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To evaluate the contamination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in marine organisms of the northern Yellow Sea of China, mollusks, wild shrimps and crabs were collected from the Yantai coast and ten PBDE congeners levels in the samples were analyzed and compared. The results indicate all the samples have been contaminated by PBDEs and PBDEs concentrations varied in individual species and in sampling sites. The concentration range of ∑PBDEs in the samples was 0.23-10.56 ng/g d.w. below the national edible criteria 40 ng/g d.w.. Congener compositions were mainly dominated by BDE 209. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The port city of Yantai, in Shandong province China is located on Sishili Bay in the northern Yellow Sea. Intense human activity associated with urban sewage discharge, as well as industrial and maritime activities, have stressed the Sishili Bay coastal ecosystem with anthropogenic pollution. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of heavy metal in the sediment and marine organisms of economic value from various sites within Sishili Bay, and to evaluate the data in relation to the potential health risk on human consumers. For this purpose, sediment and wild shrimps and crab were collected from three areas (a total of 13 sampling sites) of the Yantai coast and analyzed for six heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Pb, and As). For comparison, the concentrations of the same heavy metals in seven kinds of mollusks obtained from local aquaculture were also determined. The findings showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in the sediment of Yantai coast followed the order Zn > ≈Cr > Cu ≈ Ni ≈ Pb > As, and all were within the safe levels of national standard. However, the concentrations of the heavy metals varied significantly in the organism samples, indicating the different accumulative abilities of the species sampled. For the wild marine organisms, Pb concentrations in some shrimp and crab samples exceeded the standard limit of seafood safety criteria and As concentrations in all samples were over the limit. Moreover, the As levels in mollusks from aquaculture exceeded the limit of seafood standard criteria. These results indicated that the heavy metal levels in the marine organisms in the studied areas were moderate but unacceptable for As from the view of safety of seafood. Furthermore, it is very necessary and important to further study toxicological and ecological effect of As in the coast of northern Yellow sea to understand the potential for risk to human and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is one of the largest producers and consumers of lead and zinc in the world. Lead and zinc mining and smelting can release hazardous heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Zn, and As into soils, exerting health risks to human by chronic exposure. The concentrations of Cd, Zn, Pb, and As in soil samples collected from a Pb-Zn mining area with exploitation history of 60 years were investigated. Health risks of the heavy metals in soil were evaluated using US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) recommended method. A geo-statistical technique (Kriging) was used for the interpolation of heavy metals pollution and Hazard Index (HI). The results indicated that the long-term Pb/Zn mining activities caused the serious pollution in the local soil. The concentrations of Cd, As, Pb, and Zn in topsoil were 40.3 ± 6.3, 103.7 ± 37.3, 3518.4 ± 896.1, and 10,413 ± 2973.2 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The spatial distribution of the four metals possessed similar patterns, with higher concentrations around Aayiken (AYK), Maseka (MSK), and Kuangshan (KS) area and more rapidly dropped concentrations at upwind direction than those at downwind direction. The main pollutions of Cd and Zn were found in the upper 60 cm, the Pb was found in the upper 40 cm, and the As was in the upper 20 cm. The mobility of metals in soil profile of study area was classed as Cd > Zn ≫ Pb > As. Results indicated that there was a higher health risk (child higher than adult) in the study area. Pb contributed to the highest Hazard Quotient (57.0 ~ 73.9 %) for the Hazard Index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biodiversity of macrozooplankton and physicochemical indices at eight sites in the Wenyuhe River Basin were analyzed from April 2010 to March 2011 to assess the water quality following construction of a wetland (CW). The association between biodiversity and physicochemical parameters was analyzed using a self-organizing map (SOM). The water quality in the upstream portion of the CW showed no overall improvement during this period based on biodiversity (H′) and physicochemical assessment (Pb/n). Both assessments indicated that the water quality in upstream of CW was partially improved and showed an evident time dependent relationship after CW. Although a sample site, which received water from two streams, showed higher biodiversity in an integrative manner, the physicochemical assessments were more heavily influenced by treated water from the Qinghe Sewage Treatment Plant, rather than upstream at the other river basin. This was a noteworthy demonstration that physicochemical and biological assessments were not in accord and addressed the separate functioning of river ecosystems under field conditions. Physicochemical assessment may represent water quality more conservatively with respect to drinking water maintenance than biodiversity assessment. Nitrogen pollution was the main cause for the decrease in physicochemical conditions. Overall, the results indicated that the association between biodiversity and physicochemical assessments determined from the SOM could reveal aquatic ecosystem quality in a comprehensive manner and therefore be a useful tool for defining water quality and ecological integrity in