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The sorption behavior of phosphorus on marine sediments in the presence of black carbon derived from fly ash (FC) was studied. For both the FC and sediment samples, the kinetic curves could be described by a two-compartment first order equation, and the isotherms fit the Freundlich and Langmuir models well. The high specific surface area with abundant acidic functional groups of FC promoted the sorption and make this process more irreversible. The effects were more significant with higher amount of FC added. After sorption, more significant increase in Ex-P, Fe/Al-P and CaP was found in the sediment with FC added, while the organic groups in FC rarely react with phosphorus to form OP. The pH of medium influenced the sorption character, and FC promoted the process significantly at pH < pH PZNPC . The sorption was endothermic with an increase in randomness. The presence of FC had little effects on the thermodynamic parameters., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Xiao-Yan Cao reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Gui-Peng Yang reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Microplastics (MPs) are widespread ocean pollutants and many studies have explored their effects. However, research on MPs combined impact with copper (Cu) on dimethylated sulfur compound production is limited. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is an important biogenic sulfur compound related to global temperatures. This study examined the ecotoxicological effects of polyamide 6 MPs and Cu on dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), DMS, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) production in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum). Our findings showed that MPs and Cu increased oxidative stress, indicated by higher superoxide anion radical production and malondialdehyde levels while decreasing glutathione contents and increasing superoxide dismutase activities. Additionally, MPs and Cu exposure reduced DMS and dissolved DMSO (DMSO d ) concentrations due to decreased grazing. These results contribute to a better understanding of the ecotoxicological effects of MPs/Cu on bivalves and their roles in the organic sulfur cycle, suggesting a need for further research on long-term impacts on them., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is a prevalent volatile organic sulfur compound relevant to the global climate. Ecotoxicological effects of nano- and microplastics (NPs and MPs) on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacteria have been investigated by numerous studies. Yet, the influences of NPs/MPs on dimethylated sulfur compounds remains understudied. Herein, we investigated the impacts of polystyrene (PS) NPs/MPs (80 nm, 1 μm, and 10 μm) on zooplankton grazing, chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, bacterial community, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), and DMS production in the microcosms. Our findings revealed that rotifer grazing increased the production of DMS in the absence of NPs/MPs but did not promote DMS production when exposed to NPs/MPs. The ingestion rates of the rotifer and copepod exposed to NPs/MPs at high concentrations were significantly reduced. NPs/MPs exposure significantly decreased DMS levels in the treatments with rotifers compared to the animal controls. In the bacterial microcosms, smaller NPs/MPs sizes were more detrimental to Chl a concentrations compared to larger sizes. The study revealed a stimulatory effect on Chl a concentrations, DMSP d concentrations, and bacterial abundances when exposed to 10 μm MP with low concentrations. The effects of NPs/MPs on DMS concentrations were both dose- and size-dependent, with NPs showing greater toxicity compared to larger MPs. NPs/MPs led to changes in bacterial community compositions, dependent on both dosage and size. NPs caused a notable decrease in the alpha diversities and richness of bacteria compared to MPs. These results provide insights into the influences of NPs/MPs on food webs, and subsequently organic sulfur compounds cycles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to the potential impacts of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) on algal growth and thereby affect the climate-relevant substances, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), we studied the polystyrene (PS) MPs and NPs of 1 μm and 80 nm impacts on the growth, chlorophyll content, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzyme activity, and DMS/DMSP production in Emiliania huxleyi. E. huxleyi is a prominent oceanic alga that plays a key role in DMS and DMSP production. The results revealed that high concentrations of MPs and NPs inhibited the growth, carotenoid (Car), and Chl a concentrations of E. huxleyi. However, short-time exposure to low concentrations of PS MPs and NPs stimulated the growth of E. huxleyi. Furthermore, high concentrations of MPs and NPs resulted in an increase in the superoxide anion radical (O 2 .- ) production rate and a decrease in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with the low concentrations. Exposure to MPs and NPs at 5 mg L -1 induced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as a response to scavenging ROS. High concentrations of MPs and NPs significantly inhibited the production of DMSP and DMS. The findings of this study support the potential ecotoxicological impacts of MPs and NPs on algal growth, antioxidant system, and dimethylated sulfur compounds production, which maybe potentially impact the global climate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Halogenated organic contaminants, such as chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl/Br-PAHs), are some of the most important emerging environmental pollutants. However, empirical data on Cl/Br-PAHs in estuarine and marine ecosystems are limited, rendering assessments of Cl/Br-PAH contamination in estuarine and offshore environments uncertain. Here the occurrence, sources, and ecological risks of 7 Cl-PAHs and 18 Br-PAHs were determined in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE), a highly urbanized and industrialized area, and its adjacent marine area. The concentrations of Cl-PAHs ranged from 4.50 to 18.38 ng g -1 (average 7.19 ng g -1 ), while those of Br-PAHs ranged from 4.80 to 61.18 ng g -1 (average 14.11 ng g -1 ). The dominant Cl-PAH and Br-PAH in surface sediment were 9-chlorofluorene (17.79%) and 9-bromofluorene (58.49%), respectively. The distributions and compositions of Cl/Br-PAHs in the surface sediments varied considerably due to complex hydrodynamic and depositional conditions in the YRE and its adjacent marine area, as well as differences in physicochemical properties of different Cl/Br-PAHs. Positive matrix factorization revealed that the primary sources of Cl/Br-PAHs in the study area were e-waste dismantling (33.6%), waste incineration (23.2%), and metal smelting (11.0%). According to the risk quotient, the Cl/Br-PAHs in sediments posed no toxic risk to aquatic organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have gained global concern due to their detrimental effects on marine organisms. We investigated the effects of 80 nm polystyrene (PS) NPs on life history traits, ingestion, and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) production in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Fluorescently labeled 80 nm PS NPs were ingested by the rotifer B. plicatilis and accumulated in the digestive tract. The lethal rates of B. plicatilis exposed to NPs were dose-dependent. High concentrations of PS NPs exposure had negative effects on developmental duration, leading to prolonged embryonic development and pre-reproductive periods, shortened reproductive period, post-reproductive period, and lifespan in B. plicatilis. High concentrations of PS NPs exposure inhibited life table demographic parameters such as age-specific survivorship and fecundity, generation time, net reproductive rate, and life expectancy. Consequently, the population of B. plicatilis was adversely impacted. Furthermore, exposure to PS NPs resulted in a reduced ingestion rate in B. plicatilis, as well as a decreased in DMS, particulate DMSP (DMSP p ) concentration, and DMSP lyase activity (DLA), which exhibited a dose-response relationship. B. plicatilis grazing promoted DLA and therefore increased DMS production. PS NPs exposure caused a decline in the increased DMS induced by rotifer grazing. Our results help to understand the ecotoxicity of NPs on rotifer and their impact on the biogeochemical cycle of dimethylated sulfur compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Benzotriazoles (BTRs), benzothiazoles (BTHs), and benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVs) have attracted increasing attention due to their ubiquity in the environment, toxicity, and potential ecological risks. However, information on their distributions in the ocean is scarce. In this study, BTRs, BTHs, and BUVs were firstly determined in the surface seawater, sea-surface microlayer (SML), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediments of the Yellow Sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS). The spatial distributions of BTRs, BTHs, and BUVs in the YS and ECS showed offshore decreasing trend in their concentrations, indicating that terrestrial inputs from runoff and rivers had important influences on their distributions. The organic carbon normalized partition coefficients (log K oc ) of target contaminants in surface seawater-SPM (3.06-4.16 L/g) and bottom seawater-sediment (2.55-4.82 L/kg) systems were determined. SPM showed greater sorption capacities for most target contaminants than the sediment. The burial capacities of BTHs, BTRs, and BUVs from SPM to surface sediments were evaluated using their respective log K ow values and their sedimentary fluxes in the YS and ECS were quantified. BTRs, BTHs, and BUVs were enriched in the SML, with the enrichment extents of the suspended particulate phase being obviously lower than those of the dissolved phase. The ecological risks of BTRs, BTHs, and BUVs were evaluated using the risk quotient (RQ) method, which showed no toxic risk to aquatic organisms throughout the water phases, but high risk in nearshore sediments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Oceanic emissions are a major source of atmospheric, very short-lived, ozone-depleting, brominated substances. These substances can be produced by marine microalgae, estimates of their current and future emissions are imperfect, because the processes by which marine microalgae respond to environmental changes are rarely account for environmental pollutants. Here, concurrent measurements of the potential effects of polystyrene (PS) microplastics with concentrations of 25-100 mg/L on the growth of Phaeodactylum tricornutum and their volatile halocarbons (VHCs) production were made over a 20-day culture period. The maximum inhibition rates (IR) due to 0.1 µm and 0.5 µm PS microplastics on cell density were 40.11 % and 32.87 %, on Chl a content were 25.89 % and 20.73 %, and on Fv/Fm were 9.74 % and 9.00 %, respectively. All IR showed dose-dependent effects with maxima occurring in the logarithmic phase. However, in the stationary phase, P. tricornutum exposed to PS microplastics exhibited improved attributes. Enhanced biogenesis of VHCs was induced by the excess reactive oxygen species in algal cells due to microplastics exposure, and their production rates were higher in the logarithmic phase than stationary phase. This represents that oxidative stress to cells plays a dominant role in determining the release of CHBrCl 2 , CHBr 2 Cl, and CHBr 3 . Hence, we suggest that the widespread microplastics in the ocean may be partly responsible for the increase in the emission of VHCs by marine phytoplankton, thereby affecting the ozone layer recovery in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Volatile halocarbons (VHCs) are important trace greenhouse gases and ozone-destroying substances and play an important role in global climate change. As an important producer of VHCs, the release of VHCs by marine microalgae is affected by marine environmental factors. Microplastics are an important pollutant in the ocean; however, there are few studies on VHCs release from marine microalgae under the influence of microplastics. This study aimed to explore the effects of different concentrations of polyethylene (PE) microplastics on the growth, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and release of VHCs by diatoms and dinoflagellates by measuring the density of algae, maximum photoquantum efficiency ( F v / F m ), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and concentration of VHCs. The results revealed that PE microplastics mainly inhibited the growth of Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima and promoted the growth of Prorocentrum donghaiense . The addition of 50 μm PE microplastics had a shielding effect on the growth of the two microalgae, resulting in the inhibition of F v / F m of two kinds of microalgae, and the inhibition effect of PE microplastics on P. donghaiense was more significant. Compared with that in the control group, PE microplastic stress stimulated the increase in ROS production in algal cells, which caused an oxidative stress response in these microalgae, thereby promoting the release of three types of volatile brominated halocarbons.

