Abstracts to forthcoming papers

RECOMMENDED HEALTH‐BASED LIMITS IN OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS, Technical WHO‐Report 647 of a WHO Study Group (Chairman: Professor R. L. Zielhuis, University of Amsterdam) in English, French and Spanish, 1980, 116 pages, no index, many valuable literature references added to each chapter, stiff paper cover, format 200 × 140 mm, ISBN 92–4–120647–0, WHO—Health &; Biomedical Information Programme, CH‐1211 Geneva 27, SFr. 8‐

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT: SOURCES, FATES AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS, Dr. Jerry M. Neff, Texas A &; M University, College Station, Texas, U.S.A., 262 pages (including a bibliography with literature references of 27 pages, a glossary of abbreviations of two pages and an index of 4 pages), 30 figures, 89 tables, linen, format 230 × 148 mm, ISBN 0–85334–832–4, Elsevier's Applied Science Publishers Ltd., Barking, Essex IG11 OSA, England 1979, £22.50.

EVALUATION OF THE CARCINOGENIC RISK OF CHEMICALS TO HUMANS: SOME METALS AND METALLIC COMPOUNDS, World Health Organization/International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC Monograph, Volume 23, Lyon 1980, 438 pages (including a preamble and general remarks of 26 pages and a cumulative index for volumes 1–23 (only 4 references related to volume 23) of 20 pages), 36 tables, many valuable literature references added to each chapter, stiff paper cover, format 240 × 180 mm, ISBN 92–832–1223–1, WHO—Health &; Biomedical Information Programme, CH‐1211 Geneva 27, US $30.‐ or SFr. 50.‐     

Abstracts to forthcoming papers

Soil and sediments collected at a former chlor‐alkali plant in coastal Georgia (United States), revealed the presence of PCDF concentrations as great as 82.3 ng/g, dry wt. PCDF congener profile in soil was typical of “chlorine pattern”; with elevated proportions of OCDF and HpCDF. Concentrations of PCDFs declined gradually by 44‐fold at a distance of about 500 m along the contamination gradient. Of PCDDs/DFs, 2,3,7,8‐substituted PCDFs accounted for 94–98% of the TCDD‐like activity, which declined by 25‐fold, corresponding with the reduction of total PCDF concentrations. Concentrations of PCDDs in sediments were as great as 17 ng/g, with an elevated contribution from OCDD. The magnitude of decline in PCDD concentrations with distance from the source was less pronounced than that for PCDFs. PBDDs and PBDFs were not detected. Polybrominated biphenyl ether (PBBE) and monobromo‐heptachloro dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans (PXDDs/DFs) were found, though, at low concentrations. Their spatial distribution was similar to those of PCDDs.     

健康风险评估方法在中国重金属污染中的应用及暴露评估模型的研究进展

经济的快速发展导致中国环境质量日趋恶化.随着健康意识的增强,人们越来越重视污染物暴露人群的健康风险评估.与其他污染物相比,重金属污染区域广,重金属暴露人群多且集中.为了研究重金属暴露条件下人群的健康风险,USEPA 模型、统计模型、地理信息系统、可给性研究的方法已被中国不同学者应用.暴露评估模型作为污染物暴露人群健康风险评估的主要环节,国外的研究已经比较成熟,但相关研究在中国还处于空白阶段.对中国近年来在城市表层土壤（灰尘）、矿区土壤、膳食、地下水和饮用水、大气颗粒物进行重金属风险评估中应用的健康风险评估方法,进行了归纳和评述,并对欧美常用暴露评估模型：环境暴露评估模型、膳食暴露评估模型进行了介绍.中国健康风险评估工作起步晚,在评估的各环节均存在很大缺陷.随着新技术的发展以及人群对环境健康风险认识的深化,健康风险评估将成为中国热门研究领域之一.污染的环境行为、剂量一效应关系、模型、风险信息等方面,将是未来中国健康风险评估研究的重点.     

