New bacterial strain of the genus Ochrobactrum with glyphosate-degrading activity

Thirty bacterial strains with various abilities to utilize glyphosate as the sole phosphorus source were isolated from farm soils using the glyphosate enrichment cultivation technique. Among them, a strain showing a remarkable glyphosate-degrading activity was identified by biochemical features and 16S rRNA sequence analysis as Ochrobactrum sp. (GDOS). Herbicide (3 mM) degradation was induced by phosphate starvation, and was completed within 60 h. Aminomethylphosphonic acid was detected in the exhausted medium, suggesting glyphosate oxidoreductase as the enzyme responsible for herbicide breakdown. As it grew even in the presence of glyphosate concentrations as high as 200 mM, Ochrobactrum sp. could be used for bioremediation purposes and treatment of heavily contaminated soils.     

Inventory and vertical migration of 90Sr fallout and 137Cs/90Sr ratio in Spanish mainland soils

In this paper the inventory of ⁹⁰Sr in 34 points distributed along the Spanish peninsular territory is presented. Obtained values range between 173 Bq/m² and 2047 Bq/m². From these data set and those ¹³⁷Cs data obtained in a previous work the ¹³⁷Cs/⁹⁰Sr activity ratio has been established, laying this value between 0.9 and 3.6. Also the migration depth of both radionuclides has been analysed obtaining for ¹³⁷Cs an average value 57% lower than that obtained for ⁹⁰Sr.Additionally, this paper presents the results obtained in 11 sampling points in which the activity vertical profile has been measured. These profiles have been analysed to state the behaviour of strontium in soils and after, by using a convective-diffusive model, the parameters of the model which governs the vertical migration of ⁹⁰Sr in the soil, v (apparent convection velocity) and D (apparent diffusion coefficient) have been evaluated. Mean values obtained are 0.20 cm/year and 3.67 cm²/year, respectively.     

Method optimization to measure polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in soils of Bratislava, Slovakia

We modified an analytical method to determine polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in urban soils of Bratislava (Slovakia). Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) introduced as a clean-up step for soil extracts substantially reduced matrix enhancements when PBDEs were measured with gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS). The resulting method proved to be accurate, precise, and showed low detection limits. The sum of 15 PBDE concentrations in surface horizons of Bratislava soils ranged from 87 to 627 pg g⁻¹. PBDE concentrations were mostly higher in surface than deeper horizons probably because of atmospheric deposition and lack of substantial vertical transport. Lower brominated PBDEs undergo more soil-atmosphere exchanges or are more scavenged and transferred with litter fall to the soil organic matter than higher brominated ones as suggested by the correlation between lower brominated PBDEs and soil organic C (C_org) concentrations.     

Remediation of metal-contaminated soils with the addition of materials--part I: characterization and viability studies for the selection of non-hazardous waste materials and silicates

Contamination episodes in soils require interventions to attenuate their impact. These actions are often based on the addition of materials to increase contaminant retention in the soil and to dilute the contaminant concentration. Here, non-hazardous wastes (such as sugar foam, fly ash and a material produced by the zeolitization of fly ash) and silicates (including bentonites) were tested and fully characterized in the laboratory to select suitable materials for remediating metal-contaminated soils. Data from X-ray fluorescence (XRF), N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analyses revealed the chemical composition, specific surface area and the phases appearing in the materials. A pH titration test allowed the calculation of their acid neutralization capacity (ANC). The metal sorption and desorption capacities of the waste materials and silicates were also estimated. Sugar foam, fly ash and the zeolitic material were the best candidate materials. Sugar foam was selected because of its high ANC (17 000 meq kg⁻¹), and the others were selected because of their larger distribution coefficients and lower sorption reversibilities than those predicted in the contaminated soils.     

Modeling Flow Through a One-Dimensional Multi-Layered Soil Profile Using the Method of Lines

The vertical flow of water through horizontal layers of soil is considered using the Method of Lines. Continuity of mass principles are used to develop the interface boundary conditions, by introducing fictitious points at the interface, and the boundary conditions are handled using explicit and iterative approximations. Both the pressure based, and the water content based forms of Richards' equation are solved using the Method of Lines. The solutions obtained are compared with some particular analytic solutions obtained from the literature, and the results show that good accuracy can be achieved. It is also shown that the water content model can handle a large discontinuity at the interface when compared against the analytical solution. This result is also confirmed against a numerical example from the literature, and was effective for relatively dry initial conditions.     

