Heavy-metal distribution in river waters and sediments around a "firefly village", Shikoku, Japan: application of multivariate analysis.

River water and sediment samples were collected at the same site in a vicinity of an abandoned mine, and the concentrations of major elements and heavy metals were determined. The chemical correlations were observed by principal component analysis (PCA), and the samples were classified by cluster analysis (CA) based on the PCA scores. The PCA results presented a macroscopic viewpoint of covariance structure, i.e., the chemical elements could be classified into three groups: 1) major elements and heavy metals in the river water, 2) Cd, Fe and Mn in the sediments, and 3) Cu and Zn in the sediments. The CA results implied a similarity of chemical compositions in most parts of the study area, except the ranges close to the abandoned copper mine. At the mixing location of mining water with natural river water, major elements and cadmium showed simple physical mixing (conservative mixing). Other heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) showed the massive precipitation at the mixing event. The PCA structure was mainly interpreted in terms of the mixing process between mining water and diluted natural river water.     

Rare earth elements in mine,slime, and river waters in the Kavalerovsky and Dalnegorsky districts of the Russian Far East

The concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) in anthropogenic (mine and slime) and river waters of Kavalerovsky and Dalnegorsky districts of the Far East have been estimated. The highest concentrations of REs have been found in mine water of the Dubrovskoe deposit (Kavalerovsky district), especially in the slime waters of the old tailing dump of the Krasnorechenskaya ore-dressing plant (KODP, Dalnegorsky district). Contamination of the Rudnaya river water has been detected in the vicinity of the KODP old and new tailings dumps. Taking into account that REEs are concomitant with sulfide minerals, the former can be extracted by repeated processing of wastes from the KODP old and new tailings dumps.     

Analysis of antimony around the abandoned Tsugu mine in Aichi Prefecture by neutron activation analysis

At Tsugu mine in Aichi Prefecture, antimony was mined and smelted until 1956. The amounts of antimony present in the soil of the abandoned mine were measured to enable us to detect any traces of the operation of the mine and to measure the level of environmental contamination with antimony. The quantity of antimony in rings of hinoki and sugi was also measured to obtain information about chronological changes in environmental conditions. The quantity of antimony in the samples was determined by INAA. The antimony concentrations in eight soil samples at different points in the Tsugu mine area were 8–17,000 ppm.     

Assessment of natural uranium and 226Ra concentration in ground water around the uranium mine at Narwapahar, Jharkhand, India and its radiological significance

A brief study on dissolved radionuclides in aquatic environment, especially in ground water, constitutes the key aspect for assessment and control of natural exposure. In the present study the distribution of natural uranium and ²²⁶Ra concentration were measured in ground water samples collected within a 10 km radius around the Narwapahar uranium mine in the Singhbhum thrust belt of Jharkhand, India in 2007–2008. The natural uranium content in the ground water samples in this region was found to vary from 0.1 to 3.75 μg L^?1 with an average of 0.87 ± 0.73 μg L^?1 and ²²⁶Ra concentration was found to vary from 5.2 to 38.1 mBq L^?1 with an average of 13.73 ± 7.34 mBq L^?1. The mean annual ingestion dose due to intake of natural uranium and ²²⁶Ra through drinking water pathway to male and female adults population was estimated to be 6.55 and 4.78 μSv y^?1, respectively, which constitutes merely a small fraction of the reference dose level of 100 μSv y^?1 as recommended by WHO.     

X-ray fluorescence analysis of the concentration and valence state of sulfur in pollution samples

Two special X-ray spectrometers have been developed for the measurement of sulfur pollution. One of them is a portable instrument which uses a 50 W aircooled X-ray tube and a vacuum spectrometer with a NaCl crystal. It can detect 0.5μg/cm² of S in 100-s counting interval. The other instrument is specifically for the measurement of valence state of sulfur. It consists of a replacement channel for the multiple-crystal spectrometer instrument used by the Environmental Protection Agency for routine analysis. With this replacement channel details of the sulfur spectrum can be scanned or the crystal may be set for the sulfate Kβ satellite for routine determination of the sulfate fraction of total sulfur.     

