Temporal Variations In Concentrations Research Articles

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Toxic Metal Concentrations in Cultivated Soil in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China: Characteristics and Mechanisms

The toxic metal (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) pollution in 250 agricultural soil samples representing the urban area of Jiaxing was studied to investigate the temporal and spatial variations. Compared to the early 1990s, the pollution level has increased. Industry and urbanization were the main factors causing toxic metal pollution on temporal variation, especially the use of feed containing toxic metals. The soil types and crop cultivation methods are the main factors causing toxic metal pollution on spatial variation. Although the single-factor pollution indices of all the toxic metals were within the safe limits, as per the National Soil Environmental Quality Standard (risk screening value), if the background values of soil elements in Jiaxing City are used as the standard, the pollution index of all the elements surveyed exceeds 1.0, reaching a level of mild pollution. The soil samples investigated were heavily contaminated with toxic metal compounds, and their levels increased over time. This situation poses potential ecological and health risks.

Geospatial Artificial Intelligence for Estimating Daytime and Nighttime Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration Variations in Taiwan: A Spatial Prediction Model

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a major air pollutant primarily emitted from traffic and industrial activities, posing health risks. However, current air pollution models often underestimate exposure risks by neglecting the bimodal pattern of NO2 levels throughout the day. This study aimed to address this gap by developing ensemble mixed spatial models (EMSM) using geo-artificial intelligence (Geo-AI) to examine the spatial and temporal variations of NO2 concentrations at a high resolution of 50m. These EMSMs integrated spatial modelling methods, including kriging, land use regression, machine learning, and ensemble learning. The models utilized 26 years of observed NO2 measurements, meteorological parameters, geospatial layers, and social and season-dependent variables as representative of emission sources. Separate models were developed for daytime and nighttime periods, which achieved high reliability with adjusted R2 values of 0.92 and 0.93, respectively. The study revealed that mean NO2 concentrations were significantly higher at nighttime (9.60 ppb) compared to daytime (5.61 ppb). Additionally, winter exhibited the highest NO2 levels regardless of time period. The developed EMSMs were utilized to generate maps illustrating NO2 levels pre and during COVID restrictions in Taiwan. These findings could aid epidemiological research on exposure risks and support policy-making and environmental planning initiatives.

Cryosphere and land cover influence on stream water quality in Central Asia's glacierized catchments

This work helps address recent calls for systematic water quality assessment in Central Asia and considers how nutrient and salinity sources, and transport, affect water quality along the continuum from the cryosphere to the lowland plains. Spatial and, for the first time, temporal variations in stream water pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, and nitrate and phosphate concentrations are presented for four catchments (485–13,500 km2), all with glaciers and major urban areas. The catchments studied were: Kaskelen (Kazakhstan), Ala-Archa (Kyrgyzstan), Chirchik (Uzbekistan) and the Kofarnihon (Tajikistan). Measurements were made in cryosphere, stream water, groundwater, reservoir and lake samples over a 22-month period at fortnightly intervals from 35 sites. The results highlight that glacier, permafrost and rock glacier outflows were primary and secondary nitrate sources (>1 mg N L−1) to the headwaters, and there were major increases in salinity and nitrate concentrations where rivers receive inputs from agriculture and settlements. Overall, the water quality complied with national and World Health Organization standards, however there were pollution hot-spots with shallow urban groundwaters contaminated with nitrate (>11 mg N L−1) and stream electrical conductivity above 800 μS cm−1 in some agricultural areas indicative of high salinity. Phosphate concentrations were generally low (<0.06 mg P L−1) throughout the catchments, though elevated (>0.2 mg P L−1) in urban areas due to effluent contamination. A melt water dilution effect along the main river channels was discernible, in the electrical conductivity and nitrate concentration seasonal dynamics, 100 s of km from the headwaters. Thus, the input of relatively clean water from the cryosphere is an important regulator of main channel water quality in the urban and farmed lowland plains adjacent to the Tien Shan and Pamir. Improved sewage treatment is needed in urban areas.

