The formation of bound residues of diazinon in four UK soils: implications for risk assessment

The behaviour of diazinon in the soil determines the likelihood of further pollution incidents, particularly leaching to water. The most significant processes in the control of the fate of diazinon in the soil are microbial degradation and the formation of bound residues. Soils from four sites in the UK were amended with diazinon and its ¹⁴C labelled analogue and incubated for 100 days. After 0, 10, 21, 50 and 100 days, the formation of bound residues was assessed by solvent extraction, and the microbial degradation of diazinon by mineralisation assay. In microbially active soils, diazinon is degraded rapidly, reducing the risk of future pollution incidents. However, where there was limited mineralisation there was also significantly lower formation of bound residues, which may lead to water pollution via leaching. The formation of bound residues was dependent on extraction type. Acetonitrile extraction identified bound residues in all soils, with the bound residue fraction increasing with increasing incubation time.     

Effect of sludge-amendment or nutrient addition on the biodegradation of the herbicide isoproturon in soil

Adding sludge to agricultural soil results in added organic matter, nutrients and metallic and/or organic pollutants. These components may modify the behaviour of pesticides in the soil. We monitored possible changes in the degradation of the herbicide isoproturon (production of CO2 and degradation products) in soil amended with sludge, heavy metals or nitrogen and phosphorus. The treated and control soils were incubated under controlled conditions for 60 days. The nitrogen and phosphorus had the greatest effect on isoproturon degradation, independent of the presence of pollutants. Mineralisation of the herbicide to CO2 was slow and seemed to be linked to a fast degradation and to the accumulation of a complex degradation product that was neither catabolized nor adsorbed, 4,4'-diisopropylazobenzene. This degradation pathway also produced smaller amounts of non-extractable residues. Sewage sludge had no significant effect on isoproturon degradation, despite a large increase of organic matter mineralisation (factor 2).     

Episode selection for ozone modelling and control strategies analysis on the Swiss Plateau

An episode selection procedure was developed and applied to select sets of days representing characteristic meteorological conditions leading to high ozone episodes over the Swiss Plateau. The selection procedure was applied to data extending from January 1991 through December 1998, and is comprised of two steps: First, days were classified according to observed air quality and meteorological characteristics using classification and regression trees analysis (CART). Second, the CART results were used in conjunction with observed air quality data to identify sets of days characteristic of those leading to elevated ozone. These sets of days were selected to optimise how well a limited number of days represented seasonal air quality, and that formed longer episodes for use in the air quality modelling. CART analysis was performed for three zones of the Swiss Plateau that have different air quality and meteorological characteristics. The results for two zones were used together in the episode selection procedure in order to identify days representative for the whole Plateau. Meteorological analysis for a third zone suggested that it would be strongly impacted by pollutants transported in from outside the country. One thousand and eight hundred optimisation runs were performed to minimise the likelihood that the set of days was a local optimum, increasing the robustness for use in air quality modelling analysis. Fifteen days, grouped in four episodes ranging from 3 to 5 days were selected along with their calculated representativeness (or weight) to recreate a seasonal metric. The variety of local as well as regional meteorological characteristics showed that the episode selection procedure chose days representing a diverse set of meteorological situations which are associated with elevated ozone. This set of episodes can now be used to test air quality strategies.     

Fugacity modelling to predict the distribution of organic contaminants in the soil:oil matrix of constructed biopiles

