Determining effective interfacial tension and predicting finger spacing for DNAPL penetration into water-saturated porous media

The difficulty in determining the effective interfacial tension limits the prediction of the wavelength of fingering of immiscible fluids in porous media. A method to estimate the effective interfacial tension using fractal concepts was presented by Chang et al. [Water Resour. Res. 30 (1994) 125]. We modified the method in that the macroscopic interface length was used instead of the system width. Methods to determine the macroscopic and the microscopic interface length are given. Lab experiments of dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) penetrating into water-saturated glass beads were carried out in a two-dimensional (2-D) transparent chamber. The displacement processes were recorded using a 35-mm camera or a video camera, which was directly connected to and controlled by a computer. Unlike the method of Chang et al. (1994), the modified method used here gives a constant value of the effective interfacial tension over time. The predicted wavelengths of fingering are relatively close to those observed except for the fine beads.     

Biodiversity, distributions and adaptations of Arctic species in the context of environmental change

The individual of a species is the basic unit which responds to climate and UV-B changes, and it responds over a wide range of time scales. The diversity of animal, plant and microbial species appears to be low in the Arctic, and decreases from the boreal forests to the polar deserts of the extreme North but primitive species are particularly abundant. This latitudinal decline is associated with an increase in super-dominant species that occupy a wide range of habitats. Climate warming is expected to reduce the abundance and restrict the ranges of such species and to affect species at their northern range boundaries more than in the South: some Arctic animal and plant specialists could face extinction. Species most likely to expand into tundra are boreal species that currently exist as outlier populations in the Arctic. Many plant species have characteristics that allow them to survive short snow-free growing seasons, low solar angles, permafrost and low soil temperatures, low nutrient availability and physical disturbance. Many of these characteristics are likely to limit species' responses to climate warming, but mainly because of poor competitive ability compared with potential immigrant species. Terrestrial Arctic animals possess many adaptations that enable them to persist under a wide range of temperatures in the Arctic. Many escape unfavorable weather and resource shortage by winter dormancy or by migration. The biotic environment of Arctic animal species is relatively simple with few enemies, competitors, diseases, parasites and available food resources. Terrestrial Arctic animals are likely to be most vulnerable to warmer and drier summers, climatic changes that interfere with migration routes and staging areas, altered snow conditions and freeze-thaw cycles in winter, climate-induced disruption of the seasonal timing of reproduction and development, and influx of new competitors, predators, parasites and diseases. Arctic microorganisms are also well adapted to the Arctic's climate: some can metabolize at temperatures down to -39 degrees C. Cyanobacteria and algae have a wide range of adaptive strategies that allow them to avoid, or at least minimize UV injury. Microorganisms can tolerate most environmental conditions and they have short generation times which can facilitate rapid adaptation to new environments. In contrast, Arctic plant and animal species are very likely to change their distributions rather than evolve significantly in response to warming.     

Solubility of phosphorus and heavy metals in potting media amended with yard waste-biosolids compost

The potential risk of surface and ground water contamination by phosphorus (P) and heavy metals leached from compost-based containerized media has become an environmental concern. Solubility and fractionation of P and heavy metals were evaluated in media containing 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100% compost derived from biosolids and yard trimmings for potential impacts on the environment. As compost proportion in peat-based media increased from 0 to 100%, concentrations of total P, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Mn in the media increased whereas concentrations of total Co and Cr decreased. Except for Cu, all heavy metals in the water-soluble fraction decreased with increasing compost proportion in the media, because of higher Fe, Al, and Ca concentrations and pH values of the composts than the peat. When the media pH is controlled and maintained at normal range of plant growth (5.5-6.5), leaching of the heavy metals is minimal. Incorporation of compost to the peat-based media also decreased the proportion of total P that was water-soluble. However, concentrations of bioavailable inorganic phosphorus (NaHCO3-IP), readily mineralizable organic phosphorus (NaHCO3-OP), potentially bioavailable inorganic phosphorus (NaOH-IP), and potentially bioavailable organic phosphorus (NaOH-OP) were still higher in the media amended with compost because of higher total P concentration in the compost. Further study is needed to verify if less or no topdressing of chemical P fertilizer should be applied to the compost-amended media to minimize P effect on the environment when compost-amended potting media are used for nursery or greenhouse crop production systems.     

