Anthropogenic Impact on Surface Water Quality in Taihu Lake Region,China

Taihu Lake region is one of the most industrialized areas in China, and the surface water is progressively susceptible to anthropogenic pollution. The physicochemical parameters of surface water quality were determined at 20 sampling sites in Taihu Lake region, China in spring, summer, autumn, and winter seasons of 2005-2006 to assess the effect of human activities on the surface water quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to identify characteristics of the water quality in the studied water bodies. PCA extracted the first three principal components (PCs), explaining 80.84% of the total variance of the raw data. Especially, PC1 (38.91%) was associated with NH 4 -N, total N, soluble reactive phosphorus, and total P. PC2 (22.70%) was characterized by NO 3 -N and temperature. PC3 (19.23%) was mainly associated with pH and dissolved organic carbon. CA showed that streams were influenced by urban residential subsistence and livestock farming contributed significantly to PC1 throughout the year. The streams influenced by farmland runoff contributed most to PC2 in spring and winter compared with other streams. PC3 was affected mainly by aquiculture in spring, rural residential subsistence in summer, and livestock farming in fall and winter seasons. Further analyses showed that farmlands contributed significantly to nitrogen pollution of Taihu Lake, while urban residential subsistence and livestock farming also polluted water quality of Taihu Lake in rainy season. The results would be helpful for the authorities to take sound actions for an effective management of water quality in Taihu Lake region.

Climate Change and Environmental Impact Caused by Anthropogenic

For the last two decades the world has undergone a population explosion which has been accompanied by a speeding up of urbanization and land use for industrial and agricultural products. These involve a vast increase in the discharge of pollutants into very different receiving water bodies, and have had adverse effects on the various components of the environment. For a long time, human has concerned a little of the natural environment. It is obvious that this variation in surface temperature of the earth increases the level of sea due to snowmelt. So climate change is manifested by many phenomena： floods, droughts, fires, tornadoes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, diseases etc.. The statement today is dramatic. Entire regions were devastated and many rivers and lakes have become polluted around the world. Pollution has it nature which is hard to be absorbed. Where did the different pollutants come from？ What are the risks to the aquatic environment？ To prevent and combat the general decline of these ecosystems, it is important to distinguish and determine the effects of different sources of pollution and any changes that may suffer the physical environment. The climate depends primarily on changes in earth orbit parameters, which affect the solar radiation received by the earth surface. Therefore, human participates strongly to these changes, for example, pollution is the main reason to argue the greenhouse effect, an increase of anthropogenic carbon dioxide （CO2） into the atmosphere, which promotes global warming to the planet. These modifications are already applied in order to ensure durable development in water resources by controlling discharges into streams to preserve water resources for future generations and to ensure reconciliation between man-climate and environment.

Determination of Air Pollutant Concentrations in Plant Species in Relation to Pollution Sources

Air quality has been a major health issue in urban areas in recent decades. Human activities release a large number of pollutants into the atmosphere which has a direct impact on plant health and leads to ecosystem degradation. The objective of this study is to contribute to a better evaluation of the impact of the air quality of the city of Togo on biological resources. The determination of pollutants was done on samples of plant species with a strong link with the source of pollution. The determination of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) was done by the ripper method. The determination of carbon and estimation of CO2 and CO by the colorimetric method. The determination of nitrogen was done by the Kjeldhal method. The results showed that at the industrial level the amount of CO2 in Alternanthera repens is high with a value of 53.3911 mg/ml. On the other hand, the quantity of CO in Senna occidentalis is 44.3619 mg/ml. In Pithecellobium dulce, the quantity of SO2 and NO2 are evaluated respectively to 0.1588 mg/ml and 0.3696 mg/ml. Regarding to the dumps, the quantity of CO2 in Newbouldia laevis is very high with a value of 65.8508 mg/ml. On the other hand the amount of CO in Senna occidentalis is 51.6106 mg/ml. The quantity of SO2 in Newbouldia laevis is 0.2101 mg/ml and NO2 in Ocimum canum is 0.2744 mg/ml. At the level of roads, the quantities of CO2 and CO in Eragrostis tenella are very high with values respectively equal to 74.4092 mg/ml and 62.2654 mg/ml. On the other hand, the amount of NO2 in Amaranthus sp is 0.2304 mg/ml and that of SO2 in Eragrostis Tenella is 0.1691 mg/ml. The use of a plant bioindicator sensitive to pollutants, allowed concluding that the air of the city of Lome is polluted. The concentration of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide is much more evident in return when the health of plant species is threatened.

