Negative effects of humic acid addition on phytoremediation of pyrene-contaminated sediments by mangrove seedlings

Vegetated (with Kandelia candel seedlings) and non-vegetated mangrove microcosms were employed to remove pyrene from contaminated sediments, and the effects of adding 6.7% humic acid (HA) on such removal were investigated. At the end of 6-month treatment, residual pyrene concentrations in surface sediments (0-2 cm) of the contaminated microcosms reduced from an initial 5.82 to 0.63 microg g(-1) dw, and the reduction was less in HA amended microcosms with the residual pyrene concentration remained at 3.12 microg g(-1) dw. The pyrene removal percentages in microcosms with HA amendment were 29% for surface aerobic sediments and 41% for bottom (anaerobic) sediments, while the respective removal percentages in microcosms without HA amendment were 89% (surface sediments) and 53% (bottom sediments). Microcosms planted with K. candel seedlings had a significantly higher pyrene removal when compared to the non-vegetated ones, and the average removal percentages were 70.9% and 61.4%, respectively. However, when humic acid was added, no significant difference was found between vegetated and non-vegetated microcosms in pyrene removal, both had less than 40% removal, probably because plant growth in humic acid amended contaminated microcosms, in terms of total biomass, was reduced by 50%. Roots of K. candel could accumulate pyrene from contaminated microcosms, and pyrene concentrations in roots harvested from microcosms with and without humic acid addition were 6.01 and 3.46 microg g(-1) dw, respectively. These results suggest that the addition of HA to contaminated sediments decreased the mangrove microcosm's ability to remove pyrene as pyrene was more tightly bound to the organic matter and plant growth was reduced.     

Spatial and temporal organic and heavy metal pollution at Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve,Hong Kong

An intensive monthly sampling of water and sediments from 12 sites over 8 months covering wet and dry seasons at Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve was conducted during June 1997-February 1998. Major organic (C, N and P) and heavy metal pollutants (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) water and sediment samples were examined. The results showed that Mai Po Marshes were severely polluted by organic matter and heavy metals, and the water from Deep Bay appeared to be the source of pollution. Up to 13-55% chance that the sediments of Mai Po Marshes were classified as moderately to seriously metal contaminated materials, according to the guideline set by Hong Kong Government. Empirical models describing organic matter and heavy metal spatial and seasonal dynamics in the water and sediments were formulated, based on data analysis. During wet season (June-October), more than 58% variations of total P can be explained by ortho-P in water, while ammonia-N explained up to 90% variations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen in water. Throughout the whole sampling period (June-February), there were significant correlations (p<0.01) between total organic C in water. pH in the sediments and salinity in water appeared to be important factors determining heavy metal mobility in sediments, while potential metal release from the sediments is a concern when any oxidizing processes such as flooding or dredging are imposed on sediments.     

Boreal bog plants: nitrogen sources and uptake of recently deposited nitrogen

The main goals of this study were to determine the delta15N signature of quantitatively important boreal bog plants as basis for discussing their N sources, and to assess the effects of five different 3 year N treatments (i.e. 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 kg N ha(-1) year(-1)) on the bog plants and surface peat at different depths (i.e. 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 cm) by using 15N as tracer. Plants and peat were analyzed for N concentration, 15N natural abundance and 15N at.%. From the results we draw three main conclusions: First, the relative importance of different N sources is species-specific among bog plants. Second, an annual addition of 5 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) was sufficient to significantly increase the N concentration in Sphagnum mosses, liverworts and shallow rooted vascular plants, and an annual addition of 40 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) during 3 years was not sufficient to increase the N concentration in deep rooted plants, although the 15N content increased continuously, indicating a possible longer term effect. Third, an annual addition of 40 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) during 3 years increased the N content in surface peat at depths of 5 and 10 cm, but not at depths of 20 and 40 cm, indicating the capacity of the living Sphagnum mosses and the surface peat to take up deposited N, and thereby function as a filter.     