Benzotriazoles (BTRs), benzothiazoles (BTHs), and benzotriazole ultraviolet absorbers (BUVs) are common products in plastic rubber and personal care products. Due to their toxicity and bioaccumulation, they have been identified as emerging contaminants (ECs) in the environment. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used for the enrichment and detection of the contaminants in seawater and sediment, respectively. The conditions of SPE and SPME were optimized in terms of material, temperature, time, pH, ionic strength, extraction solvent, and elution solvent. Although SPME requires a small sample volume, it is not reliable for the extraction efficiency and reproducibility of BTHs, BTRs, and BUVs in seawater. However, the precision of SPE-GC-MS for the determination of BTHs, BTRs, and BUVs was around 10%, with recoveries of 67.40-102.3% and 77.35-101.8% in seawater and sediment, respectively. The limits of detection of 14 contaminants in seawater and sediment were 0.03-0.47 ng/L and 0.01-0.58 ng/g, respectively. Secondly, BTHs, BTRs, and BUVs were detected with low ecological risk when SPE-GC-MS was applied to the analysis of seawater and sediment samples from the Yangtze estuary and its adjacent areas. The SPE-GC-MS was highly precise with lower detection limits relative to previous studies and thus was able to meet the requirements for the detection of BTHs, BTRs, and BUVs in seawater and sediments., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this paper, the kinetics and thermodynamics of Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) sorption on the sediments obtained from the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent areas were studied, in combination with the effects of the sediments' properties and media conditions. The kinetics curves could be described by a two-compartment first-order equation, and the equilibrium isotherms fitted well with the modified Langmuir and Freundlich models. The analysis of organic phosphorus (OP) fractions changes after sorption indicated that the contents of exchangeable or loosely sorbed P O increased most significantly. Higher organic matter (OM) of the sediments were favorable for the sorption ability. It was also found that the content of OP and OM in the sediments showed an obvious positive correlation, indicating that organic matter rather than Fe/Al oxides played an important role in the migration of OP in the Yangtze River estuary and its adjacent area. Temperature, salinity and pH of the media influenced the sorption of AMP significantly. Increase of temperature was of benefit to the sorption of AMP, which was a spontaneous and exothermic process according to the calculations of the thermodynamic parameters. The sorption capacity was higher at a moderate salinity in the range of our study. With the pH changing from 3 to 10, the sorption capacity exhibited as a "U-trend" curve., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Xiao-Yan Cao, Gui-Peng Yang reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Xiao-Yan Cao, Gui-Peng Yang reports financial support was provided by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of microplastics pollution on the marine ecosystem have aroused attention. Copepod grazing stimulates dimethylsulfide (DMS) release from dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in phytoplankton, but the effect of microplastics exposure on DMS and DMSP production during copepod feeding has not yet been revealed. Here, we investigated the effects of polyethylene (PE) and polyamide-nylon 6 (PA 6) microplastics on ecotoxicity and DMS/DMSP production in the copepod Tigriopus japonicus. The microplastics had detrimental effects on feeding, egestion, reproduction, survival, and DMS and DMSP production in T. japonicus and presented significant dose-response relationships. The 24 h-EC50 for ingestion rates (IRs) of female T. japonicus exposed to PE and PA 6 were 57.6 and 58.9 mg L -1 , respectively. In comparison, the body size of the copepods was not significantly affected by the microplastics during one generation of culture. Ingesting fluorescently labeled microplastics confirmed that microplastics were ingested by T. japonicus and adhered to the organs of the body surface. T. japonicus grazing promoted DMS release originating from degradation of DMSP in algal cells. Grazing-activated DMS production decreased because of reduced IR in the presence of microplastics. These results provide new insight into the biogeochemical cycle of sulfur during feeding in copepods exposed to microplastics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The spatial and temporal distribution, congener profiles and ecological risk of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were investigated in the seawater and sediment samples from the East China Sea in spring and autumn. The average concentrations of ΣPAEs in water samples were 3.16 ± 2.16 μg L -1 in autumn and 1.63 ± 1.20 μg L -1 in spring. The ΣPAEs in sediment was much higher than that in seawater, with an average value of 7.36 ± 6.70 mg kg -1 (dw). PAEs levels in the sea-surface microlayer (SML) in spring were 3.61 ± 3.36 μg L -1 , indicating that the PAEs were noticeably concentrated in the SML, with an average enrichment factor of 2.10. Among the 16 PAE congeners, di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the preponderant PAEs in both sediment and seawater samples. Additionally, PAE concentrations in autumn were higher than those in spring, and this difference resulted mainly from the terrigenous input and marine transportation. The horizontal distributions of PAEs showed an opposite distribution pattern to salinity and temperature, a pattern which might be influenced by the inputs of fresh water. The vertical distributions of ΣPAEs were characterized by high concentrations in the surface waters, with a slight decrease with depth, and then an increase close to the seabed. The results of ecological risk in the water-phase showed that the level of potential risk followed the order of DEHP > DiBP and DnBP > DMP and DEP, which posed a high (DEHP), medium (DiBP and DnBP) and low (DMP and DEP) risk to the sensitive organisms, respectively. For the sediment-phase, DiBP and DnBP represented a high risk to the sensitive organisms, whereas DMP, DEP and DEHP had only a low risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

