Nutrient-impregnated charcoal: an environmentally friendly slow-release fertilizer

The widespread contamination of surface and ground water quality from the heavy use of fertilizer in modern agriculture is the current concern. Therefore, this study was carried out to develop a slow-release fertilizer using charcoal. The morphology of the charcoal impregnated fertilizer was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study also evaluated the release patterns of N, P, and K from impregnated charcoal using a simulated soil solution and distilled water as leaching solutions. The patterns of N, P, and K releases were examined in both static and continuous-flow conditions for 360 h. Releases of N, P, and K from impregnated charcoal were found to be slow and steady. However, the release trends of N, P, and K were higher in soil solution than distilled water under both the above conditions. Dissolution occurred when N, P, and K were released in the above leached solutions. As a result, the fertilizer impregnated charcoal could be developed as slow-release type fertilizer to minimize the contamination.     

Prevalence of Rotaviruses Groups A and C in Egyptian Children and Aquatic Environment

The objective of this study is to compare the prevalence of rotaviruses groups A and C in Egyptian children and aquatic environment. From 110 stool specimens of children with acute diarrhea and using RT-PCR, 35 samples (31.8 %) were positive for human rotavirus group A and 15 samples (13.6 %) were positive for human rotavirus group C. From 96 samples collected from Zenin wastewater treatment plant over a 2-year period (November 2009–October 2011) and using RT-PCR, rotavirus group A was detected in (4/24) 16.7 %, (5/24) 20.8 %, (4/24) 16.7 %, and (4/24) 16.7 %, while rotavirus group C was detected in (2/24) 8.3 %, (3/24) 12.5 %, (3/24) 12.5 %, and (0/24) 0 % in raw sewage, after primary sedimentation, after secondary sedimentation, and after final chlorination, respectively. Moreover, from 96 samples collected from El-Giza water treatment plant over a 2-year period (November 2009–October 2011), rotavirus group A was detected in (7/24) 29.2 %, (6/24) 25 %, (5/24) 20.8 %, and (3/24) 12.5 %, while rotavirus group C was detected in (3/24) 12.5 %, (1/24) 4.2 %, (1/24) 4.2 %, and (0/24) 0 % in raw Nile water, after sedimentation, after sand filtration, and after final chlorination, respectively. Using SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR, the number of human rotavirus group A genome or infectious units was higher than rotavirus group C. VP6 sequence analysis of the RT-PCR positive rotavirus group C samples revealed that four clinical specimens and three environmental samples showed similar sequences clustered with Moduganari/Human Nigerian strain AF 325806 with 98 % homology, and two clinical specimens and one environmental sample showed similar sequences clustered with Dhaka CB/Human Bangladesh strain AY 754826 with 97 % homology.     

随机介质理论下隧道围岩渐进破坏过程数值实验研究

将强度折减法引入到隧道围岩安全评价中,结合"浅埋暗挖快速施工双线小间距隧道、盾构下穿立交结构隧道和结构面含有节理、不规则裂隙的山体公路隧道"等工程实例,借助材料真实破坏分析软件RFPA-2D,建立每个强度折减系数下的有限元模型。模型采用了黏弹性人工边界来消除边界条件对计算精度的影响,并借助随机介质理论实现了围岩细观结构单元的非均值性和随机分布的缺陷,揭示了不同工况下隧道围岩的动态渐进破坏过程、基元相变损伤演变机理和岩体结构面破坏特征,认为隧道围岩的宏观破坏是由岩体非线性材料细观单元的非均值性造成的,计算结果借助不同折减步中裂纹发展趋势和单元破坏的数量判断隧道围岩是否失稳破坏,并计算出具有安全储备意义上的安全系数。同时,结合ABAQUS和RFPA-2D两种不同有限元模型,对比分析了随机介质理论和连续介质理论结合强度折减法在隧道围岩稳定性评价中的差异。     

Structure and function of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial community respond differently to elevated ozone in field-planted wheat

