Influence of benomyl and prometryn on the soil microbial activities and community structures in pasture grasslands of Slovakia

The effects of pesticides (a herbicide and a fungicide) on the microbial community structure and their activity were analyzed in soil from four alpine pasture grasslands in Slovakia. Specifically, the effects of the herbicide, Gesagard (prometryn active ingredient), and fungicide, Fundazol 50 WP (benomyl active ingredient), on the microbial respiration activity (CO₂ production), the numbers of selective microbial physiological groups (CFU.g^?1) and the structure (relative abundance) of soil microbial communities [(phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA)] were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions. All treatments including the treatments with pesticides increased (statistically significantly) the production of CO₂ in all fields during 21 days of incubation and posed a statistically insignificant negative influence on the numbers of the observed physiological groups of microorganisms. The significantly negative influence was evaluated only in the numbers of two physiological groups; spores of bacteria utilizing organic nitrogen and bacteria, and their spores utilizing inorganic nitrogen. A shift in the microbial composition was evident when the PLFA patterns of samples from different sites and treatments were compared by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). According to the second component PCA 2 (15.95 %) the locations were grouped into two clusters. The first one involved the Donovaly and Dubakovo sites and the second one contained the Velka Fatra and Mala Fatra locations. The PLFA composition of the soils showed important changes after the treatment with pesticides according to PCA 1 (66.06 %). Other treatments had not had a significant effect on the soil microbial community with the exception of the population of fungi. The lower relative abundance (significant effect) of Gram-positive bacteria, actinomycetes and general group of bacteria were determined in samples treated by the herbicide Gesagard. The application of fungicide Fundazol decreased (statistically significantly) the relative abundance of actinomycetes and general group of bacteria and paradoxically increased the population of fungi.     

Influence of H2SO4 and ferric iron on Cd bioleaching from spent Ni–Cd batteries

The paper is concerned with biohydrometallurgical methods of cadmium recovery from spent Ni–Cd batteries. Cd leaching efficiency from electrode material in different media (H₂SO₄ and Fe₂(SO₄)₃ solutions), at different Fe(III) concentrations and using the bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were investigated. The main aim of this study was to understand which from the bioleaching products (sulphuric acid or ferric sulphate) play a main role in the bioleaching process of Cd recovery. The influence of Fe ions on Cd leachability was confirmed. The best leaching efficiency of Cd (100%) was reached by bioleaching and also by leaching in Fe₂(SO₄)₃ solution. The results of X-ray diffraction confirmed that no cadmium was present in solid residuum obtained after the Cd bioleaching as well as Cd leaching using solely ferric iron. The use of H₂SO₄ solution resulted in the lowest efficiency of Cd leachability, the presence of hydroxides in electrode materials caused neutralization of the leaching solution and inhibition of Cd leaching.     

Impact of market constraints on the development of small-scale biogas technology in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

The sustainable production and use of small-scale biogas energy are required to ensure clean household energy access in developing countries, including the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. This is influenced by market risks, which can be identified as political, economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental (PESTLE). This study examines peer-reviewed and grey literature for the period from 2000 to 2020 to identify the PESTLE constraints and assess their impact on the sustainable development of the technology in the SSA region. The production of biogas with small-scale plants is commonly done by rural and peri-urban households. Results show that economic constraints are the most dominant and reducing at a slow pace. This is followed by political constraints, which have received much attention in the last two decades. Despite the policy improvements, broader national bioenergy policies and interventions are still to make significant gains, especially in the Central African region. In order of significance, the Southern, East, and West Africa regions have made greater progress in reducing the constraints. To achieve the sustainable development of the technology, there is a need to further address the PESTLE constraints at national and regional levels. This study partly deduces that the unsustainable production, use, and inadequate regulation of the small-scale biogas sector are delaying its transition in the SSA region.

     

Determination of trichloroacetic acid in environmental studies using carbon 14 and chlorine 36

Radioisotopes carbon 14 and chlorine 36 were used to elucidate the environmental role of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) formerly taken to be a herbicide and a secondary air pollutant with phytotoxic effects. However, use of ¹⁴C-labeling posed again known analytical problems, especially in TCA extraction from the sample matrix. Therefore—after evaluation of available methods—a new procedure using decarboxylation of [1,2-¹⁴C]TCA combined with extraction of the resultant ¹⁴C-chloroform with a non-polar solvent and its subsequent radiometric measurement was developed. The method solves previous difficulties and permits an easy determination of amounts between 0.4 and 20 kBq (10–500 ng g⁻¹) of carrier-less [1,2-¹⁴C]TCA in samples from environmental investigations. The procedure is, however, not suitable for direct [³⁶Cl]TCA determination in chlorination studies with ³⁶Cl. Because TCA might be microbially degraded in soil during extraction and sample storage and its extraction from soil or needles is never complete, the decarboxylation method—i.e. 2 h TCA decomposition to chloroform and CO₂ in aqueous solution or suspension in closed vial at 90 °C and pH 4.6 with subsequent CHCl₃ extraction—is recommended here, estimated V < 7%. Moreover, the influence of pH and temperature on the decarboxylation of TCA in aqueous solution was studied in a broad range and its environmental relevance is shown in the case of TCA decarboxylation in spruce needles which takes place also at ambient temperatures and might amount more than 10–20% after a growing season. A study of TCA distribution in spruce needles after below-ground uptake shows the highest uptake rate into current needles which have, however, a lower TCA content than older needle-year classes, TCA biodegradation in forest soil leads predominatingly to CO₂.     

