Acid soil infertility effects on peanut yields and yield components

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blamey, F.P.C.

1983-01-01

The interpretation of soil amelioration experiments with peanuts is made difficult by the unpredictibility of the crop and by the many factors altered when ameliorating acid soils. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of lime and gypsum applications on peanut kernel yield via the three first order yield components, pods per ha, kernels per pod, and kernel mass. On an acid medium sandy loam soil (typic Plinthustult), liming resulted in a highly significant kernel yield increase of 117% whereas gypsum applications were of no significant benefit. As indicated by path coefficient analysis, an increase in the numbermore » of pods per ha was markedly more important in increasing yield than an increase in either the number of kernels per pod or kernel mass. Furthermore, exch. Al was found to be particularly detrimental to pod number. It was postulated that poor peanut yields resulting from acid soil infertility were mainly due to the depressive effect of exch. Al on pod number. Exch. Ca appeared to play a secondary role by ameliorating the adverse effects of exch. Al.« less

Elevational Variation in Soil Amino Acid and Inorganic Nitrogen Concentrations in Taibai Mountain, China.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaochuang; Ma, Qingxu; Zhong, Chu; Yang, Xin; Zhu, Lianfeng; Zhang, Junhua; Jin, Qianyu; Wu, Lianghuan

2016-01-01

Amino acids are important sources of soil organic nitrogen (N), which is essential for plant nutrition, but detailed information about which amino acids predominant and whether amino acid composition varies with elevation is lacking. In this study, we hypothesized that the concentrations of amino acids in soil would increase and their composition would vary along the elevational gradient of Taibai Mountain, as plant-derived organic matter accumulated and N mineralization and microbial immobilization of amino acids slowed with reduced soil temperature. Results showed that the concentrations of soil extractable total N, extractable organic N and amino acids significantly increased with elevation due to the accumulation of soil organic matter and the greater N content. Soil extractable organic N concentration was significantly greater than that of the extractable inorganic N (NO3--N + NH4+-N). On average, soil adsorbed amino acid concentration was approximately 5-fold greater than that of the free amino acids, which indicates that adsorbed amino acids extracted with the strong salt solution likely represent a potential source for the replenishment of free amino acids. We found no appreciable evidence to suggest that amino acids with simple molecular structure were dominant at low elevations, whereas amino acids with high molecular weight and complex aromatic structure dominated the high elevations. Across the elevational gradient, the amino acid pool was dominated by alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, histidine, serine and threonine. These seven amino acids accounted for approximately 68.9% of the total hydrolyzable amino acid pool. The proportions of isoleucine, tyrosine and methionine varied with elevation, while soil major amino acid composition (including alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine and valine) did not vary appreciably with elevation (p>0.10). The compositional similarity of many

Elevational Variation in Soil Amino Acid and Inorganic Nitrogen Concentrations in Taibai Mountain, China

PubMed Central

Yang, Xin; Zhu, Lianfeng; Zhang, Junhua; Jin, Qianyu; Wu, Lianghuan

2016-01-01

Amino acids are important sources of soil organic nitrogen (N), which is essential for plant nutrition, but detailed information about which amino acids predominant and whether amino acid composition varies with elevation is lacking. In this study, we hypothesized that the concentrations of amino acids in soil would increase and their composition would vary along the elevational gradient of Taibai Mountain, as plant-derived organic matter accumulated and N mineralization and microbial immobilization of amino acids slowed with reduced soil temperature. Results showed that the concentrations of soil extractable total N, extractable organic N and amino acids significantly increased with elevation due to the accumulation of soil organic matter and the greater N content. Soil extractable organic N concentration was significantly greater than that of the extractable inorganic N (NO3−-N + NH4+-N). On average, soil adsorbed amino acid concentration was approximately 5-fold greater than that of the free amino acids, which indicates that adsorbed amino acids extracted with the strong salt solution likely represent a potential source for the replenishment of free amino acids. We found no appreciable evidence to suggest that amino acids with simple molecular structure were dominant at low elevations, whereas amino acids with high molecular weight and complex aromatic structure dominated the high elevations. Across the elevational gradient, the amino acid pool was dominated by alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, histidine, serine and threonine. These seven amino acids accounted for approximately 68.9% of the total hydrolyzable amino acid pool. The proportions of isoleucine, tyrosine and methionine varied with elevation, while soil major amino acid composition (including alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine and valine) did not vary appreciably with elevation (p>0.10). The compositional similarity of many

Selenium speciation in acidic environmental samples: application to acid rain-soil interaction at Mount Etna volcano.

PubMed

Floor, Geerke H; Iglesías, Mònica; Román-Ross, Gabriela; Corvini, Philippe F X; Lenz, Markus

2011-09-01

Speciation plays a crucial role in elemental mobility. However, trace level selenium (Se) speciation analyses in aqueous samples from acidic environments are hampered due to adsorption of the analytes (i.e. selenate, selenite) on precipitates. Such solid phases can form during pH adaptation up till now necessary for chromatographic separation. Thermodynamic calculations in this study predicted that a pH<4 is needed to prevent precipitation of Al and Fe phases. Therefore, a speciation method with a low pH eluent that matches the natural sample pH of acid rain-soil interaction samples from Etna volcano was developed. With a mobile phase containing 20mM ammonium citrate at pH 3, selenate and selenite could be separated in different acidic media (spiked water, rain, soil leachates) in <10 min with a LOQ of 0.2 μg L(-1) using (78)Se for detection. Applying this speciation analysis to study acid rain-soil interaction using synthetic rain based on H(2)SO(4) and soil samples collected at the flanks of Etna volcano demonstrated the dominance of selenate over selenite in leachates from samples collected close to the volcanic craters. This suggests that competitive behavior with sulfate present in acid rain might be a key factor in Se mobilization. The developed speciation method can significantly contribute to understand Se cycling in acidic, Al/Fe rich environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HONO (nitrous acid) emissions from acidic northern soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maljanen, Marja; Yli-Pirilä, Pasi; Joutsensaari, Jorma; Martikainen, Pertti J.

2015-04-01

The photolysis of HONO (nitrous acid) is an important source of OH radical, the key oxidizing agent in the atmosphere, contributing also to removal of atmospheric methane (CH4), the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). The emissions of HONO from soils have been recently reported in few studies. Soil HONO emissions are regarded as missing sources of HONO when considering the chemical reactions in the atmosphere. The soil-derived HONO has been connected to soil nitrite (NO2-) and also directly to the activity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria, which has been studied with one pure culture. Our hypothesis was that boreal acidic soils with high nitrification activity could be also sources of HONO and the emissions of HONO are connected with nitrification. We selected a range of dominant northern acidic soils and showed in microcosm experiments that soils which have the highest nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions (drained peatlands) also have the highest HONO production rates. The emissions of HONO are thus linked to nitrogen cycle and also NO and N2O emissions. Natural peatlands and boreal coniferous forests on mineral soils had the lowest HONO emissions. It is known that in natural peatlands with high water table and in boreal coniferous forest soils, low nitrification activity (microbial production of nitrite and nitrate) limits their N2O production. Low availability of nitrite in these soils is the likely reason also for their low HONO production rates. We also studied the origin of HONO in one peat soil with acetylene and other nitrification inhibitors and we found that HONO production is not closely connected to ammonium oxidation (nitrification). Acetylene blocked NO emissions but did not affect HONO or N2O emissions, thus there is another source behind HONO emission from these soils than ammonium oxidation. It is still an open question if this process is microbial or chemical origin.

HONO (nitrous acid) emissions from acidic northern soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maljanen, Marja; Yli-Pirilä, Pasi; Joutsensaari, Jorma; Sulassaari, Sirkka; Martikainen, Pertti J.

2014-05-01

The photolysis of HONO (nitrous acid) is an important source of OH radical, the key oxidizing agent in the atmosphere, contributing also to removal of atmospheric methane (CH4), the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). There are missing sources of HONO when considering the chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Soil could be such a missing source. Emissions of HONO from soils studied in laboratory incubations have been recently reported. The soil-derived HONO has been connected to soil nitrite (NO2-) and a study with an ammonium oxidizing bacterium has shown that HONO could be produced in ammonium oxidation. Our hypothesis was that boreal acidic soils with high nitrification activity could be important sources of HONO. We selected a range of dominant northern acidic soils and showed in microcosm experiments that soils which have the highest nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions (drained peatlands) also have the highest HONO production rates. The emissions of HONO are thus linked to nitrogen cycle processes. In contrast to drained peatlands, natural peatlands with high water table and boreal coniferous forests on mineral soils with low nitrification capacity had low HONO emissions. It is known that in natural peatlands with high water table and in boreal coniferous forest soils, low nitrification activity (microbial production of nitrite and nitrate) limits their N2O production. Low nitrification rate and low availability of nitrite in these soils are the likely reasons for their low HONO production rates. We studied the origin of HONO in one drained peat soil by inhibiting nitrification with acetylene. Acetylene blocked NO emissions but did not affect HONO or N2O emissions, thus ammonium oxidation is not the direct mechanism for the HONO emission in this soil. It is still an open question if HONO originates directly from some microbial process like ammonium oxidation or chemically from nitrite produced in microbial processes.

[Effects of low molecular weight organic acids on speciation of exogenous Cu in an acid soil].

PubMed

Huang, Guo-Yong; Fu, Qing-Ling; Zhu, Jun; Wan, Tian-Ying; Hu, Hong-Qing

2014-08-01

In order to ascertain the effect of LMWOA (citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid) on Cu-contaminated soils and to investigate the change of Cu species, a red soil derived from quartz sandstone deposit was added by Cu (copper) in the form of CuSO4 x 5H2O so as to simulate soil Cu pollution, keeping the additional Cu concentrations were 0, 100, 200, 400 mg x kg(-1) respectively. After 9 months, different LMWOA was also added into the simulated soil, keeping the additional LMWOAs in soil were 0, 5, 10, 20 mmol x kg(-1) respectively. After 2 weeks incubation, the modified sequential extraction method on BCR (European Communities Bureau of Reference) was used to evaluate the effects of these LMWOAs on the changes of copper forms in soil. The result showed that the percentage of weak acid dissolved Cu, the most effective form in the soil increased with three organic acids increase in quantity in the simulated polluted soil. And there was a good activation effect on Cu in the soil when organic acid added. Activation effects on Cu increased with concentration of citric acid increasing, but it showed a rise trend before they are basically remained unchanged in the case of tartaric acid and oxalic acid added in the soil. On the contrary, the state of the reduction of copper which was regarded as a complement for effective state decreased with the increased concentration of organic acid in the soil, especially with citric acid. When 20 mmol x kg(-1) oxalic acid and citric acid were added into the soil, the activation effect was the best; whereas for tartaric, the concentration was 10 mmol x kg(-1). In general, the effect on the changes of Cu forms in the soil is citric acid > tartaric acid > oxalic acid.

Influence of ameliorating soil acidity with dolomite on the priming of soil C content and CO2 emission.

PubMed

Shaaban, Muhammad; Wu, Lei; Peng, Qi-An; van Zwieten, Lukas; Chhajro, Muhammad Afzal; Wu, Yupeng; Lin, Shan; Ahmed, Muhammad Mahmood; Khalid, Muhammad Salman; Abid, Muhammad; Hu, Ronggui

2017-04-01

Lime or dolomite is commonly implemented to ameliorate soil acidity. However, the impact of dolomite on CO 2 emissions from acidic soils is largely unknown. A 53-day laboratory study was carried out to investigate CO 2 emissions by applying dolomite to an acidic Acrisol (rice-rapeseed rotation [RR soil]) and a Ferralsol (rice-fallow/flooded rotation [RF soil]). Dolomite was dosed at 0, 0.5, and 1.5 g 100 g -1 soil, herein referred to as CK, L, and H, respectively. The soil pH (H2O) increased from 5.25 to 7.03 and 7.62 in L and H treatments of the RR soil and from 5.52 to 7.27 and 7.77 in L and H treatments of the RF soil, respectively. Dolomite application significantly (p ≤ 0.001) increased CO 2 emissions in both RR and RF soils, with higher emissions in H as compared to L dose of dolomite. The cumulative CO 2 emissions with H dose of dolomite were greater 136% in the RR soil and 149% in the RF soil as compared to CK, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) increased and reached at 193 and 431 mg kg -1 in the RR soil and 244 and 481 mg kg -1 in the RF soil by H treatments. The NH 4 - -N and NO 3 - -N were also increased by dolomite application. The increase in C and N contents stimulated microbial activities and therefore higher respiration in dolomite-treated soil as compared to untreated. The results suggest that CO 2 release in dolomite-treated soils was due to the priming of soil C content rather than chemical reactions.

Nucleic Acid Extraction from Synthetic Mars Analog Soils for in situ Life Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojarro, Angel; Ruvkun, Gary; Zuber, Maria T.; Carr, Christopher E.

2017-08-01

Biological informational polymers such as nucleic acids have the potential to provide unambiguous evidence of life beyond Earth. To this end, we are developing an automated in situ life-detection instrument that integrates nucleic acid extraction and nanopore sequencing: the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG) instrument. Our goal is to isolate and determine the sequence of nucleic acids from extant or preserved life on Mars, if, for example, there is common ancestry to life on Mars and Earth. As is true of metagenomic analysis of terrestrial environmental samples, the SETG instrument must isolate nucleic acids from crude samples and then determine the DNA sequence of the unknown nucleic acids. Our initial DNA extraction experiments resulted in low to undetectable amounts of DNA due to soil chemistry-dependent soil-DNA interactions, namely adsorption to mineral surfaces, binding to divalent/trivalent cations, destruction by iron redox cycling, and acidic conditions. Subsequently, we developed soil-specific extraction protocols that increase DNA yields through a combination of desalting, utilization of competitive binders, and promotion of anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that a combination of desalting and utilizing competitive binders may establish a "universal" nucleic acid extraction protocol suitable for analyzing samples from diverse soils on Mars.

Nucleic Acid Extraction from Synthetic Mars Analog Soils for in situ Life Detection.

PubMed

Mojarro, Angel; Ruvkun, Gary; Zuber, Maria T; Carr, Christopher E

2017-08-01

Biological informational polymers such as nucleic acids have the potential to provide unambiguous evidence of life beyond Earth. To this end, we are developing an automated in situ life-detection instrument that integrates nucleic acid extraction and nanopore sequencing: the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG) instrument. Our goal is to isolate and determine the sequence of nucleic acids from extant or preserved life on Mars, if, for example, there is common ancestry to life on Mars and Earth. As is true of metagenomic analysis of terrestrial environmental samples, the SETG instrument must isolate nucleic acids from crude samples and then determine the DNA sequence of the unknown nucleic acids. Our initial DNA extraction experiments resulted in low to undetectable amounts of DNA due to soil chemistry-dependent soil-DNA interactions, namely adsorption to mineral surfaces, binding to divalent/trivalent cations, destruction by iron redox cycling, and acidic conditions. Subsequently, we developed soil-specific extraction protocols that increase DNA yields through a combination of desalting, utilization of competitive binders, and promotion of anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that a combination of desalting and utilizing competitive binders may establish a "universal" nucleic acid extraction protocol suitable for analyzing samples from diverse soils on Mars. Key Words: Life-detection instruments-Nucleic acids-Mars-Panspermia. Astrobiology 17, 747-760.

Natural abiotic formation of oxalic acid in soils: results from aromatic model compounds and soil samples.

PubMed

Studenroth, Sabine; Huber, Stefan G; Kotte, Karsten; Schöler, Heinz F

2013-02-05

Oxalic acid is the smallest dicarboxylic acid and plays an important role in soil processes (e.g., mineral weathering and metal detoxification in plants). We have first proven its abiotic formation in soils and investigated natural abiotic degradation processes based on the oxidation of soil organic matter, enhanced by Fe(3+) and H(2)O(2) as hydroxyl radical suppliers. Experiments with the model compound catechol and further hydroxylated benzenes were performed to examine a common degradation pathway and to presume a general formation mechanism of oxalic acid. Two soil samples were tested for the release of oxalic acid and the potential effects of various soil parameters on oxalic acid formation. Additionally, the soil samples were treated with different soil sterilization methods to prove the oxalic acid formation under abiotic soil conditions. Different series of model experiments were conducted to determine a range of factors including Fe(3+), H(2)O(2), reaction time, pH, and chloride concentration on oxalic acid formation. Under certain conditions, catechol is degraded up to 65.6% to oxalic acid referring to carbon. In serial experiments with two soil samples, oxalic acid was produced, and the obtained results are suggestive of an abiotic degradation process. In conclusion, Fenton-like conditions with low Fe(3+) concentrations and an excess of H(2)O(2) as well as acidic conditions were required for an optimal oxalic acid formation. The presence of chloride reduced oxalic acid formation.

[Effects of different fertilization treatments on soil humic acid structure characteristics].

PubMed

Zhao, Nan; Lü, Yi-Zhong

2012-07-01

The present article used soil humic acid as research object to study effects on the structure characteristics of soil humic acid under the condition of applying cake fertilizer, green manure, straw fertilizer with the same contents of nitrogen and phosphorus. It used element analysis, micro infrared, and solid 13C-NMR for structure analysis, the results indicated that: The chemical composition and structure characteristics of humic acids were similar, but they also had many obvious differences. (1) The atomic ratios of H/C, O/C, and C/N were all different for the humic acids, the soil humic acid of cake fertilizer processing had the highest contents of H and N, green manure processing of soil humic acid contained the highest content of O, while straw fertilizer processing of soil humic acid contained highest content of C. (2) Infrared analysis displayed that the three soil humic acids contained protein Cake fertilizer processing of soil humic acid contained the most amino compounds, green manure processing of soil humic acid contained the maximum contents of hydroxyl and aliphatic hydrocarbon, while straw fertilizer processing of soil humic acid contained the highest contents of alcohol and phenol. (3) Solid 13C-NMR data indicated that cake fertilizer processing of soil humic acid contained the most carboxyl carbon, green manure processing of soil humic acid contained the highest contents of alkyl carbon and carbonyl carbon, while straw fertilizer processing of soil humic acids had the most alkoxy carbon and aromatic carbon

Acidity field of soils as ion-exchange systems and the diagnostics of genetic soil horizons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokotov, Yu. A.; Sukhacheva, E. Yu.; Aparin, B. F.

2014-12-01

For the comprehensive description of the acidity of a two-phase ion-exchange system, we should analyze two curves of the ionite titration by a strong base in water and salt solutions and find the quantitative relationships between the corresponding pH characteristics. An idea of the three-dimensional field of acidity of ion-exchange systems (the phase space of the soil acidity characteristics) and its three two-dimensional projections is suggested. For soils, three interrelated characteristics—the pH values of the salt and water extracts and the degree of base saturation—can serve as spatial coordinates for the acidity field. Representation of factual data in this field makes it possible to compare and analyze the acidity characteristics of different soils and soil horizons and to determine their specific features. Differentiation of the field into separate volumes allows one to present the data in a discrete form. We have studied the distribution patterns of the groups of soil horizons from Leningrad oblast and other regions of northwestern Russia in the acidity field. The studied samples are grouped in different partially overlapping areas of the projections of the acidity field. The results of this grouping attest to the correctness of the modern classification of Russian soils. A notion of the characteristic soil area in the acidity field is suggested; it can be applied to all the soils with a leaching soil water regime.

Laboratory Study of Methane Flux from Acid Sulphate Soil in South Kalimantan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annisa, W.; Cahyana, D.; Syahbuddin, H.; Rachman, A.

2017-06-01

Addition of organic matter in waterlogged conditions will enhance methanogenesis process that produces greenhouse gases. Fresh organic material is considered reactive because it contains carbons that is subject to decompose, therefore, when it exposed to acid sulphate soil, both in natural condition (aeration required) and intensive (aeration not required) will lower the value of redox potential. This experiment aimed to determine the flux of methane (CH4) from various locally available organic materials applied to acid sulphate soil. The experiment was arranged in factorial design with two factors. The first factor was the source of organic matter, i.e. fresh rice straw, fresh purun, fresh cattle manure, composted rice straw, composted purun and composted cattle manure, and control. The second factor was the management of organic matter i.e. placed on the soil surface with no tillage and mixed with soil during tillage. The results showed that application of fresh organic matter into inundated acid sulphate soil increased CH4 fluxes up to 23.78 µg CH4 g1 d1 which was higher than from composted organic matter (4.327 µg CH4.g1.d1). Methane flux due to organic matter management was significantly negatively (p=0.001) correlated with soil redox potential (Eh) with R2 of - 0.76. Organic matter placed on the soil surface with no tillage produced methane flux ranged from 0.33 to 20.78 g CH4 g1 d1, which was lower than methane flux produced from organic matter mixed with soil during tillage (0.38 to 27.27 g CH4 g1 d1). Composting organic matter before application and mixing them with the soil through tillage are highly recommended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cultivated acid sulphate soils.

Nucleic Acid Extraction from Synthetic Mars Analog Soils for in situ Life Detection

PubMed Central

Mojarro, Angel; Ruvkun, Gary; Zuber, Maria T.

2017-01-01

Abstract Biological informational polymers such as nucleic acids have the potential to provide unambiguous evidence of life beyond Earth. To this end, we are developing an automated in situ life-detection instrument that integrates nucleic acid extraction and nanopore sequencing: the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG) instrument. Our goal is to isolate and determine the sequence of nucleic acids from extant or preserved life on Mars, if, for example, there is common ancestry to life on Mars and Earth. As is true of metagenomic analysis of terrestrial environmental samples, the SETG instrument must isolate nucleic acids from crude samples and then determine the DNA sequence of the unknown nucleic acids. Our initial DNA extraction experiments resulted in low to undetectable amounts of DNA due to soil chemistry–dependent soil-DNA interactions, namely adsorption to mineral surfaces, binding to divalent/trivalent cations, destruction by iron redox cycling, and acidic conditions. Subsequently, we developed soil-specific extraction protocols that increase DNA yields through a combination of desalting, utilization of competitive binders, and promotion of anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that a combination of desalting and utilizing competitive binders may establish a “universal” nucleic acid extraction protocol suitable for analyzing samples from diverse soils on Mars. Key Words: Life-detection instruments—Nucleic acids—Mars—Panspermia. Astrobiology 17, 747–760. PMID:28704064

Precipitation-mediated responses of soil acid buffering capacity to long-term nitrogen addition in a semi-arid grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Jiangping; Luo, Wentao; Liu, Heyong; Feng, Xue; Zhang, Yongyong; Wang, Ruzhen; Xu, Zhuwen; Zhang, Yuge; Jiang, Yong

2017-12-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition can result in soil acidification and reduce soil acid buffering capacity. However, it remains poorly understood how changes in precipitation regimes with elevated atmospheric N deposition affect soil acidification processes in a water-limited grassland. Here, we conducted a 9-year split-plot experiment with water addition as the main factor and N addition as the second factor. Results showed that soil acid buffering capacity significantly decreased with increased N inputs, mainly due to the decline of soil effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) and exchangeable basic cations (especially Ca2+), indicating an acceleration of soil acidification status in this steppes. Significant interactive N and water effects were detected on the soil acid buffering capacity. Water addition enhanced the soil ECEC and exchangeable base cations and thus alleviated the decrease of soil acid buffering capacity under N addition. Our findings suggested that precipitation can mitigate the impact of increased N deposition on soil acidification in semi-arid grasslands. This knowledge should be used to improve models predicting soil acidification processes in terrestrial ecosystems under changing environmental conditions.

Modeling the influence of organic acids on soil weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Corey; Harden, Jennifer; Maher, Kate

2014-08-01

Biological inputs and organic matter cycling have long been regarded as important factors in the physical and chemical development of soils. In particular, the extent to which low molecular weight organic acids, such as oxalate, influence geochemical reactions has been widely studied. Although the effects of organic acids are diverse, there is strong evidence that organic acids accelerate the dissolution of some minerals. However, the influence of organic acids at the field-scale and over the timescales of soil development has not been evaluated in detail. In this study, a reactive-transport model of soil chemical weathering and pedogenic development was used to quantify the extent to which organic acid cycling controls mineral dissolution rates and long-term patterns of chemical weathering. Specifically, oxalic acid was added to simulations of soil development to investigate a well-studied chronosequence of soils near Santa Cruz, CA. The model formulation includes organic acid input, transport, decomposition, organic-metal aqueous complexation and mineral surface complexation in various combinations. Results suggest that although organic acid reactions accelerate mineral dissolution rates near the soil surface, the net response is an overall decrease in chemical weathering. Model results demonstrate the importance of organic acid input concentrations, fluid flow, decomposition and secondary mineral precipitation rates on the evolution of mineral weathering fronts. In particular, model soil profile evolution is sensitive to kaolinite precipitation and oxalate decomposition rates. The soil profile-scale modeling presented here provides insights into the influence of organic carbon cycling on soil weathering and pedogenesis and supports the need for further field-scale measurements of the flux and speciation of reactive organic compounds.

Modeling the influence of organic acids on soil weathering

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Corey R.; Harden, Jennifer W.; Maher, Kate

2014-01-01

Biological inputs and organic matter cycling have long been regarded as important factors in the physical and chemical development of soils. In particular, the extent to which low molecular weight organic acids, such as oxalate, influence geochemical reactions has been widely studied. Although the effects of organic acids are diverse, there is strong evidence that organic acids accelerate the dissolution of some minerals. However, the influence of organic acids at the field-scale and over the timescales of soil development has not been evaluated in detail. In this study, a reactive-transport model of soil chemical weathering and pedogenic development was used to quantify the extent to which organic acid cycling controls mineral dissolution rates and long-term patterns of chemical weathering. Specifically, oxalic acid was added to simulations of soil development to investigate a well-studied chronosequence of soils near Santa Cruz, CA. The model formulation includes organic acid input, transport, decomposition, organic-metal aqueous complexation and mineral surface complexation in various combinations. Results suggest that although organic acid reactions accelerate mineral dissolution rates near the soil surface, the net response is an overall decrease in chemical weathering. Model results demonstrate the importance of organic acid input concentrations, fluid flow, decomposition and secondary mineral precipitation rates on the evolution of mineral weathering fronts. In particular, model soil profile evolution is sensitive to kaolinite precipitation and oxalate decomposition rates. The soil profile-scale modeling presented here provides insights into the influence of organic carbon cycling on soil weathering and pedogenesis and supports the need for further field-scale measurements of the flux and speciation of reactive organic compounds.

Temperature effects on protein depolymerization and amino acid immobilization rates in soils.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noll, Lisa; Hu, Yuntao; Zhang, Shasha; Zheng, Qing; Wanek, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

the three different temperatures. Amino acid concentrations and at% 15N of amino acids were measured in soil extracts at two time points by a novel approach based on the conversion of α-amino groups to N2O and purge-and-trap isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Protein availability was measured by extraction in solvents of increasing extraction efficiency (water, salt, metaphosphate, hydroxide), followed by acid hydrolysis to free amino acids and reaction with orthophthaldialdehyde. Peptidase activity was also measured at 5, 15 and 25˚ C using fluorescence probes. We expect that soil texture (clay content) and pH will affect protein sorption and availability and thereby affect depolymerization rates. Soil C:N ratios may control the N demand of microorganisms and thus affect enzyme production and amino acid immobilization rates. Moreover, soil pH is a major control on microbial community structure and may thereby affect the production of extracellular enzymes involved in protein and peptide decomposition. Due to the differences in temperature sensitivity of diffusion and enzymatic processes we expect higher temperature sensitivities given that protein decomposition is enzyme- rather than substrate-limited. This study will therefore greatly advance our understanding of major controls of the soil N cycle and provide highly important data for refining soil N cycle models.

Partitioning of metals in a degraded acid sulfate soil landscape: influence of tidal re-inundation.

PubMed

Claff, Salirian R; Sullivan, Leigh A; Burton, Edward D; Bush, Richard T; Johnston, Scott G

2011-11-01

The oxidation and acidification of sulfidic soil materials results in the re-partitioning of metals, generally to more mobile forms. In this study, we examine the partitioning of Fe, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn in the acidified surface soil (0-0.1 m) and the unoxidised sub-soil materials (1.3-1.5 m) of an acid sulfate soil landscape. Metal partitioning at this acidic site was then compared to an adjacent site that was previously acidified, but has since been remediated by tidal re-inundation. Differences in metal partitioning were determined using an optimised six-step sequential extraction procedure which targets the "labile", "acid-soluble", "organic", "crystalline oxide", "pyritic" and "residual" fractions. The surficial soil materials of the acidic site had experienced considerable losses of Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni compared to the underlying parent material due to oxidation and acidification, yet only minor losses of Fe and Zn. In general, the metals most depleted from the acidified surface soil materials exhibited the greatest sequestration in the surface soil materials of the tidally remediated site. An exception to this was iron, which accumulated to highly elevated concentrations in the surficial soil materials of the tidally remediated site. The "acid-soluble", "organic" and "pyritic" fractions displayed the greatest increase in metals following tidal remediation. This study demonstrates that prolonged tidal re-inundation of severely acidified acid sulfate soil landscapes leads to the immobilisation of trace metals through the surficial accumulation of iron oxides, organic material and pyrite. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acid-base buffering of soils in transitional and transitional-accumulative positions of undisturbed southern-taiga landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusakova, E. S.; Ishkova, I. V.; Tolpeshta, I. I.; Sokolova, T. A.

2012-05-01

The method of continuous potentiometric titration (CPT) of soil water suspensions was used to evaluate the acid-base buffering of samples from the major genetic horizons of podzolic soils on a slope and soddy gley soils on the adjacent floodplain of a rivulet. In the soils of the slope, the buffering to acid upon titration from the pH of the initial titration point (ITP) to pH 3 in all the horizons was 1.5-2.0 times lower than that in the podzolic soils of the leveled interfluve, which could be due to the active leaching of exchangeable bases and oxalate-soluble aluminum and iron compounds with the later soil flows. In the soddy gley soils, the buffering to acid in the mineral horizons was 2-10 times higher than that in the podzolic soils. A direct dependence of the soil buffering to acid on the total content of exchangeable bases and on the content of oxalate-soluble aluminum compounds was found. A direct dependence of the buffering to basic upon titration from the ITP to pH 10 on the contents of the oxalate-soluble aluminum and organic matter was observed in the mineral horizons of all the studied soils. The soil treatment with Tamm's reagent resulted in the decrease of the buffering to acid in the soddy gley soils of the floodplain, as well as in the decrease of the buffering to basic in the soils on the slopes and in the soddy gley soils. It was also found that the redistribution of the mobile aluminum compounds between the eluvial, transitional, and transitional-accumulative positions in the undisturbed southern taiga landscapes leads to significant spatial differentiation of the acid-base buffering of the mineral soil horizons with a considerable increase in the buffer capacity of the soils within the transitional-accumulative terrain positions.

Soil amino acid composition across a boreal forest successional sequence

Treesearch

Nancy R. Werdin-Pfisterer; Knut Kielland; Richard D. Boone

2009-01-01

Soil amino acids are important sources of organic nitrogen for plant nutrition, yet few studies have examined which amino acids are most prevalent in the soil. In this study, we examined the composition, concentration, and seasonal patterns of soil amino acids across a primary successional sequence encompassing a natural gradient of plant productivity and soil...

A decade of monitoring at Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF) sites: can we observe trends in atmospheric acid deposition and in soil solution acidity?

PubMed

Pannatier, Elisabeth Graf; Thimonier, Anne; Schmitt, Maria; Walthert, Lorenz; Waldner, Peter

2011-03-01

Trends in atmospheric acid deposition and in soil solution acidity from 1995 or later until 2007 were investigated at several forest sites throughout Switzerland to assess the effects of air pollution abatements on deposition and the response of the soil solution chemistry. Deposition of the major elements was estimated from throughfall and bulk deposition measurements at nine sites of the Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research network (LWF) since 1995 or later. Soil solution was measured at seven plots at four soil depths since 1998 or later. Trends in the molar ratio of base cations to aluminum (BC/Al) in soil solutions and in concentrations and fluxes of inorganic N (NO(3)-N + NH(4)-N), sulfate (SO(4)-S), and base cations (BC) were used to detect changes in soil solution chemistry. Acid deposition significantly decreased at three out of the nine study sites due to a decrease in total N deposition. Total SO(4)-S deposition decreased at the nine sites, but due to the relatively low amount of SO(4)-S load compared to N deposition, it did not contribute to decrease acid deposition significantly. No trend in total BC deposition was detected. In the soil solution, no trend in concentrations and fluxes of BC, SO(4)-S, and inorganic N were found at most soil depths at five out of the seven sites. This suggests that the soil solution reacted very little to the changes in atmospheric deposition. A stronger reduction in base cations compared to aluminum was detected at two sites, which might indicate that acidification of the soil solution was proceeding faster at these sites.

An acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing γ-proteobacterium from soil

PubMed Central

Hayatsu, Masahito; Tago, Kanako; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Wang, Yong; Shimomura, Yumi; Okubo, Takashi; Kurisu, Futoshi; Hirono, Yuhei; Nonaka, Kunihiko; Akiyama, Hiroko; Itoh, Takehiko; Takami, Hideto

2017-01-01

Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, occurs in a wide range of acidic soils. However, the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) that have been isolated from soil to date are acid-sensitive. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an acid-adapted AOB from an acidic agricultural soil. The isolated AOB, strain TAO100, is classified within the Gammaproteobacteria based on phylogenetic characteristics. TAO100 can grow in the pH range of 5–7.5 and survive in highly acidic conditions until pH 2 by forming cell aggregates. Whereas all known gammaproteobacterial AOB (γ-AOB) species, which have been isolated from marine and saline aquatic environments, are halophiles, TAO100 is not phenotypically halophilic. Thus, TAO100 represents the first soil-originated and non-halophilic γ-AOB. The TAO100 genome is considerably smaller than those of other γ-AOB and lacks several genes associated with salt tolerance which are unnecessary for survival in soil. The ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene of TAO100 and its transcript are higher in abundance than those of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and betaproteobacterial AOB in the strongly acidic soil. These results indicate that TAO100 plays an important role in the nitrification of acidic soils. Based on these results, we propose TAO100 as a novel species of a new genus, Candidatus Nitrosoglobus terrae. PMID:28072419

An acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing γ-proteobacterium from soil.

PubMed

Hayatsu, Masahito; Tago, Kanako; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Wang, Yong; Shimomura, Yumi; Okubo, Takashi; Kurisu, Futoshi; Hirono, Yuhei; Nonaka, Kunihiko; Akiyama, Hiroko; Itoh, Takehiko; Takami, Hideto

2017-05-01

Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, occurs in a wide range of acidic soils. However, the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) that have been isolated from soil to date are acid-sensitive. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an acid-adapted AOB from an acidic agricultural soil. The isolated AOB, strain TAO100, is classified within the Gammaproteobacteria based on phylogenetic characteristics. TAO100 can grow in the pH range of 5-7.5 and survive in highly acidic conditions until pH 2 by forming cell aggregates. Whereas all known gammaproteobacterial AOB (γ-AOB) species, which have been isolated from marine and saline aquatic environments, are halophiles, TAO100 is not phenotypically halophilic. Thus, TAO100 represents the first soil-originated and non-halophilic γ-AOB. The TAO100 genome is considerably smaller than those of other γ-AOB and lacks several genes associated with salt tolerance which are unnecessary for survival in soil. The ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene of TAO100 and its transcript are higher in abundance than those of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and betaproteobacterial AOB in the strongly acidic soil. These results indicate that TAO100 plays an important role in the nitrification of acidic soils. Based on these results, we propose TAO100 as a novel species of a new genus, Candidatus Nitrosoglobus terrae.

Influence of multi-step washing using Na2EDTA, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid on metal fractionation and spectroscopy characteristics from contaminated soil.

PubMed

Wei, Meng; Chen, Jiajun

2016-11-01

A multi-step soil washing test using a typical chelating agent (Na 2 EDTA), organic acid (oxalic acid), and inorganic weak acid (phosphoric acid) was conducted to remediate soil contaminated with heavy metals near an arsenic mining area. The aim of the test was to improve the heavy metal removal efficiency and investigate its influence on metal fractionation and the spectroscopy characteristics of contaminated soil. The results indicated that the orders of the multi-step washing were critical for the removal efficiencies of the metal fractions, bioavailability, and potential mobility due to the different dissolution levels of mineral fractions and the inter-transformation of metal fractions by XRD and FT-IR spectral analyses. The optimal soil washing options were identified as the Na 2 EDTA-phosphoric-oxalic acid (EPO) and phosphoric-oxalic acid-Na 2 EDTA (POE) sequences because of their high removal efficiencies (approximately 45 % for arsenic and 88 % for cadmium) and the minimal harmful effects that were determined by the mobility and bioavailability of the remaining heavy metals based on the metal stability (I R ) and modified redistribution index ([Formula: see text]).

Reduced carbon sequestration potential of biochar in acidic soil.

PubMed

Sheng, Yaqi; Zhan, Yu; Zhu, Lizhong

2016-12-01

Biochar application in soil has been proposed as a promising method for carbon sequestration. While factors affecting its carbon sequestration potential have been widely investigated, the number of studies on the effect of soil pH is limited. To investigate the carbon sequestration potential of biochar across a series of soil pH levels, the total carbon emission, CO 2 release from inorganic carbon, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) of six soils with various pH levels were compared after the addition of straw biochar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures. The results show that the acidic soils released more CO 2 (1.5-3.5 times higher than the control) after the application of biochar compared with neutral and alkaline soils. The degradation of both native soil organic carbon (SOC) and biochar were accelerated. More inorganic CO 2 release in acidic soil contributed to the increased degradation of biochar. Higher proportion of gram-positive bacteria in acidic soil (25%-36%) was responsible for the enhanced biochar degradation and simultaneously co-metabolism of SOC. In addition, lower substrate limitation for bacteria, indicated by higher C-O stretching after the biochar application in the acidic soil, also caused more CO 2 release. In addition to the soil pH, other factors such as clay contents and experimental duration also affected the phsico-chemical and biotic processes of SOC dynamics. Gram-negative/gram-positive bacteria ratio was found to be negatively related to priming effects, and suggested to serve as an indicator for priming effect. In general, the carbon sequestration potential of rice-straw biochar in soil reduced along with the decrease of soil pH especially in a short-term. Given wide spread of acidic soils in China, carbon sequestration potential of biochar may be overestimated without taking into account the impact of soil pH. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oxidation of phenolic acids by soil iron and manganese oxides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehmann, R.G.; Cheng, H.H.; Harsh, J.B.

Phenolic acids are intermediary metabolites of many aromatic chemicals and may be involved in humus formation, allelopathy, and nutrient availability. Depending on their structures, six phenolic acids were shown to react at different rates with oxidized forms of Fe and Mn in a Palouse soil (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Pachic Ultic Haploxeroll). Increasing methoxy substitution on the aromatic ring of phenolic acids increased the reaction rate. Reaction rate was also increased for longer carboxyl-containing side chains. After 4 h reaction, little of the applied (10 mg kg/sup -1/ soil) p-hydroxybenzoic or p-coumaric acids had reacted, while 0 to 5, 70, 90,more » and 100% of the vanillic, ferulic, syringic, and sinapic acids, respectively, had reacted. After 72 h under conditions limiting microbial growth, none of the p-hydroxybenzoic, 30% of the p-coumaric, and 50% of the vanillic acids had reacted. The reaction was shown to be predominantly chemical, and not biological, since phenolic acid extractabilities were similar for Palouse soil and for Palouse soil pretreated with LiOBr to remove organic matter. When the Palouse soil was pretreated with a sodium dithionite-citrate solution to remove Fe and Mn oxides, none of the phenolic acids reacted after 1 h. The reaction of sinapic acid with Palouse soil was shown to produce Fe(II) and soluble Mn as reaction products. The reaction of phenolic acids with soil was thus shown to be an oxidation of the phenolic acids, coupled with a reduction of soil Fe and Mn oxides.« less

The response of soil solution chemistry in European forests to decreasing acid deposition.

PubMed

Johnson, James; Graf Pannatier, Elisabeth; Carnicelli, Stefano; Cecchini, Guia; Clarke, Nicholas; Cools, Nathalie; Hansen, Karin; Meesenburg, Henning; Nieminen, Tiina M; Pihl-Karlsson, Gunilla; Titeux, Hugues; Vanguelova, Elena; Verstraeten, Arne; Vesterdal, Lars; Waldner, Peter; Jonard, Mathieu

2018-03-31

Acid deposition arising from sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions from fossil fuel combustion and agriculture has contributed to the acidification of terrestrial ecosystems in many regions globally. However, in Europe and North America, S deposition has greatly decreased in recent decades due to emissions controls. In this study, we assessed the response of soil solution chemistry in mineral horizons of European forests to these changes. Trends in pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), major ions, total aluminium (Al tot ) and dissolved organic carbon were determined for the period 1995-2012. Plots with at least 10 years of observations from the ICP Forests monitoring network were used. Trends were assessed for the upper mineral soil (10-20 cm, 104 plots) and subsoil (40-80 cm, 162 plots). There was a large decrease in the concentration of sulphate (SO42-) in soil solution; over a 10-year period (2000-2010), SO42- decreased by 52% at 10-20 cm and 40% at 40-80 cm. Nitrate was unchanged at 10-20 cm but decreased at 40-80 cm. The decrease in acid anions was accompanied by a large and significant decrease in the concentration of the nutrient base cations: calcium, magnesium and potassium (Bc = Ca 2+  + Mg 2+  + K + ) and Al tot over the entire dataset. The response of soil solution acidity was nonuniform. At 10-20 cm, ANC increased in acid-sensitive soils (base saturation ≤10%) indicating a recovery, but ANC decreased in soils with base saturation >10%. At 40-80 cm, ANC remained unchanged in acid-sensitive soils (base saturation ≤20%, pHCaCl2 ≤ 4.5) and decreased in better-buffered soils (base saturation >20%, pHCaCl2 > 4.5). In addition, the molar ratio of Bc to Al tot either did not change or decreased. The results suggest a long-time lag between emission abatement and changes in soil solution acidity and underline the importance of long-term monitoring in evaluating ecosystem response to decreases in deposition. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons

Prolonged acid rain facilitates soil organic carbon accumulation in a mature forest in Southern China.

PubMed

Wu, Jianping; Liang, Guohua; Hui, Dafeng; Deng, Qi; Xiong, Xin; Qiu, Qingyan; Liu, Juxiu; Chu, Guowei; Zhou, Guoyi; Zhang, Deqiang

2016-02-15

With the continuing increase in anthropogenic activities, acid rain remains a serious environmental threat, especially in the fast developing areas such as southern China. To detect how prolonged deposition of acid rain would influence soil organic carbon accumulation in mature subtropical forests, we conducted a field experiment with simulated acid rain (SAR) treatments in a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest at Dinghushan National Nature Reserve in southern China. Four levels of SAR treatments were set by irrigating plants with water of different pH values: CK (the control, local lake water, pH ≈ 4.5), T1 (water pH=4.0), T2 (water pH=3.5), and T3 (water pH=3.0). Results showed reduced pH measurements in the topsoil exposed to simulated acid rains due to soil acidification. Soil respiration, soil microbial biomass and litter decomposition rates were significantly decreased by the SAR treatments. As a result, T3 treatment significantly increased the total organic carbon by 24.5% in the topsoil compared to the control. Furthermore, surface soil became more stable as more recalcitrant organic matter was generated under the SAR treatments. Our results suggest that prolonged acid rain exposure may have the potential to facilitate soil organic carbon accumulation in the subtropical forest in southern China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Subcritical water extraction of amino acids from Mars analog soils.

PubMed

Noell, Aaron C; Fisher, Anita M; Fors-Francis, Kisa; Sherrit, Stewart

2018-01-18

For decades, the Martian regolith has stymied robotic mission efforts to catalog the organic molecules present. Perchlorate salts, found widely throughout Mars, are the main culprit as they breakdown and react with organics liberated from the regolith during pyrolysis, the primary extraction technique attempted to date on Mars. This work further develops subcritical water extraction (SCWE) as a technique for extraction of amino acids on future missions. The effect of SCWE temperature (185, 200, and 215°C) and duration of extraction (10-120 min) on the total amount and distribution of amino acids recovered was explored for three Mars analog soils (JSC Mars-1A simulant, an Atacama desert soil, and an Antarctic Dry Valleys soil) and bovine serum albumin (as a control solution of known amino acid content). Total amounts of amino acids extracted increased with both time and temperature; however, the distribution shifted notably due to the destruction of the amino acids with charged or polar side chains at the higher temperatures. The pure bovine serum albumin solution and JSC Mars 1A also showed lower yields than the Atacama and Antarctic extractions suggesting that SCWE may be less effective at hydrolyzing large or aggregated proteins. Changing solvent from water to a dilute (10 mM) HCl solution allowed total extraction efficiencies comparable to the higher temperature/time combinations while using the lowest temperature/time (185°C/20 min). The dilute HCl extractions also did not lead to the shift in amino acid distribution observed at the higher temperatures. Additionally, adding sodium perchlorate salt to the extraction did not interfere with recoveries. Native magnetite in the JSC Mars-1A may have been responsible for destruction of glycine, as evidenced by its uncharacteristic decrease as the temperature/time of extraction increased. This work shows that SCWE can extract high yields of native amino acids out of Mars analog soils with minimal disruption of the

Citramalic acid and salicylic acid in sugar beet root exudates solubilize soil phosphorus

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In soils with a low phosphorus (P) supply, sugar beet is known to intake more P than other species such as maize, wheat, or groundnut. We hypothesized that organic compounds exuded by sugar beet roots solubilize soil P and that this exudation is stimulated by P starvation. Results Root exudates were collected from plants grown in hydroponics under low- and high-P availability. Exudate components were separated by HPLC, ionized by electrospray, and detected by mass spectrometry in the range of mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) from 100 to 1000. Eight mass spectrometric signals were enhanced at least 5-fold by low P availability at all harvest times. Among these signals, negative ions with an m/z of 137 and 147 were shown to originate from salicylic acid and citramalic acid. The ability of both compounds to mobilize soil P was demonstrated by incubation of pure substances with Oxisol soil fertilized with calcium phosphate. Conclusions Root exudates of sugar beet contain salicylic acid and citramalic acid, the latter of which has rarely been detected in plants so far. Both metabolites solubilize soil P and their exudation by roots is stimulated by P deficiency. These results provide the first assignment of a biological function to citramalic acid of plant origin. PMID:21871058

[Characteristics of soil pH and exchangeable acidity in red soil profile under different vegetation types].

PubMed

Ji, Gang; Xu, Ming-gang; Wen, Shi-lin; Wang, Bo-ren; Zhang, Lu; Liu, Li-sheng

2015-09-01

The characteristics of soil pH and exchangeable acidity in soil profile under different vegetation types were studied in hilly red soil regions of southern Hunan Province, China. The soil samples from red soil profiles within 0-100 cm depth at fertilized plots and unfertilized plots were collected and analyzed to understand the profile distribution of soil pH and exchangeable acidity. The results showed that, pH in 0-60 cm soil from the fertilized plots decreased as the following sequence: citrus orchard > Arachis hypogaea field > tea garden. As for exchangeable acidity content, the sequence was A. hypogaea field ≤ citrus orchard < tea garden. After tea tree and A. hypogaea were planted for long time, acidification occurred in surface soil (0-40 cm), compared with the deep soil (60-100 cm), and soil pH decreased by 0.55 and 0.17 respectively, but such changes did not occur in citrus orchard. Soil pH in 0-40 cm soil from the natural recovery vegetation unfertilized plots decreased as the following sequence: Imperata cylindrica land > Castanea mollissima garden > Pinus elliottii forest ≥ Loropetalum chinensis forest. As for exchangeable acidity content, the sequence was L cylindrica land < C. mollissima garden < L. chinensis forest ≤ P. elliottii forest. Soil pH in surface soil (0-20 cm) from natural forest plots, secondary forest and Camellia oleifera forest were significantly lower than that from P. massoniana forest, decreased by 0.34 and 0.20 respectively. For exchangeable acidity content in 0-20 cm soil from natural forest plot, P. massoniana forest and secondary forest were significantly lower than C. oleifera forest. Compared with bare land, surface soil acidification in unfertilized plots except I. cylindrica land had been accelerated, and the natural secondary forest was the most serious among them, with surface soil pH decreasing by 0.52. However, the pH increased in deep soils from unfertilized plots except natural secondary forest, and I. cylindrica

Interaction between Al3+ and acrylic acid and polyacrylic acid in acidic aqueous solution: a model experiment for the behavior of Al3+ in acidified soil solution.

PubMed

Etou, Mayumi; Masaki, Yuka; Tsuji, Yutaka; Saito, Tomoyuki; Bai, Shuqin; Nishida, Ikuko; Okaue, Yoshihiro; Yokoyama, Takushi

2011-01-01

From the viewpoint of the phytotoxicity and mobility of Al(3+) released from soil minerals due to soil acidification, the interaction between Al(3+) and acrylic acid (AA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a model compound of fulvic acid was investigated. The interaction was examined at pH 3 so as to avoid the hydrolysis of Al(3+). The interaction between Al(3+) and AA was weak. However, the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA was strong and depended on the initial (COOH in PAA)/Al molar ratio (R(P)) of the solution. For the range of 1/R(P), the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA can be divided into three categories: (1) 1:1 Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to a carboxyl group), (2) intermolecular Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to more than 2 carboxyl groups of other Al-PAA-complexes) in addition to the 1:1 Al-PAA-complex and (3) precipitation of intermolecular complexes. In conclusion, R(P) is an important factor affecting the behavior of Al(3+) in acidic soil solution.

Effect of Humic Acids and pesticides on Agricultural Soil Structure and Stability and Its Implication on Soil Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaonkar, O. D.; Nambi, I. M.; G, S. K.

2016-12-01

The functional and morphological aspects of soil structure determine the soil quality. The dispersion of colloidal soil particles, especially the clay fraction and rupture of soil aggregates, both of which play an important role in soil structure development, lead to degradation of soil quality. The main objective of this work was to determine the effect of behaviour of soil colloids on the agricultural soil structure and quality. The effect of commercial humic acid, organophosphate pesticides and soil natural organic matter on the electrical and structural properties of the soil colloids was also studied. Agricultural soil, belonging to the sandy loam texture class from northern part of India was considered in this study. In order to understand the changes in the soil quality in the presence and absence of humic acids, the soil fabric and structure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Electrical properties of natural soil colloids in aqueous suspensions were assessed by zeta potential measurements at varying pH values with and without the presence of humic acids and pesticides. The influence of natural organic matter was analyzed by oxidizing the natural soil organic matter with hydrogen peroxide. The zeta potential of the soil colloids was found to be negative in the pH range studied. The results indicated that hydrogen peroxide treatment lead to deflocculation of colloidal soil particles. In addition, the humic acids undergoes effective adsorption onto the soil surface imparting more negative zeta potential to the colloidal soil particles. The soil hydrophilicity decreased in the presence of humic acids which was confirmed by surface free energy determination. Thus, it can be concluded that the presence of humic acids altered the soil fabric and structure, thereby affecting the soil quality. This study assumes significance in understanding the soil aggregation and the

Enhanced phytoextraction: II. Effect of EDTA and citric acid on heavy metal uptake by Helianthus annuus from a calcareous soil.

PubMed

Lesage, E; Meers, E; Vervaeke, P; Lamsal, S; Hopgood, M; Tack, F M G; Verloo, M G

2005-01-01

High biomass producing plant species, such as Helianthus annuus, have potential for removing large amounts of trace metals by harvesting the aboveground biomass if sufficient metal concentrations in their biomass can be achieved However, the low bioavailability of heavy metals in soils and the limited translocation of heavy metals to the shoots by most high biomass producing plant species limit the efficiency of the phytoextraction process. Amendment of a contaminated soil with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or citric acid increases soluble heavy metal concentrations, potentially rendering them more available for plant uptake. This article discusses the effects of EDTA and citric acid on the uptake of heavy metals and translocation to aboveground harvestable plant parts in Helianthus annuus. EDTA was included in the research for comparison purposes in our quest for less persistent alternatives, suitable for enhanced phytoextraction. Plants were grown in a calcareous soil moderately contaminated with Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd and treated with increasing concentrations of EDTA (0.1, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mmol kg(-1) soil) or citric acid (0.01, 0.05, 0.25, 0.442, and 0.5 mol kg(-1) soil). Heavy metal concentrations in harvested shoots increased with EDTA concentration but the actual amount of phytoextracted heavy metals decreased at high EDTA concentrations, due to severe growth depression. Helianthus annuus suffered heavy metal stress due to the significantly increased bioavailable metal fraction in the soil. The rapid mineralization of citric acid and the high buffering capacity of the soil made citric acid inefficient in increasing the phytoextracted amounts of heavy metals. Treatments that did not exceed the buffering capacity of the soil (< 0.442 mol kg(-1) soil) did not result in any significant increase in shoot heavy metal concentrations. Treatments with high concentrations resulted in a dissolution of the carbonates and compaction of the soil. These

[Effects of two phenolic acids on root zone soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities and pod yield of peanut].

PubMed

Li, Qing Kai; Liu, Ping; Tang, Zhao Hui; Zhao, Hai Jun; Wang, Jiang Tao; Song, Xiao Zong; Yang, Li; Wan, Shu Bo

2016-04-22

In order to investigate the relationship between the accumulation of phenolic acids in peanut continuous cropping soil and the continuous cropping obstacle of peanut, the effects of p-hydroxy benzoic acid and cinnamic acid on peanut root zone soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities and yield of peanut were studied by pot experiment at three stages of peanut, i.e. the pegging stage of peanut (45 days after seedling), the early podding (75 days after seedling) and the end of podding (105 days after seedling) stages. The results showed that the peanut root zone soil nutrients and enzyme activities changed obviously under the two phenolic acids treatment, especially at the pegging stage of peanut. The soil alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and soil enzyme activities (urease, sucrose, neutral phosphatase) were decreased significantly. At the early and end of podding stages of peanut, the effects of the two phenolic acids on peanut root zone soil nutrients and soil enzyme activities were under a weakening trend. The allelopathy of cinnamic acid was stronger than that of p-hydroxy benzoic acid at the same initial content. The pod yield per pot was reduced by 45.9% and 52.8%, while the pod number of per plant was reduced by 46.2% and 48.9% at higher concentration (80 mg·kg -1 dry soil) of p-hydroxy benzoic acid and cinnamic acid treatments, respectively.

Response of soil respiration to acid rain in forests of different maturity in southern China.

PubMed

Liang, Guohua; Liu, Xingzhao; Chen, Xiaomei; Qiu, Qingyan; Zhang, Deqiang; Chu, Guowei; Liu, Juxiu; Liu, Shizhong; Zhou, Guoyi

2013-01-01

The response of soil respiration to acid rain in forests, especially in forests of different maturity, is poorly understood in southern China despite the fact that acid rain has become a serious environmental threat in this region in recent years. Here, we investigated this issue in three subtropical forests of different maturity [i.e. a young pine forest (PF), a transitional mixed conifer and broadleaf forest (MF) and an old-growth broadleaved forest (BF)] in southern China. Soil respiration was measured over two years under four simulated acid rain (SAR) treatments (CK, the local lake water, pH 4.5; T1, water pH 4.0; T2, water pH 3.5; and T3, water pH 3.0). Results indicated that SAR did not significantly affect soil respiration in the PF, whereas it significantly reduced soil respiration in the MF and the BF. The depressed effects on both forests occurred mostly in the warm-wet seasons and were correlated with a decrease in soil microbial activity and in fine root biomass caused by soil acidification under SAR. The sensitivity of the response of soil respiration to SAR showed an increasing trend with the progressive maturity of the three forests, which may result from their differences in acid buffering ability in soil and in litter layer. These results indicated that the depressed effect of acid rain on soil respiration in southern China may be more pronounced in the future in light of the projected change in forest maturity. However, due to the nature of this field study with chronosequence design and the related pseudoreplication for forest types, this inference should be read with caution. Further studies are needed to draw rigorous conclusions regarding the response differences among forests of different maturity using replicated forest types.

Response of Soil Respiration to Acid Rain in Forests of Different Maturity in Southern China

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaomei; Qiu, Qingyan; Zhang, Deqiang; Chu, Guowei; Liu, Juxiu; Liu, Shizhong; Zhou, Guoyi

2013-01-01

The response of soil respiration to acid rain in forests, especially in forests of different maturity, is poorly understood in southern China despite the fact that acid rain has become a serious environmental threat in this region in recent years. Here, we investigated this issue in three subtropical forests of different maturity [i.e. a young pine forest (PF), a transitional mixed conifer and broadleaf forest (MF) and an old-growth broadleaved forest (BF)] in southern China. Soil respiration was measured over two years under four simulated acid rain (SAR) treatments (CK, the local lake water, pH 4.5; T1, water pH 4.0; T2, water pH 3.5; and T3, water pH 3.0). Results indicated that SAR did not significantly affect soil respiration in the PF, whereas it significantly reduced soil respiration in the MF and the BF. The depressed effects on both forests occurred mostly in the warm-wet seasons and were correlated with a decrease in soil microbial activity and in fine root biomass caused by soil acidification under SAR. The sensitivity of the response of soil respiration to SAR showed an increasing trend with the progressive maturity of the three forests, which may result from their differences in acid buffering ability in soil and in litter layer. These results indicated that the depressed effect of acid rain on soil respiration in southern China may be more pronounced in the future in light of the projected change in forest maturity. However, due to the nature of this field study with chronosequence design and the related pseudoreplication for forest types, this inference should be read with caution. Further studies are needed to draw rigorous conclusions regarding the response differences among forests of different maturity using replicated forest types. PMID:23626790

Designer, acidic biochar influences calcareous soil characteristics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An acidic (pH 5.8) biochar was created using a low pyrolysis temperature (350 degrees celsius) and steam activation to potentially improve the soil physicochemical status of an eroded calcareous soil. Biochar was added at 0, 1, 2, and 10 percent (by weight) to an eroded Portneuf soil (coarse-silty,...

[Effect of soil phenolic acids on soil microbe of coal-mining depressed land after afforestation restoration by different tree species].

PubMed

Ji, Li; Yang, Li Xue

2017-12-01

Phenolic acids are one of the most important factors that influence microbial community structure. Investigating the dynamic changes of phenolic acids and their relationship with the microbial community structure in plantation soils with different tree species could contribute to better understanding and revealing the mechanisms of microbial community changes under afforestation restoration in coal-mining subsidence areas. In this study, plantations of three conifer and one deciduous species (Pinus koraiensis, Larix gmelinii, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, and Populus ussuriensis) were established on abandoned coal-mining subsidence areas in Baoshan District, Shuangyashan City. The contents of soil phenols, 11 types of phenolic acids, and microbial communities in all plots were determined. The results showed that the contents of soil complex phenol in plantations were significantly higher than that of abandoned land overall. Specifically, soils in larch and poplar plantations had higher contents of complex phenol, while soils in larch and Korean pine plantations had greater contents of total phenol. Moreover, soil in the P. koraiensis plantation had a higher content of water-soluble phenol compared with abandoned lands. The determination of 11 phenolic acids indicated that the contents of ferulic acid, abietic acid, β-sitosterol, oleanolic acid, shikimic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid were higher in plantation soils. Although soil phenol contents were not related with soil microbial biomass, the individual phenolic acids showed a significant relationship with soil microbes. Ferulic acid, abietic acid, and β-sitosterol showed significant promoting effects on soil microbial biomass, and they showed positive correlations with fungi and fungi/bacteria ratio. These three phenolic acids had higher contents in the poplar plantation, suggesting that poplar affo-restation had a beneficial effect on soil quality in coal-mining subsidence areas.

Dendrochemical evidence for soil recovery from acidic deposition in forests of the northeastern U.S. with comparisons to the southeastern U.S. and Russia

Treesearch

Walter C. Shortle; Kevin T. Smith; Andrei G. Lapenis

2017-01-01

A soil resampling approach has detected an early stage of recovery in the cation chemistry of spruce forest soil due to reductions in acid deposition. That approach is limited by the lack of soil data and archived soil samples prior to major increases in acid deposition during the latter half of the 20th century. An alternative approach is the dendrochemical analysis...

Effect of carbonaceous soil amendments on potential mobility of weak acid herbicides in soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Use of carbonaceous amendments in soil has been proposed to decrease potential offsite transport of weak acid herbicides and metabolites by increasing their sorption to soil. The effects of organic olive mill waste, biochars from different feed stocks, and humic acid bound to clay on sorption of MCP...

Effect of wood ash application on soil solution chemistry of tropical acid soils: incubation study.

PubMed

Nkana, J C Voundi; Demeyer, A; Verloo, M G

2002-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of wood ash application on soil solution composition of three tropical acid soils. Calcium carbonate was used as a reference amendment. Amended soils and control were incubated for 60 days. To assess soluble nutrients, saturation extracts were analysed at 15 days intervals. Wood ash application affects the soil solution chemistry in two ways, as a liming agent and as a supplier of nutrients. As a liming agent, wood ash application induced increases in soil solution pH, Ca, Mg, inorganic C, SO4 and DOC. As a supplier of elements, the increase in the soil solution pH was partly due to ligand exchange between wood ash SO4 and OH- ions. Large increases in concentrations of inorganic C, SO4, Ca and Mg with wood ash relative to lime and especially increases in K reflected the supply of these elements by wood ash. Wood ash application could represent increased availability of nutrients for the plant. However, large concentrations of basic cations, SO4 and NO3 obtained with higher application rates could be a concern because of potential solute transport to surface waters and groundwater. Wood ash must be applied at reasonable rates to avoid any risk for the environment.

Banding of urea increased ammonia volatilization in a dry acidic soil.

PubMed

Rochette, Philippe; Macdonald, J Douglas; Angers, Denis A; Chantigny, Martin H; Gasser, Marc-Olivier; Bertrand, Normand

2009-01-01

Volatilization of ammonia following application of urea contributes to smog formation and degradation of natural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of (i) incorporation and banding of urea and (ii) surface broadcast of slow-release urea types on NH(3) volatilization in a dry acidic soil. Volatilization was measured using wind tunnels for 25 d after standard urea (140 kg N ha(-1)) was broadcast, broadcast and incorporated (0-5 cm), or incorporated in shallow bands (3-5 cm) to a conventionally tilled silty loam soil. Urea supplemented with a urease inhibitor or coated with a polymer was also broadcast at the soil surface. Little N diffused out of the polymer-coated granules and ammonia losses were low (4% of applied N). Use of a urease inhibitor also resulted in a low NH(3) loss (5% of applied N) while maintaining soil mineral N at levels similar to plots where untreated urea was broadcast. The rate of hydrolysis of urea broadcast at the soil surface was slowed by the lack of moisture and NH(3) loss (9% applied N) was the lowest of all treatments with standard urea. Incorporation of broadcast urea increased emissions (16% applied N) by increasing urea hydrolysis relative to surface application. Furthermore, incorporation in band also increased emissions (27% applied N) due to a localized increase in soil pH from 6.0 to 8.7. We conclude that incorporating urea in bands in a dry acidic soil can increase NH(3) volatilization compared to broadcast application followed by incorporation.

Limitations in the use of commercial humic acids in water and soil research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malcolm, R.L.; MacCarthy, P.

1986-01-01

Seven samples of commercial "humic acids", purchased from five different suppliers, were studied, and their characteristics were compared with humic and fulvic acids isolated from streams, soils, peat, leonardite, and a dopplerite sample. Cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning 13C NMR spectroscopy clearly shows pronounced differences between the commercial materials and all other samples. Elemental and infrared spectroscopic data do not show such clear-cut differences but can be used as supportive evidence, with the 13C NMR data, to substantiate the above distinctions. As a result of these differences and due to the general lack of information relating to the source, method of isolation, or other pretreatment of the commercial materials, these commercial products are not considered to be appropriate for use as analogues of true soil and water humic substances, in experiments designed to evaluate the nature and reactivity of humic substances in natural waters and soils.

Effect of Soil pH Increase by Biochar on NO, N2O and N2 Production during Denitrification in Acid Soils

PubMed Central

Obia, Alfred; Cornelissen, Gerard; Mulder, Jan; Dörsch, Peter

2015-01-01

Biochar (BC) application to soil suppresses emission of nitrous- (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO), but the mechanisms are unclear. One of the most prominent features of BC is its alkalizing effect in soils, which may affect denitrification and its product stoichiometry directly or indirectly. We conducted laboratory experiments with anoxic slurries of acid Acrisols from Indonesia and Zambia and two contrasting BCs produced locally from rice husk and cacao shell. Dose-dependent responses of denitrification and gaseous products (NO, N2O and N2) were assessed by high-resolution gas kinetics and related to the alkalizing effect of the BCs. To delineate the pH effect from other BC effects, we removed part of the alkalinity by leaching the BCs with water and acid prior to incubation. Uncharred cacao shell and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were also included in the study. The untreated BCs suppressed N2O and NO and increased N2 production during denitrification, irrespective of the effect on denitrification rate. The extent of N2O and NO suppression was dose-dependent and increased with the alkalizing effect of the two BC types, which was strongest for cacao shell BC. Acid leaching of BC, which decreased its alkalizing effect, reduced or eliminated the ability of BC to suppress N2O and NO net production. Just like untreated BCs, NaOH reduced net production of N2O and NO while increasing that of N2. This confirms the importance of altered soil pH for denitrification product stoichiometry. Addition of uncharred cacao shell stimulated denitrification strongly due to availability of labile carbon but only minor effects on the product stoichiometry of denitrification were found, in accordance with its modest effect on soil pH. Our study indicates that stimulation of denitrification was mainly due to increases in labile carbon whereas change in product stoichiometry was mainly due to a change in soil pH. PMID:26397367

Effect of Soil pH Increase by Biochar on NO, N2O and N2 Production during Denitrification in Acid Soils.