Level I and II fugacity approaches were used to model the environmental distribution of benzene, anthracene, phenanthrene, 1-methylphenanthrene and benzo[a]pyrene in a four phase biopile system, accounting for air, water, mineral soil and non-aqueous phase liquid (oil) phase. The non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) and soil phases were the dominant partition media for the contaminants in each biopile and the contaminants differed markedly in their individual fugacities. Comparison of three soils with different percentage of organic carbon (% org C) showed that the % org C influenced contaminant partitioning behaviour. While benzene showed an aqueous concentration worthy of note for leachate control during biopiling, other organic chemicals showed that insignificant amount of chemicals leached into the water, greatly reducing the potential extent of groundwater contamination. Level II fugacity model showed that degradation was the dominant removal process except for benzene. In all three biopile systems, the rate of degradation of benzo(a)pyrene was low, requiring more than 12 years for soil concentrations from a spill of about 25 kg (100 mol) to be reduced to a concentration of 0.001 microgg(-1). The removal time of 1-methylphenanthrene and either anthracene or phenanthrene was about 1 and 3 years, respectively. In contrast, benzene showed the highest degradation rate and was removed after 136 days in all biopile systems. Overall, this study confirms the association of risk critical contaminants with the residual saturation in treated soils and reinforces the importance of accounting for the partitioning behaviour of both NAPL and soil phases during the risk assessment of oil-contaminated sites.     

The frequency and causes of elevated concentrations of ozone at ground level at rural sites in north-west England

Ozone concentration data measured in 1977–1979 and 1981–1983 at rural sites in north-west England have been analysed in relation to elevated concentrations. Overall, concentrations exceed 60 ppb on 11.2% of days, 80 ppb on 4.2% of days and reach levels in excess of 100 ppb on 1.5% of days monitored. It is concluded that photochemical pollution is the most frequent cause of elevated concentrations, and that both long-range (continental) and middle-distance (U.K. urban) sources contribute. On a smaller percentage of days, elevated ozone levels arise from enhanced intrusions of stratospheric air associated with vigorous frontal activity. The meteorological situations associated with tropospheric photochemical ozone formation are summer anticyclonic conditions, in common with other observations in the U.K. and other parts of the world.     

Monitoring of ozone in a marine environment in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

In the Aguere Valley (in the oceanic boundary layer at Tenerife, 28°N, 16°W, 580 m a.s.l.) the ozone levels were monitored for ambient air quality assessment. Although precursors are emitted in this area, the strong correlation between ozone levels and wind velocity indicates that ozone is transported into the valley from the ocean. The inland ozone supply along the valley is induced by an orographic channelling effect of the northern oceanic air masses. The highest ozone concentrations are mostly recorded during the nocturnal stage under the influence of fresh oceanic air masses, and during high wind speed events. The seasonal cycle is characterised by elevated ozone mixing ratios in the spring (nighttime levels >45 ppbv) and low mixing ratios in the summer (nighttime levels in the range 20–35 ppbv). Back-trajectory analysis shows that the ozone monitored in the Aguere Valley is associated with long-range transport processes. High ozone events in the spring are associated with transport from upper tropospheric levels, both over the North Atlantic-high latitudes (>45°N) and Europe. This downward transport was observed in the western edge of upper tropospheric cyclones, which suggests that the upper tropospheric/low stratospheric ozone sources play a significant role. In summer, ozone is mainly transported from the North Atlantic-high latitudes (>45°N) and from mid- to low-tropospheric levels. In autumn and winter, the high ozone concentrations are transported from sources located a few km above the North Atlantic-high latitudes (>45°N) and over Europe. The Central-North Atlantic (<45°N) and North Africa are not significant sources of ozone. The high spring and lower summer ozone events in the Aguere Valley agree with other North Atlantic ozone observation in the oceanic boundary layer. However, this behaviour contrasts with the high ozone events frequently recorded at Izaña BAPMoN station (located in the free troposphere in Tenerife) during the summer, which have been attributed in the literature to downward transport from upper levels. An intensification of the inversion layer that separates the oceanic boundary layer of the free troposphere during the summer in Canary Islands is interpreted as the cause of this different behaviour between ozone in the Aguere Valley and Izaña BAPMoN station.     

