The occurrence and distribution of heavy metals in the water of Lake Mariut, a heavily polluted brackish water lake in Egypt, and their accumulation in the different parts of Tilapia fish in this lake were studied. The variations in concentrations of the metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Cd) in the lake water are mostly due to variations in the discharge rate of dumped wastes. The mean concentrations of these metals in different fish parts were much higher than those in the lake water.

This paper reports the results of wheat plants exposed to SO(,2). The SO(,2)-treated and control plant samples were periodically analyzed with respect to their carbohydrate content, caloric values, phytomass accumulations and net primary productivity. An initial increase, but later decrease in all these parameters was recorded in SO(,2)-treated plants. These effects in wheat plants have been interpreted in terms of energy budget of plants under SO(,2)-stress condition.

New York : Wiley, 1981.

Baseline data relevant to assessing environmental impact of continued operation of the Teepee Creek gas plant or similar future industrial operations included S concentrations, pH of soil and water, and S isotope determinations. Concentrations evaluated the S loading while isotope determinations identified sources of environmental S. The industrial source was very enriched in ('34)S(delta('34)S=+24 0/00) while soil and vegetation were characterized by ('34)S depletions (delta('34)S values as low as-20 0/00 mean value near -8 0/00). Thus S isotope determinations provided an excellent tool for environmental assessment in the region. It was found that the following are the more significant observations: (1) Neither the pH data nor S isotope compositions of the water or soil samples reveal measurable S loading by the industrial operation. (2) The measured atmospheric SO('2) concentrations are well below permitted air quality standards. (3) Data from an atmospheric sampling array revealed that the directions of highest SO('2) concentrations did not correspond to the direction of the gas processing plant nor did high concentrations relate isotopically to the emissions. (4) In both soil and vegetation samples, increase of S concentration was identified isotopically with mineral layers in the sub-surface and not with the industrial operation. Thus it is concluded that S in the environment surrounding the Teepee Creek gas plant was dominated by sources other than the plant emissions.

The existence of a rainfall anomaly downwind of the St. Louis urban-industrial areas prompted a survey of area soils for elevated heavy metal concentrations. The goals of this work were to measure concentrations of Zn, Cd, and Pb, and to evaluate the role of the urban rainfall anomaly in their accumulation, in potentially-affected soils. Samples from three soil layers were collected from agricultural fields at 21 sites along two NE-SW transects. The samples were analyzed for pH, texture, cation exchange capacity, and total organic carbon, in addition to the three metals. The highest metal concentrations were observed near Granite City, Illinois, and coincided with an area of maximum Zn deposition in rain found in an earlier study. Only slight increases of the metals over background were found in the area of rainfall anomaly. Present rates of atmospheric deposition can account for these slightly elevated metal concentrations. However, the maximum concentrations found near Granity City cannot be accounted for by present atmospheric deposition rates. Other kinds of sources, or larger atmospheric deposition rates, perhaps during the operation of a local Zn smelter which closed about 1960, must have contributed.

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) plants, cultivars Cheri, Merion and Touchdown were grown at complete nutrition or with low S or low N. Plants were exposed to 10 ppm (v/v) O(,3) for 6 h/d, 15 pphm SO(,2) continuously, 15 pphm NO(,2) continuously, or their mixture at these concentrations for 10 days. The severity of injury was much increased by misting with deionized water for 5 min twice daily, especially with SO(,2) and NO(,2) single gas exposures. The misting did not have consistent effects on total S, total N, leaf area or fresh weight. Exposure to O (,3) decreased leaf area without affecting S or N content, while SO(,2) usually increased total S and, in some cases, increased total N. Exposure to NO(,2) increased total N without affecting total S, and the mixture increased both total S and total N. Low S or low N usually enhanced the effect of SO(,2) or NO(,2), respectively. Leaf area and fresh weight were not as responsive to the treatments as total S and total N. Rainfall outdoors may be a major meteorological factor affecting plant injury response to gaseous pollutants

The study quantifies the amount of metals, (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr, V, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) leached from the A-horizon of a podzolic spruce forest soil in southern Sweden during 2.5 yr, and offers statistical evidence of environmental conditions of importance to metal release. Considerable losses of Pb, Cr, Ni and V may occur from the A-horizon of forest soils under conditions favoring leaching of organic matter, Fe, and Al, i.e. during periods of comparably high soil temperature and moisture. Metals with a larger fraction present in exchangeable form (Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd) are more susceptible to minor pH changes. An accelerated deposition or internal production of acidic matter therefore will reduce the retention times of these elements particularly.