Since the discovery of fullerenes in 1985, these carbon nanospheres have attracted attention regarding their physico/chemical properties. Despite little knowledge about their impact on the environment and human health, the production of fullerenes has already reached an industrial scale. However, the toxicity of C60 is still controversially discussed. The aim of this study was to clarify the biological effects of tetrahydrofuran (THF) suspended C60 fullerene in comparison to water stirred C60 fullerene suspensions. Beyond that, we analyzed the effects on the Crustacea Daphnia magna an indicator for ecotoxicological effects and the human lung epithelial cell line A549 as a simplified model for the respiratory tract. We could demonstrate that water-soluble side products which were formed in THF nC60 suspension were responsible for the observed acute toxic effects, whereas fullerenes themselves had no negative effect regardless of the preparative route on either A549 cell in vitro or D. magna in vivo. THF suspended nC60 did not show any toxic effect to Daphnia and lung cells when side products were eliminated by additional washing steps.

From October 2003 to September 2004, we conducted a detailed study on the mass balance of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) of Dongfeng (DF) and Wujiangdu (WJD) reservoirs, which were constructed in 1992 and 1979, respectively. Both reservoirs were net sinks for THg on an annual scale, absorbing 3319.5 g km⁻² for DF Reservoir, and 489.2 g km⁻² for WJD Reservoirs, respectively. However, both reservoirs were net sources of MeHg to the downstream ecosystems. DF Reservoir provided a source of 32.9 g MeHg km⁻² yr⁻¹, yielding 10.3% of the amount of MeHg that entered the reservoir, and WJD Reservoir provided 140.9 g MeHg km⁻² yr⁻¹, yielding 82.5% of MeHg inputs. Our results implied that water residence time is an important variable affecting Hg methylation rate in the reservoirs. Our study shows that building a series of reservoirs in line along a river changes the riverine system into a natural Hg methylation factory which markedly increases the % MeHg in the downstream reservoirs; in effect magnifying the MeHg buildup problem in reservoirs. Reservoirs are the sink of total mercury but source of methylmercury to the aquatic systems.

Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate sorption mechanisms of cephapirin (CHP), a veterinary antibiotic, onto quartz (SiO₂) and feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈) at different pH. Sorption occurs by electrostatic attraction, monodentate and bidentate complexation. The zwitterion (CHP⁰) adsorbs to a quartz(+) surface by electrostatic attraction of the carboxylate anion group (-COO-) at low pH, but adsorbs to a quartz(-) surface through electrostatic attraction of the pyridinium cation, and possibly COO- bridge complexes, at higher pH. CHP- bonds to quartz(-) surfaces by bidentate complexation between one oxygen of -COO- and oxygen from carbonyl of an acetoxymethyl group. On a feldspar(+/-) surface, CHP⁰ forms monodentate complexes between CO, and possible -COO- bridges and/or electrostatic attachments to localized edge (hydr)oxy-Al surfaces. CHP- adsorbs to feldspar(-) through monodentate CO complexation. Similar mechanisms may operate for other cephalosporins. Results demonstrate, for the first time, that Raman techniques can be effective for evaluating sorption mechanisms of antibiotics. Raman spectroscopy indicates that cephapirin, a veterinary antibiotic, sorbs to quartz and feldspar by electrostatic attraction, and monodentate and bidentate complexation.

This review summarizes and analyzes available data in the literature (mostly after 2000) on the occurrence of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its main metabolites, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) and chlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), in the environment of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. Generally, the concentration levels of the sum of DDT, DDD, and DDE, designated as DDTs thereafter, have not significantly declined since 1983. However, the composition of DDTs residues has changed with time. DDTs in soil, freshwater sediment and freshwater fish species were mainly residues from chronological use. There is evidence that new point sources, such as dicofol and anti-fouling paint, may have contributed DDTs to various environmental compartments. Risk assessment against existing criteria indicated that the levels of DDTs in water and some fish species may pose adverse effects to humans or wildlife, and those in sediment/soil may also cause negative impacts to the eco-environment of the PRD. The occurrence, possible input sources, and biological effects of DDTs in the environment of the Pearl River Delta, South China, are reviewed.

