Effect of Humic Acids and Fungal Inoculations on Cesium and Lead Concentrations in Lettuce Plants Grown in Contaminated Soils

A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of humic acid additives, applied either individually or in combination with Fusarium oxysporum fungi, on uptake and translocation of cesium and lead in cultivated Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown on Mostorud (clayey) and El‐Gabal El‐Asfar (sandy loam soil) soils in a complete randomized block experimental design. The selected soils from contaminated areas (Mostorud soil was irrigated with contaminated industrial water for more than 30 years and El‐Gabal EL‐Asfar soil was irrigated with sewage effluent for more than 50 years). The results indicated that the cesium and lead content was reduced by all treatments of humic acid application individually or when combined with Fusarium oxysporum inoculations, especially at 200 mmol/kg compared to a control and other treatments. On the other hand, retention of cesium and lead occurred in roots more than shoots. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of Some Chelators on the Phytoextraction Ability of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) for Nickel‐Contaminated Soil

Chelation and complexation of nickel were evaluated as practical ways to solubilize, detoxify, and enhance nickel accumulation by plants. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was selected as a potential nickel accumulator in two selected soils with different textures and nickel‐contamination levels. To enhance metal phytoextraction, ammonium nitrate and organic chelators (EDTA and citric acid) were added to soils in pots at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 20 mmol/kg. The pot experiments were run for eight weeks. The highest nickel uptake was obtained in plants grown on clayey soil, and the lowest uptake was observed in sandy soil. Citric acid was the most effective chelator of nickel metals that could enhance nickel accumulation in the sunflower shoots. The ammonium nitrate application showed a low effect on metal translocation into the sunflower shoots. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effect of atmospheric boundary layer stability on the inclination angle of turbulence coherent structures

Coherent structures in the atmospheric boundary layer are fundamental to the transport of momentum and heat as well as to the production of turbulence. The present work attempts to investigate the behavior of the inclination angle of the vortex packet structures (\(\gamma\)) under different stability conditions. The data were collected from the Marine Ecosystem Research Centre (EKOMAR) site at the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main measurements were conducted by placing two hotwires 3 and 12 m above ground. The two-point correlation method was used to calculate the vortex packet structure inclination angle, while the one-point correlation method was employed to calculate its length-scale. The inclination angle was found to increase under both stable and unstable conditions. As the Obukhov stability parameter (\(\zeta\)) approaches 0, the inclination angle ranged between \(\gamma = 15^\circ\) to \(\gamma = 18^\circ\) for the stable and unstable conditions, respectively, which agrees with the findings of previous research. The vertical gradient of velocity is the dominant parameter affecting the inclination angle under different stability conditions.     

Renewable energy powered membrane desalination — review of recent development

Due to current water stress, there is a problem with hygiene and sanitation in many parts of the world. According to predictions from the United Nations, more than 2.7 billion people will be challenged by water scarcity by the middle of the century. The water industry is increasingly interested in desalination of the sea, ocean, and brackish water. Desalination processes are widely classified as thermal or membrane technologies. In the Middle East, thermal desalination remains the primary technology of choice, but membrane processes, for example reverse osmosis (RO), have evolved rapidly and in many other parts of the world are currently even surpassing thermal processes. The purpose of this paper is to review the renewable energy source, the technology, desalination systems, and their possible integration with renewable energy resources and their cost. This article suggests that the most practical renewable desalination techniques to be used are the solar photovoltaic integrated RO desalination process, the hybrid solar photovoltaic-wind integrated RO desalination process, the hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) integrated RO desalination process, and the hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal effect distillation (PVT-MED) desalination process. However, intensive research is still required to minimize the cost, reduce the heat loss, enhance the performance, and increase the productivity.

     

Correction to: Renewable energy powered membrane desalination — review of recent development

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -