Residual dynamics of thiacloprid in medical herbs marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil

Thiacloprid is a new insecticide of the chloronicotinyl family. To assess its risk after application, residual characteristics of thiacloprid in marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil were studied under field conditions. The active ingredient was extracted from the plant material using a mixture of acetone-water. After filtration, the extract was concentrated to the aqueous phase, diluted with water, and portioned against ethyl acetate on a matrix solid phase dispersion column. Thiacloprid was extracted from soil using a mixture of methanol-water, filtered, and re.extracted （clean up） with dichloromethane. The residues were quantified using HPLC-MS-MS. The methods were validated by recovery experiments. Thiacloprid residues in marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil persisted beyond 10, 14, 14, and 21 d but no residues were detected after 14, 21, 21, and 28 d, respectively. The data obtained in this study indicated that the biexponential model is more suitable than the first-order function to describe the decline of thiacloprid in fresh marjoram, fresh thyme, and dried camomile flowers with half-life （t1/2） of 1.1, 0.7, and 1.2 d, respectively. However, both the first-order function and biexponential model were found to be applicable for dissipation of thiacloprid in soil with almost the same t1/2 values of 3.5 and 3.6 d. The results indicated that thiacloprid dissipates rapidly and does not accumulate in the tested herbs and in soil.     

Impacts of converting from leaded to unleaded gasoline on ambient lead concentrations in Jakarta metropolitan area

Total suspended particulate mater （TSP） concentrations were monitored for one year from July 2000 and for one year from April 2003 in Jakarta City. Thirteen elemental TSP components, aluminum （Al）, sodium （Na）, iron （Fe）, lead （Pb）, potassium （K）, zinc （Zn）, titanium （Ti）, manganese （Mn）, bromine （Br）, copper （Cu）, chromium （Cr）, nickel （Ni）, and vanadium （V） were analyzed by a sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Al, Na, Fe, K, and Pb were major components at most of the sampling locations in 2000. However, only Pb in 2003 dramatically decreased to one tenth. The phase-out of leaded gasoline began on July 1, 2001 in Jakarta City and lead content in gasoline decreased to one tenth, too. The decrease in Pb concentration was a result of the phase-out of leaded gasoline, as lead emissions mainly are exhaust gas from vehicles.     

Topsoil organic carbon mineralization and CO2 evolution of three paddy soils from South China and the temperature dependence

Carbon mineralization and its response to climatic warming have been receiving global attention for the last decade. Although the virtual influence of temperature effect is still in great debate, little is known on the mineralization of organic carbon （SOC） of paddy soils of China under warming. SOC mineralization of three major types of China＇s paddy soils is studied through laboratory incubation for 114 d under soil moisture regime of 70% water holding capacity at 20℃ and 25℃ respectively. The carbon that mineralized as CO2 evolved was measured every day in the first 32 d and every two days in the following days. Carbon mineralized during the 114 d incubation ranged from 3.51 to 9.22 mg CO2-C/gC at 20℃ and from 4.24 to 11.35 mg CO2-C/gC at 25℃ respectively; and a mineralizable C pool in the range of 0.24 to 0.59 gC/kg, varying with different soils. The whole course of C mineralization in the 114 d incubation could be divided into three stages of varying rates, representing the three subpools of the total mineralizable C： very actively mineralized C at 1-23 d, actively tnineralized C at 24--74 d and a slowly mineralized pool with low and more or less stabilized C mineralization rate at 75-114 d. The calculated Q10 values ranged from 1.0 to 2.4, varying with the soil types and N status. Neither the total SOC pool nor the labile C pool could account for the total mineralization potential of the soils studied, despite a well correlation of labile C with the shortly and actively mineralized C, which were shown in sensitive response to soil warming. However, the portion of microbial C pool and the soil C/N ratio controlled the C mineralization and the temperature dependence. Therefore, C sequestration may not result in an increase of C mineralization proportionally. The relative control of C bioavailability and microbial metabolic activity on C mineralization with respect to stabilization of sequestered C in the paddy soils of China is to be further studied.     

