Article
Environmental Sciences
Kechen Zhu, Eric P. Achterberg, Nicholas R. Bates, Loes J. A. Gerringa, Rob Middag, Mark J. Hopwood, Martha Gledhill
Summary: An insufficient supply of iron limits phytoplankton growth in the ocean. We calculated the solubility of iron at equilibrium under ambient conditions and compared it to measured dissolved iron in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Our results showed that the solubility of iron was higher than the observed dissolved iron at different depths. We found that changes in solubility of iron, driven by changes in ambient pH and temperature, underlie the vertical distributions of dissolved iron.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kechen Zhu, Antony J. Birchill, Angela Milne, Simon Ussher, Matthew P. Humphreys, Nealy Carr, Claire Mahaffey, Maeve C. Lohan, Eric P. Achterberg, Martha Gledhill
Summary: Using a combined ion pairing - organic matter speciation model, this study predicted the organic complexation of iron in the Celtic Sea, optimized through comparison with experimental results and simulated titrations. The results suggest that dissolved organic carbon concentrations in marine waters may not significantly impact the heterogeneity or concentrations of Fe binding sites, with implications for understanding the dissolved Fe inventory in the ocean. The study also calculated Fe solubility under ambient conditions in the Celtic Sea, showing that the interaction between Fe solubility and binding by organic matter plays a key role in controlling the dissolved Fe concentrations in marine environments.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinfeng Zhang, Jinhui Du, Shengxiao Zhang, ShuangShuang Yang, Qiang Xu
Summary: The effects of acidification on speciation and transportation of arsenic in shallow seawater system were investigated through lab scale acidification simulation experiments. The results showed that acidification increased the concentration of DIAs, As5+, and As3+ in the overlying water, while decreasing the ratio of As5+/As3+. Acidification also facilitated the transport of more DIAs into the overlying water from sediments or suspended particulate matters, favoring the existence of As3+.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eileen H. Bates, Lindsay Alma, Tamas Ugrai, Alexander Gagnon, Michael Maher, Paul McElhany, Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamino
Summary: The study compared trace metal concentrations in tissue of Mediterranean mussels and Olympia oysters at different sites in Puget Sound, Washington to understand differences in bioaccumulation based on species, location, and shellfish size. The research found that metal concentrations in shellfish varied between sites and were influenced by factors such as water chemistry and shellfish size.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Wenhan Chen, David B. Kemp, Tianchen He, Robert J. Newton, Yijun Xiong, Hugh C. Jenkyns, Kentaro Izumi, Tenichi Cho, Chunju Huang, Simon W. Poulton
Summary: The period from the late Pliensbachian to early Toarcian experienced significant climatic and environmental changes, including the occurrence of the early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) and the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary event (Pl/To). Current knowledge of seawater redox conditions during this time is mainly based on European sections deposited in restricted basins, limiting our understanding of the redox evolution in the open ocean, particularly Panthalassa. This study presents Fe-speciation and redox-sensitive trace metal data from two Panthalassic Ocean sections, revealing anoxic-ferruginous conditions in the deep-water site and oxygenated to suboxic conditions in the shallow margin site. The observations suggest that upwelling of anoxic-ferruginous waters onto the shelf, driven by increased sea level and prevailing winds, led to Fe2+ oxidation in the oxygenated shallow waters.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Ellie R. Paine, Damon Britton, Matthias Schmid, Elizabeth A. Brewer, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, Philip W. Boyd, Catriona L. Hurd
Summary: This study compared the physiological responses of three seaweed species to ocean acidification and found that elevated CO2 concentrations did not benefit their growth and photosynthesis in a future ocean.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dong Xu, Charlotte-Elisa Schaum, Bin Li, Yanan Chen, Shanying Tong, Fei-Xue Fu, David A. Hutchins, Xiaowen Zhang, Xiao Fan, Wentao Han, Yitao Wang, Naihao Ye
Summary: Elevated pCO(2) levels are predicted to decrease the bio-toxicity of arsenic on marine primary producers, but the response may decrease after long-term adaptation. Diatoms evolved arsenic detoxification strategies under high pCO(2) conditions, resulting in reduced arsenic content in scallops fed with these selected diatoms.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marc Teixido, Joseph A. Charbonnet, Gregory H. LeFevre, Richard G. Luthy, David L. Sedlak
Summary: Stormwater runoff capture and groundwater recharge can effectively augment local water resources in water-stressed cities. The pilot-scale stormwater treatment system developed in this study demonstrated successful removal of contaminants, but breakthrough of pollutants may occur under certain conditions.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Katja Schmidt, Sophie A. L. Paul, Eric P. Achterberg
Summary: The geochemical behavior and bioavailability of trace metals are closely linked to their physical fractionation and chemical speciation. The DGT speciation technique allows for the challenging assessment of labile concentrations of various trace metals in ocean waters. This study demonstrates the applicability and sensitivity of DGT passive samplers for monitoring anthropogenic activities and studying natural processes in deep-sea environments.
TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jinshu Yan, Neha Sharma, Elaine D. Flynn, Daniel E. Giammar, Grace E. Schwartz, Scott C. Brooks, Pamela Weisenhorn, Kenneth M. Kemner, Edward J. O'Loughlin, Daniel Kaplan, Jeffrey G. Catalano
Summary: The study suggests that trace metal speciation in freshwater wetland soils and stream sediments is consistently dominated by a small set of recurring components, distinct for each metal, indicating a general geochemical phenomenon in anoxic soils and sediments with trace metals at background concentrations.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nittala S. Sarma, G. Chiranjeevulu, Sudarsana Rao Pandi, Dokala Bhaskara Rao, V. V. S. S. Sarma
Summary: This study investigates the coupling between Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) in eighteen Indian estuaries. The study reveals a significant linear relationship between DIC, CDOM abundance, and pH level in most estuaries, with some estuaries showing elevated DIC levels and other indicators suggesting anthropogenic influence. CDOM properties, such as spectral slope and spectral slope ratio, align with these findings. The study also finds that CDOM contributes different proportions of DIC in different estuaries, indicating its importance in the organic alkalinity of estuaries.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ziming Fang, Wen-Xiong Wang
Summary: The study examined the size speciation and chemical transformation of dissolved trace metals in hydrothermal plumes at the Longqi and Tiancheng vent fields. It was found that concentrations of copper, nickel, and molybdenum in the plumes were comparable to those of the background seawater, while other metals were influenced by the background seawater concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peng Jin, Jiale Zhang, Jiaofeng Wan, Sebastian Overmans, Guang Gao, Mengcheng Ye, Xiaoying Dai, Jingyuan Zhao, Mengting Xiao, Jianrong Xia
Summary: The study found that the combined effects of ocean acidification and heavy metals on marine organisms are predominantly additive, with a significant proportion of synergistic interactions and a small amount of antagonistic interactions. The overall adverse effects of heavy metals on marine organisms are mitigated by ocean acidification, leading to a neutral impact of heavy metals in combination with ocean acidification. Different taxonomic groups show varying responses to heavy metals and ocean acidification, with microalgae being the most sensitive when exposed to both stressors.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Adrienne Patricia Hollister, Hannah Whitby, Michael Seidel, Pablo Lodeiro, Martha Gledhill, Andrea Koschinsky
Summary: This study focuses on the trace metal mixing and transport processes in the Amazon and Para River estuaries and mixing plume, finding that Cu primarily exists in soluble form and that organic ligands in dissolved samples kept free Cu levels below toxic levels for phytoplankton. The large overall river flow may minimize the impact of Cu pollution despite increasing anthropogenic activity over the past century.
