Phototransformation of chlorimuron-ethyl on leaf surface

Chlorimuron-ethyl, a post-emergent herbicide selectively used in soybean and maize, degrades mainly through chemical hydrolysis. Photolysis has also an important role in the degradation of this compound. Phototransformation of chlorimuron-ethyl takes place through the cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge, dechlorination, de-esterification and cyclization. Enzymatic de-esterification usually takes place in plant system to liberate the free acid, chlorimuron, which, in fact, inhibits the acetolactate synthase enzyme. In the non-enzymatic environment, de-esterification generally does not occur at normal pH and in moisture-free medium. But on the leaf surface of maize crop de-esterification of chlorimuron-ethyl takes place. The moisture deposited on leaf surfaces by virtue of evapo-transpirational loss of water may cause the de-esterification of chlorimuron-ethyl to the free acid, chlorimuron.     

Sorption and mobility of polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000) in tropical soils

Millions of tons of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are manufactured worldwide and most of them will reach conventional sewage disposal systems after industrial utilization. This raises environmental concerns, but not much is known about the environmental fate of these polymers. The main goals of this research were to evaluate sorption and mobility of PEG in sandier soils of Brazil. PEG 4000 was applied to the soils either freely in solution or as a simulated bioassay residue. The bioassay was prepared to simulate PEG as it is present in the animal feces. It allowed us to compare PEG mobility for both forms of environment disposal. PEG showed very low sorption (<22% of the applied PEG) and high mobility potential (>43% of the applied amount in the free-PEG and >24% of the applied amount in the bioassay-PEG experiment) in the studied soils. When PEG was applied, simulating its supply to animal diets, about 30% of its applied amount was retained into the bioassay residues and its leaching potential was reduced, whereas the remaining amount (about 70%) was readily available in solution and could be directly released into the environment.     

Sorption and leaching behavior of hexaconazole as influenced bysoilproperties

Sorption and leaching behavior of hexaconazole in four different soils (alluvial, red, laterite, and black) was studied using a batch equilibration technique. The values of the Freundlich adsorption constant 1/n_ads ranged from 0.75 to 0.85 for all four soils, showing strong non-linear behavior. Upon stepwise desorption with CaCl₂ solution (10 mmol·L^?1), release of hexaconazole was maximum with the first elution, the amount decreasing with each subsequent one. The leaching behavior under saturated flow conditions was also studied with soil columns packed in polythene tubes. The mobility of hexaconazole was maximum in sandy loam and minimum in black soil.     

Effect of fomesafen on glutathione S-transferase and cellulase activity and DNA damage in the earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

Biochemical responses and DNA damage of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) exposed to various concentrations of fomesafen (0, 10, 100, and 500 μg kg^?1) for 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days were investigated in vivo. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly stimulated upon treatment with 500 μg kg^?1 fomesafen for 21 days, while the cellulase activity was markedly inhibited after 14 days of treatment. On day 28, the activities of GST and cellulase had recovered to the level similar to that of controls. Low or mild DNA damage in earthworm was induced within 14 days of exposure, and the damage was reduced or disappeared with the extension of exposure.     

In situ immobilisation remediation of cadmium in artificially contaminated soil: a chemical and ecotoxicological evaluation

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of sepiolite-induced immobilisation remediation of Cd contaminated soil. The results demonstrated that adding sepiolite significantly increased the soil pH and resulted in 35.1–66.0%, 30.3–48.9%, and 31.6–51.6% reduction in toxicity characteristic leaching procedure of Cd (TCLP-Cd), respectively, for the Cd levels of 1.25, 2.5, and 5?mg/kg compared with the no-sepiolite controls. These decreases in TCLP-Cd were associated with reductions in plant phyotoxicity and Cd absorption, and sepiolite-treated soils resulted in increases of 3.2–38.0%, 34.2–52.3%, and 8.4–51.5% in shoot biomass, respectively, and in decreases of 26.7–39.6%, 17.3–28.5%, and 6.1–21.8% in shoot Cd contents, respectively, under soil Cd concentration of 1.25, 2.5 and 5?mg/kg compared to the unamended soils. The greater microbial biomass and catalase and urease activities after applying sepiolite implied a certain degree of recovery in metabolic function recovery during soil remediation. These results demonstrated that the application of sepiolite not only was effective at reducing Cd bioavailability and the rate of Cd accumulation in plants, but also improved soil environmental quality.     