矿区周围土壤中重金属危害性评估研究

分别用总量法和连续萃取法对广东大宝山矿周围土壤、植物和沉积物中重金属的总量和化学形态进行了详细分析。结果发现，矿山废水流入的横石河沉积物中Pb、Zn、Cu和Cd的质量分数分别为1841．02、2326．28、1522．61和10.33mg／kg；经此河水灌溉的稻田中重金属(Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn)的质量分数也远远超出了土壤环境二级标准值，其中Cu、Cd超标倍数分别为14．01和4．17倍。结果还表明，生长在矿区周围的植物也受到不同程度重金属的污染且不同植物吸收和积累重金属的能力相差很大。用Tessier连续法对土壤中重金属进行萃取发现，虽然重金属主要存在于残余态中，但在Fe-Mn氧化态、有机结合态中的质量分数也很高．说明这些土壤确实受到了有毒有害重金属元素的严重污染。     

福建省菜园土壤重金属的含量及其污染评价

采集了福建省26个县市158份菜园表层土壤样品,测定了土壤样品中重金属含量,采用单项及综合污染指数法对土壤重金属污染进行评价分析,并通过元素相关性分析和聚类分析,研究了菜园土壤重金属元素的赋存特征与区域分布.结果表明,福建省菜园土壤存在着不同程度的重金属污染,主要污染元素为Pb,Hg和Cd;元素相关性分析与聚类分析的结果表明:Cu,Zn,Ni和As具有伴随污染的特点,其污染源主要来自土壤母质和大量施用的农药和化肥;Cd,Pb和Hg在土壤中各聚成一类,说明它们在菜园土壤具有较独特的污染源,特别是Cd和Hg,其污染特征明显.而Pb和Cd虽有各自的污染源,但其污染具有一定的相关性.     

粤北星子河水生生物体内重金属污染特征及健康风险

本文分析了粤北星子河12种水生生物样品中Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Ni和Zn等6种金属元素的含量水平。利用综合污染指数法和目标危害系数法对水生生物中重金属的污染特征及其健康风险进行评价。结果表明:不同水生生物对重金属的富集程度存在明显差异,重金属的含量水平从低到高顺序依次为:CdNiPbCrCuZn;鱼类富集重金属明显低于贝类。在贝类样品中,Cr、Pb和Zn的含量均出现超标现象。鱼类重金属综合污染指数低于1,属于微污染;而田螺重金属综合污染指数大于1,属于轻度污染水平。不同鱼类中重金属的复合健康危害系数(TTHQ)均小于1,且每周评估摄入量(EDI)均远低于暂定每周允许摄入量(PTWI),居民通过鱼类摄入重金属的健康风险较低;田螺中重金属对人的复合健康危害系数大于1,长期食用田螺存在较高的健康风险,风险较高的重金属元素为Cr、Pb和Zn。     

Fractionation analysis of some heavy metals in sediments of the north-western part of the Red Sea,Egypt

Sequential extraction was used to study operationally determined chemical forms (exchangeable, carbonate, reducible metal, oxidisable metal and the residual fractions) of the metals Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in sediments from 12 sample sites collected from the north-western part of the Red Sea, where improper recreational facilities have resulted in diverse impacts on the coastal environments fronting some of the recreation projects. The results showed that the average percentage of each phase was different among metal types; the residual binding fraction was the most important phase for binding Zn and to a lesser degree Cu. The reducible fraction was the second most important phase for Zn and Cu. For Pb, the fractions bounded to the residual fractions and the reducible phases are equal and exhibited the highest percentages. By contrast, the carbonate fraction was predominant for Cd. The percentages of Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb associated with the carbonate and exchangeable fractions, which are potentially the most harmful to the environment, were calculated and assessed at different sampling sites of the studied sediments. According to the Risk Assessment Code (RAC), the results reveal that Cd is the only metal that poses a high risk to the environment.     