Vertical and temporal distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus and relationship with their influencing factors in aquatic-terrestrial ecotone： a case study in Taihu Lake, China

Vertical and temporal distributions of N and P in soil solution in aquatic-terrestrial ecotone （ATE） of Taihu Lake were investigated, and the relations among N, P, ORP （oxidation reduction potential）, TOC, root system biomass and microorganism were studied. As a whole, significant declines in TN, NO3^--N, DON （dissolved organic nitrogen） and TP concentration in soil solution have occurred with increase of the depth, and reached their minima at 60 cm depth, except for NH4^＋-N, which increased with depth. The concentration of TP increased gradually from spring to winter in the topsoil, the maximum 0.08 mg/L presented in the winter while the minimum 0.03 mg/L in spring. In the deeper layer, the concentration value of TP fluctuated little. As for the NO3^--N, its seasonal variation was significant at 20 cm depth, its concentration increased gradually from spring to autumn, and decreased markedly in winter. Vertical and temporal distribution of DON is contrary to that of NO3^--N. The results also show that the variation of N and P in the percolate between adjacent layers is obviously different. The vertical variation ofTN, TP, NO3^--N, NH4^＋-N and DON is significant, of which the variation coefficient of NO3^--N along the depth reaches 100.23%, the highest; while the variation coefficient of DON is 41.14%, the smallest. The results of correlation analysis show that the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus correlate significantly with TOC, ORP, root biomass and counts of nitrifying bacteria. Most nutrients altered much from 20 to 40 cm along the depth. However, DON changed more between 60 and 80 cm. Results show that soil of 0-60 cm depth is active rhizoplane, with strong capability to remove the nitrogen and phosphorus in ATE. It may suggest that there exists the optimum ecological efficiency in the depth of above 60 cm in reed wetland. This will be very significant for ecological restoration and reestablishment.     

Distribution characteristics of dissolved organic carbon in annular wetland soil-water solutions through soil profiles in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

Overwhelming evidence reveals that concentrations of dissolved organic carbon （DOC） have increased in streams which brings negative environmental impacts. DOC in stream flow is mainly originated from soil-water solutions of watershed. Wetlands prove to be the most sensitive areas as an important DOC reserve between terrestrial and fluvial biogeosystems. This reported study was focused on the distribution characteristics and the controlling factors of DOC in soil-water solutions of annular wetland, i.e., a dishing wetland and a forest wetland together, in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. The results indicate that DOC concentrations in soilwater solutions decreased and then increased with increasing soil depth in the annular wetland. In the upper soil layers of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, DOC concentrations in soil-water solutions linearly increased from edge to center of the annular wetland （R^2 = 0.3122 and R^2 = 0.443）. The distribution variations were intimately linked to DOC production and utilization and DOC transport processes in annular wetland soil-water solutions. The concentrations of total organic carbon （TOC）, total carbon （TC） and Fe（II）, DOC mobility and continuous vertical and lateral flow affectext the distribution variations of DOC in soil-water solutions. The correlation coefficients between DOC concentrations and TOC, TC and Fe（II） were 0.974, 0.813 and 0.753 respectively. These distribution characteristics suggested a systematic response of the distribution variations of DOC in annular wetland soil-water solutions to the geometry of closed depressions on a scale of small catchments. However, the DOC in soil pore water of the annular wetland may be the potential source of DOC to stream flow on watershed scale. These observations also implied the fragmentation of wetland landscape could bring the spatial-temporal variations of DOC distribution and exports, which would bring negative environmental impacts in watersheds of the Sanjiang Plain.     

Treated wastewater irrigation effect on soil, crop and environment： Wastewater recycling in the loess area of China

A study was carried out at the Loess Plateau in Dongzhi,China,to test the feasibility of using secondary treatment sewage effluent and to determine whether the water quality would then meet the recommended irrigation norm.Seven crops,including celery,wheat, maize,millet,apples,rapeseed and yellow beans,were tested in the study.Physical and chemical properties of the soil,crop yield and quality and leachate at different soil depths were measured.In most cases,the quality of the crops that made use of treated sewage was not distinctively different from those that did not use treated sewage.However,yields for the former were much higher than they were for the latter.Leachates at different soil depths were analyzed and the results did not show alarming levels of constituents.For a period of approximately 14 months,the treated sewage irrigation had no significant effect on the loess soil and no cases of illness resulting from contact with the treated sewage were reported.With treated sewage irrigation,a slight increase in the organic content of the soil was observed.     