Microbiological characterization of the biological treatment of aircraft paint stripping wastewater

Leaching rates of the herbicide dichlorprop [(+/--2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propanoic acid] and nitrate were measured together in field lysimeters containing undisturbed clay and peat soils. The purpose of the study was to investigate the leaching pattern of the two solutes in structured soils under different precipitation regimes. Spring barley (Hordeum distichum L.) was sown on each monolith and fertilized with 100 kg N ha(-1). Dichlorprop was applied at a rate of 1.6 kg active ingredient (a.i.) ha(-1). Each soil type received supplemental irrigation at two levels ('average' and 'worst-case'), giving total water inputs (irrigation and precipitation) of 664 and 749 mm year(-1), respectively. The larger water input approximately doubled the nitrate loads, from, on average, 11.6 to 21.8 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) in the clay soil and from 37.6 to 65.4 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) in the peat soil. In contrast, dichlorprop leaching was reduced by more than one order of magnitude when the water input was increased, from average amounts of 3.22 to 0.26 g a.i. ha(-1) during an S-month period in the clay and from 28.9 to 2.67 g a.i. ha(-1) in the peat. This leaching pattern of dichlorprop was explained in terms of preferential flow. The dried-out topsoil of 'average' watered monoliths may have allowed water flow in cracks, thus moving some of the herbicide rapidly through the topsoil to the subsoil. Once the compound reached the subsoil, degradation rates would be reduced and the herbicide residues would be stored for later leaching. Nitrate was presumably more evenly distributed in the soil matrix; therefore, water rapidly moving through macropores would not carry significant amounts of nitrate. In contrast, leaching would occur more evenly through the soil matrix, causing larger nitrate loads in the 'worst-case' watered monoliths. These results show that wet years may constitute a worst case scenario in terms of nitrate leaching, but not pesticide leaching, if macropore flow exerts a significant influence on leaching.     

Fate of seven pesticides in an aerobic aquifer studied in column experiments

The fate of selected pesticides (bentazone, isoproturon, DNOC, MCPP, dichlorprop and 2,4-D) and a metabolite (2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)) was investigated under aerobic conditions in column experiments using aquifer material and low concentrations of pesticides (approximately 25 microg/l). A solute transport model accounting for kinetic sorption and degradation was used to estimate sorption and degradation parameters. Isoproturon and DNOC were significantly retarded by sorption, whereas the retardation of the phenoxy acids (MCPP, 2,4-D and dichlorprop), BAM and bentazone was very low. After lag periods of 16-33 days for the phenoxy acids and 80 days for DNOC, these pesticides were degraded quickly with 0.-order rate constants of 1.3-2.6 microg/l/day. None of the most probable degradation products were detected.     

Effects of simulated acid rain and ozone on foliar chemistry of field-grown Pinus ponderosa seedlings and mature trees

We investigated the additive and interactive effects of simulated acid rain and elevated ozone on C and N contents, and the C:N ratio of one-year-old and current-year foliage of field-grown mature trees and their half-sib seedlings of a stress tolerant genotype of ponderosa pine. Acid rain levels (pH 5.1 and 3.0) were applied weekly to foliage only (no soil acidification or N addition), from January to April, 1992. Plants were exposed to two ozone levels (ambient and twice-ambient) during the day from September 1991 to November 1992. The sequential application of acid rain and elevated ozone mimicked the natural conditions. Twice-ambient ozone significantly decreased foliar N content (by 12-14%) and increased the C:N ratio of both one-year-old and current-year foliage of seedlings. Although similar ozone effects were also observed on one-year-old foliage of mature trees, the only statistically significant effect was an increased C:N ratio when twice-ambient ozone combined with pH 3.0 rain (acid rain by ozone interaction). Enhancing the effect of twice-ambient ozone in increasing the C:N ratio of one-year-old foliage of mature trees in June was the only significant effect of acid rain.     

A method for developing ozone exposures that mimic ambient conditions in agricultural areas

Ozone fumigations that mimic ambient ozone distributions facilitate the development of links between

• 1.(1) vegetative effects results that are generated in the laboratory and the field and
• 2.(2) predictive effects models that depend upon ambient air quality data.