Article
Oceanography
Liyang Zhan, Jiexia Zhang, Man Wu, Jian Liu, Wangwang Ye, Heng Sun, Xianghui Guo, Jun Zhao, Zhongyong Gao
Summary: This study collected water samples within 500 meters of the Antarctic Peninsula and analyzed them for dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, and dissolved N2O. The results showed different patterns of anthropogenic carbon uptake and acidification progress in two adjacent regions. However, the pH values indicated similar acidification status in the subsurface waters influenced by these regions.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Qingnan Chu, Tao Lyu, Lihong Xue, Linzhang Yang, Yanfang Feng, Zhimin Sha, Bin Yue, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Mick Cooper, Gang Pan
Summary: Recycling phosphorus from wastewater to crop-soil systems using microalgae and HTC technology is a sustainable strategy to improve plant PUE. Charring microalgae biomass into hydrochars promotes the transformation of soluble and exchangeable P into Fe/Al-bound P, enhancing soil P availability and improving PUE. Application of hydrochars from microalgae-derived biomass resulted in slow and persistent release of P, leading to improved wheat PUE and yield compared to chemical fertilizer.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jenine McCutcheon, Stefanie Lutz, Christopher Williamson, Joseph M. Cook, Andrew J. Tedstone, Aubry Vanderstraeten, Siobhan A. Wilson, Anthony Stockdale, Steeve Bonneville, Alexandre M. Anesio, Marian L. Yallop, James B. McQuaid, Martyn Tranter, Liane G. Benning
Summary: The melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is accelerated by blooming ice algae, with mineral phosphorus playing a key role in aiding their growth. This study highlights the importance of mineral dust as a secondary control on ice sheet melting.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
E. Tipping, S. Lofts, W. Keller
Summary: The WHAM-F-TOX model was used to quantify cation toxicity towards freshwater organisms, showing that species richness of crustacean zooplankton in lakes near Sudbury was primarily influenced by H, Al, Cu, and Ni. The model revealed that some lakes were affected by acidification, while others were influenced by toxic heavy metals, with varying degrees of impact over time. This study suggests that species richness can be modeled based on average toxic effects of different cations and a species sensitivity distribution, assuming common relative sensitivity among species.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lin Zhu, Gang Pan, Hui Xu, Lingwei Kong, Weijie Guo, Jianghua Yu, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Wenqing Shi
Summary: This study proposed and tested a method to increase chitosan charge neutralization using electrolysis, which resulted in higher microalgae harvesting efficiency at lower chitosan dosage. The electrolysis-induced deacetylation of chitosan may contribute to the increased charge neutralization ability, suggesting a novel strategy for enhancing flocculation in microalgae-based engineering.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rui Xu, Tao Lyu, Lijing Wang, Yuting Yuan, Meiyi Zhang, Mick Cooper, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Queping Yang, Gang Pan
Summary: This study successfully developed an adsorbent made from coal fly ash modified with lanthanum for phosphorus recapture from water. The adsorbent showed high efficiency in phosphorus adsorption and had a minimal impact on the concentrations of other pollutants in water.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jing Su, Tao Lyu, Mick Cooper, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Gang Pan
Summary: This study developed a novel heterogeneous catalytic system using manganese-doped Lanthanum oxycarbonate (MnL) to catalyze the oxidation of As(III) by H2O2 and simultaneously adsorb the generated As(V), significantly increasing the removal rate of As(III) and demonstrating a wide pH range capability for oxidation. Mechanistic studies revealed that long-lived superoxide radicals were the dominant active species for As(III) oxidation and Mn atoms with low valence states played a crucial role in providing extra active sites for radical production. The La and Mn sites in MnL efficiently immobilized the generated As(V) by forming precipitates, resulting in a final As removal efficiency of 99% even after three cycles of reutilization.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alex L. Riley, Jaime Amezaga, Ian T. Burke, Patrick Byrne, Nick Cooper, Richard A. Crane, Sean D. W. Comber, Catherine J. Gandy, Karen A. Hudson-Edwards, Elin Jennings, Elizabeth Lewis, Stephen Lofts, John M. MacDonald, Heath Malcolm, William M. Mayes, Patrizia Onnis, Justyna Olszewska, Bryan Spears, Adam P. Jarvis
Summary: Solid wastes deposited in the coastal zone pose significant challenges worldwide due to lax environmental regulations in the past. Rising sea levels and other factors increase the risk of contaminant release from these legacy disposal sites. This study presents a multi-criteria decision analysis to prioritize potential pollution risks in England and Wales using spatial data on waste type, climate projections, management infrastructure, and proximity to sensitive ecological features. It identified priority sites for remedial work and highlighted the need for advanced site prioritization protocols and funding allocation.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