PubMed

Obia, Alfred; Cornelissen, Gerard; Mulder, Jan; Dörsch, Peter

2015-01-01

Biochar (BC) application to soil suppresses emission of nitrous- (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO), but the mechanisms are unclear. One of the most prominent features of BC is its alkalizing effect in soils, which may affect denitrification and its product stoichiometry directly or indirectly. We conducted laboratory experiments with anoxic slurries of acid Acrisols from Indonesia and Zambia and two contrasting BCs produced locally from rice husk and cacao shell. Dose-dependent responses of denitrification and gaseous products (NO, N2O and N2) were assessed by high-resolution gas kinetics and related to the alkalizing effect of the BCs. To delineate the pH effect from other BC effects, we removed part of the alkalinity by leaching the BCs with water and acid prior to incubation. Uncharred cacao shell and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were also included in the study. The untreated BCs suppressed N2O and NO and increased N2 production during denitrification, irrespective of the effect on denitrification rate. The extent of N2O and NO suppression was dose-dependent and increased with the alkalizing effect of the two BC types, which was strongest for cacao shell BC. Acid leaching of BC, which decreased its alkalizing effect, reduced or eliminated the ability of BC to suppress N2O and NO net production. Just like untreated BCs, NaOH reduced net production of N2O and NO while increasing that of N2. This confirms the importance of altered soil pH for denitrification product stoichiometry. Addition of uncharred cacao shell stimulated denitrification strongly due to availability of labile carbon but only minor effects on the product stoichiometry of denitrification were found, in accordance with its modest effect on soil pH. Our study indicates that stimulation of denitrification was mainly due to increases in labile carbon whereas change in product stoichiometry was mainly due to a change in soil pH.

Comparison of whole-cell fatty acid (MIDI) or phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) extractants as biomarkers to profile soil microbial communities.

PubMed

Fernandes, Marcelo F; Saxena, Jyotisna; Dick, Richard P

2013-07-01

The whole-cell lipid extraction to profile microbial communities on soils using fatty acid (FA) biomarkers is commonly done with the two extractants associated with the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) or Microbial IDentification Inc. (MIDI) methods. These extractants have very different chemistry and lipid separation procedures, but often shown a similar ability to discriminate soils from various management and vegetation systems. However, the mechanism and the chemistry of the exact suite of FAs extracted by these two methods are poorly understood. Therefore, the objective was to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the MIDI and PLFA microbial profiling methods for detecting microbial community shifts due to soil type or management. Twenty-nine soil samples were collected from a wide range of soil types across Oregon and extracted FAs by each method were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. Unlike PLFA profiles, which were highly related to microbial FAs, the overall MIDI-FA profiles were highly related to the plant-derived FAs. Plant-associated compounds were quantitatively related to particulate organic matter (POM) and qualitatively related to the standing vegetation at sampling. These FAs were negatively correlated to respiration rate normalized to POM (RespPOM), which increased in systems under more intensive management. A strong negative correlation was found between MIDI-FA to PLFA ratios and total organic carbon (TOC). When the reagents used in MIDI procedure were tested for the limited recovery of MIDI-FAs from soil with high organic matter, the recovery of MIDI-FA microbial signatures sharply decreased with increasing ratios of soil to extractant. Hence, the MIDI method should be used with great caution for interpreting changes in FA profiles due to shifts in microbial communities.

7 CFR 610.12 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to water... ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.12 Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion. (a) The equation for predicting soil loss due to erosion for both the USLE and the RUSLE is A = R × K...

7 CFR 610.12 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to water... ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.12 Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion. (a) The equation for predicting soil loss due to erosion for both the USLE and the RUSLE is A = R × K...

7 CFR 610.12 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to water... ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.12 Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion. (a) The equation for predicting soil loss due to erosion for both the USLE and the RUSLE is A = R × K...

7 CFR 610.12 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to water... ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.12 Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion. (a) The equation for predicting soil loss due to erosion for both the USLE and the RUSLE is A = R × K...

7 CFR 610.12 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to water... ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.12 Equations for predicting soil loss due to water erosion. (a) The equation for predicting soil loss due to erosion for both the USLE and the RUSLE is A = R × K...

Remediation of grey forest soils heavily polluted with heavy metals by means of their leaching at acidic pH followed by the soil reclamation by means of neutralization and bacterial manure addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgiev, Plamen; Groudev, Stoyan; Spasova, Irena; Nicolova, Marina

2014-05-01

Some grey forest soils in Western Bulgaria are heavily polluted with heavy metals (copper, lead, and zinc), arsenic, and uranium due to the infiltration of acid mine drainage generated at the abandoned uranium mine Curilo. This paper presents some results from a study about soil remediation based on the contaminants leaching from the topsoil by means of irrigation with solutions containing sulphuric acid or its in situ generation by means of sulphur-oxidizing chemolithotrophic bacteria in or without the presence of finely cut straw. These methods were tested in large scale zero suction lysimeters. The approaches based on S° and finely cut straw addition was the most efficient amongst the tested methods and for seven months of soil remediation the concentration of all soil contaminants were decreased below the relevant Maximum Admissible Concentration (MAC). Neutralization of the soil acidity was applied as a next stage of soil reclamation by adding CaCO3 and cow manure. As a result, soil pH increased from strongly acidic (2.36) to slightly acidic (6.15) which allowed subsequent addition of humic acids and bacterial manure to the topsoil. The soil habitat changed in this way facilitated the growth of microorganisms which restored the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon to the levels typical for non-polluted grey forest soil.

Extraction of rare earth elements from a contaminated cropland soil using nitric acid, citric acid, and EDTA.

PubMed

Tang, Hailong; Shuai, Weitao; Wang, Xiaojing; Liu, Yangsheng

2017-08-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) contamination to the surrounding soil has increased the concerns of health risk to the local residents. Soil washing was first attempted in our study to remediate REEs-contaminated cropland soil using nitric acid, citric acid, and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) for soil decontamination and possible recovery of REEs. The extraction time, washing agent concentration, and pH value of the washing solution were optimized. The sequential extraction analysis proposed by Tessier was adopted to study the speciation changes of the REEs before and after soil washing. The extract containing citric acid was dried to obtain solid for the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The results revealed that the optimal extraction time was 72 h, and the REEs extraction efficiency increased as the agent concentration increased from 0.01 to 0.1 mol/L. EDTA was efficient to extract REEs over a wide range of pH values, while citric acid was around pH 6.0. Under optimized conditions, the average extraction efficiencies of the major REEs in the contaminated soil were 70.96%, 64.38%, and 62.12% by EDTA, nitric acid, and citric acid, respectively. The sequential extraction analyses revealed that most soil-bounded REEs were mobilized or extracted except for those in the residual fraction. Under a comprehensive consideration of the extraction efficiency and the environmental impact, citric acid was recommended as the most suitable agent for extraction of the REEs from the contaminated cropland soils. The XRF analysis revealed that Mn, Al, Si, Pb, Fe, and REEs were the major elements in the extract indicating a possibile recovery of the REEs.

Plant adaptation to acid soils: the molecular basis for crop aluminum resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aluminum (Al) toxicity on acid soils is a significant limitation to crop production worldwide, as approximately 50% of the world’s potentially arable soils are acidic. Because acid soils are such an important constraint to agriculture, understanding the mechanisms and genes conferring resistance to ...

[Effects of simulated acid rain on decomposition of soil organic carbon and crop straw].

PubMed

Zhu, Xue-Zhu; Huang, Yao; Yang, Xin-Zhong

2009-02-01

To evaluate the effects of acid rain on the organic carbon decomposition in different acidity soils, a 40-day incubation test was conducted with the paddy soils of pH 5.48, 6.70 and 8.18. The soils were amended with 0 and 15 g x kg(-1) of rice straw, adjusted to the moisture content of 400 g x kg(-1) air-dried soil by using simulated rain of pH 6.0, 4.5, and 3.0, and incubated at 20 degrees C. The results showed that straw, acid rain, and soil co-affected the CO2 emission from soil system. The amendment of straw increased the soil CO2 emission rate significantly. Acid rain had no significant effects on soil organic carbon decomposition, but significantly affected the straw decomposition in soil. When treated with pH 3.0 acid rain, the amount of decomposed straw over 40-day incubation in acid (pH 5.48) and alkaline (pH 8.18) soils was 8% higher, while that in neutral soil (pH 6.70) was 15% lower, compared to the treatment of pH 6.0 rain. In the treatment of pH 3.0 acid rain, the decomposition rate of soil organic C in acid (pH 5.48) soil was 43% and 50% (P < 0.05) higher than that in neutral (pH 6.70) and alkaline (pH 8.18) soils, while the decomposition rate of straw in neutral soil was 17% and 16% (P < 0.05) lower than that in acid and alkaline soils, respectively.

Identification of Rhizobium phaseoli Strains That Are Tolerant or Sensitive to Soil Acidity

PubMed Central

Lowendorf, Henry S.; Alexander, Martin

1983-01-01

A study was conducted to determine whether the survival of Rhizobium phaseoli in acid soils could be predicted on the basis of the tolerance of the organism to acidity in culture. Of 16 strains tested, all grew in culture at pH 4.6, but only those that grew at pH 3.8 survived in soils having pH values of 4.1 to 4.6. Strains that tolerated the lowest pH values in culture were tolerant of the highest aluminum concentrations. In one acid soil, an acid-tolerant strain was unable to survive in numbers greater than 100/g, but the poor survival was not related to the level of extractable aluminum or manganese in the soil. Reproduction of an acid-tolerant strain of R. phaseoli was enhanced in the rhizosphere of Phaseolus vulgaris in both acid and limed soils, but stimulation of an acid-sensitive strain by the plant occurred only in the limed soil. These results indicate that cultural tests can be used to predict the ability of R. phaseoli to survive in acid soil. PMID:16346239

Effects of surfactants on low-molecular-weight organic acids to wash soil zinc.

PubMed

Chen, Yue; Zhang, Shirong; Xu, Xiaoxun; Yao, Ping; Li, Ting; Wang, Guiyin; Gong, Guoshu; Li, Yun; Deng, Ouping

2016-03-01

Soil washing is an effective approach to the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soil. In this study, the effects of the surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, and non-ionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) on oxalic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid used to remove zinc from contaminated soils were investigated. The Zn removal efficiencies of all washing solutions showed a logarithmic increase with acid concentrations from 0.5 to 10.0 g/L, while they decreased as pH increased from 4 to 9. Increasing the reaction time enhanced the effects of surfactants on Zn removal efficiencies by the acids during washing and significantly (P < 0.05) improved the removal under some mixed cases. Oxalic acid suffered antagonistic effects from the three surfactants and seriously damaged soil nutrients during the removal of soil Zn. Notably, the three surfactants caused synergistic effects on tartaric and citric acid during washing, with NPAM leading to an increase in Zn removal by 5.0 g/L citric acid of 10.60 % (P < 0.05) within 2 h. NPAM also alleviated the loss of cation exchange capacity of washed soils and obviously improved soil nitrogen concentrations. Overall, combining citric acid with NPAM offers a promising approach to the removal of zinc from contaminated soil.

Acid sulfate soils and human health--a Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.

PubMed

Ljung, Karin; Maley, Fiona; Cook, Angus; Weinstein, Philip

2009-11-01

Acid sulfate soils have been described as the "nastiest soils on earth" because of their strong acidity, increased mobility of potentially toxic elements and limited bioavailability of nutrients. They only cover a small area of the world's total problem soils, but often have significant adverse effects on agriculture, aquaculture and the environment on a local scale. Their location often coincides with high population density areas along the coasts of many developing countries. As a result, their negative impacts on ecosystems can have serious implications to those least equipped for coping with the low crop yields and reduced water quality that can result from acid sulfate soil disturbance. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment called on by the United Nations in 2000 emphasised the importance of ecosystems for human health and well-being. These include the service they provide as sources of food and water, through the control of pollution and disease, as well as for the cultural services ecosystems provide. While the problems related to agriculture, aquaculture and the environment have been the focus of many acid sulfate soil management efforts, the connection to human health has largely been ignored. This paper presents the potential health issues of acid sulfate soils, in relation to the ecosystem services identified in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. It is recognised that significant implications on food security and livelihood can result, as well as on community cohesiveness and the spread of vector-borne disease. However, the connection between these outcomes and acid sulfate soils is often not obvious and it is therefore argued that the impact of such soils on human well-being needs to be recognised in order to raise awareness among the public and decision makers, to in turn facilitate proper management and avoid potential human ill-health.

Soil properties influence kinetics of soil acid phosphatase in response to arsenic toxicity.

PubMed

Wang, Ziquan; Tan, Xiangping; Lu, Guannan; Liu, Yanju; Naidu, Ravi; He, Wenxiang

2018-01-01

Soil phosphatase, which plays an important role in phosphorus cycling, is strongly inhibited by Arsenic (As). However, the inhibition mechanism in kinetics is not adequately investigated. In this study, we investigated the kinetic characteristics of soil acid phosphatase (ACP) in 14 soils with varied properties, and also explored how kinetic properties of soil ACP changed with different spiked As concentrations. The results showed that the Michaelis constant (K m ) and maximum reaction velocity (V max ) values of soil ACP ranged from 1.18 to 3.77mM and 0.025-0.133mMh -1 in uncontaminated soils. The kinetic parameters of soil ACP in different soils changed differently with As contamination. The K m remained unchanged and V max decreased with increase of As concentration in most acid and neutral soils, indicating a noncompetitive inhibition mechanism. However, in alkaline soils, the K m increased linearly and V max decreased with increase of As concentration, indicating a mixed inhibition mechanism that include competitive and noncompetitive. The competitive inhibition constant (K ic ) and noncompetitive inhibition constant (K iu ) varied among soils and ranged from 0.38 to 3.65mM and 0.84-7.43mM respectively. The inhibitory effect of As on soil ACP was mostly affected by soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity. Those factors influenced the combination of As with enzyme, which resulted in a difference of As toxicity to soil ACP. Catalytic efficiency (V max /K m ) of soil ACP was a sensitive kinetic parameter to assess the ecological risks of soil As contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A reexamination of amino acids in lunar soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brinton, K. L. F.; Bada, J. L.; Arnold, J. R.

1993-01-01

Amino acids in lunar soils provide an important indicator of the level of prebiotic organic compounds on the moon. The results provide insight into the chemistry of amino acid precursors, and furthermore, given the flux of carbonaceous material to the moon, we can evaluate the survival of organics upon impact. The amino acid contents of both hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed hot-water extracts of Apollo 17 lunar soil were determined using ophthaldialdehyde/N-acetyl cysteine (OPA/NAC) derivatization followed by HPLC analysis. Previous studies of lunar amino acids were inconclusive, as the technique used (derivatization with ninhydrin followed by HPLC analysis) was unable to discriminate between cosmogenic amino acids and terrestrial contaminants. Cosmogenic amino acids are racemic, and many of the amino acids found in carbonaceous meteorites such as Murchison, i.e., alpha-amino-i-butyric acid (aib), are extremely rare on Earth. The ninhydrin method does not distinguish amino acid enantiomers, nor does it detect alpha-alkyl amino acids such as aib, whereas the OPA/NAC technique does both.

Metagenomic analysis of the rhizosphere soil microbiome with respect to phytic acid utilization.

PubMed

Unno, Yusuke; Shinano, Takuro

2013-01-01

While phytic acid is a major form of organic phosphate in many soils, plant utilization of phytic acid is normally limited; however, culture trials of Lotus japonicus using experimental field soil that had been managed without phosphate fertilizer for over 90 years showed significant usage of phytic acid applied to soil for growth and flowering and differences in the degree of growth, even in the same culture pot. To understand the key metabolic processes involved in soil phytic acid utilization, we analyzed rhizosphere soil microbial communities using molecular ecological approaches. Although molecular fingerprint analysis revealed changes in the rhizosphere soil microbial communities from bulk soil microbial community, no clear relationship between the microbiome composition and flowering status that might be related to phytic acid utilization of L. japonicus could be determined. However, metagenomic analysis revealed changes in the relative abundance of the classes Bacteroidetes, Betaproteobacteria, Chlorobi, Dehalococcoidetes and Methanobacteria, which include strains that potentially promote plant growth and phytic acid utilization, and some gene clusters relating to phytic acid utilization, such as alkaline phosphatase and citrate synthase, with the phytic acid utilization status of the plant. This study highlights phylogenetic and metabolic features of the microbial community of the L. japonicus rhizosphere and provides a basic understanding of how rhizosphere microbial communities affect the phytic acid status in soil.

The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index

PubMed Central

Kim, Min-Suk; Min, Hyun-Gi; Lee, Sang-Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Gyu

2016-01-01

Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study. PMID:27835687

The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Suk; Min, Hyun-Gi; Lee, Sang-Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Gyu

2016-01-01

Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study.

Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Properties of Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid-Soil Mixtures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The detection of humic materials in soils is essential in order to determine organic matter (SOM) stability and C sequestration on agricultural land. Mid-Infrared (MidIR) spectroscopy has been used to characterize SOM quality [1], study extracted soil humic acids [2], develop calibrations for quanti...

Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Properties of Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid-Soil Mixtures.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The detection of humic materials in soils is essential in order to determine organic matter (SOM) stability and C sequestration on agricultural land. Mid-Infrared (MidIR) spectroscopy has been used to characterize SOM quality [1], study extracted soil humic acids [2], develop calibrations for quanti...

Fatty acid methyl ester analysis to identify sources of soil in surface water.

PubMed

Banowetz, Gary M; Whittaker, Gerald W; Dierksen, Karen P; Azevedo, Mark D; Kennedy, Ann C; Griffith, Stephen M; Steiner, Jeffrey J

2006-01-01

Efforts to improve land-use practices to prevent contamination of surface waters with soil are limited by an inability to identify the primary sources of soil present in these waters. We evaluated the utility of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles of dry reference soils for multivariate statistical classification of soils collected from surface waters adjacent to agricultural production fields and a wooded riparian zone. Trials that compared approaches to concentrate soil from surface water showed that aluminum sulfate precipitation provided comparable yields to that obtained by vacuum filtration and was more suitable for handling large numbers of samples. Fatty acid methyl ester profiles were developed from reference soils collected from contrasting land uses in different seasons to determine whether specific fatty acids would consistently serve as variables in multivariate statistical analyses to permit reliable classification of soils. We used a Bayesian method and an independent iterative process to select appropriate fatty acids and found that variable selection was strongly impacted by the season during which soil was collected. The apparent seasonal variation in the occurrence of marker fatty acids in FAME profiles from reference soils prevented preparation of a standardized set of variables. Nevertheless, accurate classification of soil in surface water was achieved utilizing fatty acid variables identified in seasonally matched reference soils. Correlation analysis of entire chromatograms and subsequent discriminant analyses utilizing a restricted number of fatty acid variables showed that FAME profiles of soils exposed to the aquatic environment still had utility for classification at least 1 wk after submersion.

A Simulation of the Interaction of Acid Rain with Soil Minerals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schilling, Amber L.; Hess, Kenneth R.; Leber, Phyllis A.; Yoder, Claude H.

2004-01-01

The atmospheric issue of acid rains is subjected to a five-part laboratory experiment by concentrating on the chemistry of the infiltration process of acid rainwater through soils. This procedure of quantitative scrutiny helps students realize the efficacy of soil minerals in the consumption of surplus acidity in rainwater.

Ammonia oxidation-dependent growth of group I.1b Thaumarchaeota in acidic red soil microcosms.

PubMed

Wu, Yucheng; Conrad, Ralf

2014-07-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that Thaumarchaeota may control nitrification in acidic soils. However, the composition of the thaumarchaeotal communities and their functioning is not well known. Therefore, we studied nitrification activity in relation to abundance and composition of Thaumarchaeota in an acidic red soil from China, using microcosms incubated with and without cellulose amendment. Cellulose was selected to simulate the input of crop residues used to increase soil fertility by local farming. Accumulation of NO3-(-N) was correlated with the growth of Thaumarchaeota as determined by qPCR of 16S rRNA and ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes. Both nitrification activity and thaumarchaeotal growth were inhibited by acetylene. They were also inhibited by cellulose amendment, possibly due to the depletion of ammonium by enhanced heterotrophic assimilation. These results indicated that growth of Thaumarchaeota was dependent on ammonia oxidation. The thaumarchaeotal 16S rRNA gene sequences in the red soil were dominated by a clade related to soil fosmid clone 29i4 within the group I.1b, which is widely distributed but so far uncultured. The archaeal amoA sequences were mainly related to the Nitrososphaera sister cluster. These observations suggest that fosmid clone 29i4 and Nitrososphaera sister cluster represent the same group of Thaumarchaeota and dominate ammonia oxidation in acidic red soil. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality improvement of acidic soils by biochar derived from renewable materials.

PubMed

Moon, Deok Hyun; Hwang, Inseong; Chang, Yoon-Young; Koutsospyros, Agamemnon; Cheong, Kyung Hoon; Ji, Won Hyun; Park, Jeong-Hun

2017-02-01

Biochar derived from waste plant materials and agricultural residues was used to improve the quality of an acidic soil. The acidic soil was treated for 1 month with both soy bean stover-derived biochar and oak-derived biochar in the range of 1 to 5 wt% for pH improvement and exchangeable cation enhancement. Following 1 month of treatment, the soil pH was monitored and exchangeable cations were measured. Moreover, a maize growth experiment was performed for 14 days with selected treated soil samples to confirm the effectiveness of the treatment. The results showed that the pH of the treated acidic soil increased by more than 2 units, and the exchangeable cation values were greatly enhanced upon treatment with 5 wt% of both biochars, after 1 month of curing. Maize growth was superior in the 3 wt% biochar-treated samples compared to the control sample. The presented results demonstrate the effective use of biochar derived from renewable materials such as waste plant materials and agricultural residues for quality improvement of acidic soils.

Identifying sources of acidity and spatial distribution of acid sulfate soils in the Anglesea River catchment, southern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Vanessa; Yau, Chin; Kennedy, David

2015-04-01

Globally, coastal and estuarine floodplains are frequently underlain by sulfidic sediments. When exposed to oxygen, sulfidic sediments oxidise to form acid sulfate soils, adversely impacting on floodplain health and adjacent aquatic ecoystems. In eastern Australia, our understanding of the formation of these coastal and estuarine floodplains, and hence, spatial distribution of acid sulfate soils, is relatively well established. These soils have largely formed as a result of sedimentation of coastal river valleys approximately 6000 years BP when sea levels were one to two metres higher. However, our understanding of the evolution of estuarine systems and acid sulfate soil formation, and hence, distribution, in southern Australia remains limited. The Anglesea River, in southern Australia, is subjected to frequent episodes of poor water quality and low pH resulting in closure of the river and, in extreme cases, large fish kill events. This region is heavily reliant on tourism and host to a number of iconic features, including the Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles. Poor water quality has been linked to acid leakage from mining activities and Tertiary-aged coal seams, peat swamps and acid sulfate soils in the region. However, our understanding of the sources of acidity and distribution of acid sulfate soils in this region remains poor. In this study, four sites on the Anglesea River floodplain were sampled, representative of the main vegetation communities. Peat swamps and intertidal marshes were both significant sources of acidity on the floodplain in the lower catchment. However, acid neutralising capacity provided by carbonate sands suggests that there are additional sources of acidity higher in the catchment. This pilot study has highlighted the complexity in the links between the floodplain, upper catchment and waterways with further research required to understand these links for targeted acid management strategies.

Loss of soil (macro)fauna due to the expansion of Brazilian sugarcane acreage.

PubMed

Franco, André L C; Bartz, Marie L C; Cherubin, Maurício R; Baretta, Dilmar; Cerri, Carlos E P; Feigl, Brigitte J; Wall, Diana H; Davies, Christian A; Cerri, Carlos C

2016-09-01

Land use changes (LUC) from pasture to sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) crop are expected to add 6.4Mha of new sugarcane land by 2021 in the Brazilian Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. We assessed the effects of these LUC on the abundance and community structure of animals that inhabit soils belowground through a field survey using chronosequences of land uses comprising native vegetation, pasture, and sugarcane along a 1000-km-long transect across these two major tropical biomes in Brazil. Macrofauna community composition differed among land uses. While most groups were associated with samples taken in native vegetation, high abundance of termites and earthworms appeared associated with pasture soils. Linear mixed effects analysis showed that LUC affected total abundance (X(2)(1)=6.79, p=0.03) and taxa richness (X(2)(1)=6.08, p=0.04) of soil macrofauna. Abundance increased from 411±70individualsm(-2) in native vegetation to 1111±202individualsm(-2) in pasture, but decreased sharply to 106±24individualsm(-2) in sugarcane soils. Diversity decreased 24% from native vegetation to pasture, and 39% from pasture to sugarcane. Thus, a reduction of ~90% in soil macrofauna abundance, besides a loss of ~40% in the diversity of macrofauna groups, can be expected when sugarcane crops replace pasture in Brazilian tropical soils. In general, higher abundances of major macrofauna groups (ants, coleopterans, earthworms, and termites) were associated with higher acidity and low contents of macronutrients and organic matter in soil. This study draws attention for a significant biodiversity loss belowground due to tropical LUC in sugarcane expansion areas. Given that many groups of soil macrofauna are recognized as key mediators of ecosystem processes such as soil aggregation, nutrients cycling and soil carbon storage, our results warrant further efforts to understand the impacts of altering belowground biodiversity and composition on soil functioning and agriculture performance

Optimizing Available Phosphorus in Calcareous Soils Fertilized with Diammonium Phosphate and Phosphoric Acid Using Freundlich Adsorption Isotherm

PubMed Central

Akhtar, Muhammad

2013-01-01

In calcareous soils, phosphorus (P) retention and immobilization take place due to precipitation and adsorption. Since soil pH is considered a major soil variable affecting the P sorption, an acidic P fertilizer could result in low P adsorption compared to alkaline one. Therefore, P adsorption from DAP and phosphoric acid (PA) required to produce desired soil solution P concentration was estimated using Freundlich sorption isotherms. Two soils from Faisalabad and T. T. Singh districts were spiked with 0, 10, and 20 % CaCO3 for 15 days. Freundlich adsorption isotherms (P = aC b/a) were constructed, and theoretical doses of PA and DAP to develop a desired soil solution P level (i.e., 0.20 mg L−1) were calculated. It was observed that P adsorption in soil increased with CaCO3. Moreover, at all the levels of CaCO3, P adsorption from PA was lower compared to that from DAP in both the soils. Consequently, lesser quantity of PA was required to produce desired solution P, 0.2 mg L−1, compared to DAP. However, extrapolating the developed relationship between soil CaCO3 contents and quantity of fertilizer to other similar textured soils needs confirmation. PMID:24307878

7 CFR 610.13 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion... RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.13 Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion. (a) The...

7 CFR 610.13 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion... RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.13 Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion. (a) The...

7 CFR 610.13 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion... RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.13 Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion. (a) The...

7 CFR 610.13 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion... RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.13 Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion. (a) The...

7 CFR 610.13 - Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion... RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Soil Erosion Prediction Equations § 610.13 Equations for predicting soil loss due to wind erosion. (a) The...

Sorption of vapors of some organic liquids on soil humic acid and its relation to partitioning of organic compounds in soil organic matter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chlou, G.T.; Kile, D.E.; Malcolm, R.L.

1988-01-01

Vapor sorption of water, ethanol, benzene, hexane, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and 1,2-dibromoethane on (Sanhedron) soil humic acid has been determined at room temperature. Isotherms for all organic liquids are highly linear over a wide range of relative pressure (P/P??), characteristic of the partitioning (dissolution) of the organic compounds in soil humic acid. Polar liquids exhibit markedly greater sorption capacities on soil humic acid than relatively nonpolar liquids, in keeping with the polar nature of the soil humic acid as a partition medium. The limiting sorption (partition) capacities of relatively non-polar liquids are remarkably similar when expressed in terms of volumes per unit weight of soil humic acid. The soil humic acid is found to be about half as effective as soil organic matter in sorption of relatively nonpolar organic compounds. The nearly constant limiting sorption capacity for nonpolar organic liquids with soil humic acid on a volume-to-weight basis and its efficiency in sorption relative to soil organic matter provide a basis for predicting the approximate sorption (partition) coefficients of similar compounds in uptake by soil in aqueous systems.

Revegetation of Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) Producing Slope Surface Using Phosphate Microencapsulation and Artificial Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jae Gon

2017-04-01

Oxidation of sulfides produces acid rock drainage (ARD) upon their exposure to oxidation environment by construction and mining activities. The ARD causes the acidification and metal contamination of soil, surface water and groundwater, the damage of plant, the deterioration of landscape and the reduction of slope stability. The revegetation of slope surface is one of commonly adopted strategies to reduce erosion and to increase slope stability. However, the revegetation of the ARD producing slope surface is frequently failed due to its high acidity and toxic metal content. We developed a revegetation method consisting of microencapsualtion and artificial soil in the laboratory. The revegetation method was applied on the ARD producing slope on which the revegetation using soil coverage and seeding was failed and monitored the plant growth for one year. The phosphate solution was applied on sulfide containing rock to form stable Fe-phosphate mineral on the surface of sulfide, which worked as a physical barrier to prevent contacting oxidants such as oxygen and Fe3+ ion to the sulfide surface. After the microencapsulation, two artificial soil layers were constructed. The first layer containing organic matter, dolomite powder and soil was constructed at 2 cm thickness to neutralize the rising acidic capillary water from the subsurface and to remove the dissolved oxygen from the percolating rain water. Finally, the second layer containing seeds, organic matter, nutrients and soil was constructed at 3 cm thickness on the top. After application of the method, the pH of the soil below the artificial soil layer increased and the ARD production from the rock fragments reduced. The plant growth showed an ordinary state while the plant died two month after germination for the previous revegetation trial. No soil erosion occurred from the slope during the one year field test.

Evaluation of the Morpho-physiology characteristics of maize inbred lines introduced from CIMMYT to identify the best candidates for planting in acidic soil in Jasinga, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, K.; Sutjahjo, S. H.; Syukur, M.; Trikoesoemaningtyas

2016-08-01

Technological developments and climate change have affected crop planting strategies. For example, maize production has expanded to sub-optimal lands, including acidic soil common in areas like Indonesia. Breeding programs have created inbred lines of maize introduced from CIMMYT; they were tested locally in acidic soils to determine their adaptability and tolerance mechanisms. Breeds CLA 46 and NEI 9008 were found to be excellent candidates for acidic soil due to their ASI, high number of grains per year, and suitable dry seed weight.

[Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Speciation of Pb in Purple Soil and Soil Solution].

PubMed

Liu, Jiang; Jiang, Tao; Huang, Rong; Zhang, Jin-zhong; Chen, Hong

2016-04-15

Lead (Pb) in purple soil was selected as the research target, using one-step extraction method with 0.01 mol · L⁻¹ sodium nitrate as the background electrolyte to study the release effect of citric acid (CA), tartaric acid (TA) and acetic acid (AC) with different concentrations. Sequential extraction and geochemical model (Visual Minteq v3.0) were applied to analyze and predict the speciation of Pb in soil solid phase and soil solution phase. Then the ebvironmental implications and risks of low-molecule weight organic acid (LMWOA) on soil Pb were analyzed. The results indicated that all three types of LMWOA increased the desorption capacity of Pb in purple soil, and the effect followed the descending order of CA > TA > AC. After the action of LMWOAs, the exchangeable Pb increased; the carbonate-bound Pb and Fe-Mn oxide bound Pb dropped in soil solid phase. Organic bound Pb was the main speciation in soil solution phase, accounting for 45.16%-75.05%. The following speciation of Pb in soil solution was free Pb, accounting for 22.71%-50.25%. For CA and TA treatments, free Pb ions and inorganic bound Pb in soil solution increased with increasing LMWOAs concentration, while organic bound Pb suffered a decrease in this process. An opposite trend for AC treatment was observed compared with CA and TA treatments. Overall, LMWOAs boosted the bioavailability of Pb in purple soil and had a potential risk to contaminate underground water. Among the three LMWOAs in this study, CA had the largest potential to activate soil Pb.

Impacts of simulated acid rain on recalcitrance of two different soils.

