近二十年能源结构调整使我国土壤多环芳烃浓度下降

近几十年来,我国在快速发展和工业化的同时,在环境污染防治方面也做出了巨大努力。然而,这些全国性措施(如能源结构调整)对土壤中污染物浓度的影响尚未得到很好的量化。多环芳烃(PAHs)污染在全球范围内引发重要关注,且PAHs排放与能源结构有关。因此,我们推测我国能源结构的调整可能会降低土壤中PAHs的含量。为了验证这一假设,我们于2008年和2019年在北京54个点位重复采集了土壤样品,分析了美国环境保护署(US EPA)提出的16种优控PAHs化合物(Σ_(16)PAHs)的浓度,并收集了过去20年全国1704个土壤采样点的数据。结果表明,我国Σ_(16)PAHs浓度沿城市-郊区-农村-背景点梯度下降,且Σ_(16)PAHs浓度与区域总产值(GRP)有关,在GRP较低时Σ_(16)PAHs浓度随GRP的增加而增加,随后在GRP达到一定水平时趋于平稳。过去20年,我国土壤Σ_(16)PAH的平均浓度呈下降趋势,其中北京土壤Σ_(16)PAHs的平均浓度从2008年的22.7μg·g^(-1)总有机碳(TOC)显著下降到2019年的10.0μg·g^(-1)TOC。源识别分析推断,土壤PAHs浓度的下降趋势是由于我国煤炭、焦炭、部分油类消费量下降以及电力、天然气等清洁能源消费量上升所致。本研究例证了调整能源结构在降低土壤多环芳烃浓度和改善土壤环境质量中的重要作用。

Soil Organic Carbon Changes in City Areas of China Over the Past Three Decades:Implications for Achieving Carbon Neutrality

The substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic activities has caused the global mean surface temperature to increase by 0.99℃since the industrial revolution[1].China is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 in response to climate change[2].Soil stores approximately 2344–3000 Pg(1015 g)of carbon at depths of 0–100 cm in terrestrial ecosystems,an amount approximately equivalent to twice the amount in the atmospheric carbon pool and three times that in the terrestrial biomass;therefore,even a small change in soil carbon stocks will exert significant impacts on atmospheric CO_(2)concentrations[3].

Variations in concentrations and bioavailability of heavy metals in rivers caused by water conservancy projects： Insights from water regulation of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir in the Yellow River

Water regulation of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir of the Yellow River was chosen as a case to investigate variations in concentrations and bioavailability of heavy metals caused by water conservancy projects in rivers. Water and suspended sediment(SPS) samples were collected at downstream sampling sites along the river during this period. Concentrations and speciation of Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in water and SPS samples were analyzed, and their bioaccumulation was studied with Daphnia magna. This study indicated that the exchangeable and carbonatebound fractions of heavy metals in SPS decreased along the studied stretch, and the dissolved heavy metal concentrations increased along the river with 1.6–15 folds. This is because sediment resuspension increased along the river during water regulation, giving rise to the increase of heavy metal release from SPS. The dissolved Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb concentrations were significantly positively correlated with SPS concentrations, and their increase along the river was greater than Cr. The body burdens of heavy metals in D. magna exposed into samples collected from the reservoir outlet were 1.3–3.0 times lower than those from downstream stations, suggesting that the heavy metal bioavailability increased during water regulation.This should be considered in the reservoir operation.

Aggregation of graphene oxide and its environmental implications in the aquatic environment

Graphene oxide(GO) with unique characteristics grasps striking potentials in both academic and industrial applications. After being released into natural waters, the dispersity and stability of GO might be altered by the chemical conditions in the receiving water bodies. In this review, we summarized that the aggregation of GO in aquatic environments is mostly dependent on properties of nanoparticles(size,structure, and functional groups) and complex water chemistry(p H, temperature, light, ionic strength,and dissolved organic matter). The knowledge about the aggregation/stability of GO is still insufficient due to the variations in GO properties and complex system of natural waters. Although studies about environmental transformation of graphene-related materials can be accessed but a systematic study taking into consideration the various factors of GO and aquatic systems responsible for aggregation of GO is still lacking. Therefore, we summarized that GO homoaggregation or heteroaggregation with other solid particles can affect the distribution in different depths of rivers and toxicity toward plankton or benthic organisms. More studies are needed to investigate the stability of GO in the long term, the effect of other nanomaterial on GO aggregation, the alteration of water constituents at different regions/time and its effect on GO aggregation, to understand the transportation and impact of GO in the environment.

Growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis in relation to water level variation and nutrient loadings in a shallow lake

Shallow lake eutrophication is a global environmental issue. This study investigated the effects of water level variation and nutrient loadings on the growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis (reed) by field samplings in Baiyangdian Lake, the largest shallow lake of northern China. The field samplings were conducted in two sites of different nutrient loadings during the whole growth period of reeds, and three types of zones with different water depths were chosen for each site, including the terrestrial zone with water level below the ground, the ecotone zone with the water level varying from belowground to aboveground, and the submerged zone with water level above the ground. The result showed that reed growth was more limited by water level variation than nutrient loadings. The average stem lengths and diameters in terrestrial zones were about 26.3%-27.5% and 7.2%-12.0% higher than those in submerged zones, respectively. Similarly, the terrestrial status increased the aboveground biomass of reeds by 36.6%-51.8% compared with the submerged status. Both the nutrient concentrations and storages in the aboveground reeds were mainly influenced by the nutrient loadings in surface water and sediment rather than the water level variation of the reed growth environment, and the nutrient storages reached their maxima in late August or early September. It was observed that the maximum nitrogen storage occurred in the terrestrial zone with higher nutrient loadings, with the value of 74.5 g/m 2 . This study suggested that water level variation and nutrient loadings should be considered when using reeds to control and remediate eutrophication of shallow lakes.