aquatic ecosystem management, especially for complex water environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Co-hyperaccumulation of thallium(Tl) and arsenic(As) was found in brake ferns. • Remarkably high BCFs were observed for As (7.8) and even higher for Tl (28.4). • Preferential uptake of Tl(I) but of both As(III) and As(V) from soils was identified. • Brake ferns (Pteris vittata L.) may serve as promising As-Tl phytoremediation plant. Both thallium (Tl) and arsenic (As) bear severe toxicity. Brake fern (Pteris vittata L.) is well-known for its hyperaccumulation capacity of As, yet its role on Tl accumulation remains unknown. Herein, brake ferns growing near an As tailing site in Yunnan, Southwestern China are for the first time discovered as a co-hyperaccumulator of both Tl and As. The results showed that the brake ferns extracted both As and Tl efficiently from the soils into the fronds. The studied ferns growing on Tl and As co-polluted soils were found to accumulate extremely high levels of both As (7215–11110 mg/kg) and Tl (6.47–111 mg/kg). Conspicuously high bio-accumulation factor (BCF) was observed for As (7.8) and even higher for Tl (28.4) among these co-hyperaccumulators, wherein the contents of As and Tl in contaminated soils were 1240 ± 12 and 3.91 ± 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The applied advanced characterization techniques (e.g. transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) indicated a preferential uptake of Tl(I) while simultaneous accumulation of As (III) and As(V) from the Tl(I)/Tl(III)-As (III)/As(V) co-existent rhizospheric soils. The findings benefit the phytoremediation practice and pose implications for managing and restoring Tl-As co-contaminated soils in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic pollution induced by smelting waste has threatened the safety of environment, whereas the impacts on farmlands with regards to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) receive insufficient attention. Herein, the contents, transfer pathways and potential risks of the PTEs in common crops were examined from different farmlands distributed around an indigenous Zn-smelting area in Guizhou, China. The results showed that Tl in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) (up to 3.74 mg/kg) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) (up to 1.16 mg/kg) at some sites exceeded the maximum permissible level (MPL) (0.5 mg/kg) for food, and, under the same pollution condition, cabbage and radish were more likely to enrich PTEs, and the edible portion of maize was not prone to Tl risk. Hazard quotient calculations of Tl, Ba, and U were greater than 1, indicating the edible risk of crops for these PTEs. Further characterization of selected soils revealed that MnFe 2 O 4 and Fe 2 O 3 controlled the phase transformation of Tl(III) in rhizospheric soils. Furthermore, distinctive mullite was detected in the soil which confirmed the contribution of high temperature smelting to PTEs pollution. The findings indicate an emergent need for soil remediation around historical indigenous metal smelting areas for the sake of food security., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate the contamination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in marine organisms and their potential health risk on consumers in the northern Yellow Sea of China, mollusks, wild shrimps, and crabs were collected from the Yantai coast, and the OCP contents in the samples were analyzed and compared. The results indicate that all the samples have been contaminated by OCPs, and OCP concentrations varied in individual species and in sampling sites. Among the studied OCPs, ∑HCH and ∑DDT concentrations ranged from 0.91 to 13.92 ng g(-1) and from 10.16 to 411.19 ng g(-1), respectively. Meretrix was highly enriched with HCHs, while the highest DDT concentration was found in Crassostrea. For the OCP isomers, β-HCH was the predominant isomer of HCHs, and p,p'-DDE concentration was much higher than other isomers of DDTs. The concentrations of other OCPs (HCB, t-CHL, endrin, and mirex) were relatively low. For the shrimp and crab samples, Alpheus distinguendus samples accumulated a higher level of HCHs but lower DDTs than Oratosquilla aratoria and Carcinoplax vestitus in all sampling areas. HCHs in the samples of contrast area were not significantly lower than that of the sewage outfall area and port area, whereas DDTs in the samples of contrast area were relatively lower than that of the other two areas. Generally, all the OCP contents in the samples are in the range of the edible hygienic criteria except the total concentration of DDTs in Crassostrea.

Due to urgency of the accidental pollution events (APE) on one side and the variability in water quality data on the other side, a new online monitoring and management system (OMMS) was developed for the purpose of sustainable water quality management and human health protection as well. The Biological Early Warning System (BEWS) based on the behavioral responses (behavior strength) of medaka (Oryzias latipes) were built in combination with the physico-chemical factor monitoring system (PFMS) in OMMS. OMMS included a monitoring center and six monitoring stations. Communication between the center and the peripheral stations was conducted by the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network transmission complemented by a dial-up connection for use when GPRS was unavailable. OMMS could monitor water quality continuously for at least 30 days. Once APEs occurred, OMMS would promptly notify the administrator to make some follow up decisions based on the Emergency Treatment of APE. Meanwhile, complex behavioral data were analyzed by Self-Organizing Map to properly classify behavior response data before and after contamination. By utilizing BEWS, PFMS and the modern data transmission in combination, OMMS was efficient in monitoring the water quality more realistically.