PubMed

Dai, Zhongmin; Liu, Xingmei; Wu, Jianjun; Xu, Jianming

2013-06-01

Laboratory experiments were conducted to estimate the impacts of simulated acid rain (SAR) on recalcitrance in a Plinthudult and a Paleudalfs soil in south China, which were a variable and a permanent charge soil, respectively. Simulated acid rains were prepared at pH 2.0, 3.5, 5.0, and 6.0, by additions of different volumes of H2SO4 plus HNO3 at a ratio of 6 to 1. The leaching period was designed to represent 5 years of local annual rainfall (1,200 mm) with a 33 % surface runoff loss. Both soils underwent both acidification stages of (1) cation exchange and (2) mineral weathering at SAR pH 2.0, whereas only cation exchange occurred above SAR pH 3.5, i.e., weathering did not commence. The cation exchange stage was more easily changed into that of mineral weathering in the Plinthudult than in the Paleudalfs soil, and there were some K(+) and Mg(2+) ions released on the stages of mineral weathering in the Paleudalfs soil. During the leaching, the release of exchangeable base cations followed the order Ca(2+) >K(+) >Mg(2+) >Na(+) for the Plinthudult and Ca(2+) >Mg(2+) >Na(+) >K(+) for the Paleudalfs soil. The SARs above pH 3.5 did not decrease soil pH or pH buffering capacity, while the SAR at pH 2.0 decreased soil pH and the buffering capacity significantly. We conclude that acid rain, which always has a pH from 3.5 to 5.6, only makes a small contribution to the acidification of agricultural soils of south China in the short term of 5 years. Also, Paleudalfs soils are more resistant to acid rain than Plinthudult soils. The different abilities to prevent leaching by acid rain depend upon the parent materials, types of clay minerals, and soil development degrees.

Bromine accumulation in acidic black colluvial soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez Cortizas, Antonio; Ferro Vázquez, Cruz; Kaal, Joeri; Biester, Harald; Costa Casais, Manuela; Taboada Rodríguez, Teresa; Rodríguez Lado, Luis

2016-02-01

Recent investigations showed that bromine is incorporated to soil organic matter (SOM), its content increasing with humification. But few research was done on its long-term accumulation and the role played by pedogenetic processes, as those involved in organic matter stabilization. We investigated bromine content and distribution in four deep, acidic, organic-rich, Holocene soils from an oceanic area of Western Europe. Bromine concentrations (93-778 μg g-1) in the silt + clay (<50 μm) fraction were on average 3-times higher than those (17-250 μg g-1) in the fine earth (<2 mm), the former containing almost all bromine (90 ± 5%). Inventories were between 148 and 314 g m-2, indicating a rather large variability in a small area, and total estimated retention was low (6-16%). The degree of SOM bromination, expressed as the Br/C molar ratio, varied between 0.03 and 1.20 mmol Br/mol C. The ratio was highly correlated (n = 23, r2 0.88, p < 0.01) with the age of the SOM for the last ∼12 ka. Partial least squares modeling indicates that bromine concentration depends on the amount of organic matter stabilized as aluminium-OM associations, and to a lesser extent on soil acidity (pH) and iron-OM associations. Thus, at scales of thousands of years, bromine accumulation in acidic soils is linked to the pool of metal-clay-stabilized organic matter.

Study of the acid-base properties of mineral soil horizons using pK spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamrikova, E. V.; Vanchikova, E. V.; Ryazanov, M. A.

2007-11-01

The presence of groups 4 and 5 participating in acid-base equilibria was revealed in samples from mineral horizons of the gley-podzolic soil of the Komi Republic using pK spectroscopy (the mathematical processing of potentiometric titration curves for plotting the distribution of acid groups according to their pK values). The specific quantity of acid-base sites in soil samples was calculated. The contribution of organic and mineral soil components to the groups of acid-base sites was estimated. The pK values of groups determining the potential, exchangeable, and unexchangeable acidities were found. The heterogeneity of acid components determining different types of soil acidity was revealed.

[Accumulation characteristics of applied cinnamic acid in cucumber seedling-soil system under NaCl stress].

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Wu, Feng-Zhi; Wang, Yu-Yan

2011-11-01

Taking cucumber cultivars' Jinlv No. 5' (salt-tolerant) and 'Jinyou No. 1' (salt-sensitive) as test materials, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of applying cinnamic acid on the accumulation of applied cinnamic acid in cucumber seedling-soil system under NaCl (585 mg x kg(-1) soil) stress. The concentration of applied cinnamic acid was the main factor affecting the accumulation of the exogenous cinnamic acid in the cucumber plant and soil. With the increasing concentration of applied cinnamic acid, except in the treatment of highest concentration (200 mg x kg(-1) soil) cinnamic acid, the total content of cinnamic acid in cucumber plant was increased. NaCl stress enhanced the toxicity of cinnamic acid. In the treatments of low and medium concentration cinnamic acid, the cinnamic acid content in cucumber plant increased; whereas in the treatments of high concentration cinnamic acid, the decline of the seedlings growth was observed, and led to the decrease of the cinnamic acid content in the plant. The content of cinnamic acid in 'Jinlv No. 5' plant decreased at the concentration of applied cinnamic acid being > 200 mg x kg(-1) soil, while that in 'Jinyou No. 1' started to decrease when the concentration of applied cinnamic acid was > 100 mg x kg(-1) soil, reflecting the discrepancy in salt tolerance of the two cultivars. For the cucumber plant, its leaf had the highest content of cinnamic acid. In the cucumber seedling-soil system, most of applied cinnamic acid was mainly accumulated in soil.

[Amelioration effects of wastewater sludge biochars on red soil acidity and their environmental risk].

PubMed

Lu, Zai-Liang; Li, Jiu-Yu; Jiang, Jun; Xu, Ren-Kou

2012-10-01

Biochars were prepared from wastewater sludge from two wastewater treatment plants in Nanjing using a pyrolysis method at 300, 500 and 700 degrees C. The properties of the biochars were measured, and their amelioration effects on the acidity of a red soil and environmental risk of application of sludge biochars were examined to evaluate the possibility of agricultural application of wastewater sludge biochars in red soils. Results indicated that incorporation of both sludge and sludge biochar increased soil pH due to the alkalinity of sludge and sludge biochar, and the mineralization of organic N and nitrification of ammonium N from wastewater sludge induced soil pH fluctuated during incubation. The amelioration effects of biochars generated at 500 and 700 degrees C on the soil were significantly greater than that of sludge significantly. Sludge and sludge biochar contain ample base cations of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ and thus incorporation of sludge and sludge biochar increased the contents of soil exchangeable base cations and decreased soil exchangeable aluminum and H+. Contents of heavy metals in sludge biochars were greater than these in their feedstock sludge, while the contents of Cu, Pb, Ni and As in sludge biochars were lower than the standard values of heavy metals were wastewater sludge for agricultural use in acid soils in China except for Zn and Cd. The contents of available forms of heavy metals in the biochars generated from sludge from Chengdong wastewater treatment plant was lower than these in the corresponding sludge, suggesting that pyrolysis proceed decreased the activity of heavy metals in wastewater sludge. After 90-day incubation of the soil with sludge and sludge biochar, the differences in the contents of soil available heavy metals were not significant between the biochars and their feedstock sludge from Jiangxizhou wastewater treatment plant, and the contents in the treatments with biochars added was lower than these in the treatments with

Persistent episodic acidification of streams linked to acid rain effects on soil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, G.B.

2002-01-01

Episodic acidification of streams, identified in the late 1980s as one of the most significant environmental problems caused by acidic deposition, had not been evaluated since the early 1990s despite decreasing levels of acidic deposition over the past decade. This analysis indicates that episodic acidification of streams in upland regions in the northeastern United States persists, and is likely to be much more widespread than chronic acidification. Depletion of exchangeable Ca in the mineral soil has decreased the neutralization capacity of soils and increased the role of the surface organic horizon in the neutralization of acidic soil water during episodes. Increased accumulation of N and S in the forest floor from decades of acidic deposition will delay the recovery of soil base status, and therefore, the elimination of acidic episodes, which is anticipated from decreasing emissions.

Oxidation of phenolic acid derivatives by soil and its relevance to allelopathic activity.

PubMed

Ohno, T

2001-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that phenolic acids from legume green manures may contribute to weed control through allelopathy. The objectives of this study were to investigate the oxidation reactions of phenolic acids in soil and to determine the subsequent effects of oxidation upon phytotoxicity. Soils were reacted for 18 h with 0.25 mmol L(-1) benzoic and cinnamic acid derivative solutions and Mn release from the suspension was used as a marker for phenolic acid oxidation. The extent of oxidation in soil suspensions was in the order of 3,4dihydroxy- > 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy- > 4-hydroxy-approximately 2-hydroxy-substituted benzoic and cinnamic acids. The same ranking was observed for cyclic voltammetry peak currents of the cinnamic acid derivatives. This suggests that the oxidation of phenolic acids is controlled by the electron transfer step from the sorbed phenolic acid to the metal oxide. A bioassay experiment showed that the 4-hydroxy-, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-, and 3,4-dihydroxy-substituted cinnamic acids were bioactive at 0.25 mmol L(-1) concentration. Reaction with soil for 18 h resulted in the elimination of bioactivity of these three cinnamic acids at the 5% significance level. The oxidative reactivity of phenolic acids may limit the potential of allelopathy as a component of an integrated weed management system. However, the initial phytotoxicity after soil incorporation may coincide with the early, critical stage of weed emergence and establishment, so that allelopathic phenolic acids may still play a role in weed management despite their reactivity in soil systems.

Sustainable Soil Washing: Shredded Card Filtration of Potentially Toxic Elements after Leaching from Soil Using Organic Acid Solutions

PubMed Central

Ash, Christopher; Drábek, Ondřej; Tejnecký, Václav; Jehlička, Jan; Michon, Ninon; Borůvka, Luboš

2016-01-01

Shredded card (SC) was assessed for use as a sorbent of potentially toxic elements (PTE) carried from contaminated soil in various leachates (oxalic acid, formic acid, CaCl2, water). We further assessed SC for retention of PTE, using acidified water (pH 3.4). Vertical columns and a peristaltic pump were used to leach PTE from soils (O and A/B horizons) before passing through SC. Sorption onto SC was studied by comparing leachates, and by monitoring total PTE contents on SC before and after leaching. SC buffers against acidic soil conditions that promote metals solubility; considerable increases in solution pH (+4.49) were observed. Greatest differences in solution PTE content after leaching with/without SC occurred for Pb. In oxalic acid, As, Cd, Pb showed a high level of sorption (25, 15, and 58x more of the respective PTE in leachates without SC). In formic acid, Pb sorption was highly efficient (219x more Pb in leachate without SC). In water, only Pb showed high sorption (191x more Pb in leachate without SC). In desorption experiments, release of PTE from SC varied according to the source of PTE (organic/mineral soil), and type of solvent used. Arsenic was the PTE most readily leached in desorption experiments. Low As sorption from water was followed by fast release (70% As released from SC). A high rate of Cd sorption from organic acid solutions was followed by strong retention (~12% Cd desorption). SC also retained Pb after sorption from water, with subsequent losses of ≤8.5% of total bound Pb. The proposed use of this material is for the filtration of PTE from extract solution following soil washing. Low-molecular-mass organic acids offer a less destructive, biodegradable alternative to strong inorganic acids for soil washing. PMID:26900684

Effects of EDTA and low molecular weight organic acids on soil solution properties of a heavy metal polluted soil.

PubMed

Wu, L H; Luo, Y M; Christie, P; Wong, M H

2003-02-01

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of EDTA and low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) on the pH, total organic carbon (TOC) and heavy metals in the soil solution in the rhizosphere of Brassica juncea grown in a paddy soil contaminated with Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd. The results show that EDTA and LMWOA have no effect on the soil solution pH. EDTA addition significantly increased the TOC concentrations in the soil solution. The TOC concentrations in treatments with EDTA were significantly higher than those in treatments with LMWOA. Adding 3 mmol kg(-1) EDTA to the soil markedly increased the total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in the soil solution. Compared to EDTA, LMWOA had a very small effect on the metal concentrations. Total concentrations in the soil solution followed the sequence: EDTA > citric acid (CA) approximately oxalic acid (OA) approximately malic acid (MA) for Cu and Pb; EDTA > MA > CA approximately OA for Zn; and EDTA > MA > CA > OA for Cd. The labile concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd showed similar trends to the total concentrations.

Why plants grow poorly on very acid soils: are ecologists missing the obvious?

PubMed

Kidd, P S; Proctor, J

2001-04-01

Factors associated with soil acidity are considered to be limiting for plants in many parts of the world. This work was undertaken to investigate the role of the toxicity of hydrogen (H(+)) which seems to have been underconsidered by ecologists as an explanation of the reduced plant growth observed in very acid soils. Racial differences are reported in plant growth response to increasing acidity in the grass Holcus lanatus L. (Yorkshire-fog) and the tree Betula pendula Roth (Silver Birch). Soils and seeds were collected from four Scottish sites which covered a range of soils from acid (organic and mineral) to more base-rich. The sites and their pH (1:2.5 fresh soil:0.01 M CaCl(2)) were: Flanders Moss (FM), pH 3.2+/-0.03; Kippenrait Glen (KP), pH 4.8+/- 0.05; Kinloch Rannoch (KR), pH 6.1+/-0.16; and Sheriffmuir (SMM), pH 4.3+/-0.11. The growth rates of two races of H. lanatus, FM and KP, and three races of B. pendula (SMM, KP and KR) were measured in nutrient solution cultures at pH 2.0 (H. lanatus only), 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 5.6. Results showed races from acid organic soils (FM) were H(+)-tolerant while those from acid mineral soils (SMM) were Al(3+)-tolerant but not necessarily H(+)-tolerant. These results confirmed that populations were separately adapted to H(+) or Al(3+) toxicity and this was dependent upon the soil characteristics at their site of collection. The fact of plant adaptation to H(+) toxicity supports the view that this is an important factor in very acid soils.

Biochar immobilizes soil-borne arsenic but not cationic metals in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acids.

PubMed

Alozie, Nneka; Heaney, Natalie; Lin, Chuxia

2018-07-15

A batch experiment was conducted to examine the effects of biochar on the behaviour of soil-borne arsenic and metals that were mobilized by three low-molecular-weight organic acids. In the presence of citric acid, oxalic acid and malic acid at a molar concentration of 0.01M, the surface of biochar was protonated, which disfavours adsorption of the cationic metals released from the soil by organic acid-driven mobilization. In contrast, the oxyanionic As species were re-immobilized by the protonated biochar effectively. Biochar could also immobilize oxyanionic Cr species but not cationic Cr species. The addition of biochar increased the level of metals in the solution due to the release of the biochar-borne metals under attack by LMWOAs via cation exchange. Biochar could also have the potential to enhance reductive dissolution of iron and manganese oxides in the soil, leading to enhanced release of trace elements bound to these oxides. The findings obtained from this study have implications for evaluating the role of biochar in immobilizing trace elements in rhizosphere. Adsorption of cationic heavy metals on biochar in the presence of LMWOAs is unlikely to be a mechanism responsible for the impeded uptake of heavy metals by plants growing in heavy metal-contaminated soils. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EDTA and HCl leaching of calcareous and acidic soils polluted with potentially toxic metals: remediation efficiency and soil impact.

PubMed

Udovic, Metka; Lestan, Domen

2012-07-01

The environmental risk of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in soil can be diminished by their removal. Among the available remediation techniques, soil leaching with various solutions is one of the most effective but data about the impact on soil chemical and biological properties are still scarce. We studied the effect of two common leaching agents, hydrochloric acid (HCl) and a chelating agent (EDTA) on Pb, Zn, Cd removal and accessibility and on physico-chemical and biological properties in one calcareous, pH neutral soil and one non-calcareous acidic soil. EDTA was a more efficient leachant compared to HCl: up to 133-times lower chelant concentration was needed for the same percentage (35%) of Pb removal. EDTA and HCl concentrations with similar PTM removal efficiency decreased PTM accessibility in both soils but had different impacts on soil properties. As expected, HCl significantly dissolved carbonates from calcareous soil, while EDTA leaching increased the pH of the acidic soil. Enzyme activity assays showed that leaching with HCl had a distinctly negative impact on soil microbial and enzyme activity, while leaching with EDTA had less impact. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the ecological impact of remediation processes on soil in addition to the capacity for PTM removal. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tannic acid for remediation of historically arsenic-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Gusiatin, Zygmunt Mariusz; Klik, Barbara; Kulikowska, Dorota

2017-12-22

Soil washing effectively and permanently decreases soil pollution. Thus, it can be considered for the removal of the most toxic elements, for example arsenic (As). In this study, historically As-contaminated soils (2041-4294 mg/kg) were remediated with tannic acid (TA) as the washing agent. The scope of this study included optimization of the operational conditions of As removal, determination of As distribution in soil before and after double soil washing, and measurement of TA loss during washing. The optimum conditions for As removal were 4% TA, pH 4 and 24 h washing time. The average As removal after single and double washings was 38% and 63%, respectively. TA decreased As content in amorphous and poorly crystalline oxides by >90%. Although TA increased the amount of As in the easily mobilizable As fraction, the stability of As in washed soils increased, with reduced partition indexes of 0.52-0.66 after washing. The maximum capacity of the soils to adsorb TA (q max ) was 50.2-70.4 g C/kg. TA sorption was higher at alkaline than at acidic conditions. Only TA removes As from soils effectively if the proportion of As in amorphous and poorly crystalline oxides is high. Thus, it can be considered for remediation of historically contaminated soils.

Responses of soil buffering capacity to acid treatment in three typical subtropical forests.

PubMed

Jiang, Jun; Wang, Ying-Ping; Yu, Mengxiao; Li, Kun; Shao, Yijing; Yan, Junhua

2016-09-01

Elevated anthropogenic acid deposition can significantly affect forest ecosystem functioning by changing soil pH, nutrient balance, and chemical leaching and so on. These effects generally differ among different forests, and the dominant mechanisms for those observed responses often vary, depending on climate, soil conditions and vegetation types. Using soil monoliths (0-40cm) from pine forest (pioneer), coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest (transitional) and broadleaved forest (mature) in southern China, we conducted a leaching experiment with acid treatments at different pH levels (control: pH≈4.5; pH=3.5; pH=2.5). We found that pH3.5 treatment significantly reduced dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in leachate from the pioneer forest soil. pH2.5 treatment significantly increased concentrations of NO3(-), SO4(2-), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Al(3+), Fe(3+) and DOC in leachate from the pioneer forest soil, and also concentrations of NO3(-), SO4(2-), Mg(2+), Al(3+), Fe(3+) and DOC in leachate from the transitional forest soil. All acid treatments had no significant effects on concentrations of these chemicals in leachate from the mature forest soil. The responses can be explained by the changes in soil pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and concentrations of Al and Fe. Our results showed that acid buffering capacity of the pioneer or transitional forest soil was lower than that of the mature forest soil. Therefore preserving mature forests in southern China is important for reducing the adverse impacts of high acid deposition on stream water quality at present and into the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of simulated acid rain on microbial characteristics in a lateritic red soil.

PubMed

Xu, Hua-qin; Zhang, Jia-en; Ouyang, Ying; Lin, Ling; Quan, Guo-ming; Zhao, Ben-liang; Yu, Jia-yu

2015-11-01

A laboratory experiment was performed to examine the impact of simulated acid rain (SAR) on nutrient leaching, microbial biomass, and microbial activities in a lateritic red soil in South China. The soil column leaching experiment was conducted over a 60-day period with the following six SAR pH treatments (levels): 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 and one control treatment (pH = 7). Compared with the control treatment, the concentrations of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and average well color density (AWCD) in the Ecoplates were all significantly decreased by leaching with SAR at different pH levels. The decrease in MBC and MBN indicated that acid rain reduced the soil microbial population, while the decrease in AWCD revealed that acid rain had a negative effect on soil bacterial metabolic function. Soil basal respiration increased gradually from pH 4.0 to 7.0 but decreased dramatically from pH 2.5 to 3.0. The decrease in soil nutrient was the major reason for the change of soil microbial functions. A principal component analysis showed that the major carbon sources used by the bacteria were carbohydrates and carboxylic acids.

[Effects of soil acidity on Pinus resinosa seedlings photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence].

PubMed

Liu, Shuang; Wang, Qing-cheng; Liu, Ya-li; Tian, Yu-ming; Sun, Jing; Xu, Jing

2009-12-01

Red pine (Pinus resinosa) is one of the most important tree species for timber plantation in North America, and preliminary success has been achieved in its introduction to the mountainous area of Northeast China since 2004. In order to expand its growth area in other parts of Northeast China, a pot experiment was conducted to study the adaptability of this tree species to varying soil acidity. P. resinosa seedlings were grown in soils with different acidity (pH = 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, and 8.0) to test the responses of their photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to soil pH levels, and the appropriate soil acidity was evaluated. Dramatic responses in chlorophyll a and b contents, Pn and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fo, Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, and phi(PS II)) were detected under different soil acidity (P < 0.05), with the highest chlorophyll content and Pn under soil pH 5.5, and significantly lower chlorophyll content and Pn under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0. The chlorophyll content and Pn were 41% and 50%, and 61% and 88% higher under soil pH 5.5 than under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0. The seedlings had a significant photosynthetic inhibition under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0, but the highest Fv/Fm and phi (PS II) under soil pH 5.5. Comparing with those under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0, the Fv/Fm and phi (PS II) under soil pH 5.5 were 8% and 12%, and 22% and 35% higher, respectively. It was suggested that soil pH 5.5 was most appropriate for P. resinosa growth.

Soil aggregate stratification of nematodes and ammonia oxidizers affects nitrification in an acid soil.

PubMed

Jiang, Yuji; Jin, Chen; Sun, Bo

2014-10-01

Nitrification plays a central role in global nitrogen cycle, which is affected by interaction between soil microfauna and microorganisms. The impact of synchronized changes in nematodes and ammonia oxidizers within aggregate fractions on nitrification was investigated in an acid soil under 10-year manure application. Nematodes, ammonia oxidizers and potential nitrification activity (PNA) were examined in three soil aggregate fractions under four fertilization regimes. Pyrosequencing data revealed that the dominant bacterial amoA operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were related to Nitrosospira species, while archaeal OTUs were affiliated with Nitrososphaera and Nitrosotalea species. PNA was more strongly correlated with ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance than ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundance, although AOA were dominant in the acid soil. Plant parasites had a negative effect on AOB abundance; however, bacterivores stimulated AOB abundance and contributed more to PNA than plant parasites. Aggregate fractions exerted significant impacts on AOA abundance and AOB community composition. Total carbon content strongly affected the abundance and composition of AOA community, while soil pH primarily affected that of AOB community. Soil variables explained 62.7% and 58.1% variations, and nematode variables explained 11.7% and 19.5% variations in the AOA and AOB community composition respectively. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Vermicompost and biochar as bio-conditioners to immobilize heavy metal and improve soil fertility on cadmium contaminated soil under acid rain stress.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Xu, YongAn; Li, Dan; Tang, BiCong; Man, ShuLei; Jia, YiFan; Xu, Heng

2018-04-15

This experiment was conducted to investigate the remediation effects of bio-conditioners vermicompost (VC) and biochar (BC) on cadmium contaminated soil under the threat of acid rain, individually and associatively. With the application of soil conditioners, the percentages of HOAc-extractable Cd decreased 5.2-6.8%, 9.0-13.5% and 7.9-12.1% in the groups amended with VC, BC and VC combined BC, respectively. When the pH of rain decreased from 7.0 to 4.0, the activity of acid phosphatase decreased 2.0%, 12.3%, 3.2%, 14.8% in VC, BC, VC combined BC and control groups, individually. This study affirmed that with the application of soil conditioners, the threat of heavy metal along with bioavailability of Cd was depressed, and the properties of soil biochemical indictors were enhanced. Oppositely, the bioavailability of Cd was promoted, and soil microbial viability as well as nutrient contents was inhibited with the spraying of acid rain. The findings indicated that acid deposition played a restrain effect on soil remediation process. Meanwhile, soil conditioners showed potentials to improve soil fertilities and alleviate the stress of acid rain. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Plant Adaptation to Acid Soils: The Molecular Basis for Crop Aluminum Resistance.

PubMed

Kochian, Leon V; Piñeros, Miguel A; Liu, Jiping; Magalhaes, Jurandir V

2015-01-01

Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acid soils is a significant limitation to crop production worldwide, as approximately 50% of the world's potentially arable soil is acidic. Because acid soils are such an important constraint to agriculture, understanding the mechanisms and genes conferring resistance to Al toxicity has been a focus of intense research interest in the decade since the last article on crop acid soil tolerance was published in this journal. An impressive amount of progress has been made during that time that has greatly increased our understanding of the diversity of Al resistance genes and mechanisms, how resistance gene expression is regulated and triggered by Al and Al-induced signals, and how the proteins encoded by these genes function and are regulated. This review examines the state of our understanding of the physiological, genetic, and molecular bases for crop Al tolerance, looking at the novel Al resistance genes and mechanisms that have been identified over the past ten years. Additionally, it examines how the integration of molecular and genetic analyses of crop Al resistance is starting to be exploited for the improvement of crop plants grown on acid soils via both molecular-assisted breeding and biotechnology approaches.

Removal of heavy metals from contaminated soil by electrodialytic remediation enhanced with organic acids.

PubMed

Merdoud, Ouarda; Cameselle, Claudio; Boulakradeche, Mohamed Oualid; Akretche, Djamal Eddine

2016-11-09

The soil from an industrial area in Algeria was contaminated with Cr (8370 mg kg -1 ), Ni (1135 mg kg -1 ) and zinc (1200 mg kg -1 ). The electrodialytic remediation of this soil was studied using citric acid and EDTA as facilitating agents. 0.1 M citric acid or EDTA was added directly to the soil before it was introduced in an electrodialytic cell in an attempt to enhance the heavy metal solubility in the interstitial fluid. The more acidic pH in the soil when citric acid was used as the facilitating agent was not enough to mobilize and remove the metals from the soil. Only 7.2% of Ni and 6.7% of Zn were removed from the soil in the test with citric acid. The best results were found with EDTA, which was able to solubilize and complex Zn and Ni forming negatively charged complexes that were transported and accumulated in the anolyte. Complete removal was observed for Ni and Zn in the electrodialytic treatment with EDTA. Minor amounts of Cr were removed with both EDTA and citric acid.

Measurement of δ13C values of soil amino acids by GC-C-IRMS using trimethylsilylation: a critical assessment.

PubMed

Rubino, Mauro; Milin, Sylvie; D'Onofrio, Antonio; Signoret, Patrick; Hatté, Christine; Balesdent, Jérôme

2014-01-01

In this study, we evaluated trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives as derivatization reagents for the compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis of soil amino acids by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). We used non-proteinogenic amino acids to show that the extraction-derivatization-analysis procedure provides a reliable method to measure δ(13)C values of amino acids extracted from soil. However, we found a number of drawbacks that significantly increase the final total uncertainty. These include the following: production of multiple peaks for each amino acid, identified as di-, tri- and tetra-TMS derivatives; a number of TMS-carbon (TMS-C) atoms added lower than the stoichiometric one, possibly due to incomplete combustion; different TMS-C δ(13)C for di-, tri- and tetra-TMS derivatives. For soil samples, only four amino acids (leucine, valine, threonine and serine) provide reliable δ(13)C values with a total average uncertainty of 1.3 ‰. We conclude that trimethylsilyl derivatives are only suitable for determining the (13)C incorporation in amino acids within experiments using (13)C-labelled tracers but cannot be applied for amino acids with natural carbon isotope abundance until the drawbacks described here are overcome and the measured total uncertainty significantly decreased.

Responses of soil N-fixing bacteria communities to invasive plant species under different types of simulated acid deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Congyan; Zhou, Jiawei; Jiang, Kun; Liu, Jun; Du, Daolin

2017-06-01

Biological invasions have incurred serious threats to native ecosystems in China, and soil N-fixing bacteria communities (SNB) may play a vital role in the successful plant invasion. Meanwhile, anthropogenic acid deposition is increasing in China, which may modify or upgrade the effects that invasive plant species can cause on SNB. We analyzed the structure and diversity of SNB by means of new generation sequencing technology in soils with different simulated acid deposition (SAD), i.e., different SO4 2- to NO3 - ratios, and where the invasive ( Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and the native species ( Amaranthus tricolor L.) grew mixed or isolated for 3 months. A. retroflexus itself did not exert significant effects on the diversity and richness of SNB but did it under certain SO4 2- to NO3 - ratios. Compared to soils where the native species grew isolated, the soils where the invasive A. retroflexus grew isolated showed lower relative abundance of some SNB classes under certain SAD treatments. Some types of SAD can alter soil nutrient content which in turn could affect SNB diversity and abundance. Specifically, greater SO4 2- to NO3 - ratios tended to have more toxic effects on SNB likely due to the higher exchange capacity of hydroxyl groups (OH-) between SO4 2- and NO3 -. As a conclusion, it can be expected a change in the structure of SNB after A. retroflexus invasion under acid deposition rich in sulfuric acid. This change may create a plant soil feedback favoring future A. retroflexus invasions.

Responses of soil N-fixing bacteria communities to invasive plant species under different types of simulated acid deposition.

PubMed

Wang, Congyan; Zhou, Jiawei; Jiang, Kun; Liu, Jun; Du, Daolin

2017-06-01

Biological invasions have incurred serious threats to native ecosystems in China, and soil N-fixing bacteria communities (SNB) may play a vital role in the successful plant invasion. Meanwhile, anthropogenic acid deposition is increasing in China, which may modify or upgrade the effects that invasive plant species can cause on SNB. We analyzed the structure and diversity of SNB by means of new generation sequencing technology in soils with different simulated acid deposition (SAD), i.e., different SO 4 2- to NO 3 - ratios, and where the invasive (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and the native species (Amaranthus tricolor L.) grew mixed or isolated for 3 months. A. retroflexus itself did not exert significant effects on the diversity and richness of SNB but did it under certain SO 4 2- to NO 3 - ratios. Compared to soils where the native species grew isolated, the soils where the invasive A. retroflexus grew isolated showed lower relative abundance of some SNB classes under certain SAD treatments. Some types of SAD can alter soil nutrient content which in turn could affect SNB diversity and abundance. Specifically, greater SO 4 2- to NO 3 - ratios tended to have more toxic effects on SNB likely due to the higher exchange capacity of hydroxyl groups (OH - ) between SO 4 2- and NO 3 - . As a conclusion, it can be expected a change in the structure of SNB after A. retroflexus invasion under acid deposition rich in sulfuric acid. This change may create a plant soil feedback favoring future A. retroflexus invasions.

A conceptual framework: redifining forests soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate

Treesearch

Steven G. McNulty; Johnny L. Boggs

2010-01-01

Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it...

Simultaneous immobilization of metals and arsenic in acidic polluted soils near a copper smelter in central Chile.

PubMed

Cárcamo, Valeska; Bustamante, Elena; Trangolao, Elizabeth; de la Fuente, Luz María; Mench, Michel; Neaman, Alexander; Ginocchio, Rosanna

2012-05-01

Acidic and metal(oid)-rich topsoils resulted after 34 years of continuous operations of a copper smelter in the Puchuncaví valley, central Chile. Currently, large-scale remediation actions for simultaneous in situ immobilization of metals and As are needed to reduce environmental risks of polluted soils. Aided phytostabilization is a cost-effective alternative, but adequate local available soil amendments have to be identified and management options have to be defined. Efficacy of seashell grit (SG), biosolids (B), natural zeolite (Z), and iron-activated zeolite (AZ), either alone or in mixtures, was evaluated for reducing metal (Cu and Zn) and As solubilization in polluted soils under laboratory conditions. Perennial ryegrass was used to test phytotoxicity of experimental substrates. Soil neutralization to a pH of 6.5 with SG, with or without incorporation of AZ, significantly reduces metal (Cu and Zn) solubilization without affecting As solubilization in soil pore water; furthermore, it eliminates phytotoxicity and excessive metal(oid) accumulation in aerial plant tissues. Addition of B or Z to SG-amended soil does not further reduce metal solubilization into soil pore water, but increase As solubilization due to excessive soil neutralization (pH > 6.5); however, no significant As increase occurs in aerial plant tissues. Simultaneous in situ immobilization of metal(oid) in acidic topsoils is possible through aided phytostabilization.

Effective treatment of PAH contaminated Superfund site soil with the peroxy-acid process.

PubMed

Scott Alderman, N; N'Guessan, Adeola L; Nyman, Marianne C

2007-07-31

Peroxy-organic acids are formed by the chemical reaction between organic acids and hydrogen peroxide. The peroxy-acid process was applied to two Superfund site soils provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Initial small-scale experiments applied ratios of 3:5:7 (v/v/v) or 3:3:9 (v/v/v) hydrogen peroxide:acetic acid:deionized (DI) water solution to 5g of Superfund site soil. The experiment using 3:5:7 (v/v/v) ratio resulted in an almost complete degradation of the 14 EPA regulated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Bedford LT soil during a 24-h reaction period, while the 3:3:9 (v/v/v) ratio resulted in no applicable degradation in Bedford LT lot 10 soil over the same reaction period. Specific Superfund site soil characteristics (e.g., pH, total organic carbon content and particle size distribution) were found to play an important role in the availability of the PAHs and the efficiency of the transformation during the peroxy-acid process. A scaled-up experiment followed treating 150g of Bedford LT lot 10 soil with and without mixing. The scaled-up processes applied a 3:3:9 (v/v/v) solution resulting in significant decrease in PAH contamination. These findings demonstrate the peroxy-acid process as a viable option for the treatment of PAH contaminated soils. Further work is necessary in order to elucidate the mechanisms of this process.