Spatial and vertical variations of perfluoroalkyl substances in sediments of the Haihe River,China

The levels of six perfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs) in surface sediment and their vertical variations in dated sediment cores from the Haihe River were investigated; studied substances included perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA),perfluorononanoic acid(PFNA),perfluorooctane sulfonate(PFOS),perfluorodecanoic acid(PFDA),perfluoroundecanoic acid(PFUnA),and perfluorododecanoic acid(PFDoA). Results showed that the total PFAS concentration in surface sediment ranged between 0.52 and 16.33 ng/g dry weight(dw) with an average of3.47 ng/g dw,with PFOS and PFOA as the dominant PFASs. In general,the PFAS concentrations in the mainstream increased from the upper to the lower reaches,except that a drop occurred downstream of the Erdao dam. Although the PFASs in the sediment cores did not show a clear decreasing or increasing trend with depth,the three cores had a similar vertical variation.The PFAS levels were relatively low in the surface sediment,and reached the first high point at8–20 cm as a result of the wide use of PFASs from 1990 to 2000. After that the PFAS levels decreased,and then increased to a second high point at about 40–48 cm,which might be caused by the leaching of PFASs in sediment. Because PFASs have hydrophilic groups and relatively high solubility,the PFASs will transfer from the upper to lower layers of sediment when water infiltration occurs,leading to the fluctuation of PFAS levels in sediment cores. This study suggests that both the temporal variation of sources and transfer processes of PFASs in sediments are important factors influencing the vertical variation of PFASs in sediment cores.

Relationship between metabolic enzyme activities and bioaccumulation kinetics of PAHs in zebrafish(Danio rerio)

Many studies have investigated bioaccumulation and metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)in aquatic organisms.However,lack of studies investigated both processes simultaneously,and the interaction between these two processes is less understood so far.This study investigated the bioaccumulation kinetics of PAHs and metabolic enzyme activities,including total cytochrome P450(CYPs)and total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD),in zebrafish.Mature zebrafish were exposed to the mixture of phenanthrene and anthracene under constant concentration maintained by passive dosing systems for 16 days.The results showed that PAH concentrations in zebrafish experienced a peak value after exposure for 1.5 days,and then decreased gradually.The bioaccumulation equilibrium was achieved after exposure for 12 days.Both of the uptake rate constants(k_u)and the elimination rate constants(k_e)decreased after the peak value.The variation of PAH concentrations and metabolic enzyme activities in zebrafish had an interactive relationship.The activities of CYPs and T-SOD increased initially with the increase of PAH concentrations,but decreased to the lowest state when PAH concentrations reached the peak value.When the bioaccumulation equilibrium of PAHs was achieved,CYPs and T-SOD activities also reached the steady state.In general,CYPs and T-SOD activities were activated after exposure to PAHs.The decrease of PAH concentrations in zebrafish after the peak value may be attributed to the great drop of k_uand the variation of CYPs activities.This study suggests that an interactive relationship exists between bioaccumulation kinetics of PAHs and metabolic enzyme activities in aquatic organisms.

Effects of seasonal climatic variability on several toxic contaminants in urban lakes: Implications for the impacts of climate change

Climate change is supposed to have influences on water quality and ecosystem.However,only few studies have assessed the effect of climate change on environmental toxic contaminants in urban lakes.In this research,response of several toxic contaminants in twelve urban lakes in Beijing,China,to the seasonal variations in climatic factors was studied.Fluorides,volatile phenols,arsenic,selenium,and other water quality parameters were analyzed monthly from2009 to 2012.Multivariate statistical methods including principle component analysis,cluster analysis,and multiple regression analysis were performed to study the relationship between contaminants and climatic factors including temperature,precipitation,wind speed,and sunshine duration.Fluoride and arsenic concentrations in most urban lakes exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature/precipitation,which is mainly caused by rainfall induced diffuse pollution.A negative correlation was observed between volatile phenols and temperature/precipitation,and this could be explained by their enhanced volatilization and biodegradation rates caused by higher temperature.Selenium did not show a significant response to climatic factor variations,which was attributed to low selenium contents in the lakes and soils.Moreover,the response degrees of contaminants to climatic variations differ among lakes with different contamination levels.On average,temperature/precipitation contributed to 8%,15%,and 12%of the variations in volatile phenols,arsenic,and fluorides,respectively.Beijing is undergoing increased temperature and heavy rainfall frequency during the past five decades.This study suggests that water quality related to fluoride and arsenic concentrations of most urban lakes in Beijing is becoming worse under this climate change trend.

Future climate change decreases multi-pathway but increases respiratory human health risks of PAHs across China

Future climate change will affect the environmental fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants(HOCs)and associated human health risks,yet the extent of these effects remains unknown.Here,we couple a high-resolution environmental multimedia model with a bioaccumulation model to study the multimedia distribution of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),a group of HOCs,and assess future PAH-related human health risks under varying climate change scenarios over China at a continental scale.After removing the effects of PAH emission changes,we find that the total PAH concentrations would decrease in the air,freshwater,sediment,soil,and organisms,while the high-molecular-weight PAH would increase in the air with climate warming from 1.5°C to 4°C.Consequently,the multi-pathway exposure human health risks predominately influenced by dietary ingestion are expected to decrease by 1.7%–20.5%,while the respiratory risks are projected to rise by 0.2%–5.8%in the future.However,the persistently high multi-pathway human health risks underscore the need for reducing future PAH emissions by 69%compared with 2009 levels in China.Our study demonstrates the urgency of limiting PAH emissions under future climate change for public health and highlights the importance of including the contribution of dietary ingestion in human health risk assessment.