Temporal and spatial water quality impacts of point-source versus catchment-derived nitrogen loads in an urbanised estuary

The Brisbane River estuary is an anthropogenically-impacted waterway in southeast Queensland, Australia. The estuary is over 80 km long and flows through an urbanised region. It receives over 500 t per year of total nitrogen (N) from direct point-source discharges in addition to sporadic flood loads of N from an agriculturally impacted upper catchment. Comprehensive water quality monitoring data for the estuary have been collected from at least 2001. This monitoring data includes ambient nutrient concentrations in the estuary, nutrient concentration and volume of the catchment inflows, and nutrient concentration and volume of point source discharges. This long-term data from a range of sources was used to determine temporal and spatial variations in concentrations, forms, stores and loads of N along the estuary for the period 2001 to 2022. Results showed that, during low-flow periods, the store of N in the mid-upper estuary (33–81 km upstream) is significantly determined by point-source discharges to this reach, and therefore the store of N can be modelled. Model parameters are the daily point source loads, a point source load decay factor, and a background constant store. In the lower estuary (0–33 km upstream) N store can be accurately determined based on dilution with seawater, with point sources not having significant influence on total N in the reach. Total N from large flood events was found to largely pass through the estuary without detectable removal processes, delivering catchment derived N directly to coastal waters. This work informs potential application of nutrient offsets in the estuary, guiding where and when offset options will be effective to mitigate the water quality impacts of point-source nutrients.

Pollution levels and ecological risks of PPCPs in water and sediment samples of Danjiangkou Reservoir.

The concentrations and distribution patterns of three typical pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in water and sediment samples obtained from Danjiangkou Reservoir during two seasonal sampling periods were studied to determine their impact on water quality. The temporal and spatial variations in concentrations measured were analyzed and related to ecological risks with data obtained during the mean-flow period (in June) and the dry period (in November). We found a high detection rate of ketoprofen (KTP) in water samples from Danjiangkou Reservoir; the concentrations ranged from not detected (ND) to 46.80ng/L with the highest values measured in the Hanku tributary samples followed by the samples collected in the main body of Danjiangkou Reservoir. The KTP concentrations in the Danku tributary samples were the lowest measured in this study. In addition, the concentrations of KTP in the Shending River, Sihe River, Jianghe River, Guanshan River, and Jianhe River water samples were relatively high in the mean-flow period. The water sample detection rates and concentrations of triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) were low in both the mean-flow period and the dry period. All three kinds of PPCPs were detected in the sediment samples with the concentrations of KTP, TCS, and TCC ranging from 0.76 to 7.89μg/kg, 0.01 to 0.59μg/kg, and 0.01 to 11.36μg/kg, respectively. Overall, the concentrations of the three measured PPCPs in the water and sediment samples were all relatively low compared to results reported in the recent literature. The dry period concentrations of PPCPs in the water samples were lower than the concentrations measured in the mean-flow period. However, dry period concentrations were higher in the sediment samples compared to those in the mean-flow period samples. Our interpretation of the spatial and temporal patterns of PPCPs in Danjiangkou Reservoir suggests that these compounds were likely mainly derived from wastewater discharge in the upper reaches of the reservoir. The risk quotient (RQ) method was used for an ecological risk assessment of the detected PPCPs in this study. We found that TCS in water and sediment posed medium ecological risks to algae at different times of the year. In view of the extreme importance of water safety in Danjiangkou Reservoir, the ecological risks of PPCPs require additional attention.

Fecal Bacteria Contamination of Floodwaters and a Coastal Waterway From Tidally-Driven Stormwater Network Inundation.