Soil-solution partitioning of DOC in acid organic soils: Results from a UK field acidification and alkalization experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehle, Filip; Jones, Timothy; Burden, Annette; Evans, Chris

2013-04-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important component of the global carbon (C) cycle and has profound impacts on water chemistry and metabolism in lakes and rivers. Reported increases of DOC concentration in surface waters across Europe and Northern America have been attributed to several drivers; from changing climate and land-use to eutrophication and declining acid deposition. The last of these suggests that acidic deposition suppressed the solubility of DOC, and that this historic suppression is now being reversed by reducing emissions of acidifying pollutants. We studied a set of four parallel acidification and alkalization experiments in organic rich soils which, after three years of manipulation, have shown clear soil solution DOC responses to acidity change. We tested whether these DOC concentration changes were related to changes in the acid/base properties of DOC. Based on laboratory determination of DOC site density (S.D. = amount of carboxylic groups per milligram DOC) and charge density (C.D. = organic acid anion concentration per milligram DOC) we found that the change in DOC soil-solution partitioning was tightly related to the change in degree of dissociation (α = C.D./S.D. ratio) of organic acids (R2=0.74, p<0.01). Carbon turnover in soil organic matter (SOM), determined by soil respiration and β-D-glucosidase enzyme activity measurements, also appears to have some impact on DOC leaching, via constraints on the actual supply of available DOC from SOM; when the turnover rate of C in SOM is low, the effect of α on DOC leaching is reduced. Thus, differences in the magnitude of DOC changes seen across different environments might be explained by interactions between physicochemical restrictions of DOC soil-solution partitioning, and SOM carbon turnover effects on DOC supply.

Ecotoxicity of boric acid in standard laboratory tests with plants and soil organisms.

PubMed

Princz, Juliska; Becker, Leonie; Scheffczyk, Adam; Stephenson, Gladys; Scroggins, Rick; Moser, Thomas; Römbke, Jörg

2017-05-01

To verify the continuous sensitivity of ecotoxicological tests (mainly the test organisms), reference substances with known toxicity are regularly tested. Ideally, this substance(s) would lack specificity in its mode action, be bioavailable and readily attainable with cost-effective means of chemical characterization. Boric acid has satisfied these criteria, but has most recently been characterized as a substance of very high concern, due to reproductive effects in humans, thus limiting its recommendation as an ideal reference toxicant. However, there is probably no other chemical for which ecotoxicity in soil has been so intensively studied; an extensive literature review yielded lethal (including avoidance) and sublethal data for 38 taxa. The ecotoxicity data were evaluated using species sensitivity distributions, collectively across all taxa, and separately according to species type, endpoints, soil type and duration. The lack of specificity in the mode of action yielded broad toxicity among soil taxa and soil types, and provided a collective approach to assessing species sensitivity, while taking into consideration differences in test methodologies and exposure durations. Toxicity was species-specific with Folsomia candida and enchytraied species demonstrating the most sensitivity; among plants, the following trend occurred: dicotyledonous (more sensitive) ≫ monocotyledonous ≫ gymnosperm species. Sensitivity was also time and endpoint specific, with endpoints such as lethality and avoidance being less sensitive than reproduction effects. Furthermore, given the breadth of data and toxicity demonstrated by boric acid, lessons learned from its evaluation are discussed to recommend the properties required by an ideal reference substance for the soil compartment.

[Effects of thiourea on pH and availability of metal ions in acid red soil].

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Wang, Wen; Zeng, Qing-Ru; Zhou, Xi-Hong

2014-03-01

Through the simulation research, the effects of application of thiourea and urea on pH and availability of metal ions in acid red soil were studied, and the results showed that after applying urea, the soil pH increased in the first experimental stage and then reduced gradually to a low level, however, decreased trends of soil pH values were inhibited by the application of thiourea, especially when the concentration of thiourea reached to 5.0 mmol x kg(-1) dry soil, the soil pH was stable at high level, which exceeded to 6.0. It proved that the application of thiourea could inhibit the soil acidification due to urea application. After applying urea with different concentrations of thiourea, the available contents of Zn and Al decreased with the increasing concentration of thiourea, nevertheless, when the concentration of thiourea reached to 5.0 mmol x kg(-1), the available content of Mn was stable at high level which was over 110 mg x kg(-1). In addition, the results showed a highly significant negative correlation between the soil pH and the available content of Cu, Zn and Al, but for Mn, no discipline was found between the soil pH and the availability after applying thiourea. Moreover, the soil pH became higher after applying urea with thiourea compared to add urea only, which led to the decreasing of available content of Al, and it was benefited for the control of the phytotoxic effect of Al. The available content of Mn in the soil not only depended on soil pH but also the content of thiourea due to its redox and complexing reaction with Mn.

Mobilization of soil-borne arsenic by three common organic acids: Dosage and time effects.

PubMed

Onireti, Olaronke O; Lin, Chuxia

2016-03-01

A batch experiment was conducted to investigate the mobilization of soil-borne arsenic by three common low-molecular-weight organic acids with a focus on dosage and time effects. The results show that oxalic acid behaved differently from citric acid and malic acid in terms of mobilizing As that was bound to iron compounds. At an equivalent molar concentration, reactions between oxalic acid and soil-borne Fe were kinetically more favourable, as compared to those between either citric acid or malic acid and the soil-borne Fe. It was found that reductive dissolution of soil-borne Fe played a more important role in liberating As, as compared to non-reductive reactions. Prior to the 7th day of the experiment, As mobility increased with increasing dose of oxalic acid while there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in mobilized As among the treatments with different doses of citric acid or malic acid. The dosage effect on soil-borne As mobilization in the citric acid and malic acid treatments became clear only after the 7th day of the experiment. Soluble Ca present in the soils could cause re-immobilization of As by competing with solution-borne Fe for available organic ligands to form practically insoluble organic compounds of calcium (i.e. calcium oxalate). This resulted in transformation of highly soluble organic complexes of iron (i.e. iron oxalate complexes) into slightly soluble organic compounds of iron (i.e. iron oxalate) or free ferric ion, which then reacted with the solution-borne arsenate ions to form practically insoluble iron arsenates in the latter part of the experiment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil surface acidity plays a determining role in the atmospheric-terrestrial exchange of nitrous acid

PubMed Central

Donaldson, Melissa A.; Bish, David L.; Raff, Jonathan D.

2014-01-01

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important hydroxyl (OH) radical source that is formed on both ground and aerosol surfaces in the well-mixed boundary layer. Recent studies report the release of HONO from nonacidic soils, although it is unclear how soil that is more basic than the pKa of HONO (∼3) is capable of protonating soil nitrite to serve as an atmospheric HONO source. Here, we used a coated-wall flow tube and chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) to study the pH dependence of HONO uptake onto agricultural soil and model substrates under atmospherically relevant conditions (1 atm and 30% relative humidity). Experiments measuring the evolution of HONO from pH-adjusted surfaces treated with nitrite and potentiometric titrations of the substrates show, to our knowledge for the first time, that surface acidity rather than bulk aqueous pH determines HONO uptake and desorption efficiency on soil, in a process controlled by amphoteric aluminum and iron (hydr)oxides present. The results have important implications for predicting when soil nitrite, whether microbially derived or atmospherically deposited, will act as a net source or sink of atmospheric HONO. This process represents an unrecognized mechanism of HONO release from soil that will contribute to HONO emissions throughout the day. PMID:25512517

Soil surface acidity plays a determining role in the atmospheric-terrestrial exchange of nitrous acid.

PubMed

Donaldson, Melissa A; Bish, David L; Raff, Jonathan D

2014-12-30

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important hydroxyl (OH) radical source that is formed on both ground and aerosol surfaces in the well-mixed boundary layer. Recent studies report the release of HONO from nonacidic soils, although it is unclear how soil that is more basic than the pKa of HONO (∼ 3) is capable of protonating soil nitrite to serve as an atmospheric HONO source. Here, we used a coated-wall flow tube and chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) to study the pH dependence of HONO uptake onto agricultural soil and model substrates under atmospherically relevant conditions (1 atm and 30% relative humidity). Experiments measuring the evolution of HONO from pH-adjusted surfaces treated with nitrite and potentiometric titrations of the substrates show, to our knowledge for the first time, that surface acidity rather than bulk aqueous pH determines HONO uptake and desorption efficiency on soil, in a process controlled by amphoteric aluminum and iron (hydr)oxides present. The results have important implications for predicting when soil nitrite, whether microbially derived or atmospherically deposited, will act as a net source or sink of atmospheric HONO. This process represents an unrecognized mechanism of HONO release from soil that will contribute to HONO emissions throughout the day.

Humic Acid-Oxidizing, Nitrate-Reducing Bacteria in Agricultural Soils

PubMed Central

Van Trump, J. Ian; Wrighton, Kelly C.; Thrash, J. Cameron; Weber, Karrie A.; Andersen, Gary L.; Coates, John D.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT This study demonstrates the prevalence, phylogenetic diversity, and physiology of nitrate-reducing microorganisms capable of utilizing reduced humic acids (HA) as electron donors in agricultural soils. Most probable number (MPN) enumeration of agricultural soils revealed large populations (104 to 106 cells g−1 soil) of microorganisms capable of reducing nitrate while oxidizing the reduced HA analog 2,6-anthrahydroquinone disulfonate (AH2DS) to its corresponding quinone. Nitrate-dependent HA-oxidizing organisms isolated from agricultural soils were phylogenetically diverse and included members of the Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. Advective up-flow columns inoculated with corn plot soil and amended with reduced HA and nitrate supported both HA oxidation and enhanced nitrate reduction relative to no-donor or oxidized HA controls. The additional electron donating capacity of reduced HA could reasonably be attributed to the oxidation of reduced functional groups. Subsequent 16S rRNA gene-based high-density oligonucleotide microarray (PhyloChip) indicated that reduced HA columns supported the development of a bacterial community enriched with members of the Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Betaproteobacteria relative to the no-donor control and initial inoculum. This study identifies a previously unrecognized role for HA in stimulating denitrification processes in saturated soil systems. Furthermore, this study indicates that reduced humic acids impact soil geochemistry and the indigenous bacterial community composition. PMID:21750120

Revegetation of extremely acid mine soils based on aided phytostabilization: A case study from southern China.

PubMed

Yang, Sheng-Xiang; Liao, Bin; Yang, Zhi-Hui; Chai, Li-Yuan; Li, Jin-Tian

2016-08-15

Acidification is a major constraint for revegetation of sulphidic metal-contaminated soils, as exemplified by the limited literature reporting the successful phytostabilization of mine soils associated with pH<3 and high acidification potential. In this study, a combination of ameliorants (lime and chicken manure) and five acid-tolerant plant species has been employed in order to establish a self-sustaining vegetation cover on an extremely acid (pH<3) polymetallic pyritic mine waste heap in southern China exhibiting high acidification potential. The results from the first two-year data showed that the addition of the amendments and the establishment of a plant cover were effective in preventing soil acidification. Net acid-generating potential of the mine soil decreased steadily, whilst pH and acid neutralization capacity increased over time. All the five acid-tolerant plants colonized successfully in the acidic metal-contaminated soil and developed a good vegetation cover within six months, and subsequent vegetation development enhanced organic matter accumulation and nutrient element status in the mine soil. The two-year remediation program performed on this extremely acid metalliferous soil indicated that aided phytostabilization can be a practical and effective restoration strategy for such extremely acid mine soils. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Basal area growth of sugar maple in relation to acid deposition, stand health, and soil nutrients.

PubMed

Duchesne, Louis; Ouimet, Rock; Houle, Daniel

2002-01-01

Previous studies have shown in noncalcareous soils that acid deposition may have increased soil leaching of basic cations above the input rate from soil weathering and atmospheric depositions. This phenomenon may have increased soil acidity levels, and, as a consequence, may have reduced the availability of these essential nutrients for forest growth. Fourteen plots of the Forest Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Network in Québec were used to examine the relation between post-industrial growth trends of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and acid deposition (N and S), stand decline rate, and soil exchangeable nutrient concentrations. Atmospheric N and S deposition and soil exchangeable acidity were positively associated with stand decline rate, and negatively with the average tree basal area increment trend. The growth rate reduction reached on average 17% in declining stands compared with healthy ones. The results showed a significant sugar maple growth rate reduction since 1960 on acid soils. The appearance of the forest decline phenomenon in Québec can be attributed, at least partially, to soil acidification and acid deposition levels.

The role of humic acids and biochar as specific sorbents of pesticides in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćwieląg-Piasecka, Irmina; Dębicka, Magdalena; Medyńska-Jureszek, Agnieszka; Weber, Jerzy; Jamroz, Elżbieta

2017-04-01

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to prevent or control different pests and increase yield as well as products quality. Despite of the strict regulations concerning sustainable use of plant protection products, their residues are very often present in soil. Depending on their chemical and physical properties, they undergo various transformations in the soil. This results in their retention on different sorbents, degradation by microorganisms or leaching to the groundwater. Biochar is a carbon-rich byproduct of thermal biomass conversion, and due to its high sorption properties can be an efficient sorbent for pesticides in soil. The aim of the research was to compare the effect of two types of organic sorbents - humic acids (HA) and biochar (BC) - in sorption-desorption processes of different pesticides, which residues are commonly present in arable soils and thus are potentially harmful for the environment. The humic acids were extracted from topsoil horizon of arable cambisoil derived from loam (Lower Silesia, Poland) by Shnitzer's method, then purified using XAD resin and freeze-dried. Biochar was produced from wheat straw in gasification process at 550˚C, remaining 30 minutes in the reactor. Investigated pesticides belong to three different chemical classes: carbamates (carbaryl and carbofuran), phenoxyacetic acids (2,4-D and MCPA) and aniline derivatives (metolachlor), and are active substances of commonly used plant protection products in agriculture. To obtain the experimental goal the sorption experiment was conducted. To the investigated organic matter samples (HA or BC) aliquots of pesticides solutions in 10M CaCl2 were added and the mixtures were shaken for 24h. Afterwards the samples were centrifuged and supernatants analyzed by LC-MS/MS for the pesticides content. After that the same samples were refilled with CaCl2 and analyzed in the same way for desorption studies. Humic acids exhibited strong affinity for the ionic substances (2,4-D, MCPA

Acid sulfate soils are an environmental hazard in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pihlaja, Jouni

2016-04-01

Acid sulfate soils (ASS) create significant threats to the environment on coastal regions of the Baltic Sea in Finland. The sediments were deposited during the ancient Litorina Sea phase of the Baltic Sea about 7500-4500 years ago. Finland has larger spatial extent of the ASS than any other European country. Mostly based on anthropogenic reasons (cultivation, trenching etc.) ASS deposits are currently being exposed to oxygen which leads to chemical reaction creating sulfuric acid. The acidic waters then dissolve metals form the soil. Acidic surface run off including the metals are then leached into the water bodies weakening the water quality and killing fish or vegetation. In constructed areas acidic waters may corrode building materials. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) is mapping ASS deposits in Finland. The goal is to map a total of 5 million hectares of the potentially ASS affected region. It has been estimated that the problematic Litorina Sea deposits, which are situated 0-100 m above the recent Baltic Sea shoreline, cover 500 000 hectares area. There are several phases in mapping. The work begins at the office with gathering the existing data, interpreting airborne geophysical data and compiling a field working plan. In the field, quality of the soil is studied and in uncertain cases samples are taken to laboratory analyses. Also electrical conductivity and pH of soil and water are measured in the field. Laboratory methods include multielemental determinations with ICP-OES, analyses of grain size and humus content (LOI), and incubation. So far, approximately 60 % of the potential ASS affected regions in Finland are mapped. Over 15 000 sites have been studied in the field and 4000 laboratory analyses are done. The spatial database presented in the scale of 1: 250 000 can be viewed at the GTK's web pages (http://gtkdata.gtk.fi/hasu/index.html).

Characteristics of biomass ashes from different materials and their ameliorative effects on acid soils.

PubMed

Shi, Renyong; Li, Jiuyu; Jiang, Jun; Mehmood, Khalid; Liu, Yuan; Xu, Renkou; Qian, Wei

2017-05-01

The chemical characteristics, element contents, mineral compositions, and the ameliorative effects on acid soils of five biomass ashes from different materials were analyzed. The chemical properties of the ashes varied depending on the source biomass material. An increase in the concrete shuttering contents in the biomass materials led to higher alkalinity, and higher Ca and Mg levels in biomass ashes, which made them particularly good at ameliorating effects on soil acidity. However, heavy metal contents, such as Cr, Cu, and Zn in the ashes, were relatively high. The incorporation of all ashes increased soil pH, exchangeable base cations, and available phosphorus, but decreased soil exchangeable acidity. The application of the ashes from biomass materials with a high concrete shuttering content increased the soil available heavy metal contents. Therefore, the biomass ashes from wood and crop residues with low concrete contents were the better acid soil amendments. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Acid precipitation effects on soil pH and base saturation of exchange sites

Treesearch

W. W. McFee; J. M. Kelly; R. H. Beck

1976-01-01

The typical values and probable ranges of acid-precipitation are evaluated in terms of their theoretical effects on pH and cation exchange equilibrium of soils characteristic of the humid temperature region. The extent of probable change in soil pH and the time required to cause such a change are calculated for a range of common soils. Hydrogen ion input by acid...

Mobilization of arsenic and heavy metals from polluted soils by humic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, Arturo; Fuentes, Bárbara; Letelier, María Victoria; Cuevas, Jacqueline

2017-04-01

The existence of soils contaminated with harmful elements by mining activities is a global environmental concern. The northern part of Chile has several heavy metal contaminated sites due to former copper and gold artisanal mining activities. Therefore, a complete characterization of abandoned sites and the implementation of remediation technologies are of interest for regulators, the industry, and the population. The objective of the study was to test the use of humic acid as a washing treatment to reduce the heavy metal concentration of soil samples impacted by mine waste material. A stratified random sampling was conducted on the target site to determine the physical and chemical composition of mine waste and soil material. The sampling consisted of taking 37 samples at 0-20 cm depths in a 10,000 square-meter area. The samples were dried and sieved at 2 mm. The batch washing experiments were conducted in triplicate at pH 7.0. A 1:10 solid to liquid ratio and three humic acid dose (0, 50, and 100 mg/l) were used. After shaking (24 h, room temperature) and subsequently filtration (0.22 μm), the supernatants were analyzed for heavy metals, redox potential and pH. The heavy metals mobility was assessed using extraction methods before and after treatments. The soils had alkaline pH values, conductivity ranged between 8 and 35 mS/cm, with low organic matter. Total concentrations of Vanadium (V) (10.80 to 175.00 mg/kg), Lead (Pb) (7.31 to 90.10 mg/kg), Antimonium (Sb) (0.83 to 101.00 mg/kg), and Arsenic (As) (9.53 to 2691.00 mg/kg) exceeded several times the EPA`s recommended values for soils. At 100 mg/L HA the removal efficiencies for V, Pb, Sb, and As were 32, 68, 77, and 82% respectively. According to the extraction procedure V, Pb, Sb, and As species are mainly as oxidizable and residual fractions. According to the results, the target mine site is contaminated with harmful elements. It can be concluded that the use of humic acid is a good alternative as a

Cultivation of an obligate acidophilic ammonia oxidizer from a nitrifying acid soil.

PubMed

Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E; Stoecker, Kilian; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Prosser, James I; Nicol, Graeme W

2011-09-20

Nitrification is a fundamental component of the global nitrogen cycle and leads to significant fertilizer loss and atmospheric and groundwater pollution. Nitrification rates in acidic soils (pH < 5.5), which comprise 30% of the world's soils, equal or exceed those of neutral soils. Paradoxically, autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea, which perform the first stage in nitrification, demonstrate little or no growth in suspended liquid culture below pH 6.5, at which ammonia availability is reduced by ionization. Here we report the discovery and cultivation of a chemolithotrophic, obligately acidophilic thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizer, "Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra," from an acidic agricultural soil. Phylogenetic analysis places the organism within a previously uncultivated thaumarchaeal lineage that has been observed in acidic soils. Growth of the organism is optimal in the pH range 4 to 5 and is restricted to the pH range 4 to 5.5, unlike all previously cultivated ammonia oxidizers. Growth of this organism and associated ammonia oxidation and autotrophy also occur during nitrification in soil at pH 4.5. The discovery of Nitrosotalea devanaterra provides a previously unsuspected explanation for high rates of nitrification in acidic soils, and confirms the vital role that thaumarchaea play in terrestrial nitrogen cycling. Growth at extremely low ammonia concentration (0.18 nM) also challenges accepted views on ammonia uptake and metabolism and indicates novel mechanisms for ammonia oxidation at low pH.

Cultivation of an obligate acidophilic ammonia oxidizer from a nitrifying acid soil

PubMed Central

Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E.; Stoecker, Kilian; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Prosser, James I.; Nicol, Graeme W.

2011-01-01

Nitrification is a fundamental component of the global nitrogen cycle and leads to significant fertilizer loss and atmospheric and groundwater pollution. Nitrification rates in acidic soils (pH < 5.5), which comprise 30% of the world's soils, equal or exceed those of neutral soils. Paradoxically, autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea, which perform the first stage in nitrification, demonstrate little or no growth in suspended liquid culture below pH 6.5, at which ammonia availability is reduced by ionization. Here we report the discovery and cultivation of a chemolithotrophic, obligately acidophilic thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizer, “Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra,” from an acidic agricultural soil. Phylogenetic analysis places the organism within a previously uncultivated thaumarchaeal lineage that has been observed in acidic soils. Growth of the organism is optimal in the pH range 4 to 5 and is restricted to the pH range 4 to 5.5, unlike all previously cultivated ammonia oxidizers. Growth of this organism and associated ammonia oxidation and autotrophy also occur during nitrification in soil at pH 4.5. The discovery of Nitrosotalea devanaterra provides a previously unsuspected explanation for high rates of nitrification in acidic soils, and confirms the vital role that thaumarchaea play in terrestrial nitrogen cycling. Growth at extremely low ammonia concentration (0.18 nM) also challenges accepted views on ammonia uptake and metabolism and indicates novel mechanisms for ammonia oxidation at low pH. PMID:21896746

Interactive effects of soil acidity and fluoride on soil solution aluminium chemistry and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root growth.

PubMed

Manoharan, V; Loganathan, P; Tillman, R W; Parfitt, R L

2007-02-01

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine if concentrations of fluoride (F), which would be added to acid soils via P fertilisers, were detrimental to barley root growth. Increasing rates of F additions to soil significantly increased the soil solution concentrations of aluminium (Al) and F irrespective of the initial adjusted soil pH, which ranged from 4.25 to 5.48. High rates of F addition severely restricted root growth; the effect was more pronounced in the strongly acidic soil. Speciation calculations demonstrated that increasing rates of F additions substantially increased the concentrations of Al-F complexes in the soil. Stepwise regression analysis showed that it was the combination of the activities of AlF2(1+) and AlF(2+) complexes that primarily controlled barley root growth. The results suggested that continuous input of F to soils, and increased soil acidification, may become an F risk issue in the future.

Soil calcium status and the response of stream chemistry to changing acidic deposition rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, G.B.; David, M.B.; Lovett, Gary M.; Murdoch, Peter S.; Burns, Douglas A.; Stoddard, J.L.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Porter, J.H.; Thompson, A.W.

1999-01-01

Despite a decreasing trend in acidic deposition rates over the past two to three decades, acidified surface waters in the northeastern United States have shown minimal changes. Depletion of soil Ca pools has been suggested as a cause, although changes in soil Ca pools have not been directly related to long-term records of stream chemistry. To investigate this problem, a comprehensive watershed study was conducted in the Neversink River Basin, in the Catskill Mountains of New York, during 1991-1996. Spatial variations of atmospheric deposition, soil chemistry, and stream chemistry were evaluated over an elevation range of 817-1234 m to determine whether these factors exhibited elevational patterns. An increase in atmospheric deposition of SO4 with increasing elevation corresponded with upslope decreases of exchangeable soil base concentrations and acid-neutralizing capacity of stream water. Exchangeable base concentrations in homogeneous soil incubated within the soil profile for one year also decreased with increasing elevation. An elevational gradient in precipitation was not observed, and effects of a temperature gradient on soil properties were not detected. Laboratory leaching experiments with soils from this watershed showed that (1) concentrations of Ca in leachate increased as the concentrations of acid anions in added solution increased, and (2) the slope of this relationship was positively correlated with base saturation. Field and laboratory soil analyses are consistent with the interpretation that decreasing trends in acid-neutralizing capacity in stream water in the Neversink Basin, dating back to 1984, are the result of decreases in soil base saturation caused by acidic deposition.

Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid chronic risk assessment for soil biota.

PubMed

von Mérey, Georg; Manson, Philip S; Mehrsheikh, Akbar; Sutton, Peter; Levine, Steven L

2016-11-01

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide used widely in agriculture, horticulture, private gardens, and public infrastructure, where it is applied to areas such as roadsides, railway tracks, and parks to control the growth of weeds. The exposure risk from glyphosate and the primary soil metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) on representative species of earthworms, springtails, and predatory soil mites and the effects on nitrogen-transformation processes by soil microorganisms were assessed under laboratory conditions based on internationally recognized guidelines. For earthworms, the reproductive no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) was 472.8 mg glyphosate acid equivalent (a.e.)/kg dry soil, which was the highest concentration tested, and 198.1 mg/kg dry soil for AMPA. For predatory mites, the reproductive NOEC was 472.8 mg a.e./kg dry soil for glyphosate and 320 mg/kg dry soil for AMPA, the highest concentrations tested. For springtails, the reproductive NOEC was 472.8 mg a.e./kg dry soil for glyphosate and 315 mg/kg dry soil for AMPA, the highest concentrations tested. Soil nitrogen-transformation processes were unaffected by glyphosate and AMPA at 33.1 mg a.e./kg soil and 160 mg/kg soil, respectively. Comparison of these endpoints with worst-case soil concentrations expected for glyphosate (6.62 mg a.e./kg dry soil) and AMPA (6.18 mg/kg dry soil) for annual applications at the highest annual rate of 4.32 kg a.e./ha indicate very low likelihood of adverse effects on soil biota. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2742-2752. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Different low-molecular-mass organic acids specifically control leaching of arsenic and lead from contaminated soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ash, Christopher; Tejnecký, Václav; Borůvka, Luboš; Drábek, Ondřej

2016-04-01

Low-molecular-mass organic acids (LMMOA) are of key importance for mobilisation and fate of metals in soil, by functioning as ligands that increase the amount of dissolved metal in solution or by dissociation of metal binding minerals. Column leaching experiments were performed on soil polluted with As and Pb, in order to determine the specificity of LMMOA related release for individual elements, at varying organic acid concentrations. Acetic, citric and oxalic acids were applied in 12 h leaching experiments over a concentration range (0.5-25 mM) to soil samples that represent organic and mineral horizons. The leaching of As followed the order: oxalic > citric > acetic acid in both soils. Arsenic leaching was attributed primarily to ligand-enhanced dissolution of mineral oxides followed by As released into solution, as shown by significant correlation between oxalic and citric acids and content of Al and Fe in leaching solutions. Results suggest that subsurface mineral soil layers are more vulnerable to As toxicity. Leaching of Pb from both soils followed the order: citric > oxalic > acetic acid. Mineral soil samples were shown to be more susceptible to leaching of Pb than samples characterised by a high content of organic matter. The leaching efficiency of citric acid was attributed to formation of stable complexes with Pb ions, which other acids are not capable of. Results obtained in the study are evidence that the extent of As and Pb leaching in contaminated surface and subsurface soil depends significantly on the types of carboxylic acid involved. The implications of the type of acid and the specific element that can be mobilised become increasingly significant where LMMOA concentrations are highest, such as in rhizosphere soil.

Effects of dicyandiamide and dolomite application on N2O emission from an acidic soil.

PubMed

Shaaban, Muhammad; Wu, Yupeng; Peng, Qi-an; Lin, Shan; Mo, Yongliang; Wu, Lei; Hu, Ronggui; Zhou, Wei

2016-04-01

Soil acidification is a major problem for sustainable agriculture since it limits productivity of several crops. Liming is usually adopted to ameliorate soil acidity that can trigger soil processes such as nitrification, denitrification, and loss of nitrogen (N) as nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The loss of N following liming of acidic soils can be controlled by nitrification inhibitors (such as dicyandiamide). However, effects of nitrification inhibitors following liming of acidic soils are not well understood so far. Here, we conducted a laboratory study using an acidic soil to examine the effects of dolomite and dicyandiamide (DCD) application on N2O emissions. Three levels of DCD (0, 10, and 20 mg kg(-1); DCD0, DCD10, and DCD20, respectively) were applied to the acidic soil under two levels of dolomite (0 and 1 g kg(-1)) which were further treated with two levels of N fertilizer (0 and 200 mg N kg(-1)). Results showed that N2O emissions were highest at low soil pH levels in fertilizer-treated soil without application of DCD and dolomite. Application of DCD and dolomite significantly (P ≤ 0.001) reduced N2O emissions through decreasing rates of NH4 (+)-N oxidation and increasing soil pH, respectively. Total N2O emissions were reduced by 44 and 13% in DCD20 and dolomite alone treatments, respectively, while DCD20 + dolomite reduced N2O emissions by 54% when compared with DCD0 treatment. The present study suggests that application of DCD and dolomite to acidic soils can mitigate N2O emissions.

Removal of arsenic and cadmium with sequential soil washing techniques using Na2EDTA, oxalic and phosphoric acid: Optimization conditions, removal effectiveness and ecological risks.

PubMed

Wei, Meng; Chen, Jiajun; Wang, Xingwei

2016-08-01

Testing of sequential soil washing in triplicate using typical chelating agent (Na2EDTA), organic acid (oxalic acid) and inorganic weak acid (phosphoric acid) was conducted to remediate soil contaminated by heavy metals close to a mining area. The aim of the testing was to improve removal efficiency and reduce mobility of heavy metals. The sequential extraction procedure and further speciation analysis of heavy metals demonstrated that the primary components of arsenic and cadmium in the soil were residual As (O-As) and exchangeable fraction, which accounted for 60% and 70% of total arsenic and cadmium, respectively. It was determined that soil washing agents and their washing order were critical to removal efficiencies of metal fractions, metal bioavailability and potential mobility due to different levels of dissolution of residual fractions and inter-transformation of metal fractions. The optimal soil washing option for arsenic and cadmium was identified as phosphoric-oxalic acid-Na2EDTA sequence (POE) based on the high removal efficiency (41.9% for arsenic and 89.6% for cadmium) and the minimal harmful effects of the mobility and bioavailability of the remaining heavy metals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon mineralization in acidic, xeric forest soils: induction of new activities.

PubMed

Tate, R L

1985-08-01

Carbon mineralization was examined in Lakehurst and Atsion sands collected from the New Jersey Pinelands and in Pahokee muck from the Everglades Agricultural Area. Objectives were (i) to estimate the carbon mineralization capacities of acidic, xeric Pinelands soils in the absence of exogenously supplied carbon substrate (nonamended carbon mineralization rate) and to compare these activities with those of agriculturally developed pahokee muck, and (ii) to measure the capacity for increased carbon mineralization in the soils after carbon amendment. In most cases, nonamended carbon mineralization rates were greater in samples of the acid- and moisture-stressed Pinelands soils than in Pahokee muck collected from a fallow (bare) field. Carbon amendment resulted in augmented catabolic activity in Pahokee muck samples, suggesting that the microbial community was carbon limited in this soil. With many of the substrates, no stimulation of the catabolic rate was detected after amendment of Pinelands soils. This was documented by the observation that amendment of Pahokee muck with an amino acid mixture, glucose, or acetate resulted in a 3.0-, 3.9-, or 10.5-fold stimulation of catabolic activity, respectively, for the added substrate. In contrast, amendment of the Pinelands soils resulted in increased amino acid and acetate catabolic rates in Lakehurst sand and increased acetate metabolism only in Atsion sand. Other activities were unchanged. The increased glucose respiration rates resulted from stimulation of existing microbial activity rather than from microbial proliferation since no change in the microbial growth rate, as estimated by the rate of incorporation of C-labeled acetate into cell membranes, occurred after glucose amendment of the soils. A stimulation of microbial growth rate was recorded with glucose-amended Lakehurst sand collected from the B horizon.

Determination of the D and L isomers of some protein amino acids present in soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollock, G. E.; Cheng, C.-N.; Cronin, S. E.

1977-01-01

The D and L isomers of some protein amino acids present in soils were measured by using a gas chromatographic technique. The results of two processing procedures were compared to determine the better method. Results of the comparison indicated that the determination of D and L percentages requires amino acid purification if one is to obtain accurate data. It was found that very significant amounts of D-alanine, D-aspartic acid, and D-glutamic acid were present in the contemporary soils studied. Valine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, and phenylalanine generally contained only a trace to very small amounts of the D isomer. It is probable that the D-amino acids from the alanine, aspartic, and glutamic acids are contributed to the soil primarily via microorganisms. The finding of very significant quantities of some D-amino acids (about 5-16%) in present-day soils may alert some investigators of geological sediments to a possible problem in using amino acid racemization as an age-dating technique.

