Assessing strategies to mitigate phosphorus leaching from drained clay soils

Assessing mitigation of phosphorus (P) leaching from subsurface drainage systems is challenging due to high spatial and temporal variation in leaching. Mean measured total P leaching from a clayey soil in an eight-year study period (four replicates per treatment) was (kg ha^?1 year^?1): 1.21 from shallow autumn tillage (ShT), 0.84 from unfertilised fallow (UF), 0.81 from conventional autumn ploughing (CT) and 0.57 from structure liming (SL–CT). Treatment was not significant using Richards–Baker flow index or a distance factor as covariate (p = 0.084 and 0.057). A tendency for lower leaching was obtained comparing SL-CT with ShT (p _adjusted = 0.060 and 0.009 respectively). A combination of measures adapted to drainage conditions and clay content in different parts of the field is proposed since P leaching was approximately halved from an adjacent field (4.3 ha) in a three-year post-period compared with a three-year pre-period for structure liming the entire field and drainage system renovation plus structure lime drain backfilling.     

Biosorption of Pb(II) and Cr(III) from aqueous solutions: breakthrough curves and modeling studies

The sorption capacity parameters obtained for batch studies provide useful information about biosorption system. However, such data fail to explain the process under continuous-flow conditions. The present study is an attempt to explore the biosorption of Pb(II) and Cr(III) by straw from local wheat (Triticum aestivum). The biosorbent has been characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and surface area and elemental analyses and found to be porous and polyfunctional. S-shaped breakthrough curves were obtained at different column heights for the both metal ions. Various breakthrough parameters and saturation times have been determined. The column data have been successfully used to study the Bohart–Adams' bed depth service time (BDST) model and Yoon and Nelson's model. It was found that BDST model quite efficiently explained the whole column data whereas Yoon and Nelson model could explain it below 90 % breakthrough concentration. The predicted and calculated BDST parameters were in agreement with each other. Yoon and Nelson's constant decreased with an increase in the column height for both metal ions. Effect of change in flow rate on the Pb(II) biosorption has also been discussed with respect to BDST approach.     

Gaseous and particulate emissions from thermal power plants operating on different technologies

This paper presents the assessment of gaseous and particulate emissions from thermal power plants operating on different combustion technologies. Four thermal power plants operating on heavy furnace oil were selected for the study, among which three were based on diesel engine technology, while the fourth plant was based on oil-fired steam turbine technology. The stack emissions were monitored for critical air pollutants carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, lead, and mercury. The pollutant emissions were measured at optimum load conditions for a period of 6 months with an interval of 1 month. The results of stack emissions were compared with National Environmental Quality Standards of Pakistan and World Bank guidelines for thermal power plants, and few parameters were found higher than the permissible limits of emissions. It was observed that the emissions carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and particulate matters from diesel engine-based power plants were comparatively higher than the turbine-based power plants. The emissions of sulfur dioxide were high in all the plants, even the plants with different technologies, which was mainly due to high sulfur contents in fuel.     

Biomarkers of pyrethroid toxicity in fish

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Pesticides contribute to human welfare by reducing vector-borne diseases and protecting crops against pests. Insecticides are the most widely employed pesticides...     

Physico‐mechanical and Flammability Properties of Cyrtostachys renda Fibers Reinforced Phenolic Resin Bio-composites

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of fiber length and loading on physico-mechanical and flammability properties of Cyrtostachys renda (CR)...     

Environmental and health impacts of spraying COVID-19 disinfectants with associated challenges

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coronavirus refers to a group of widespread viruses. The name refers to the specific morphology of these viruses because their spikes look like a...     

Correction to: Ecotoxicological assessment of oil-based paint using three-dimensional multi-species bio-testing model: pre- and post-bioremediation analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The original publication of this paper contains a mistake.     

Analysis of river pollution data from low-flow period by means of multivariate techniques

The oil-shale industry has created serious pollution problems in northeastern Estonia. Untreated, phenol-rich leachate from semi-coke mounds formed as a by-product of oil-shale processing is discharged into the Baltic Sea via channels and rivers. An exploratory analysis of water chemical and microbiological data sets from the low-flow period was carried out using different multivariate analysis techniques. Principal component analysis allowed us to distinguish different locations in the river system. The riverine microbial community response to water chemical parameters was assessed by co-inertia analysis. Water pH, COD and total nitrogen were negatively related to the number of biodegradative bacteria, while oxygen concentration promoted the abundance of these bacteria. The results demonstrate the utility of multivariate statistical techniques as tools for estimating the magnitude and extent of pollution based on river water chemical and microbiological parameters. An evaluation of river chemical and microbiological data suggests that the ambient natural attenuation mechanisms only partly eliminate pollutants from river water, and that a sufficient reduction of more recalcitrant compounds could be achieved through the reduction of wastewater discharge from the oil-shale chemical industry into the rivers.     

Amelioration of toxicopathological effects of cadmium with silymarin and milk thistle in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cadmium is an important widely distributed heavy metal in the environment due to its several industrial uses, while milk thistle is an important herb...     

Particle deposition,resuspension and phosphorus accumulation in small constructed wetlands

To improve understanding of phosphorus (P) retention processes in small constructed wetlands (CWs), we analysed variations in sediment deposition and accumulation in four CWs on clay soils in east-central Sweden. Sediment deposition (in traps) generally exceeded the total suspended solids (TSS) load suggesting that resuspension and wetland base erosion were important. This was confirmed by quantification of particle accumulation (on plates) (1–23 kg m^?2 year^?1), which amounted to only 13–23% of trap deposition. Spatial mean P concentrations in accumulated sediment on plates (0.09–0.15%) were generally similar to temporal mean P concentrations of particles in water (0.11–0.15%). Deposition/accumulation was minor in one wetland with high hydraulic load (400 m year^?1), suggesting that such small wetlands are not efficient as particle sinks. Economic support for CWs are given, but design and landscape position are here demonstrated to be important for effective P retention.