Analysis of the toxicity of glyphosate and Faena® using the freshwater invertebrates Daphnia magna and Lecane quadridentata

With the present contribution an evaluation of the toxicity of the pure herbicide glyphosate and its commercial formulation Faena® is reported using the cladoceran Daphnia magna Strauss and the rotifer Lecane quadridentata Ehrenberg. LC₅₀, EC₅₀, NOEC, and LOEC values for each toxicant and for both test organisms are obtained. Regarding acute toxicity, Faena was 11-fold more toxic to L. quadridentata than pure glyphosate and slightly more toxic to D. magna (1.7-fold). Inhibition of esterase activity in L. quadridentata by glyphosate was the most sensitive end-point; the EC₅₀ was 1500-fold smaller than the LC₅₀. The implications of these results and their comparison with established international and national limit values for glyphosate are discussed.     

Presence of metals in drinking water distribution networks due to pipe material leaching: a review

Drinking water quality should remain constant from the drinking water treatment plant to the consumer's tap. However, water quality characteristics might be affected by interactions with pipe materials. This review describes the iron, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, chromium, and cadmium in drinking water leached from the pipe material present in drinking water, as well as the factors and mechanisms that affect leaching processes. Data analysis suggests that monitoring the water quality in distribution systems is important for their proper management; however, the low measured concentrations highlight the need for sensitive sensors. In addition, further research is necessary to anticipate possible future effects before the installation of new materials/infrastructure or changes in water source/treatment.     

Measurement of the leaching behaviour of granular solid wastes

Leaching of granular solids can be described in terms of specific mass transfer functions of a simple mathematical form.

The parameters can be determined by column leaching experiments under well known flow conditions.

Initially available concentrations are obtained from batch experiments at high dilution. Total concentrations in the solids are determined independently to calculate the available fractions.

The determination of the flow pattern is done by radiotracer measurements. Leachates are analyzed by various analytical methods including AAS and INAA. Total concentrations in the solids are determined by INAA preferably.     

Diazinon leaching through a sandy soil amended with different humic materials

The water leaching of diazinon (O,O‐diethyl‐O‐2‐isopropyl‐6‐methylpyrirnidin‐4‐yl phosphoroth‐ioate) through soil columns, was studied after column amendments with two well characterized humic acids (HA), in both liquid and solid state, and with the original raw organic materials, an oxidized coal and a leonardite, from which the HA were extracted. The percolation curves and the pesticide distribution over the soil columns showed that the addition of the raw organic materials and the solid HAs reduced significantly the mobility of the pesticide along the soil column. The oxidized coal was more effective than the leonardite original material; the different origin of the two carbon‐rich materials had an influence on the diazinon movement along the soil columns and such difference was enhanced with increasing addition rates. Moreover, incubation at field capacity for two months of the soil columns treated with raw oxidized coal and leonardite, largely enhanced the described effects on pesticide behaviour. A complete adsorption of diazinon on columns and a practical absence of leaching was observed when the HA from both materials were added in dissolved form. These results were explained with the swelling of the humic micelles in water and the enhanced availability of inner hydrophobic surfaces for the strong adsorption of diazinon. The water diffusion into the solid humic materials after two months incubation, also explains their high pesticide retention capacity. This work indicates the usefulness of either solid o dissolved humic substances, with the proper hydrophobic character, in preventing the vertical leaching of non‐polar organic pesticides in soils.     

Bioactivity,adsorption and persistence of pretilachlor in paddy field soils

The effects of environmental factors on bioactivity, adsorption and persistence of pretilachlor were studied in the laboratory and greenhouse using cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) as the bioassay species. The three soils studied viz. Bernam, Selangor and Sabrang series were chosen for their different characteristics. The half‐life of pretilachlor decreased from 10.24 to 4.90 days as temperature increased from 25°C to 35°C in the Selangor Series soil and from 10.86 to 7.63 days in the Bernam Series soil at 60% field capacity. At the same moisture level, an increase of temperature from 25°C to 35°C also reduced the half‐life of pretilachlor in Sabrang soil from 8.87 to 2.59 days. The half‐life of pretilachlor also decreased with increasing moisture levels in Selangor and Sabrang series but not in Bernam series soils. The greatest adsorption of pretilachlor was observed in Bernam series, followed by Selangor and Sabrang series. No phytotoxic residue of pretilachlor was detected in the supernatant after 10 h incubation. Since the residue was strongly adsorbed in Bernam series, its biological activity was less than in the other soils studied.     

模拟酸雨对街道灰尘重金属淋溶的累积释放特征与释放模型

以泉州市交通繁忙区街道灰尘为研究对象,采用模拟酸雨动态淋溶实验和改进的BCR四步提取法研究街道灰尘中重金属元素在不同酸度(pH=3.5、4.5、5.6)模拟酸雨淋溶下的溶出规律及形态变化.结果表明,街道灰尘中重金属元素的累积释放量均随模拟酸雨pH的降低而增加,当pH值为3.5和4.5时,Cu、Pb、Mn、Ni、V、As和Co的释放过程为快速释放阶段,Cr、Zn和Fe的释放过程分为快速释放和相对平稳释放两个阶段;当pH值为5.6时,除Co、V为快速释放过程外,其余重金属都处于相对慢速的释放过程.动力学方程拟合结果表明,双常数速率方程能更好地描述上述重金属元素的累积释放特征.尘样经模拟酸雨淋溶后,弱酸可溶态中Co、Cu、Mn、Zn、Ni百分含量有所增加,Cr、Fe、Pb百分含量变化不明显;可还原态中Cr、Pb、Cu、Ni百分含量有所增加,Mn、Zn、Co百分含量有所下降;可氧化态中上述各元素的百分含量均有所降低;残渣态中除Ni、Mn百分含量有所下降外,其它元素百分含量变化均不显著.     

