Biomass and nutrient concentration of sweet corn roots and shoots under organic amendments application

Two field experiments were conducted at the Waimanalo research station on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii to study the effect of chicken (CM) and dairy (DM) manures on biomass and nutrient concentration in sweet corn roots and shoots. Sweet corn (super sweet 10, Zea Mays L. subsp. mays) was grown for two consecutive growing seasons under four rates of application (0, 168, 337, and 672 kg ha^{? 1} total N equivalent) and one time (OTA) or two time (TTA) applications of organic manure types and rates. There were significant effects of types, rates, and number of manure applications on dry biomass and macro- and micro-nutrient concentration in roots and shoots tissues. Results of root tissue indicated a significant accumulation of N and C under CM and DM treatments compared with the control treatment. Manure application rates significantly increased the accumulation of N and C in root tissue. Dry weight of roots and shoots and both macro- and micro-nutrient contents in the plant tissues significantly increased under TTA treatment compared with OTA treatment. There was a significant correlation (r² = 0.46 to 0.81) between root biomass, macro-, and micro-nutrient contents during both growing seasons. The results of the study indicates that amending soils with CM at the highest application rate provided the best crop performance in terms of root and shoot biomass, crop N, C, and other macro- and micro-nutrients.     

Correction to: Municipal wastewater viral pollution in Saudi Arabia: effect of hot climate on COVID-19 disease spreading

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -     

Assessing stress response of Stylophora pistillata towards oil and phosphate pollution in the Gulf of Aqaba,using molecular and biochemical markers

Crude oil (from oil terminal) and raw phosphate (from phosphate port) pollution are responsible for the lowered health conditions of coral reefs at their vicinity in the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Both in situ incubations and ex situ laboratory exposure experiments were used to study the effects of those pollutants on corals, by using molecular and biochemical biomarkers in the coral Stylophora pistillata. For ex situ part of the experiment, crude oil and raw phosphate were added to a final concentration of 500?ppm for both pollutants. The DNA damage was assessed by Comet assay, while biochemical stress markers were reassessed by lipid peroxidation (LPO) test. Although the corals looked healthy from outside, the use of stress biomarkers indicated that they are under high pressure at the cellular level. The corals incubated with oil and phosphate had more DNA damage and LPO in comparison with the control samples. The results obtained suggest that the use of stress biomarkers can be used as important prognostic tools for examining the sub-lethal stress on corals before their death.     

Carbofuran-induced effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in erythrocytes and liver of Cyprinus carpio

A study was conducted to determine the effects of long-term exposure to carbofuran on erythrocyte and liver acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in Cyprinus carpio, and assess which tissue was more sensitive to pesticide exposure examining this enzyme. Fish were allowed to accilimatize in toxicant-free water for 24 days after 60-day exposure. AChE activity was determined with a spectrophotometer using acetylthiocholine iodide as a substrate in erythrocytes and liver. Enzymic activity of erythrocytes and liver decreased over time. A higher degree of enzyme inhibition was observed in erythrocyte compared to liver. The degree of enzyme inhibition was positively correlated with exposure time. When exposed fish were transferred to clean water, recovery was greater in erythrocytes than liver. Erythrocyte AChE activity recovered after 18 days, while it required 21 days in liver. The findings of this study indicate that erythrocyte AChE is more sensitive to carbofuran than liver. The greater sensitivity of erythrocyte AChE suggests that it may be more useful as a biomarker for monitoring status of pollution in freshwater bodies.     

Risk assessment of trihalomethanes from tap water in Fortaleza, Brazil

The cancer risks (CR) by oral ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation exposure of trihalomethanes (THM) from tap water of ten districts in Fortaleza, Brazil were estimated. The mean levels of THM compounds were obtained in Fortaleza tap water as follow: 63.9 microg L(-1) for chloroform (CHCl(3)), 40.0 microg L(-1) for bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl(2)), and 15.6 microg L(-1) for dibromochloromethane (CHBr(2)Cl). Bromoform (CHBr(3)) was not detected. The mean CR for THMs in tap water is 3.96 x 10(-4). The results indicate that Fortaleza residents have a higher CR by inhalation than dermal absorption and oral ingestion. The CR for CHCl(3) contributes with 68% as compared with the total CR, followed by CHBrCl(2) (21%), and CHBr(2)Cl (11%). The hazard index (HI) is about ten times lower than unity, not indicating non-cancer effects.     

