Geochemistry of porewater and sulfate-reducing bacteria in sediment cores from the Chianan Plain, Taiwan

High concentrations of arsenic and humic substances in groundwater from the southwestern coastal plain of Taiwan were well known for their probable relationships with black-foot disease. In order to realize the relationships between the concentrations of humic substances and arsenic in this area, 24 well water samples were analyzed. After filtered through 0.45 μm glass fiber membrane in the field, samples were kept in the dark at 4℃ and then separated into six fractions with varying range of molecular weight （〈0.5, 0.5-1, 1-5, 5-10, 10-50 and 〉50 k Da） by ultrafiltration apparatus （Molecular/Por Stirred Cell system） in the lab. Concentrations of humic substances were measured by fluorescence spectrometer （HITACHI F-2000, ex=370, em=445） and arsenic by FIAS-AA （Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 100, FIAS-400）. On average, only 6.2% of the total arsenic in water existed in the fraction of 〉0.5 k Da. and the others were complexed with humic substances （including humic acid and fulvic acid）. The results demonstrated a distinct positive correlation between the concentrations of humic substances and arsenic.     

Association between multi-level inorganic arsenic exposure from drinking water and skin lesions in Inner Mongolia, China

Arsenic is one of the most important single-substance toxicants in the environment. In Inner Mongolia of China, 300000 residents are believed to drink water containing 〉50 μg/L. Skin lesions have been known as the most common consequences resulting from chronic exposure to arsenic. To clarify the prevalence of arsenic-induced skin lesions, it is important to assess the impact of this problem on the target population, and to make future planning. We evaluated the association between multi-level inorganic arsenic exposure from drinking water and skin lesions in an arsenic-affected area in Inner Mongolia, China. 109 and 32 subjects fi＇om high-level arsenic-affected （〉5 μg/L） village and low-level （≤50 μg/L） village were recruited and had detailed physical examination with special emphasis on arsenic-related skin lesions. Arsenic exposure was measured for each participant with As concentration of primary well and the duration of using the well was recorded. Arsenic-induced skin lesions including keratosis, pigmentation, and/or leucomelanosis were diagnosed in 56 and 3 subjects in the two villages, respectively. Logistic regression was conducted to calculate prevalence-odd ratios of skin lesions by levels of arsenic exposure with adjustment of sex, age group, smoking and duration of exposure. A consistent dose-response relationship between arsenic exposure level and skin lesion risk was observed.     

XANES analysis of the mechanisms of arsenic removal in biological iron and manganese treatment unit

Biological iron and manganese removal utilizing indigenous iron and manganese oxidizing bacteria （IRB hereafter） in groundwater can also be applied to arsenic removal according to our pilot-scale test. The arsenic removal probably occurred through sorption and complexation of arsenic to iron and manganese oxides formed by enzymic action of IRB. We investigated the chemical properties of iron and manganese oxides in IRB floc and the valence state of arsenic sorbed to the floc to clarify the mechanisms of the arsenic [especially As （Ⅲ）] removal. The floc samples were collected from two drinking water plants using IRB （Jyoyo and Yamatokoriyama, Japan）, and our pilot - scale test site where arsenic and iron removal using IRB is under way （Mukoh, Japan）. The Jyoyo and Yamatokoriyama IRB floc samples were subjected to As （Ⅲ） and As（Ⅴ） sorption experiments. The elemental composition of the floc samples was measured. XANES spectra were collected on As, Fe and Mn K-edges at synchrotron radiation facility Spring 8 （Hyogo, Japan）. FT-IR and the X-ray diffraction spectra of the samples were also obtained. The IRB floc contained ca. 35 % Fe, 0.3%-3.5% Mn and 2%-6% P. The samples were highly amorphous and contained ferrihidrites and hydrated iron phosphate. According to XANES analyses of IRB, As associated with IRB was in ＋5 valence state when As （Ⅲ） （or As （Ⅴ）） was added in laboratory sorption test, Fe in ＋3 valence state, and Mn a mixture of＋3 and ＋4 valence states. Small shift was observed in the XANES spectra of IRB on As K-edge as the equilibration time of the sorption experiment was increased. Gradual oxidation of a small amount of As （Ⅲ） associated with IRB or change in arsenic binding with sorption site were the probable mechanism.     