Inundation of coastal stormwater networks by tides is widespread due to sea-level rise (SLR). The water quality risks posed by tidal water rising up through stormwater infrastructure (pipes and catch basins), out onto roadways, and back out to receiving water bodies is poorly understood but may be substantial given that stormwater networks are a known source of fecal contamination. In this study, we (a) documented temporal variation in concentrations of Enterococcus spp. (ENT), the fecal indicator bacteria standard for marine waters, in a coastal waterway over a 2-month period and more intensively during two perigean spring tide periods, (b) measured ENT concentrations in roadway floodwaters during tidal floods, and (c) explained variation in ENT concentrations as a function of tidal inundation, antecedent rainfall, and stormwater infrastructure using a pipe network inundation model and robust linear mixed effect models. We find that ENT concentrations in the receiving waterway vary as a function of tidal stage and antecedent rainfall, but alsosite-specificcharacteristics of the stormwater network that drains to the waterway. Tidal variables significantly explain measured ENT variance in the waterway, however, runoff drove higher ENT concentrations in the receiving waterway. Samples of floodwaters on roadways during both perigean spring tide events were limited, but all samples exceeded the threshold for safe public use of recreational waters. These results indicate that inundation of stormwater networks by tides could pose public health hazards in receiving water bodies and on roadways, which will likely be exacerbated in the future due to continued SLR.

Spatiotemporal Changes in and Forces Driving Ozone Concentration in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (Jing–Jin–Ji) Region from 2015 to 2022

This study aims to explore the factors affecting variation in ozone concentration, using ozone concentration monitoring data from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (Jing–Jin–Ji) region from 2015 to 2022. The characteristics of the spatial and temporal variation in ozone concentration, as well as the impact of meteorological and land-use types on this variation, were investigated. Seasonally, ozone concentrations in the Jing–Jin–Ji region were highest in summer, followed by spring and autumn, and were lowest in winter. Spatially, a characteristic trend of lower concentrations in urban centers and higher concentrations in suburban areas was found. From the results of correlation analysis and a stepwise regression model, temperature and solar radiation were found to be the primary factors affecting seasonal variations in ozone concentration, explaining 67.9% of the variance. Additionally, the results of geographically weighted regression models confirmed the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of temperature and solar radiation on ozone concentration. In urban centers, such as Beijing and Tianjin, temperature and solar radiation more strongly influenced ozone concentration. To determine the factors driving this spatial heterogeneity, a geodetector was employed to analyze the impact of various geographical factors on the spatial distribution of ozone concentration. In winter, the impact of various factors of urbanization, such as lighting index, population density, and construction land, as well as air quality factors (PM2.5 and NO2), on ozone concentration was stronger, with q values greater than 0.2. However, in autumn, the influence of these factors on ozone concentration weakened. Furthermore, the results of the two-factor interaction detection analysis showed that the q values for the interaction between urban and air quality factors ranged between 0.40 and 0.47, which were substantially higher than those for other interactions. This further confirmed the strong influence of urban activities on ozone concentration.

Dynamic modeling of the occurrence, sources, and environmental behavior of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Zhelin Bay, China

This study analyzed polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Zhelin Bay, China, investigating their occurrence, sources, and environmental behavior. PBDE congeners were detected in all sampled media. The Σ13PBDE concentrations in the dissolved phase ranged from 1.04 to 41.40 ng/L, while the concentrations ranged in suspended particulate matter from 0.02 to 12.56 ng/L. In sediments, PBDE concentrations ranged from 1.41 to 8.57 ng/g. The higher proportion of PBDEs in the dissolved phase in the bay than in the estuary is attributable to the type of PBDE products used in the aquacultural process in Zhelin Bay. Moreover, correlation analysis between PBDE concentrations and environmental parameters showed that the primary factor influencing PBDE concentrations in Zhelin Bay sediments may shift from riverine inputs to aquaculture. Principal component analysis and positive matrix factorization revealed that PBDEs in the water of Zhelin Bay primarily originated from the degradation of octa-BDE, deca-BDE, and penta-BDE products employed in aquaculture. In contrast, the PBDEs in Zhelin Bay sediments mainly originated from riverine inputs. In addition, a level IV dynamic fugacity-based multimedia model was used to simulate the temporal variation of PBDE concentrations in Zhelin Bay. Modeled short-term trends showed a relatively swift transport of PBDE congeners in the water column to the atmosphere and sediments. Over the long term, sediment concentrations gradually decreased, in contrast to the less rapid declines observed in the atmosphere and water. Furthermore, this study revealed that the transport and transformation processes of PBDEs in the Zhelin Bay environment were considerably influenced by the diffusion coefficient in water, the water-side mass transfer coefficient at the water–sediment interface, the sediment resuspension rate, and the organic carbon–water partition coefficient.