Geochemical record of U and Th isotopes in bottom sediments of Lake Kawaguchi at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Central Japan

Sediment cores from Lake Kawaguchi at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan were analyzed for U and Th isotopes (²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³²Th, ²³⁰Th and ²²⁸Th) in the light of the linkage to paleoenvironmental changes. These isotopic concentrations and their ratios varied widely with depth of sediment core. A marked disequilibrium (1.1–1.5) higher than the value of 1.0 was observed for ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios, indicating that U from lake water with high ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio (ca. 1.6) was transferred to the bottom sediment by adsorption and/or adhesion onto the settling particles. By using model equations, the U found in the sediment core was separated into lithogenous and autogenous U fractions. These depth profiles were compared with parameters such as organic matter and biogenic-SiO₂ contents and amount of rainfall. Some variations of selected parameters with depth coincided with those of lithogenous or autogenous U. The results obtained suggest that variation in the lithogenous and/or autogenous U in the sediment with depth might be helpful in tracing the geochemical behavior of U and the past environmental changes in the area surrounding Lake Kawaguchi.The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Y. Ohtsuka of Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences and Dr. K. Sasaki of Department of Cultural Properties and Heritage, Kanazawa Gakuin University for sampling of water and rock samples at Lake Kawaguchi.     

Geochemical record of U and Th isotopes in bottom sediments of Lake Kawaguchi at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Central Japan

Sediment cores from Lake Kawaguchi at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan were analyzed for U and Th isotopes (²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³²Th, ²³⁰Th and ²²⁸Th) in the light of the linkage to paleoenvironmental changes. These isotopic concentrations and their ratios varied widely with depth of sediment core. A marked disequilibrium (1.1–1.5) higher than the value of 1.0 was observed for ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios, indicating that U from lake water with high ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio (ca. 1.6) was transferred to the bottom sediment by adsorption and/or adhesion onto the settling particles. By using model equations, the U found in the sediment core was separated into lithogenous and autogenous U fractions. These depth profiles were compared with parameters such as organic matter and biogenic-SiO₂ contents and amount of rainfall. Some variations of selected parameters with depth coincided with those of lithogenous or autogenous U. The results obtained suggest that variation in the lithogenous and/or autogenous U in the sediment with depth might be helpful in tracing the geochemical behavior of U and the past environmental changes in the area surrounding Lake Kawaguchi.The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Y. Ohtsuka of Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences and Dr. K. Sasaki of Department of Cultural Properties and Heritage, Kanazawa Gakuin University for sampling of water and rock samples at Lake Kawaguchi.     

N-/P-pesticides in the Czech and German part of the river Elbe — Analytical methods and trends of pollution

A GC/MS screening procedure and an analytical routine method with GC/NP-detection is described for N-/P-pesticides in the river Elbe. The GC/MS screening procedure allows the separate analysis of pesticides in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and water (centrifugate). For the pesticides identified only a negligible (<1%) amount was bound to SPM compared to the “dissolved” amount in the centrifugate. N-/P-pesticide concentrations as time series and Elbe length-profiles are presented showing a drastical decrease of the pesticide pollution of the Elbe from 1989 to 1994. Major compounds were dimethoate, parathion-methyl, atrazine and simazine found in the μg/l range in the Elbe downstream of its tributary Mulde obviously stemming from a former East German pesticide production site.     