Effects of heating on composition, degree of darkness, and stacking nanostructure of soil humic acids.

PubMed

Katsumi, Naoya; Yonebayashi, Koyo; Okazaki, Masanori

2016-01-15

Wildfires and prescribed burning can affect both the quality and the quantity of organic matter in soils. In this study, we investigated qualitative and quantitative changes of soil humic substances in two different soils (an Entisol from a paddy field and an Inceptisol from a cedar forest) under several controlled heating conditions. Soil samples were heated in a muffle furnace at 200, 250, or 300 °C for 1, 3, 5, or 12h. The humic acid and fulvic acid contents of the soil samples prior to and after heating were determined. The degree of darkness, elemental composition, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and X-ray diffraction patterns of humic acids extracted from the soils before and after heating were measured. The proportion of humic acids in total carbon decreased with increasing heating time at high temperature (300 °C), but increased with increasing heating time at ≤ 250 °C. The degree of darkness of the humic acids increased with increasing heating time and temperature. During darkening, the H/C atomic ratios, the proportion of aromatic C, and the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios increased, whereas the proportions of alkyl C and O-alkyl C decreased. X-ray diffraction analysis verified that a stacking nanostructure developed by heating. Changes in the chemical structure of the humic acids from the heated soils depended on the type of soil. The major structural components of the humic acids from the heated Entisol were aromatic C and carboxylic C, whereas aliphatic C, aromatic C, and carboxylic C structural components were found in the humic acids from the heated Inceptisol. These results suggest that the heat-induced changes in the chemical structure of the humic acids depended on the source plant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Different low-molecular-mass organic acids specifically control leaching of arsenic and lead from contaminated soil.

PubMed

Ash, Christopher; Tejnecký, Václav; Borůvka, Luboš; Drábek, Ondřej

2016-04-01

Low-molecular-mass organic acids (LMMOA) are of key importance for mobilisation and fate of metals in soil, by functioning as ligands that increase the amount of dissolved metal in solution or by dissociation of metal binding minerals. Column leaching experiments were performed on soil polluted with As and Pb, in order to determine the specificity of LMMOA related release for individual elements, at varying organic acid concentrations. Acetic, citric and oxalic acids were applied in 12h leaching experiments over a concentration range (0.5-25 mM) to soil samples that represent organic and mineral horizons. The leaching of As followed the order: oxalic>citric>acetic acid in both soils. Arsenic leaching was attributed primarily to ligand-enhanced dissolution of mineral oxides followed by As released into solution, as shown by significant correlation between oxalic and citric acids and content of Al and Fe in leaching solutions. Results suggest that subsurface mineral soil layers are more vulnerable to As toxicity. Leaching of Pb from both soils followed the order: citric>oxalic>acetic acid. Mineral soil samples were shown to be more susceptible to leaching of Pb than samples characterised by a high content of organic matter. The leaching efficiency of citric acid was attributed to formation of stable complexes with Pb ions, which other acids are not capable of. Results obtained in the study are evidence that the extent of As and Pb leaching in contaminated surface and subsurface soil depends significantly on the types of carboxylic acid involved. The implications of the type of acid and the specific element that can be mobilised become increasingly significant where LMMOA concentrations are highest, such as in rhizosphere soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on the acidity and salinity of greenhouse soils.

PubMed

Han, Jiangpei; Shi, Jiachun; Zeng, Lingzao; Xu, Jianming; Wu, Laosheng

2015-02-01

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of conventional nitrogen fertilization on soil acidity and salinity. Three N rates (urea; N0, 0 kg N ha(-1); N1, 600 kg N ha(-1); and N2, 1,200 kg N ha(-1)) were applied in five soils with different greenhouse cultivation years to evaluate soil acidification and salinization rate induced by nitrogen fertilizer in lettuce production. Both soil acidity and salinity increased significantly as N input increased after one season, with pH decrease ranging from 0.45 to 1.06 units and electrolytic conductivity increase from 0.24 to 0.68 mS cm(-1). An estimated 0.92 mol H(+) was produced for 1 mol (NO2 (-) + NO3 (-))-N accumulation in soil. The proton loading from nitrification was 14.3-27.3 and 12.1-58.2 kmol H(+) ha(-1) in the center of Shandong Province under N1 and N2 rate, respectively. However, the proton loading from the uptake of excess bases by lettuces was only 0.3-4.5 % of that from nitrification. Moreover, the release of protons induced the direct release of base cations and accelerated soil salinization. The increase of soil acidity and salinity was attributed to the nitrification of excess N fertilizer. Compared to the proton loading by lettuce, nitrification contributed more to soil acidification in greenhouse soils.

[Effects of soil pH on the competitive uptake of amino acids by maize and microorganisms].

PubMed

Ma, Qing Xu; Wang, Jun; Cao, Xiao Chuang; Sun, Yan; Sun, Tao; Wu, Liang Huan

2017-07-18

Organic nitrogen can play an important role in plant growth, and soil pH changed greatly due to the over-use of chemical fertilizers, but the effects of soil pH on the competitive uptake of amino acids by plants and rhizosphere microorganisms are lack of detailed research. To study the effects of soil pH on the uptake of amino acids by maize and soil microorganisms, two soils from Hangzhou and Tieling were selected, and the soil pH was changed by the electrokinesis, then the 15 N-labeled glycine was injected to the centrifuge tube with a short-term uptake of 4 h. Soil pH had a significant effect on the shoot and root biomass, and the optimal pH for maize shoot growth was 6.48 for Hangzhou red soil, while it was 7.65 for Tieling brown soil. For Hangzhou soil, the 15 N abundance of maize shoots under pH=6.48 was significantly higher than under other treatments, and the uptake amount of 15 N-glycine was also much higher. However, the 15 N abundance of maize shoots and roots under pH=7.65 Tieling soil was significantly lower than it under pH=5.78, but the uptake amount of 15 N-glycine under pH=7.65 was much higher. The microbial biomass C was much higher in pH=6.48 Hangzhou soil, while it was much lower in pH=7.65 Tieling soil. According to the results of root uptake, root to shoot transportation, and the competition with microorganisms, we suggested that although facing the fierce competition with microorganisms, the maize grown in pH=6.48 Hangzhou soil increased the uptake of glycine by increasing its root uptake and root to shoot transportation. While in pH=7.65 Tieling soil, the activity of microorganisms was decreased, which decreased the competition with maize for glycine, and increased the uptake of glycine by maize.

Natural Arabidopsis brx loss-of-function alleles confer root adaptation to acidic soil.

PubMed

Gujas, Bojan; Alonso-Blanco, Carlos; Hardtke, Christian S

2012-10-23

Soil acidification is a major agricultural problem that negatively affects crop yield. Root systems counteract detrimental passive proton influx from acidic soil through increased proton pumping into the apoplast, which is presumably also required for cell elongation and stimulated by auxin. Here, we found an unexpected impact of extracellular pH on auxin activity and cell proliferation rate in the root meristem of two Arabidopsis mutants with impaired auxin perception, axr3 and brx. Surprisingly, neutral to slightly alkaline media rescued their severely reduced root (meristem) growth by stimulating auxin signaling, independent of auxin uptake. The finding that proton pumps are hyperactive in brx roots could explain this phenomenon and is consistent with more robust growth and increased fitness of brx mutants on overly acidic media or soil. Interestingly, the original brx allele was isolated from a natural stock center accession collected from acidic soil. Our discovery of a novel brx allele in accessions recently collected from another acidic sampling site demonstrates the existence of independently maintained brx loss-of-function alleles in nature and supports the notion that they are advantageous in acidic soil pH conditions, a finding that might be exploited for crop breeding. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Declining acidic deposition begins reversal of forest-soil acidification in the northeastern U.S

Treesearch

Gregory B. Lawrence; Paul W. Hazlett; Ivan J. Fernandez; Rock Ouimet; Scott W. Bailey; Walter C. Shortle; Kevin T. Smith; Michael R. Antidormi

2015-01-01

Decreasing trends in acidic deposition levels over the past several decades have led to partial chemical recovery of surface waters. However, depletion of soil Ca from acidic deposition has slowed surface water recovery and led to the impairment of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Nevertheless, documentation of acidic deposition effects on soils has been...

Effects of simulated acid rain on soil and soil solution chemistry in a monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in southern China.

PubMed

Qiu, Qingyan; Wu, Jianping; Liang, Guohua; Liu, Juxiu; Chu, Guowei; Zhou, Guoyi; Zhang, Deqiang

2015-05-01

Acid rain is an environmental problem of increasing concern in China. In this study, a laboratory leaching column experiment with acid forest soil was set up to investigate the responses of soil and soil solution chemistry to simulated acid rain (SAR). Five pH levels of SAR were set: 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 (as a control, CK). The results showed that soil acidification would occur when the pH of SAR was ≤3.5. The concentrations of NO₃(-)and Ca(2+) in the soil increased significantly when the pH of SAR fell 3.5. The concentration of SO₄(2-) in the soil increased significantly when the pH of SAR was <4.0. The effects of SAR on soil solution chemistry became increasingly apparent as the experiment proceeded (except for Na(+) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)). The net exports of NO₃(-), SO₄(2-), Mg(2+), and Ca(2+) increased about 42-86% under pH 2.5 treatment as compared to CK. The Ca(2+) was sensitive to SAR, and the soil could release Ca(2+) through mineral weathering to mitigate soil acidification. The concentration of exchangeable Al(3+) in the soil increased with increasing the acidity of SAR. The releases of soluble Al and Fe were SAR pH dependent, and their net exports under pH 2.5 treatment were 19.6 and 5.5 times, respectively, higher than that under CK. The net export of DOC was reduced by 12-29% under SAR treatments as compared to CK. Our results indicate the chemical constituents in the soil are more sensitive to SAR than those in the soil solution, and the effects of SAR on soil solution chemistry depend not only on the intensity of SAR but also on the duration of SAR addition. The soil and soil solution chemistry in this region may not be affected by current precipitation (pH≈4.5) in short term, but the soil and soil leachate chemistry may change dramatically if the pH of precipitation were below 3.5 and 3.0, respectively.

Uptake of aromatic arsenicals from soil contaminated with diphenylarsinic acid by rice.

PubMed

Arao, Tomohito; Maejima, Yuji; Baba, Koji

2009-02-15

Chemical warfare agents containing aromatic arsenicals (AAs) such as Clark I (diphenylchloroarsine) are well-known, as is the risk of leakage from such munitions into the environment. We investigated the uptake of AAs in agricultural soils by rice. Methylphenylarsinic acid (MPAA) was detected in brown rice grown in contaminated soil. Dimethylphenylarsine oxide (DMPAO) and methyldiphenylarsine oxide (MDPAO) were detected in the straw but not in the grains grown in the contaminated soil. Inthe contaminated soil, phenylarsonic acid (PAA) and MPAA concentrations decreased and DMPAO concentration increased under the flooded conditions; however, their concentrations remained unchanged underthe upland conditions. DMPAO was detected in the straw of the rice grown in PAA- or MPAA-amended soil but was not detected in that grown in a PAA- or MPAA-added solution culture. MDPAO was detected in the straw of the rice grown in diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA)-amended soil but was not detected in that grown in a DPAA-added solution culture. Thus, MPAA and DPAA were methylated not in the rice plant but in the soil under the flooded conditions. Dephenylated products were detected in the straw grown in AA-added solution cultures, but demethylated products were not detected. DMPAO and MDPAO absorbed by the shoots were retained, and MPAA and DPAA absorbed by the shoots were translocated to the grains more easily than other AAs.

Effect of acid rain pH on leaching behavior of cement stabilized lead-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Du, Yan-Jun; Wei, Ming-Li; Reddy, Krishna R; Liu, Zhao-Peng; Jin, Fei

2014-04-30

Cement stabilization is a practical approach to remediate soils contaminated with high levels of lead. However, the potential for leaching of lead out of these stabilized soils under variable acid rain pH conditions is a major environmental concern. This study investigates the effects of acid rain on the leaching characteristics of cement stabilized lead contaminated soil under different pH conditions. Clean kaolin clay and the same soil spiked with 2% lead contamination are stabilized with cement contents of 12 and 18% and then cured for 28 days. The soil samples are then subjected to a series of accelerated leaching tests (or semi-dynamic leaching tests) using a simulated acid rain leachant prepared at pH 2.0, 4.0 or 7.0. The results show that the strongly acidic leachant (pH ∼2.0) significantly altered the leaching behavior of lead as well as calcium present in the soil. However, the differences in the leaching behavior of the soil when the leachant was mildly acidic (pH ∼4.0) and neutral (pH ∼7.0) prove to be minor. In addition, it is observed that the lead contamination and cement content levels can have a considerable impact on the leaching behavior of the soils. Overall, the leachability of lead and calcium is attributed to the stability of the hydration products and their consequent influence on the soil buffering capacity and structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of citric acid and the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the mobility of germanium and rare earth elements in soil and uptake in Phalaris arundinacea.

PubMed

Wiche, Oliver; Tischler, Dirk; Fauser, Carla; Lodemann, Jana; Heilmeier, Hermann

2017-08-03

Effects of citric acid and desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the availability of Ge and selected rare earth elements (REEs) (La, Nd, Gd, Er) to Phalaris arundinacea were investigated. A soil dissolution experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of citric acid and DFO-B at different concentrations (1 and 10 mmol L -1 citric acid) on the release of Ge and REEs from soil. In a greenhouse, plants of P. arundinacea were cultivated on soil and on sand cultures to investigate the effects of citric acid and DFO-B on the uptake of Ge and REEs by the plants. Addition of 10 mmol L -1 citric acid significantly enhanced desorption of Ge and REEs from soil and uptake into soil-grown plants. Applying DFO-B enhanced the dissolution and the uptake of REEs, while no effect on Ge was observed. In sand cultures, the presence of citric acid and DFO-B significantly decreased the uptake of Ge and REEs, indicating a discrimination of the formed complexes during uptake. This study clearly indicates that citric acid and the microbial siderophore DFO-B may enhance phytoextraction of Ge and REEs due to the formation of soluble complexes that increase the migration of elements in the rhizosphere.

Effect of two different composts on soil quality and on the growth of various plant species in a polymetallic acidic mine soil.

PubMed

Rossini-Oliva, S; Mingorance, M D; Peña, A

2017-02-01

The effect of the addition (0-10%) of two types of sewage sludge composts (composted sewage sludge [CS] and sewage sludge co-composted with olive prune wastes [CSO]) on a polymetallic acidic soil from the Riotinto mining area was evaluated by i) a soil incubation experiment and ii) a greenhouse pot experiment using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.), ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa (Wedd.) Parodi). Compost addition improved the soil organic carbon content, increased the pH and the electrical conductivity and enhanced enzyme activities and soil respiration, more for CSO than for CS. Plant growth was generally enhanced after compost addition, but not proportionally to the dose. Foliar concentrations of some hazardous elements (As, Cr, Fe) in tomato growing in non-amended soil were above the thresholds, questioning the adequacy of using this plant species. However, leaf concentrations of essential and potentially toxic elements (Fe, As, Cr and Pb) in tomato and/or ryegrass were reduced after the amendment with both composts, generally more for CSO than for CS. Conversely, foliar concentrations in ahipa, a plant species which is able to grow without the need of compost addition, were safe except for As and were only slightly affected by compost addition. This plant species would be a suitable candidate due to its low requirements and due to the limited element translocation to the leaves. Concerning the composts, amelioration of plant and soil properties was better accomplished when using CSO, a compost of sewage sludge and plant remains, than when using CS, which only contained the sludge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A conceptual framework: redefining forest soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate.

PubMed

McNulty, Steven G; Boggs, Johnny L

2010-06-01

Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it is believed to potentially impair forest health. The excess over the critical soil acid load is termed the exceedance, and the larger the exceedance, the greater the risk of ecosystem damage. This definition of critical soil acid load applies to exposure of the soil to a single, long-term pollutant (i.e., acidic deposition). However, ecosystems can be simultaneously under multiple ecosystem stresses and a single critical soil acid load level may not accurately reflect ecosystem health risk when subjected to multiple, episodic environmental stress. For example, the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina receive some of the highest rates of acidic deposition in the eastern United States, but these levels are considered to be below the critical acid load (CAL) that would cause forest damage. However, the area experienced a moderate three-year drought from 1999 to 2002, and in 2001 red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the area began to die in large numbers. The initial survey indicated that the affected trees were killed by the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.). This insect is not normally successful at colonizing these tree species because the trees produce large amounts of oleoresin that exclude the boring beetles. Subsequent investigations revealed that long-term acid deposition may have altered red spruce forest structure and function. There is some evidence that elevated acid deposition (particularly nitrogen) reduced tree water uptake potential, oleoresin production, and caused the trees to become more susceptible to insect colonization during the drought period

WSA index as an indicator of soil degradation due to erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaksik, Ondrej; Kodesova, Radka; Schmidtova, Zuzana; Kubis, Adam; Fer, Miroslav; Klement, Ales; Nikodem, Antonin

2014-05-01

Knowledge of spatial distribution of soil aggregate stability as an indicator of soil degradation vulnerability is required for many scientific and practical environmental studies. The goal of our study was to assess predisposition of different soil types to change aggregate stability due to erosion. Five agriculture arable lands with different soil types were chosen. The common feature of these sites is relatively large slope and thus soils are impacted by water erosion. The first studied area was in Brumovice. The original soil type was Haplic Chernozem on loess, which was due to erosion changed into Regosol (steep parts) and Colluvial soil (base slope and the tributary valley). A similar process has been described at other four locations Vidim, Sedlcany, Zelezna and Hostoun, where the original soil types were Haplic Luvisol on loess and Haplic Cambisol on gneiss, Haplic Cambisol on shales, and Calcaric Cambisol on marlstone, respectively. The regular and semi-regular soil sampling grids were set at all five sites. The basic soil properties were measured and stability of soil aggregates (WSA index) was evaluated. In all cases, the higher aggregates stability was observed in soils, which were not (or only slightly) affected by water erosion and at base slope and the tributary valley (eroded soil particle accumulation). The lowest aggregate stability was measured at the steepest parts. When comparing individual sites, the highest WSA index, e.g. aggregate stability, was found in Sedlcany (Cambisol). Lower WSA indexes were measured on aggregates from Hostoun (Cambisol), Zelezna (Cambisol), Vidim (Luvisol) and the lowest values were obtained in Brumovice (Chernozem). The largest WSA indexes for Cambisols in comparison to Luvisols and Chernozem could be attributed to higher organic matter content and presence of iron oxides. Slightly higher aggregate stability of Luvisols in comparison to Chernozem, could be explained by the positive influence of clay (especially in

RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOLOGY OF CHLORINATED ETHENE CONTAMINATED SOILS: EFFECTS ON PHOSPHOLIPID FATTY ACID CONTENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brigmon, R. L.; Stanhopc, A.; Franck, M. M.

2005-05-26

Microbial degradation of chlorinated ethenes (CE) in rhizosphere soils was investigated at seepline areas impacted by CE plumes. Successful bioremediation of CE in rhizosphere soils is dependent on microbial activity, soil types, plant species, and groundwater CE concentrations. Seepline soils were exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) in the 10-50 ppb range. Greenhouse soils were exposed to 2-10 ppm TCE. Plants at the seepline were poplar and pine while the greenhouse contained sweet gum, willow, pine, and poplar. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses were performed to assess the microbial activity in rhizosphere soils. Biomass content was lowest in themore » nonvegetated control soil and highest in the Sweet Gum soil. Bacterial rhizhosphere densities, as measured by PLFA, were similar in different vegetated soils while fungi biomass was highly variable. The PLFA soil profiles showed diverse microbial communities primarily composed of Gram-negative bacteria. Adaptation of the microbial community to CE was determined by the ratio of {omega}7t/{omega}7c fatty acids. Ratios (16:1{omega}7v16:1{omega}7c and 18:l{omega}7t/18:1{omega}7c) greater than 0.1 were demonstrated in soils exposed to higher CE concentrations (10-50 ppm), indicating an adaptation to CE resulting in decreased membrane permeability. Ratios of cyclopropyl fatty acids showed that the vegetated control soil sample contained the fastest microbial turnover rate and least amount of environmental stress. PLFA results provide evidence that sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) are active in these soils. Microcosm studies with these soils showed CE dechlorinating activity was occurring. This study demonstrates microbial adaptation to environmental contamination and supports the application of natural soil rhizosphere activity as a remedial strategy.« less

Quantifying the Limitation to World Cereal Production Due To Soil Phosphorus Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kvakić, Marko; Pellerin, Sylvain; Ciais, Philippe; Achat, David L.; Augusto, Laurent; Denoroy, Pascal; Gerber, James S.; Goll, Daniel; Mollier, Alain; Mueller, Nathaniel D.; Wang, Xuhui; Ringeval, Bruno

2018-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for plant growth. Low P availability in soils is likely to limit crop yields in many parts of the world, but this effect has never been quantified at the global scale by process-based models. Here we attempt to estimate P limitation in three major cereals worldwide for the year 2000 by combining information on soil P distribution in croplands and a generic crop model, while accounting for the nature of soil-plant P transport. As a global average, the diffusion-limited soil P supply meets the crop's P demand corresponding to the climatic yield potential, due to the legacy soil P in highly fertilized areas. However, when focusing on the spatial distribution of P supply versus demand, we found strong limitation in regions like North and South America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Averaged over grid cells where P supply is lower than demand, the global yield gap due to soil P is estimated at 22, 55, and 26% in winter wheat, maize, and rice. Assuming that a fraction (20%) of the annual P applied in fertilizers is directly available to the plant, the global P yield gap lowers by only 5-10%, underlying the importance of the existing soil P supply in sustaining crop yields. The study offers a base for exploring P limitation in crops worldwide but with certain limitations remaining. These could be better accounted for by describing the agricultural P cycle with a fully coupled and mechanistic soil-crop model.

ACID RAIN AND SOIL MICROBIAL ACTIVITY: EFFECTS AND THEIR MECHANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

In the investigation, our aim was to determine if acid rain affects soil microbial activity and to identify possible mechanisms of observed effects. A Sierran forest soil (pH 6.4) planted with Ponderosa pine seedlings was exposed to simulated rain (pH 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.6) with ...

Changes in soil CO2 efflux of organic calcaric soils due to disturbance by wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, M.; Katzensteiner, K.

2012-04-01

Disturbances such as windthrow or insect infestations are supposed to have a significant influence on the soil carbon balance of affected forests. Increasing soil temperatures and changes in the soil moisture regime, caused by the removed tree layer, are expected to change soil CO2 efflux, also known as soil respiration. Beside an anticipated stimulation of the carbon mineralization, the main part of root allocated CO2 is offset due to the blown down trees. On mountain forest sites of the Northern Limestone Alps, where highly active organic soils above calcareous parent material are characteristic (Folic Histosols and Rendzic Leptosols), an increase of the mineralization rate of carbon may contribute to enormous humus losses. Serious site degradation can be the consequence, especially on south exposed slopes where extreme climatic conditions occur. The present study tries to give insights to disturbance induced changes in temporal and spatial behaviour of soil respiration for a montane mountain forest located in the Northern Limestone Alps of Upper Austria. Soil respiration, soil temperature and volumetric water content were measured on two windthrow areas (blow down dates were 2007 and 2009 respectively) as well as in an adjacent mature mixed forest during the vegetation periods of 2010 and 2011. Soil respiration in both years was mainly driven by soil temperature, which explained up to 90 % of the concerning temporal variation. Volumetric water content had a significant influence as additional temporal driver. After removing the temperature trend, significant differences in basal soil respiration rates were found for the disturbance area and the forest stand. Inter seasonal declines in soil respiration were ascertained for the mature stand as well as for the recent windthrow. Particular decreases are related to drought stress in summer 2011 and a proceeded decomposition of labile soil carbon components at the windthrow site. An interaction between soil type and

134Cs uptake by four plant species and Cs-K relations in the soil-plant system as affected by Ca(OH)2 application to an acid soil.

PubMed

Massas, I; Skarlou, V; Haidouti, C; Giannakopoulou, F

2010-03-01

Three rates of Ca(OH)(2) were applied to an acid soil and the (134)Cs uptake by radish, cucumber, soybean and sunflower plants was studied. The (134)Cs concentration in all plant species was reduced from 1.6-fold in the sunflower seeds to 6-fold in the soybean vegetative parts at the higher Ca(OH)(2) rate. Potassium (K) concentration in plants was also reduced, but less effectively. The significantly decreased (134)Cs-K soil to plant distribution factors (D.F.) clearly suggest a stronger effect of soil liming on (134)Cs than on K plant uptake. This observation was discussed in terms of ionic interactions in the soil matrix and within the plants. The results also indicated that the increased Ca(2+) concentration in the exchange phase and in the soil solution along with the improved root activity, due to the soil liming, enhanced the immobilization of (134)Cs in the soil matrix and consequently lowered the (134)Cs availability for plant uptake. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantification of transformation rates of soil amino sugars and amino acids by a novel isotope pool dilution approach via liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yuntao; Zheng, Qing; Noll, Lisa; Zhang, Shasha; Wanek, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

Organic nitrogen transformation processes are the key driver of soil nitrogen availability, strongly affecting the nitrogen turnover and carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. Low molecular weight organic nitrogen compounds (e.g. amino acids and amino sugars) that can be directly utilized by plants or microorganisms are released by the extracellular cleavage of high molecular weight organic nitrogen compounds (e.g. proteins, peptidoglycan, and chitin) by hydrolytic enzymes. This decomposition process is believed to be the rate-limiting step in the soil N cycle. Direct measurements of the in situ transformation rates of these small N compounds is highly challenging but can be realized by applying the isotope pool dilution (IPD) technique, in which the target compound pool is labeled with isotopic tracers and subsequently the dilution of the tracers is measured. We have recently pioneered the development of IPD assays to investigate the in situ flux of proteinaceous amino acids and glucose due to decomposition of organic matter and microbial utilization, but the roles of fluxes of amino sugars and amino acid enantiomers in soil nitrogen transformation processes are still unknown due to the lack of feasible extraction, purification, separation and detection methods. Here we developed a 15N IPD assay by utilizing a novel LC/HRMS (Orbitrap) platform, with the aim to measure transformation rates of amino sugars and amino acid enantiomers. After the tracer experiments soil extracts were purified by solid phase extraction prior to the analysis by MS. The utilization of Orbitrap-HRMS allowed us to resolve the mass signals of unlabeled analytes, and their 15N labeled (tracers) and 13C labeled (internal standards) analogues. The commercially unavailable 15N and 13C labeled amino sugars and amino acid enantiomers were produced from bacterial cell walls after batch culture in labeled growth media. This workflow was validated with soils from two sampling sites, allowing us to

Carbon Mineralization in Acidic, Xeric Forest Soils: Induction of New Activities †

PubMed Central

Tate, Robert L.

1985-01-01

Carbon mineralization was examined in Lakehurst and Atsion sands collected from the New Jersey Pinelands and in Pahokee muck from the Everglades Agricultural Area. Objectives were (i) to estimate the carbon mineralization capacities of acidic, xeric Pinelands soils in the absence of exogenously supplied carbon substrate (nonamended carbon mineralization rate) and to compare these activities with those of agriculturally developed pahokee muck, and (ii) to measure the capacity for increased carbon mineralization in the soils after carbon amendment. In most cases, nonamended carbon mineralization rates were greater in samples of the acid- and moisture-stressed Pinelands soils than in Pahokee muck collected from a fallow (bare) field. Carbon amendment resulted in augmented catabolic activity in Pahokee muck samples, suggesting that the microbial community was carbon limited in this soil. With many of the substrates, no stimulation of the catabolic rate was detected after amendment of Pinelands soils. This was documented by the observation that amendment of Pahokee muck with an amino acid mixture, glucose, or acetate resulted in a 3.0-, 3.9-, or 10.5-fold stimulation of catabolic activity, respectively, for the added substrate. In contrast, amendment of the Pinelands soils resulted in increased amino acid and acetate catabolic rates in Lakehurst sand and increased acetate metabolism only in Atsion sand. Other activities were unchanged. The increased glucose respiration rates resulted from stimulation of existing microbial activity rather than from microbial proliferation since no change in the microbial growth rate, as estimated by the rate of incorporation of 14C-labeled acetate into cell membranes, occurred after glucose amendment of the soils. A stimulation of microbial growth rate was recorded with glucose-amended Lakehurst sand collected from the B horizon. PMID:16346862

Biodegradation and speciation of residual SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) in soil solution left after soil washing.

PubMed

Tandy, Susan; Ammann, Adrian; Schulin, Rainer; Nowack, Bernd

2006-07-01

This paper aims to investigate the degradation and speciation of EDDS-complexes (SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid) in soil following soil washing. The changes in soil solution metal and EDDS concentrations were investigated for three polluted soils. EDDS was degraded after a lag phase of 7-11 days with a half-life of 4.18-5.60 days. No influence of EDDS-speciation on the reaction was observed. The decrease in EDDS resulted in a corresponding decrease in solubilized metals. Changes in EDDS speciation can be related to (1) initial composition of the soil, (2) temporarily anoxic conditions in the soil slurry after soil washing, (3) exchange of EDDS complexes with Cu even in soils without elevated Cu and (4) formation of NiEDDS. Dissolved organic matter is important for metal speciation at low EDDS concentrations. Our results show that even in polluted soils EDDS is degraded from a level of several hundred micromoles to below 1 microM within 50 days.

Soil-calcium depletion linked to acid rain and forest growth in the eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Gregory B.; Huntington, T.G.

1999-01-01

Since the discovery of acid rain in the 1970's, scientists have been concerned that deposition of acids could cause depletion of calcium in forest soils. Research in the 1980's showed that the amount of calcium in forest soils is controlled by several factors that are difficult to measure. Further research in the 1990's, including several studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, has shown that (1) calcium in forest soils has decreased at locations in the northeastern and southeastern U.S., and (2) acid rain and forest growth (uptake of calcium from the soil by roots) are both factors contributing to calcium depletion.

Growth and survival of cowpea rhizobia in acid, aluminum-rich soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartel, P.G.; Alexander, M.

1983-01-01

A study was undertaken to determine whether Al-sensitive cowpea Rhizobium survives in acid, Al-rich soils. The lower pH limit for growth of 20 strains in a defined liquid medium varied from pH 4.2 to less than pH 3.6. The mean lower limit for growth was pH 3.9. Several of the strains clumped in this medium at pH 4.5. Of 11 strains that were tested for tolerance to high levels of Al in a defined liquid medium at pH 4.5, nine tolerated 75 ..mu..M Al, and the other two were sensitive to levels above 15 ..mu..M. Three strains, one Al-tolerant, onemore » Al-sensitive, and one Al-tolerant or Al-sensitive depending on the presence of vitamins in the medium, were selected for studies in Al-rich sterile and nonsterile soils. These rhizobia did not survive in soils of less than pH 4.7 sterilized by /sup 60/Co irradiation. When inoculated into sterile soil at pH 4.7, the consistently sensitive strain initially failed to proliferate and then grew slowly, but populations of the other two rhizobia increased rapidly. No consistent relationship was found between the Al tolerance of these three rhizobia and their growth and survival in four acid, Al-rich soils. The data suggest that Al is of minor importance to growth and survival of cowpea Rhizobium strains in acid soils. 16 references, 4 figures, 1 table.« less

[Effects of simulated acid rain on respiration rate of cropland system with different soil pH].

PubMed

Zhu, Xue-zhu; Zhang, Gao-chuan; Li, Hui

2009-10-15

To evaluate the effects of acid rain on the respiration rate of cropland system, an outdoor pot experiment was conducted with paddy soils of pH 5.48 (S1), pH 6.70 (S1) and pH 8.18 (S3) during the 2005-2007 wheat-growing seasons. The cropland system was exposed to acid rain by spraying the wheat foliage and irrigating the soil with simulated rainwater of T1 (pH 6.0), T2 (pH 6.0, ionic concentration was twice as rainwater T1), and T3 (pH 4.4, ionic concentration was twice as rainwater T1), respectively. The static opaque chamber-gas chromatograph method was used to measure CO2 fluxes from cropland system. The results showed that acid rain affected the respiration rate of cropland system through crop plant, and the cropland system could adapt to acid rain. Acid rainwater significantly increased the average respiration rate in alkaline soil (S3) cropland system, while it had no significant effects on the average respiration rate in neutral soil (S2) and acidic soil (S1) cropland systems. During 2005-2006, after the alkaline soil cropland system was treated with rainwater T3, the average respiration rate was 23.6% and 27.6% higher than that of alkaline soil cropland system treated with rainwater T1 and T2, respectively. During March to April, the respiration rate was enhanced with the increase of rainwater ionic concentration, while it was dropped with the decrease of rainwater pH value in acidic soil cropland system. It was demonstrated that soil pH and crop plant played important roles on the respiration rate of cropland system.

