Characterisation of Organic Matter and Carbon Cycling in Rehabilitated Lignite-rich Mine Soils

Open-cast lignite mining in the Lusatian mining district resulted in rehabilitated mine soils containing up to four organic matter types: (1) recent plant litter, (2) lignite deposited by mining activity, (3) carbonaceous ash particles deposited during amelioration of the lignite-containing parent substrate and (4) airborne carbonaceous particles deposited during contamination. The influence of lignite-derived carbon types on the organic matter development and their role in the soil carbon cycle was unknown. This paper presents the findings obtained during a six year project concerning the impact of lignite on soil organic matter composition and the biogeochemical functioning of the ecosystem. The organic matter development after rehabilitation was followed in a chronosequence of rehabilitated mine soils afforested in 1966, 1981 and 1987. A differentiation of the organic matter types and an evaluation of their role within the ecosystem was achieved by the use of ¹⁴C activity measurements, ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy and wet chemical analysis of plant litter compounds. The results showed that the amount and degree of decomposition of the recent organic matter derived from plant material of the 30 year old mine soil was similar to natural uncontaminated forest soil which suggests complete rehabilitation of the ecosystem. The decomposition and humification processes were not influenced by the presence of lignite. On the other hand it was shown that lignite, which was thought to be recalcitrant because of its chemical structure, was part of the carbon cycle in these soils. This demonstrates the need to elucidate further the stabilisation mechanisms of organic matter in soils.     

Mobilities and leachabilities of heavy metals in sludge with humus soil

Chemical forms of Zn, Ni, Cu, and Pb in municipal sewage sludge were investigated by adding humus soil to sludge and by performing sequential extraction procedures. In the final sludge mixtures, Zn and Ni were mainly found in Fe/Mn oxide-bound (F3) and organic matter/sulfide-bound (F4) forms. For Zn, exchangeable (F1), carbonate-bound (F2), and F3 forms were transformed to F4 and residual forms (F5). For Ni, F1 and F2 forms were transformed to F1, F2, and F3 forms. Both Cu and Pb were strongly associated with the stable forms F4 and F5. For Cu, F2 and F3 forms were major contributors, while for Pb, F3 and F4 forms were major contributors to F5. Humus soil dosage and pH conditions in the sludge were strongly correlated with the forms of heavy metals. Five forms were used to evaluate metal mobilities in the initial and final sludge mixtures. The mobilities of the four heavy metals studied decreased after 28 days. The metal mobilities in the final sludge mixtures were ranked in the following order: Ni > Zn > Cu = Pb. Leaching tests showed that the mobilities of Zn and Ni in lower pH conditions (pH 4) were higher than those in higher pH conditions (pH 8).     

滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质及其主要组分的紫外-可见与三维荧光光学特性

利用紫外-可见光谱和三维荧光光谱技术,结合土壤腐殖质及腐殖质组分(胡敏酸、富里酸)中的有机碳含量,研究了滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质及其组分胡敏酸和富里酸的光谱特征.结果表明,滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质中富里酸含量高于胡敏酸,流域范围内土壤活性腐殖质及其组分含量分布不均匀,活性腐殖质、胡敏酸和富里酸含量的变异系数分别达37.7%、36.4%、40.9%.土壤活性腐殖质及其组分胡敏酸和富里酸的碳含量均表现为菜地荒地草地湿地.光谱特征结果表明,滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质主要由自生源物质和经一定程度降解后的外源物质共同组成.此外,自生源性与光化学及生物活性具有正相关关系.因此,具有弱自生源性的滇池流域土壤活性腐殖质所具有的光化学和生物活性较弱.     

几种腐殖填料生物滤池COD去除效能比较研究

分别采用腐殖垃圾、泥炭、煤炭等腐殖填料及河沙构筑生物滤池,处理模拟废水,比较研究其COD去除效能及降解特征,为工艺填料改性提供理论依据。几种填料的扫描电镜分析图显示腐殖垃圾及泥炭以团聚体三维空间结构为主;煤炭与河沙表面粗糙程度较小,且主要由颗粒状物质构成。稀释平板涂布法分离出各生物滤池中发挥主要作用的微生物共3种,各系统菌落数量有差异,但种类相同。3种腐殖填料生物滤池在进水有机物浓度为500 mg/L及1000 mg/L时均有较理想的有机物去除效率。3种腐殖填料生物滤池中泥炭构筑的腐殖填料生物滤池有机物比降解速率最小,因而微生物比增长速率最小,微生物增长和自身氧化最易趋向于动态平衡,对应的饱和水力渗透系数最大,滤池最不易发生堵塞,最有利于腐殖填料生物滤池长期稳定运行,证明泥炭是一种优良的生物介质。     

