Characteristics of soil organic matter (SOM) extracted using base with subsequent pH lowering and sequential pH extraction

Humic substances from eight soils of varying properties were extracted by two different methods: (1) the traditional NaOH-extraction with subsequent acidification to different pH (approximately 1 to approximately 12) and sequential extractions using 0.01 M NaNO(3) at incremental pH (approximately 1 to approximately 11). Cumulative organic matter (OM) in the sequential extractions showed properties that were consistent with NaOH-extracted OM. The release of Al and Fe in the sequential extractions was closely related with the release of organic carbon (OC). The ratio of OC associated with humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) (the HA:FA ratio) varied widely among the soils indicating heterogeneity in their OM composition. However, a significant correlation between this HA:FA ratio and the NaOH extractable %OC content of the soils is indicative of the possible relationship between them. Between pH 5 and 7, which is a typical soil solution pH, a significant amount of HA-associated OC was soluble. In modeling metal speciation in soil solutions, it has been assumed that all dissolved organic carbon (DOC) that is active toward metal binding is associated with FA. The results of this study indicate that the validity of these assumptions based on model sensitivity alone is questionable.     

TOWARD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF RECREATIONAL BOATING IN THE ADIRONDACK LAKES REGION1

ABSTRACT: Results of a study to determine the relationship between physical characteristics of Adirondack lakes and variations in peak boat-use intensity indicated that 69 percent of the variation in peak use can be accounted for by the number of public and commercial boat-launching facilities per mile of lake shoreline. Other lake characteristics related to peak boat use were: the number of commercial overnight accommodations available, number of boat slips, lake size, and miles of lake shoreline. Lake characteristics not related to peak use were: accessibility, configuration, tent spaces available, surrounding landscape quality, volume of traffic and availability of other lakes. This information should provide recreation managers and planners with a better understanding of factors related to variation in peak boating-use periods.     

Molecular-level investigation of monoaromatic compound sorption to suspended soil particles by deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance

Molecular-level sorption behavior of monoaromatic compounds in suspensions of water-dispersable clay components was studied by measuring 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin-spin relaxation times (T2). In general, decreased T2 values indicate stronger solute-sorbent interactions and increased sorption of the solute. A decreasing trend for T2 values in the order benzene > fluorobenzene > toluene (-C6D5 moiety) was observed, which was probably caused by the hydrophobic effect. The T2 values for benzene and the -C6D5 moiety of toluene increased with increasing pH, whereas the trend with pH was much weaker and less consistent for fluorobenzene and the methyl group of toluene. Conversely, no clear relationship was found between T2 values and pH for dichloromethane. These contrasting results cannot be explained by the pH-dependent self-assembly and hydrophobicity of humics. Instead, directed specific forces, including hydrogen bonding, cation-pi interactions, and aromatic-aromatic interactions, are proposed between the benzene ring of monoaromatic solutes and soil organic matter (SOM). Substituents of benzene affect these interactions by varying the pi electron density. When the soil fraction was treated with NaOH to remove humic and fulvic acids, T2 values for the different monoaromatic solutes were surprisingly lower compared with those for the untreated soil fraction. This result is probably caused by the increased ratio of solutes adsorbed to "hard" or "glassy" SOM components, which leads to less mobile sorbed solute molecules, after removing NaOH-extractable humics that contain more "soft" or "rubbery" SOM components.     

Assessing potential bioavailability of metals in sediments: A proposed approach

Due to anthropogenic inputs, elevated concentrations of metals frequently occur in aquatic sediments. In order to make defensible estimates of the potential risk of metals in sediments and/or develop sediment quality criteria for metals, it is essential to identify that fraction of the total metal in the sediments that is bioavailable. Studies with a variety of benthic invertebrates indicate that interstitial (pore) water concentrations of metals correspond very well with the bioavailability of metals in test sediments. Many factors may influence pore water concentrations of metals; however, in anaerobic sediments a key phase controlling partitioning of several cationic metals (cadmium, nickel, lead, zinc, copper) into pore water is acid volatile sulfide (AVS). In this paper, we present an overview of the technical basis for predicting bioavailability of cationic metals to benthic organisms based on pore water metal concentrations and metal-AVS relationships. Included are discussions of the advantages and limitations of metal bioavailability predictions based on these parameters, relative both to site-specific assessments and the development of sediment quality criteria.     