Experimental exposure profiles were constructed from a readily available ambient air quality data base (i.e. EPA SAROAD). Air quality data from selected monitoring sites were characterized over the 5-month growing season by identifying

• 1.(a) the number of occurrences of hourly ozone concentrations equal to or above 0.07 ppm,
• 2.(b) the number of days of each episode,
• 3.(c) the number of days between episodes and
• 4.(d) the rate of rise and decline of the daily ozone concentrations.

An episodic profile was constructed incorporating the information into a representative 30-day ozone exposure pattern in which the concentration was changed on an hourly basis. In order to compare treatments having equivalent exposures (sum of hourly ozone concentrations equal to or above a minimum value) but dissimilar temporal distributions of hourly concentrations, a second profile was created. This profile was characterized by a repeated daily incremental rise and decline in ozone concentration that had the same hourly maximum concentration each day. The use of experimental exposure profiles mimicking ambient air quality characteristics and applied under controlled experimental conditions permits the examination of important exposure parameters on plant response.     

Bacterial, azotobacter, actinomycetes, and fungal population in soil after diazinon, imidacloprid, and lindane treatments in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields

Bacterial, azotobacter, actinomycetes, and fungal populations were determined in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields between July and November for three consecutive years (1997-1999) after insecticide treatments. Diazinon was applied for both seed and soil treatments. However, imidacloprid and lindane were used for seed treatments. An average half-life (t1/2) of diazinon in seed- and soil-treated fields was found to be 29.32 and 34.87 days, respectively. Its residues were found for 60 days in both cases. In diazinon seed treatment, an increase in azotobacter, fungi, and actinomycetes populations was observed in samples from the 15th and 30th days, and this trend continued until crop harvest. However, the bacterial population had not been affected by this treatment. The diazinon soil treatment had indicated some significant adverse effects on fungi and actinomycetes population, which recovered after 30 days. The population of bacteria and azotobacter increased significantly in this treatment. The residues of imidacloprid and lindane were found for 90 and 120 days with an average half-life of 40.9 and 53.3 days, respectively. Imidacloprid had no significant effect on fungi and actinomycetes populations up to 15 days, and between 15 to 60 days some adverse effects were indicated. However, some significant increases in bacterial and azotobacter population were observed. Lindane had no effect on bacterial and fungal population. However, its adverse effects were observed in actinomycetes and azotobacter populations between 30 to 60 days.     

Measurement of trifluralin volatilization in the field: Relation to soil residue and effect of soil incorporation

Volatilization may represent a major dissipation pathway for pesticides applied to soils or crops. A field experiment (September, 2002), consisted in volatilization fluxes measurements during 6 days, covering the periods before and after soil incorporation carried out 24 h after trifluralin spraying on bare soil. Evolution of concentration in soil was measured during 101 days, together with soil physical and meteorological variables. Volatilization fluxes were very high immediately after application (1900 ng m(-2) s(-1)), decreased down to 100 ng m(-2) s(-1) in the following 24 h. Soil incorporation strongly abated trifluralin concentration in the air. 99% of the total volatilization losses recorded over the 6 days following application occurred before incorporation. Volatilization fluxes evidenced a diurnal cycle driven by environmental conditions. Soil trifluralin residues could still be quantified 101 days after application. Our results highlight the caution required when using soil degradation half-life values in the field for volatile compounds.     

Effects of open-top chamber fumigations with ozone on three fungal leaf diseases of wheat and the mycoflora of the phyllosphere

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Turbo) was exposed in open-top chambers to six different ozone levels (8-h daily means from 12.4 to 122 microg m(-3)), to non-filtered air and to chamberless field conditions for 31 days from seedling stage through ear emergence. Powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis DC. f.sp. tritici Marchal) which developed during the exposure period was significantly enhanced from 0.3/0.6% (two chamber replicates), 1.2/2.1%, 0.9/2.2% in charcoal-filtered air (CF) to 1.5/1.6%, 3.7/4.3%, 4.4/4.6% at the highest level of ozone, on the flag leaf, second and third leaf position, respectively. Post-exposure inoculation with Septoria nodorum Berk. led to increases of disease severity on the flag leaf from 40.9/43.6% in CF to 66.3/70.6% at the highest ozone concentration and on the ears from 15.7/16.5% to 26.3/26.6%. In the same comparison, severity of spot blotch following inoculation with Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoem. (syn. Helminthosporium sativum Pamm., King et Bakke) was increased on the flag leaf from 3.6/8.9% to 12.3/23.4%. The three diseases examined correlated significantly with the ozone treatments in fumigated chambers. Disease severity was enhanced even on undamaged plant tissue (flag leaves). Infections of the two facultative pathogens on lower leaf positions started only in part from visible ozone lesions, mildew did not start from such lesions. No significant effects of ozone in the chambers on the saprobial colonization of the phyllosphere were detected, whereas there were marked differences in this respect between plants from the field and the chambers. At the highest ozone treatment, contents of chlorophyll a and carotenoids on the second leaf position declined significantly, which was associated with symptoms of premature senescence. Senescing effects of ozone are therefore assumed to be one major factor in predisposing wheat for necrotrophic leaf pathogens. Surprisingly, injurious and predisposing effects of ozone were completely absent in chambers supplied with non-filtered air containing ambient ozone at doses equivalent to those in CF + ozone chambers. Evidently, biological effects of ozone in pure air and in ambient air may differ markedly.     

真空紫外灯动态降解空气中低浓度甲醛的研究

以集中空调中处理室内可挥发性有机物(VOCs)为应用背景,搭建了试验台.实验研究了真空紫外灯(主波长254 nm,185 nm)降解甲醛的影响因素以及产生O3的情况.研究表明,在产生的O3浓度低于室内空气质量标准(0.16mg/m3)的情况下,真空紫外灯也能够高效地降解空气中低浓度甲醛(＜1 mg/m3);甲醛降解率与反应器空气流速及甲醛初始浓度成反比;降解速率与甲醛初始浓度成正比,与反应器空气的流速成反比;绝对湿度对真空紫外灯降解甲醛有一定的影响;反应器空间大小对甲醛降解影响比较显著.应用于集中空调系统净化室内空气中VOCs,取得了很好的效果.     

Rural southeast Texas air quality measurements during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study

The authors conducted air quality measurements of the criteria pollutants carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone together with meteorological measurements at a park site southeast of College Station, TX, during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study II (TexAQS). Ozone, a primary focus of the measurements, was above 80 ppb during 3 days and above 75 ppb during additional 8 days in summer 2006, suggestive of possible violations of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) in this area. In concordance with other air quality measurements during the TexAQS II, elevated ozone mixing ratios coincided with northerly flows during days after cold front passages. Ozone background during these days was as high as 80 ppb, whereas southerly air flows generally provided for an ozone background lower than 40 ppb. Back trajectory analysis shows that local ozone mixing ratios can also be strongly affected by the Houston urban pollution plume, leading to late afternoon ozone increases of as high as 50 ppb above background under favorable transport conditions. The trajectory analysis also shows that ozone background increases steadily the longer a southern air mass resides over Texas after entering from the Gulf of Mexico. In light of these and other TexAQS findings, it appears that ozone air quality is affected throughout east Texas by both long-range and regional ozone transport, and that improvements therefore will require at least a regionally oriented instead of the current locally oriented ozone precursor reduction policies.     

Modeling toxic compounds from nitric oxide emission measurements

Determining the amount and rate of degradation of toxic pollutants in soil and groundwater is difficult and often requires invasive techniques, such as deploying extensive monitoring well networks. Even with these networks, degradation rates across entire systems cannot readily be extrapolated from the samples. When organic compounds are degraded by microbes, especially nitrifying bacteria, oxides or nitrogen (NO_x) are released to the atmosphere. Thus, the flux of nitric oxide (NO) from the soil to the lower troposphere can be used to predict the rate at which organic compounds are degraded. By characterizing and applying biogenic and anthropogenic processes in soils the rates of degradation of organic compounds. Toluene was selected as a representative of toxic aromatic compounds, since it is inherently toxic, it is a substituted benzene compound and is listed as a hazardous air pollutant under Section 12 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Measured toluene concentrations in soil, microbial population growth and NO fluxes in chamber studies were used to develop and parameterize a numerical model based on carbon and nitrogen cycling. These measurements, in turn, were used as indicators of bioremediation of air toxic (i.e. toluene) concentrations. The model found that chemical concentration, soil microbial abundance, and NO production can be directly related to the experimental results (significant at P < 0.01) for all toluene concentrations tested. This indicates that the model may prove useful in monitoring and predicting the fate of toxic aromatic contaminants in a complex soil system. It may also be useful in predicting the release of ozone precursors, such as changes in reservoirs of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. As such, the model may be a tool for decision makers in ozone non-attainment areas.     

Persistence, degradation and leaching of coumaphos in soil

Dissipation, degradation and leaching of fresh 14C coumaphos, alkylated 14C coumaphos and aged residues of 14C coumaphos from vats were studied in alkaline sandy loam soil in soil columns in the field under subtropical conditions in Delhi for a year. Dissipation, degradation and bound residue formation was more in case of alkali treated coumaphos than fresh coumaphos. After 365 days total residues of fresh coumaphos accounted for 33.25% while that of alkali treated coumaphos was 19.12%. Bound residue formation was almost double in case of alkali treated coumaphos (18.95%) than fresh coumaphos (9.53%) after 150 days followed by release of bound residue in both the cases. The proportion of metabolites 4-methylumbelliferone, chlorferon and potasan collectively was 86.05% in fresh coumaphos extractable residues while the same was 91.74% in alkali treated coumaphos after 365 days. Aged residues from vats containing copper sulphate and buffer were found to be more persistent in soil as total residues remained were 95.58% in comparison with 83.09% total residues of aged residues from vats containing only buffer after 150 days of treatment. Copper sulphate seems to inhibit the degradatiion of coumaphos in soil by microorganisms. Chlorferon was the major metabolite in generally all the samples. Coumaphos did not leach below 10 cm in all the cases.     

Soil dehydrogenase, phosphomonoesterase and arginine deaminase activities in an insecticide treated groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) field

Chlorpyrifos (O,O-diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2 pyridyl phosphorothioate) 20 EC and Quinalphos (O,O-diethyl O-quinoxalin-2-yl phosphorothioate) 25 EC, were applied in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) field as seed treatment at 25 ml/kg and soil treatment at 4 l/ha in 1998 and 1999. The residues of these insecticides were monitored during the entire crop season and their effect on the soil enzymes dehydrogenase, phosphomonoesterase and arginine deaminase were studied. Ninety nine percent of chlorpyrifos residues were dissipated within 60 days from seed treated soil and 98% dissipation was observed in soil treated field for the same days. Its half lives in seed treated soil were 8 days and 7 days and in soil treated field were 9.2 days in and 7.5 days in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Dissipation of quinalphos in comparison to chlorpyrifos was slow both in seed treated and soil treated field. Eighty seven percentage to 92% dissipation of quinalphos residues were observed from seed treated soil and 98% residues were dissipated from soil treated field within 75 days. Its half lives in seed treated soil were 20 days and 18 days and in soil treated field, its half lives were 13 days and 17 days 1998 and 1999 respectively. Inhibition in dehydrogenase activity followed by recovery was observed both in seed and soil treatments with chlorpyrifos. An inhibition of 17.2% was estimated after 60 days of seed treatment in comparison to control. Dehydrogenase activity was significantly reduced to 63% after 15 days of quinalphos seed treatment in comparison to control in 1998. Similar trends were observed in 1999. A significant inhibition in dehydrogenase activity was observed after soil treatment both in 1998 and 1999. Phosphomonoesterase activities were significantly inhibited upto 25.2% as compared to the control, on the 15th day of chlorpyrifos seed treatment in 1998 and similarly, after one day of treatment in 1999. Quinalphos inhibited the phosphomonoesterase activity till the end of the experimental period in the soil treated fields, whereas recovered within 30-60 days of treatment in the seed treated fields. Arginine deaminase activity was significantly stimulated within one day after chlorpyrifos seed and soil treatments in both years. The activity was almost threefold higher on the 30th and the 15th day of soil treatment in 1998 and 1999, respectively. A temporary inhibition of arginine deaminase activity was observed after quinalphos treatment. It was observed that in most of cases insecticides have temporary inhibitory effect on soil enzymes. However, inhibition was smaller in seed treated soil than in direct soil treatment.     