To assess the responses of the soil microbial community to chronic ozone (O₃), wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum Linn.) were planted in the field and exposed to elevated O₃ (eO₃) concentration. Three treatments were employed: (1) Control treatment (CK), AOT40 = 0; (2) O₃-1, AOT40 = 1.59 ppm•h; (3) O₃-2, AOT40 = 9.17 ppm•h. Soil samples were collected for the assessment of microbial biomass C, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs), and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). EO₃ concentration significantly reduced soil microbial carbon and changed microbial CLPPs in rhizosphere soil, but not in non-rhizosphere soil. The results of the PLFAs showed that eO₃ concentrations had significant effects on soil community structure in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. The relative abundances of fungal and actinomycetous indicator PLFAs decreased in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, while those of bacterial PLFAs increased. Thus the results proved that eO₃ concentration significantly changed the soil microbial community function and composition, which would influence the soil nutrient supply and carbon dynamics under O₃ exposure.     

Heterogeneous oxidation of SO2 by O3-aged black carbon and its dithiothreitol oxidative potential

Ozone (O₃) is an important atmospheric oxidant. Black carbon (BC) particles released into the atmosphere undergo an aging process via O₃ oxidation. O₃-aged BC particles may change their uptake ability toward trace reducing gases such as SO₂ in the atmosphere, leading to different environmental and health effects. In this paper, the heterogeneous reaction process between O₃-aged BC and SO₂ was explored via in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Combined with ion chromatography (IC), DRIFTS was used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the sulfate product. The results showed that O₃-aged BC had stronger SO₂ oxidation ability than fresh BC, and the reactive species/sites generated on the surface had an important role in the oxidation of SO₂. Relative humidity or 254 nm UV (ultraviolet) light illumination enhanced the oxidation uptake of SO₂ on O₃-aged BC. The oxidation potentials of the BC particles were detected via dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. The DTT activity over BC was decreased in the process of SO₂ reduction, with the consumption of oxidative active sites.     

富里酸在土壤环境中的吸附研究

富里酸在土壤中的吸附影响着土壤肥力和土壤环境,本文比较了不同pH、离子强度下,富里酸对土壤环境吸附性能的影响,探究了高岭土对富里酸的吸附条件.结果表明吸附在高岭土上的富里酸可以改变高岭土的结构,与高岭土空白样相比,复合体的结构更加分散.高岭土的不同组分对富里酸的吸附容量不同,对富里酸不同官能团的亲和性也存在明显差异.富里酸在高岭土上的吸附及有机污染物在土壤环境中的吸附作用,与烷基、芳香基团呈正相关.     

基于致灾因子指标体系的海冰灾害风险评估和区划方法

中国是世界上受海冰危害严重的国家之一,历史上曾发生过多次严重海冰灾害,造成重大损失。根据我国结冰海区海冰灾害风险的自然过程、社会经济状况和成灾机制,综合考虑致灾因子危险性、承灾体分类、分布及脆弱性以及防灾减灾能力等因素,对海冰灾害发生的可能性及其不确定性等进行综合分析,提出了开展海冰灾害风险评估和区划的理论依据,同时给出了利用致灾因子指标体系对海冰灾害风险进行评估和区划的具体方法。     

Efficacy of Vegetated Buffers in Preventing Transport of Fecal Coliform Bacteria from Pasturelands

An experimental study was conducted in Tillamook, Oregon, USA, to quantify the effectiveness of edge-of-field vegetated buffers for reducing transport of fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) from agricultural fields amended with dairy cow manure. Installation of vegetated buffers on loamy soils dramatically reduced the bacterial contamination of runoff water from manure-treated pasturelands, but the size of the vegetated buffer was not an important determinant of bacterial removal efficiency. Only 10% of the runoff samples collected from treatment cells having vegetated buffers exhibited FCB concentrations >200 colony forming units (cfu)/100 mL (a common water quality standard value), and the median concentration for all cells containing vegetated buffers was only 6 cfu/100 mL. The presence of a vegetated buffer of any size, from 1 to 25 m, generally reduced the median FCB concentration in runoff by more than 99%. Results for FCB load calculations were similar. Our results suggest that where substantial FCB contamination of runoff occurs from manure-treated pasturelands, it might be disproportionately associated with specific field or management conditions, such as the presence of soils that exhibit low water infiltration and generate larger volumes of runoff or the absence of a vegetated buffer. Buffer size regulations that do not consider such differences might not be efficient or effective in reducing bacterial contamination of runoff.