Bromide and nitrate movement through undisturbed soil columns

Field experiments often assume that Br-, 14NO3(-)-N, and 15NO3(-)-N have similar leaching kinetics. This study tested this assumption. Twenty-four undisturbed soil columns (15-cm diameter) were collected from summit-shoulder, backslope, and footslope positions of a no-tillage field with a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Each of the landscape positions had a different soil series. After conditioning the columns with 4 L of 0.01 M CaCl2 (2 pore volumes), 15N-labeled Ca(NO3)2 and KBr were applied to the soil surface and leached with 4 L of 0.01 M CaCl2. Leachate was collected, weighed, and analyzed for NO3(-)-N, NH4(+)-N, 15N, 14N, and Br-. The total amount of 15NO3(-)-N and 14NO3(-)-N collected in 1000, 2000, and 3000 mL of leachate was similar. These data suggest that 15N discrimination during leaching did not occur. Bromide leached faster through the columns than NO3(-)-N. The more rapid transport of Br- than NO3(-)-N was attributed to lower Br- (0.002 +/- 0.036 mg kg(-1)) than NO3(-)-N (0.17 +/- 0.03 mg kg(-1)) sorption. Results from this study suggest that (i) if Br- is used to estimate NO3(-)-N leaching loss, then NO3(-)-N leaching losses may be overestimated by 25%; (ii) the potential exists for landscape position to influence anion retention and movement in soil; and (iii) 15N discrimination was not detected during the leaching process.     

In situ dynamics of phosphorus in the rhizosphere solution of five species

Root activity can modify the chemistry of the rhizosphere and alter phosphorus (P) availability and uptake. However, until recently, relatively little was known about the dynamics of soil solution P at the root surface because of our inability to measure in situ changes in solution P at the plant root. A mini-rhizotron experiment with corn (Zea mays L. cv. Stine 2250), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Pioneer 3563), cottonwood (Populus deltoids L.), smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) was conducted to measure the spatial and temporal dynamics of P in the rhizosphere solution of a fine silty, P-rich calcareous soil (solid-phase total P concentration = 62 mg kg(-1), pH = 7.68) from western Iowa. Micro-suction cups were used to collect samples of soil solution from defined segments of the rhizosphere, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used to determine the P concentration of the soil solution. At the end of 10 d, a decreasing P concentration gradient in soil solution toward the root was observed in corn, cottonwood, and smooth brome. No clear rhizosphere effect was observed for soybean and switchgrass. Statistical analysis indicated significantly lower solution P concentrations in the rhizospheres of corn (p = 0.05), cottonwood (p = 0.01), and smooth brome (p = 0.01) compared with bulk soil solution. Results indicate that P depletion from rhizosphere soil solution depends on plant species. Under the conditions of this study, corn, cottonwood, and smooth brome were more effective in depleting solution P than soybean and switchgrass.     

Behavior of bromide in the photoelectrocatalytic process and bromine generation using nanoporous titanium dioxide thin-film electrodes

In this study, the photoelectrocatalytic behavior of bromide and generation of bromine using TiO2 was investigated in the separate anode and cathode reaction chambers. Our results show that the generation of bromine begins around a flatband potential of -0.34 V vs. standard calomel electrode (SCE) at pH 3.0 under UV illumination and increases with an increase in positive potential, finally reaching a steady-state concentration at 1.0 V vs. SCE. Maximum bromine formation occurs over the range of pH 4-6, decreasing sharply at conditions where the pH>7.     

