Interactions between accumulation of trace elements and macronutrients in Salix caprea after inoculation with rhizosphere microorganisms

Although the beneficial effects on growth and trace element accumulation in Salix spp. inoculated with microbes are well known, little information is available on the interactions among trace elements and macronutrients. The main purpose of this study was to assess the effect of phytoaugmentation with the rhizobacteria Agromyces sp., Streptomyces sp., and the combination of each of them with the fungus Cadophora finlandica on biomass production and the accumulation of selected trace elements (Zn, Cd, Fe) and macronutrients (Ca, K, P and Mg) in Salix caprea grown on a moderately polluted soil. Dry matter production was significantly enhanced only upon inoculation with Agromyces sp. Regarding the phytoextraction of Cd and Zn, shoot concentrations were mostly increased after inoculation with Streptomyces sp. and Agromyces sp. + C. finlandica. These two treatments also showed higher translocation factors from roots to the leaves for both Cd and Zn. The accumulation of Cd and Zn in shoots was related to increased concentrations of K. This suggests that microorganisms that contribute to enhanced phytoextraction of Cd and Zn affect also the solubility and thus phytoavailability of K. This study suggests that the phytoextraction of Zn and Cd can be improved by inoculation with selected microbial strains.     

Estrogen receptor mediated activity in bankside groundwater, with flood suspended particulate matter and floodplain soil - an approach combining tracer substance, bioassay and target analysis

Bankside groundwater is widely used as drinking water resource and, therefore, contamination has to be avoided. In the European Union groundwater protection is explicit subject to Water Framework Directive. While groundwater pollution may originate from different sources, this study investigated on impacts via flood events.Groundwater was sampled with increasing distance to the river Rhine near Karlsruhe, Germany. Samples were HPLC-MS-MS analyzed for the river contaminant carbamazepine to indicate river water infiltration, giving permanent presence in 250 m distance to the river (14-47 μg L⁻¹). Following a flood event, concentrations of about 16-20 μg L⁻¹ could also be detected in a distance of 750 m to the river. Furthermore, estrogenic activity as determined with the Yeast Estrogen Screen assay was determined to increase up to a 17β-ethinylestradiol equivalent concentration (E-EQ) = 2.9 ng L⁻¹ near the river, while activity was initially measured following the flood with up to E-EQ = 2.6 ng L⁻¹ in 750 m distance. Detections were delayed with increasing distance to the river indicating river water expansion into the aquifer.Flood suspended matter and floodplain soil were fractionated and analyzed for estrogenic activity in parallel giving up to 1.4 ng g⁻¹ and up to 0.7 ng g⁻¹, respectively. Target analysis focusing on known estrogenic active substances only explained <1% of measured activities.Nevertheless, river water infiltration was shown deep into bankside groundwater, thus, impacting groundwater quality. Therefore, flood events have to be in the focus when aiming for groundwater and drinking water protection as well as for implementation of Water Framework Directive.     

Partitioning of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) between water and sediment

Laboratory partitioning experiments were conducted to elucidate the sorption behaviour and partitioning of perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs). Three different sediment types were used and separately spiked with perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) at low environmentally realistic concentrations. PFOA, PFOS and PFOSA were mainly distributed in the dissolved phase at low suspended solid concentrations, indicating their long-range transport potential in the marine environment. In all cases, the equilibrium isotherms were linear and the organic carbon normalised partition coefficients (K_OC) decreased in the following order: PFOSA (log K_OC = 4.1 ± 0.35 cm³ g⁻¹) > PFOS (3.7 ± 0.56 cm³ g⁻¹) > PFOA (2.4 ± 0.12 cm³ g⁻¹). The level of organic content had a significant influence on the partitioning. For the sediment with negligible organic content the density of the sediment became the most important factor influencing the partitioning. Ultimately, data on the partitioning of PFCs between aqueous media and suspended solids are essential for modelling their transport and environmental fate.     

