Influence of humified organic matter on copper behavior in acid polluted soils

The main purpose of this work was to identify the role of soil humic acids (HAs) in controlling the behavior of Cu(II) in vineyard soils by exploring the relationship between the chemical and binding properties of HA fractions and those of soil as a whole. The study was conducted on soils with a sandy loam texture, pH 4.3-5.0, a carbon content of 12.4-41.0 g kg⁻¹ and Cu concentrations from 11 to 666 mg kg⁻¹. The metal complexing capacity of HA extracts obtained from the soils ranged from 0.69 to 1.02 mol kg⁻¹, and the stability constants for the metal ion-HA complexes formed, log K, from 5.07 to 5.36. Organic matter-quality related characteristics had little influence on Cu adsorption in acid soils, especially if compared with pH, the degree of Cu saturation and the amount of soil organic matter.     

Field evaluation of nitrogen availability from fresh and composted manure

Prediction of manure nitrogen availability to crops is key to ensuring adequate production while minimizing potential adverse environmental impacts. This field study estimated first-year and residual N availability from several manures subjected to various levels of processing, and evaluated the applicability of the pre-sidedress soil N test (PSNT) in fields receiving the different manures using corn (Zea mays L.) as the test crop. Plots received several rates of fresh (FP), dried (DP), or composted (CP) poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) manure, composted cow (Bos taurus) (CC) manure, ammonium nitrate (AN), or no N. Crop yields and N uptake from plots where CC was applied were undistinguishable from controls in most years, whereas poultry manures significantly increased corn production. Average apparent first-year N availability, as measured by fertilizer equivalence, was 57, 53, 14, and 4% for FP, DP, CP, and CC respectively. Apparent second-year N availability, as measured by relative effectiveness, was 18, 19, 12, and 7% for FP, DP, CP, and CC; however, for CC both first- and second-year estimates of apparent N recovery (ANR) could statistically not be separated from the controls. Apparent nitrogen avail-ability was greater for less processed manures and for CP compared to CC, emphasizing that producers should know the source and level of compost stability when these materials are used as a primary nutrient source. The PSNT successfully (87% correct) identified sites with a critical value of 24 mg kg(-1) that were N sufficient across a variety of N amendments from those that would have benefitted from additional N input.     

Environmental performance and spillover effects on productivity: evidence from horticultural firms

This study investigates the effect of environmental investment and related spillover effects on productivity in the agricultural sector by using a panel data of horticultural firms in Andalusia (Southern Spain). The results indicate a positive relationship between firm investment in environmental practices and productivity improvement, also showing the presence of positive environmental spillovers. In a second-stage of analysis, the incidence of environmental factors in firm specific individual technical efficiency is estimated. This analysis also shows the link between environmental knowledge diffusion and horticultural firms' performance.     

Removal of estrogenic activity of natural and synthetic hormones from a municipal wastewater: efficiency of horseradish peroxidase and laccase from Trametes versicolor

Some researches studied the removal of steroid estrogens by enzymatic treatment, however none verified the residual estrogenicity after the enzymatic treatment at environmental conditions. In this study, the residual estrogenic activities of the key natural and synthetic steroid estrogens were investigated following enzymatic treatment with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and laccase from Trametes versicolor. Synthetic water and municipal wastewater containing environmental concentrations of estrone, 17beta-estradiol, estriol, and 17alpha-ethinylestradiol were treated. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that the studied steroid estrogens were completely oxidized in the wastewater reaction mixture after a 1-h treatment with either HRP (8-10 U ml(-1)) or laccase (20 U ml(-1)). Using the recombinant yeast assay, it was also confirmed that both enzymatic treatments were very efficient in removing the estrogenic activity of the studied steroid estrogens. The laccase-catalyzed process seemed to present great advantages over the HRP-catalyzed system for up-scale applications for the treatment of municipal wastewater.     

Distribution and biological impact of dioxin-like compounds in risk zones along the Ebro River basin (Spain)

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the environmental impact associated to PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in the Ebro River basin. Sediments and fish from several species were sampled at three sites with different historical pollution records, including the Barbastro area with different industrial activities, and the Flix and Monzón sites, associated to heavy organochlorine compound pollution. Seventeen toxic PCDDs/Fs and 12 dioxin-like PCBs were analyzed by GC-MS. The results obtained indicated significant accumulation of dioxin-like PCBs, but not PCDDs/Fs, in sediments and fish at the Flix site compared to the other sites. Concomitantly, cytochrome p450 1A (CYP1A) expression, a known indicator for pollution by dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, was significantly elevated in barbel (Barbus graellsii) from the Flix site, compared to the population from the Barbastro site. CYP1A expression correlated with the concentration of dioxin-like PCBs in the fish fat, whereas no significant correlation was found with PCDDs/Fs concentrations. Our data suggest a significant biological impact at the Flix site, closely related to the presence of dioxin-like PCBs, whereas the PCDDs/Fs contribution to this impact appears to be non-significant, at least in the studied sites.     

Land cover along hiking trails in a nature tourism destination: the Azores as a case study

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Tourists have become increasingly interested in certain aspects of their destination, including landscape and biodiversity elements, thereby promoting...     

The impact of social media marketing strategies on promoting sustainability of tourism with fuzzy cognitive mapping: a case of Kalanggaman Island (Philippines)

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The current literature has espoused the role of social media platforms in promoting tourism destinations. Despite such advances, limited works are...     

Effects of thymol and carvacrol,alone or in combination,on fermentation and microbial diversity during in vitro culture of bovine rumen microbes

Two essential oils (EO), thymol and carvacrol, were used in six ratio (100:00, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 00:100) combinations of both EO and in a dose of 0.2?g L^?1 in bovine ruminal culture medium, 24-h cultures, to evaluate effects on total gas production (TGP), methane production, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro culture population dynamics of methanogenic and total bacteria. Total DNA extracted from ruminal microorganisms was subjected to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine effects on bacterial populations. The effect of EO on TGP and IVDMD were assessed by comparison to untreated control cultures. In general, methane production by the microbial populations appeared to be higher with treatments containing the highest concentration of thymol than with treatments containing more carvacrol resulting in a tendency for greater methane-inhibiting activity achieved as the thymol concentration in the thymol:carvacrol mixtures decreased linearly. The population of total bacteria with a 74.5% Dice similarity coefficient for comparison of DGGE band patterns indicating shifts in bacterial constituents as EO ratios changed. No effects on TGP, IVDMD while only slight shifts in the methanogenic populations were seen with an overall 91.5% Dice similarity coefficient.     

Controlling risks of P water pollution by sorption on soils,pyritic material,granitic material,and different by-products: effects of pH and incubation time

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Batch experiments were used to test P sorbent potential of soil samples, pyritic and granitic materials, mussel shell, mussel shell ash, sawdust, and...     

Arsenic release from pyrite ash waste over an active hydrogeological system and its effects on water quality

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Arsenic is a potentially toxic element of concern for environmental compartments, and it is a frequent pollutant in many abandoned industrial sites....