution types (point, urban non-point, or agricultural non-point). Two models (principal components analysis (PCA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF)) were used to do the further quantitative source apportionment studying. The 27 inflow rivers in spatial were divided into three pollution levels (A, high; B, medium; C, low). The primary pollution pattern in spatial Clusters A, B, and C were point, urban non-point and agricultural non-point separately, in consideration of simultaneous land use types. Source apportionment results identified five typical factors in spatial Cluster A and six typical factors in spatial Cluster B and C as responsible for the data structure, explaining 80%–90% of the total variance of the dataset.

Atmospheric concentrations of halogenated flame retardants (FRs) were monitored for approximately one year at two remote stations, namely Nam Co on the Tibetan Plateau and Alert in the Canadian High Arctic. BDE-47 and 99 were the dominant polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners at both sites. Atmospheric PBDE concentrations in Nam Co were generally lower than those at Alert. While significant seasonal variations were observed for PBDEs at Alert, the FR concentrations at Nam Co showed no significant seasonality, even though air masses originated from distinctly different regions during different seasons. This suggests that FRs in Tibet do not have regional sources, but are reflective of truly global background contamination. Three new FRs, namely 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), 2-ethyl-1-hexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EHTeBB) and bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) were detected at relatively high concentrations at both sites. This is the first report of these FRs in the remote global atmosphere and suggests significant potential for long-range atmospheric transport.

Predicting the transfer of contaminants in soils is often hampered by lacking validation of mathematical models. Here, we applied Hydrus-2D software to three agricultural soils for simulating the 1900–2005 changes of zinc and lead concentration profiles derived from industrial atmospheric deposition, to validate the tested models with plausible assumptions on past metal inputs to reach the 2005 situation. The models were set with data from previous studies on the geochemical background, estimated temporal metal deposition, and the 2005 metal distributions. Different hypotheses of chemical reactions of metals with the soil solution were examined: 100% equilibrium or partial equilibrium, parameterized following kinetic chemical extractions. Finally, a two-site model with kinetic constant values adjusted at 1% of EDTA extraction parameters satisfactory predicted changes in metal concentration profiles for two arable soils. For a grassland soil however, this model showed limited applicability by ignoring the role of earthworm activity in metal incorporation.

Organochlorine compounds (OC) were determined in Arctic bivalves (Mya truncata, Serripes groenlandicus, Hiatella arctica and Chlamys islandica) from Svalbard with regard to differences in geographic location, species and variations related to their size and age. Higher chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB 101–PCB 194), chlordanes and α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) were consistently detected in the bivalves and PCBs dominated the OC load in the organisms. OC concentrations were highest in Mya truncata and the lowest in Serripes groenlandicus. Species-specific OC levels were likely related to differences in the species’ food source, as indicated by the δ¹³C results, rather than size and age. Higher OC concentrations were observed in bivalves from Kongsfjorden compared to the northern sampling locations Liefdefjorden and Sjuøyane. The spatial differences might be related to different water masses influencing Kongsfjorden (Atlantic) and the northern locations (Arctic), with differing phytoplankton bloom situations.

The mobilization behaviour of metalloids and metals when leached by water from highly polluted soil/sediment samples was studied using static and dynamic approaches employing batch methodology and rotating coiled columns (RCC), respectively. Increasing the solution-to-solid ratios during batch leaching resulted in different enhanced mobilization rates, which are element-specific and matrix-specific. When dynamic leaching is employed with continuous replacement of the eluent, a higher portion is mobilized than when using batch elution with an identical solid-to-water ratio. Using RCC the time-resolved leaching of the elements was monitored to demonstrate the leaching patterns. For the majority of elements a significant decrease could be shown in the mobilized portion of the elements with ongoing leaching process. The data were discussed targeted at solid liquid partitioning coefficients of the metal(loid)s. The capabilities in application of Kd values was demonstrated for dynamic leaching which is relevant for environmental processes.

Understanding the complex biotic and abiotic interactions invoked by the rice root system in oxygen-depleted soil is an important step in screening genotypes for low toxic metal or metalloid accumulation. A hydroponic and a rhizobox experiment have been conducted to explore the effects of varying root oxygen release on chemical changes, As fractionation in rhizosphere soil and Fe plaque formation, As uptake and tolerance by different rice genotypes. The results showed that rice genotypes with higher rates of radial oxygen loss (ROL) and at the bolting stage, tended to have greater effects on rhizosphere Eh, pH, Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ quotients, As fractionation and mobility and also on Fe plaque formation compared to those with lower ROL and at the tillering stage. Genotypes with higher ROL have a strong ability to reduce As accumulation in shoots and increase As tolerance by reducing As mobilization in the rhizosphere and by limiting As translocation.

Shanxi Province is one of the regions in northern China where endemic arsenicosis occurs. In this study, stepwise logistic regression was applied to analyze the statistical relationships of a dataset of arsenic (As) concentrations in groundwaters with some environmental explanatory parameters. Finally, a 2D spatial model showing the potential As-affected areas in this province was created. We identified topography, gravity, hydrologic parameters and remote sensing information as explanatory variables with high potential to predict high As risk areas. The model identifies correctly the already known endemic areas of arsenism. We estimate that the area at risk exceeding 10μgL⁻¹ As occupies approximately 8100km² in 30 counties in the province.