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Abstract Due to its longevity, radioisotope 129I is a health concern following potential releases in the environment which raises questions about residence and exposure times relevant for risk assessments. We determined 127I concentrations (as a surrogate for 129I) in a series of French forest soils (i.e. litters, humus and mineral soils) under different vegetation and climate conditions in order to identify the major processes affecting its accumulation and persistence in the soil column. The input fluxes linked to rainfall, throughfall and litterfall were also characterized. Main results obtained showed that: (i) rainfall iodine concentrations probably influenced those of litterfall through absorption by leaves/needles returning to the ground; (ii) throughfall was the major iodine input to soils (mean = 83%), compared to litterfall (mean = 17%); (iii) humus represented a temporary storage of iodine from atmospheric and biomass deposits; (iv) iodine concentrations in soils depended on both the iodine inputs and the soil's ability to retain iodine due to its organic matter, total iron and aluminium concentrations; (v) these soil properties were the main factors influencing the accumulation of iodine in the soil column, resulting in residence times of 419–1756 years; and (vi) the leaching of iodine-containing organic matter dissolved in soil solution may be an important source of labile organic iodine for groundwater and streams. Highlights • Measurement of I concentrations in French forest soils (litterfall, humus and soil). • Rainfall iodine concentrations probably influenced those of litterfall. • Throughfall was the major iodine input to soils compared to litterfall. • Major role of organic matter, iron and aluminium in iodine persistence in soils. • Concentrations of I in forest soils varied with vegetation and climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levels of particulate matter of size ten micron (PM 10 ) in outdoor air, potential PM 10 -bound seven metals - manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel and cobalt - and twelve water-soluble organic and inorganic ionic components - fluoride, acetate, chloride, nitrite, bromide, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, oxalate, sodium, potassium and calcium - were investigated during two different season. Atmospheric PM 10 samples were collected concurrently from three different sites, i.e., Durgapur (Industrial), Berhampore (Urban) and Bolpur (Semi-urban), West Bengal, India, during summer (April–June 2014) and winter (December 2014–February 2015). Average PM 10 levels were found to be in the range of 189.58–219.96 μg/m 3 at the semi-urban site, 293.41–324.27 μg/m 3 at the urban site and 316.93–344.69 μg/m 3 at the industrial site during summer and winter season respectively. Data on metals and water soluble ions were analyzed statistically (Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis) for their source identification and apportionment in the study areas. Principle component analysis models, from three different sites, identified four different factors which share common sources, viz., soil & road re-suspension, motor vehicle and traffic, waste dumping, biomass aerosols, and construction. The pollution load and health risk assessments of selected metals were undertaken in three different sites, within children and adults of the study areas, and were found to be within the safe range. Furthermore, an attempt has also been made to provide basic information on pollution, their sources and exposure pathways for humans in the vicinity of semi-urban, urban and industrial regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) from animal wastes can contribute to pollution of surface waters. Bioavailable DON (ABDON) is a portion of DON utilized by algae with or without bacteria. This study determined DON and ABDON levels in animal wastewater collected from two different sources: an animal feedlot wastewater storage tank and a sheep wastewater storage lagoon. Inocula for the ABDON bioassays were comprised of individual species and several combinations involving two algae ( Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris ) and a mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) bacterial culture. The ratio of initial DON to initial total dissolved nitrogen was 18% in the feedlot wastewater samples and 70% in the lagoon wastewater samples. The results showed that between 1.6 and 4.5 mg-NL-1 DON (45–79% of initial DON) in the feedlot samples and between 3.4 and 7.5 mg-NL-1 DON (36%–79% of initial DON) in the lagoon samples were bioavailable with the inocula tested. These results suggest that when considering eutrophication potential of livestock wastewater, organic nitrogen should be included in addition to the obvious culprits, ammonia and nitrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are problematic constituents in energy-derived waters, and aerobic degradation may provide a strategy for mitigating risks to aquatic organisms. The overall objective of this study was to determine the influence of concentrations of N (as ammonia) and P (as phosphate), and DO, as well as pH and temperatures on degradation of a commercial NA in bench-scale reactors. Commercial NAs provided replicable compounds necessary to compare influences of environmental conditions on degradation. NAs were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography. Microbial diversity and