Contents of heavy metals in marine algae from Egyptian Red Sea coast

Seaweeds belonging to 14 different genera of Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta were analyzed to determine the levels of heavy metals in two areas of the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Among the trace metals analyzed, Mn and Zn showed the highest mass concentrations in the surface seawaters of the two studied areas. However, algae obtained from Suez area had the highest concentrations of the investigated heavy metals than those collected from Mars Alam area. Nevertheless, a high variability of the metal levels occurs among the studied algae and also between the investigated areas. Moreover, Zn was the most abundant metal in the seaweeds of the Suez area, while Pb was predominant in Mars Alam area in red and brown algae. L. farinosa had the highest average concentration factor of Zn in Suez (29161 fold), while it was 20091 fold in E. intestinalis at Mars Alam. The highest value of metal pollution index (MPI) was recoded in L. farinosa (22.0) at Suez. It represents 4.6 fold of that value recorded in L. farinosa at Mars Alam. Among green, brown and red algae in Suez, the highest values of MPI were recorded in Cladophora (mixed sub-species) and H. comuto (18.2 and 18.3), P. pavonia (16.2) and L. farinosa (22.1), respectively; while at Mars Alam, they were recorded in Cladophora (mixed sub-species) (6.6), P. pavonia (3.4) and L. farinosa (4.8), respectively.     

Contamination status of arsenic,lead, and cadmium of different wetland waters

The present investigation was conducted to determine the contamination status of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in the wetland waters of Bhaluka in Bangladesh. Water samples were collected from 15 selected wetlands of Bhaluka region and analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Estimated results of three metals detected were As (7–80?µg?L^?1), Pb (0–86?µg?L^?1) and Cd (0–70?µg?L^?1) in water samples in all wetlands. The level of As in all investigated wetlands (93%) was higher than that of WHO recommended permissible limit of drinking water except Alanga wetland. However, As levels were higher than that recommended for livestock water quality levels. Eighty-seven percent of the investigated wetlands showed lower content of Pb than WHO recommended permissible limit of drinking water, but two wetland waters (Dohuria-1 and Chowdhuri) were polluted with higher Pb levels. Sixty-seven percent of the investigated wetlands displayed higher levels of Cd than WHO recommended permissible limit in drinking water. Dissolved organic material showed no significant difference among the 15 investigated wetlands water, but total dissolved solids was significantly greater. The condition of the water of all wetlands was basic pH. All water samples were applied to linear regression equation and correlation coefficients where values showed no significant differences. Data demonstrate that the estimated high metal concentrations of these ponds may contribute to bioaccumulation within plants, food grains and shrimp.     

重金属暴露与前列腺癌发生和进展的关系综述

前列腺癌是男性泌尿系统发病率最高的恶性肿瘤.目前关于其发病机制有很多不同的学说,其中环境中的重金属暴露引起前列腺癌的研究逐渐成为研究热点之一.文章重点阐述了镉、砷、铜等重金属导致前列腺癌发生和发展的最新研究进展.研究发现,重金属暴露能够导致前列腺上皮细胞抗凋亡能力增强、雌激素受体增加、DNA甲基化异常、肿瘤干细胞形成,最终导致正常的前列腺上皮细胞发生恶性转化.关于重金属暴露引发前列腺癌的更多机制还有待进一步深入研究.因此,研究环境中重金属暴露导致前列腺癌发生机制对职业性暴露的人群提供健康指导以及预防前列腺癌的发生均具有重要的现实意义.     

沉积物再悬浮-重金属释放机制研究进展

水-沉积物界面重金属迁移和转化行为已成为水环境质量研究的热点。因自然、生物、人为活动等驱动的沉积物再悬浮使得沉积物颗粒吸附和结合的重金属可能通过吸附-解吸平衡和氧化还原反应而释放进入上覆水体。随着外在污染源输入逐步得到控制,沉积物再悬浮释放重金属将成为水体重要的内在污染源而对水环境质量和水生生物产生影响。本文综述了最近几年的相关研究文献,对沉积物再悬浮的动力来源及发生机制、再悬浮-重金属释放机制及主要影响因素进行了阐述,探讨了该领域未来可能的研究方向。相关研究发现,当干扰切应力大于沉积物的临界切应力值时,沉积物再悬浮发生,且再悬浮颗粒量随干扰切应力的增强而增大;再悬浮使还原态沉积物暴露于有氧环境,有机质和硫化物的氧化是沉积物结合态重金属释放的主要机理,而沉积物颗粒电性吸附的重金属则通过解吸进入水体;切应力大小、再悬浮水体理化性质、沉积物理化性质以及微生物活性等因素调控着沉积物吸附态或结合态重金属的释放。本文指出再悬浮沉积物释放重金属的去向（再分配机理）以及再悬浮-重金属释放的动力学过程、沉积物悬浮-重金属释放复合预测模型的建立、沉积物悬浮-释放重金属的生物可利用性及生物毒害评价将是本领域需要进一步研究的重点。     

High Cd and Pb in Chinese cabbage: how to safely eat vegetables from metal-contaminated agricultural soil

Trace-element contamination poses a serious threat to China's ecology, environment, food safety, and human health. Human exposure to potentially toxic trace elements is predominantly attributed to the consumption of vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, grown on metal-contaminated soil. In the present study, the concentrations of Cd in Chinese cabbage were found to decrease at an exponential rate from the outermost layer to the inner core, while there was a small change in Pb content from the 1st to the 16th layer of the plant, suddenly decreasing at the 17th layer. Although there was a little difference between the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) and the mean Cd content in the plant, from the 1st layer to the 10th layer in the edible part of Chinese cabbage, Cd concentrations were 1.1–2.5 times higher than the MPC. The Pb concentration in the whole plant was 1.9 times higher than the MPC, while the 17th layer to the 25th layer of Chinese cabbage was safe for consumption. Health risk assessment indicated that the surface layer of Chinese cabbage might cause harm to human health, especially to children, in view of cancer risk and non-cancer risk.     

A comparison of two methods to observe the effects of dual metal exposure to the chironomus larvae

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of metal mixtures on the Chironomus plumosus. Two methods of preparing the mixtures were used, the Toxic Unit (TU) method and the parts per million (PPM) + PPM method. A comparison was undertaken between the two methods to observe the ease with which (1) experiment could be conducted and (2) whether LC₅₀ values could be obtained. In this study, it was noted that the PPM + PPM method was an easier method to conduct metal mixture experiments as the LC₅₀ values could be easily calculated for individual metals and compared with the LC₅₀ values of metals obtained from single metal experiments. The findings showed that the LC₅₀ value for zinc (Zn) was more toxic for chromium (Cr) when it was reduced from 9.6 to 0.3 mg L^?1, with silver the LC₅₀ value became 3.6 mg L^?1, 4.5 mg L^?1 with nickel (Ni). In the PPM + PPM method, the LC₅₀ value for Zn was observed to be 10.2 mg L^?1 when in mixture with chromium, 23.8 mg L^?1 with silver, and 13.4 mg L^?1 with Ni. Changes in the 96 h LC₅₀ value were found to be significant for all metals.     

Exposure to Selected Heavy Metals Through Water Ingestion in an Area Under the Influence of Tanneries

This study evaluated the potential toxicological risk posed to human health due to the exposure to heavy metals by water ingestion in an area affected by tanneries – the Cadeia-Feitoria hydrographic basin (Brazil). River water was collected at 10 sites, every 3 months, from July 1999 to April 2000. After acid digestion, total metal concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn), flame atomic absorption (Al, Fe, Pb, Mn), or cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (Hg). Cr(VI) was complexed with diphenyl-carbazide and detected by UV–vis spectrometry. In order to quantify the risk of exposure, the risk assessment methodology employed by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States was applied at a screening level. The assumed scenarios included extreme exposure patterns (ingestion of untreated water, conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), temporal peaks of pollution). Fe, Al, Cd, Hg, and Pb were not included in the risk analysis, since they showed a low toxicity potential or were undetected in the samples. The selected metals presented Hazard Quotients < 1, in the following order of increasing risk: Cu < Cr(III) < Zn < Ni < Mn < Cr(VI). Hazard indexes, representing the additive effect of contaminants, were also low in the basin (< 1), but comparatively increased in the lower reach of Feitoria and Cadeia Rivers. Although noncarcinogenic risk levels did not suggest possible adverse toxicological effects to the human population, a considerable deviation from background conditions was observed downstream the area where tanneries are mainly located.     

Status and fuzzy comprehensive assessment of metals and arsenic contamination in farmland soils along the Yanghe River,China

Concentrations of metals and arsenic in farmland soils along the Yanghe River, upstream of Guanting Reservoir, were evaluated using fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA). FCA is an emerging methodology for assessing environmental status based on fuzzy logic which can model linguistic data and represent chaotic conditions. The ratio of concentrations of metals and arsenic (As) in surface soils of farmland along the Yanghe River to the corresponding reference values decreased in the order Cd>Zn>Cr>Ni>Pb>Cu>As. Based on the FCA, 86% of surface soils along the Yanghe River were classified as grade C, which is suitable for forestry with a greater absorption capacity, suggesting that most farmland along the Yanghe River has to be abandoned as farmland. In order to improve the quality of soil along the Yanghe River and avoid degeneration of water quality in the river and the Guanting Reservoir, remediation of farmland soils along the river is suggested.     

Heavy-metal distribution and risk assessment of sediment and fish from El-Mex Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

Heavy metals are increasingly being released into natural waters from geological and anthropogenic sources. The distribution of several heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Hg) was investigated in muscle, gill, and liver in two different fish species seasonally collected in El-Mex Bay (autumn 2004-summer 2005). In order to evaluate the pollution status of the Bay, the concentrations of the selected metals in the labile and total fractions were analysed in sediment samples collected from eight sites in El-Mex Bay during autumn 2004. Also, the Index of Geoaccumulation (I_geo) for the sediment was estimated. The total and labile fractions of the selected metals in sediment samples were 15.2 and 62.8 μg g^-1 dw for Cu, 1.8 and 5.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cd, 79.1 and 130.3 μg g^-1 dw for Zn, 0.2 and 1.2 μg g^-1 dw for Hg, 35.8 and 93.0 μg g^-1 dw for Pb, and 13.9 and 31.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cr. The concentrations of all metals were lower in flesh than those recorded in liver and gill due to their physiological roles. The metal pollution index for fish was calculated. Health hazard calculations for the contaminated sediments and fish consumption were calculated to evaluate the effect of pollution on health.     

Geographical distribution and risk assessment of heavy metals: a case study of mine tailings pond

ABSTRACT

In China, a large number of tailings deposited on natural surfaces, the potential risk of tailings attracts people’s attention. In this study, heavy metals distribution, geo-accumulation index, ecological risk index, microbial diversity and community were examined to evaluate the risks of a tailings pond. Results indicated the tailings pH is about 8.17, and the redox potential was lower than zero. Heavy metals could be leached and migrate from the tailings. The tailings pond had more influence on the distribution of Pb, Zn, As, Cu, and S. The influence distance of Pb, Zn, and Cu was less than 10?m, and the influence distance of As and S was less than 50?m. S and As had stronger migration capability than other elements in the soil. The biggest potential ecological risk resulted from Pb, and the distances more than 100?m had low ecological risk. The tailings decreased microbial richness and diversity of the surrounding environment. Oxidising bacteria and reducing bacteria existed in both the tailings and the surrounding soils; however, there were more oxidising and reducing microbes in the tailings than in the surrounding soils. The tailings pond currently has little impact on the environment, but the potential risk still exists.