Dual-domain solute transfer and transport processes: evaluation in batch and transport experiments

Soil macropore networks establish a dual-domain transport scenario in which water and solutes are preferentially channeled through soil macropores while slowly diffusing into and out of the bulk soil matrix. The influence of macropore networks on intra-ped solute diffusion and preferential transport in a soil typical of subsurface-drained croplands in the Midwestern United States was studied in batch- and column-scale experiments. In the batch diffusion studies with soil aggregates, the estimated diffusion radius (length) of the soil aggregates corresponded to the half-spacing of the aggregate fissures, suggesting that the intra-ped fissures reduced the diffusion impedance and preferentially allowed solutes to diffuse into the soil matrix. In the column-scale solute transport experiments, the average diffusion radius (estimated from HYDRUS-2D simulations and a first-order diffusive transfer term) was nearly double that of the batch-scale study. This increase may be attributed to a loss of pore continuity and a compounding of the small diffusion impedance through macropores at the larger scale. The column-scale solute transport experiments also suggest that two preferential networks exist in the soil. At and near soil saturation, a primary network of large macropores (possibly root channels and earthworm burrows) dominate advective transport, causing a high degree of physical and sorption nonequilibrium and simultaneous breakthrough of a nonreactive (bromide) and a reactive (alachlor) solute. As the saturation level decreases, the primary network drains, while transport through smaller macropores (possibly intra-ped features) continues, resulting in a reduced degree of nonequilibrium and separation in the breakthrough curves of bromide and alachlor.     

Comparison of a Subjective and a Physical Approach for Identification of Priority Areas for Soil and Water Management in a Watershed – A Case Study of Nagwan Watershed in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand, India

The present investigation was an attempt to compare the within-watershed prioritization capabilities of a physical model based SDSS with the SYI and RPI model based subjective-SDSS, conventionally devised for between-watershed prioritizations, by All India Soil Survey and Land Use Planning Division of Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Application of these two approaches on a test watershed situated in Damodar-Barakar catchment in India, the second most seriously eroded area in the world, demonstrated that the proposed physical model based SDSS was capable of realistically and logically mimicking the sub-watershed-scaled water and soil losses thereby suggesting its immense application potential for priority area identification within the test watershed. In contrast to the proposed physical method, the subjective approaches, which assigned totally reverse priorities to about 67–93% of the test-sub-watersheds, were observed to be incapable of realistically assessing the impact of topography and varied land use and soil types in the test watershed on their sub-watershed scaled run-off and soil loss generating potential. Besides, the physical approach could be used for assessing the annual dynamics of the total water and sediment yields, under prevailing resource management systems in the test watershed with good to moderately good correlation coefficients of 0.83 and 0.65; model efficiency coefficients of 0.54 and 0.70; mean relative errors of –4.28% and –17.97% and root mean square prediction errors of 71.8 mm and 9.63 t/ha, respectively.     

Distribution pattern of ambient cadmium in wetland ponds distributed along an industrial complex

Water and sediment samples collected from 18 wetland ponds within and outside industrial areas were examined for cadmium concentration and water quality parameters during the period of January to July 1996. The Cd contents in gill, liver, mantle and shell of freshwater mussel (Lamellidens marginalis) as well as leaves and roots of water hyacinth Eichhornia those occurred in these ponds were also estimated. Cd concentration ranged from 0.006 to 0.7025 mg/l in water and from 7 to 77 microg/gdw in sediments of all the ponds investigated. The amount of Cd occurring in water and sediment was much higher in concentrations in the ponds located in Captain Bheri and Mudiali farm close to industrial areas, compared to remaining ponds located outside the industrial belt. Lamellidens marginalis procured from Mudiali and Captain Bheri ponds showed regardless of size, tissue and season of collection significantly higher Cd concentration than did those from other ponds. Likewise, tissue Cd in Eichhornia collected from Mudiali pond was as high as 125-152 microg/gdw in root and 21-63 microg/gdw in leaves compared to 40-108 microg/gdw in root and 9-43 microg/gdw in leaves in the remaining ponds. Seasonal variability of Cd was clear-cut; the concentration was relatively higher in water and sediment in all ponds during summer than during monsoon season or winter. Size-wise, smaller groups showed the highest concentrations of Cd in all tissues of Lamellidens compared with medium and large size groups. Concentration factor for all tissues of Lamellidens regardless of size and season, was inversely proportional with the ambient Cd concentrations. Concentration factor estimated for all tissues in all ponds and all seasons was in the order: liver>gill>shell>mantle. As all ponds located outside the industrial belt showed Cd concentrations ranging from 0.006 to 0.049 mg/l, it is suggested that these wetlands do not pose serious risk to the environment.     

遥感与地理信息系统对资源利用热点地区的初步应用——-以印度北部山地小流域为例

资源利用与资源退化在时间及空间领域上的表现有所分异。识别出那些受人为干扰严重且易于发生资源退化的区域(资源利用的热点地区),对这些区域给予重视并采取特殊的管理机制以避免资源的进一步退化和环境的恶化,对资源的可持续利用具有重要的现实意义。论文以印度北部山地小流域的研究为例,根据当地实际情况,选取4个参数作为评价指标,即资源利用的重要性、资源的需求程度、资源利用的可获取性以及人类活动造成的景观生态学的干扰指数,利用遥感技术和地理信息系统对资源利用热点地区的识别进行了初步探讨。通过研究,将该流域划分为3种区域,即高度敏感区、中度敏感区和低敏感区,分别体现了不同的资源退化在空间上的分布。     

A design of a vermiculite column adsorber for the removal of lead from water

Mini-column techniques were employed to determine the mass transfer coefficient for lead adsorption onto vermiculite. Variation of the mass transfer coefficient with flow rate, particle size of sorbent, and influent lead concentration were studied. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis showed that the mass transfer coefficient varied as the 0.43 power of the liquid flow rate and inversely as the 0.272 power of particle diameter of the vermiculite, but was independent of the influent concentration of lead. Different parameters of a fixed bed column design for the removal of lead by vermiculite were determined using the data from the batch sorption study. The performance of the liquid bed column in removing lead was in close agreement with predicted performance using the batch isotherm data.     

Mechanism of Cd（II） adsorption by macrofungus Pleurotus platypus

The mechanism of Cd(II) uptake by the dead biomass of macrofungus Pleurotus platypus was investigated using di erent chemical and instrumental techniques. Sequential removal of cell wall components of the biosorbent revealed that structural polysaccharides play a predominant role in the biosorption of Cd(II). The adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo second-order model suggested that the adsorption of Cd(II) on P. platypus involved a chemisorption process. Transmission electron microscopy of the cadmium exposed biomass confirmed the deposition of the metal mainly in the cell wall. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis of the metal loaded biosorbent confirmed the participation of –OH, –NH and C–O–C groups in the uptake of Cd(II). Energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the biosorbent before and after metal uptake revealed that the main mechanism of adsorption was ion-exchange. The e ectiveness of CaCl2 in the desorption of cadmium perhaps suggested the exchange of Ca2+ with Cd(II).     

Watershed land use as a determinant of metal concentrations in freshwater systems

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and pH were synthesized from 30 publications to determine the factors regulating concentrations and behavior of metals in freshwater systems. Results from the review suggest that contrasting watershed land use can directly (erosion and runoff) and indirectly (in-lake processes including metal–DOM–pH interactions) affect the metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Among the watershed land uses considered here, concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Cu were observed in the following order: arctic lakes < forested < agricultural < urbanized < mined. A drastic difference in mean metal concentrations has been observed when undisturbed or low impact watersheds (arctic and forested) were changed by agricultural, urban, and mining developments. Relationships between metal concentrations and pH revealed that metals precipitate at high pH (pH > 5). Additionally, at pH < 5, metal concentrations were significantly correlated with DOM due to metal–DOM complexation. High ratios of metal: DOM occur only at low DOM concentrations. Collectively, two general conclusions can be drawn from this review. First, lakes, rivers, and streams with urbanized watersheds are the most susceptible to increased concentrations of metals. Secondly, these results also suggest that regardless of high or low DOM in the water column, pH would affect metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Nonetheless, free metal ions would be higher in freshwater systems with acidic water and low DOM.     

Persistence and dissipation of dazomet in soil and tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill) seedlings

The persistence and dissipation pattern of dazomet residues in nursery bed soil and tomato seedlings under field condition and in submerged soil and surface water under laboratory condition was studied. In nursery bed soil the half life (t _1/2) of dazomet ranged from 1.85 to 3.09 days indicating very rapid dissipation. No residues existed in tomato seedlings sown on the treated plots 3 weeks after application and the seedlings were healthy and devoid of any deformation. Under submerged condition dissipation was much faster both in soil and surface water, t_1/2 being 0.82–0.84 days only in water.