Investigation of the influence of transport from oil and natural gas regions on elevated ozone levels in the northern Colorado front range

The Northern Colorado Front Range (NCFR) has been in exceedance of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) since 2004, which has led to much debate over the sources of ozone precursors to the region, as this area is home to both the Denver, CO, metropolitan area and the Denver–Julesburg Basin, which has experienced rapid growth of oil and natural gas (O&NG) operations and associated emissions. Several recent studies have reported elevated levels of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as a result of O&NG emissions and the potential for significant ozone production from these emissions, despite implementation of stricter O&NG VOC emissions regulations in 2008. Approximately 88% of 1-hr elevated ozone events (>75 ppbv) occur during June–August, indicating that elevated ozone levels are driven by regional photochemistry. Analyses of surface ozone and wind observations from two sites, namely, South Boulder and the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory, both near Boulder, CO, show a preponderance of elevated ozone events associated with east-to-west airflow from regions with O&NG operations in the N-ESE, and a relatively minor contribution of transport from the Denver Metropolitan area to the SE-S. Transport from upwind areas associated with abundant O&NG operations accounts for on the order of 65% (mean for both sites) of 1-hr averaged elevated ozone levels, while the Denver urban corridor accounts for 9%. These correlations contribute to mounting evidence that air transport from areas with O&NG operation has a significant impact on ozone and air quality in the NCFR.

Implications: This article builds on several previous pieces of research that implied significant contributions from oil and natural gas emissions on ozone production in the Northern Colorado Front Range. By correlating increased ozone events with transport analyses we show that there is a high abundance of transport events with elevated ozone originating from the Denver–Julesburg oil and natural gas basin. These findings will help air quality regulators to better assess contributing sources to ozone production and in directing policies to curb ozone pollution in this region.     

Dissipation of chlorpyrifos in two soil environments of semi-arid India

The dissipation of chlorpyrifos (20 EC) at environment-friendly doses in the sandy loam and loamy sand soils of two semi-arid fields and the presence of pesticide residues in the harvested groundnut seeds, were monitored. The movement of chlorpyrifos through soil and its binding in the loamy sand soil was studied using 14C chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos was moderately stable in both loamy sand and sandy loam soils, with half-life of 12.3 and 16.4 days, respectively. With 20 EC treatments the dissipation was slower for standing crop than seed treatment, indicative of the high degradation rates in the bioactive rhizosphere. In soil, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) was the principal breakdown product. Presence of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-methoxypyridine (TMP), the secondary metabolite, detected in the rhizospheric samples during this study, has not been reported earlier in field soils. The rapid dissipation of the insecticide from the soil post-application might have resulted from low sorption due to the alkalinity of the soil and its low organic matter content, fast topsoil dissipation possibly by volatilization and photochemical degradation, aided by the low water solubility, limited vertical mobility due to confinement of residues to the upper 15 cm soil layers and microbial mineralization and nucleophilic hydrolysis. Contrary to the reports of relatively greater mobility of its metabolites in temperate soils, TMP and TCP remained confined to the top 15 cm soil. The formation of bound residues (half-life 13.4 days) in the loamy sand soil was little and not "irreversible." A decline in bound residues could be correlated to decreasing TCP concentration. Higher pod yields were obtained from pesticide treated soils in comparison to controls. Post-harvest no pesticide residues were detected in the soils and groundnut seeds.