Does low N-mineralisation rate in soils under grass help limit nitrate leaching in summer?

This paper aimed to confirm the hypothesis that rates of ammonification and net mineral-N production in soils under grass in summer are low and this, rather than nitrate uptake by plants, reduces mineral leaching from soils in summer. Six sets of soil samples were collected from under mown grass on the University of York campus in the UK. Samples were taken from two depths in late summer (August) and late autumn (November) to compare seasonal differences in N species transformations when field-moist soils were incubated for a week at ambient outdoor temperatures after prior removal of vegetation. Ammonification and net mineral-N production rates were low in August in spite of warm temperatures. Net mineral-N production rates were also low in November. The results agreed with those of an earlier study in a different year after considering weather differences between years. They support the hypothesis that litter accumulated over autumn/winter will be minimally mineralised and retain N before the temperature rises in spring. The study shows the merit of measuring concentrations of mineral-N species in both fresh soils and soils incubated at ambient outdoor temperatures after removing plant material to eliminate plant N uptake effects. The results suggest that soil C% and N% are more important than soil C:N ratio alone in understanding controls on N transformations.     

The effect of imazethapyr on soil microbes in soybean fields in northeast China

Large quantities of herbicides are used on agricultural soils, but the effects of herbicides on the structure of the soil microbial community have not been well investigated. In this study, soil from three soybean fields was investigated. The herbicide imazethapyr was applied in one year to soil 1 and in two sequential years to soil 2. Control soil received no imazethapyr. Microbial biomass and community structure were characterised using chloroform fumigation–extraction and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) determination. The imazethapyr residue was 1.62 μ g·kg^?1 in soil 1 and 1.79 μ g·kg^?1 in soil 2. The microbial biomass carbon and total PLFAs for soil 2 were much higher than for the other soils. PLFA profiles showed that fatty acids for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as total bacteria and total fungi in soil 2 were higher than in other samples. Principal component analysis of the PLFAs showed that the structure of the microbial community differed substantially among the three different soybean field soils. Application of the herbicide imazethapyr to soybean fields clearly changed the soil microbial biomass and shifted the structure of the microbial community.     

Vertical infiltration of fuel oil hydrocarbons in an agricultural soil

The influence of rainfall, air temperature and soil moisture on the vertical mobility in the soil of fuel oil hydrocarbons (HC) was investigated in a field experiment. A controlled spreading of fuel oil (nC10‐nC25) was performed at a rate of 5 L HCm^‐2 on an agricultural soil in summer and in winter. Concentration, chemical composition of HC and soil moisture were regularly determined at different soil depths between 0 and 140 cm, 1 h, 3, 8and 15 days (d) after the spreading of oil. Sorption of hydrocarbons onto the organo‐mineral matrix of the soil was studied in laboratory experiments. The results showed that in summer, with an air temperature of 24°C and without water leaching in the soil profile, 65% of the initial HC remained trapped in the 0–140 cm soil layer, about 20% of the HC volatilized and around 15% migrated deeper. A vertical selective migration of the lightest (nC10‐nC15) HC (naphthas) was shown lSd after the spreading of fuel oil. Naphthas progressively reached the 120–140 cm soil layers whereas the heavy fractions of oil (nC17‐nC25) migrated and concentrated in the 0–60 cm soil layers. In winter, when soil was regularly watered by rainfalls and at low air temperatures, only 47% of the initial HC remained in the 0–140 cm profile after 15 d. A fast vertical infiltration of naphthas occurred within the first 3 d. After 15 d, all HC were detected in the same relative amounts as in the initial oil in the whole profile. Volatilization was negligible in winter and an increase in the migration of total oil at depth in the soil profile was shown. As inferred from the laboratory experiments, the high soil moisture led to the decrease in HC sorption on the organo‐mineral matter of the soil.     

Behaviour of Dioxins,Furans and Metals Associated with Stabilized Msw Combustor Ash in Sea Water

This report presents the results of a research programme designed to examine the engineering and environmental acceptability of stabilizing municipal solid waste (MSW) combustor ash for artificial reef construction. Municipal solid waste combustor ash was combined with Portland cement to form solid blocks using conventional construction block making technology. the resultant stabilized combustor ash (SCA) blocks were used to construct an artificial habitat in Conscience Bay, Long Island Sound, New York and compared to identical concrete blocks, fabricated using natural aggregates. Over a 4.5 year period divers periodically returned to the site to monitor the interaction of SCA blocks with the marine environment and compare the performance of these blocks with the concrete control blocks. Results show that the SCA blocks retain their strength after prolonged sea water exposure. Contaminants of environmental concern, including metals, dioxins and furans, were retained within the cementitious matrix of the SCA blocks after prolonged sea water submersion. in addition, organisms growing on the surfaces of the SCA blocks did not accumulate contaminants from the blocks.