Environmental Chemistry - Current Research Articles
Current research articles: Environmental Chemistry
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Environmental Chemistry - Editor: CSIRO
Environmental Chemistry publishes manuscripts addressing the chemistry of the environment (air, water, soil, sediments, space, and biota). The scope encompasses atmospheric chemistry, (bio)geochemistry, climate change, marine chemistry, water chemistry, polar chemistry, fire chemistry, astrochemistry, earth and geochemistry, soil and sediment chemistry and chemical toxicology. The journal aims to facilitate links between these aspects of environmental science, and thus papers that are multidisciplinary, and papers that view the environment as an integrated earth system, are particularly encouraged.
Vivien F. Taylor, Brian P. Jackson, Matthew R. Siegfried, Jana Navratilova, Kevin A. Francesconi, Julie Kirshtein, Mary Voytek - Volume 9(2)
Environmental context. Arsenic occurs in marine organisms at high levels and in many chemical forms. A common explanation of this phenomenon is that algae play the central role in accumulating arsenic by producing arsenic-containing sugars that are then converted into simpler organic arsenic compounds found in fish and other marine animals. We show that animals in deep-sea vent ecosystems, which are uninhabited by algae, contain the same organic arsenic compounds as do pelagic animals, indicating that algae are not the only source of these compounds.
Environmental context. Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs have significant effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the extent of which can be traced by using the natural stable isotopic composition of nitrate to integrate the sources of nitrogen and the biological processes of their production. In ecosystems, nitrates are transported by diffusion in water and advection of water masses, but these physical processes have not been characterised in terms of isotopic fractionation. We report experiments demonstrating that physical transport processes have a negligible effect on the isotopic composition of dissolved nitrate.
Environmental context. Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs have significant effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the extent of which can be traced by using the natural stable isotopic composition of nitrate to integrate the sources of nitrogen and the biological processes of their production. In ecosystems, nitrates are transported by diffusion in water and advection of water masses, but these physical processes have not been characterised in terms of isotopic fractionation. We report experiments demonstrating that physical transport processes have a negligible effect on the isotopic composition of dissolved nitrate.
Environmental context. Ambient fine aerosol from forested sites contains secondary organic aerosol from the oxidation of monoterpenes that are emitted by the vegetation, mainly by conifers. These biogenic aerosols can have varying lifetimes in the atmosphere because they contain first-generation oxidation products of α-pinene as well as aged products formed through further photooxidation, fragmentation, hydrolysis, and dimerisation reactions. We focus on the structural characterisation of secondary organic aerosol products that are simulated in a smog chamber experiment and can serve as potential tracers for aging processes in biogenic aerosols.
Efren Ordoñez, Almudena F. Villadangos, María Fiuza, Fernando J. Pereira, Jose A. Gil, Luis M. Mateos, A. Javier Aller - Volume 9(2)
Environmental context. Industrial development has favoured the release of toxic elements to the environment and monitoring and assessment their environmental impact are key points. An important aspect of understanding these concerns is to evaluate how toxic substances interact with microorganisms, which has critical implications in the environment. Current studies show that heavy metals have the potential to affect bacterial viability, although a great deal remains to be understood concerning metal speciation using engineered bacterial cells.
Environmental context. Perfluoroalkyl compounds are organic contaminants that exhibit strong resistance to chemical- and microbial-degradation. As partitioning between solid and aqueous phases is expected to control the transport of perfluoroalkyl compounds, we studied the molecular mechanisms of their adsorption–desorption at a representative Fe oxide surface using in situ molecular spectroscopy. The results provide valuable information on the types of bonds formed, and enable a better understanding of the transport and fate of these organic contaminants in natural environments.
Environmental context. Personal care products containing organic chemicals to filter the sun’s UV rays are produced and used on a broad scale worldwide. Consequently, these organic UV filters are now widespread in the environment. We investigate the occurrence of seven common organic UV filters in river and lake sediments thereby providing valuable data for the future environmental risk assessment of these chemicals to the benthic community of freshwater ecosystems.