The spatial and temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been investigated in Daya Bay, China. The total concentration of the 16 USEPA priority PAHs in surface sediments ranged from 42.5 to 158.2 ng/g dry weight with a mean concentration of 126.2 ng/g. The spatial distribution of PAHs was site-specific and combustion processes were the main source of PAHs in the surface sediments. Total 16 priority PAH concentration in the cores 8 and 10 ranged from 77.4 to 305.7 ng/g and from 118.1 to 319.9 ng/g respectively. The variation of the 16 PAH concentrations in both cores followed the economic development in China very well and was also influenced by input pathways. Some of the PAHs were petrogenic in core 8 while pyrolytic source was dominant in core 10. In addition, pyrolytic PAHs in both cores were mainly from the coal and/or grass and wood combustion. A survey of sediments from Daya Bay serves as a baseline study for levels, distributions and possible sources of PAHs in surface sediments and both core sediments.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for selective removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in water was prepared as microspheres by the reverse microemulsion polymerization method based on the non-covalent interactions between 2,4-DCP, oleic acid, and divinylbenzene in acetonitrile. Microspheres have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) studies with evidence of 2,4-DCP linkage in polymer particles and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study their morphological properties. The proper adsorption and selective recognition ability of the MIP were studied by an equilibrium-adsorption method. The MIP showed outstanding affinity towards 2,4-DCP in aqueous solution and the optimum pH value for binding has been found around the neutral range. The molecular recognition of 2,4-DCP was analyzed in detail by using molecular modeling software. In addition, by investigating the variation in the adsorption ability of the MIP, it clearly showed excellent reproducibility. Molecular imprinting has potential as a remediation technology in water treatment.

Degraded land that is historically contaminated from different sources of industrial waste provides an opportunity for conversion to bioenergy fuel production and also to increase sequestration of carbon in soil through organic amendments. In pot experiments, As mobility was investigated in three different brownfield soils amended with green waste compost (GWC, 30% v/v) or biochar (BC, 20% v/v), planted with Miscanthus. Using GWC improved crop yield but had little effect on foliar As uptake, although the proportion of As transferred from roots to foliage differed considerably between the three soils. It also increased dissolved carbon concentrations in soil pore water that influenced Fe and As mobility. Effects of BC were less pronounced, but the impacts of both amendments on SOC, Fe, P and pH are likely to be critical in the context of As leaching to ground water. Growing Miscanthus had no measurable effect on As mobility. Green waste compost enhances water-soluble iron, phosphorus and carbon, increasing arsenic mobility in soil pore water.

This is the first test of a highly charged swelling mica's (Na-2-mica) ability to reduce the plant-absorbed Cu in Cu-contaminated soils from Chile. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was grown in two acid soils (Sector 2: pH 4.2, total Cu = 172 mg Cu kg-1 and Sector 3: pH 4.2, total Cu = 112 mg Cu kg-1) amended with 0.5% and 1% (w/w) mica, and 1% (w/w) montmorillonite. At 10 weeks of growth, both mica treatments decreased the shoot Cu of ryegrass grown in Sector 2 producing shoot Cu concentrations above 21-22 mg Cu kg-1 (the phytotoxicity threshold for that species), yet the mica treatments did not reduce shoot Cu concentrations when grown in Sector 3, which were at a typical level. The mica treatments improved shoot growth in Sector 3 by reducing free and extractable Cu to low enough levels where other nutrients could compete for plant absorption and translocation. In addition, the mica treatments improved root growth in both soils, and the 1% mica treatment reduced root Cu in both soils. This swelling mica warrants further testing of its ability to assist re-vegetation and reduce Cu bioavailability in Cu-contaminated surface soils. In situ remediation of Cu-contaminated soils with a synthetic mica (Na-2-mica) will aid in re-vegetative efforts.

For phytoremediation of organic contaminants, plants have to host an efficiently degrading microflora. To assess the role of endophytes in alkane degradation, Italian ryegrass was grown in sterile soil with 0, 1 or 2% diesel and inoculated either with an alkane degrading bacterial strain originally derived from the rhizosphere of Italian ryegrass or with an endophyte. We studied plant colonization of these strains as well as the abundance and expression of alkane monooxygenase (alkB) genes in the rhizosphere, shoot and root interior. Results showed that the endophyte strain better colonized the plant, particularly the plant interior, and also showed higher expression of alkB genes suggesting a more efficient degradation of the pollutant. Furthermore, plants inoculated with the endophyte were better able to grow in the presence of diesel. The rhizosphere strain colonized primarily the rhizosphere and showed low alkB gene expression in the plant interior. Bacterial alkane degradation genes are expressed in the rhizosphere and in the plant interior.

Structural and functional responses of a benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage to pulses of the insecticide imidacloprid were assessed in outdoor stream mesocosms. Imidacloprid pulses reduced invertebrate abundance and community diversity in imidacloprid-dosed streams compared to control streams. These results correlated well with effects of imidacloprid on leaf litter decomposition and feeding rates of Pteronarcys comstocki, a stonefly, in artificial streams. Reductions in oxygen consumption of stoneflies exposed to imidacloprid were also observed in laboratory experiments. Our findings suggest that leaf litter degradation and single species responses can be sensitive ecotoxicological endpoints that can be used as early warning indicators and biomonitoring tools for pesticide contamination. The data generated illustrates the value of mesocosm experiments in environmental assessment and how the consideration of functional and structural endpoints of natural communities together with in situ single species bioassays can improve the evaluation and prediction of pesticide effects on stream ecosystems. Combining organism-level responses with community-level processes for the evaluation and prediction of pesticide effects on stream ecosystems.