大兴安岭林区地下火形成火环境研究

地下火作为森林中一种难以控制的燃烧现象,其形成机理极为复杂。我国大兴安岭林区是森林地下火的多发地区。对该地区2002年发生的地下火研究表明：丰富的近土壤层和地下可燃物是森林地下火发生的物质条件,气象条件促进了森林地下火的发生,特别是在遇到降水少、长期干旱、地面温度增加、相对湿度降低和可燃物干燥的情况下,就很容易引起地下火灾。地下火有地理和时间分布特征。地表火主要发生在原始森林区域,如针叶林、阔叶林或针阔混交林,都有可能发生地下火。地下火一般燃烧速度慢,持续时间长,燃烧充分,具有隐蔽性强、燃烧不连续、方向易变等特点,地下火在所有火灾中对森林危害最大,特别是对落叶松、樟子松、云杉等的破坏更为严重。     

Changes in TcpA gene frequency explain 2,4,6-trichlorophenol degradation in mesocosms

Soils are often polluted by chlorophenols in timber production areas in the northern hemisphere. The tcpA gene encodes the first step of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (246-TCP) degradation. We tested tcpA gene frequency in three natural pristine soils with different 246-TCP degradation capacity. Gene tcpA frequency increased more in spiked than non-spiked 10-L pails containing coniferous humus soil with high degradation capacity, in contrast to soils where degradation was slower. As the soil in each mesocosm originated from a spatially separate field plot, changes in tcpA gene frequency affected 246-TCP degradation over a range of soil origins. This indicates that the abundance of and changes in tcpA gene frequency could be utilized in estimating the efficacy of natural attenuation and biostimulation treatments in controlled conditions.     

草原退化与恢复过程中土壤有机矿质复合体分组研究

对采自处于不同发展方向和阶段的草原土壤分组提取有机矿质复合体，并对它的质量分数、腐殖质质量分数和组成、Ｃ／Ｎ比值等的变化做了分析，试图从土壤复合体变化的角度去认识草原的退化和恢复过程。研究发现土壤腐殖质绝大部分集中于粘粒和粉粒级复合体；退化草原恢复时，复合体腐殖质质量分数增加，并且组成也发生变化；而草原轻度退化时，复合体腐殖质质量分数会减少，但组成不会变化。     

Transformation of ecological conditions of soil and humus substance formation in the urban environment

Ecological conditions of soil formation and specific features of humus substance formation are considered with regard to urban soils of different types formed in the following functional zones: the park zone, residential area, and sanitary protective zone of the Middle Ural Copper-Smelting Plant. The specificity of soil formation in Revda, a typical industrial city of the Middle Urals, is determined by the combined effect of urban and technogenic factors (urbogenesis and technogenesis), with the former being of primary importance. At a constant period of biological activity, the depth of humification is primarily a function of granulometric and chemical composition of urban soils.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 11–19.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Meshcheryakov, Prokopovich, Korkina.     

人工湿地基质中腐殖质的积累与分布特点

腐殖质来源于生物残体的降解,可参与多种污染物迁移转化,具有重要环境生态效应.本研究以常见的水平潜流和垂直流2种系统为研究对象,探讨了以无机基质为主构建的常规人工湿地中腐殖质的积累与分布特点.研究结果表明,随着污水处理运行,水平潜流和垂直流人工湿地中,大部分基质中腐殖质全碳量均有增加,水平潜流系统含量在1.7～ 18 g/kg,垂直流系统在1.9 ～7.5 g/kg;胡敏素是各系统腐殖质的主体组成,含量最高,水平潜流系统含量在1.55～17.22g/kg,垂直流系统在1.43 ～7.21 g/kg.腐殖质另外2种组分,富里酸和胡敏酸碳含量都比较低,水平潜流系统富里酸碳含量在0 ～0.68 g/kg,胡敏酸碳含量0.008 ～0.26g/kg;垂直流系统富里酸碳含量在0.015 ～0.38 g/kg,胡敏酸碳含量在0.05～0.15 g/kg,各系统中富里酸碳含量均高于胡敏酸碳含量;各系统中,根系基质腐殖质全碳及3种组分含量都显著高于非根际基质;不管是水平潜流还是垂直流,低水力负荷系统的比高水力负荷系统更高.     

Urban Geochemistry: A Multimedia and Multielement Survey of a Small Town in Northern Europe

The concentrations and distributions of chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W and Zn) were studied in till, humus and urban soil in Jakobstad, a small town (20,000 inhabitants) in W. Finland. The analyses were performed with ICP-MS after aqua regia leaching of till (n = 37), urban topsoil (n = 32) and subsoil (n = 32), and HNO3 leaching of humus (n = 37). The till and humus samples, collected at the same sites, were divided into urban and rural samples. The urban till was not significantly enriched in metals. In contrast, a majority of the elements occurred in higher concentrations in the urban than the rural humus samples. Statistical and spatial interpretations of the humus data revealed that traffic (Pb, V and Ni), metal industry (Pb, Zn, Bi, Sb and Cr), an abandoned shooting range (Pb and Sb) and other sources contribute to higher metal levels in the urban humus. The urban soil samples were collected at parks, yards, abandoned industrial sites, roadsides, etc. The topsoil samples were enriched in most elements, also by elements not enriched in the urban humus (e.g. Cd). At several sites, the concentrations far exceeded the limit concentrations for contaminated soils in Finland. A large variety of sources were identified or indicated.