猪粪还田对土壤硝态氮淋失的影响研究——以黄灌区稻旱轮作制为例

宁夏引黄灌区是水污染严重地区之一,大部分排水沟水质属于劣五类,主要污染物是硝态氮与铵态氮.猪粪还田试验共有3个处理:传统施肥+空白(CK)、传统施肥+猪粪还田4500 kg/hm²(T1)和传统施肥+猪粪还田9000 kg/hm²(T2).采用树脂芯法测定了30,60,90cm土层的硝态氮淋失量.结果表明,30cm土层处,猪粪还田没有明显增加土壤硝态氮淋失.与对照(15.96±0.41) kg/hm²相比,T1(16.85±0.40) kg/hm²与T2(17.01±0.46) kg/hm²没有达到显著差异(P>0.05);60cm土层处理与对照也没有达到显著差异;90cm土层处的猪粪处理与对照达到显著差异,处理之间没有差异.猪粪还田有利于土壤有机质和总氮提高,30cm土层,与对照相比,T1和T2的有机质增加0.95g/kg和1.41g/kg,分别提高7.50%和11.13%;总氮增加0.06和0.16g/kg,分别提高7.72%和22.04%.猪粪还田提高了作物产量,水稻增产12.26%~11.56%,冬小麦产量提高9.32%~12.52%.     

集约化蔬菜地土壤磷素累积特征及流失风险

以南京市郊集约化蔬菜长期种植基地为对象,采集蔬菜种植年限分别为3~5、15~20、25~30 a的土壤,测定土壤全磷(TP)、速效磷(Olsen-P)、水溶性磷(CaCl2-P)、生物有效磷(NaOH-P)的含量,并对0—20 cm土层磷素吸附特性进行分析,通过研究土壤磷吸附饱和度(DPS)、最大缓冲容量(MBC)来对土壤磷素流失风险进行评估。结果表明,在0—20 cm土层,除NaOH-P外,其余各形态磷(TP、Olsen-P、CaCl2-P)都随种植年限延长呈增加趋势。不同种植年限土壤TP、Olsen-P、CaCl2-P、NaOH-P主要积累在0—20 cm土层,且随着土层深度的增加土壤磷的累积量逐渐降低。DPS随种植年限延长而升高,种植年限25~30 a的菜地0—5 cm土层DPS超过土壤磷素流失环境敏感指标临界值(25%),其MBC也最低,表明随着蔬菜种植年限的延长土壤磷素流失风险加剧,且流失风险主要体现在0—5 cm土层。     

16种除草剂对家蚕的毒性评价研究(Toxicity Evaluation of Sixteen Herbicides to Bombyx mori)

采用食下毒叶法在室内测定了二甲戊乐灵、异丙甲草胺、草甘膦铵盐等16种除草剂对家蚕的急性毒性,并根据其毒性范围进行分极,评价了其对环境的安全性.结果表明,10%啶嘧磺隆可湿性粉剂96hLC50为5.58mg·kg-(1桑叶),属于高毒;50%草甘膦可溶粉剂和80%莠灭净可湿性粉剂96hLC50分别为68.17mg·kg-(1桑叶)和111.75mg·kg-1(桑叶),属于中毒;其它13种药剂的LC50>200mg·kg-(1桑叶),属于低毒.     

Leachability of elements from sub-bituminous coal fly ash from India

Environmental concerns regarding the potential contamination of soil, surface and ground water due to the presence of soluble metal species in the ash pond leachate is of great importance. Serial batch leaching was carried out simulating the rainwater condition of the study area to understand the behaviour of elements during leaching. The leachates were analysed for the elements Al, Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, S, Si, As, Ba, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ti, V, Pb, Zn, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Cd by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). It was found that Cd, Co, Cr and Ni did not leach from the ash while Cu and Pb concentrations were insignificant in the leachate regardless of liquid to solid (L/S) ratio. Most of the elements showed maximum concentrations at lower L/S ratio and then decreased with increasing L/S. The total cumulative concentrations of As, Mn and Mo were found to be higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values for drinking water while the concentrations of Fe, Mn and As exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations prescribed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The pre and the post leached ash samples were analysed for morphology, specific surface area and mineralogical changes. Analysis of post-leached fly ash indicated changes in the specific surface area and morphology but no change in mineralogy.     

Determinants of nitrous oxide emission from agricultural drainage waters

Emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) from agricultural drainage waters are poorly quantified and its determinants are not fully understood. Nitrous oxide formation in agricultural soils is known to increase in response to N fertiliser application, but the response of N₂O in field drainage waters is unknown. This investigation combined an intensive study of the direct flux of N₂O from the surface of a fertilised barley field with measurement of dissolved N₂O and nitrate (NO₃) concentrations in the same fields drainage waters. Dissolved N₂O in drainage waters showed a clear response to field N fertilisation, following an identical pattern to direct N₂O flux from the field surface. The range in N₂O concentrations between individual field drains sampled on the same day was large, indicating considerable spatial variability exists at the farm scale. A consistent pattern of very rapid outgassing of the dissolved N₂O in open drainage ditches was accentuated at a weir, where increased turbulence led to a clear drop in dissolved N₂O concentration. This study underlines the need for carefully planned sampling campaigns wherever whole farm or catchment N₂O emission budgets are attempted. It adds weight to the argument for the downward revision of the IPCC emission factor (EF₅-g) for NO₃ in drainage waters.