Patterns in the temporal complexity of global chlorophyll concentration

Decades of research have relied on satellite-based estimates of chlorophyll-a concentration to identify oceanographic processes and plan in situ observational campaigns; however, the patterns of intrinsic temporal variation in chlorophyll-a concentration have not been investigated on a global scale. Here we develop a metric to quantify time series complexity (i.e., a measure of the ups and downs of sequential observations) in chlorophyll-a concentration and show that seemingly disparate regions (e.g., Atlantic vs Indian, equatorial vs subtropical) in the global ocean can be inherently similar. These patterns can be linked to the regularity of chlorophyll-a concentration change and the likelihood of anomalous events within the satellite record. Despite distinct spatial changes in decadal chlorophyll-a concentration, changes in time series complexity have been relatively consistent. This work provides different metrics for monitoring the global ocean and suggests that the complexity of chlorophyll-a time series can be independent of its magnitude.

Investigating Temporal and Spatial Variations of Nutrient and Trace Metal Loading in Utah Lake (Utah, USA)

Utah Lake is one of the largest freshwater bodies in the West and a valuable resource for agricultural and recreational activities in the region. However, it has suffered elevated trace metal and nutrient levels since the pioneer settlement in 1847. The objectives of this project were as follows: (1) investigate the temporal and spatial variations of trace metal and nutrient concentrations in Utah Lake and its tributaries; (2) model trace metal and nutrient concentrations across the lake using GIS spatial analysis techniques. We collected floc layer sediment samples quarterly as well as monthly water samples for trace metal and nutrient analyses at designated sites. GIS spatial analysis techniques were used to model the trace metal and nutrient concentrations in the lake. Elevated trace metal concentrations in river and lake water samples have been detected, especially in the month of June. The GIS modeling revealed that the highest trace metal and nutrient concentrations were located at the deepest part of the lake and near the Spanish Fork River inlet, respectively. Moreover, the results indicate that Utah Lake is not well mixed horizontally but well mixed vertically. Our findings can help state agencies address issues in water quality and management related to human–environment interactions.

Effects of water ammonia nitrogen on hemolymph and intestinal microbiota of Litopenaeus vannamei

Ammonia stress was detrimental to shrimp, but how water ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N) influences the shrimp’s health remains unclear. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effects of water ammonia-N on hemolymph ammonia-N concentration, hepatopancreas structure, and the intestinal microbiota of Litopenaeus vannamei with four experiments. We found that the concentration of ammonia-N in shrimp hemolymph was significantly higher than that in pond water, indicating that water ammonia-N stimulates the accumulation of hemolymph ammonia-N. Results also indicated that the hemolymph ammonia-N accumulation would disrupt the hepatopancreas structure and alter the intestinal microbial composition. The concentration of hemolymph ammonia-N and severity of hepatopancreas damage positively correlated with water ammonia-N concentration. However, though the diversity of intestinal microbiota was varied by ammonia-N, there were no significant differences between groups, suggesting that the variation was relatively minimal. Furthermore, returning shrimp to pristine water after ammonia-N exposure could reduce the hemolymph ammonia-N concentration and the mortality rate. This study provides evidence of temporal variations in hemolymph ammonia-N concentration, hepatopancreatic structure, and intestinal microbiota under different water ammonia-N levels, which might shed insights into ecological cognition on scientific management of shrimp culture and microecological prevention of shrimp health.

Spatial and temporal variations of currently used pesticides (CUPs) concentrations in ambient air in Wallonia, Belgium

Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals thus contributing to a global contamination of the environment. Studies in North America and Europe have reported ambient air concentrations of Currently Used Pesticides in rural and urban locations as well as in remote areas. Monitoring pesticides in air is required for a better understanding of human exposure through inhalation and to assess potential health effects related to this exposure pathway. In this study, 46 pesticides were analyzed in ambient air in sampling stations distributed over Wallonia during a year, from May 2015 to May 2016. Different typologies were defined for sampling sites (remote areas, urban sites, agricultural sites, livestock area, and sites with other professional uses). Ambient air was sampled for 14 days with an active air sampler at a flow rate of 4 m³/h. Quartz filters and PUF/XAD-2/PUF cartridges were used to sample both gas and particulate phase pesticides. On the 46 pesticides studied, 6 insecticides, 18 herbicides and 18 fungicides were detected. Herbicides were measured in 68.3% of samples throughout the year, whereas fungicides and insecticides were measured in 62.6% and 13.2% of the samples, respectively. The highest mean concentrations for all pesticides were measured in spring-summer, whereas few pesticides were measured at low concentrations in winter. Six pesticides were measured in the remote sampling station at lower concentrations than in all other sites highlighting volatility of these pesticides. The highest number of different pesticides and the highest concentrations were measured in agricultural stations, where uses of plant protection products are higher. Finally, less volatile pesticides were only detected near application areas and at low concentrations. Together, these results provide better insight on the spatial and temporal variations of pesticides concentrations in ambient air, which were related to pesticides uses as well to atmospheric volatility and persistence.

Temporal variation in vitamin B12 concentration and their impact on phytoplankton composition of surface waters of a coastal ocean off Japan (Ariake Sea)

Temporal variation in vitamin B12 concentration and their impact on phytoplankton composition of surface waters of a coastal ocean off Japan (Ariake Sea)

Temporal variation of tritium concentration in monthly precipitation collected at a Difficult-to-Return Zone in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.

This article discusses tritium concentrations in monthly precipitation in part of the Difficult-to-Return Zone in Namie Town during 2012-2021. The tritium concentrations, which were measured with a low background liquid scintillation counter after carrying out an enrichment procedure, fluctuated seasonally from 0.10 ± 0.02 to 0.85 ± 0.02Bq L-1. This range of concentrations is concluded to not be unusual based on comparisons with the concentrations at other sites and estimates of the past range of the concentrations. Moreover, no significant variations in observed tritium concentrations were observed due to decommissioning work at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. These results contribute to understanding the background level of tritium concentration in precipitation before the oceanic discharge of treated water from the Fukushima plant. In addition, this article evaluates the amount of tritium supplied to the ocean by terrestrial rainwater pouring into the Pacific Ocean via Ukedo River, which flows through Namie Town; this information will contribute to the discussion on the impact of the oceanic discharge of treated water.

1H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis reveals dynamic changes in the metabolic profile of patients with severe burns.

Severe burn injury causes a hypermetabolic response, resulting in muscle protein catabolism and multiple organ damage syndrome. However, this response has not yet been continuously characterized by metabolomics in patients. This study aims to quantify temporal changes in the metabolic processes of patients with severe burns. We employed 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to scrutinize metabolic alterations during the initial 35days following burn injury in a cohort of 17 adult patients with severe burns, with 10 healthy individuals included as controls. Plasma specimens were collected from patients on postburn days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. After performing multivariate statistical analysis, repeated-measures analysis of variance and time-series analysis, we quantified changes in metabolite concentrations. Among the 36 metabolites quantified across 119 samples from burn patients, branched-chain amino acids, glutamate, glycine, glucose, pyruvate, lactate, trimethylamine N-oxide and others exhibited obvious temporal variations in concentration. Notably, these metabolites could be categorized into three clusters based on their temporal characteristics. The initial response to injury was characterized by changes in lactate and amino acids, while later changes were driven by an increase in fatty acid catabolism and microbial metabolism, leading to the accumulation of ketone bodies and microbial metabolites. Metabolomics techniques utilizing NMR have the potential to monitor the intricate processes of metabolism in patients with severe burns. This study confirmed that the third day after burn injury serves as the boundary between the ebb phase and the flow phase. Furthermore, identification of three distinct temporal patterns of metabolites revealed the intrinsic temporal relationships between these metabolites, providing clinical data for optimizing therapeutic strategies.

The fingerprint of tropospheric ozone on broadleaved forest vegetation in Europe

Tropospheric ozone (O3) increased globally in the 20th century, contributes to climate change and can have adverse effects on terrestrial ecosystems. The response of forest vegetation to ozone is modulated by species- and site-specific factors and visible foliar symptoms (VFS) are the only direct evidence of ozone effects on vegetation. VFS have been observed and reproduced under (semi-) controlled conditions and their field assessment has been largely harmonized in Europe. We analyzed ozone concentration and VFS data as measured at (respectively) 118 and 91 intensive monitoring sites of the International Co-Operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) spanning over five European biogeographic regions from 2005 to 2018. Average values for VFS were calculated accounting for the number of species present and their observed frequency. Spatial and temporal variation of ozone concentrations, VFS, and their relationships across Europe were then investigated by applying Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) and combined GLMMs. Ozone concentrations exceeded 40 ppb on 37.3 % of the sites and were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the Alpine and the Mediterranean regions. Over the 2005–2018 period there was a substantial stagnation of ozone concentrations with a tendency towards decreasing values in the Alpine-Boreal sites and increasing values in the Atlantic sites. Ozone left a “fingerprint” in terms of VFS on 38 % of the observed broadleaved woody species across Europe, with no significant difference among biogeographic regions. Overall, and again with the exception of an increase at the Atlantic sites, the frequency of VFS remained unchanged or has been slightly declining over the investigated period. We found positive relationship between ozone concentrations and VFS across Europe (p < 0.05), while their temporal trends (both insignificant) were not related. The species with the highest frequency of VFS were those classified as sensitive species under controlled/semi-controlled experimental conditions. Frequency of VFS tends to be modulated by vegetation traits such as specific leaf area and leaf thickness (p < 0.10). Our results showed that, although ozone levels suggested a North-to-South gradient of increasing potential risk to vegetation with hot spots in the Alps and in the Mediterranean, VFS observed on the actual species assemblage at the sites modifies this picture. According to frequency of VFS, ozone risk for vegetation may be higher in parts of the Alpine and Continental Europe than in the Mediterranean region.

Calcium Signaling and the Response to Heat Shock in Crop Plants.

Climate change and the increasing frequency of high temperature (HT) events are significant threats to global crop yields. To address this, a comprehensive understanding of how plants respond to heat shock (HS) is essential. Signaling pathways involving calcium (Ca2+), a versatile second messenger in plants, encode information through temporal and spatial variations in ion concentration. Ca2+ is detected by Ca2+-sensing effectors, including channels and binding proteins, which trigger specific cellular responses. At elevated temperatures, the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ in plant cells increases rapidly, making Ca2+ signals the earliest response to HS. In this review, we discuss the crucial role of Ca2+ signaling in raising plant thermotolerance, and we explore its multifaceted contributions to various aspects of the plant HS response (HSR).

Variation in urban snow quality indicated by three seasonal sampling surveys conducted in Luleå (Sweden) within a span of 27 years

Concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), trace metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cd, Pb), Na and 16 US EPA priority PAHs in urban snow were studied in the City of Luleå in Northern Sweden. Snow was sampled at six central urban and suburban sites with various traffic intensities, in three sampling surveys (1994–95, 2002–03, 2020–21), repeated for three ages of the urban snow cover of 40, 80, and 120 days, respectively. The older data, from the 1994–95 and 2002–03 surveys, were obtained from the existing literature. The concentrations and mass loads of TSS and most trace metals studied (Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd) varied with time. TSS, Zn, and Cu showed slightly higher concentrations and mass loads in the 2003 (TSS avg = 2300 μg/L, Zn avg = 620 μg/L and Cu avg = 250 μg/L) and 2021 (TSS avg = 1500 μg/L, Zn avg = 530 μg/L and Cu avg = 220 μg/L) sampling surveys, compared to the 1995 survey (TSS avg = 620 μg/L, Zn avg = 240 μg/L and Cu avg = 97 μg/L). However, no evident trend was observed between the 2003 and 2021 sampling surveys. The highest concentrations of Pb and Cd were observed in snow samples from the 1994–95 sampling survey (Pb max = 570 μg/L, Cd max = 4.6 μg/L). Results indicated higher concentrations of the pollutants studied in the city centre, compared to the residential suburbs, and in areas with heavier traffic, where concentrations of metals correlated well with traffic intensity. Fractionation analysis of trace metals indicated that Zn, Cu and Pb occurred mostly in the particulate-bound phase (>0.45 μm) containing the most of Zn, Cu, and Pb mass, at 80, 84 and 94% of the total, respectively. Over 50% of the dissolved phase of Zn and Cu was in the truly dissolved fraction (<3000 MWCO). Concentrations of PAHs also increased with traffic intensity, with pyrene being the most frequently detected PAH, likely because of the strength of sources and various physical processes influencing the snowbanks development and causing spatial and temporal variations in pollutant concentrations.

