Compositional data analysis and geochemical modeling of CO2–water–rock interactions in three provinces of Korea

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The CO2-rich spring water (CSW) occurring naturally in three provinces, Kangwon (KW), Chungbuk (CB), and Gyeongbuk (GB) of South Korea was classified based...     

Reductive dissolution and sequestration of arsenic by microbial iron and thiosulfate reduction

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Iron oxide and oxy-hydroxide are commonly used for remediation and rehabilitation of arsenic (As)-contaminated soil and water. However, the stability of As...     

Colloid mobilization and heavy metal transport in the sampling of soil solution from Duckum soil in South Korea

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Colloid mobilization is a significant process governing colloid-associated transport of heavy metals in subsurface environments. It has been studied for the...     

Distribution of quinolone and macrolide resistance genes and their co-occurrence with heavy metal resistance genes in vegetable soils with long-term application of manure

The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become an increasingly serious global public health issue. This study investigated the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of ARB and ARGs in greenhouse vegetable soils with long-term application of manure. Five typical ARGs, four heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs), and two mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The amount of ARB in manure-improved soil greatly exceeded that in control soil, and the bacterial resistance rate decreased significantly with increases in antibiotic concentrations. In addition, the resistance rate of ARB to enrofloxacin (ENR) was lower than that of tylosin (TYL). Real-time qPCR results showed that long-term application of manure enhanced the relative abundance of ARGs in vegetable soils, and the content and proportion of quinolone resistance genes were higher than those of macrolide resistance genes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that qepA and qnrS significantly correlated with total and available amounts of Cu and Zn, highlighting that certain heavy metals can influence persistence of ARGs. Integrase gene intI1 correlated significantly with the relative abundance of qepA, qnrS, and ermF, suggesting that intI1 played an important role in the horizontal transfer of ARGs. Furthermore, there was a weakly but not significantly positive correlation between specific detected MRGs and ARGs and MGEs. The results of this study enhance understanding the potential for increasing ARGs in manure-applied soil, assessing ecological risk and reducing the spread of ARGs.

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Metal contamination of soils and dusts in Seoul metropolitan city,Korea

To investigate the dispersion patterns and the characteristics of heavy metal contamination due to urbanisation and industrialisation, soils and dusts collected from the Seoul area were analysed for Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd. The metal concentrations in most soils and dusts are higher than the world averages. The pollution index (( Metal concentrations in soils/Permissible level for metal)÷(Number of metals)) of soils and dusts is > 1 in most of the Seoul area, a result that concurs with the industrialisation and urbanisation index of the Seoul area. The soils are contaminated with Cu, Zn, Cd and particularly Pb. This suggests that the contamination of the soils in the Seoul area are mainly caused by vehicular emissions. The pollution index of soil is the highest in the Kuro area where Cu and Zn contamination in soils are due to the indigenous brass and bronze factories. From the discriminant analysis, the Seoul area may be partitioned into control, traffic and industrialized areas by the metal concentrations in the order of Zn > Cu > Pb.     

A Biosurfactant-Enhanced Soil Flushing for the Removal of Phenanthrene and Diesel in Sand

In order to examine the potential of biosurfactants in soil remediation, and to investigate the effects of several operating conditions, such as flow rate, biosurfactant concentration and surfactant type, biosurfactant-enhanced soil flushing was conducted. In the biosurfactant-enhanced soil flushing process, the removal efficiency increased as the flow rate decreased. Rhamnolipid showed no effect on the removal efficiency of phenanthrene and diesel from sand in the concentration range 0.3-0.5%. However, rhamnolipid showed higher efficiencies for the removal of phenanthrene and diesel from sand than Tween 80. Based on total recovery, following an equivalent pore volume flush, it was more difficult to remove diesel than phenanthrene. In order to obtain the specific removal efficiency, more pore volumes of surfactant solution may be required in field applications. Under optimum conditions, the biosurfactant removed as much as 70% of the phenanthrene and 60% of the diesel in the sand. These results indicate that the use of biosurfactants in the flushing process is favorable, not only with respect to the environment, but also on removal efficiencies.     

