Estimates of residual dairy manure nitrogen availability using various techniques

It is common practice to repeatedly apply dairy manure to the same fields. To accurately assess the total plant availability of manure nutrients, it is necessary to account for the nutrients remaining in soil from previous manure applications. A field experiment studying manure nitrogen (N) uptake by corn (Zea mays L.) was conducted from 1998 to 2003 on a Plano silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic, Typic Argiudolls). Plots received two rates of semisolid manure either every year, every 2 yr, or every 3 yr to estimate first-, second-, and third-year dairy manure N residuals. Residual manure N availability was estimated from single and multiple manure applications using (i) the fertilizer N equivalence method, (ii) the apparent recovery (difference) method, (iii) relative effectiveness method, and (iv) recovery of (15)N-labeled manure. Second-year availabilities after a single manure application using the fertilizer equivalence, difference, and relative effectiveness methods were estimated to be 12, 8, and 4% of total manure N applications, respectively. Estimates of third-year availability by these methods were 3, 1, and 5%, respectively. Measurement of (15)N recovered from labeled manure was 6 and 2% in the second and third year, respectively. Fertilizer equivalence, difference, and relative effectiveness methods showed great year to year variability, reducing the confidence in the residual manure N availability estimates by these methods, but using (15)N-labeled manures reduced variability substantially. Based on this and other studies, we suggest that second- and third-year residual N availability from a single application of semisolid dairy manure would be 9 to 12%, and 3 to 5% of the original manure N application, respectively.     

Spatiotemporal evolution of soil pH and zinc after the Aznalcollar mine spill

The residual pollution after the Aznalcóllar (southwestern Spain) pyrite mine spill is still a threat due to the continuing oxidation of sulfuric minerals. The objective of this paper was to analyze the combined effect of pyrite oxidation, sugar beet foam applications, and meteorological conditions on the spatiotemporal evolution of the pH and EDTA-extractable Zn concentration, using non co-located data from 11 sampling dates between June 1999 and March 2002. Median pH values ranged from 4.4 at the beginning of the monitoring period to 7.6 at the end, although values near 2.5 were observed throughout the entire period, despite of two sugar beet foam (SBF) applications. Zinc distributions were positively skewed and median concentrations ranged from 17 to 94 mg kg(-1). The inverse relationship between pH and Zn became weaker toward the end of the monitoring period as a consequence of the precipitation and posterior dissolution of newly formed minerals from the reaction products of the pyrite oxidation. Normal score maps showed that after the SBF applications only 0.5% of the monitored area was below the pH = 4 threshold, while on other dates up to one-third of the area remained below this value. The better performance of the second SBF application could be explained in terms of pyrite oxidation pathways and environmental conditions. From this analysis, with data obtained under uncontrolled field conditions, it is concluded that SBF should be applied before or during the wet and cold season to alleviate acidification, caused by the oxidation of pyrite or other sulfuric minerals.     

Trace elements and microbiological parameters in farmed Nile tilapia with emphasis on muscle,water, sediment and feed

Fish may bioaccumulate contaminants from the aquatic environment and extend them to the food chain provoking risks to human health. This study evaluated the microbiological parameters of the pond´s water and trace elements concentrations in samples of water, sediment, feed and muscle of farmed Nile tilapia used for human consumption in southern Brazil. A total of 240 fish were collected from 12 tilapia farms. Sediment, tank water and dry ration used in the animals' diet were collected for analysis. Analysis were performed by Energy Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), Induced Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES), and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS-VGA). In addition, the microbiological analysis of the water was carried out. The concentrations of Se, I, Fe, Cu and Zn in fish muscle were higher than the recommended by the Brazilian legislation, considering the advised daily intake for adults. The arsenic element had concentrations above the limit stipulated by the present Brazilian legislation, observed in all samples of muscle, sediment and tank water highlighting a possible environmental and fish contamination by the toxic element. Moreover, the arsenic concentration in the water presented a positive correlation (ρ?=?0.33) with arsenic in the muscle, suggesting that tilapia is a good environmental bioindicator, once they properly reflect the levels of arsenic in the water. It is suggested to perform an arsenic speciation for quantification of the inorganic form and accurate assessment of the degree of toxicity in the muscle samples and risks it can bring to human health. Regarding the other potentially toxic elements (Hg, Pb and Cd), and microbiological analysis of water it was verified that the consumption of the fish in question does not raise risks, since the values are within a quality benchmark established by law. The concentration of total and fecal coliforms in pond´s water in the facilities was in agreement with the microbiological indexes required by the legislation of CONAMA class II. Western region presented the lowest concentrations of fecal coliforms when compared to the other regions. There was no significant difference in the microbiological counts of total heterotrophic bacteria, Vibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp. among the regions.     