At present, research findings on pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in coastal areas are still unclear, and there is a need to develop a method to detect more PPCPs simultaneously in seawater. In this study, nine compounds of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, lipid regulators. and stimulants were selected as analytes. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to extract the compounds, which were then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The optimum experimental conditions, such as the filler, eluent, pH, flow rate, and the reduction of matrix effect were optimized during the SPE. The results showed that the best extraction column was CNW HLB, the best eluent was methanol:acetonitrile (1:1, volume ratio), the best eluent volume was 6 mL, the best pH was 7, the best flow rate was 5 mL·min -1 , the amount of EDTA-Na 2 added was 1 g, and the best concentration multiple was 500. The linear regression equations of all PPCPs had good linearity. Correlation coefficients were>0.999, recovery rates were between 82%-106%, relative standard deviations were between 1.6%-14%, and detection limits were between 0.01-2 ng·L -1 , thus satisfying the requirement of trace analysis in seawater. Distribution characteristics and sources of PPCPs were studied in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea during summer 2018. All nine PPCPs were detected and the main pollutants were NAP, IBU, GEM, CAF, and ASA. High concentrations of PPCPs were generally detected in the nearshore area and displayed conspicuous decreasing tendencies from the inshore towards the offshore. The concentrations of PPCPs in the Yellow Sea were higher than of those in the East China Sea, and this was related to there being more sources of pollutions and poor water exchange capacity in the Yellow Sea. Principal component analysis showed that the main source of PPCPs was terrestrial input. The environmental risk assessment of PPCPs indicated that risk quotients (RQs) of IBU and NAP (0.1-1) posed a medium risk to the aquatic environment, while others posed low risk to organisms.