江汉平原中低产土壤及其改良利用

在分析江汉平原中低产土壤形成原因的基础上，将其分为涝渍、漏瘠和粘结三种类型，提出了五条改良利用措施：１、渔农复合，增强调蓄能力；２、抗旱治渍、协调水气；３、增肥调养，增肥地力；４、选择适当作物品种和优良耕作栽培模式；５、综合治理、系列配套。     

Initial Changes in Refilled Lysimeters Built with Metal Polluted Topsoil and Acidic or Calcareous Subsoils as Indicated by Changes in Drainage Water Composition

Soil translocation for recultivation of soil removed from construction sites and for the preparation of refilled lysimeters inevitably involves disturbance of soil structure, and, if intermediate storage is included, also drying and rewetting of the soil. We report on an experiment with model forest ecosystems, where uncontaminated forest subsoils were covered with non-contaminated or freshly heavy metal (mainly Zn and Cu) contaminated topsoil in large lysimeters. Monitoring of the chemical composition of the drainage water revealed two distinct soil conditioning phases. During an initial phase of about a year strongly elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations occurred that were attributed to a mineralisation flush caused by the increased accessability of mineralisable nitrogen and sulfur in destroyed aggregates. These effects were significantly larger in lysimeters with calcareous subsoil than in those with acidic subsoil. The second phase was characterised by a gradual decrease in dissolved organic carbon and sulfate concentrations, in particular in the acidic subsoil. This decrease may be attributed to the depletion of pools made accessible during aggregate destruction or the formation of new aggregates. These chemical changes had only little effects on the concentrations of copper and zinc in the drainage water. Based on our results, it can be concluded that large refilled lysimeters can be used for many purposes without risk of compromised results, if a conditioning phase of about 1 year with sufficiently moist soil conditions is respected. Nevertheless, gradual changes in soil chemical characteristics still occur after this initial phase. Implications for the recultivation of sites using relocated soils are discussed.     

Effect of long-term changes in soil chemistry induced by road salt applications on N-transformations in roadside soils

Of several impacts of road salting on roadside soils, the potential disruption of the nitrogen cycle has been largely ignored. Therefore the fates of low-level ammonium-N and nitrate-N inputs to roadside soils impacted by salting over an extended period (decades) in the field have been studied. The use of road salts disrupts the proportional contributions of nitrate-N and ammonium-N to the mineral inorganic fraction of roadside soils. It is highly probable that the degree of salt exposure of the soil, in the longer term, controls the rates of key microbial N transformation processes, primarily by increasing soil pH. Additional influxes of ammonium-N to salt-impacted soils are rapidly nitrified therefore and, thereafter, increased leaching of nitrate-N to the local waterways occurs, which has particular relevance to the Water Framework Directive. The results reported are important when assessing the fate of inputs of ammonia to soils from atmospheric pollution.     

基于Kriging插值的路旁土壤重金属含量空间分布 ——以310国道郑州-开封段为例

分别在G310国道郑州-开封段的杏花营路段两侧150m×150m范围内布设7条垂直于公路的采样子断面,从路肩向两侧每隔10m采集1个表土混合样,共采集226个样品（包括2个对照样品）.用ICP-MS测定了土壤重金属（Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd、Cr和Ni）含量,并用Universal Kriging插值法分析路旁土壤重金属空间分布特征.结果表明,路旁土壤重金属呈与道路平行的带状分布,表明6种重金属含量均受公路交通影响,属于公路源重金属.土壤Cr和Cu含量在路基处含量最高,向两侧逐渐下降,呈指数分布;土壤Pb、Zn、Cd和Ni含量在距路基30～50m处出现峰值,呈偏态分布.路旁土壤Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd、Cr和Ni均为交通源重金属.     

内蒙古河套灌区盐碱土壤N2O排放特征

选择内蒙古河套灌区强度盐碱土壤S₁[电导率（EC）2.60dS/m]和轻度盐碱土壤S₂[电导率（EC） 0.74dS/m]为研究对象,2014~2016年,利用静态箱法3年野外原位观测试验,研究盐碱土壤氧化亚氮（N₂O）排放通量.结果表明：2种不同盐碱程度土壤N₂O排放每年均存在显著差异,轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量低;随EC升高,土壤盐碱程度加重,土壤N₂O累积排放量升高.2014~2016年作物生长季（4~11月）轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量分别为180.6,167.6,118.2mg/m²;强度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量比轻度盐碱土壤分别增加19%、26%和45%,修复盐碱土壤成为减缓盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放的重要农艺措施.