The effect of long-term atmospheric CO2 enrichment on the intrinsic water-use efficiency of sour orange trees

Every two months of 1992, as well as on three occasions in 1994-1995, we obtained leaf samples together with samples of surrounding air from eight well-watered and fertilized sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) trees that were growing out-of-doors at Phoenix, Arizona, USA. These trees had been planted in the ground as small seedlings in July of 1987 and enclosed in pairs by four clear-plastic-wall open-top chambers of which two have been continuously maintained since November of that year at a CO2 concentration of 400 micromol mol(-1) and two have been maintained at 700 micromol mol(-1). In September 2000, we also extracted north-south and east-west oriented wood cores that passed through the center of each tree's trunk at a height of 45 cm above the ground. Stable-carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C) derived from these leaf, wood and air samples were used to evaluate each tree's intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE). The grand-average result was an 80% increase in this important plant parameter in response to the 300 micromol mol(-1) increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration employed in the study. This increase in sour orange tree iWUE is identical to the long-term CO2-induced increase in the trees' production of wood and fruit biomass, which suggests there could be little to no change in total water-use per unit land area for this species as the air's CO2 content continues to rise. It is also identical to the increase in the mean iWUE reported for 23 groups of naturally occurring trees scattered across western North America that was caused by the historical rise in the air's CO2 content that occurred between 1800 and 1985.     

Nitrate and nitric acid concentrations at two Rocky Mountain baseline monitoring sites

A two-tiered, Teflon/nylon filterpack system was used to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of particulate nitrates and nitric acid vapors at two monitoring sites in the Rocky Mountains. Geometric means for particulate nitrates were 38.9 and 52.8 ng/m(3) for the upper and lower sites, respectively. For nitric acid, geometric means of 70.4 ng/m(3) for the upper site and 295 ng/m(3) for the lower site were observed. The relatively low concentrations found at these two sites are comparable to published values for these materials at other remote sites. Atmospheric concentrations of nitrates and nitric acid were correlated significantly at each site, and the total nitrate concentrations (NO(3)(-) plus HNO(3)) were correlated between sites. Comparisons between the two sites indicate that nitric acid concentrations were statistically greater at the lower elevation site, whereas nitrate concentrations were not significantly different. No general seasonal or annual pattern of nitrate or nitric acid concentrations were evident when comparable sampling periods were examined.     

Characterizing As(III,V) adsorption by soils surrounding ash disposal facilities

Leachate derived from unlined coal ash disposal facilities is a potential anthropogenic source of arsenic to the environment. To establish a theoretical framework for predicting attenuation of arsenic by soils subject to ash landfill leachate, which is typically enriched in calcium and sulfate, the adsorption of As(V) and As(III) was characterized from 1 mM CaSO₄ for 18 soils obtained down-gradient from three ash landfill sites and representing a wide range in soil properties. As(V) consistently exhibited an order of magnitude greater adsorption than As(III). As(V) adsorption was best described by coupling pH with 15 s DCB-Fe (R² = 0.851,  = 0.001), although pH coupled to clay, DCB-Fe, or DCB-Al also generated strong correlations. For As(III), pH coupled to Ox–Fe (R² = 0.725,  = 0.001) or Ox–Fe/Al (R² = 0.771,  = 0.001) provided the best predictive relationships. Ca²⁺ induced increases in As(V) adsorption whereas sulfate suppressed both As(V) and As(III) adsorption. Attenuation of arsenic from ash leachate agreed well with adsorption measured from 1 mM CaSO₄ suggesting that the use of 1 mM CaSO₄ in laboratory adsorption tests is a reasonable approach for estimating arsenic behavior in soils surrounding ash landfills. We also showed that the impact of leachate-induced changes in soil pH over time may not be significant for As(V) adsorption at pH < 7; however, As(III) adsorption may be impacted over a wider pH range especially if phyllosilicate clays contribute significantly to adsorption. The benefits and limitations of predicting arsenic mobility using linearized adsorption coefficients estimated from nonlinear adsorption isotherms or from the relationships generated in this study are also discussed.     