The spatial distribution, chemical composition and ecological risk of 16 phthalate esters (PAEs) were investigated in the sea-surface microlayer (SML), seawater and sediment samples of the Bohai Sea (BS) and the Yellow Sea (YS). The concentration levels of the ΣPAEs spanned a range of 449-13441 ng L -1 in the SML, 453-5108 ng L -1 in seawater, and 1.24-15.8 mg kg -1 in the sediment samples, respectively, with diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) as the dominant PAEs in both the water and sediment samples. The concentrations of ΣPAEs in the BS were higher than those in the YS. The vertical distribution of ΣPAEs in the water column showed that the concentrations were higher in the surface waters, but decreased slightly with depth, and started to increase at the bottom. Additionally, PAEs were significantly enriched in the SML, with an average enrichment factor of 1.46. The ecological risk of the PAEs was evaluated by the risk quotient (RQ) method, which indicated that DEHP posed a high risk to aquatic organisms in the whole water-phase, while the RQ values of DBP and DiBP reached a high risk levels in sedimentary environment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are ubiquitous pollutants present in various environmental media, including marine sediments. A method was proposed for the determination of 17 target PFAA analytes in marine sediment samples (n = 49) collected from the Yangtze Estuary and East China Sea. The proposed method involves the use of an optimized pretreatment procedure and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry in dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode. The method relied on extraction cycles using methanol followed by concentration, filtration, and small volume injection to UHPLC-MS/MS. The recovery, time efficiency, and detection limit of the proposed method are improved relative to those of traditional methods. Limits of detection varied from 0.003 to 0.045 ng/g, and spike recoveries to sediment ranged from 90% to 110% with suitable precisions (1.7%-14.6%). PFAAs were widely present in the samples, and ΣPFAAs ranged from 0.67 ng/g dw to 36.75 ng/g dw. Results indicated that terrigenous input strongly influences PFAA distribution in sediments from the study areas. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) were identified as the dominant perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA) and perfluoroalkylsulfonate (PFSA) in sediment samples from the Yangtze Estuary and the East China Sea. Preliminary environmental risk assessment indicated that PFOS may pose a higher environmental risk than PFOA. Furthermore, risk quotient values indicated that PFOS poses a significant risk to the aquatic ecosystem of the study areas., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The occurrence of 17 target PFAA analytes was determined in surface sediments (n = 37) of the East China Sea and potential influencing factors were examined. ΣPFAAs ranged from 0.41 ng/g dw to 3.06 ng/g dw, with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) as the most abundant perfluorocarboxylic acid and perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, respectively. PFAAs in the sediments were strongly influenced by terrigenous input. Analysis of the relationship between dynamic influence factors and PFAA concentrations showed that the characteristics of PFAA distribution were rather complex. ΣPFAA concentrations and TOC were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). Circumfluence also influenced the whole PFAA distribution and seasonal variation. In addition, correlation analysis suggested that log K oc values increased with increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length. Given the rapid economic development of eastern coastal cities of China, the environmental hazards of land source pollution cannot be ignored., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Dissolved sulfide, iron (Fe), and phosphorus (P) concentrations in sediments of the East China Sea were simultaneously measured in situ by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique. The results, by combination with solid-phase Fe speciation, were used to characterize the interplays of Fe, S and P. Diverse distributions of dissolved sulfide among the sites are attributable to highly dynamic diagenetic regimes and varying availability of labile organic carbon (OC). The DGT technique provided high-resolution evidence for coexistence of microbial iron reduction (MIR) and sulfate reduction in localized zones, and for Fe-coupled P mobilization. Measured Fe 2+ /P ratios suggest that Fe 2+ reoxidatiion at the oxic zones can serve as an efficient scavenger of P. Empirical estimation indicates that MIR plays an important role in anaerobic OC mineralization in the sediments, which is a combined result of low availability of labile OC, high reactive Fe content, and unsteady diagenetic regimes., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Spatial distribution and sea-to-air flux of isoprene in the East China Sea and the South Yellow Sea in July 2013 were investigated. This study is the first to report the concentrations of isoprene in the China marginal seas. Isoprene concentrations in the surface seawater during summer ranged from 32.46 to 173.5 pM, with an average of 83.62 ± 29.22 pM. Distribution of isoprene in the study area was influenced by the diluted water from the Yangtze River, which stimulated higher in-situ phytoplankton production of isoprene rather than direct freshwater input. Variations in isoprene concentrations were found to be diurnal, with high values observed during daytime. A significant correlation was observed between isoprene and chlorophyll a in the study area. Relatively higher isoprene concentrations were recorded at stations where the phytoplankton biomass was dominated by Chaetoceros, Skeletonema, Pennate-nitzschia, and Thalassiosira. Positive correlation was observed between isoprene and methyl iodide. In addition, sea-to-air fluxes of isoprene approximately ranged from 22.17 nmol m -2  d -1 -537.2 nmol m -2  d -1 , with an average of 161.5 ± 133.3 nmol m -2  d -1 . These results indicate that the coastal and shelf areas may be important sources of atmospheric isoprene., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Temporal and spatial distribution patterns of volatile halogenated organic compounds (VHOCs), such as dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113), and methyl iodide (CH3I), in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) estuary and its adjacent marine area were measured during two cruises from 21 February to 10 March 2014 and from 10 to 21 July 2014. VHOC concentrations showed seasonal variation with higher values during winter. VHOC distributions evidently decreased along the freshwater plume from the river mouth to the open sea and from inshore to offshore regions. VHOC distributions were obviously influenced by the Changjiang runoff, anthropogenic inputs, and biological release of phytoplankton. The study area was a net sink for CFC-12 and CFC-11, but a net source for atmospheric CH3I during the study periods., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Kinetic curves and isotherms were investigated to study the sorption mechanism of phosphorus onto the sediments of Sanggou Bay, together with the surface charge properties of sediments and the forms of phosphorus studied. The results showed that the sorption including a fast process and a slow one, and could be described by a two-compartment first order equation. The thermodynamic isotherms were well fitted with a modified Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorption capacity was larger in summer than in spring, and the smaller particle size was favorable to the sorption. The maximum adsorption capacities (Qm) were 0.0471-0.1230 mg x g(-1), and the zero equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC0) of the sediments ranged from 0.0596 mg x L(-1) to 0.1927 mg x L(-1), which indicated that the sediments from Sanggou Bay were sources of phosphorus. Inorganic phosphorus (IP) was the main form of total phosphorus (TP). The contents of exchangeable or loosely absorbed P and Fe-bound P increased significantly in the samples after sorption. The sorption process involved physical sorption and chemical sorption, with the former being the predominant.

