Modeling in situ ozonation for the remediation of nonvolatile PAH-contaminated unsaturated soils

Mathematical models were developed to investigate the characteristics of gaseous ozone transport under various soil conditions and the feasibility of in situ ozone venting for the remediation of unsaturated soils contaminated with phenanthrene. On the basis of assumptions for the mass transfer and reactions of ozone, three approaches were considered: equilibrium, kinetic, and lump models. Water-saturation-dependent reactions of gaseous ozone with soil organic matter (SOM) and phenanthrene were employed. The models were solved numerically by using the finite-difference method, and the model parameters were determined by using the experimental data of Hsu [The use of gaseous ozone to remediate the organic contaminants in the unsaturated soils, PhD Thesis, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, 1995]. The transport of gas-phase ozone is significantly retarded by ozone consumption due to reactions with SOM and phenanthrene, in addition to dissolution. An operation time of 156 h was required to completely remove phenanthrene in a 5-m natural soil column. In actual situations, however, the operation time is likely to be longer than the ideal time because of unknown factors including heterogeneity of the porous medium and the distribution of SOM and contaminant. The ozone transport front length was found to be very limited (< 1 m). The sensitivity analysis indicated that SOM is the single most important factor affecting in situ ozonation for the remediation of unsaturated soil contaminated with phenanthrene. Models were found to be insensitive to the reaction mechanisms of phenathrene with either gas-phase ozone or dissolved ozone. More study is required to quantify the effect of OH* formation on the removal of contaminant and on ozone transport in the subsurface.     

Investigation on the influence of methanol on adsorption and leaching of pesticides with soil column liquid chromatography

The effect of methanol of low concentration on adsorption and leaching of atrazine and tebuconazole was studied in this paper. The adsorption coefficients and the retardation factors (R^m) of pesticides on EUROSOIL 3# log-linearly decreased as volumetric fraction of methanol (f^c) was increased in the binary solvent mixtures of methanol and water. These data are consistent with solvophobic theory formerly outlined for describing the adsorption and transport of hydrophobic organic chemicals from mixed solvents. Nevertheless, the adsorption of these pesticides in soil–water system slightly increased when the soil was pre-washed with methanol in comparison with that pre-washed with water (pure water system). Furthermore, their adsorption coefficients were still higher in binary solvent systems with methanol of very low concentrations, i.e. f^c<0.03 for atrazine and f^c<0.01 for tebuconazole, than those in pure water system. The adsorption coefficients (logK^w) of atrazine and tebuconazole predicted by solvophobic theory were 0.5792 and 1.6525, respectively, and their experimental logK^w were 0.3701 and 1.6275 in pure water system. Obviously, the predicted logK^w of the two pesticides was higher than the experimental log K^w in pure water system. The predicted K^w and the retardation factor (R^w) in pure water system by solvophobic theory are thus possibly inaccurate.     

紫茎泽兰制备生物炭及其应用研究进展

紫茎泽兰作为世界性的有害入侵植物,因其适应能力强、扩散速度快、植株内含有有害物质而对农林牧业乃至人类健康产生不利影响。因此,如何对其有效防控和综合利用已成为国内外关注的热点问题。生物炭是有机物质在低氧或缺氧条件下热解碳化而形成的富碳固体物质,因其独特的性质和潜在的价值而被广泛用于农业土壤改良与环境修复等领域。将紫茎泽兰热解制备生物炭,既降低了生物炭生产成本,还实现了生态系统的保护和废弃物的高效利用。目前将紫茎泽兰作为原材料制备生物炭虽有一些相关的研究,但报道相对较少,且研究较分散、结论不一。因此,有必要对紫茎泽兰的利用现状和制备生物炭的应用潜力进行综述。本文结合目前紫茎泽兰应用研究现状,分析了紫茎泽兰制备生物炭的应用研究价值,综述了其在环境污染修复、农业土壤改良方面的应用,并在此基础上提出了今后的研究方向与展望,以期为今后开展相关研究工作提供参考和借鉴。     

铁路取弃土场生态恢复调查分析

选择我国不同地域6条铁路,现场调查铁路取土、弃土(渣)场的使用及恢复情况,从取弃土场的占地面积及类型、取土量、弃土量等方面分析了其利用现状,并对植被恢复效果和难易程度进行了讨论。调查表明:北方平原区、荒漠区铁路的取土量较多,南部丘陵区的弃土(渣)场及弃渣量较多。从恢复效率和程度看,南部地区植被恢复相对容易且在1年内可以恢复到较好程度,但植被恢复不到位,较易发生水土流失等次生灾害;东北、华北地区植被恢复2年左右可以恢复至良好程度;西北地区植被恢复需求较小;对于部分高原地区,海拔越低、降雨越多,恢复越好,但部分地区降雨量是生态恢复的首要制约因子,保水措施是这类地区生态恢复的重点。     

GC/MS测定土壤中的酞酸酯

本文针对土壤中酞酸酯类化合物,采用快速压力溶剂萃取仪(ASE)提取,弗罗里柱净化,气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC/MS)对酞酸酯类有机物进行定性、定量分析。实验过程中采用浓硫酸对实验器皿进行清洗,有效地防止环境中酞酸酯类有机物对样品的污染。结果表明:平均加标回收率在87%～106%之间,相对标准偏差在2.5%～6.5%之间,检出限在0.51μg/kg～1.6μg/kg之间。     