Anthropogenic Effects on Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation

Anthropogenic emissions alter biogenic secondary organic aerosol(SOA)formation from naturally emitted volatileorganic compounds(BVOCs).We review the major laboratory and field findings with regard to effects of anthropogenicpollutants(NO_(x),anthropogenic aerosols,SO_(2),NH_(3))on biogenic SOA formation.NO_(x) participate in BVOC oxidationthrough changing the radical chemistry and oxidation capacity,leading to a complex SOA composition and yield sensitivitytowards NO_(x) level for different or even specific hydrocarbon precursors.Anthropogenic aerosols act as an importantintermedium for gas-particle partitioning and particle-phase reactions,processes of which are influenced by the particlephase state,acidity,water content and thus associated with biogenic SOA mass accumulation.SO_(2)modifies biogenic SOAformation mainly through sulfuric acid formation and accompanies new particle formation and acid-catalyzedheterogeneous reactions.Some new SO_(2)-involved mechanisms for organosulfate formation have also been proposed.NH_(3)/amines,as the most prevalent base species in the atmosphere,influence biogenic SOA composition and modify theoptical properties of SOA.The response of SOA formation behavior to these anthropogenic pollutants varies amongdifferent BVOCs precursors.Investigations on anthropogenic-biogenic interactions in some areas of China that aresimultaneously influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions are summarized.Based on this review,somerecommendations are made for a more accurate assessment of controllable biogenic SOA formation and its contribution tothe total SOA budget.This study also highlights the importance of controlling anthropogenic pollutant emissions witheffective pollutant mitigation policies to reduce regional and global biogenic SOA formation.

The Effects of Anthropogenic Pollutants on Primary Productivity in Mtwapa Creek Waters in Kilifi, Kenya

Marine environmental pollution from urban development, tourism industry and agricultural activities affects the quality of marine and aquatic life and humans. This study established the impact of anthropogenic activities on marine water nutrient loading and primary productivity at Mtwapa Creek in Kenya. Triplicate water samples were collected twice a month from seven (7) sites on the creek to determine the levels of concentration of the three nutrients;, and in creek waters. Samples were analyzed for nutrients level using the spectrophotometric method. Primary productivity as an indication of carbon assimilation was computed using the traditional Winkler method. Quantitative one-way Analysis of Variance was used to determine the variations between sampling sites while correlation analysis was computed to establish the relationship between nutrients and carbon levels. There was spatial and temporal fluctuation of nutrients levels on the creek;however the levels of nitrates were within the oligotrophic range. Phosphate levels were not significantly different throughout the sampling period, while Ammonia levels were very significantly high in the creek waters, implying active biochemical processes affecting primary productivity with phosphates greatly influencing carbon assimilation. Strategic land based management approaches should be instituted to reduce the discharge flow into the creek waters.

