Effect of applying chemical fertilizers on forms of lead and cadmium in red soil

A three-month incubation study was undertaken to examine the influence of N, P and K on the various forms (soluble plus exchangeable (SE), weakly specifically adsorbed (WSA), Fe-Mn oxides bound (OX), organic matter complexed (OM) and residual fractions (RES)) of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in a red soil. Application of urea at the rate of 200 mg N/kg significantly lowered the SE fraction, but raised the WSA or OX fraction of both metals. Supply of 80 mg P/kg caused a decrease in the SE fraction of the two metals. The WSA fraction of Pb was reduced, whereas that of Cd increased by adding P. However, addition of 100 mg K/kg led to an increase in the SE fraction, but a decrease in the WSA fraction of Pb and Cd. Applying chemical fertilizers had no significant consistent influences on the other fractions of metals. These findings suggest that in heavy metal contaminated red soil, applying fertilizers does not only provide plant nutrients, but may also change the speciations and thus biovailability of heavy metals.     

Eutrophication of freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems a global problem

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Humans now strongly influence almost every major aquatic ecosystem, and their activities have dramatically altered the fluxes of growth-limiting nutrients from the landscape to receiving waters. Unfortunately, these nutrient inputs have had profound negative effects upon the quality of surface waters worldwide. This review examines how eutrophication influences the biomass and species composition of algae in both freshwater and costal marine systems. MAIN FEATURES: An overview of recent advances in algae-related eutrophication research is presented. In freshwater systems, a summary is presented for lakes and reservoirs; streams and rivers; and wetlands. A brief summary is also presented for estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems. RESULTS: Eutrophication causes predictable increases in the biomass of algae in lakes and reservoirs; streams and rivers; wetlands; and coastal marine ecosystems. As in lakes, the response of suspended algae in large rivers to changes in nutrient loading may be hysteretic in some cases. The inhibitory effects of high concentrations of inorganic suspended solids on algal growth, which can be very evident in many reservoirs receiving high inputs of suspended soils, also potentially may occur in turbid rivers. Consistent and predictable eutrophication-caused increases in cyanobacterial dominance of phytoplankton have been reported worldwide for natural lakes, and similar trends are reported here both for phytoplankton in turbid reservoirs, and for suspended algae in a large river CONCLUSIONS: A remarkable unity is evident in the global response of algal biomass to nitrogen and phosphorus availability in lakes and reservoirs; wetlands; streams and rivers; and coastal marine waters. The species composition of algal communities inhabiting the water column appears to respond similarly to nutrient loading, whether in lakes, reservoirs, or rivers. As is true of freshwater ecosystems, the recent literature suggests that coastal marine ecosystems will respond positively to nutrient loading control efforts. RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: Our understanding of freshwater eutrophication and its effects on algal-related water quality is strong and is advancing rapidly. However, our understanding of the effects of eutrophication on estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems is much more limited, and this gap represents an important future research need. Although coastal systems can be hydrologically complex, the biomass of marine phytoplankton nonetheless appears to respond sensitively and predictably to changes in the external supplies of nitrogen and phosphorus. These responses suggest that efforts to manage nutrient inputs to the seas will result in significant improvements in coastal zone water quality. Additional new efforts should be made to develop models that quantitatively link ecosystem-level responses to nutrient loading in both freshwater and marine systems.     

Diflubenzuron residue and persistence on an oak forest after aerial application

Abstract

A twenty hectare forest block in central Pennsylvania was aerially sprayed with diflubenzuron (Dimilin 25W®) at the dose of 33.23g A.I./ha in 9.4 litres/ha. Leaf samples were collected from the upper and lower canopies of 27 oaks and understory within this block on the day of spray, May 29, 1991. Canopy leaves were also collected on May 31, June 10, July 29 and September 26, 1991.

Recovery of diflubenzuron residues on fortified canopy‐leaf and litter‐leaf samples using analytical techniques employed in this study averaged 87.4% (SE = 7.5%) and 66.2% (SE = 8.2%), respectively.

On the day of spray, diflubenzuron residues on the upper canopy, lower canopy and understory averaged 81.18, 39.65 and 8.35 ng/cm², respectively. Diflubenzuron residues on canopy‐leaf samples collected 2, 12, 61 and 120 days post‐spray averaged 14.83 (SE = 10.19), 16.75 (SE = 9.95), 12.84 (SE = 8.25) and 11.20 (SE = 7.52) ng/cm², respectively. Diflubenzuron residues on litter‐leaf samples collected after leaf senescence ‐ 169 and 323 days post spray contained measurable amounts of diflubenzuron in 51 and 59% of the samples, respectively. Of the samples with measurable amounts of diflubenzuron, residues averaged 1.36 (SE = 2.44) and 0.65 ng/cm² (SE = 0.73) respectively.     

Kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of radionuclides in subsurface environments: coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry

Microbial reactions play an important role in regulating pore water chemistry as well as secondary mineral distribution in many subsurface systems and, therefore, may directly impact radionuclide migration in those systems. This paper presents a general modeling approach to couple microbial metabolism, redox chemistry, and radionuclide transport in a subsurface environment. To account for the likely achievement of quasi-steady state biomass accumulations in subsurface environments, a modification to the traditional microbial growth kinetic equation is proposed. The conditions for using biogeochemical models with or without an explicit representation of biomass growth are clarified. Based on the general approach proposed in this paper, the couplings of uranium reactions with biogeochemical processes are incorporated into computer code BIORXNTRN Version 2.0. The code is then used to simulate a subsurface contaminant migration scenario, in which a water flow containing both uranium and a complexing organic ligand is recharged into an oxic carbonate aquifer. The model simulation shows that Mn and Fe oxyhydroxides may vary significantly along a flow path. The simulation also shows that uranium(VI) can be reduced and therefore immobilized in the anoxic zone created by microbial degradation.     

Heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic ozonation of benzothiazole promoted by activated carbon: kinetic approach

Ozone oxidation combined with activated carbon adsorption (O(3)/AC) has recently started to be developed as a single process for water and wastewater treatment. While a number of aspects of aqueous ozone decomposition are well understood, the importance and relationship between aqueous ozone decomposition and organic contaminant degradation in the presence of activated carbon is still not clear. This study focuses on determining the contribution of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions to organic contaminants removal in O(3)/AC system. Benzothiazole (BT) was selected as a target organic pollutant due to its environmental concern. A reactor system based on a differential circular flow reactor composed by a 19 cm(3) activated carbon fixed bed column and 1 dm(3) storage tank was used. Ozone was produced from pure and dry oxygen using an Ozocav ozone generator rated at 5 g O(3)h(-1). Experimental results show that BT removal rate was proportional to activated carbon dosage. Activated carbon surface contribution to BT oxidation reactions with ozone, increased with pH in absence of radical scavengers. The radical reaction contribution within the pH range 2-11 accounted for 67-83% for BT removal in O(3)/AC simultaneous treatment. Results suggest that at pH higher than the pH of the point of zero charge of the activated carbon dissociated acid groups such as carboxylic acid anhydrides and carboxylic acids present on activated carbon surface could be responsible for the observed increase in the ozone decomposition reaction rate. A simplified mechanism and a kinetic scheme representing the contribution of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions on BT ozonation in the presence of activated carbon is proposed.     

Interactions between copper and cadmium modify metal organ distribution in mature tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

Sexually mature female tilapia were exposed to sublethal concentrations of waterborne Cu and/or Cd over 6 days, and subsequent body concentrations of these metals were determined in several organs. The results show that the distribution of Cu and Cd was metal and organ specific. This is demonstrated, for example, by the observation that in tilapia, Cu exposure did not result in Cu accumulation in the liver, whereas in the intestinal wall, notably high concentrations of Cu and Cd were measured in metal exposed fish. In addition to single metal exposed fish, we also determined Cu and Cd body distribution in Cu?Cd co-exposed fish. The observed interactions in metal accumulation were most pronounced in the organs of fish exposed to low, environmentally realistic, metal concentrations.     

Vertical infiltration of fuel oil hydrocarbons in an agricultural soil

The influence of rainfall, air temperature and soil moisture on the vertical mobility in the soil of fuel oil hydrocarbons (HC) was investigated in a field experiment. A controlled spreading of fuel oil (nC10‐nC25) was performed at a rate of 5 L HCm^‐2 on an agricultural soil in summer and in winter. Concentration, chemical composition of HC and soil moisture were regularly determined at different soil depths between 0 and 140 cm, 1 h, 3, 8and 15 days (d) after the spreading of oil. Sorption of hydrocarbons onto the organo‐mineral matrix of the soil was studied in laboratory experiments. The results showed that in summer, with an air temperature of 24°C and without water leaching in the soil profile, 65% of the initial HC remained trapped in the 0–140 cm soil layer, about 20% of the HC volatilized and around 15% migrated deeper. A vertical selective migration of the lightest (nC10‐nC15) HC (naphthas) was shown lSd after the spreading of fuel oil. Naphthas progressively reached the 120–140 cm soil layers whereas the heavy fractions of oil (nC17‐nC25) migrated and concentrated in the 0–60 cm soil layers. In winter, when soil was regularly watered by rainfalls and at low air temperatures, only 47% of the initial HC remained in the 0–140 cm profile after 15 d. A fast vertical infiltration of naphthas occurred within the first 3 d. After 15 d, all HC were detected in the same relative amounts as in the initial oil in the whole profile. Volatilization was negligible in winter and an increase in the migration of total oil at depth in the soil profile was shown. As inferred from the laboratory experiments, the high soil moisture led to the decrease in HC sorption on the organo‐mineral matter of the soil.     

Quantification of metallothionein in whole body gammarus locusta (crustacea: amphipoda) using differential pulse polarography

A polarographic method was optimised for the quantitative determination of metallothionein (MT) in whole body Gammarus locusta (Crustacea: Amphipoda). The identity of the MT-like proteins was examined using electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE) and induction studies (water-borne exposures to copper). The MT-method was then used to examine changes in MT levels over the lifetime (juveniles, sub-adults and adults) of a laboratory population of G. locusta; copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) body burden were also measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. MT was quantified by heat-denaturation of 30?000?g supernatants (to remove the bulk of non-MT proteins) followed by differential pulse polarography (DPP) to measure sulphydryl-group containing proteins. DPP proved to be a sensitive and reliable method to quantify heat-stable total sulphydryl-proteins. The majority of the latter was indicated to be MT from SDS-PAGE and induction studies. SDS-PAGE revealed a putative MT of 23?±?0.6?kDa app. mol. wt., consistent with the average size of dimeric MTs (10–20?kDa) found in several aquatic invertebrate species. Copper-exposure revealed parallel increases in the amounts of 23?kDa protein and total sulphydryl-proteins. Levels of whole body MT (rabbit pure MT as standard) range between 1.3 and 2.3?mg?g^?1 dry wt. over the lifetime of G. locusta. Sex-related changes in MT status were observed, the levels in females being 1.6 times higher than in males (p<0.05). Copper and Zn body content changed over the lifetime of G. locusta, the levels in juveniles (p>0.05) and sub-adults (p<0.05) being higher than in adults. It is concluded that the inclusion of MT in ecotoxicological studies with amphipod crustaceans require some caution with respect to the stages of moulting and/or sexual maturation of organisms, but this should not provide any major impediment in its use in metal pollution monitoring.