Characteristics and provenances of rare earth elements and Nd isotopes in surface sediments of mangrove wetlands in the Jiulong River Estuary, China.

Rare earth elements (REEs) and Nd isotopes are frequently employed to determine provenance, although their characteristics and provenances in the surface sediments of mangrove wetlands are rarely analyzed. In this study, a thorough analysis of the characteristics and provenances of REEs and Nd isotopes in the surface sediments of mangrove wetland in the Jiulong River Estuary was carried out. According to the results, the mean concentration of REEs in the surface sediments was 290.9 mg·kg-1, which was greater than the background value. Unpolluted to moderately polluted for La and Ce, as well as a moderate ecological risk for Lu, were indicated by the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk of individual factors ([Formula: see text]), respectively. The surface sediments showed substantial negative Eu anomalies but no significant Ce anomalies. The enrichments in LREE and flat HREE patterns are visible in the chondrite-normalized REE patterns. REEs in the surface sediments might be attributed to both natural sources (granite and magmatic rocks) and anthropogenic activities, including coal combustion, vehicle exhaust, steel smelting, and fertilizer, based on the (La/Yb)N-∑REE and ternary (La/Yb)N-(La/Sm)N-(Gd/Yb)N plots. The three-dimensional ∑LREE/∑HREE-Eu/Eu*-εNd(0) plot, when combined with the Nd isotope, further demonstrated that the REEs in the surface sediments appeared to have come from additional nonlocal potential sources.

Decoding brain encoded by genome.

Human brain is the most complicated living organ in nature. How the human genome encodes the structure and function of brain is a fundamental question to understand the essence of mind. Currently, it is still an unsolved scientific problem requiring the further breakthrough of comprehensive technologies. Here, we summarize the recent advances in brain development/function OMICS studies, and discuss the huge challenges and prospects in understanding how brain is encoded by genome.

[Bioaccessibility and Health Risks of the Heavy Metals in Soil-Rice System of Southwest Fujian Province].

The bioaccessibility and health risks of heavy metals in soil-rice system of southwestern Fujian province were studied by combining a simple bioavailability extraction method (SBET) with a health risk assessment model. The results showed that some heavy metals in the agricultural soils and rice of southwestern Fujian province were enriched. The contents of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Cu were greater than the screening value of soil pollution risk for agricultural land (GB 15618-2018) by 32.4%, 15.5%, 14.1%, and 12.7% in the study areas, respectively. The accumulation ability of heavy metals was different and followed the approximately decreasing order of Cd > Zn > Cu > Ni > Hg > As > Cr > Pb. The bioaccessibility of heavy metals in soils and rice were quite different. The bioaccessibility of each heavy metal in rice was greater than the bioaccessibility of the heavy metals in soil, which indicated that the heavy metals in rice were more easily absorbed by the human body. The comprehensive non-carcinogenic risk index (HI) of heavy metals to adults and children was 2.71 and 4.06, respectively, indicating that there were non-carcinogenic risks. The comprehensive carcinogenic risk index (TCR) of heavy metals to adults and children was 1.42×10-3 and 5.28×10-4, respectively, indicating that there was a carcinogenic risk present. The non-carcinogenic risks were mainly due to As, while the carcinogenic risks were mainly contributed by Cd. The non-carcinogenic risk of children was higher than that of adults, while the carcinogenic risk of children was lower than that of adults. This result may be related to physiological characteristics, exposure period, and dietary intake. The dietary intake route may be the main pathway for heavy metals in the soil-rice system of southwest Fujian province to cause health risks. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the risks of dietary exposure in the risk management of heavy metals.

Provenance and bioaccessibility of rare earth elements in atmospheric particles in areas impacted by the optoelectronic industry.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are widely used in optoelectronic industries, and they can be emitted into the environment and may induce biological effects. In this study, we investigated the provenance and bioaccessibility of REEs in atmospheric particles (APs) collected from areas impacted by the optoelectronic industry. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values showed that Y, Eu, and Tb were much more enriched in the APs from the optoelectronic recycling sites than in those from the optoelectronic producing sites and were not enriched in the APs from the optoelectronic administrative sites and background sites. The characteristic parameters and the distribution patterns of REEs demonstrated that the AP samples from the recycling sites and producing sites showed remarkably positive Eu and Tb anomalies. According to the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, the optoelectronic industry was quantitatively determined to contribute 82.8% of Y, 86.5% of Eu, and 83.4% of Tb. Furthermore, an in vitro physiologically based extraction test (PBET) was performed to assess the bioaccessibility of REEs in the APs. The results showed that the bioaccessibility of all the REEs in the APs was below 50.0% in the human gastrointestinal tract, with higher values in the gastric phases than in the intestinal phases. In particular, extremely low gastric bioaccessibilities of Tb and Ce and relatively high gastric bioaccessibilities of Y and Eu were observed in the APs from the recycling sites and producing sites, which may due to the chemical composition of the compounds containing REEs that are used in the optoelectronic industry. In conclusion, our results provide additional information about the contribution and influence of the optoelectronic industry on the provenance and bioaccessibility of REEs in APs.

[Source Appointment of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils of the Jiulong River Basin Based on Positive Matrix Factorization].

In order to study the source appointment of heavy metals in agricultural soils of the Jiulong River Basin, Fujian Province, China. 71 agricultural soil samples were collected in July 2017. The concentrations of heavy metals in agricultural soils were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). Here, we use a positive matrix factorization (PMF) model for the source appointment of heavy metals in the sampled soils. The results showed that most of the heavy metal concentrations in the sampled agricultural soils were higher than soil background concentrations for the Fujian Province. The concentrations of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Cu in some soil samples were greater than the screening value of the Chinese soil pollution risk levels for agricultural land (GB 15618-2018). The spatial distributions of heavy metals showed a moderate variation across three regions of the study area (i.e., the North River watershed, West River watershed, and the estuary area). The highest concentration of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd were found in Longyan City (North River watershed), the highest concentrations of Pb were found in the West River watershed, and the highest concentrations of Co, Hg, and As were found in the estuary area. The non-negative properties of the source component spectrum and source contribution rate (obtained by the PMF model), as well as the significant correlation between the measured and PMF predicted concentrations, indicated that the results of the PMF model were relatively reasonable and can meet research needs. The source apportionment results of the PMF model showed that natural sources, agricultural sources, coal combustion, and industrial sources were the four major potential sources for heavy metals in the sampled agricultural soils, contributing 37.0%, 26.7%, 17.6%, and 18.7%, respectively.

[Assessment of the Speciation and Pollution of Heavy Metals in Paddy Soils from the Jiulong River Basin].

Speciation characteristics of twelve heavy metals in 71 paddy soils from the Jiulong River Basin were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the modified BCR protocol. The risk assessment coding method (RAC), ratio of secondary phase and primary phase (RSP), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were applied to evaluate the pollution degree of heavy metals in the area. The results show that most of these elements are abundant in the paddy soils and the speciation characteristics of different heavy metals vary. The elements Cd and Mn mainly exist as acid soluble fractions in the soils, with a mean proportion of 46.2% and 35.2%, respectively; Fe and Pb mainly exist as reducible fractions in the soils, with a mean proportion of 64.5% and 41.5%, respectively; and V, Cr, Ni, As, Co, Sr, Zn, and Cu mainly exist as residual fractions in the soils, with a mean proportion of 79.6%, 78.4%, 73.1%, 67.7%, 51.9%, 49.7%, 45.3%, and 38.4%, respectively. The three pollution assessment methods focus on the acid-soluble phase, secondary phase, and total amount of heavy metals, respectively. All have their own application value and disadvantages of incompletion. The comprehensive analysis of these three pollution assessment methods helps to more accurately and comprehensively assess the pollution characteristics of the heavy metals. The results show that the paddy soils are moderately to severely polluted with Cd; the Mn and Sr pollution is mild to severe; the Zn, Pb, Cu, and Co pollution is mild to moderate; the As and Ni pollution is absent or moderate; and V, Fe, and Cr pollution is non-existent or mild.

[Speciation and Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments from Jiulong River].

Speciation characteristics of fifteen heavy metals in seventeen surface sediments from Jiulong River was analyzed using the modified BCR protocol and dilute HNO3 method, respectively. The results of the modified BCR protocol showed that most of the elements (Fe, Ni, V, Tl, Ba, Sb, Ga, Cr and Sr) existed mainly in residual fractions, and extractable fraction was dominant for Mn (83.8%), followed by Cd, Pb, Zn, Co and Cu (80.0%, 75.5%, 74.3%, 70.8% and 57.7%). The results of dilute HNO3 method showed that the proportions of the dilute HNO3-extractable fractions of Pb, Mn, Cd, Co, Zn and Cu were higher (70.4%, 65.4%, 58.7%, 48.4%, 44.5% and 45.5%). The assessment results of RSP (ratio of secondary phase to primary phase) indicated that Pb, Mn, Cd, Co, Zn and Cu in surface sediments of Jiulong River had higher ecological risks. Both extraction methods had merits and demerits respectively. In general, the dilute HNO3 method is enough to analyze the bioavailability and ecological risk of heavy metals in sediments.

[Fractionation and Contamination Assessment of Metal Elements in the Surface Sediments of Yundang Lagoon in Xiamen].

Total concentrations of 15 metal elements in the surface sediments of Yundang Lagoon in Xiamen were determined using ICP-MS. The fractions were extracted by a modified BCR method. The results indicated that in different areas of Yundang Lagoon, the order of the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Sr, Pb, Zn and U was:outer lagoon > ditch > inner lagoon, the order for Cr, Co, Ni, V, Fe, Li, Rb and Mn was:inner lake > outer lake > ditch. Cu, Zn and Pb were mainly in the reducible phase; Cd was mainly in the acid soluble-extractable and reducible phases; Co, Ni, U, Fe and Mn were mainly in the reducible and residual phases; Li, V, Cr, Rb and Ba were dominated by residual phase. The potential ecological risk of metal elements suggested that V, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb were at a low potential ecological risk level. The results of ratio of secondary phase to primary phase (RSP) assessment indicated that Cu, Cd and Zn showed high pollution level; Pb showed moderate pollution level; Co, Mn, Sr and U were in a low polluted condition; Ni, Fe, Cr, V, Li, Ba and Rb showed no pollution. In general, Yundang Lagoon was in a low potential ecological risk.