Vapour pressures, aqueous solubility, Henry's law constants and air/water partition coefficients of 1,8-dichlorooctane and 1,8-dibromooctane

New data on the vapour pressures and aqueous solubility of 1,8-dichlorooctane and 1,8-dibromooctane are reported as a function of temperature between 20 °C and 80 °C and 1 °C and 40 °C, respectively. For the vapour pressures, a static method was used during the measurements which have an estimated uncertainty between 3% and 5%. The aqueous solubilities were determined using a dynamic saturation column method and the values are accurate to within ±10%. 1,8-Dichlorooctane is more volatile than 1,8-dibromooctane in the temperature range covered (p_sat varies from 3 to 250 Pa and from 0.53 to 62 Pa, respectively) and is also approximately three times more soluble in water (mole fraction solubilities at 25 °C of 5.95 × 10⁻⁷ and 1.92 × 10⁻⁷, respectively). A combination of the two sets of data allowed the calculation of the Henry’s law constants and the air water partition coefficients. A simple group contribution concept was used to rationalize the data obtained.     

Chemical and biological characterization of non-extractable sulfonamide residues in soil

For sulfonamides, the formation of non-extractable residues has been identified by laboratory testing as the most relevant concentration determining process in manured soil. Therefore, the present study has been focused on the chemical and biological characterization of non-extractable residues of ¹⁴C-labeled sulfadiazine or sulfamethoxazole. In laboratory batch experiments, the test substances were spiked via standard solution or test slurry to microbially active soil samples. After incubation periods of up to 102 d, a sequential extraction technique was applied. Despite the exhaustive extraction procedure, sulfadiazine residues mainly remained non-extractable, indicating the high affinity to the soil matrix. The remobilization of non-extractable ¹⁴C-sulfadiazine residues was monitored in the activated sludge test and the Brassica rapa test. Only small amounts (<3%) were transferred into the extractable fractions and 0.1% was taken up by the plants. In the Lumbricus terrestris test A, the release of non-extractable ¹⁴C-sulfamethoxazole residues by the burrowing activity of the earthworms was investigated. The residues mainly remained non-extractable (96%). The L. terrestris test B was designed to study the immobilization of ¹⁴C-sulfamethoxazole in soil directly after the test slurry application. The mean uptake by earthworms was 1%. Extractable and non-extractable residues amounted to 5% and 93%, respectively. Consequently, the results of all tests confirmed the high affinity of the non-extractable sulfonamide residues to the soil matrix.     

Study of metabolites from the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by bacterial consortium enriched from mangrove sediments

The PAH metabolites produced during degradation of fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene by a bacterial consortium enriched from mangrove sediments were analyzed using the on-fiber silylation solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combining with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method. Seventeen metabolites at trace levels were identified in different PAH degradation cultures based on the full scan mass spectra. In fluorene degradation cultures, 1-, 2-, 3- and 9-hydroxyfluorene, fluorenone, and phthalic acid were detected. In phenanthrene and pyrene degradation cultures, various common metabolites such as phenanthrene and pyrene dihydrodiols, mono-hydroxy phenanthrene, dihydroxy pyrene, lactone and 4-hydroxyphenanthrene, methyl ester, and phthalic acid were found. The detection of various common and novel metabolites demonstrates that SPME combining with GC–MS is a quick and convenient method for identification as well as monitoring the real time changes of metabolite concentrations throughout the degradation processes. The knowledge of PAH metabolic pathways and kinetics within indigenous bacterial consortium enriched from mangrove sediments contributes to enhance the bioremediation efficiency of PAH in real environment.     

Status of trace elements in paddy soil and sediment in Taihu Lake region

Thirteen paddy soil profiles and river sediments which are sources of irrigation water were collected around the Taihu Lake, and the trace elements were estimated. The content of La and Ce in paddy soil and sediment were 39.3 and 68.6 mg/kg soil and 36.9 and 65.1 mg/kg soil, being within the range of background values. The values for Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Zn, Se in paddy soil were 23.3, 27.8, 25.5, 63.5, 10.2, 386, 68.7 and 0.25 mg/kg soil respectively, all below the national permission level. There was a decline of Zn in paddy soil. Some of the river sediments were seriously polluted. The river in Yangjin site was most contaminated with 5.47 g Cu/kg and 7.4 g Zn/kg. The high concentration of Pb and Ni also was observed in this sediment. River in Weitang, Huashi, Xinzhuang and Meiyan were contaminated with Pb, Cu and Ni to some extent. Zn, Cu and Pb were the main pollutants in present experiment sites. The fast development of village/township industries have caused severe environmental pollution in the Taihu Lake region, especially irrigation river sediments. Se content in plant and seed was 0.04 and 0.03 mg/kg respectively, showed Se-deficiency in paddy soil in the Taihu Lake region.     

Rapid degradation of butachlor in wheat rhizosphere soil

The degradative characteristics of butachlor in non-rhizosphere, wheat rhizosphere, and inoculated rhizosphere soils were measured. The rate constants for the degradation of butachlor in non-rhizosphere, rhizosphere, and inoculated rhizosphere soils were measured to be 0.0385, 0.0902, 0.1091 at 1 mg/kg, 0.0348, 0.0629, 0.2355 at 10 mg/kg, and 0.0299, 0.0386, 0.0642 at 100 mg/kg, respectively. The corresponding half-lives for butachlor in the soils were calculated to be 18.0, 7.7, 6.3 days at 1 mg/kg, 19.9, 11.0, 2.9 days at 10 mg/kg, and 23.2, 18.0, 10.8 days at 100 mg/kg, respectively. The experimental results show that the degradation of butachlor can be enhanced greatly in wheat rhizosphere, and especially in the rhizosphere inoculated with the bacterial community designated HD which is capable of degrading butachlor. It could be concluded that rhizosphere soil inoculated with microorganisms-degrading target herbicides is a useful pathway to achieve rapid degradation of the herbicides in soil.     

Effects of EDTA and low molecular weight organic acids on soil solution properties of a heavy metal polluted soil

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of EDTA and low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) on the pH, total organic carbon (TOC) and heavy metals in the soil solution in the rhizosphere of Brassica juncea grown in a paddy soil contaminated with Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd. The results show that EDTA and LMWOA have no effect on the soil solution pH. EDTA addition significantly increased the TOC concentrations in the soil solution. The TOC concentrations in treatments with EDTA were significantly higher than those in treatments with LMWOA. Adding 3 mmol kg(-1) EDTA to the soil markedly increased the total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in the soil solution. Compared to EDTA, LMWOA had a very small effect on the metal concentrations. Total concentrations in the soil solution followed the sequence: EDTA > citric acid (CA) approximately oxalic acid (OA) approximately malic acid (MA) for Cu and Pb; EDTA > MA > CA approximately OA for Zn; and EDTA > MA > CA > OA for Cd. The labile concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd showed similar trends to the total concentrations.     

Modeling coupled interactions of carbon,water, and ozone exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. I: model description

A new biophysical model (FORFLUX) is presented to study the simultaneous exchange of ozone, carbon dioxide, and water vapor between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. The model mechanistically couples all major processes controlling ecosystem flows trace gases and water implementing recent concepts in plant eco-physiology, micrometeorology, and soil hydrology. FORFLUX consists of four interconnected modules-a leaf photosynthesis model, a canopy flux model, a soil heat-, water- and CO2- transport model, and a snow pack model. Photosynthesis, water-vapor flux and ozone uptake at the leaf level are computed by the LEAFC3 sub-model. The canopy module scales leaf responses to a stand level by numerical integration of the LEAFC3model over canopy leaf area index (LAI). The integration takes into account (1) radiative transfer inside the canopy, (2) variation of foliage photosynthetic capacity with canopy depth, (3) wind speed attenuation throughout the canopy, and (4) rainfall interception by foliage elements. The soil module uses principles of the diffusion theory to predict temperature and moisture dynamics within the soil column, evaporation, and CO2 efflux from soil. The effect of soil heterogeneity on field-scale fluxes is simulated employing the Bresler-Dagan stochastic concept. The accumulation and melt of snow on the ground is predicted using an explicit energy balance approach. Ozone deposition is modeled as a sum of three fluxes- ozone uptake via plant stomata, deposition to non-transpiring plant surfaces, and ozone flux into the ground. All biophysical interactions are computed hourly while model projections are made at either hourly or daily time step. FORFLUX represents a comprehensive approach to studying ozone deposition and its link to carbon and water cycles in terrestrial ecosystems.