Connecting thiamine availability to the microbial community composition in Chinook salmon spawning habitats of the Sacramento River basin.

Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is a major emerging threat to global populations of culturally and economically important populations of salmonids. Salmonid eggs and embryos can assimilate exogenous thiamine, and evidence suggests that microbial communities in benthic environments can produce substantial amounts of thiamine. We therefore hypothesize that natural dissolved pools of thiamine exist in the surface water and hyporheic zones of riverine habitats where salmonids with TDC migrate, spawn, and begin their lives. To examine the relationship between dissolved thiamine-related compounds (dTRCs) and their microbial source, we determined the concentrations of these metabolites and the compositions of microbial communities in surface and hyporheic waters of the Sacramento River, California and its tributaries. Here we determine that all dTRCs are present in femto-picomolar concentrations in a range of critically important salmon spawning habitats. We observed that thiamine concentrations in the Sacramento River system are orders of magnitude lower than those of marine waters, indicating substantial differences in thiamine cycling between these two environments. Our data suggest that the hyporheic zone is likely the source of thiamine to the overlying surface water. Temporal variations in dTRC concentrations were observed where the highest concentrations existed when Chinook salmon were actively spawning. Significant correlations were seen between the richness of microbial taxa and dTRC concentrations, particularly in the hyporheic zone, which would influence the conditions where embryonic salmon incubate. Together, these results indicate a connection between microbial communities in freshwater habitats and the availability of thiamine to spawning TDC-impacted California Central Valley Chinook salmon.IMPORTANCEPacific salmon are keystone species with considerable economic importance and immeasurable cultural significance to Pacific Northwest indigenous peoples. Thiamine deficiency complex has recently been diagnosed as an emerging threat to the health and stability of multiple populations of salmonids ranging from California to Alaska. Microbial biosynthesis is the major source of thiamine in marine and aquatic environments. Despite this importance, the concentrations of thiamine and the identities of the microbial communities that cycle it are largely unknown. Here we investigate microbial communities and their relationship to thiamine in Chinook salmon spawning habitats in California's Sacramento River system to gain an understanding of how thiamine availability impacts salmonids suffering from thiamine deficiency complex.

Steep declines in radioactive caesium after 30 years of monitoring alpine plants in mountain areas of central Norway

The Chernobyl accident exposed large areas of northern Europe to radiocaesium (137Cs). We investigated temporal and spatial variation in concentrations of radiocaesium among five functional groups of alpine plants at two mountain areas in central Norway over a 31-year period from 1991 to 2022. Average concentrations of radiocaesium were initially high in lichens and bryophytes at around 4600–6400 Bq/kg dry weight during 1991–1994 but then decreased dramatically over three decades to current concentrations of <200 Bq/kg for all plant groups in 2019–2022. The effective half-life of radiocaesium was estimated to be 4–6 years in lichens and mosses, 7–13 years in herbaceous plants, and 22–30 years in woody plants, which were less than the physical half-life of 30.2 years. Concentrations of radiocaesium were greater at the nutrient-poor site than at the nutrient-rich site, probably due to greater deposition levels at higher elevations and the geographical pattern of the deposition. Functional groups of plants differed with higher concentrations among non-vascular than vascular plants. Common heather Calluna vulgaris was unusual among woody plants with high concentration of radiocaesium, especially in the new shoots. Our new estimates of concentrations and dynamics of radiocaesium for alpine plants in natural environments will be useful for modelling herbivore exposure and evaluating potential impacts on wildlife and human health.