Haofei Zhang, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Zhenfa Zhang, Xiaolu Zhang, Stephanie L. Shaw, Eladio M. Knipping, Rodney J. Weber, Avram Gold, Richard M. Kamens, Jason D. Surratt
Environmental context. Secondary organic aerosols formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds make a significant contribution to atmospheric particulate matter, which in turn affects both global climate change and human health. We investigate the mechanisms of formation and the chemical properties of secondary organic aerosols derived from isoprene, the most abundant non-methane-based, volatile organic compound emitted into the Earth’s atmosphere. However, the exact manner in which these aerosols are formed, and how they are affected by environmental conditions, remains unclear.
Yuanlong Huang, Hong Chen, Lin Wang, Xin Yang, Jianmin Chen
Environmental context. Amines, a group of basic organic compounds, play important roles in atmospheric chemistry. We studied their distribution in ambient aerosols at the single particle level, and found that high relative humidity and strong particle acidity can attract more amines from the gas phase to particles. Amines may account for a significant part of organic mass in aerosols in areas with high emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Environmental context. Amines, a group of basic organic compounds, play important roles in atmospheric chemistry. We studied their distribution in ambient aerosols at the single particle level, and found that high relative humidity and strong particle acidity can attract more amines from the gas phase to particles. Amines may account for a significant part of organic mass in aerosols in areas with high emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Environmental context. In terrestrial environments, humic substances act as major sorbents for calcium, which is an essential nutrient for organisms. This study shows that calcium binding by terrestrial humic acids is strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength. The results indicate that calcium binding by humic acids is primarily controlled by electrostatic forces and specific binding to carboxylic groups.
Joyce S. Clemente, Edward G. Gregorich, André J. Simpson, Rajeev Kumar, Denis Courtier-Murias, Myrna J. Simpson - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. The association of specific organic matter (OM) compounds with clay mineral surfaces is believed to protect these compounds from degradation and thus result in long-term protection in soil. The molecular-level composition of soil OM associated with soil fractions was measured and compared using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and solution-state 1H NMR methods. Combining these methods allowed more detailed characterisation of OM associated with different soil fractions and will improve the understanding of OM dynamics in soil.
Pascal L. R. van der Veeken, Herman P. van Leeuwen - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Metal species can have significant toxic effects in aquatic systems, and therefore their occurrence should be reliably monitored. Although many methods to measure metal species are available, they all have limitations and are sensitive to physicochemical complications. It is shown that, in techniques based on diffusive gradients in thin films, sorption of humic acids affects metal speciation inside the diffusive gel layer and the nature of the ensuing flux response.
Sara García-Salgado, Georg Raber, Reingard Raml, Christoph Magnes, Kevin A. Francesconi - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Although organoarsenic compounds occur in marine organisms at high concentrations, the origin and role of these compounds is unknown. Arsenic-containing lipids (arsenolipids) are newly discovered compounds in fish. We identify a range of arsenolipids in algae and propose that algae are the origin of these unusual arsenic compounds in marine ecosystems.
Heléne Österlund, Mikko Faarinen, Johan Ingri, Douglas C. Baxter - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Both the mobility and toxicity of arsenic in natural waters are related to the aqueous species distribution. Passive sampling using ferrihydrite-backed diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) devices has in previous studies been characterised to measure labile inorganic arsenic, and the possible contribution of organic species has been disregarded. This study shows that the two most prevalent organic arsenic species might be included in DGT measurements, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating DGT data in future studies.
Environmental context. Both the mobility and toxicity of arsenic in natural waters are related to the aqueous species distribution. Passive sampling using ferrihydrite-backed diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) devices has in previous studies been characterised to measure labile inorganic arsenic, and the possible contribution of organic species has been disregarded. This study shows that the two most prevalent organic arsenic species might be included in DGT measurements, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating DGT data in future studies.
Environmental context. It is now nearly 20 years since the introduction of the technique of diffusive gradients in thin films, which can provide information on solute concentrations and dynamics in sediments, soils and water. The interpretation of these measurements in terms of concentrations relies on simple equations and associated assumptions. This review examines how well they have stood the test of time.
