Quantification of nitrate fluxes to groundwater and rivers from different land use types

Nitrate enters aquatic systems from anthropogenic and natural sources affecting drinking water supply and surface water eutrophication. Conventional hydro-chemical measurements have been used together with the geographic information system (GIS) and stable isotopes techniques to track nitrate origin, sources distribution and quantify their fluxes from various land use types to ground and surface waters in East Ukraine. Average fluxes of nitrate in groundwater are estimated at 356 kg year-1 km-2 from settlements (mostly rural), 214 kg year-1 km-2 – from agricultural lands and 73 kg year-1 km-2 – from forested areas. According to the mass balance estimation, nitrogen input (150 kg year-1 km-2) occurs mainly in the upper part of the Seversky Donets River basin and is attributed to the discharge of untreated municipal wastewater to rivers as well as groundwater contamination by leaking septic tanks and pit latrines from residential areas

Monitoring and flux determination of trace metals in rivers of the Seversky Donets basin (Ukraine) using DGT passive samplers

International audienceThis paper reports the results of the in situ application of diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) passive samplers for trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) monitoring in transboundary Udy and Lopan rivers of the Seversky Donets watershed in the Kharkiv region (Ukraine), which has a long history of industrial development. The research discusses potential sources of DGT-measured labile metals in water and seasonal variations. Our results demonstrate the application of DGT for identifying and measuring labile metal concentrations in contrasted climate conditions (cold snowy winter and hot summer) and appropriateness of such a tool for continuous water monitoring with the presence of an ice cover. Results show that DGT-measured concentrations of most of trace metals were much higher downstream of the wastewater treatment plants discharges than upstream; thus wastewater treatment plants seemed not able to reduce or to remove trace metals' contaminations and become major sources of pollutants in the studied rivers. The calculation of the average metal fluxes based on the DGT-measured concentrations confirmed that the urban wastewater discharges significantly contribute to the metal fluxes into the Udy and the Lopan rivers during both low-flow and high-flow periods. Compared to the wastewaters inputs to the rivers, the transboundary effect is limited, but should be taken into account as the origin of some metals is from sources located on the adjacent Russian territory

Distribution of trace elements in waters and sediments of the Seversky Donets transboundary watershed (Kharkiv region, Eastern Ukraine)

International audienceThis paper reports on the aquatic chemistry of trace elements in terms of spatial and temporal distribution, but also pollution sources in the transboundary watershed of the Seversky Donets River (Ukraine/Russia). Bed sediments and filtered water were collected from the Udy and Lopan Rivers at sites from the river source in the Belgorod region (Russia) to rural and urban areas in the Kharkiv region (Ukraine) in May and August 2009. Priority trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn), an urban tracer (Ag) and additional metals (Co, Mo, V) and Th were measured in stream water and sediments. The low levels and variability of Th-normalized concentrations indicated the absence of geochemical anomalies in the upstream part of the rivers and suggested that these data represent a regional baseline for trace elements in bed sediments. In contrast, water and sediments within the city of Kharkiv were contaminated by Ag, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr and Zn, which are mainly attributed to municipal wastewater inputs and urban run-off. Results of the environmental quality assessment showed that element concentrations in the sediments can be considered as potentially toxic to aquatic organisms in sites downstream of the wastewater discharges

Solid and liquid waste processing and reducing of personnel doses

In order to minimize the radioactive waste volume at the Ukrainian NPP (nuclear power plants) solid waste is burned and compressed and liquid one evaporated. This dramatically increases their activity as well as their radiation doses during of operation process. In accordance with the ALARA principle the technological solutions that reduce doses to personnel were proposed. First part of the complex built on Zaporozhye NPP consists of processing waste incinerators and pressing facilities. The characteristics of the radiation fields for varying geometries of this facility and isotopic composition of obtained waste was simulated using PENELOPE and GEANT codes. Part of the results was performed using the software packages developed by the authors using point sources method. During operations with burned waste pressed ash the wall thickness of buildings, where equipment is placed is needed, up to 40 cm of concrete. Thickness of the steel technological doors for these premises is required to be of about 12 cm. The alternate design of technological doors ( 2cm of steel) by adding special gateway system is to be proposed. З метою мінімізації об’єму радіоактивних відходів на українських АЕС тверді відходи спалюють і пресують, а рідкі – випаровують. Це значно підвищує їхню питому активність і дозу опромінення в процесі переробки. У відповідності до принципу ALARA було запропоновано технологічні рішення, які зменшують дози персоналу. Перша черга комплексу, який споруджується на Запорізькій АЕС, складається з установок спалювання і пресування відходів. Характеристики радіаційних полів при різних геометріях цих установок і ізотопному складі перероблюваних відходів були розраховані за допомогою програм PENELOPE і GEANT. Частину результатів було отримано за допомогою програмного забезпечення, розробленого авторами на основі методу точкових джерел. При операціях із пресованою золою спалених відходів товщину стін у приміщеннях, де експлуатується устаткування, було потрібно збільшити до 40 см бетону. Необхідна товщина стальних технологічних дверей у цих приміщеннях складає 12 см. Запропоновано альтернативний варіант конструкції технологічних дверей (близько 2 см сталі), який передбачає спеціальну захисну огорожу. С целью минимизации объема радиоактивных отходов на украинских АЭС твердые отходы подвергают сжиганию и прессованию, а жидкие – упариванию. Это значительно повышает их удельную активность и дозу облучения в процессе переработки. В соответствии с принципом ALARA были предложены технологические решения, которые сокращают дозы персонала. Первая очередь комплекса, возводимого на Запорожской АЭС, состоит из установок сжигания и прессования отходов. Характеристики радиационных полей для разных геометрий этих установок и изотопного состава принимаемых отходов были рассчитаны с помощью программ PENELOPE и GEANT. Часть результатов была получена с использованием программного обеспечения, разработанного авторами на основе метода точечных источников. При операциях с прессованной золой сожженных отходов толщину стен в помещениях, где эксплуатируется оборудование, потребовалось увеличить до 40 см бетона. Необходимая толщина стальных технологических дверей для этих помещений составляет около 12 см. Предложен альтернативный вариант конструкции технологических дверей (порядка 2 см по стали), который содержит специальное защитное ограждение

