The impact of long-term dust pollution emitted from a cement plant on soil chemistry, and the concentrations of plant nutrients, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose in the stemwood of 80–85-year-old Pinus sylvestris was investigated at different distances from the emission source. It was found that alkaline cement dust (pH 12.3–12.6) emissions for over 40 years resulted in an alkalisation (pH 6.7–7.9) of the polluted soil compared to a pH value of 3.8 in unpolluted soil. There were also nutrient imbalances in the soil, as well as certain disturbances in mineral nutrition processes and accumulation of nutrients in the tree stems. The average concentrations of K, Ca and Mg in stems were higher and those of N and P lower than in the unpolluted area. The lignin (L) content in stemwood increased, hemicellulose (Hc) decreased, while cellulose (Ce) did not change. A variation in the partitioning of L, Ce, Hc and nutrients between different sections of stems and between trees from different sample plots was found. L, Ce and Hc were not related to the internal K, Ca and Mg concentrations. Correlations were established between L, Ce, or Hc content and C content, and between L and Hc content in stem tissues. The contents of wood components were not related to N or P in the alkalised areas, but seemed to be more associated with P than with N. Alterations in the arbitrarily chosen ratio L/(Ce + Hc) indicated changes in wood quality, and a negative correlation with N/P was found in stem tissue in the polluted area, while positive correlations with N/Mg and Ca/Mg were found in the control area.

This study conducted a two-stage experiment. The first stage attempted to establish biostable filter beds. Two parameters, total bacterial count (TBC) and non-purgeable dissolved carbon (NPDOC), measured by passing through a 0.2 μm membrane filter, were selected to compare the difference of biostability of a filtration system with recirculation with different O₃-to-NPDOC ratios of filtered water. The excitation emission fluorescence matrix (EEFM) was used as an effective tool for understanding information regarding organic characteristics by comparing source filtered water before and after ozonation and the effluent during biostablizing filter. During the second stage, a biostable filter was used to compare differences in biodegradability of ozonated products sodium oxalate and sodium acetate. Experimental results demonstrate that both parameters, NPDOC removal and TBC, can be utilized to evaluate the biostabilty of a filter bed. With each parameter, a plateau was reached in roughly 20 days. The source water from Chen Ching Lake (CCL) contained a protein-like substance determined by the EEFM. This protein-like substance was also destroyed by O₃/NPDOC = 1.1. Soluble microbial products (SMPs) released from the biostablizing filter into the effluent have two peaks in the EEFM, identified as protein-like and humic-like acid. The NPDOC removal for the biostabilizing filter using O₃/NPDOC = 1.7 was less than that using O₃/NPDOC = 1.1. Bacterial counts in the effluent from the biostabilizing filter using O₃/NPDOC = 1.1 was better than that of O₃/NPDOC = 1.7. This difference can be explained by the high ratio of O₃/NPDOC producing by-products of ozonation that were easily utilized by microorganisms; however, filter bed also released relatively more SMPs owing to increased proliferation of microorganisms attached to glass pellets in the filter. Regarding the differences in decomposition of the by-products of ozonation by the biostable filter, such as sodium oxalate, the NPDOC removal at O₃/NPDOC = 1.1 was better than that at O₃/DOC = 1.7. This phenomenon can be explained as previously mentioned.

At 94 sites throughout the Gaspésie peninsula, Québec, tree growth patterns and variation in growth rate were examined to determine relationship of tree growth to specific pollutants. Canopy dominant Black Spruce (Picea mariana, (Mill.) BSP) were selected at each site. Basal area increment (BAI) values were derived from increment cores and disks taken at breast height. A sigmoid model (Gompertz) to tree basal area was fitted and used as an estimate of tree growth. The residuals were used in association with other landscape variables to test the hypothesis that the tree-growth was reduced at the vicinity of the Murdochville smelter. Results showed that residuals were well explained by smelter distance, elevation, and slope exposition to the smelter emissions. On the intense activity period, tree growth was reduced within a 25-km radius of the smelter, on slopes exposed to the contaminant flow and located at elevation lower than 580 m. With the interruption of smelting activities, growth was recovered for survival trees.

Chemical composition of fog and rain water was studied during a 47-day experimental period. The differences between the fog and rain water were found to be significantly for most analyzed ions. H⁺, NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ -, and SO₄ ²- made up 85% of the total median ion concentration in fog and 84% in rain water. The total mean equivalent concentration was 15 times higher in the fog than in the rain water. The fog water samples were classified according to their air mass history. The analysis of the 120 h backward trajectory led to the identification of three advection regimes. Significant differences of ion concentrations between the respective classes were found. Air masses of class I travelled exclusively over the Pacific Ocean, class II were carried over the Philippines, and class III were advected from mainland China. The turbulent fog water deposition was determined by the means of the eddy covariance method. The total (turbulent plus gravitational) fog water fluxes ranged between +31.7 mg m-² s-¹ and -56.6 mg m-² s-¹. Fog water droplets with mean diameters between 15 μm and 25 μm contributed most to the liquid water flux. The sample based nutrient input was calculated on the basis of the occult and wet deposition, and the concentrations of the simultaneously collected fog and rainwater samples, respectively. The nutrient input through wet deposition was about 13 times higher than through occult deposition.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered to be atmospheric pollutants and well-known human carcinogens. This study analyzes the pollution scenarios of PAHs in the aerosol of Higashi Hiroshima, Japan. We examined the characteristics, the influences of meteorological conditions, the distribution and seasonal variation of PAHs in aerosol samples collected from June 2000 to May 2001. The concentration of PAHs in the aerosol of Higashi Hiroshima was ranging from 11.8 to 157.5 μg/g with a mean concentration of 63.4 μg/g. Results showed that there is positive correlation between aerosol PAH concentrations and ambient temperature but a relatively little correlation with solar radiation. Seasonal variation was observed with a higher concentration during winter and lower concentration during summer. Apart from that, principal component analysis and molecular diagnostic ratios were also used to characterize and identify possible PAHs emission sources. Results obtained strongly suggested that vehicular emissions appeared to be the major source of aerosol PAHs in this study although other sources do have some degree of influence.

