Succinate-bonded pullulan: An efficient and reusable super-sorbent for cadmium-uptake from spiked high-hardness groundwater

Chemically modified pullulan was evaluated for its sorption efficiency and selectivity to remove cadmium(Cd) from spiked high-hardness groundwater(GW). Pullulan esterified with succinic anhydride using dimethylaminopyridine showed a fairly high degree of substitution value as confirmed by1 H NMR spectroscopy. Pullulan succinate(Pull-Suc) was converted into the sodium salt(Pull-Suc-Na). The effect of contact time(5–200 min) and p H(2–8) on Cd-uptake by the sorbent(Pull-Suc-Na) was investigated. The sorbent showed more than 90% Cd-removal in first 15 min from distilled water(DW) and GW solution,respectively. Comparison of Pull-Suc-Na with other polysaccharidal sorbents suggested its high efficiency(DW 476.2 mg/g and GW 454.5 mg/g) and selectivity for the removal of Cd by an ion exchange mechanism, which is further supported by the negative Gibbs free energy values calculated from Langmuir isotherms. A Langmuir isotherm kinetic model provided the best fit for the sorption of Cd using Pull-Suc-Na. The sorbent showed a negligible decrease in Cd-uptake over three regeneration cycles. The thermal stability testing of the sorbents indicated that Pull-Suc-Na(sorbent) is more stable than Pull-Suc.     

Sorption of 17β-estradiol to pig slurry separates and soil in the soil-slurry environment

Contamination of freshwater by estrogens from manure applied to agricultural land is of grave concern because of the potentially harmful effects on aquatic life and human health. Recent developments in liquid manure (slurry) management include partial removal of particulate slurry dry matter (PSDM) by separation technologies, which may also remove parts of the estrogens and enhance infiltration of the slurry on field application and hence the interaction between estrogens and the soil matrix. This study investigated how 17β-estradiol (E2), a natural estrogen commonly found in pig manure, sorbs to agricultural soils, to different size fractions of pig slurry separates, and to soils amended with each size fraction to simulate conditions in the soil-slurry environment. A crude fiber fraction (SS1) was prepared by sieving (<500 μm) the solids removed by an on-farm separation process. Three other size fractions (SS2 > SS3 > SS4) were prepared from the liquid fraction of the separated slurry by sedimentation and centrifugation. Sorption experiments were conducted in 0.01 mol L(-1) CaCl(2) and in natural pig urine matrix. Sorption in 0.01 mol L(-1) CaCl(2) was higher than that in pig urine for all solids used. Sorption of E2 to soil increased with its organic carbon content for both liquid phases. The solid-liquid partition coefficients of slurry separates were 10 to 30 times higher than those of soils, but the organoic carbon normalized partition coefficient values, reflecting sorption per unit organic carbon, were lower for slurry separates. Mixing slurry separates with soil increased the sorption of E2 to the solid phase significantly in the order: SS1 < SS3 < SS2 for both liquid phases. In contrast, SS4 reduced the sorption of E2 to the solid phase by increasing the sorption to suspended or dissolved organic matter. The study suggested that potentially 50 to 75% of E2 in slurry can be removed from the liquid fraction of slurry by physical separation.     

Transfer factors of Polonium from soil to parsley and mint

Transfer factors of ²¹⁰Po from soil to parsley and mint have been determined. Artificial polonium isotope (²⁰⁸Po) was used as a tracer to determine transfer factor of Po from soil to plant in pot experiments. Two plant growing systems were used for this study namely, an outdoor system and a sheltered system by a polyethylene tent. ²⁰⁸Po and ²¹⁰Po were determined in soil and different parts of the studied plants (stem and leaf), using alpha spectroscopy. The results have shown that there was a clear uptake of ²⁰⁸Po by roots to leaves and stems of both plants. Higher values of transfer factors using the ²¹⁰Po activity concentrations than the ²⁰⁸Po activity concentration were observed. Transfer factors of ²¹⁰Po from soil to parsley varied between 20 × 10⁻² and 50 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻³ and 67 × 10⁻³ in mint, while ²⁰⁸Po transfer factors varied between 4 × 10⁻² and 12 × 10⁻² for parsley and 10 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻² in mint. Transfer factors of Po were higher in those plants grown in the sheltered system than in the open system; about 75% of Po was transferred from atmosphere to parsley parts using the two systems. Ratios of transferred Po from soil to mint stem and leaf in the sheltered system were higher by 2 times from those in the open system.     