1,4-Dioxane is a probable human carcinogenic and refractory substance that is widely detected in aquatic environments. Traditional wastewater treatment processes, including activated sludge, cannot remove 1,4-dioxane. Removing 1,4-dioxane with a reaction kinetic constant of 0.32 L/(mol·s) by using ozone, a strong oxidant, is difficult. However, under alkaline environment, ozone generates a hydroxyl radical (•OH) that exhibits strong oxidative potential. Thus, the ozonation of 1,4-dioxane in water under different pH conditions was investigated in this study. In neutral solution, with an inlet ozone feed rate of 0.19 mmol/(L·min), the removal efficiency of 1,4-dioxane was 7.6% at 0.5 h, whereas that in alkaline solution was higher (16.3-94.5%) within a pH range of 9-12. However, the removal efficiency of dissolved organic carbon was considerably lower than that of 1,4-dioxane. This result indicates that several persistent intermediates were generated during 1,4-dioxane ozonation. The pseudo first-order reaction further depicted the reaction of 1,4-dioxane. The obvious kinetic constants (kobs) at pH 9, 10, 11 and 12 were 0.94, 2.41, 24.88 and 2610 L/(mol·s), respectively. Scavenger experiments on radical species indicated that •OH played a key role in removing 1,4-dioxane during ozonation under alkaline condition.

Reactive Fe(III) oxides in gravity-core sediments collected from the East China Sea inner shelf were quantified by using three selective extractions (acidic hydroxylamine, acidic oxalate, bicarbonate-citrate buffered sodium dithionite). Also the reactivity of Fe(III) oxides in the sediments was characterized by kinetic dissolution using ascorbic acid as reductant at pH 3.0 and 7.5 in combination with the reactive continuum model. Three parameters derived from the kinetic method: m 0 (theoretical initial amount of ascorbate-reducible Fe(III) oxides), k' (rate constant) and γ (heterogeneity of reactivity), enable a quantitative characterization of Fe(III) oxide reactivity in a standardized way. Amorphous Fe(III) oxides quantified by acidic hydroxylamine extraction were quickly consumed in the uppermost layer during early diagenesis but were not depleted over the upper 100 cm depth. The total amounts of amorphous and poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxides are highly available for efficient buffering of dissolved sulfide. As indicated by the m 0, k' and γ, the surface sediments always have the maximum content, reactivity and heterogeneity of reactive Fe(III) oxides, while the three parameters simultaneously downcore decrease, much more quickly in the upper layer than at depth. Albeit being within a small range (within one order of magnitude) of the initial rates among sediments at different depths, incongruent dissolution could result in huge discrepancies of the later dissolution rates due to differentiating heterogeneity, which cannot be revealed by selective extraction. A strong linear correlation of the m 0 at pH 3.0 with the dithionite-extractable Fe(III) suggests that the m 0 may represent Fe(III) oxide assemblages spanning amorphous and crystalline Fe(III) oxides. Maximum microbially available Fe(III) predicted by the m 0 at pH 7.5 may include both amorphous and a fraction of other less reactive Fe(III) phases.

The sorption behaviour of estrone (E1) on marine sediments treated by different methods was systematically investigated. About 22 h was required for sorption equilibrium of E1. Sorption isotherms of E1 were well fitted with Freundlich model. The sorption behaviour of E1 on HCl-treatment and H2O-treatment sediments related significantly with the sediment organic carbon contents. Additionally, clay minerals and surface areas of sediments played dominant roles in the sorption of E1 on H2O2-treatment sediments. Some external factors which could affect sorption behaviour of E1 were also investigated. Our results showed that the sorption capacity of E1 on the sediments increased with the increasing concentrations of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene (80) sorbitan esters (Tween 80) and salinity of seawater. In contrast, the sorption capacity of E1 decreased with the increasing concentration of anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), pH value and temperature of seawater., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The composition and evolution characteristics of inorganic anions, ammonia, heavy metals and organic compounds in leachates with different composing times were studied in a composting plant in order to clarify its composition and evolution and search for a suitable processing technology. The results showed that concentrations of EC, F-, Cl-, SO4(2-) and NH4(+) -N decreased during the composting process, while the contents of NO2(-) -N, NO3(-) -N and Org-N were related to the oxidation reduction atmosphere of leachates. The Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and As concentrations in leachates exhibited a decrease trend during the composting process, while contents of heavy metals Cr, Ni, Fe, Mn showed an increase trend with increasing composting time. The composting leachate organics comprised mainly of protein-like substance, but also consisted of humic-like substances. The leachate organics were suitable to be treated by biochemical process firstly, and then by physico-chemical technique. The relative content of protein-like substances firstly increased and then decreased, while that of humic-like matter exhibited an opposite trend. The contents of salinity and heavy metal in compost leachates were high, which caused the improper reflux utilization of leachates. The compost leachates should be treated by the combined biochemical and physico-chemical process before emission.