Recent developments in satellite remote sensing technologies resulted in the ability to observe major pollution events such as dust and smoke around the world on a daily basis. Satellite imagery can sometimes detect long-range transport episodes. In this paper, a high CO episode at remote GAW station, Mt. Waliguan, detected by MOPITT CO dataset during the end of April 2002, is described. CO concentrations above 600 hPa almost doubled on 27 April and CMDL surface sample measurements also observed this significant CO enhancement. Using NCEP data, satellite fire products data and backward trajectory model we suggest that this high CO episode of 27 April is not a local pollution event, but that it is due to long-range transport from active biomass burning and biofuel burning areas located in the border areas of Pakistan and India. The trajectory cluster analysis shows that the origins of 5-day backward trajectories, for air masses reaching Mt. Waliguan station, at all altitudes, mainly overlap with the fire spot locations detected by TRMM data and biofuel burning in India.

The roles of ectomycorrhizal fungi and bacteria associated with corresponding fungal species in distribution of heavy metals within roots and shoots of inoculated pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings were determined in this study. The mycorrhizal fungi forming different morphotypes were identified by PCR-RFLP using respective primers for an internal spacer transcribed region (ITS) of fungal rDNA. Amongst five fungal species detected, three were identified as Scleroderma citrinum, Amanita muscaria and Lactarius rufus. These fungi used for inoculation of pine seedlings significantly reduced translocation of Zn(II), Cd(II) or Pb(II) from roots to shoots, and the pattern of metal-accumulation was dependent on the fungal species. Ectomycorrhizae-associated bacteria identified as Pseudomonas were used as an additional component of the pine inoculation. These dual root inoculations resulted in higher accumulation of the metals, especially Zn(II), in the roots compared to the inoculation with fungal species alone. Consequently, dual inoculation of pine seedlings could be a suitable approach for plant protection against heavy metals and successful planting of metal-polluted soils.

We used laboratory experiments to investigate surface resistance (R c) to dry deposition of ozone (O₃) on different types of soil samples collected from the arid deserts and the Loess Plateau of northern China. Furthermore, we measured the factors that affected R c, which depends on the physical and chemical interaction between trace constituents and the deposition surface, and evaluated deposition velocity (V d). There was little influence of geometric surface area, soil weight, or O₃ concentration on V d of O₃. The effect of relative humidity (RH) (i.e. moisture content of the soil) on O₃ uptake was in agreement with results reported in the literature: a distinct RH dependence of V d and little uptake under water-saturated conditions were observed. R c values for all the soil samples examined were in the range 0.21-3.3 s mm-¹ and were exponentially related to the surface area of the particles and the organic carbon content of each soil sample at RH of both <10 and 60%.

Plant uptake is a major pathway by which toxic metals can enter the food chain. In this laboratory study we grew spinach, radish, and perennial ryegrass on sand blends containing 50% waste foundry sand (WFS) to assess the availability of Al, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn. The WFSs utilized in this study were from aluminum, iron, and steel foundries. Although there were differences in the amounts of metals accumulated by the various plant species, excessive amounts of heavy metals were not taken up, regardless of WFS treatment. In spinach and radish, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were found to be within or close to the sufficiency range for agronomic crops. In ryegrass cuttings at 27, 57, and 87 days, Cu and Zn were within sufficiency ranges, but plants were Fe deficient and contained elevated concentrations of B, Mn, and Mo. Data from this study will be useful for state regulatory agencies interested in developing beneficial use regulations for WFSs.

The SO₄-S and NO₃-N concentrations and pH in bulk precipitation, throughfall, stemflow and soil water for the 1994-2004 period were studied in pine forests in Latvia (Rucava and Taurene Integrated Monitoring stations). The SO₄-S and NO₃-N concentrations decreased over the study period, simultaneously with a decrease of acidity in precipitation. The changes were more evident in the western part of Latvia, probably due to declining long-range air pollution from West Europe. The trend of decreasing sulphate concentrations and increasing pH in precipitation were not followed by respective changes in soil water. In the upper soil horizon sulphate ion concentrations and acidity increased in soil water. Over the observation period, nitrate concentrations also showed an increasing trend in soil water at Rucava and Taurene, but these changes were not statistically significant.