Possibility of degradation of phenylarsonic acid in the presence of ferrihydrite

Although inorganic species are predominant in natural systems, but there are many kinds of organoarsenic species such as methylated and phenylated arsenic compounds. Phenylarsonic acid （PA） is a degradation product of organoarsenics used for chemical warfare agents, which has been detected in well water at the disposal site of the agents in Japan. There are few reports studying behavior of PA in soil. In this study, PA was adsorbed onto ferrihydrite and its chemical forms were determined using high performance liquid chromatography connected to inductivity-coupled plasma mass spectrometry （HPLC-ICP-MS）. 100 mg/kg of PA was mixed with 0.03 g of 2-line ferrihydrite. For each suspension, pH was adjusted by HNO3 or NaOH. Each sample was incubated for more than 19 hours and the final pH was measured. After filtration, the chemical form of arsenic in the filtrate was measured using HPLC-ICP-MS. In addition, ferrihydrite separated by filtration was dissolved by 3 ml of 0.5 M HCI and the arsenic species in the solution was detected by HPLC-ICP-MS （column： Tosoh TSKgel SuperlC-AP, eluent： 0.01 M HNO3）. It was verified that PA is not degraded by heating in 0.5 M HCl solution. At pH 3.1, any arsenic compounds were not detected from the solution, because almost all arsenic species were adsorbed onto ferrihydrite at lower pH. At pH= 12, however, 7%-10% of inorganic arsenic was detected in the solution. In solid phase, there are some problems to determine the precise ratio of inorganic and organic species. When the solution includes Fe ion at 0.01 M level, the retention time of arsenic species drifted compared to those in standard solution, which makes it difficult to determine precisely the arsenic species adsorbed on ferrihydrite. Therefore, more study is needed to determine the ratio of inorganic and organic species in the system.     

吉林省某锑矿分离砷的研究

采用以水玻璃、硫酸为主的组合抑制剂,浮砷抑锑。较好地解决了砷锑分离的难题,使锑的精矿含砷降到符合国家质量标准。     

氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法则定锑精矿中的微量砷

使用氢化物发生—原子荧光光谱法测定锑精矿中的微量砷在国内外报道较少。文章在锑干扰状况试验、高锰酸钾溶液消除干扰的最佳条件选择试验、锑精矿中共存元素的干扰和消除试验的基础上,对样品进行了实测,并就其灵敏度、准确度和精密度进行了讨论。研究表明,该方法是测定锑精矿中微量砷的有效方法。     

湄公河下游地下水域中的砷

通过对亚洲东南部多数冲积含水层的水进行调查，更进一步加强了人们对砷的认识，其调查结果使人们增加了对湄公河流域下游地下水水域中砷的关注。本文作者对此进行了新的研究并且回顾了许多以前小规模研究，提供了柬埔寨和越南Cuu Long三角洲含水层中砷的综合概况。天然砷一般起源于湄公河流域的下游，而不是起源于某一有地质特征的地区，而且发现浓度介于8ppm和16ppm（干重）之间的砷广泛分布于土壤中。与天然冲积层的砷相比，工业和农业用的砷是有限的。含水层地下水的砷浓度不低于10μgL^-1，但是，在离散的反常区域，砷的浓度在10-30μgL^-1也是常见的，有时也可能有暂时的砷异常，砷浓度可达到600μgL^-1，。最严重的是，洪积平原中的铁和富含有机质的沉积物容易受到洪水水位大的波动的影响，在氧化条件下．产生不稳定的毒砂。而一般情况下，地下水中高浓度的砷，由于受到吸附和解吸的袭夺作用，在还原和带轻微碱性的条件下，砷适宜释放。在水位埋深浅的含水层和100—200米较深的含水层中，地下水的砷浓度高。砷蔓延的过程没有明显的迹象，但是砷对健康有严重的局部危害，而且通过间接方式（诸如通过污染的稻米和水产品）摄取低浓度砷也存在着一定的风险。土壤中含砷几乎是普遍存在的，加之将来地下水抽取量的快速增加的可能性，这就要求在整个区域开发水资源时要持续保持警惕性。     

砷的原位去除——Danida公众健康工程部试点项目回顾

通过试验来确定两种公认的铁去除技术去除砷的效率。一种方法是以原位沉淀为原理，另一种方法是传统的铁去除技术。初步分析结果显示，当地下水中砷的浓度小于0.1mg/L时，通过利用这两种技术能够把地下水中砷的浓度降至符合孟加拉国的饮用水标准，然而，当地下水中砷的初始浓度较高时，通过使用这两种技术仅能把砷浓度减少50%。在大多数砷污染地区，在所有受砷污染的管井中，有50%的管井井水中砷的浓度低于0.1mg/L。利用这两种技术能够有效地缓解孟加拉国的砷污染问题。这两种砷去除技术有可能被公众完全接受，然而，仍需要对这两种砷去除技术进行进一步改进，以便更有效地处理初始砷浓度较高的地下水。     

原子荧光光谱法测定化探样品时有机质对As,Sb,Bi的干扰

通过研究黑龙江省森林沼泽景观区有机水系沉积物（泥炭）、土壤中As,Sb,Bi的测定结果，发现样品中的有机质对王水消解氢化物原子荧光法测定上述元素存在极大的干扰，提出采用低温（＜450℃）灰化处理可完全消除干扰。对比研究还发现，过去森林沼泽景观区的区域化探扫面资料中的As,Sb,Bi数据存在问题，应专门对其进行评价研究。     

原子荧光光谱法测定地球化学样品中的砷、锑和汞的方法改进

在原子荧光光谱法中，通过改进地球化学样品的分解条件，预还原条件及测定条件，使砷、锑和汞能在同一介质中测定，而且实现了砷与汞的双道同时测定。方法的检测出限、准确度及精密度均能达到行业要求。