Inhibition of nitrification in soil by metal diethyldithiocarbamates

IntroductionNitrificationisaprocessinwhichammoniumformofnitrogenisconvertedintonitrateform .Nitrogenuseefficiencyintermsofplantuptakeisgenerallylowandvariesgreatlyunderdifferentsoilandcroppingconditions.MostfertilizerNappliedtosoilsisintheformofammonium orammoniumproducingcompoundssuchasurea,andisusuallyoxidizedrapidlytonitratebynitrifyingmicroorganismsinsoils.Applicationofnitrogenfertilizersmorethanoptimumlevelsleadstolownitrogenrecoveriesandgreaternitrogenaccumulationinthesoilprofile .Theac…     

Factors affecting alkaline nature of rain water in Agra (India)

Rain water was collected and analysed from a reference site, Dayalbagh and Taj Ganj, near the Taj Mahal in Agra. The ionic components Ca, Mg, Na, K, NH(4), Pb, Fe, Zn, SO(4), HCO(3), Cl and F were analysed along with pH, alkalinity and conductance. The average pH of rain water at both sites is 7.05. There is a dominance of alkaline components, particularly Ca. The rain water chemistry shows the importance of calcareous soil-derived materials in controlling the pH of rain water.     

Edaphological characteristics of unweathered and weathered fly ashes from Gondwana and lignite coal

Naturally weathered and unweathered samples of fly ashes produced from Gondwana and lignite coals were characterized for their edaphological properties. The particle size distribution in these fly ashes varied widely, and the percentage of [Formula: see text] size particles governed their water holding capacity. All fly ashes were noncoherent in the dry state and had lower particle density than quartz and mulite. The fly ashes were low in available N, but were sufficient in available P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and B. Among the fly ashes, unweathered lignite fly ash was the richest source of K, Ca, Mg, S and Fe, while weathered lignite fly ash had the highest amounts of Mn, Zn and B. The pH of the fly ashes was closely related to the ratio of exchangeable Ca to exchangeable Al. The fly ashes were high in soluble salt, but were poor in cation exchange capacity. As an amendment to correct soil pH, the fly ashes had a poor buffering capacity. Weathering decreased the total Fe, available S and exchangeable Na percentages, but increased the organic C content of the fly ashes. Invariably, an excess of soluble salts and exchangeable Na could limit plant growth on fly ash dumps. Toxic levels of B and Al existed in only some fly ashes.     

Piscicidal effect of some common plants of India commonly used in freshwater bodies against target animals

Mortality caused by the aqueous extracts of leaf and stem bark of four plants belonging to family Euphorbiaceae and Apocynaceae against freshwater fish Channa punctatus has been reported. It was found that dilute aqueous solutions of leaf and stem bark were active in killing the fishes. The toxic effect of stem bark of all the plants were time as well as dose dependent. There was significant negative correlation between LC50 and exposure periods. Thus, the LC50 values of stem bark extracts of Euphorbia royleana, Jatropha gossypifolia, Nerium indicum and Thevelia peruviana were decreased from 0.050 g/l (24 h) > to 0.020 g/l (96 h); 4.61 g/l (24 h) > to 4.34 g/l (96 h); 0.097 g/l (24 h) > to 0.041 g/l (96 h) and 4.05 g/l (24 h) > to 3.17 g/l (96 h), respectively. It has been suggested that these plant products cannot be used directly in freshwater bodies, without their detailed studies on long-term effects on non-target organism as well their structure activity relationship.     

Distribution of radiotin (Sn) in partially hepatectomised rats and its binding with subcellular components of liver cells

Distribution of radiotin (Sn¹¹³) in target organs and in the hepatic subcellular fractions was studied in sham and partially hepatectomised rats 72 hrs after the administration of tin (II) tartrate (2 mg Sn⁺⁺, 10 uCi/100 gm body weight) intraperitoneally. The results indicate that in both the groups Sn¹¹³ was maximally accumulated in liver followed by kidney and spleen. Partially hepatectomised rat however accumulated less Sn¹¹³ in liver while an increase was observed in kidney. Subcellular studies showed significantly high affinity of tin for microsomes. A compartmental shift of radiotin from cytosol to microsomal fraction was observed in hepatectomised rats when compared to sham operated rats.     

Responses of greening bean seedling leaves to nitrogen dioxide and nutrient nitrate supply

Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Kinghorn Wax seedlings grown in darkness at 25 degrees C for 7 days with half strength Hoagland's nutrient solution containing no nitrogen, were transferred to lit continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) in atmospheres containing 0 or 0.3 ppm NO(2) and irrigated with a nutrient solution containing 0 or 5 mm nitrate as sole nitrogen source and allowed to grow for a period of up to 5 days in a 14 h photoperiod. Exposure to NO(2) increased total Kjeldahl nitrogen in the leaves. Further, the exposure to NO(2) increased chlorophyll content from day 3 onwards and inhibited the leaf dry weight substantially on days 4 and 5. The primary leaves of the seedlings exposed to 0.3 ppm NO(2) and supplied with nitrate accumulated some nitrite after 5 days of exposure. Some of the seedlings were returned from CSTRs to growth chambers and allowed to grow for a further period of 5 days in a 14 h photoperiod without NO(2). The growth which developed after the NO(2) exposure growth period, as measured by fresh and dry weights of the leaves, was significantly less in NO(2)-exposed plants than in nitrate-grown plants. The experiments demonstrate that the leaves of greening seedlings are able to assimilate NO(2) and that a reduction in leaf dry weight by prolonged NO(2) exposure in the presence of nutrient nitrate can be associated with nitrite accumulation, and that NO(2) has a carry-over effect beyond the duration of NO(2) exposure. It is apparent that NO(2) induces some durable biochemical or cytological aberration in the presence of nutrient nitrate, which adversely affects subsequent leaf growth.     

Adsorption-desorption behaviour of zinc(II) at iron(III) hydroxide-aqueous solution interface as influenced by pH and temperature

Batch studies were carried out to investigate the adsorption of zinc(II) from fresh waters on an iron(III) hydroxide surface maintained at the pH of zero point of charge of hydroxide (ZPC, 6.85) and also on both the acidic (5.5) and alkaline (8.2) sides of pH of ZPC, at 15 and 35 degrees C. Zinc(II) adsorption on iron(III) hydroxide increased with an increase in pH. The rise in temperature from 15 to 35 degrees C increased zinc(II) adsorption at pH 5.5 and 6.85, but decreased it at alkaline pH (8.2). In none of the cases did adsorption attain a maximum adsorption density. The results indicate the presence of heterogeneous sites of varying affinity on the adsorbent. Zinc(II) adsorption followed Langmuir behaviour only at small adsorption densities (less than 10(-2.95) M Zn/kg at pH 5.5) and at higher adsorption densities, the availability of strongest binding sites decreased. Nonspecifically adsorbed zinc(II) (reversible to Ba(II)) decreased with the increase in pH and temperature. Sequential desorption experiments also revealed that desorption of adsorbed zinc(II) decreased with an increase in pH.