Predictive effects of occupational and marital stress on the mental health of a male workforce

This study examined the predictive contribution of occupational and marital stress to the development of symptomatolgoy, affective disorder, and alcohol-related problems in a sample of 325 male power plant employees interviewed at baseline and one-year follow up. After controlling for known clinical and social risk factors, we found statistically significant predictive effects of job demands on affective disorder and job decision latitude on alcohol problems. In addition, the specific combination of high job demands with low decision latitude was important in predicting the occurrence of alcohol problems. Marital stress was not predictive of poorer mental health. The analyses provided only minimal support for a stress-buffering rote of social support.     

Degradation of phenol in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor at ambient temperatureKE

A synthetic wastewater containing phenol as sole substrate was treated in a 2.8 L upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor at ambient temperature. The operation conditions and phenol removal efficiency were discussed, microbial population in the UASB sludge was identified based on DNA cloning, and pathway of anaerobic phenol degradation was proposed. Phenol in wastewater was degraded in an UASB reactor at loading rate up to 18 gCOD/(L·d), With a 1:1 recycle ratio, at 26(1℃, pH 7.0-7.5. An UASB reactor was able to remove 99% of phenol up to 1226 mg/L in wastewater with 24 h of hydraulic retention time(HRT). For HRT below 24 h, phenol degradation efficiency decreased with HRT, from 95.4% at 16 h to 93.8% at 12 h. It further deteriorated to 88.5% when HRT reached 8 h. When the concentration of influent phenol of the reactor was 1260 mg/L(corresponding COD 3000 mg/L), with the HRT decreasing(from 40 h to 4 h, corresponding COD loading increasing), the biomass yields tended to increase from 0.265 to 3.08 g/(L·d). While at 12 h of HRT, the biomass yield was lower. When HRT was 12 h, the methane yield was 0.308 L/(gCOD removed), which was the highest. Throughout the study, phenol was the sole organic substrate. The effluent contained only residual phenol without any detectable intermediates, such as benzoate, 4-hydrobenzoate or volatile fatty acids(VFAs). Based on DNA cloning analysis, the sludge was composed of five groups of microorganisms. Desulfotomaculum and Clostridium were likely responsible for the conversion of phenol to benzoate, which was further degraded by Syntrophus to acetate and H2/CO2. Methanogens lastly converted acetate and H2/CO2 to methane. The role of epsilon-Proteobacteria was, however, unsure.     

Smallholder Farms as Stepping Stone Corridors for Crop-Raiding Elephant in Northern Tanzania: Integration of Bayesian Expert System and Network Simulator

Crop-raiding elephants affect local livelihoods, undermining conservation efforts. Yet, crop-raiding patterns are poorly understood, making prediction and protection difficult. We hypothesized that raiding elephants use corridors between daytime refuges and farmland. Elephant counts, crop-raiding records, household surveys, Bayesian expert system, and least-cost path simulation were used to predict four alternative categories of daily corridors: (1) footpaths, (2) dry river beds, (3) stepping stones along scattered small farms, and (4) trajectories of shortest distance to refuges. The corridor alignments were compared in terms of their minimum cumulative resistance to elephant movement and related to crop-raiding zones quantified by a kernel density function. The “stepping stone” corridors predicted the crop-raiding patterns. Elephant presence was confirmed along these corridors, demonstrating that small farms located between refuges and contiguous farmland increase habitat connectivity for elephant. Our analysis successfully predicted elephant occurrence in farmland where daytime counts failed to detect nocturnal presence. These results have conservation management implications.     

A small subsurface ion mobility spectrometer sensor for detecting environmental soil-gas contaminants

A small subsurface ion mobility spectrometer (SS-IMS) was constructed and tested with several environmental contaminants to determine its potential for monitoring gaseous volatile organic compounds in the vadose zone. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were detected and separated in IMS for the first time. Detection limits as low as 1 part per billion volume-to-volume (ppb(v)) were observed. Reduced mobility (K(0)) values were reported for 11 environmental contaminants. These data demonstrated the potential of ion mobility spectrometry as a viable technology for detecting and separating environmental soil-gas contaminants in the field, which may lead to a practical and simple approach for long-term monitoring of contaminated soils.     

VEGETATION Symptoms as a MEASURE of AIR POLLUTION

January 1984 forecasts by The Mcllvaine Company project variable but promising worldwide industry trends for the coming year. The influence on the market of air pollution legislation (in particular, acid rain legislation), gauged by utility planning trends, is discussed in the context of a shifting world market. Specialties within the segmented air pollution control market are categorized by the “market leader” concept, with which the author identifies a number of top companies as “world market leaders.”