Male capacity as related to sperm production,pregnancy initiation,and sperm competition in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus)

Summary Limitations on male capacity may be important to the evolution of mating strategies and behavior. Sperm counts in successive ejaculates of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) decreased progressively through six ejaculations and remained depressed the following day. Males were as effective in inseminating females in cycling estrus with their second two ejaculates as with their first two and as effective in inseminating postpartum females with their fifth as with their first. In sperm competition situations males competed with rested males as effectively with their fourth, fifth, and sixth ejaculates as with their first. Thus, although sperm counts decrease in successive ejaculates, males suffer no apparent functional deficiency as long as they continue ejaculating. It is not clear whether or not deer mice are honest salesmen but they appear to be honest ejaculators and usually are honest intromitters.     

A simple approach to modeling microbial biomass in the rhizosphere

Microorganisms make an important contribution to the degradation of contaminants in bioremediation as well as in phytoremediation. An accurate estimation of microbial concentrations in the soil would be valuable in predicting contaminant dissipation during various bioremediation processes. A simple modeling approach to quantify the microbial biomass in the rhizosphere was developed in this study. Experiments were conducted using field column lysimeters planted with Eastern gamagrass. The microbial biomass concentrations from the rhizosphere soil, bulk soil, and unplanted soil were monitored for six months using an incubation–fumigation method. The proposed model was applied to the field microbial biomass data and good correlation between simulated and experimental data was achieved. The results indicate that plants increase microbial concentrations in the soil by providing root exudates as growth substrates for microorganisms. Since plant roots are initially small and do not produce large quantities of exudates when first seeded, the addition of exogenous substrates may be needed to increase initial microbial concentrations at the start of phytoremediation projects.     

Enrichment of potentially toxic elements in areas underlain by black shales and slates in Korea

The Okchon black shale in Korea provides an important example of natural geological materials containing toxic elements; the Chung-Joo, Duk-Pyung, Geum-Kwan, I-Won and Chu-Bu areas are underlain by these black shales and slates of the Guryongsan Formation. This formation is part of the Okchon Group which is found in the central part of Korea. Geochemical surveys were undertaken in these five study areas in the Okchon Zone in order to examine the level of enrichment and dispersion patterns of potentially toxic elements in rocks and soils. After appropriate preparation, samples were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for a range of elements. Arsenic, Cu, Mo, V, U and Zn are highly enriched in the Okchon black shales and their mean concentrations are significantly higher than those in black slates. These elements are closely associated with one another from a geochemical viewpoint and may be enriched simultaneously. Mean concentrations of As, Mo and U in soils derived from black shales occurring in the Duk-Pyung and Chu-Bu areas are higher than the permissible level suggested by Kloke (1979), and the enrichment index decreases in the order of Duk- Pyung > Chu-Bu > Chung-Joo > Geum-Kwan = I-Won areas. Uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite and brannerite have been identified in black shales from the Chung-Joo area by electron probe micro-analysis. Uraninite grains are closely associated with monazite and pyrite with a grain size ranging from 2m to 10m whereas brannerite grains occur as a euhedral form 50m in diameter.     

Uranium Accumulation of Crop Plants Enhanced by Citric Acid

Citric acid was applied to soil to enhance U accumulation in four crop plants. While the highest enhanced U accumulation of aboveground tissues (a.c. 2000 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight) occurred in the leaves of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), the highest enhanced U accumulation of roots (a.c. 3500 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight) occurred in canola (Brassica napus var. napus). Uranium translocation among tissues of test plants is in the relation of roots>shoots ≅ leaves. The flowers of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) contained similar or higher U concentrations than those found in shoots, but concentrations in seeds are close to zero. In conclusion, Indian mustard is recommended as a potential species for phytoextraction for U-contaminated soil due to its high U accumulation of aboveground biomass (a.c. 2200 μg per plant). There is no evidence that two types of soils cause a significant difference of the enhanced U accumulation (p<0.05). Results, however, indicate that additional citric acid may result in downward U migration that may contaminate groundwater. Speciation of U that is taken up by plants is also discussed in the end.