E. Lahive, M. Matzke, C. Svendsen, D. J. Spurgeon, H. Pouran, H. Zhang, A. Lawlor, M. Gloria Pereira, S. Lofts
Summary: In order to develop models for site-specific risk assessment of nanoparticles, it is important to understand how soil properties influence the transformation processes, bioavailability and toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs). This study investigated the influence of different soil properties on the bioavailability and toxicity of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs and ionic Zn to earthworms. The results showed that soil properties had an effect on earthworm reproduction and toxicity, with different EC50 values observed for different soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Fadri Gottschalk, Bruno Debray, Fred Klaessig, Barry Park, Jean-Marc Lacome, Alexis Vignes, Vicenc Pomar Portillo, Socorro Vazquez-Campos, Christine Ogilvie Hendren, Stephen Lofts, Samuel Harrison, Claus Svendsen, Ralf Kaegi
Summary: The challenges in distinguishing between natural and engineered nanomaterials and the lack of historical records on accidents involving engineered nanomaterials have made it difficult to estimate the accidental release and environmental impacts of such materials. Drawing on knowledge from the nuclear power industry, this study assesses the likelihood of accidental release rates of engineered nanomaterials in the next 10 and 30 years. By comparing risk predictive methodology with empirical evidence, the authors propose modelling approaches to estimate the probabilities of accidental release. The results from two independent modelling approaches correlate well and predict severe accidental release rates of 7% (M1) in the next 10 years and 10% and 20% (M2 and M1, respectively) in the next 30 years.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ying Chen, Gang Pan, Robert Mortimer, Hui Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the response of the upper ocean and sea surface chlorophyll a (Chl-a) to different levels of tropical cyclones in the South China Sea. The results showed that severe tropical storms (STS) did not cause a significant increase in Chl-a, while typhoons (TY) caused a short-term increase in surface Chl-a. Super typhoons (STY) not only increased surface Chl-a but also depth-integrated Chl-a, suggesting the influence of physical processes and nutrient entrainment.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
David C. P. King, Michael J. J. Watts, Elliott M. M. Hamilton, Robert Mortimer, David P. A. Kilgour, Marcello Di Bonito
Summary: Mercury is considered highly toxic to humans and is found globally in waters used for agriculture, aquaculture, and drinking due to pollution from industry and artisanal gold mining. This review summarizes preservation methods for mercury species in water samples, highlighting associated hazards and issues. Solid-phase extraction techniques were explored for preserving and preconcentrating mercury in water samples, providing a safe in situ preservation and storage method without the need for hazardous materials in the field. This development improves environmental data quality and supports toxicology and environmental monitoring studies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
E. Tipping, S. Lofts, A. Stockdale
Summary: We developed a model that measures aquatic cationic toxicity based on the toxicities of metals and protons and the sensitivities of the test species. The WHAM-FTOX beta model combines the binding of cations by organisms with toxicity coefficients to estimate the variable FTOX. The model accounted for 72% of the variance in log10 alpha M,max.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chuanzhe Sun, Jicheng Zhong, Gang Pan, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Juhua Yu, Shuailong Wen, Lei Zhang, Hongbin Yin, Chengxin Fan
Summary: Clean soil is a potential capping material for controlling internal nutrient loading and aiding macrophyte recovery in eutrophic lakes. A three-year field experiment showed that clean soil effectively reduced nutrient fluxes and improved water quality for one year after capping. However, the long-term effectiveness of clean soil capping in situ is limited to one year.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tao Lyu, Yuncheng Wu, Yang Zhang, Wei Fan, Shubiao Wu, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Gang Pan
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility of coupling nanobubble technology with constructed wetlands for treating livestock wastewater. The results showed that nanobubble-aerated CWs achieved significantly higher removal efficiencies of TOC and NH4+-N compared to traditional aeration treatment and the control group. The MFCs embedded in the nanobubble-aerated CWs also harvested a much higher electricity energy. These findings suggest that nanobubble technology has the potential to enhance the capacity of constructed wetlands for water treatment and energy recovery.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)