Heavy Metals, Phosphorus and Some Other Elements in Urban Soils of Hangzhou City, China

Health implications of inhaling and/or ingesting dust particles with high concentrations of heavy metals from urban soils are a subject of intense concern. Understanding the geochemistry of these metals is key to their effective management. Total concentrations of heavy metals,phosphorus (P) and 8 other elements from topsoil samples collected at 82 locations in Hangzhou City were measured to:a) assess their distribution in urban environments; and b) understand their differentiation as related to land use. Metal mobility was also studied using a three-step sequential chemical fractionation procedure. About 8.5%,1.2%,3.6%,11.0% and 30.3% of the soil samples had Cd,Cr,Cu,Pb,and Zn concentrations,respectively,above their allowable limits for public and private green areas and residential use. However,in commercial and industrial areas,most samples had metal concentrations below their allowable limits. Statistical analyses revealed that the 16 measured elements in urban soils could be divided into four groups based on natural or anthropic sources using a hierarchical cluster analysis. Additionally,Cu,Pb,and P showed similar spatial distributions with significant pollution in commercial zones,suggesting vehicle traffic or commercial activities as dominant pollutant sources. Also,Cd,Co,Cr,Ni,Zn,Mn and Fe had the highest concentrations in industrial locations,signifying that industrial activities were the main sources of these seven metals. Moreover,the data highlighted land-use as a major influence on heavy metal concentrations and forms found in topsoils with large proportions of soil Cd,Co,Cr,and Ni found in residual fractions and soil Cu,Pb and Zn mainly as extractable fractions.

Concentration of trace elements and their sources in a snow pit from Yuzhu Peak, north-east Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

In order to understand the potential influence of pollution fi-om human activity on the natural cycle of trace elements in the at- mosphere over the eastern Kunlun mountains, north-eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, concentrations ofAl, Fe, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Ni, Zn, Pb, Sb, Sr, U and V in a 75 cm-deep snow pit recovered from 5,800 m a.s.1, of the Yuzhu Peak Glacier on October 25, 2009, were determined by a sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results indicate that con- centrations of the measured trace elements vary by orders of magnitude from one element to another ranging from the minimum value 1.2 pg/g （U） to the maximum value 293 ng/g （Fe）; the value of Max/Min ranges from 7 pg/g （Sd） to 358 pg/g （Li）. EFc values of measured trace elements show that there are other important sources except dust for Cd, Sb, Zn, Pb and Cu. Comparison of the concentrations of the measured trace elements with those in other areas in the Tibetan Plateau indicates that trace element con- centrations for Yuzhu Peak are lower than those in east Tianshan and Muztagh Ata （Pamirs）. Concentrations of some trace elements are also lower than those in East Rongbuk Glacier. However, concentrations of all measured trace elements are extensively higher than those in Greenland and the Antarctic.

Prevalence and risk assessment of antibiotics in riverine estuarine waters of Larut and Sangga Besar River, Perak

Antibiotics released into the environment through anthropogenic activities exert selective pressure,driving bacteria towards increasing antimicrobial resistance.The prevalence of antibiotics and the ecological risks posed in the riverine estuarine of Larut River and Sangga Besar River,which included wastewater effl uents from hospital,zoo,and poultry slaughterhouse sources were investigated.Solid phase extraction(SPE)followed by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass chromatography(HPLC-MS/MS)were used to extract and quantify the antibiotic residues from 22 antibiotics belonging to six major antibiotic classes(sulfonamide,macrolide,fl uoroquinolone,phenicol,trimethoprim,and tetracycline).Sixteen antibiotic residues were detected with concentrations ranging from limit of detection(LOD)to 1262.3 ng/L.Fluoroquinolones and macrolides were the most frequently detected compounds.Erythromycin,clarithromycin,and ofl oxacin detected in hospital and zoo effl uents posed a high risk to algae while tetracycline had low to medium ecological risks toward all the relevant organisms from aquatic environments(algae,invertebrate Daphnia magna,and fi sh).

MEEMSAL Theory for an Effective Fight against Insalubrity

Insalubrity is an environmental problem that undermines the living environment as well as the health of populations. The 2016 WHO press release indicated that environmental unsanitary conditions cause 12.6 million deaths per year. This alarming number of deaths is enough to justify the imperative need to fight against any source of insalubrity on a planetary scale. One of the effective strategies for combating any form of insalubrity is the MEEMSAL (an acronym for “Mon Espace d’Evolution Mon SALon”) theory. According to this theory, the eradication of insalubrity and all other forms of anthropogenic pollution must start at school by training learners in eco-citizen education. It is demonstrated in this work that the application of the foundations of the present theory makes it possible to form MEEMSAL generations, some of which will be the future elites and decision-makers of our different nations, which in the long term, will create a healthy environment on a global scale. .