Halocarbons including chloroform (CHCl3), trichloroethylene (C2HCl3), tetrachloroethylene (C2Cl4), chlorodibromomethane (CHBr2Cl) and bromoform (CHBr3) were measured in the Yellow Sea (YS) and the East China Sea (ECS) during spring 2011. The influences of chlorophyll a, salinity and nutrients on the distributions of these gases were examined. Elevated levels of these gases in the coastal waters were attributed to anthropogenic inputs and biological release by phytoplankton. The vertical distributions of these gases in the water column were controlled by different source strengths and water masses. Using atmospheric concentrations measured in spring 2012 and seawater concentrations obtained from this study, the sea-to-air fluxes of these gases were estimated. Our results showed that the emissions of C2HCl3, C2Cl4, CHBr2Cl, and CHBr3 from the study area could account for 16.5%, 10.5%, 14.6%, and 3.5% of global oceanic emissions, respectively, indicating that the coastal shelf may contribute significantly to the global oceanic emissions of these gases., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Volatile halocarbons (VHCs) are important greenhouse gases, which play significant roles in the global warming and the chemistry of the atmosphere. The concentrations of four kinds of volatile halocarbons including CHCl3, C2 HCl3, C2 Cl4 and CHBr3 in seawater were determined by Purge and Trap-Chromatography in the East China Sea during the period of 23 December 2009-5 January 2010, and the sources of the VHCs were studied. The result showed that the means (ranges) of the CHCl3, C2 HCl3, C2 Cl4 and CHBr3 concentrations in the surface waters were 23.04 (6.04-107.81), 18.81 (10.67-32.35), 3.72 (0.39-9.77) and 24.33 (13.44-33.01) pmol x L(-1), respectively. The concentrations of VHCs near shore were higher than those in the open sea. In the PN section the vertical distribution of VHCs had a common feature that the maxima appeared in the upper mixed layer. The distributions of the four kinds of VHCs were significantly influenced by the Yangtze River effluent, the Kuroshio water and biological activities. A marked positive correlation between the C2 HCl3 and C2Cl4 concentrations was observed in the surface waters, suggesting that they might have some common sources. Besides, a positive correlation was found between chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and CHBr3 concentrations in the surface seawater, indicating that phytoplankton biomass might play an important role in the distribution of CHBr3 in the study area. Our data indicated that the entire ECS shelf acted as a source for atmospheric CHCl3, C2 HCl3 and CHBr3 during the study period.

The concentrations of six volatile halogenated organic compounds (VHOC)-chloroform (CHCl(3)), trichloroethylene (C(2)HCl(3)), tetrachloroethylene (C(2)Cl(4)), carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), methylchloroform (CH(3)CCl(3)), and bromoform (CHBr(3)) in the East China Sea (ECS) in November and December 2010 were measured by a purge and trap system coupled to a gas chromatograph with an electron capture detection (ECD). Mean (range) concentrations of CHCl(3), C(2)HCl(3), C(2)Cl(4), CH(3)CCl(3), CCl(4) and CHBr(3) in the surface water were 16.90 (0.40-62.92), 16.27 (2.78-83.33), 2.40 (0.39-9.33), 32.29 (19.72-57.68), 1.70 (0.39-8.73) and 17.11 (4.33-34.46) pM, respectively. With the exception of C(2)HCl(3), the concentrations of other five kinds of VHOC generally exhibited a decreasing trend with distance from the coast, with the low values found in the open sea. The anthropogenic sources contributed to the elevated levels of CCl(4) and CH(3)CCl(3), whereas a combination of the anthropogenic and biogenic sources might be responsible for the elevated levels of CHCl(3), C(2)HCl(3), C(2)Cl(4) and CHBr(3). In the depth profiles, vertical distributions of the six VHOC in the water column were complicated, with the maxima occurring at 0-100 m depths. The mean sea-to-air fluxes of CHCl(3), C(2)HCl(3), C(2)Cl(4) and CHBr(3) were estimated to be 21.08, 29.94, 2.05 and 35.50 nmol m(-2) d(-1), respectively, indicating that the ECS was a source for the four VHOC in the atmosphere., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Distribution of nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay and adjacent waters was studied adopting the chemiluminescence method during February and March 2011. Based on the data of NO concentrations and related environmental parameters in hydrology, chemistry and biology, the distribution and controlling factors were discussed. The results showed that the range and the mean of NO concentrations in surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay were 0.080-0.493 nmol x L(-1) and (0.292 +/- 0.146) nmol x L(-1), respectively. The concentrations of NO ranged from below detection limit to 0.435 nmol x L(-1) in adjacent waters of Jiaozhou Bay, with the mean of (0.160 +/- 0.130) nmol x L(-1). The concentrations of NO showed a gradually decreasing trend from inside to outside of Jiaozhou Bay, which was possibly due to the effect of terrestrial runoff and human activities. The NO concentration of surface seawater in Jiaozhou Bay and adjacent waters was one order of magnitude higher than that in the open sea. The concentrations of NO in the surface seawater exhibited an obvious diurnal variation. The highest concentration of NO appeared at 15:00, which was presumably due to the effect of illumination intensity. The influencing factors of NO concentration and distribution were complex, including nitrite, pH, light intensity and so on. The present study showed that Jiaozhou Bay and adjacent waters was a source of atmosphere NO in spring,and F(NO) was about 1.09 x 10(-15)mol x (cm2 x s) (-1).