Mycorrhizal inoculation differentally affects grapevine's performance in copper contaminated and non-contaminated soils

Original ResearchPlant inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is increasingly employed to enhance productivity and sustainability in agricultural ecosystems. In the present study, the potential benefits of AMF inoculation on young grapevines replanted in pots containing vineyard soil with high Cu concentration were evaluated. For this purpose, one-year-old cv. Touriga Nacional grapevines grafted onto 1103P rootstocks were further inoculated with Rhizoglomus irregulare or Funneliformis mosseae, or left non-inoculated, and maintained in a sterilized substrate under greenhouse conditions for three months. After this time, half of the plants were transplanted to containers filled with an Arenosol from a vineyard which had been artificially contaminated or not with 300mg kg−1 of Cu. At the end of the growing season, soil nutrient concentration, soil dehydrogenase activity and mycorrhizal colonization rate were analyzed. Grapevine performance was assessed bymeasuring several vegetative growth and physiological parameters as well as nutrient concentrations in leaves and roots. In the non-contaminated soil, R. irregulare- and F. mosseae-inoculated plants had significantly greater root biomass than the non-inoculated ones. However, the opposite effect was observed in the Cu-contaminated soil, where non-inoculated plants performed better regarding shoot and root development. Concerning nutrient levels, an increase in Cu, Mg and Mn concentrations was observed in the roots of plants growing in the contaminated soil, although only Mn was translocated to leaves. This led to a large increase in leaf Mn concentrations, which was significantly higher in noninoculated and F. mosseae- inoculated plants than in the R. irregulare- inoculated ones. Copper contamination induced a general decrease in leaf N, P and Fe concentrations as well as chlorosis symptoms. The largest decrease in N and P was observed in F. mosseae- inoculated plants, with 73 and 31.2%, respectively. However, these plants were the ones with the least decrease in Fe concentration (10% vs. almost 30% in the other two inoculation treatments). In conclusion, this study indicates that soil Cu levels can modify the outcome of AMF inoculations in young grapevines, disclosing new AMF-plant associations potentially relevant in vineyards with a tradition of Cu-based fungicide applicationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trace elements: critical insights from 15 years of monitoring in the Venice Lagoon catchment basin (Italy)

The study focused on selected trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb) monitored in surface waters of the Venice Lagoon catchment basin (North East Italy) over the period 2000-2015. The monitoring was undertaken to verify the achievement of the quality objectives set by the European and national legislations. The available results have been analyzed to evaluate the chemical status of water bodies. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the applied analytic techniques appears critical for the adequate water monitoring; for some parameters, the percentage of not visible values due to non-satisfactory LOQ was higher in the beginning of the period; the subsequent improvement of LOQ allowed assessing the respect of environmental quality standards (EQSs). The study analyzes time trends in single stations and the differences between detected concentrations in the considered stations. Moreover, maximum concentrations and water flows have been considered to understand the potential correlation. Cumulated frequency curves for the most critical parameters have been built to identify situation of potential overtaking of the EQSs in force. The most polluted sampling stations of the drainage basin for the six trace elements were found in Cuori and Fiumazzo rivers. Although LOQs changed over time, the recorded trends show a quality improvement and a good compliance with respect to EQSs set by European legislation, while considering EQSs set by local special legislation, the objectives are not yet satisfied. Arsenic is ubiquitous; thus, it can be supposed to be originated as a background environmental concentration, while nickel appears of industrial origin according to its point and local presence

Pharmaceutical pollution of the world's rivers

Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world's rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals