Role of the fungal mycelium in the retention of radiocaesium in forest soils

The aim of this work was to study possible binding of 137Cs to various organic components in the soil and fungi, by using various sequential extraction procedures. The retention and binding of 137Cs has been studied in two horizons Of/Oh and Ah/B of a Ukrainian forest soil. The exchangeable fractions 137Cs from soil (sum of H2O and 1 M NH4OAc fraction) were found to be 12% in the organic-rich layer (range 11-14%) and 23% in the organic-poor (range 20-29%). The hydrolysis with 10% H2SO4 resulted in an additional release of 30% of 137Cs from the organic-rich soil (range 30-35%) and 38% from the organic-poor soil horizon (range 27-53%). Extraction with 30% H2O2 released 11 and 15% of the 137Cs activity from organic-rich and organic-poor soil horizons. The corresponding values for treatment with 98.8% NaOCl were about 27% in both types of soil. About 11% of the total 137Cs activity was found in the humic acid fraction, about 5% in the fulvic fraction and 46% in the residue fraction. Relatively high level of 137Cs activity in soil (ca. 50%) was thus still left unsolved in the residue fraction. About 29% of 137Cs activity concentration in fungal mycelia was found as water soluble with a range of 11 to 41%. Additionally 24% of the 137Cs activity from mycelia was released by 1 M ammonium acetate extraction. Together, water and 1 M ammonium acetate extraction released about 53% of the total 137Cs activity in the mycelia. In fruit bodies of mycorrhizal fungi, 68% of the total 137Cs inventory was found to be water soluble at room temperature and 93% at 80 degrees C.     

Algal cultures with effluents from biological treatment of urban wastewaters by anaerobiosis

Experiments have been carried out on cultures of native algae of Andalucía (Spain) with effluents from the biological treatment of urban wastewaters by anaerobiosis, using continuous and discontinuous systems.The influence of different hydraulic retention times of the wastewater on the algal cultures has been determined: on the level of algal biomass reached, and on the degree of purification achieved, measured from the evolution of various quality parameters.     

A tubular ceramic membrane coated with TiO2-P25 for radial addition of H2O2 towards AMX removal from synthetic solutions and secondary urban wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This work aims to integrate several hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activation mechanisms, photolysis (UVC irradiation), chemical electron transfer (TiO2-P25...     

Investigation of two new low-cost adsorbents functionalized with magnetic nanoparticles for the efficient removal of triclosan and a synthetic mixture

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Triclosan (TCS) is widely used in the production of antibacterial products, being often found in wastewater. Therefore, this study developed new...