Fate of nitrogen for subsurface drip dispersal of effluent from small wastewater systems

Subsurface drip irrigation systems apply effluent from onsite wastewater systems in a more uniform manner at a lower rate than has been possible with other effluent dispersal methods. The effluent is dispersed in a biologically active part of the soil profile for optimal treatment and where the water and nutrients can be utilized by landscape plants. Container tests were performed to determine the fate of water and nitrogen compounds applied to packed loamy sand, sandy loam, and silt loam soils. Nitrogen removal rates measured in the container tests ranged from 63 to 95% despite relatively low levels of available carbon. A Hydrus 2D vadose zone model with nitrification and denitrification rate coefficients calculated as a function of soil moisture content fit the container test results reasonably well. Model results were sensitive to the denitrification rate moisture content function. Two-phase transport parameters were needed to model the preferential flow conditions in the finer soils. Applying the model to generic soil types, the greatest nitrogen losses (30 to 70%) were predicted for medium to fine texture soils and soils with restrictive layers or capillary breaks. The slow transport with subsurface drip irrigation enhanced total nitrogen losses and plant nitrogen uptake opportunity.     

Transport of Escherichia coli in 25 m quartz sand columns

To help improve the prediction of bacteria travel distances in aquifers laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the distant dependent sticking efficiencies of two low attaching Escherichia coli strains (UCFL-94 and UCFL-131). The experimental set up consisted of a 25 m long helical column with a diameter of 3.2 cm packed with 99.1% pure-quartz sand saturated with a solution of magnesium sulfate and calcium chloride. Bacteria mass breakthrough at sampling distances ranging from 6 to 25.65 m were observed to quantify bacteria attachment over total transport distances (α(L)) and sticking efficiencies at large intra-column segments (α(i)) (>5m). Fractions of cells retained (F(i)) in a column segment as a function of α(i) were fitted with a power-law distribution from which the minimum sticking efficiency defined as the sticking efficiency of 0.001% bacteria fraction of the total input mass retained that results in a 5 log removal were extrapolated. Low values of α(L) in the order 10(-4) and 10(-3) were obtained for UCFL-94 and UCFL-131 respectively, while α(i)-values ranged between 10(-6) to 10(-3) for UCFL-94 and 10(-5) to 10(-4) for UCFL-131. In addition, both α(L) and α(i) reduced with increasing transport distance, and high coefficients of determination (0.99) were obtained for power-law distributions ofα(i) for the two strains. Minimum sticking efficiencies extrapolated were 10(-7) and 10(-8) for UCFL-94 and UCFL-131, respectively. Fractions of cells exiting the column were 0.19 and 0.87 for UCFL-94 and UCL-131, respectively. We concluded that environmentally realistic sticking efficiency values in the order of 10(-4) and 10(-3) and much lower sticking efficiencies in the order 10(-5) are measurable in the laboratory, Also power-law distributions in sticking efficiencies commonly observed for limited intra-column distances (<2m) are applicable at large transport distances(>6m) in columns packed with quartz grains. High fractions of bacteria populations may possess the so-called minimum sticking efficiency, thus expressing their ability to be transported over distances longer than what might be predicted using measured sticking efficiencies from experiments with both short (<1m) and long columns (>25 m). Also variable values of sticking efficiencies within and among the strains show heterogeneities possibly due to variations in cell surface characteristics of the strains. The low sticking efficiency values measured express the importance of the long columns used in the experiments and the lower values of extrapolated minimum sticking efficiencies makes the method a valuable tool in delineating protection areas in real-world scenarios.     

Characterization of ACC deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria isolated from copper-tolerant plants and their potential in promoting the growth and copper accumulation of Brassica napus

One hundred Cu-resistant-endophytic bacteria were isolated from Cu-tolerant plants grown on Cu mine wasteland, of which, eight Cu-resistant and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-producing endophytic bacteria were obtained based on the ACC deaminase activity of the bacteria and characterized with respect to metal resistance, production of ACC deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) as well as siderophores and mineral phosphate solubilization. Ralstonia sp. J1-22-2, Pantoea agglomerans Jp3-3, and Pseudomonas thivervalensis Y1-3-9 with higher ACC deaminase activity (ranging from 213 to 370 μM α-ketobutyrate mg(-1)h(-1)) were evaluated for promoting plant growth and Cu uptake of rape grown in quartz sand containing 0, 2.5, and 5 mg kg(-1) of Cu in pot experiments. The eight bacteria were found to exhibit different multiple heavy metal resistance characteristics, to show different levels of ACC deaminase activity and to produce indole acetic acid. Seven bacteria produced siderophores and solubilized inorganic phosphate. Pot experiments showed that inoculation with the strains (J1-22-2, Jp3-3, and Y1-3-9) was found to increase the biomass of rape. Increases in above-ground tissue Cu contents of rape cultivated in 2.5 and 5 mg kg(-1) of Cu-contaminated substrates varied from 9% to 31% and from 3 to 4-fold respectively in inoculated-rape plants compared to the uninoculated control. The maximum Cu uptake of rape was observed after inoculation with P. agglomerans Jp3-3. The results show that metal-resistant and plant growth promoting endophytic bacteria play an important role in plant growth and Cu uptake which may provide a new endophytic bacterial-assisted phytoremediation of Cu-contaminated environment.     

Effects of C60 nanoparticle exposure on earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and implications for population dynamics

Effects of C₆₀ nanoparticles (nominal concentrations 0, 15.4 and 154 mg/kg soil) on mortality, growth and reproduction of Lumbricus rubellus earthworms were assessed. C₆₀ exposure had a significant effect on cocoon production, juvenile growth rate and mortality. These endpoints were used to model effects on the population level. This demonstrated reduced population growth rate with increasing C₆₀ concentrations. Furthermore, a shift in stage structure was shown for C₆₀ exposed populations, i.e. a larger proportion of juveniles. This result implies that the lower juvenile growth rate due to exposure to C₆₀ resulted in a larger proportion of juveniles, despite increased mortality among juveniles. Overall, this study indicates that C₆₀ exposure may seriously affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that juveniles were more sensitive to C₆₀ exposure than adults.     

Plant communities in relation to flooding and soil contamination in a lowland Rhine River floodplain

Using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), relationships were investigated between plant species composition and flooding characteristics, heavy metal contamination and soil properties in a lowland floodplain of the Rhine River. Floodplain elevation and yearly average flooding duration turned out to be more important for explaining variation in plant species composition than soil heavy metal contamination. Nevertheless, plant species richness and diversity showed a significant decrease with the level of contamination. As single heavy metal concentrations seemed mostly too low for causing phytotoxic effects in plants, this trend is possibly explained by additive effects of multiple contaminants or by the concomitant influences of contamination and non-chemical stressors like flooding. These results suggest that impacts of soil contamination on plants in floodplains could be larger than expected from mere soil concentrations. In general, these findings emphasize the relevance of analyzing effects of toxic substances in concert with the effects of other relevant stressors.     

Integrated analysis of the effects of agricultural management on nitrogen fluxes at landscape scale

The integrated modelling system INITIATOR was applied to a landscape in the northern part of the Netherlands to assess current nitrogen fluxes to air and water and the impact of various agricultural measures on these fluxes, using spatially explicit input data on animal numbers, land use, agricultural management, meteorology and soil. Average model results on NH₃ deposition and N concentrations in surface water appear to be comparable to observations, but the deviation can be large at local scale, despite the use of high resolution data. Evaluated measures include: air scrubbers reducing NH₃ emissions from poultry and pig housing systems, low protein feeding, reduced fertilizer amounts and low-emission stables for cattle. Low protein feeding and restrictive fertilizer application had the largest effect on both N inputs and N losses, resulting in N deposition reductions on Natura 2000 sites of 10% and 12%, respectively.     

N deposition as a threat to the World's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity

This paper combines the world’s protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that 40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030 indicating that this situation is not expected to change. Furthermore, 950 PAs are projected to receive >30 kg N/ha/yr by 2030 (approx. twice the 2000 number), of which 62 (approx. 11,300 km²) are also Biodiversity Hotspots and G200 ecoregions; with forest and grassland ecosystems in Asia particularly at risk. Many of these sites are known to be sensitive to N deposition effects, both in terms of biodiversity changes and ecosystem services they provide. Urgent assessment of high risk areas identified in this study is recommended to inform the conservation efforts of the CBD.