Salt additions alter short-term nitrogen and carbon mobilization in a coastal Oregon Andisol

Deposition of sea salts is commonly elevated along the coast relative to inland areas, yet little is known about the effects on terrestrial ecosystem biogeochemistry. We examined the influence of NaCl concentrations on N, C, and P leaching from a coastal Oregon forest Andisol in two laboratory studies: a rapid batch extraction (approximately 1 d) and a month-long incubation using microlysimeters. In the rapid extractions, salt additions immediately mobilized significant amounts of ammonium and phosphate but not nitrate. In the month-long incubations, salt additions at concentrations in the range of coastal precipitation increased nitrate leaching from the microcosms by nearly 50% and reduced the mobility of dissolved organic carbon. Our findings suggest that coupled abiotic-biotic effects increase nitrate mobility in these soils: exchange of sodium for ammonium, then net nitrification. Changes in sea salt deposition to land and the interactions with coastal soils could alter the delivery of N and C to sensitive coastal waters.     

Influence of COM-peptides/proteins on the properties of flocs formed at different shear rates

Coagulation followed by floc separation is a key process for the removal of algal organic matter(AOM) in water treatment. Besides optimizing coagulation parameters,knowledge of the properties of AOM-flocs is essential to maximizing AOM removal.However, the impact of AOM on the floc properties remains unclear. This study investigated how peptides/proteins derived from the cellular organic matter(COM) of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa influenced the size, structure, and shape of flocs formed at different shear rates(G). Flocs formed by kaolinite, COM-peptides/proteins and a mixture of the same were studied, and the effect of intermolecular interactions between floc components on floc properties was assessed. The coagulation experiments were performed in a Taylor–Couette reactor, with aluminum(Al) or ferric sulphate(Fe) utilized as coagulants. Image analysis was performed to gauge floc size and obtain data on fractal dimension. It was found that floc properties were affected by the presence of the COM-peptides/proteins and the coagulant used. COM-peptides/proteins increased floc size and porosity and widened floc size distributions. The Fe coagulant produced larger and less compact flocs than Al coagulant. Moreover, the decrease in floc size that occurred in parallel with increase in shear rate was not smooth in progress. A rapid change for the kaolinite-coagulant suspension and two rapid changes for the suspensions containing COM were observed. These were attributed to various intermolecular interactions between floc components participating in coagulation at different G. Based on the results obtained, shear rates suitable for efficient separation of flocs containing COM were suggested.     

The emergence of team helping norms: Foundations within members' attributes and behavior

This research examined the antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior helping norms in teams, specifically with regard to how members' personality, values, beliefs, and helping behavior predict the emergence of helping norms in newly formed project teams. We drew from theory on emergent phenomena and team composition research to propose and test a compilation model of how helping norms are influenced by having at least one member with particularly low (minimum) or high (maximum) levels of attributes that may influence helping‐norm development (i.e., conscientiousness, agreeableness, other‐oriented values, personal helping beliefs). We further examined the extent to which members' helping behaviors, as rated by peers, predicted helping norms and whether these behaviors mediated the relationship between individual attributes and helping norms. The results of a longitudinal study of 47 student project teams revealed that teams' minimums on agreeableness, other‐oriented values, and personal helping beliefs had direct relationships with helping‐norm emergence, and the effects of agreeableness were mediated through mean helping behavior. By contrast, teams' maximums on these attributes showed no relationships with helping norms, and only a team maximum on agreeableness was associated with teams' mean helping behavior. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dose Dependent Interactions Between Ammonification Potential and Bacteria in Three Tropical Pond Ecosystems

Using six different doses of peptone (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.50 gl^-1) and nine different periods of inclubation (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 days), the rates of ammonification potential (AP) were monitored in three tropical ponds of differetn ecological status, during winter and summer periods. During the winter, the AP (ammonifying bacteria) exhibited peaks on day 4 of incubation in all the test doses of peptone in all the three ponds, except in the lowest dose in eutrophic and chemically polluted pond where the peaks preceded by a day. the responses of AP to the lowest doses of substrate did not differ between summer and winter, while the AP-peaks at higher doses were delayed by 2 days in summer. the concentrations of nitrate in vitro were the inverse and direct functions of the AP and dissolved oxygen of water. at moderate dose (0.75 gl^-1) of peptone, both AP and dissolved oxygen at higher doses, and by AP at the lowest dose of peptone.