Anthropogenic Sulfate and Nitrate Signals in Snow from Bogda Glacier, Eastern Tianshan

A 1.2 m snow pit was recovered on July 29th, 2009 from the Bogda Glacier, eastern Tianshan （天山）. The sample site temperature of -9.6 12 indicates that the unique glaciochemical re- cord was well preserved and suitable for the reconstruction of air pollution levels in this previously un- explored region. Samples were analyzed for major ions （Na＋, K＋, Ca2＋, Mg2＋, NH4＋, Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, HCOO＇, and CHaCOO）. NO3 and SO42were characterized by significant high levels of pollution con- centration. Most air masses backward trajectories ending in December 2008 have passed the Urumqi City center, while some even traveled across the primary nuclear weapons testing venue of the former Soviet Union （STS）. The mean pH value of snow samples is coincident with the average value of Urumqi＇s aerosol, and the ratio of [NO3-]/[SO42-] in the snow pit generally agrees with the value of the Urumqi winter aerosols. In addition, the [HCOO]/[CH3COO] ratio of snow samples is only 0.7, lower than unity. These analyses indicate that SO42 and NO3in the Bogda Glacier are the result of anthropo- genic pollutions.

A Comparison of the Physical and Optical Properties of Anthropogenic Air Pollutants and Mineral Dust over Northwest China

Emissions of mineral dust and its mixing with anthropogenic air pollutants affect both regional and global climates. Our fieldwork in late spring 2007（April 25-June 15） measured the physical and optical properties of dust storms mixed with local air pollutants at a rural site about 48 km southeast of central Lanzhou. Levels of air pollutants and aerosol optical properties were observed during the experiment, with concentrations of NOx（6.8 ± 3.3 ppb, average ± standard deviation）, CO（694 ± 486 ppb）, SO2（6.2 ±10 ppb）, O3（50.7 ± 13.1 ppb）, and PM10（172 ± 180 μg m-3）, and aerosol scattering coefficient（164 ±89 Mm-1; 1 Mm = 106m） and absorption coefficient（11.7 ± 6.6 Mm-1）, all much lower than the values observed during air pollution episodes in urban areas. During a major dust storm, the mass concentration of PM10 reached 4072 μg m-3, approximately 21-fold higher than in non-dust storm periods. The mixing ratios of trace gases declined noticeably after a cold front passed through. The observed CO/SO2 and CO/NOx ratios during air pollution episodes were 4.2-18.3 and 13.7-80.5, respectively, compared with the corresponding ratios of 38.1-255.7 and 18.0-245.9 during non-pollution periods. Our investigations suggest that dust storms have a significant influence on air quality in areas far from their source, and this large-scale transport of dust and air pollutants produces major uncertainties in the quantification of the global effects of emissions over Northwest China.

Effects of NO_(2) and SO_(2) on the secondary organic aerosol formation fromβ-pinene photooxidation

Elucidating the effects of anthropogenic pollutants on the photooxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds is crucial to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol(SOA)formation.Here,the impacts of NO_(2)and SO_(2)on SOA formation from the photooxidation of a representative monoterpene,β-pinene,were investigated by a number of laboratory studies.The results indicated NO_(2)enhanced the SOA mass concentrations and particle number concentrations under both low and highβ-pinene conditions.This could be rationalized that the increased O_(3)concentrations upon the NO_(x)photolysis was helpful for the generation of more amounts of O_(3)-oxidized products,which accelerated the SOA nucleation and growth.Combing with NO_(2),the promotion of the SOA yield by SO_(2)was mainly reflected in the increase of mass concentration,which might be due to the elimination of the newly formed particles by the initially formed particles.The observed low oxidation degree of SOA might be attributed to the fast growth of SOA,resulting in the uptake of less oxygenated gas-phase species onto the particle phase.The present findings have important implications for SOA formation affected by anthropogenic–biogenic interactions in the ambient atmosphere.