Susan Tandy, Simon Mundus, Hao Zhang, Enzo Lombi, Jens Frydenvang, Peter E. Holm, Søren Husted - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Potassium is an essential plant nutrient and farmers need to be able to predict how much soil K is plant available in order to optimise fertiliser applications and crop production. Traditional methods such as chemical extraction are generally poor predictors. A DGT based methodology that could enhance the assessment of plant available K is developed, which will assist plant growers to determine the correct fertiliser application, thereby avoiding crop deficiencies and limiting the misuse of K as a precious natural resource.
Yue Gao, Martine Leermakers, Annelies Pede, Aurelie Magnier, Koen Sabbe, Beatriz Lourino Cabana, Gabriel Billon, Willy Baeyens, David C. Gillan - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Contaminated sediments can have a large and lasting effect on marine ecosystems. It was discovered that significant amounts of pollutants, especially arsenic, were released from contaminated sediments during a phytoplankton bloom in the Belgian Continental Zone. Once released to the water column, these pollutants can accumulate up marine food chains and be a source of contaminants to humans.
N. Calace, L. Caliandro, B. M. Petronio, M. Pietrantonio, M. Pietroletti, V. Trancalini - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. In urban environments such as parks and gardens, polluted soils can have a direct influence on children’s health. This study investigates Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations in soils of several public parks in Rome city (Italy) located near roads with high traffic loads. It is shown that vehicle traffic contributes significantly to soil metal pollution in the urban parks and gardens, and that barriers such as walls and trees reduce the metal accumulation.
A. Price, W. Maher, J. Kirby, F. Krikowa, E. Duncan, A. Taylor, J. Potts - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Although arsenic occurs at high concentrations in many marine systems, the influencing factors are poorly understood. The arsenic content of sediments, detritus, suspended particles and organisms have been investigated from different trophic levels in an open seagrass ecosystem. Total arsenic concentrations and arsenic species were organism-specific and determined by a variety of factors including exposure, diet and the organism physiology.
Leonie Derendorp, Rupert Holzinger, Thomas Röckmann - Volume 8(6)
Leaf litter can be found at the Earth’s surface in large quantities, and has the potential to release significant amounts of volatile compounds into the atmosphere where they influence atmospheric chemistry and local air quality. This study investigates the influence of UV radiation on the emission of C2–C5 hydrocarbons from leaf litter. Research on volatile compound emissions from leaf litter is limited, but essential for establishing their global budgets and understanding atmospheric chemistry.
Michael Tatzber, Franz Mutsch, Axel Mentler, Ernst Leitgeb, Michael Englisch, Martin H. Gerzabek - Volume 8(6)
Analysis of soil organic matter is important for understanding turnover and stabilisation processes of organic carbon in soils. Capillary electrophoresis is used here to investigate humic acids from soils of diverse forest sites, and show that the patterns of signals are indicative of soil characteristics. The method provides useful information of soil types and complements the existing set of methods for humic acid characterisation.
Environmental context. Uptake of metal ions by plants is often predicted with equilibrium models, which assume that the rate limiting step is trans-membrane uptake of the metal in the roots rather than the transport of the metal ion towards the site of uptake. Evidence is given that uptake of cadmium by plants is under strong transport control at environmentally relevant concentrations, whereas nickel uptake borders between transport and plant control. This explains the lack of ion competition effects for Cd uptake, whereas both proton and Mg ions were found to compete with Ni uptake.
William W. Bennett, Peter R. Teasdale, David T. Welsh, Jared G. Panther, Ryan R. Stewart, Helen L. Price, Dianne F. Jolley - Volume 9(1)
Environmental context. Contamination of aquatic ecosystems with inorganic arsenic is a concern for both environmental and human health. Sediments are an important sink for dissolved arsenic, but they may also act as a source of arsenic because of human-induced changes in aquatic systems. This paper describes a new approach for investigating the status of inorganic arsenic in sediments, based on recent developments in diffusion-based sediment sampling techniques.
Posted on 23 November 2011 | 1:00 am
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