relative abundance were measured in treatments as explanatory parameters for potential effects of environmental conditions on microbial populations to support analytically measured NA degradation. Environmental conditions that positively influenced degradation rates of Fluka NAs included nutrients (C:N 10:1–500:1, C:P 100:1–5000:1), DO (4.76–8.43 mg L −1 ), pH (6–8), and temperature (5–25 °C). Approximately 50% removal of 61 ± 8 mg L −1 was achieved in less than 2 d after NA introduction, achieving the method detection limit (5 mg L −1 ) by day 6 of the experiment in treatments with a C:N:P ratio of 100:10:1, DO > 8 mg L −1 , pH ∼8–9, and temperatures >23 °C. Microbial diversity was lowest in lower temperature treatments (6–16 °C), which may have resulted in observed slower NA degradation. Based on results from this study, when macro- and micronutrients were available, DO, pH, and temperature (within environmentally relevant ranges) influenced rates of aerobic degradation of Fluka NAs. This study could serve as a model for systematically evaluating environmental factors that influence NA degradation in field scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can strongly influence the behavior and risk of metal pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. However, a comprehensive study on the effects of DOM level and environmental factors on the binding of DOM with Pb(II) is lacking. This study examined the DOM-Pb(II) interaction in the river water under variable DOM level, pH, and major ions, using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). Four humic-like and one protein-like component were identified, and the abundant humic-like components showed higher Pb(II)-binding fractions (f) than the protein-like component. The f of PARAFAC components decreased while the conditional stability constants (log K M) increased for the diluted DOM, indicating the influence of DOM level on its metal binding. The DOM-Pb(II) interaction was sensitive to changes in pH, with generally higher f and lower log K M at the alkaline condition due to changes in the DOM conformation. The addition of major ions significantly decreased the fluorescence quenching by Pb(II), due to competitive effects and potential DOM conformation changes at elevated ions. Overall, our results show that the DOM-Pb(II) complexation is highly dependent on both the DOM properties and environmental factors, which have implications for optimizing the experimental conditions and for comparing the results in different environments. [Display omitted] • DOM properties and environmental conditions affected the DOM-Pb(II) interaction. • Humic-like components had higher binding fractions than the protein-like component. • The binding fraction was higher at higher DOM level and under the alkaline condition. • The increase of major ions decreased the fraction of DOM complexed with Pb(II). • Have implications for comparing the DOM-Pb(II) interaction in different environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perchlorate reduction kinetics and effects of various environmental conditions on removal of perchlorate from synthetic water were investigated to seek high-strength perchlorate removal using mixed perchlorate reducing bacteria. Results demonstrated that perchlorate (50–1500 mg L −1 ) could be degraded rapidly within 28 h under the optimal conditions. The maximum specific perchlorate reduction rate ( q max ) and half saturation constant ( K s ) were 0.92 mg-perchlorate (mg-dry weight) −1 h −1 and 157.7 mg L −1 , respectively. In the ClO 4 − – NO 3 − systems obvious but recoverable lags were caused in perchlorate reduction and the lag time increased with the ratio of nitrate to perchlorate concentration increasing from 0.5 to 3. While in the ClO 4 − – SO 4 2 − systems inhibitions didn't occur until the ratio of sulfate to perchlorate concentration exceeded 10. The optimum temperature and pH value were 35 °C and 6.85, respectively. The optimal acetate-to-perchlorate ratio that could consume all perchlorate and acetate simultaneously was about 2. Dechloromonas , one of the most prominent perchlorate reducing bacteria, was identified as the dominant bacterium in the acclimated culture (69.33% of the whole clones). The study demonstrated that the perchlorate-acclimated mixed microorganisms can readily and efficiently realize reduction of highly concentrated perchlorate in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution in the surface water of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) was investigated. A total of 26 samples were collected from water bodies in three cities within the YRD during the dry season from October to November of 2009. The total PCBs (dissolved plus particulate) ranged from 1.23 to 16.6ngL−1 and were dominated by tri-, tetra-, and penta-chlorinated biphenyls. The mean PCBs in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Yangtze River were 8.84 and 3.36ngL−1, respectively. A t-test showed that there were no significant differences in the concentration of samples from the metropolitan area and the development zone. According to the Chinese national environmental quality standards for surface water (GB 3838-2002), the concentrations of PCBs observed in this study do not pose a hazard to aquatic or human health. Overall, this study described the PCB concentration and homolog distribution patterns in one of the most rapidly developing areas in China, and the results can be used as reference levels for future