The photodegradation of ofloxacin (OFLX) was investigated in distilled water, artificial seawater and natural seawater exposed to high-pressure mercury lamp and xeon lamp. The photolysis of OFLX was affected by various factors including light sources, initial concentrations, acetone and surfactants. The photoreaction rate of OFLX under high pressure mercury lamp was much faster than that under xeon lamp, conforming to the first-order kinetics behavior. Expose to the same light intensity, The photodegradation rate of OFLX was the quickest in natural seawater, followed by artificial seawater. The initial concentrations of OFLX were 2, 4 and 6 mg x L(-1), the rate constants were 0.163, 0.140 and 0.132 min(-1), respectively. The photodegradation rates of OFLX in seawater decreased along with its initial concentration. The addition of acetone could accelerate the photoreactions of OFLX, The constants of the reaction rate range from 0.084 2-0.102 min(-1). A positive correlation was found between the photosensitive efficiency and the added concentration of acetone. On the contrary, the addition of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS) and Tween-20 (TW-20) inhibited the photodegradation of OFLX, of which concentrations were all 5 mg x L(-1). In addition, toxicity tests with Isochrysis galbana 8701 showed higher risk of intermediate products generated from photolysis of OFLX. The toxicity of products decreased along with the reaction.

The adsorption behaviors of norfloxacin (NOR) on marine sediments at different pH values and in the presence of four different surfactants were systematically investigated by a batch equilibrium method. The results indicated that Freundlich adsorption isotherms fitted the adsorption behavior of NOR on marine sediments very well at different pH values. The Freundlich constant K(F) and the equilibrium adsorption amount of NOR reduced with the increase of pH values, and the minimum appeared at pH 8.10. The results suggested that cation exchange was the main adsorption mechanism of NOR at pH 6.01, while Van der Waals' force, hydrophobic effects, electrostatic force were the major adsorption mechanism of NOR on marine sediments at pH 8.10. The adsorption process fitted well with pseudo-second-order kinetic equations with the addition of surfactants. Our study also indicated that the addition of surfactants had the significant influence on the saturated adsorption amount of adsorption of NOR. The equilibrium adsorption amount (Q(e)) of NOR exhibited the following sequence: Q(e) (Tween80) < Q(e) (Tween20)

A batch sorption study was carried out to investigate the sorption behaviors of DDT onto JiaoZhou Bay sediment in the presence of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with low concentrations. The results indicated that the sorption process followed the pseudo-second-order model and the sorption systems could be well described by the Freundlich type. Within the investigated concentrations of CTAB and SDBS, both SDBS and CTAB increased the sorption of DDT to sediment. The sorption rate and capacity increased with increasing SDBS and CTAB concentrations, and CTAB showed a significant impact. Take p ,p'-DDT as an example, the sorption rate constant increased from 1.232 x 10(-2) g x (microg x min)(-1) to 4.193 x 10(-2) g x (microg x min)(-1) and the Freundlich coefficient increased from 2.866 (microg x g(-1)) (L x microg(-1))(1/n) to 7.932 (microg x g(-1)) (L x microg(-1))(1/n) when the SDBS concentration was 10 mg x L(-1). The influence of temperature on sorption of DDT in the presence of SDBS was also studied. Within the temperature range of 283-308 K, lower temperature had a positive effect on the sorption. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the sorption was spontaneous and exothermic, and the randomness was increased during the process. Furthermore, the presence of SDBS caused lower deltaG0, deltaH0 and deltaS0 values. This study provided theoretical foundation for migration, transformation and fate of DDT in Jiaozhou Bay sediment.

Sorption behavior of heavy oil onto Jiaozhou Bay sediment in the presence of anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) in artificial seawater was studied. Batch method was used to investigate the kinetic and thermodynamic behaviors. The results showed that the sorption rate and sorption capacity increased with the increasing initial concentration of SDBS. The sorption rate equations could be described by the pseudo-second-order model. The sorption isotherms were in good agreement with the Freundlich model. Higher salinity and lower temperature of the medium were favorable to the process. In the temperature range of 283-308K, the values of thermodynamic parameters were estimated, such as the deltaG(theta), deltaH(theta), deltaS(theta) which had significantly negative values in the presence of SDBS than those without SDBS. The sorption process was a spontaneous and exothermic reaction, and the randomness was decreased during the process.

Concentration distribution, sea-to-air flux, photoproduction of carbon monoxide (CO) in the surface seawater and atmospheric CO mixing ratio were measured in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. A headspace analysis system was used for CO measurement. The concentrations of CO in the surface seawater ranged from 0.19 to 3.57 nmol x L(-1), with an average of 1.24 nmol x L(-1) ( SD = 0.79, n = 69). Overall, the concentrations of CO displayed a decreasing trend from the coast to the offshore stations and followed diurnal variations after classifying and averaging the CO concentrations according to sampling and analysing time in the unit of one hour, with the maximum values in midnoon which was 10 folds higher than the minimum values in predawn. Atmospheric CO mixing ratios varied from 215 x 10(-9) to 850 x 10(-9), with an average of 414 x 10(-9) (SD = 140 x 10(-9), n = 69), due to obvious terrestrial input. The supersaturation factors of CO varied from 0.42-18.90, with an average of 3.61 (SD = 2.99, n = 69), indicating that the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea was a net source of atmospheric CO. The average sea-to-air fluxes of CO from the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea were estimated to be (1.22 +/- 1.70) micromol x (m2 x d)(-1) by the LM86 equation and (2.13 +/- 2.91) micromol x (m2 x d)(-1) by the W92 equation, respectively. Using SMARTS2 spectral irradiance model to estimate CO production, the photoproduction rate of CO was 54.60 micromol x (m2 x d)(-1) and the photoproduction of carbon in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea was 26.95 x 10(9) g in spring. The photoproduction rate of CO was 25-50 times higher than the sea-to-air flux, suggesting that most part of CO was removed by microbial process in the surface seawater.

