Airborne microplastics in urban, rural and wildland environments on the Tibetan Plateau.

The concentration of airborne microplastics is largely unknown in the remote high mountain area of the Tibetan Plateau. Here we report airborne microplastic concentrations of 2.5-58.

Microplastic pollution characteristics and its future perspectives in the Tibetan Plateau.

Microplastics are an emerging and persistent pollutant due to their threat to global ecological systems and human health. Recent studies showed that microplastics have infiltrated the remote Third Pole - the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we summarize the current evidence for microplastic pollution in the different environments (rivers/lakes, sediment, soil, ice/snow and atmosphere) of the Tibetan Plateau.

The contribution of fish and seaweed mariculture to the coastal fluxes of biogenic elements in two important aquaculture areas, China.

Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen (CNPO) are essential biogenic elements, driving life activities in marine environments. However, the integrated research of fish and seaweed culture on the fluxes of CNPO is scarce. To bridge the research gap, the contribution of mariculture of fish and seaweeds to the fluxes of CNPO in two important mariculture provinces, Fujian and Guangdong, in China, was investigated for the first time.

Hypolimnetic deoxygenation enhanced production and export of recalcitrant dissolved organic matter in a large stratified reservoir.

Global impoundment of river systems represents a major anthropogenic forcing to carbon cycling in reservoirs with seasonal thermal stratification. Currently, a quantitative and mechanistic understanding of how hypolimnetic deoxygenation in stratified reservoirs alters dissolved organic matter (DOM) cycling and lateral transport along the river continuum remains unresolved. Herein, we used optical and high-resolution mass spectrometric analyses to track seasonal and spatial compositional changes of DOM from a large, subtropical impounded river in southeast China.

A comprehensive analysis and source apportionment of metals in riverine sediments of a rural-urban watershed.

Quantitative assessment of metal sources in sediments is essential for implementation of source control and remediation strategies. This study investigated metal contamination in sediments to assess potential ecological risks and quantify pollutant sources of metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Co and Ni) in the Wen-Rui Tang River watershed. Total and fraction analysis indicated high pollution levels of metals.

Assessment of the Geographical Detector Method for investigating heavy metal source apportionment in an urban watershed of Eastern China.

Assessing heavy metal pollution in river sediments and identifying the key factors contributing to metal pollution are critical components for devising river environmental protection and remediation strategies to protect human and ecological health. This is especially important in urban areas where metals from a wide range of sources contribute to sediment pollution. In this study, the metal enrichment factor (EF) was used to measure the watershed distribution of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in sediments in the Wen-Rui Tang urban river system in Wenzhou, Eastern China.

A comprehensive risk assessment of metals in riverine surface sediments across the rural-urban interface of a rapidly developing watershed.

Metal contamination in aquatic environments is a severe global concern to human health and aquatic ecosystems. This study used several risk assessment indices, to evaluate metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr) environmental risk of riverine surface sediments across the rural-urban interface of the rapidly developing Wen-Rui Tang River watershed in eastern China. Risk assessments were determined for 38 sites based on the potential ecological risk index (RI), consensus-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and risk assessment code (RAC).

Distribution and source analysis of heavy metal pollutants in sediments of a rapid developing urban river system.

Heavy metal pollution of aquatic environments in rapidly developing industrial regions is of considerable global concern due to its potential to cause serious harm to aquatic ecosystems and human health. This study assessed heavy metal contamination of sediments in a highly industrialized urban watershed of eastern China containing several historically unregulated manufacturing enterprises. Total concentrations and solid-phase fractionation of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd were investigated for 39 river sediments using multivariate statistical analysis and geographically weighted regression (GWR) methods to quantitatively examine the relationship between land use and heavy metal pollution at the watershed scale.

Risk analysis of heavy metal concentration in surface waters across the rural-urban interface of the Wen-Rui Tang River, China.

Heavy metal pollution is a major concern in China because of its serious effects on human health. To assess potential human health and ecological risks of heavy metal pollution, concentration data for seven heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg, Cu, Zn) from 14 sites spanning the rural-urban interface of the Wen-Rui Tang River watershed in southeast China were collected from 2000 to 2010. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI), hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR) metrics were used to assess potential heavy metal risks.