PCB monitoring programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The spatiotemporal changes of metals, inorganic ions and physiochemical parameters of Aitoliko lagoon, an anoxic wetland in Western Greece, were studied with special emphasis in sulfur species. Theoretical physicochemical modeling was performed for the sulfur speciation, based on experimental pH and redox potential data. Accordingly, the speciation of sulfur in the lagoon can be operationally divided in two domains: (a) for depths d =0–10m below the surface, the sulfur speciation can be described by equilibrium reactions between the aqueous species. (b) At depths d >10m a progressive decline for concentration is observed between theory and experiment. At the lagoon-bottom an elevated concentration of 19±2mM was measured, which cannot be described by physicochemical equilibrium based on the pH, E h, O2 concentrations measured in situ. Accordingly, we suggest that additional biogeochemical processes, such as sulfur bacteria activity, have to be invoked. Of particular importance is that the experimental pH-pe values cross the critical region where the interplay of //H2S occurs. This explains why a relatively small fluctuation of pH, pe values may result in a shift of the equilibrium over one sulfur species. This explains the, otherwise accidental, previously reported releases of H2S in the air over the lagoon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The estimation of biodegradation rates is an important source of uncertainty in chemical risk assessment. The existing OECD tests for ready biodegradability have been developed to devise screening methods to determine whether a chemical is potentially easily biodegradable, rather than to predict the actual rate, of biodegradation in the environment. However, risk assessment needs degradation rates. In practice these rates are often estimated (default values) from ready biodegradability tests. These tests have many compromising arbitrary features compared to the situation in the real environment. One important difference is the concentration of the chemical. In wastewater treatment or in the environment many chemicals are present at ng l−1 to μg l−1 levels whereas in the tests the concentrations exceed 10–400 mg carbon per litre. These different concentrations of the chemical will lead to different growth kinetics and hence different biodegradation rates. At high concentrations the chemical, if it is degradable, can serve as a primary substrate and competent microorganisms will grow exponentially, resulting in a sigmoid biodegradation curve. At low environmental concentrations the chemical does not serve as a primary substrate, and therefore does not support significant growth of the degraders, and the substrate has a linear biodegradation rate. In this study the biodegradation rates of two reference chemicals, aniline and 4-chloroaniline, were compared in a standard method and in more realistic conditions at low concentrations, using 14C-labelled substances and different sources of inocula. Biomass evolution during the tests was monitored by adenosine triphosphate measurement and also on the basis of the residual 14C-activity in the particulate matter. The results partly support the thesis that low concentrations lead to different biodegradation kinetics compared to the concentrations used in the standard tests. Furthermore the biodegradation rates of the chemicals studied, particularly of 4-chloroaniline, in Finnish natural waters appeared to be lower than those reported in some other countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pb-based perovskite nanoparticles (PbPNPs) are amongst others used within highly efficient solar cells. PbPNPs can be released into the environment during their production, recycling or waste processing. In this study we investigated the fate and toxicity of PbPNPs on soil bacterial community under simulated natural environmental conditions across a range of pH, humic acid, and divalent cation concentrations. Increasing pH decreased PbPNPs-particle aggregation as well as Pb-ion release. The presence of only humic acid (HA) prevented the aggregation of PbPNPs-particles, whereas the presence of only divalent cations promoted the aggregation of PbPNPs-particles. The amount of Pb-ions released from the PbPNPs-particles was reduced in the presence of either HA or the divalent cations. Results of toxicity testing of PbPNPs by determining the metabolic potential of a bacterial community indicated that increasing pH alleviated particle toxicity. The presence of only HA reduced the toxicity of PbPNPs, while the presence of only divalent cations enhanced the particle toxicity. The coexistence of HA and divalent cations enhanced PbPNPs aggregation and reduced toxicity, with both Pb-ions and the interaction between the PbPNPs-particles and bacterial cells contributing to the toxic effects. Our study emphasized that environmental conditions play important roles that influencing the fate and toxicity of PbPNPs. • The fate and toxicity of PbPNPs are influenced by pH, HA and divalent cation content. • Increasing pH promoted PbPNPs dispersion but decreased Pb-ion release and toxicity. • The surface coating by HA increased PbPNPs stability but decreased bioavailability. • The divalent cations enhanced the PbPNPs aggregation and increased toxicity. • The divalent cations concentration drives the fate and toxicity when coexist with HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]