The adsorption behavior of 17β-estradiol (E2) on marine sediments treated by different methods was investigated in the presence of bisphenol A (BPA), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene (80) sorbitan esters (Tween 80) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS). Four sets of experiments were conducted to determine the adsorption isotherms of E2 with coexisting contaminants, to explore the effects of concentrations and types of coexisting contaminants on the E2 adsorption capacity, and to examine the influence of pH on E2 adsorption on the sediments. The adsorption behavior of E2 to marine sediments without the addition of surfactant mainly related to organic carbon content of sediments and fitted well with the Freundlich model. The presence of CTAB or Tween 80 enhanced the adsorption capacity of E2 of marine sediments. In contrast, the presence of BPA, DBP and SDBS inhibited the adsorption capacity of E2. The pH value of the solution could influence the adsorption behavior of E2 of the marine sediments. A decline in pH values was beneficial to the adsorption of E2 with the addition of surfactants.

In the present study, the sorption behaviors of phenanthrene on marine sediments were investigated. Through the study of the adsorption kinetics and isotherms, the adsorption mechanism of phenanthrene on marine sediments was described. The results showed that the adsorption kinetics of phenanthrene on marine sediments could be described by the second-order kinetic equation. The sorption rate of phenanthrene was very rapid, and the equilibrium time was slightly longer in deionized water than in natural seawater. The adsorption isotherms of phenanthrene on all the sediments could be very well described by Freundlich equations. The adsorption capacity of phenanthrene had a significant positive correlation with the sediment organic carbon content. Some external factors that could affect adsorption behaviors of phenanthrene were also investigated. Results of the present study showed that the adsorption capacity of phenanthrene on the sediment decreased with increasing temperature. Moreover, the adsorption amounts of phenanthrene on the sediment appeared to be lower in natural seawater than in deionized water. Finally, the presence of the surfactant of Tween20 in the system could enhance the adsorption of phenanthrene on the sediment, and the adsorbance was proportional to the concentration of Tween20., (Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:2169-2176. © 2010 SETAC.)

Batch experiment was carried out to study the sorption behavior of polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) on marine sediments collected from three different sites in Bohai Sea, China. The sorption of Tween-80 reached equilibrium within 3h and the sorption kinetic curve could be divided into two sections: the rapid sorption part and the slow sorption part. The initial sorption rate increased with the organic carbon (OC) content of the sediment. For the sediments treated by HCl and H(2)O, sorption behaviors of Tween-80 fit the linear model very well (R(2): 0.9516-0.9862) at 298K. The sorption occurred primarily due to partition function of the hydrophobic chains of Tween-80 into the organic carbon of the sediments. Sorption of Tween-80 on H(2)O(2)-treated sediments followed the Freundlich model (R(2): 0.9565-0.9732), which indicated that the surface function of clay minerals and other inorganic solids in the sediment played a key role. Moreover, the dependence of sorption on salinity and temperature was examined and the thermodynamic parameters were evaluated. It was found that the sorption was favorably influenced by the increasing salinity and decreasing temperature of seawater. The changes of Gibbs free energy (DeltaG(theta)=-15.33 approximately -17.54 kJ mol(-1)), enthalpy (DeltaH(theta)=-62.23 kJ mol(-1)) and entropy (DeltaS(theta)=-151.68 J mol(-1)K(-1)) of the sorption were also determined. The negative DeltaG(theta) and DeltaH(theta) values indicated that the sorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. The negative DeltaS(theta) value suggested that the degree of freedom decreased during the sorption process., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A semi-static test of Pb exposure (0, 0.2, 0.8, and 1.6 mg L(-1)) was carried out to examine the Pb accumulation and elimination in different tissues of juvenile Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis). With increasing Pb concentration in water, the Pb concentration in juvenile A. sinensis tissues increased, showing a clear dose-response relationship. The Pb accumulation had a trend of being higher in bone (dorsalbone plate and cartilaginous bone) and muscle, followed by in stomach, intestine, and skin, and relatively low in liver, gill, and notochord. A 6-week duration test after Pb exposure showed that in low dose group (0.2 mg x L(-1)), the Pb concentration in all tissues had no significant differences to the control group, but in medium dose group (0.8 mg x L(-1)), the Pb concentration in most tissues except gill stomach, cartilaginous bone, and muscle was significantly higher than the control. In high dose group (1.6 mg x L(-1)), the Pb concentration in the tissues other than liver, intestine and skin was significantly higher than the control. Through the comparison of accumulation and elimination, it was found that after low- and medium dose exposure, the Pb concentration in skin, gill, and liver was higher than its accumulation, presuming that Pb was absorbed from gill, skin, and alimentary canal, and eliminated from gill and skin.

A kinetic investigation into the photo-degradation of aqueous diethyl phthalate by Fenton reagent was conducted in this study. The obtained results showed the enhancement of diethyl phthalate (DEP) decomposition by UV irradiation with the Fenton reaction. It was found that H2O2 concentration, Fe2+ concentration, and aqueous pH value were the three main factors that could significantly influence the degradation rates of DEP. The highest degradation percentage (75.8%) of DEP was observed within 120 min at pH 3 in the UV/H2O2/Fe2+ system, with original H2O2 and Fe2+ concentrations of 5.00 x 10(-4) and 1.67 x 10(-4)mol L(-1), respectively. The present study provides an effective approach to the treatment of wastewater containing DEP.