Synthesis of functionalized mesoporous material from rice husk ash and its application in the removal of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The rice husk ash (RHA) was used as an alternative source of silica for the synthesis of the functionalized mesoporous material, which was used in the...     

Chromium toxicity in plants

Due to its wide industrial use, chromium is considered a serious environmental pollutant. Contamination of soil and water by chromium (Cr) is of recent concern. Toxicity of Cr to plants depends on its valence state: Cr(VI) is highly toxic and mobile whereas Cr(III) is less toxic. Since plants lack a specific transport system for Cr, it is taken up by carriers of essential ions such as sulfate or iron. Toxic effects of Cr on plant growth and development include alterations in the germination process as well as in the growth of roots, stems and leaves, which may affect total dry matter production and yield. Cr also causes deleterious effects on plant physiological processes such as photosynthesis, water relations and mineral nutrition. Metabolic alterations by Cr exposure have also been described in plants either by a direct effect on enzymes or other metabolites or by its ability to generate reactive oxygen species which may cause oxidative stress. The potential of plants with the capacity to accumulate or to stabilize Cr compounds for bioremediation of Cr contamination has gained interest in recent years.     

Cognitive and institutional influences on farmers’ adaptive capacity: insights into barriers and opportunities for transformative change in central Arizona

The prospect of unprecedented environmental change, combined with increasing demand on limited resources, demands adaptive responses at multiple levels. In this article, we analyze different attributes of farm-level capacity in central Arizona, USA, in relation to farmers’ responses to recent dynamism in commodity and land markets, and the institutional and social contexts of farmers’ water and production portfolios. Irrigated agriculture is at the heart of the history and identity of the American Southwest, although the future of agriculture is now threatened by the prospect of “mega-droughts,” urbanization and associated inter-sector and inter-state competition over water in an era of climatic change. We use farm-level survey data, supplemented by in-depth interviews, to explore the cross-level dimensions of capacity in the agriculture–urban nexus of central Arizona. The surveyed farmers demonstrate an interest in learning, capacity for adaptive management and risk-taking attitudes consistent with emerging theory of capacity for land use and livelihood transformation. However, many respondents perceive their self-efficacy in the face of future climatic and hydrological change as uncertain. Our study suggests that the components of transformational capacity will necessarily need to go beyond the objective resources and cognitive capacities of individuals to incorporate “linking” capacities: the political and social attributes necessary for collective strategy formation to shape choice and opportunity in the future.     

Non-invasive matrices in human biomonitoring: a review

Humans and other living organisms are exposed to a variety of chemical pollutants that are released into the environment as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. Environmental pollutants are incorporated into the organism by different routes and can then be stored and distributed in different tissues, which leads to an internal concentration that can induce different alterations, adverse effects and/or diseases. Control measures should be taken to avoid these effects and human biomonitoring is a very useful tool that can contribute to this aim. Human biomonitoring uses different matrices to measure the target chemicals depending on the chemical, the amount of matrix necessary for the analysis and the detection limit (LOD) of the analytical technique. Blood is the ideal matrix for most chemicals due to its contact with the whole organism and its equilibrium with organs and tissues where chemicals are stored. However, it has an important disadvantage of being an invasive matrix. The development of new methodology and modern analytical techniques has allowed the use of other matrices that are less or non-invasive, such as saliva, urine, meconium, nails, hair, and semen or breast milk. The presence of a chemical in these matrices reflects an exposure, but correlations between levels in non-invasive matrices and blood must be established to ensure that these levels are related to the total body burden. The development of new biomarkers that are measurable in these matrices will improve non-invasive biomonitoring. This paper reviews studies that measure Cd, Pb, Hg, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organochlorine pesticides and phthalates in non-invasive matrices, the most used techniques for measurements and what alternative techniques are available.     

Assessing spatial variability of SO2 field as detected by an air quality network using Self-Organizing Maps,cluster, and Principal Component Analysis

In Bilbao (Spain), an air quality network measures sulphur dioxide levels at 4 locations. The objective of this paper is to develop a practical methodology to identify redundant sensors and evaluate a network's capability to correctly follow and represent SO₂ fields in Bilbao, in the frame of a continuous network optimization process.The methodology is developed and tested at this particular location, but it is general enough to be useable at other places as well, since it is not tied neither to the particular geographical characteristics of the place nor to the phenomenology of the air quality over the area.To assess the spatial variability of SO₂ measured at 4 locations in the area, three different techniques have been used: Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs), cluster analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results show that the three techniques yield the same results, but the information obtained via PCA can be helpful not only for that purpose but also to throw light on the major mechanisms involved. This might be used in future network optimization stages. The main advantage of cluster analysis and SOMs is that they provide readily interpretable results. All the calculations have been carried out using the freely available software R.