Greenbelt conservation as a component of ecosystem,ecological benefits and management services: evidence from Peshawar City,Pakistan

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Conservation of greenbelts is the most enduringly successful and popular basic need for today to protect green land, preserve ecological landscape and...     

Monitoring structural assets of bi-species groves according to land use types: a case study from arid plains

This paper provides a framework for the managers to devise means to protect, restore, and maintain the remaining bi-species groves for sustainable management of fragile arid land ecosystem. At the moment, there is no information available about the structural and functional ecology of these dwindling remnants. The selection criteria for the classification of the groves are based on understanding the positive association between the two species, Prosopis cineraria and Salvadora oleoides, in terms of spatial pattern and morphological features. It was achieved by highlighting the attributes of the benchmark grove and classification of other groves in reference to it. The results clearly show that positive association in the groves is due to differences in the growth strategies of the two species in terms of above- and belowground biomass allocation and architecture. Most of the groves are in various stages of degradation, and anthropogenic interferences are the major determinant linked with the declining status of the groves. These activities affect the complimentary attributes of the bi-species groves, thus disturbing the characteristic structural features which contributed to the stability of this fragile landscape.     

Mitigation of climate change impacts on maize productivity in northeast of Iran: a simulation study

Development and evaluation of mitigation strategies are fundamental to manage climate change risks. This study was built on (1) quantifying the response of maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield to potential impacts of climate change and (2) investigating the effectiveness of changing sowing date of maize as a mitigation option for Khorasan Province which is located in northeast of Iran. Two types of General Circulation Models (GCM: (United Kingdom Met Office Hadley Center :HadCM3) and (Institute Pierre Simon Laplace: IPCM4)) and three scenarios (A1B, A2 and B1) at four locations (Mashhad, Birjand, Bojnourd and Sabzevar) employed in this study. Long Ashton Research Station-Weather Generator (LARS-WG) was employed for generating the future climate. The Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES-Maize was used for crop growth simulation under projected climate conditions. The results showed the simulated grain yields of maize gradually would decrease (from −1% to −39%) during future 100 years compared to baseline under different scenarios and two GCM at all study locations. The simulation results suggested that delayed sowing date from May to June at all study locations, except Sabzevar location is the most effective mitigation option for avoiding thermal stress at end of growth period. In addition, shifting in sowing date to March or April will be beneficial in terms of obtaining higher yields in Sabzevar. Grain yield did not show special trend from north to south of Khorasan Province in the future climate. In general, change of sowing date may be quite beneficial to mitigate climate change impacts on grain yield of maize in northeast of Iran.     

Assessment of land influence on a high-latitude marine coastal system: Tierra del Fuego, southernmost Argentina

The study deals with the determination of physico-chemical parameters, inorganic nutrients, particulate organic matter, and photosynthetic pigments on a monthly basis during an annual cycle from nine sampling sites of the coastal zone of a high-latitude ecosystem (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). Nitrites and phosphates concentrations were similar to other systems of the south Atlantic coast (median, 0.30 and 1.02 ??M, respectively), while nitrates were higher in all sampling periods (median, 45.37 ??M), and silicates were significantly smaller (median, 7.76 ??M). Chlorophyll a and phaeopigments have shown median values of 0.38 and 0.85 mg m^???3, respectively, while saturated values of dissolved oxygen were recorded throughout the study. The analysis reflected that nutrient enrichment seems to be linked to an anthropogenic source, the presence of peatlands areas, and a sink of Nothofagus pumilio woods. The area could be characterized in three zones related to (1) high urban influence, (2) natural inputs of freshwater, and (3) mixed inputs coming from moderate urban impacts.     

Plant growth regulators and EDTA improve phytoremediation potential and antioxidant response of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants in a Cd-spiked soil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Soil pollution due to potentially toxic elements is a worldwide challenge for health and food security. Chelate-assisted phytoextraction along with...     

The emission factor adjustments of the passenger cars in multi-story car parks under drive modes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The drive mode is an important factor that affects the adjustment requirements for emission factors of the conventional simulation methods in...     

Sustainable isolation of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)-based yellow natural colorant for dyeing of bio-mordanted cotton

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sustainability in the utilization of products in all fields particularly food textiles, solar cells, etc. is of prime concern to the global community....