Effect of different soil washing solutions on bioavailability of residual arsenic in soils and soil properties.

PubMed

Im, Jinwoo; Yang, Kyung; Jho, Eun Hea; Nam, Kyoungphile

2015-11-01

The effect of soil washing used for arsenic (As)-contaminated soil remediation on soil properties and bioavailability of residual As in soil is receiving increasing attention due to increasing interest in conserving soil qualities after remediation. This study investigates the effect of different washing solutions on bioavailability of residual As in soils and soil properties after soil washing. Regardless of washing solutions, the sequential extraction revealed that the residual As concentrations and the amount of readily labile As in soils were reduced after soil washing. However, the bioassay tests showed that the washed soils exhibited ecotoxicological effects - lower seed germination, shoot growth, and enzyme activities - and this could largely be attributed to the acidic pH and/or excessive nutrient contents of the washed soils depending on washing solutions. Overall, this study showed that treated soils having lower levels of contaminants could still exhibit toxic effects due to changes in soil properties, which highly depended on washing solutions. This study also emphasizes that data on the As concentrations, the soil properties, and the ecotoxicological effects are necessary to properly manage the washed soils for reuses. The results of this study can, thus, be utilized to select proper post-treatment techniques for the washed soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A soil alteration index based on phospholipid fatty acids.

PubMed

Puglisi, Edoardo; Nicelli, Marco; Capri, Ettore; Trevisan, Marco; Del Re, Attilio A M

2005-12-01

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis has gained great importance in the study of soil microbial community structure. This structure can give indication of the soil status. Purpose of the present paper is to analyse PLFA patterns in altered agricultural soils in order to develop a soil status alteration index. Soils subjected either to intensive agricultural exploitation, or to overflow by municipal and industrial wastes, or to irrigation with saline waters were analysed for PLFA content and compared to adjacent untreated soils by means of different statistical techniques. Principal component analysis separated PLFAs in three groups: unsaturated PLFAs (first axis, 48% of total variance), monounsaturated and cyclopropane PLFAs (second axis, 28% of total variance) and polyunsaturated PLFAs (third axis, 24% of total variance). By means of canonical discriminant analysis, a soil alteration index (SAI) was produced from 15 PLFAs using two data sets. A third data set was used to test the SAI general validity together with other data sets reported in literature. The index validity was confirmed in most cases: SAI gave higher scores for control soils and was generally able to classify soils according to their reported degree of alteration.

Back to Acid Soil Fields: The Citrate Transporter SbMATE Is a Major Asset for Sustainable Grain Yield for Sorghum Cultivated on Acid Soils.

PubMed

Carvalho, Geraldo; Schaffert, Robert Eugene; Malosetti, Marcos; Viana, Joao Herbert Moreira; Menezes, Cicero Bezerra; Silva, Lidianne Assis; Guimaraes, Claudia Teixeira; Coelho, Antonio Marcos; Kochian, Leon V; van Eeuwijk, Fred A; Magalhaes, Jurandir Vieira

2015-12-17

Aluminum (Al) toxicity damages plant roots and limits crop production on acid soils, which comprise up to 50% of the world's arable lands. A major Al tolerance locus on chromosome 3, AltSB, controls aluminum tolerance in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] via SbMATE, an Al-activated plasma membrane transporter that mediates Al exclusion from sensitive regions in the root apex. As is the case with other known Al tolerance genes, SbMATE was cloned based on studies conducted under controlled environmental conditions, in nutrient solution. Therefore, its impact on grain yield on acid soils remains undetermined. To determine the real world impact of SbMATE, multi-trait quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in hydroponics, and, in the field, revealed a large-effect QTL colocalized with the Al tolerance locus AltSB, where SbMATE lies, conferring a 0.6 ton ha(-1) grain yield increase on acid soils. A second QTL for Al tolerance in hydroponics, where the positive allele was also donated by the Al tolerant parent, SC283, was found on chromosome 9, indicating the presence of distinct Al tolerance genes in the sorghum genome, or genes acting in the SbMATE pathway leading to Al-activated citrate release. There was no yield penalty for AltSB, consistent with the highly localized Al regulated SbMATE expression in the root tip, and Al-dependent transport activity. A female effect of 0.5 ton ha(-1) independently demonstrated the effectiveness of AltSB in hybrids. Al tolerance conferred by AltSB is thus an indispensable asset for sorghum production and food security on acid soils, many of which are located in developing countries. Copyright © 2016 Carvalho et al.

[Effects of elevated ozone concentrations on enzyme activities and organic acids content in wheat rhizospheric soil.

PubMed

Yin, Wei Qin; Jing, Hao Qi; Wang, Ya Bo; Wei, Si Yu; Sun, Yue; Wang, Sheng Sen; Wang, Xuai Zhi

2018-02-01

The elevated concentration of tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) is an important global climate change driver, with adverse impacts on soil ecological environment and crop growth. In this study, a pot experiment was carried out in an open top chamber (OTC), to investigate the effects of elevated ozone concentration on soil enzyme activities (catalase, polyphenol oxidase, dehydrogenase and invertase), organic acids contents (oxalic acid, citric acid and malic acid) at different growth stages (tillering, jointing, heading and ripening stages) of wheat, and combined with the rhizospheric soil physicochemical properties and plant root characteristics to analyze the underlying reasons. The results showed that, elevated ozone concentration increased soil catalase, polyphenol oxidase, dehydrogenase and invertase activities at wheat ripening period to different degrees, with the effects on the activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase being statistically significant. At the heading stage, activities of dehydrogenase and invertase were significantly increased by up to 76.7%. At the ripening stage, elevated ozone concentration significantly increased the content of citric acid and malic acid and redox potential (Eh) in rhizospheric soil, but reduced soil pH, electrical conductivity, total carbon and nitrogen. For root characteristics, elevated ozone concentrations significantly reduced the wheat root biomass, total root length and root surface area but increased the average root diameter.

Detrimental effects of boric-acid-treated soil against foraging subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Treesearch

Bradford M. Kard

2001-01-01

111 laboratory bioassays, boric acid (BA) mixed with soil caused significant subterranean termite mortality. In clloice tests, eastern subterranean and Formosan subterranean tennites were exposed to boric acid mixed with soil at concentrations of 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 percent Al (wt:wt). Termites could choose to remain in their main nests wit13 non-...

Analysis of Factors Influencing Soil Salinity, Acidity, and Arsenic Concentration in a Polder in Southwest Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayers, J. C.; Patton, B.; Fry, D. C.; Goodbred, S. L., Jr.

2017-12-01

Soil samples were collected on Polder 32 in the coastal zone of SW Bangladesh in wet (October) and dry (May) seasons from 2013-2017 and analyzed to characterize the problems of soil salinization and arsenic contamination and identify their causes. Soils are entisols formed from recently deposited, predominantly silt-sized sediments with low carbon concentrations typical of the local mangrove forests. Soluble (DI extract) arsenic concentrations were below the Government of Bangladesh limit of 50 ppb for drinking water. Soil acidity and extract arsenic concentrations exhibit spatial variation but no consistent trends. In October soil extract As is higher and S and pH are lower than in May. These observations suggest that wet season rainwater oxidizes pyrite, reducing soil S and releasing H+, causing pH to decrease. Released iron is oxidized to form Hydrous Ferric Oxyhydroxides (HFOs), which sorb As and increase extractable As in wet season soils. Changes in pH are small due to pH buffering by soil carbonates. Soil and rice paddy water salinities are consistently higher in May than October, reaching levels in May that reduce rice yields. Rice grown in paddies should be unaffected by salt concentrations in the wet season, while arsenic concentrations in soil may be high enough to cause unsafe As levels in produced rice.

[Influence of Three Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Adsorption of Phenanthrene in Purple Soil].

PubMed

Xie, Li; Chen, Ben-shou; Zhang, Jin-zhong; Lu, Song; Jiang, Tao

2016-03-15

The effects of three low-molecular-weight organic acids (citric acid, malic acid and oxalic acid) on the adsorption of phenanthrene in purple soil were studied by static adsorption experiment. The results showed that the adsorption kinetic process of phenanthrene in purple soil could be described by the second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption rate constant would significantly decrease in the presence of the three low-molecular-weight organic acids ( LMWOAs). The adsorption thermodynamic process could be well described by linear adsorption model, which was dominated by distribution role. The three LMWOAs could promote the adsorption of phenantherene in purple soil when their concentrations were less than 5 mmol · L⁻¹, whereas inhibit the adsorption when their concentrations were more than 10 mmol · L⁻¹, and the inhibition would increase with increasing concentrations. Moreover, the inhibitory ability displayed a decreasing order of citric acid, oxalic acid, and malic acid when their concentrations were 20 mmol · L⁻¹, which is related to the molecular structure and acidity of the three LMWOAs. Compared with the control, the content of dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from purple soil showed a trend of first decrease and then increase with increasing LMWOAs concentration, and the adsorption capacity of phenanthrene in purple soil was negatively related to DOM content.

Phytoextraction of contaminated urban soils by Panicum virgatum L. enhanced with application of a plant growth regulator (BAP) and citric acid.

PubMed

Aderholt, Matthew; Vogelien, Dale L; Koether, Marina; Greipsson, Sigurdur

2017-05-01

Lead (Pb) contamination in soil represents a threat to human health. Phytoextraction has gained attention as a potential alternative to traditional remediation methods because of lower cost and minimal soil disruption. The North American native switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) was targeted due to its ability to produce high biomass and grow across a variety of ecozones. In this study switchgrass was chemically enhanced with applications of the soil-fungicide benomyl, chelates (EDTA and citric acid), and PGR to optimize phytoextraction of Pb and zinc (Zn) from contaminated urban soils in Atlanta, GA. Exogenous application of two plant hormones was compared in multiple concentrations to determine effects on switchgrass growth: indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and Gibberellic Acid (GA 3 ), and one PGR benzylaminopurine (BAP), The PGR BAP (1.0 μM) was found to generate a 48% increase in biomass compared to Control plants. Chemical application of citric acid, EDTA, benomyl, and BAP were tested separately and in combination in a pot experiment in an environmentally controlled greenhouse to determine the efficacy of phtyoextraction by switchgrass. Soil acidification by citric acid application resulted in highest level of aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) in plants foliage resulting in severe phytotoxic effects. Total Pb phytoextraction was significantly highest in plants treated with combined chemical application of B + C and B + C + H. Suppression of AMF activities by benomyl application significantly increased concentrations of Al and Fe in roots. Application of benomyl reduced AMF colonization but was also shown to dramatically increase levels of septa fungi infection as compared to Control plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of water-soluble forms of oxalic and formic acids in soils by ion chromatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karicheva, E.; Guseva, N.; Kambalina, M.

2016-03-01

Carboxylic acids (CA) play an important role in the chemical composition origin of soils and migration of elements. The content of these acids and their salts is one of the important characteristics for agrochemical, ecological, ameliorative and hygienic assessment of soils. The aim of the article is to determine water-soluble forms of same carboxylic acids — (oxalic and formic acids) in soils by ion chromatography with gradient elution. For the separation and determination of water-soluble carboxylic acids we used reagent-free gradient elution ion-exchange chromatography ICS-2000 (Dionex, USA), the model solutions of oxalate and formate ions, and leachates from soils of the Kola Peninsula. The optimal gradient program was established for separation and detection of oxalate and formate ions in water solutions by ion chromatography. A stability indicating method was developed for the simultaneous determination of water-soluble organic acids in soils. The method has shown high detection limits such as 0.03 mg/L for oxalate ion and 0.02 mg/L for formate ion. High signal reproducibility was achieved in wide range of intensities which correspond to the following ion concentrations: from 0.04 mg/g to 10 mg/L (formate), from 0.1 mg/g to 25 mg/L (oxalate). The concentration of formate and oxalate ions in soil samples is from 0.04 to 0.9 mg/L and 0.45 to 17 mg/L respectively.

Comparison of natural organic acids and synthetic chelates at enhancing phytoextraction of metals from a multi-metal contaminated soil.

PubMed

do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams A; Amarasiriwardena, Dula; Xing, Baoshan

2006-03-01

Chemically assisted phytoremediation has been developing to induce accumulation of metals by high biomass plants. Synthetic chelates have shown high effectiveness to reach such a goal, but they pose serious drawbacks in field application due to the excessive amount of metals solubilized. We compared the performance of synthetic chelates with naturally occurring low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) in enhancing phytoextraction of metals by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) from multi-metal contaminated soils. Gallic and citric acids were able to induce removal of Cd, Zn, Cu, and Ni from soil without increasing the leaching risk. Net removal of these metals caused by LMWOA can be as much as synthetic chelates. A major reason for this is the lower phytotoxicity of LMWOA. Furthermore, supplying appropriate mineral nutrients increased biomass and metal removal.

The effect of simulated acid rain on the stabilization of cadmium in contaminated agricultural soils treated with stabilizing agents.

PubMed

Zhu, Hao; Wu, Chunfa; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Xumei

2018-04-16

Stabilization technology is one of widely used remediation technologies for cadmium (Cd)-contaminated agricultural soils, but stabilized Cd in soil may be activated again when external conditions such as acid rain occurred. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of acid rain on the performance of different stabilizing agents on Cd-polluted agriculture soils. In this study, Cd-contaminated soils were treated with mono-calcium phosphate (MCP), mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP), and artificial zeolite (AZ) respectively and incubated 3 months. These treatments were followed by two types of simulated acid rain (sulfuric acid rain and mixed acid rain) with three levels of acidity (pH = 3.0, 4.0, and 5.6). The chemical forms of Cd in the soils were determined by Tessier's sequential extraction procedure, and the leaching toxicities of Cd in the soils were assessed by toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). The results show that the three stabilizing agents could decrease the mobility of Cd in soil to some degree with or without simulated acid rain (SAR) treatment. The stabilization performances followed the order of AZ < MAP < MCP. Acid rain soaking promoted the activation of Cd in stabilized soil, and both anion composition and pH of acid rain were two important factors that influenced the stabilization effect of Cd.

Nestedness in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities along Soil pH Gradients in Early Primary Succession: Acid-Tolerant Fungi Are pH Generalists

PubMed Central

Kawahara, Ai; An, Gi-Hong; Miyakawa, Sachie; Sonoda, Jun

2016-01-01

Soil acidity is a major constraint on plant productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi support plant colonization in acidic soil, but soil acidity also constrains fungal growth and diversity. Fungi in extreme environments generally evolve towards specialists, suggesting that AM fungi in acidic soil are acidic-soil specialists. In our previous surveys, however, some AM fungi detected in strongly acidic soils could also be detected in a soil with moderate pH, which raised a hypothesis that the fungi in acidic soils are pH generalists. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a pH-manipulation experiment and also analyzed AM fungal distribution along a pH gradient in the field using a synthesized dataset of the previous and recent surveys. Rhizosphere soils of the generalist plant Miscanthus sinensis were collected both from a neutral soil and an acidic soil, and M. sinensis seedlings were grown at three different pH. For the analysis of field communities, rhizosphere soils of M. sinensis were collected from six field sites across Japan, which covered a soil pH range of 3.0–7.4, and subjected to soil trap culture. AM fungal community compositions were determined based on LSU rDNA sequences. In the pH-manipulation experiment the acidification of medium had a significant impact on the compositions of the community from the neutral soil, but the neutralization of the medium had no effect on those of the community from the acidic soil. Furthermore, the communities in lower -pH soils were subsets of (nested in) those in higher-pH soils. In the field communities a significant nestedness pattern was observed along the pH gradient. These observations suggest that the fungi in strongly acidic soils are pH generalists that occur not only in acidic soil but also in wide ranges of soil pH. Nestedness in AM fungal community along pH gradients may have important implications for plant community resilience and early primary succession after disturbance in acidic soils. PMID

Nestedness in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities along Soil pH Gradients in Early Primary Succession: Acid-Tolerant Fungi Are pH Generalists.

PubMed

Kawahara, Ai; An, Gi-Hong; Miyakawa, Sachie; Sonoda, Jun; Ezawa, Tatsuhiro

2016-01-01

Soil acidity is a major constraint on plant productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi support plant colonization in acidic soil, but soil acidity also constrains fungal growth and diversity. Fungi in extreme environments generally evolve towards specialists, suggesting that AM fungi in acidic soil are acidic-soil specialists. In our previous surveys, however, some AM fungi detected in strongly acidic soils could also be detected in a soil with moderate pH, which raised a hypothesis that the fungi in acidic soils are pH generalists. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a pH-manipulation experiment and also analyzed AM fungal distribution along a pH gradient in the field using a synthesized dataset of the previous and recent surveys. Rhizosphere soils of the generalist plant Miscanthus sinensis were collected both from a neutral soil and an acidic soil, and M. sinensis seedlings were grown at three different pH. For the analysis of field communities, rhizosphere soils of M. sinensis were collected from six field sites across Japan, which covered a soil pH range of 3.0-7.4, and subjected to soil trap culture. AM fungal community compositions were determined based on LSU rDNA sequences. In the pH-manipulation experiment the acidification of medium had a significant impact on the compositions of the community from the neutral soil, but the neutralization of the medium had no effect on those of the community from the acidic soil. Furthermore, the communities in lower -pH soils were subsets of (nested in) those in higher-pH soils. In the field communities a significant nestedness pattern was observed along the pH gradient. These observations suggest that the fungi in strongly acidic soils are pH generalists that occur not only in acidic soil but also in wide ranges of soil pH. Nestedness in AM fungal community along pH gradients may have important implications for plant community resilience and early primary succession after disturbance in acidic soils.

Effects of poultry manure on soil biochemical properties in phthalic acid esters contaminated soil.

PubMed

Gao, Jun; Qin, Xiaojian; Ren, Xuqin; Zhou, Haifeng

2015-12-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of poultry manure (PM) on soil biological properties in DBP- and DEHP-contaminated soils. An indoor incubation experiment was conducted. Soil microbial biomass C (Cmic), soil enzymatic activities, and microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations were measured during incubation period. The results indicated that except alkaline phosphatase activity, DBP and DEHP had negative effects on Cmic, dehydrogenase, urease, protease activities, and contents of total PLFA. However, 5 % PM treatment alleviated the negative effects of PAEs on the above biochemical parameters. In DBP-contaminated soil, 5 % PM amendment even resulted in dehydroenase activity and Cmic content increasing by 17.8 and 11.8 % on the day 15 of incubation, respectively. During the incubation periods, the total PLFA contents decreased maximumly by 17.2 and 11.6 % in DBP- and DEHP-contaminated soils without PM amendments, respectively. Compared with those in uncontaminated soil, the total PLFA contents increased slightly and the value of bacPLFA/fugalPLFA increased significantly in PAE-contaminated soils with 5 % PM amendment. Nevertheless, in both contaminated soils, the effects of 5 % PM amendment on the biochemical parameters were not observed with 10 % PM amendment. In 10 % PM-amended soils, DBP and DEHP had little effect on Cmic, soil enzymatic activities, and microbial community composition. At the end of incubation, the effects of PAEs on these parameters disappeared, irrespective of PM amendment. The application of PM ameliorated the negative effect of PAEs on soil biological environment. However, further work is needed to study the effect of PM on soil microbial gene expression in order to explain the change mechanisms of soil biological properties.

Adsorption and degradation of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides in soils: A review.

PubMed

Paszko, Tadeusz; Muszyński, Paweł; Materska, Małgorzata; Bojanowska, Monika; Kostecka, Małgorzata; Jackowska, Izabella

2016-02-01

The primary aim of the present review on phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid (2,4-D), 2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) acetic acid (MCPA), (2R)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) propanoic acid (dichlorprop-P), (2R)-2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) propanoic acid (mecoprop-P), 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butanoic acid (2,4-DB), and 4-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) butanoic acid (MCPB)-was to compare the extent of their adsorption in soils and degradation rates to assess their potential for groundwater contamination. The authors found that adsorption decreased in the sequence of 2,4-DB > 2,4-D > MCPA > dichlorprop-P > mecoprop-P. Herbicides are predominantly adsorbed as anions-on organic matter and through a water-bridging mechanism with adsorbed Fe cations-and their neutral forms are adsorbed mainly on organic matter. Adsorption of anions of 2,4-D, MCPA, dichlorprop-P, and mecoprop-P is inversely correlated with their lipophilicity values, and modeling of adsorption of the compounds based on this relationship is possible. The predominant dissipation mechanism of herbicides in soils is bacterial degradation. The contribution of other mechanisms, such as degradation by fungi, photodegradation, or volatilization from soils, is much smaller. The rate of bacterial degradation decreased in the following order: 2,4-D > MCPA > mecoprop-P > dichlorprop-P. It was found that 2,4-D and MCPA have the lowest potential for leaching into groundwater and that mecoprop-P and dichlorprop-P have slightly higher potential. Because of limited data on adsorption and degradation of 2,4-DB and MCPB, estimation of their leaching potential was not possible. © 2015 SETAC.

Acid precipitation: compositional changes during throughfall; soil water. Technical completion report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klein, R.

1984-12-01

Lysimeters were installed at two soil depths within each of the three major ecosystems on Camels Hump Mountain. Collections were made weekly during the frost-free season of 1982 and 1983. Samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, and a broad range of metals, anionic and cationic constituents, and for other physical properties. The findings included: soil solutions obtained from the upper-elevations in a northern coniferous forest zone are significantly more acidic than those from the lower elevation hardwood forest zone; soil solutions for all ecological zones are more acidic in the spring during and shortly after snowmelt than they are latermore » in the frost free-season; aluminum in soil solutions from the upper elevations is present in concentrations known to be phytotoxic to seedlings of forest trees and to groundcover plants; cadmium, Pb, and Zn are, in the spring, present in concentrations that are close to being phytotoxic; there are changes in the ratios of divalent cations to specific metals during the season and as functions of altitude and forest zones; nitrate concentration in soil water are also elevation- and time dependent.« less

Modulation of hexavalent chromium toxicity on Οriganum vulgare in an acidic soil amended with peat, lime, and zeolite.

PubMed

Antoniadis, Vasileios; Zanni, Anna A; Levizou, Efi; Shaheen, Sabry M; Dimirkou, Anthoula; Bolan, Nanthi; Rinklebe, Jörg

2018-03-01

Dynamics of chromate (Cr(VI)) in contaminated soils may be modulated by decreasing its phytoavailability via the addition of organic matter-rich amendments, which might accelerate Cr(VI) reduction to inert chromite (Cr(III)) or high-cation exchange capacity amendments. We studied Cr(VI) phytoavailability of oregano in a Cr(VI)-spiked acidic soil non-treated (S) and treated with peat (SP), lime (SL), and zeolite (SZ). The addition of Cr(VI) increased the concentrations of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in soils and plants, especially in the lime-amended soil. The plant biomass decreased in the lime-amended soil compared to the un-spiked soil (control) due to decreased plant phosphorus concentrations and high Cr(VI) concentrations in root at that treatment. Oregano in the peat-amended soil exhibited significantly less toxic effects, due to the role of organic matter in reducing toxic Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and boosted plant vigour in this treatment. In the lime-amended soil, the parameters of soil Cr(VI), soil Cr(III), and root Cr(III) increased significantly compared to the non-amended soil, indicating that Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) was accelerated at high pH. Added zeolite failed to decreased Cr(VI) level to soil and plant. Oregano achieved a total uptake of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) of 0.275 mg in plant kg -1 soil in a pot in the non-amended soil. We conclude that peat as soil amendment might be considered as a suitable option for decreasing Cr(VI) toxicity in soil and plant, and that oregano as tolerant plant species has a certain potential to be used as a Cr accumulator. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urease gene-containing Archaea dominate autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils.

PubMed

Lu, Lu; Jia, Zhongjun

2013-06-01

The metabolic traits of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) interacting with their environment determine the nitrogen cycle at the global scale. Ureolytic metabolism has long been proposed as a mechanism for AOB to cope with substrate paucity in acid soil, but it remains unclear whether urea hydrolysis could afford AOA greater ecological advantages. By combining DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) and high-throughput pyrosequencing, here we show that autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils was predominately driven by AOA that contain ureC genes encoding the alpha subunit of a putative archaeal urease. In urea-amended SIP microcosms of forest soil (pH 5.40) and tea orchard soil (pH 3.75), nitrification activity was stimulated significantly by urea fertilization when compared with water-amended soils in which nitrification resulted solely from the oxidation of ammonia generated through mineralization of soil organic nitrogen. The stimulated activity was paralleled by changes in abundance and composition of archaeal amoA genes. Time-course incubations indicated that archaeal amoA genes were increasingly labelled by (13) CO2 in both microcosms amended with water and urea. Pyrosequencing revealed that archaeal populations were labelled to a much greater extent in soils amended with urea than water. Furthermore, archaeal ureC genes were successfully amplified in the (13) C-DNA, and acetylene inhibition suggests that autotrophic growth of urease-containing AOA depended on energy generation through ammonia oxidation. The sequences of AOB were not detected, and active AOA were affiliated with the marine Group 1.1a-associated lineage. The results suggest that ureolytic N metabolism could afford AOA greater advantages for autotrophic ammonia oxidation in acid soil, but the mechanism of how urea activates AOA cells remains unclear. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Contribution of ants in modifying of soil acidity and particle size distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgun, Alexandra; Golichenkov, Maxim

2015-04-01

Being a natural body, formed by the influence of biota on the upper layers of the Earth's crust, the soil is the most striking example of biogenic-abiogenic interactions in the biosphere. Invertebrates (especially ants that build soil nests) are important agents that change soil properties in well developed terrestrial ecosystems. Impact of soil microorganisms on soil properties is particularly described in numerous literature and concerns mainly chemical properties and general indicators of soil biological activity. Influence of ants (as representatives of the soil mesofauna) mostly appears as mechanical movement of soil particles and aggregates, and chemical effects caused by concentration of organic matter within the ant's nest. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of ants on physical and chemical soil attributes such as particle size distribution and soil acidity. The samples were taken from aerial parts of Lasius niger nests, selected on different elements of the relief (summit position, slope, terrace and floodplain) in the Arkhangelsk region (north of the European part of Russia) and compared with the specimens of the upper horizons of the reference soils. Particle size distribution was determined by laser diffraction method using laser diffraction particle size analyzer «Analysette 22 comfort» (FRITSCH, Germany). The acidity (pH) was determined by potentiometry in water suspension. Particle size distribution of the samples from the nests is more variable as compared to the control samples. For example, the content of 5-10 μm fraction ranges from 9% to 12% in reference soils, while in the anthill samples the variation is from 8% to 15%. Similarly, for 50-250 μm fraction - it ranges from 15% to 18% in reference soils, whereas in anthills - from 6% to 29%. The results of particle size analysis showed that the reference sample on the terrace has silty loam texture and nests soil L. niger are medium loam. The reference soil on the slope is

Estimating lake susceptibility to acidification due to acid deposition.

Treesearch

Dale S. Nichols

1990-01-01

Presents a graphical procedure for evaluating the same sensitivity of lakes to acidification due to acid deposition. The procedure is based on empirical relationships between sulfur (and in some cases nitrogen) deposition rates and lake pH, acid-neutralizing capacity, base cation concentrations, and the amount of runoff.

Stacking and determination of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid with low pKa in soil via moving reaction boundary formed by alkaline and double acidic buffers in capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Sun, Chong; Yang, Xiao-Di; Fan, Liu-Yin; Zhang, Wei; Xu, Yu-Quan; Cao, Cheng-Xi

2011-04-01

As shown herein, a normal moving reaction boundary (MRB) formed by an alkaline buffer and a single acidic buffer had poor stacking to the new important plant growth promoter of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) in soil due to the leak induced by its low pK(a). To stack the PCA with low pK(a) efficiently, a novel stacking system of MRB was developed, which was formed by an alkaline buffer and double acidic buffers (viz., acidic sample and blank buffers). With the novel system, the PCA leaking into the blank buffer from the sample buffer could be well stacked by the prolonged MRB formed between the alkaline buffer and blank buffer. The relevant mechanism of stacking was discussed briefly. The stacking system, coupled with sample pretreatment, could achieve a 214-fold increase of PCA sensitivity under the optimal conditions (15 mM (pH 11.5) Gly-NaOH as the alkaline buffer, 15 mM (pH 3.0) Gly-HCl-acetonitrile (20%, v/v) as the acidic sample buffer, 15 mM (pH 3.0) Gly-HCl as the blank buffer, 3 min 13 mbar injection of double acidic buffers, benzoic acid as the internal standard, 75 μm i.d. × 53 cm (44 cm effective length) capillary, 25 kV and 248 nm). The limit of detection of PCA in soil was decreased to 17 ng/g, the intra-day and inter-day precision values (expressed as relative standard deviations) were 3.17-4.24% and 4.17-4.87%, respectively, and the recoveries of PCA at three concentration levels changed from 52.20% to 102.61%. The developed method could be used for the detection of PCA in soil at trace level.

Simultaneous Removal of Lindane, Lead and Cadmium from Soils by Rhamnolipids Combined with Citric Acid.

PubMed

Wan, Jinzhong; Meng, Die; Long, Tao; Ying, Rongrong; Ye, Mao; Zhang, Shengtian; Li, Qun; Zhou, Yan; Lin, Yusuo

2015-01-01

This study investigated the performance of rhamnolipids-citric acid mixed agents in simultaneous desorption of lindane and heavy metals from soils. The capacity of the mixed agents to solubilize lindane, lead and cadmium in aqueous solution was also explored. The results showed that the presence of citric acid greatly enhanced the solubilization of lindane and cadmium by rhamnolipids. A combined effect of the mixed agents on lindane and heavy metals removal from soils was observed. The maximum desorption ratios for lindane, cadmium and lead were 85.4%, 76.4% and 28.1%, respectively, for the mixed agents containing 1% rhamnolipidsand 0.1 mol/L citric acid. The results also suggest that the removal efficiencies of lead and cadmium were strongly related to their speciations in soils, and metals in the exchangeable and carbonate forms were easier to be removed. Our study suggests that the combining use of rhamnolipids and citric acid is a promising alternative to simultaneously remove organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals from soils.

Simultaneous Removal of Lindane, Lead and Cadmium from Soils by Rhamnolipids Combined with Citric Acid

PubMed Central

Long, Tao; Ying, Rongrong; Ye, Mao; Zhang, Shengtian; Li, Qun; Zhou, Yan; Lin, Yusuo

2015-01-01

This study investigated the performance of rhamnolipids-citric acid mixed agents in simultaneous desorption of lindane and heavy metals from soils. The capacity of the mixed agents to solubilize lindane, lead and cadmium in aqueous solution was also explored. The results showed that the presence of citric acid greatly enhanced the solubilization of lindane and cadmium by rhamnolipids. A combined effect of the mixed agents on lindane and heavy metals removal from soils was observed. The maximum desorption ratios for lindane, cadmium and lead were 85.4%, 76.4% and 28.1%, respectively, for the mixed agents containing 1% rhamnolipidsand 0.1 mol/L citric acid. The results also suggest that the removal efficiencies of lead and cadmium were strongly related to their speciations in soils, and metals in the exchangeable and carbonate forms were easier to be removed. Our study suggests that the combining use of rhamnolipids and citric acid is a promising alternative to simultaneously remove organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals from soils. PMID:26087302

Effects of poly-γ-glutamic acid biopreparation (PGAB) on nitrogen conservation in the coastal saline soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lihua; Xu, Xianghong; Zhang, Huan; Han, Rui; Cheng, Yao; Tan, Xueyi; Chen, Xuanyu

2017-04-01

Water leaching is the major method to decrease soil salinity of the coastal saline soil. Conservation of soil nutrition in the soil ameliorating process is helpful to maintain soil fertility and prevent environment pollution. In the experiment, glutamic acid and poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) producing bacteria were isolated for manufacturing the PGA biopreparation (PGAB), and the effect of PGAB on the soil nitrogen (N) conservation was assayed. The glutamic acid and PGA producing bacteria were identified as Brevibacterium flavum and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. After soil leached with water for 90 days, compared to control treatment, salt concentration of 0-30cm soil with PGAB treatment was lowered by 39.93%, however the total N loss was decreased by 65.37%. Compared to control, the microbial biomass N increased by 1.19 times at 0-30 cm soil with PGAB treatment. The populations of soil total bacteria, fungi, actinomyces, nitrogen fixing bacteria, ammonifying bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria and biomass of soil algae were significantly increased in PGAB treatment, while anaerobic bacteria decreased (P<0.05). In addition, the percentage of soil aggregates with diameter > 0.25 mm and 0.02 mm < diameter <0.25 mm were increased by 2.93 times and 26.79% respectively in PGAB treatment. The soil erosion-resistance coefficient of PGAB treatment increased by 50%. All these suggested that the PGAB conserved the soil nitrogen effectively in the process of soil water leaching and improved the coastal saline soil quality.