Microbiological parameters and maturity degree during composting of Posidonia oceanica residues mixed with vegetable wastes in semi-arid pedo-climatic condition

The aim of this study was to characterize the biological stability and maturity degree of compost during a controlled pile-composting trial of mixed vegetable residues (VR) collected from markets of Tunis City with residues of Posidonia oceanica (PoR), collected from Tunis beaches. The accumulation in beaches (as well as their removal) constitutes a serious environmental problem in all Mediterranean countries particularly in Tunisia. Aerobic-thermophilic composting is the most reasonable way to profit highly-valuable content of organic matter in these wastes for agricultural purposes. The physical, chemical, and biological parameters were monitored during composting over 150 d. The most appropriate parameters were selected to establish the maturity degree. The main result of this research was the deduction of the following maturity criterion: (a) C/N ratio < 15; (b) NH₄⁺-N < 400 mg/kg; (c) CO₂-C < 2000 mg CO₂-C/kg; (d) dehydrogenase activity < 1 mg TPF/g dry matter; (e) germination index (GI) > 80%. These five parameters, considered jointly are indicative of a high maturity degree and thus of a high-quality organic amendment which employed in a rational way, may improve soil fertility and soil quality. The mature compost was relatively rich in N (13.0 g/kg), P (4.74 g/kg) and MgO (15.80 g/kg). Thus composting definitively constitutes the most optimal option to exploit these wastes.     

Wheat volatile emissions modified by top-soil chemical characteristics and herbivory alter the performance of neighbouring wheat plants

Plant emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has a significant impact on arthropods and plants and alters important functions in the agroecosystems. Three field source–sink microcosm experiments evaluated variation in wheat plants volatile emissions and its impact on neighbouring wheat plants’ performance caused by genotype, aphid herbivory and soil nutrient availability due to different cropping histories. An electronic nose detected qualitative differences in volatile emissions. Two of the experiments established the source–sink relationships forcing the volatiles through pipes. In these experiments wheat genotype was introduced as a variable of the source plants. In the third experiment, the emissions of volatiles dispersed naturally affecting the neighbourhood only by proximity and wheat genotype was a controlled factor. Plant genotype, aphid attack and soil chemical changes caused by different cropping histories affected wheat volatile emissions despite independent variations in plant biomass or resource allocation. This is the first report of changes in distant plant biomass according to neighbouring plant genotype and agricultural history. Wheat VOCs emissions were associated with changes in soil organic C, Ca, Mg, total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity caused by the different cropping histories of the soils tested. Variability in total biomass and resource allocation increased due to changes in VOCs emissions promoted by longer cropping history or aphid feeding in two genotypes. When volatiles were naturally dispersed into the neighbourhood, tiller weight in the sink individuals depended on plant genotype and cropping history of its neighbours (i.e. VOCs source). These findings highlight that ecological and environmental consequences of agricultural practices are more complex than normally thought.     

Changes in functional structure of soil bacterial communities due to fungicide and insecticide applications in canola

The fungicide vinclozolin and insecticide λ-cyhalothrin are widely used to control canola (Brassica spp.) diseases and insect pests, respectively, in Canada. We investigated non-target effects of these pesticides, applied at recommended rates, on soil microbial biomass, functional bacterial diversity and functional community structure of soil bacteria (by evaluating patterns of C substrate utilization) in canola rhizosphere and bulk soil at three locations in Alberta from 2002 to 2004. Experimental treatments were (a) untreated control, (b) vinclozolin fungicide foliar application, (c) λ-cyhalothrin insecticide foliar application, and (d) vinclozolin and λ-cyhalothrin applications. No significant pesticide effects on soil microbial biomass or functional bacterial diversity were observed, but the functional structures of soil bacteria were altered. In 1 of 12 cases, the control treatment had a different soil bacterial community structure from the 3 pesticide treatments. The fungicide treatment had different bacterial community structures from the control or insecticide treatments in 3 of 12 cases, the insecticide treatment had different community structures from the control or fungicide treatments in 4 of 12 cases, and the combined fungicide and insecticide treatment had different community structures from the other treatments in 3 of 12 cases. Therefore, evaluating soil bacterial functional structures revealed pesticide effects that were not detected when bacterial diversity or microbial biomass were measured in canola rhizosphere or bulk soil.     

Simulated dynamics of carbon stocks driven by changes in land use, management and climate in a tropical moist ecosystem of Ghana

Sub-Saharan Africa is large and diverse with regions of food insecurity and high vulnerability to climate change. This project quantifies carbon stocks and fluxes in the humid forest zone of Ghana, as a part of an assessment in West Africa. The General Ensemble biogeochemical Modeling System (GEMS) was used to simulate the responses of natural and managed systems to projected scenarios of changes in climate, land use and cover, and nitrogen fertilization in the Assin district of Ghana. Model inputs included historical land use and cover data, historical climate records and projected climate changes, and national management inventories. Our results show that deforestation for crop production led to a loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) by 33% from 1900 to 2000. The results also show that the trend of carbon emissions from cropland in the 20th century will continue through the 21st century and will be increased under the projected warming and drying scenarios. Nitrogen (N) fertilization in agricultural systems could offset SOC loss by 6% with 30 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and by 11% with 60 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. To increase N fertilizer input would be one of the vital adaptive measures to ensure food security and maintain agricultural sustainability through the 21st century.