Use of flyash as environmental and agronomic amendments

Coal combustion power plant flyash materials have been reported as useful soil amendments with agronomic and environmental benefits. This paper reports the efficacy of fluidized bed combustion (FBC) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproducts, when amended with dairy, swine, and broiler litter manures, in reducing phosphorus (P) solubility and potential impact on water quality. At a rate of 400 g/kg, FBC reduced water soluble P by 60% for dairy and swine and 50% for broiler litter, as compared to un-treated control samples. Byproduct FGD had little effect when amended into dairy manure, but reduced water soluble P by nearly 80% when amended into swine and broiler manure at a rate of 250 g/kg. The amount of Ca added in the amendments together with pH of the mixture is the major contributing factor in soluble P reduction. Sequential extraction results showed that the flyash treatments shifted water soluble P into mainly bicarbonate extractable P. The latter is still considered available for crop uptake but less vulnerable for environmental losses. Coal combustion byproducts, when amended into manure and used properly, can provide a useful and viable option for improving nutrient management on animal farms.     

Distribution of Organo-Chlorine Pesticides (DDT and HCH) Between Plant and Soil System

This paper reports a study of the distribution of organo-chlorine pesticides (DDT and HCH) between rice plants and the soil system by spraying before the heading stage at four different dosage levels – control, normal dosage (15 kg ha^–1 of 6% HCH and 7.5 kg ha^–1 of 25% DDT), double dosage and four times dosage. Soil and plant samples were taken respectively at the 1st h, 3rd, 10th, 20th, and 40th day after spraying and at the harvest time. The results indicate that less than 5% of HCH and 15% of DDT were absorbed by the surface of rice leaves for normal dosage. Most of both pesticides moved into the soil in solution after spraying. Compared with DDT, HCH was degraded and run off more easily. HCH residues in the surface soil layer (1–3 cm) were already below 6.4 g kg^–1 at the mature stage, lower than Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Agricultural Soils: HCH <0.05 mg kg^–1. However DDT residues in the surface soil layer remained 172 g kg^–1, higher than the national standard: DDT <0.05 mg kg^–1. According to the test f OCP residues in rice seeds, it can be concluded that the OCP sprayed onto the surface of rice leaves can move into rice plants and accumulate in the seeds at the mature stage. HCH residues in rice seeds of the double and four times dosage treatments, and DDT residues in all treatments, exceeded the Chinese National Food Standard (HCH <0.10 mg kg^–1, DDT <0.20 mg kg^–1).     

Effects of Se and Zn supplementation on the antagonism against Pb and Cd in vegetables

The antagonistic effects of supplementation of Zn and Se to the soil on vegetables were studied in this work. In the pot experiment, Se (Se4+) and Zn (Zn2+) were applied, respectively, to the soil, in which the Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) and the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were planted. As a result, Se and Zn were enriched evidently in the two vegetables. The contents of Pb and Cd in the two vegetables were decreased markedly while contents of some healthy mineral elements, like Mn and Mg, were increased to some extent when Se and Zn were applied. The antagonism of Se and Zn against Pb and Cd in plants was suggested. The farmland experiment on the lettuce was conducted to explore further the effect of supplementation of Zn and Se under the actual field conditions. Result came out to be that the enrichment of Zn and Se restrained the accumulation of Pb and Cd in the lettuce remarkably, as well as enhanced the absorption of some other nutritional elements, like Fe, Mn, Cu, Ca and Mg. Therefore, application of Se and Zn was proved to be an effective and feasible method to improve trace elements nutrition in the vegetables.     

Assessment of strontium and calcium levels in Pakistani diet

To cope with nuclear emergency effectively due to ingestion of fission fragment (90)Sr, adequacy of nutritionally and radiologically important elements strontium and calcium was studied in typical Pakistani diet and baseline analytical data were generated. Concentrations of strontium and calcium were measured by using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) techniques. Daily dietary intake of strontium and calcium varied from 0.9 to 5.7 mg and 217 to 713 mg with the geometric mean value x geometric standard deviation of 2.6 x 1.7 and 487.1 x 1.4 mg d(-1), respectively. The average Sr concentration in the Pakistani diet was 1.4 times higher while Ca concentration was 0.4 times lower than the recommended values of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The calculated Sr/Ca ratio 5.3E-03 was also higher than the ICRP value. The study depicts that the strontium concentration in the Pakistani diet is adequate, while the calcium concentration is inadequate according to international standards and needs improvement.