大辽河水系河水中16种抗生素的污染水平分析

采用固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱建立了水中磺胺(SAs)、氟喹诺酮(FQs)、四环素(TCs)和氯霉素(CAPs)4类共16种抗生素的同时定量分析方法。该方法采用正、负离子同时扫描模式,提高了分析速度;同时在固相萃取洗脱步骤中采用两种溶剂(甲醇及含氨水的甲醇)组合对目标抗生素进行洗脱,在减小洗脱溶剂用量的同时又提高了回收率。用此法对大辽河水系20个采样点的河水进行了定量检测。结果表明: 该法对水体中的目标抗生素有较好的灵敏度和富集效果,方法回收率为69.5%～122.6%,检出限为0.05～0.32 ng/L。在大辽河水系河水中共检出4类13种抗生素的残留,其中磺胺甲基异恶唑在所有采样点都有检出;氟喹诺酮类抗生素的局部残留浓度相对较高;四环素和氯霉素的检出频率和检出浓度相对较低。在河流的上游,这4类抗生素的残留水平较低,而在大城市如沈阳、本溪、辽阳的周围残留水平较高。通过对大辽河水系河水中的抗生素污染水平进行系统的分析比较,所得数据说明大辽河水系存在一定程度的抗生素残留污染,今后对周边地区抗生素污染排放需要加强科学管理。     

Neutron activation analysis applied to the study of heavy metal marine pollution observed through bioaccumulation in macroscopic algae near El Jadida,Morocco

The heavy metals bio-accumulation ability of algae was studied along the North Atlantic Morrocan coast. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used, to determine concentrations of various elements. The k ₀ standardization method was used. Some interferences corrections, particularly due to high concentrations of uranium were applied. The quality of the method was checked by using the CRM 140, a Fucus provided by IAEA. Important pollutions appear for several heavy metals from the Morrocan phosphate industry, with respect to the natural background environment.     

Natural radioactivity in the Guadalquivir river at the South of Spain

U, Th and Ra isotopic activities have been measured in water and sediment samples collected over three years from the Guadalquivir river channel (South of Spain). The study of the radioactivity levels and activity ratios evolution in space and time has provided information on the behavior of the radionuclides mentioned above in the estuarine and non-estuarine zones of the river.     

Oxidation state(s) of particulate manganese in waters from the Seine river

Summary The Mn-Fe (co)precipitation process has been studied at controlled pH and constant oxygen pressure (pH8.0 and = 1 atm) by means of potentiometry (employing a platinum electrode). Taking into account previous results about the kinetics of Mn(II) oxygenation and owing to the detailed survey of the curve E vs. time, it has been possible to appraise the surface catalytic rate, k, of this process on Fe hydroxide: k=5.8×10⁺¹⁷ l⁴ mol^–4 min^–1. This rate constant has been found to be much higher than that obtained in the absence of iron: k_Mn=(4.2±1.4)×10⁺¹⁵ l⁴ mol^–4 min^–1, which is of the same order of magnitude as that reported previously for colloidal MnO₂ surface. ESR studies have shown that manganese precipitates at oxidation state IV. Qwing to the speciation of manganese, the theoretical potential of the Mn²⁺/MnO₂ couple involved can be reached using the Nernst equation. The value is comparable with that measured potentiometrically at a Pt electrode. This suggests that under our experimental conditions manganese has a significant contribution to the redox level of the medium when this does not contain oxygen. In natural media, phenomena are more complicated because particulate Mn (and Fe) may be at oxidation states 相似文献   

Lead,cadmium, and arsenic in commercial algae of the Sea of Japan

The concentrations of toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead) in commercial algae Saccharina japonica and Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis from different habitats of the Sea of Japan have been determined. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals has been analyzed with respect to the habitat and growth conditions. The lead content of Sascharina japonica from all habitats and arsenic content of the same alga species from the Ol’ga Bay, Kievka Bay, and Tatar Strait have been found to exceed maximum permissible levels. Increased lead concentrations have been detected in Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis. Samples of Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis collected from the bottom layer contain more toxic elements than those from the upper layer.     

Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. III. Polymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid and its derivatives

The solid-state photopolymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid (PDA) and its derivatives was studied as an application of solid-state photodimerization of cinnamic acid to photopolymerization of corresponding bifunctional molecule which has two cinnamic units in a single molecule. p- and m-PDA, and their esters and amides were prepared and investigated with respect to their photopolymerizability. Many of them have been found to polymerize into linear high polymers with the cyclobutane rings in the main chain on irradiation by ultraviolet or visible light. The polymerization process, the structure of the polymers, and their general properties were investigated in several ways. All the polymers are very similar to poly-2,5-distyrylpyrazine and poly-1,4-bis(β-pyridyl-2-vinyl) benzene with respect to their polymerization behavior, polymer structure, and some polymer properties: these polymers are soluble in a limited number of solvents, they have a high melting point and an extremely high crystallinity. On the basis of chemical behavior of poly-PDA and its phenyl ester the possible steric configurations of these polymers are discussed. It is demonstrated for the PDA series that solid-state dimerization can be generally extended to solid-state photopolymerization of the compound having two dimerizable units in a single molecule, although the crystal structure renders polymerization impossible in certain cases.     

Sampling of organic volatiles in the atmosphere at moderate and low pollution levels

Several techniques are available for measuring organic volatiles in the atmosphere. For measurements at low and moderate pollution levels (between several μg m^?3 and a fraction of a μg m^?3), the existing methods can be adopted to a broad range of different compounds. Whole-air sampling in stainless-steel containers with metal bellows valves combined with subsequent gas chromatographic separation after preconcentration in the laboratory is probably the best procedure for low and medium molecular weight trace gases of moderate or low polarity and reasonable chemical stability (e.g., hydrocarbons and halocarbons). For organic compounds of lower volatility, adsorptive sampling on non-polar porous organic polymers (e.g., Tenax) and thermal desorption combined with cryotrapping and gas chromatographic separation of the sampled compounds is widely used. However, there are often substantial problems due to artefact formation or loss reactions. Owing to the generally larger sample volumes, these problems are even more pronounced for sorptive sampling techniques combined with sample recovery by solvent extraction. Unfortunately, the general understanding of the various processes of sample degradation due to chemical reactions of reactive components of the atmosphere with each other or with the sorbent is not yet sufficient to allow reasonable estimates of the extent of such interferences without elaborate test procedures.     

Equations of state for polyamide‐6 and its nanocomposites. 1. Fundamentals and the matrix

The pressure‐volume‐temperature (PVT) surface of polyamide‐6 (PA‐6) was determined in the range of temperature T = 300–600 K and pressure P = 0.1–190 MPa. The data were analyzed separately for the molten and the noncrystalline phase using the Simha‐Somcynsky (S‐S) equation of state (eos) based on the cell‐hole theory. At T_g(P) ≤ T ≤ T_m(P), the “solid” state comprises liquid phase with crystals dispersed in it. The PVT behavior of the latter phase was described using Midha‐Nanda‐Simha‐Jain (MNSJ) eos based on the cell theory. The data fitting to these two theories yielded two sets of the Lennard‐Jones interaction parameters: ε*(S‐S) = 34.0 ± 0.3 and ε*(MNSJ) = 22.8 ± 0.3 kJ/mol, whereas v*(S‐S) = 32.00 ± 0.1 and v*(MNSJ) = 27.9 ± 0.2 mL/mol. The raw PVT data were numerically differentiated to obtain the thermal expansion and compressibility coefficients, α and κ, respectively. At constant P, κ followed the same dependence on both sides of the melting zone near T_m. By contrast, α = α(T) dependencies were dramatically different for the solid and molten phase; at T < T_m, α linearly increased with increasing T, then within the melting zone, its value step‐wise decreased, to slowly increase at higher temperatures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 299–313, 2009     

Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to studying the river pollution in the State of Minas Gerais

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have been used for the determination of toxic heavy metals and other pollutants in the water of the Das Velhas river in the State of Minas Gerais, in south-east Brazil. Elemental concentrations of about 60 elements were measured in water samples collected to different parts of this river and from two affluents. There was a good agreement between the two analytical methods and the results were complementary. The results indicated an increase in the concentration of several polluting elements in the water from mining industry area.