The transfer and resulting negative effects of nano-and micro-plastics through the aquatic trophic web—A discreet threat to human health

The ubiquitous occurrence of plastic nano-and micro-particle contamination has raised concerns about its potential risks and impacts on the global environment,especially in aquatic ecosystems.Hundreds of aquatic species,from different trophic levels,have been affected by this“new”contaminant,which has been reported mainly in their digestive tracts.Consequently,current knowledge about plastic nano-and micro-particle spread and the potential impact on aquatic biota is growing rapidly.However,there is a significant lack of understanding of the trophic spread of microplastic contamination and integration of knowledge derived from laboratory assays with that from field research is difficult.Field experiments are unable to deal with differentiating between directly and indirectly ingested plastic microparticles.On the other hand,laboratory assays evaluating the influence of plastic microparticles and of their adhered or constitutive toxins on representative species cannot satisfactorily simulate the real environment.As a result,little is known about the effective transfer of plastic particles through the trophic net and the resulting human health risks.The present review seeks to gather information that can give a more accurate idea of the current situation and future challenges to be faced in mitigating the environmental and human effects of plastic particle pollution in aquatic,particularly estuarine,ecosystems.

Inferring community properties of benthic macroinvertebrates in streams using Shannon index and exergy

Definition of ecological integrity based on community analysis has long been a critical issue in risk assessment for sustainable ecosystem management. In this work, two indices （i.e., Shannon index and exergy） were selected for the analysis of community properties of benthic macroinvertebrate community in streams in Korea. For this purpose, the means and variances of both indices were analyzed. The results found an extra scope of structural and functional properties in communities in response to environmental variabilities and anthropogenic disturbances. The combination of these two parameters （four indices） was feasible in identification of disturbance agents （e.g., industrial pollution or organic pollution） and specifying states of communities. The four-aforemen- tioned parameters （means and variances of Shannon index and exergy） were further used as input data in a self- organizing map for the characterization of water quality. Our results suggested that Shannon index and exergy in combination could be utilized as a suitable reference system and would be an efficient tool for assessment of the health of aquatic ecosystems exposed to environmental disturbances.

Multi-Source Characteristics of Atmospheric Deposition in Nanjing,China,as Controlled by East Asia Monsoons and Urban Activities

Atmospheric deposition, a major pathway of metals entering into soils, plays an important role in soil environment, especially in urban regions where a large amount of pollutants are emitted into atmosphere through various sources. In order to understand the characteristics of atmospheric deposition in urban area and its relation with natural and anthropogenic sources, a three-year study of atmospheric deposition at three typical sites, industrial zone(IN), urban residential area(RZ) and suburban forested scenic area(FA),was carried out in Nanjing, a metropolitan city in eastern China from 2005 to 2007. The bulk deposition rate and element composition of atmospheric deposition varied spatio-temporally in the urban zones of Nanjing. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Ca in the atmospheric deposits were strongly enriched in the whole Nanjing region; however, anthropogenic pollutants in atmospheric deposits were diluted by the input of external mineral dust transported from northwestern China. Source apportionment through principal component analysis(PCA) showed that the background atmospheric deposition at the FA site was the combination of external aerosol and local emission sources. The input of long-range transported Asian dust had an important influence on the urban background deposition, especially in spring when the continental dust from the northwestern China prevailed. Marine aerosol source was observed in summer and autumn, the seasons dominated by summer monsoon in Nanjing. In contrast, the contribution of local anthropogenic emission source was constant regardless of seasons. At the RZ and IN sites, the atmospheric deposition was more significantly affected by the nearby human activities than at the FA site. In addition, different urban activities and both the winter and summer Asian monsoons had substantial impacts on the characteristics of dust deposition in urban Nanjing.