Characterization of metal doped-titanium dioxide and behaviors on photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen oxides

A series of nanosized ion-doped TiO_2 catalysts with different ion content(between 0.1 at.% and 1.0 at.%) have been prepared by wet impregnation method and investigated with respect to their behavior for UV photocatalytic oxidation of nitric oxide.The catalytic activity was correlated with structural,electronic and surface examinations of the catalysts using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD),ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis)absorption spectroscopy,transmission electron microscopy(TEM),energy disperse spectrometer (EDS)and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) techniques.An enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was observed for Zn~(2 ) doping catalyst ranged from 0.1 at.% to 1.0 at.% which was attributed to the lengthened lifetime of electrons and holes.The improvement in photocatalytic activity could be also observed with the low doping concentration of Cr~(3 )(0.1 at.%). However,the doping of Fe~(3 ),Mo~(6 ),Mn~(2 ) and the high doping concentration of Cr~(3 ) had no contribution to photocatalytic activity of nitric oxide.     

Effect of copper on the degradation of pesticides cypermethrin and cyhalothrin

The influence of coexisting copper (Cu) ion on the degradation of pesticides pyrethroid cypermethrin and cyhalothrin in soil and photodegradation in water system were studied.Serial concentrations of the pesticides with the addition of copper ion were spiked in the soil and incubated for a regular period of time,the analysis of the extracts from the soil was carried out using gas chromatography (GC).The photodegradation of pyrethroids in water system was conducted under UV irradiation.The effect of Cu~(2 ) on the pesticides degradation was measured with half life (t_(0.5)) of degradation.It was found that a negative correlation between the degradation of the pyrethroid pesticides in soil and Cu addition was observed.But Cu~(2 ) could accelerate photodegradation of the pyrethroids in water.The t_(0.5) for cyhalothrin extended from 6.7 to 6.8 d while for cypermethrin extended from 8.1 to 10.9 d with the presence of copper ion in soil.As for photodegradation,t_(0.5) for cyhalothrin reduced from 173.3 to 115.5 rain and for cypermethrin from 115.5 to 99.0 min.The results suggested that copper influenced the degradation of the pesticides in soil by affecting the activity of microorganisms.However, it had catalyst tendency for photodegradation in water system.The difference for the degradation efficiency of pyrethroid isomers in soil was also observed.Copper could obviously accelerate the degradation of some special isomers.     

Phytoremediation of urban wastewater by model wetlands with ornamental hydrophytes

Phytoremediation offers a cost-effective,non-intrusive,and safe alternative to conventional cleanup techniques.In this study,we used ornamental hydrophytes plants as constructed wetlands to treat urban or rural domestic wastewater.Most ornamental hydrophytes adapted to the wastewater well,and were fairly efficient in scavenging BOD_5(biological oxygen demand 5 d),COD(chemical oxygen demand),TN(total nitrogen),TP(total phosphorus)and heavy metals(Cr,Pb,Cd)in the wastewater.However,the efficiency varied a lot for various species to different contaminants,Iris pseudacorus L.and Acorus gramineus Soland were good choices for treatment of composite-polluted urban wastewater.Some variation in the change of membrane peroxidation and endogenous protective system in responses to wastewater was found among six hydrophytes,which have a correlation with the efficiency of wastewater treatment.It may demonstrate that the developed antioxidative systems of I.pseudacorus and A.gramineus contributed much to their superiority. On the other hand,interaction of different components in the wastewater might have certain effects on phytoremediation.     

Single and joint stress of acetochlor and Pb on three agricultural crops in northeast China

In order to evaluate ecological risk of agrochemicals in agricultural environment, single and joint toxic effects of an important herbicide and a typical heavy metal on root elongation of crops were investigated. Seeds of the three crops including wheat （Triticum aestivum）, Chinese cabbage （Brassica pekimensis） and soybean （Glycine max） as the main crops in northeast China were exposed to acetochior as a herbicide and lead （Pb） as a heavy metal using the pot-culture method, and meadow brown soil as one of the main soils distributed in northeast China was applied in the investigation. The results indicated that the interactive effects of the two pollutants on root elongation of the three crops were very complicated although they had markedly significant （P〈0.01） linear interrelationships based on the regression analyses. When the concentration of added Pb^2＋ reached 200 mg/kg, acetochlor and Pb had an antagonistic effect on the inhibition of root elongation of the three crops. However, acetochlor and Pb had significantly （P〈0.05） synergic effects on the inhibition of root elongation when concentration of added Pb^2＋ was up to 1000 mg/kg. At the low concentration of added Pb, joint toxicity of acetochlor and Pb was more dependent on the concentration of Pb. Among the three crops, wheat was the most sensitive to the toxicity of Pb and Chinese cabbage was the most sensitive to the toxicity of acetochlor.