Ammonia emission factors from broiler litter in barns, in storage, and after land application

We measured NH? emissions from litter in broiler houses, during storage, and after land application and conducted a mass balance of N in poultry houses. Four state-of-the-art tunnel-ventilated broiler houses in northwest Arkansas were equipped with NH? sensors, anemometers, and data loggers to continuously record NH? concentrations and ventilation for 1 yr. Gaseous fluxes of NH?, N?O, CH?, and CO? from litter were measured. Nitrogen (N) inputs and outputs were quantified. Ammonia emissions during storage and after land application were measured. Ammonia emissions during the flock averaged approximately 15.2 kg per day-house (equivalent to 28.3 g NH?per bird marketed). Emissions between flocks equaled 9.09 g NH? per bird. Hence, in-house NH? emissions were 37.5 g NH? per bird, or 14.5 g kg(-1) bird marketed (50-d-old birds). The mass balance study showed N inputs for the year to the four houses totaled 71,340 kg N, with inputs from bedding, chicks, and feed equal to 303, 602, and 70,435 kg, respectively (equivalent to 0.60, 1.19, and 139.56 g N per bird). Nitrogen outputs totaled 70,396 kg N. Annual N output from birds marketed, NH? emissions, litter or cake, mortality, and NO? emissions was 39,485, 15,571, 14,464, 635, and 241 kg N, respectively (equivalent to 78.2, 30.8, 28.7, 1.3, and 0.5 g N per bird). The percent N recovery for the N mass balance study was 98.8%. Ammonia emissions from stacked litter during a 16-d storage period were 172 g Mg(-1) litter, which is equivalent to 0.18 g NH? per bird. Ammonia losses from poultry litter broadcast to pastures were 34 kg N ha (equivalent to 15% of total N applied or 7.91 g NH? per bird). When the litter was incorporated into the pasture using a new knifing technique, NH? losses were virtually zero. The total NH? emission factor for broilers measured in this study, which includes losses in-house, during storage, and after land application, was 45.6 g NH? per bird marketed.     

Does iodine gas released from seaweed contribute to dietary iodine intake?

Thyroid hormone levels sufficient for brain development and normal metabolism require a minimal supply of iodine, mainly dietary. Living near the sea may confer advantages for iodine intake. Iodine (I₂) gas released from seaweeds may, through respiration, supply a significant fraction of daily iodine requirements. Gaseous iodine released over seaweed beds was measured by a new gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)-based method and iodine intake assessed by measuring urinary iodine (UI) excretion. Urine samples were obtained from female schoolchildren living in coastal seaweed rich and low seaweed abundance and inland areas of Ireland. Median I₂ ranged 154–905 pg/L (daytime downwind), with higher values (~1,287 pg/L) on still nights, 1,145–3,132 pg/L (over seaweed). A rough estimate of daily gaseous iodine intake in coastal areas, based upon an arbitrary respiration of 10,000L, ranged from 1 to 20 μg/day. Despite this relatively low potential I₂ intake, UI in populations living near a seaweed hotspot were much higher than in lower abundance seaweed coastal or inland areas (158, 71 and 58 μg/L, respectively). Higher values >150 μg/L were observed in 45.6% of (seaweed rich), 3.6% (lower seaweed), 2.3% (inland)) supporting the hypothesis that iodine intake in coastal regions may be dependent on seaweed abundance rather than proximity to the sea. The findings do not exclude the possibility of a significant role for iodine inhalation in influencing iodine status. Despite lacking iodized salt, coastal communities in seaweed-rich areas can maintain an adequate iodine supply. This observation brings new meaning to the expression “Sea air is good for you!”     

Evaluation of Quicklime Incorporation in Bench-Scale and Full-Scale Lime Stabilized Biosolids Using a Flat Surface pH Electrode

Abstract

Uniform lime incorporation into sewage sludge is critical for biosolid lime stabilization processes. There is no class B biosolids regulation for lime incorporation. The slurry method is currently used to evaluate the pH of limed biosolids, but this method homogenizes the biosolids and potentially masks poor lime mixing. In this study, a flat-surface pH electrode was used in bench-scale and full-scale experiments to measure the pH of lime-stabilized biosolids without creating slurries. The standard deviation of 15 pH measurements at different locations in a biosolid sample was used to assess mixing quality. The bench-scale experimental study showed that well-mixed limed biosolids had consistently high pHs (~12) with low standard deviations (<0.5 pH units), whereas poorly mixed biosolids had areas with low pH (<10) and high standard deviations (>2 pH units). Poorly mixed biosolids exhibited rapid and marked pH reduction, as well as offensive odor generation, whereas well-mixed biosolids resisted pH reduction and offensive odor generation. The full-scale study aimed at improving lime incorporation and biosolids quality confirmed the use of a flat surface pH electrode to capture low pH regions in biosolids that were masked by the current slurry method.