Assessments of toxic heavy metals contamination in cosmetic products

We quantified the contents of four toxic metals in cosmetic products that are commercially available in Jordan; 112 cosmetics, representing 10 product types, were tested in triplicate after acid digestion using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and a mercury analyzer. Ni was most abundant, detected in 104/112 (92.8%) products (average, 2.32 ppm; and median, 1.47 ppm); 66/112 (59%) contained >1 ppm and 13/112 (11.6%), >5 ppm Ni. Cd was second-most abundant, detected in 86/112 (76.7%) products (mean, 1.71 ppm; range from< detection limit [DL] to 18.07 ppm); 16 products (14.3%) exceeded the 3 ppm suggested limit. Pb was detected in 82/112 (73.2%) products (mean, 7.8 ppm; range, < detection limit to 190.43 ppm); 20/112 (17.8%) contained more than the suggested 10 ppm limit. Hg was least-frequently detected, present in 29/112 (25.9%) and at >3 ppm in 15/112 (13.4%) products. The highest content of Hg was observed in skin lightening creams (mean concentration, 1,008 ppm). Hg was detected in 20 (62.5%) of the 32 skin lightening creams tested, of which 11/32 (34.4%) contained > 3 ppm Hg. Of the 112 cosmetics tested, 17 (15.1%) products contained Ni, Pb, Cd, and Hg; 19/112 (16.9%) contained Cd, Pb, and Hg –no product exceeded the maximum acceptable limits for all three elements, and 9/112 (8%) products exceed the maximum recommended levels for at least two elements (Hg, Cd, and Pb).     

Pollution characterization of liquid waste of the factory complex Fertial (Arzew,Algeria)

The industrial development in Algeria has made a worrying situation for all socioeconomic stakeholders. Indeed, this economic growth is marked in recent years by the establishment of factories and industrial plants that discharge liquid waste in marine shorelines. These releases could destabilize the environmental balance in the coming years, hence the need to support the processing of all sources of pollution. Remediation of such discharges requires several steps of identifying the various pollutants to their treatments. Therefore, the authors conducted this first work of characterization of industrial effluents generated by the mineral fertilizer factory complex Fertial (Arzew), and discussed the pollution load generated by this type of industry. This monitoring would establish a tool for reflection and decision support developed by a management system capable of ensuring effective and sustainable management of effluents from industrial activities of Fertial.

Implications: The authors conducted this first work of characterization of industrial effluents generated by the mineral fertilizer factory complex Fertial (Arzew), and discussed the pollution load generated by this type of industry. This monitoring would establish a tool for reflection and decision support developed by a management system capable of ensuring effective and sustainable management of effluents from industrial activities of Fertial.     

REAL-TIME SOIL WATER MONITORING FOR OPTIMUM WATER MANAGEMENT1

Abstract: Efficient water resource management is one of the most important policy issues facing agriculture in Hawaii in the years ahead. Soil water sensors, multisensor capacitance probes (MCP), have been successfully used for different water management projects. These MCPs monitor water content at multiple depths and at various locations in real-time. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of water content on field soil bulk density of Wahiawa silty clay tropical soil; measure field saturated hydraulic conductivity of this tropical soil: calibrate MCP system for this soil: and monitor and evaluate real-time soil water content variations under a tomato crop using the calibrated MCP system. Sensor calibration was conducted under laboratory conditions. Soil bulk density at different water contents and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured on the field. Bulk density increased with increasing water content: there was a 30 percent bulk density increase as a result of 0.25 cm³ cm^-3 water content variation. Compared with the manufacturer's calibration, site specific laboratory calibration of MCP gave a more accurate determination of soil water. Field determined saturated hydraulic conductivity was higher than laboratory determined values reported in the literature for the same soil type. Real-time soil water content monitoring within the root zone showed substantial variations due to water input (irrigation and rainfall) and water output (evapotranspiration and deep percolations). However, water content variations were much further reduced in the soil layer below the root zone.