Effects of peat fires on the characteristics of humic acid extracted from peat soil in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

PubMed

Yustiawati; Kihara, Yusuke; Sazawa, Kazuto; Kuramitz, Hideki; Kurasaki, Masaaki; Saito, Takeshi; Hosokawa, Toshiyuki; Syawal, M Suhaemi; Wulandari, Linda; Hendri I; Tanaka, Shunitz

2015-02-01

When peat forest fires happen, it leads to burn soil and also humic acids as a dominant organic matter contained in peat soil as well as the forest. The structure and properties of humic acids vary depending on their origin and environment, therefore the transformation of humic acid is also diverse. The impacts of the peat fires on peat soil from Central Kalimantan, Indonesia were investigated through the characterization of humic acids, extracted from soil in burnt and unburnt sites. The characterization of humic acids was performed by elemental composition, functional groups, molecular weight by HPSEC, pyrolysate compounds by pyrolysis-GC/MS, fluorescence spectrum by 3DEEM spectrofluorometer, and thermogravimetry. The elemental composition of each humic substance indicated that the value of H/C and O/C of humic acids from burnt sites were lower than that from unburnt sites. The molecular weight of humic acids from burnt sites was also lower than that from unburnt sites. Pyrolysate compounds of humic acids from unburnt sites differed from those of humic acids from burnt soil. The heating experiment showed that burning process caused the significant change in the properties of humic acids such as increasing the aromaticity and decreasing the molecular weight.

Effect of simulated acid rain on the litter decomposition of Quercus acutissima and Pinus massoniana in forest soil microcosms and the relationship with soil enzyme activities.

PubMed

Wang, Congyan; Guo, Peng; Han, Guomin; Feng, Xiaoguang; Zhang, Peng; Tian, Xingjun

2010-06-01

With the continuing increase in human activities, ecologists are increasingly interested in understanding the effects of acid rain on litter decomposition. Two dominant litters were chosen from Zijin Mountain in China: Quercus acutissima from a broad-leaved forest and Pinus massoniana from a coniferous forest. The litters were incubated in microcosms and treated with simulated acid rain (gradient pH levels). During a six-month incubation, changes in chemical composition (i.e., lignin, total carbohydrate, and nitrogen), litter mass losses, soil pH values, and activities of degradative enzymes were determined. Results showed that litter mass losses were depressed after exposure to acid rain and the effects of acid rain on the litter decomposition rates of needles were higher than on those of leaves. Results also revealed that simulated acid rain restrained the activities of cellulase, invertase, nitrate reductase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, and urease, while it enhanced the activities of catalase in most cases during the six-month decomposition process. Catalase and polyphenol oxidase were primarily responsible for litter decomposition in the broad-leaved forest, while invertase, nitrate reductase, and urease were primarily responsible for litter decomposition in the coniferous forest. The results suggest acid rain-restrained litter decomposition may be due to the depressed enzymatic activities. According to the results of this study, soil carbon in subtropical forests would accumulate as a long-term consequence of continued acid rain. This may presumably alter the balance of ecosystem carbon flux, nutrient cycling, and humus formation, which may, in turn, have multiple effects on forest ecosystems. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of acidic deposition: context and case studies of forest soils in the southeastern US

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Binkley, D.; Driscoll, C.T.; Allen, H.L.

1988-12-01

The authors designed their assessment to include both the basic foundation needed by non-experts and the detailed information needed by experts. Their assessment includes background information on acidic deposition (Chap. 1), an in-depth discussion of the nature of soil acidity and ecosystem H(1+) budgets (Chap. 2), and a summary of rates of deposition in the Southeastern U.S. (Chap. 3). A discussion of the nature of forest soils in the region (Chap. 4) is followed by an overview of previous assessments of soil sensitivity to acidification (Chap. 5). The potential impacts of acidic deposition on forest nutrition are described in themore » context of the degree of current nutrient limitation on forest productivity (Chap. 6). The results of simulations with the MAGIC model provided evaluations of the likely sensitivity of a variety of soils representative of forest soils in the South (Chap. 7), as well as a test of soil sensitivity criteria. The authors' synthesis and recommendations for research (Chap. 8) also serve as an executive summary.« less

FATTY ACID STABLE ISOTOPE INDICATORS OF MICROBIAL CARBON SOURCE IN TROPICAL SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

The soil microbial community plays an important role in tropical ecosystem functioning because of its importance in the soil organic matter (SOM) cycle. We have measured the stable carbon isotopic ratio (delta13C) of individual phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in a variety of tr...

Deviation from niche optima affects the nature of plant–plant interactions along a soil acidity gradient

PubMed Central

He, Lei; Cheng, Lulu; Hu, Liangliang; Tang, Jianjun; Chen, Xin

2016-01-01

There is increasing recognition of the importance of niche optima in the shift of plant–plant interactions along environmental stress gradients. Here, we investigate whether deviation from niche optima would affect the outcome of plant–plant interactions along a soil acidity gradient (pH = 3.1, 4.1, 5.5 and 6.1) in a pot experiment. We used the acid-tolerant species Lespedeza formosa Koehne as the neighbouring plant and the acid-tolerant species Indigofera pseudotinctoria Mats. or acid-sensitive species Medicago sativa L. as the target plants. Biomass was used to determine the optimal pH and to calculate the relative interaction index (RII). We found that the relationships between RII and the deviation of soil pH from the target's optimal pH were linear for both target species. Both targets were increasingly promoted by the neighbour as pH values deviated from their optima; neighbours benefitted target plants by promoting soil symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, increasing soil organic matter or reducing soil exchangeable aluminium. Our results suggest that the shape of the curve describing the relationship between soil pH and facilitation/competition depends on the soil pH optima of the particular species. PMID:26740568

Surface reactions of iron - enriched smectites: adsorption and transformation of hydroxy fatty acids and phenolic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polubesova, Tamara; Olshansky, Yaniv; Eldad, Shay; Chefetz, Benny

2014-05-01

Iron-enriched smectites play an important role in adsorption and transformation of soil organic components. Soil organo-clay complexes, and in particular humin contain hydroxy fatty acids, which are derived from plant biopolymer cutin. Phenolic acids belong to another major group of organic acids detected in soil. They participate in various soil processes, and are of concern due to their allelopathic activity. We studied the reactivity of iron-enriched smectites (Fe(III)-montmorillonite and nontronite) toward both groups of acids. We used fatty acids- 9(10),16-dihydroxypalmitic acid (diHPA), isolated from curtin, and 9,10,16-trihydroxypalmitic acid (triHPA); the following phenolic acids were used: ferulic, p-coumaric, syringic, and vanillic. Adsorption of both groups of acids was measured. The FTIR spectra of fatty acid-mineral complexes indicated inner-sphere complexation of fatty acids with iron-enriched smectites (versus outer-sphere complexation with Ca(II)-montmorillonite). The LC-MS results demonstrated enhanced esterification of fatty acids on the iron-enriched smectite surfaces (as compared to Ca(II)-montmorillonite). This study suggests that fatty acids can be esterified on the iron-enriched smectite surfaces, which results in the formation of stable organo-mineral complexes. These complexes may serve as a model for the study of natural soil organo-clay complexes and humin. The reaction of phenolic acids with Fe(III)-montmorillonite demonstrated their oxidative transformation by the mineral surfaces, which was affected by molecular structure of acids. The following order of their transformation was obtained: ferulic >syringic >p-coumaric >vanillic. The LC-MS analysis demonstrated the presence of dimers, trimers, and tetramers of ferulic acid on the surface of Fe(III)-montmorillonite. Oxidation and transformation of ferulic acid were more intense on the surface of Fe(III)-montmorillonite as compared to Fe(III) in solution due to stronger complexation on

Climate dependency of tree growth suppressed by acid deposition effects on soils in Northwest Russia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, G.B.; Lapenis, A.G.; Berggren, D.; Aparin, B.F.; Smith, K.T.; Shortle, W.C.; Bailey, S.W.; Varlyguin, D.L.; Babikov, B.

2005-01-01

Increased tree growth in temperate and boreal forests has been proposed as a direct consequence of a warming climate. Acid deposition effects on nutrient availability may influence the climate dependency of tree growth, however. This study presents an analysis of archived soil samples that has enabled changes in soil chemistry to be tracked with patterns of tree growth through the 20th century. Soil samples collected in 1926, 1964, and 2001, near St. Petersburg, Russia, showed that acid deposition was likely to have decreased root-available concentrations of Ca (an essential element) and increased root-available concentrations of Al (an inhibitor of Ca uptake). These soil changes coincided with decreased diameter growth and a suppression of climate-tree growth relationships in Norway spruce. Expected increases in tree growth from climate warming may be limited by decreased soil fertility in regions of northern and eastern Europe, and eastern North America, where Ca availability has been reduced by acidic deposition. ?? 2005 American Chemical Society.

Climate dependency of tree growth suppressed by acid deposition effects on soils in northwest Russia.

PubMed

Lawrence, Gregory B; Lapenis, Andrei G; Berggren, Dan; Aparin, Boris F; Smith, Kevin T; Shortle, Walter C; Bailey, Scott W; Varlyguin, Dmitry L; Babikov, Boris

2005-04-01

Increased tree growth in temperate and boreal forests has been proposed as a direct consequence of a warming climate. Acid deposition effects on nutrient availability may influence the climate dependency of tree growth, however. This study presents an analysis of archived soil samples that has enabled changes in soil chemistry to be tracked with patterns of tree growth through the 20th century. Soil samples collected in 1926, 1964, and 2001, near St. Petersburg, Russia, showed that acid deposition was likely to have decreased root-available concentrations of Ca (an essential element) and increased root-available concentrations of Al (an inhibitor of Ca uptake). These soil changes coincided with decreased diameter growth and a suppression of climate-tree growth relationships in Norway spruce. Expected increases in tree growth from climate warming may be limited by decreased soil fertility in regions of northern and eastern Europe, and eastern North America, where Ca availability has been reduced by acidic deposition.

Influence of glutamic acid enantiomers on C-mineralization.

PubMed

Formánek, Pavel; Vranová, Valerie; Lojková, Lea

2015-02-01

Seasonal dynamics in the mineralization of glutamic acid enantiomers in soils from selected ecosystems was determined and subjected to a range of treatments: ambient x elevated CO2 level and meadow x dense x thinned forest environment. Mineralization of glutamic acid was determined by incubation of the soil with 2 mg L- or D-glutamic acid g(-1) of dry soil to induce the maximum respiration rate. Mineralization of glutamic acid enantiomers in soils fluctuates over the course of a vegetation season, following a similar trend across a range of ecosystems. Mineralization is affected by environmental changes and management practices, including elevated CO2 level and thinning intensity. L-glutamic acid metabolism is more dependent on soil type as compared to metabolism of its D-enantiomer. The results support the hypothesis that the slower rate of D- compared to L- amino acid mineralization is due to different roles in anabolism and catabolism of the soil microbial community. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Increased sensitivity and variability of phytotoxicity responses in Arctic soils to a reference toxicant, boric acid.

PubMed

Anaka, Alison; Wickstrom, Mark; Siciliano, Steven Douglas

2008-03-01

Industrial and human activities in the Arctic regions may pose a risk to terrestrial Arctic ecosystem functions. One of the most common terrestrial toxicological end points, primary productivity, typically is assessed using a plant phytotoxicity test. Because of cryoturbation, a soil mixing process common in polar regions, we hypothesized that phytotoxicity test results in Arctic soils would be highly variable compared to other terrestrial ecosystems. The variability associated with phytotoxicity tests was evaluated using Environment Canada's standardized plant toxicity test in three cryoturbated soils from Canada's Arctic exposed to a reference toxicant, boric acid. Northern wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus) not only was more sensitive to toxicants in Arctic soils, its response to toxicants was more variable compared to that in temperate soils. The phytotoxicity of boric acid in cryosols was much greater than commonly reported in other soils, with a boric acid concentration of less than 150 microg/g soil needed to inhibit root and shoot growth by 20%. Large variability also was found in the phytotoxicity test results, with coefficients of variation for 10 samples ranging from 160 to 79%. The increased toxicity of boric acid in cryosols and variability in test response was not explained by soil properties. Based on our admittedly limited data set of three different Arctic soils, we recommend that more than 30 samples be taken from each control and potentially impacted area to accurately assess contaminant effects at sites in northern Canada. Such intensive sampling will insure that false-negative results for toxicant impacts in Arctic soils are minimized.

Estimates of critical acid loads and exceedances for forest soils across the conterminous United States.

PubMed

McNulty, Steven G; Cohen, Erika C; Moore Myers, Jennifer A; Sullivan, Timothy J; Li, Harbin

2007-10-01

Concern regarding the impacts of continued nitrogen and sulfur deposition on ecosystem health has prompted the development of critical acid load assessments for forest soils. A critical acid load is a quantitative estimate of exposure to one or more pollutants at or above which harmful acidification-related effects on sensitive elements of the environment occur. A pollutant load in excess of a critical acid load is termed exceedance. This study combined a simple mass balance equation with national-scale databases to estimate critical acid load and exceedance for forest soils at a 1-km(2) spatial resolution across the conterminous US. This study estimated that about 15% of US forest soils are in exceedance of their critical acid load by more than 250eqha(-1)yr(-1), including much of New England and West Virginia. Very few areas of exceedance were predicted in the western US.

The identification of aluminium-resistance genes provides opportunities for enhancing crop production on acid soils.

PubMed

Ryan, P R; Tyerman, S D; Sasaki, T; Furuichi, T; Yamamoto, Y; Zhang, W H; Delhaize, E

2011-01-01

Acid soils restrict plant production around the world. One of the major limitations to plant growth on acid soils is the prevalence of soluble aluminium (Al(3+)) ions which can inhibit root growth at micromolar concentrations. Species that show a natural resistance to Al(3+) toxicity perform better on acid soils. Our understanding of the physiology of Al(3+) resistance in important crop plants has increased greatly over the past 20 years, largely due to the application of genetics and molecular biology. Fourteen genes from seven different species are known to contribute to Al(3+) tolerance and resistance and several additional candidates have been identified. Some of these genes account for genotypic variation within species and others do not. One mechanism of resistance which has now been identified in a range of species relies on the efflux of organic anions such as malate and citrate from roots. The genes controlling this trait are members of the ALMT and MATE families which encode membrane proteins that facilitate organic anion efflux across the plasma membrane. Identification of these and other resistance genes provides opportunities for enhancing the Al(3+) resistance of plants by marker-assisted breeding and through biotechnology. Most attempts to enhance Al(3+) resistance in plants with genetic engineering have targeted genes that are induced by Al(3+) stress or that are likely to increase organic anion efflux. In the latter case, studies have either enhanced organic anion synthesis or increased organic anion transport across the plasma membrane. Recent developments in this area are summarized and the structure-function of the TaALMT1 protein from wheat is discussed.

[Determination of 13C enrichment in soil amino acid enantiomers by gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry].

PubMed

He, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Xue-Li; Bai, Zhen; Liu, Ning; Zhang, Xu-Dong

2008-06-01

The transformation and renewal of amino acid enantiomers is of significance in indicating the turnover mechanism of soil organic matter. In this paper, a method of gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry combined with U-13 C-glucose incubation was developed to determine the 13C enrichment in soil amino acid enantiomers, which could effectively differentiate the original and the newly synthesized amino acids in soil matrix. The added U-13 C-glucose was utilized rapidly to structure the amino acid carbon skeleton, and the change of relative abundance of isotope ions could be determined by mass spectrometry. The direct incorporation of U-13 C glucose was estimated by the intensity increase of m/z (F + n) to F (F was parent fragment, and n was the carbon number in the fragment), while the total isotope incorporation from the added 13C could be calculated according to the abundance ratio increment summation from m/z (Fa + 1) through (Fa + T) (Fa was the fragment containing all original skeleton carbons, and T was the carbon number in the amino acid molecule). The 13C enrichment in the target compound was expressed as atom percentage excess (APE), and that of D-amino acid needed to be corrected by the coefficient of hydrolysis-induced racemization. The 13C enrichment reflected the carbon turnover velocity of individual amino acid enantiomers, and was powerful to investigate the dynamics of soil amino acids.

Nitrification of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in acid soils is supported by hydrolysis of urea

PubMed Central

Lu, Lu; Han, Wenyan; Zhang, Jinbo; Wu, Yucheng; Wang, Baozhan; Lin, Xiangui; Zhu, Jianguo; Cai, Zucong; Jia, Zhongjun

2012-01-01

The hydrolysis of urea as a source of ammonia has been proposed as a mechanism for the nitrification of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in acidic soil. The growth of Nitrososphaera viennensis on urea suggests that the ureolysis of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) might occur in natural environments. In this study, 15N isotope tracing indicates that ammonia oxidation occurred upon the addition of urea at a concentration similar to the in situ ammonium content of tea orchard soil (pH 3.75) and forest soil (pH 5.4) and was inhibited by acetylene. Nitrification activity was significantly stimulated by urea fertilization and coupled well with abundance changes in archaeal amoA genes in acidic soils. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes at whole microbial community level demonstrates the active growth of AOA in urea-amended soils. Molecular fingerprinting further shows that changes in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprint patterns of archaeal amoA genes are paralleled by nitrification activity changes. However, bacterial amoA and 16S rRNA genes of AOB were not detected. The results strongly suggest that archaeal ammonia oxidation is supported by hydrolysis of urea and that AOA, from the marine Group 1.1a-associated lineage, dominate nitrification in two acidic soils tested. PMID:22592820

Nitrification of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in acid soils is supported by hydrolysis of urea.

PubMed

Lu, Lu; Han, Wenyan; Zhang, Jinbo; Wu, Yucheng; Wang, Baozhan; Lin, Xiangui; Zhu, Jianguo; Cai, Zucong; Jia, Zhongjun

2012-10-01

The hydrolysis of urea as a source of ammonia has been proposed as a mechanism for the nitrification of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in acidic soil. The growth of Nitrososphaera viennensis on urea suggests that the ureolysis of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) might occur in natural environments. In this study, (15)N isotope tracing indicates that ammonia oxidation occurred upon the addition of urea at a concentration similar to the in situ ammonium content of tea orchard soil (pH 3.75) and forest soil (pH 5.4) and was inhibited by acetylene. Nitrification activity was significantly stimulated by urea fertilization and coupled well with abundance changes in archaeal amoA genes in acidic soils. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes at whole microbial community level demonstrates the active growth of AOA in urea-amended soils. Molecular fingerprinting further shows that changes in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprint patterns of archaeal amoA genes are paralleled by nitrification activity changes. However, bacterial amoA and 16S rRNA genes of AOB were not detected. The results strongly suggest that archaeal ammonia oxidation is supported by hydrolysis of urea and that AOA, from the marine Group 1.1a-associated lineage, dominate nitrification in two acidic soils tested.

Optimized Extraction Method To Remove Humic Acid Interferences from Soil Samples Prior to Microbial Proteome Measurements.

PubMed

Qian, Chen; Hettich, Robert L

2017-07-07

The microbial composition and their activities in soil environments play a critical role in organic matter transformation and nutrient cycling. Liquid chromatography coupled to high-performance mass spectrometry provides a powerful approach to characterize soil microbiomes; however, the limited microbial biomass and the presence of abundant interferences in soil samples present major challenges to proteome extraction and subsequent MS measurement. To this end, we have designed an experimental method to improve microbial proteome measurement by removing the soil-borne humic substances coextraction from soils. Our approach employs an in situ detergent-based microbial lysis/TCA precipitation coupled to an additional cleanup step involving acidified precipitation and filtering at the peptide level to remove most of the humic acid interferences prior to proteolytic peptide measurement. The novelty of this approach is an integration to exploit two different characteristics of humic acids: (1) Humic acids are insoluble in acidic solution but should not be removed at the protein level, as undesirable protein removal may also occur. Rather it is better to leave the humics acids in the samples until the peptide level, at which point the significant differential solubility of humic acids versus peptides at low pH can be exploited very efficiently. (2) Most of the humic acids have larger molecule weights than the peptides. Therefore, filtering a pH 2 to 3 peptide solution with a 10 kDa filter will remove most of the humic acids. This method is easily interfaced with normal proteolytic processing approaches and provides a reliable and straightforward protein extraction method that efficiently removes soil-borne humic substances without inducing proteome sample loss or biasing protein identification in mass spectrometry. In general, this humic acid removal step is universal and can be adopted by any workflow to effectively remove humic acids to avoid them negatively competing

Recycling stabilised/solidified drill cuttings for forage production in acidic soils.

PubMed

Kogbara, Reginald B; Dumkhana, Bernard B; Ayotamuno, Josiah M; Okparanma, Reuben N

2017-10-01

Stabilisation/solidification (S/S), which involves fixation and immobilisation of contaminants using cementitious materials, is one method of treating drill cuttings before final fate. This work considers reuse of stabilised/solidified drill cuttings for forage production in acidic soils. It sought to improve the sustainability of S/S technique through supplementation with the phytoremediation potential of plants, eliminate the need for landfill disposal and reduce soil acidity for better plant growth. Drill cuttings with an initial total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration of 17,125 mg kg -1 and low concentrations of metals were treated with 5%, 10%, and 20% cement dosages. The treated drill cuttings were reused in granular form for growing a forage, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum), after mixing with uncontaminated soil. The grasses were also grown in uncontaminated soil. The phytoremediation and growth potential of the plants was assessed over a 12-week period. A mix ratio of one part drill cuttings to three parts uncontaminated soil was required for active plant growth. The phytoremediation ability of elephant grass (alongside abiotic losses) reduced the TPH level (up to 8795 mg kg -1 ) in the soil-treated-drill cuttings mixtures below regulatory (1000 mg kg -1 ) levels. There were also decreased concentrations of metals. The grass showed better heights and leaf lengths in soil containing drill cuttings treated with 5% cement dosage than in uncontaminated soil. The results suggest that recycling S/S treated drill cuttings for forage production may be a potential end use of the treated waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amelioration of acidic soil increases the toxicity of the weak base carbendazim to the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Liu, Kailin; Wang, Shaoyun; Luo, Kun; Liu, Xiangying; Yu, Yunlong

2013-12-01

Ameliorating acidic soils is a common practice and may affect the bioavailability of an ionizable organic pollutant to organisms. The toxicity of the weak base carbendazim to the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) was studied in an acidic soil (pH-H₂O, 4.6) and in the ameliorated soil (pH-H₂O, 7.5). The results indicated that the median lethal concentration of carbendazim for E. fetida decreased from 21.8 mg/kg in acidic soil to 7.35 mg/kg in the ameliorated soil. To understand why the amelioration increased carbendazim toxicity to the earthworm, the authors measured the carbendazim concentrations in the soil porewater. The authors found increased carbendazim concentrations in porewater, resulting in increased toxicity of carbendazim to earthworms. The increased pore concentrations result from decreased adsorption because of the effects of pH and calcium ions. © 2013 SETAC.

Improving Phosphorus Availability in an Acid Soil Using Organic Amendments Produced from Agroindustrial Wastes

PubMed Central

Ch'ng, Huck Ywih; Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna; Majid, Nik Muhamad Ab.

2014-01-01

In acid soils, soluble inorganic phosphorus is fixed by aluminium and iron. To overcome this problem, acid soils are limed to fix aluminium and iron but this practice is not economical. The practice is also not environmentally friendly. This study was conducted to improve phosphorus availability using organic amendments (biochar and compost produced from chicken litter and pineapple leaves, resp.) to fix aluminium and iron instead of phosphorus. Amending soil with biochar or compost or a mixture of biochar and compost increased total phosphorus, available phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus fractions (soluble inorganic phosphorus, aluminium bound inorganic phosphorus, iron bound inorganic phosphorus, redundant soluble inorganic phosphorus, and calcium bound phosphorus), and organic phosphorus. This was possible because the organic amendments increased soil pH and reduced exchangeable acidity, exchangeable aluminium, and exchangeable iron. The findings suggest that the organic amendments altered soil chemical properties in a way that enhanced the availability of phosphorus in this study. The amendments effectively fixed aluminium and iron instead of phosphorus, thus rendering phosphorus available by keeping the inorganic phosphorus in a bioavailable labile phosphorus pool for a longer period compared with application of Triple Superphosphate without organic amendments. PMID:25032229

Capping hazardous red mud using acidic soil with an embedded layer of zeolite for plant growth.

PubMed

Ma, Yingqun; Si, Chunhua; Lin, Chuxia

2014-01-01

A nearly three-year microcosm experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of capping red mud using acidic soil with an embedded layer of zeolite in sustaining the growth of a grass species. This 'sandwich-structured' design allowed self-sustaining growth of the plants under rain-fed conditions no matter whether the underlying red mud was neutralized or not. During the initial stage, the plants grew better when the red mud was not neutralized with MgCl2 probably due to pH rise in the root zone. Neutralization of red mud led to salinization and pH decrease in the root zone. However, the difference in plant growth performance between these scenarios became less remarkable over time due to gradual improvement of soil conditions in the neutralized scenarios. Continuous leaching of soluble salts and alkali by rainwater extended the root zone to the red mud layer. As a result of vegetative production, soil organic matter rapidly accumulated. This, combined with increase in pH and decrease in salinity, markedly facilitated microbial activities and consequently improved the supply of nutrients. This study provides abasis for field-scale experimental design that will have implications for effectively establishing vegetative cover in red mud disposal sites to control dust hazards.

Adaptation to acidic soil is achieved by increased numbers of cis-acting elements regulating ALMT1 expression in Holcus lanatus.

PubMed

Chen, Zhi Chang; Yokosho, Kengo; Kashino, Miho; Zhao, Fang-Jie; Yamaji, Naoki; Ma, Jian Feng

2013-10-01

Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), which belongs to the Poaceae family and is a close relative of the agronomic crop oat (Avena sativa), is a widely adaptable grass species that is able to grow on highly acidic soils with high levels of Al, but the mechanism underlying the high Al tolerance is unknown. Here, we characterized two accessions of H. lanatus collected from an acid plot (soil pH 3.6, HL-A) and a neutral plot (pH 7.1, HL-N) in terms of Al tolerance, organic acid anion secretion and related gene expression. In response to Al (pH 4.5), the HL-A roots secreted approximately twice as much malate as the HL-N roots, but there was no difference in citrate secretion. Cloning of the gene HlALMT1 responsible for malate secretion showed that the encoded amino acid sequence did not differ between two accessions, but the expression level in the outer cell layers of the HL-A roots was twice as high as in the HL-N roots. This difference was not due to the genomic copy number, but was due to the number of cis-acting elements for an Al-responsive transcription factor (HlART1) in the promoter region of HlALMT1, as demonstrated by both a yeast one-hybrid assay and a transient assay in tobacco protoplasts. Furthermore, introduction of HlALMT1 driven by the HL-A promoter into rice resulted in significantly more Al-induced malate secretion than introduction of HlALMT1 driven by the HL-N promoter. These findings indicate that the adaptation of H. lanatus to acidic soils may be achieved by increasing number of cis-acting elements for ART1 in the promoter region of the HlALMT1 gene, enhancing the expression of HlALMT1 and the secretion of malate. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long-term manure applications improve soil productivity and sustain high crop yield for acidic red soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Intensive use of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers has resulted in severely reduced productivity of red soils (Ferralic Cambisol) due to accelerated acidification. Manure has been shown to be effective in improving soil productivity by preventing or reversing the acidification process, but little in...

Titanium Mass-balance Analysis of Paso Robles Soils: Elemental Gains and Losses as Affected by Acid Alteration Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutter, Brad; Ming, Douglas W.

2010-01-01

The Columbia Hills soils have been exposed to aqueous alteration in alkaline [1] as well as acid conditions [2,3]. The Paso Robles class soils are bright soils that possess the highest S concentration of any soil measured on Mars [2]. Ferric-sulfate detection by Moessbauer analysis indicated that acid solutions were involved in forming these soils [4]. These soils are proposed to have formed by alteration of nearby rock by volcanic hydrothermal or fumarolic activity. The Paso Robles soils consist of the original Paso Robles-disturbed-Pasadena (PR-dist), Paso Robles- PasoLight (PR-PL), Arad-Samra, Arad-Hula, Tyrone- Berker Island1 and Tyrone-MountDarwin [2 ,3. ]Chemical characteristics indicate that the PR-dist and PR-PL soils could be derived from acid weathering of local Wishstone rocks while the Samra and Hula soils are likely derived from local Algonquin-Iroquet rock [3]. The Paso Robles soils were exposed to acidic sulfur bearing fluids; however, little else is known about the chemistry of the alteration fluid and its effects on the alteration of the proposed parent materials. The objectives of this work are to conduct titanium normalized mass-balance analysis to1) assess elemental gains and losses from the parent materials in the formation of the Paso Robles soils and 2) utilize this information to indicate the chemical nature of the alteration fluids.

Links between Ammonia Oxidizer Community Structure, Abundance, and Nitrification Potential in Acidic Soils ▿ †

PubMed Central

Yao, Huaiying; Gao, Yangmei; Nicol, Graeme W.; Campbell, Colin D.; Prosser, James I.; Zhang, Limei; Han, Wenyan; Singh, Brajesh K.

2011-01-01

Ammonia oxidation is the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification and is performed by both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB). However, the environmental drivers controlling the abundance, composition, and activity of AOA and AOB communities are not well characterized, and the relative importance of these two groups in soil nitrification is still debated. Chinese tea orchard soils provide an excellent system for investigating the long-term effects of low pH and nitrogen fertilization strategies. AOA and AOB abundance and community composition were therefore investigated in tea soils and adjacent pine forest soils, using quantitative PCR (qPCR), terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and sequence analysis of respective ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes. There was strong evidence that soil pH was an important factor controlling AOB but not AOA abundance, and the ratio of AOA to AOB amoA gene abundance increased with decreasing soil pH in the tea orchard soils. In contrast, T-RFLP analysis suggested that soil pH was a key explanatory variable for both AOA and AOB community structure, but a significant relationship between community abundance and nitrification potential was observed only for AOA. High potential nitrification rates indicated that nitrification was mainly driven by AOA in these acidic soils. Dominant AOA amoA sequences in the highly acidic tea soils were all placed within a specific clade, and one AOA genotype appears to be well adapted to growth in highly acidic soils. Specific AOA and AOB populations dominated in soils at particular pH values and N content, suggesting adaptation to specific niches. PMID:21571885

Copper binding to soil fulvic and humic acids: NICA-Donnan modeling and conditional affinity spectra.

PubMed

Xu, Jinling; Tan, Wenfeng; Xiong, Juan; Wang, Mingxia; Fang, Linchuan; Koopal, Luuk K

2016-07-01

Binding of Cu(II) to soil fulvic acid (JGFA), soil humic acids (JGHA, JLHA), and lignite-based humic acid (PAHA) was investigated through NICA-Donnan modeling and conditional affinity spectrum (CAS). It is to extend the knowledge of copper binding by soil humic substances (HS) both in respect of enlarging the database of metal ion binding to HS and obtaining a good insight into Cu binding to the functional groups of FA and HA by using the NICA-Donnan model to unravel the intrinsic and conditional affinity spectra. Results showed that Cu binding to HS increased with increasing pH and decreasing ionic strength. The amount of Cu bound to the HAs was larger than the amount bound to JGFA. Milne's generic parameters did not provide satisfactory predictions for the present soil HS samples, while material-specific NICA-Donnan model parameters described and predicted Cu binding to the HS well. Both the 'low' and 'high' concentration fitting procedures indicated a substantial bidentate structure of the Cu complexes with HS. By means of CAS underlying NICA isotherm, which was scarcely used, the nature of the binding at different solution conditions for a given sample and the differences in binding mode were illustrated. It was indicated that carboxylic group played an indispensable role in Cu binding to HS in that the carboxylic CAS had stronger conditional affinity than the phenolic distribution due to its large degree of proton dissociation. The fact was especially true for JGFA and JLHA which contain much larger amount of carboxylic groups, and the occupation of phenolic sites by Cu was negligible. Comparable amounts of carboxylic and phenolic groups on PAHA and JGHA, increased the occupation of phenolic type sites by Cu. The binding strength of PAHA-Cu and JGHA-Cu was stronger than that of JGFA-Cu and JLHA-Cu. The presence of phenolic groups increased the chance of forming more stable complexes, such as the salicylate-Cu or catechol-Cu type structures. Copyright © 2016

The microbial communities and potential greenhouse gas production in boreal acid sulphate, non-acid sulphate, and reedy sulphidic soils.

PubMed

Šimek, Miloslav; Virtanen, Seija; Simojoki, Asko; Chroňáková, Alica; Elhottová, Dana; Krištůfek, Václav; Yli-Halla, Markku

2014-01-01

Acid sulphate (AS) soils along the Baltic coasts contain significant amounts of organic carbon and nitrogen in their subsoils. The abundance, composition, and activity of microbial communities throughout the AS soil profile were analysed. The data from a drained AS soil were compared with those from a drained non-AS soil and a pristine wetland soil from the same region. Moreover, the potential production of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide from the soils was determined under laboratory conditions. Direct microscopic counting, glucose-induced respiration (GIR), whole cell hybridisation, and extended phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis confirmed the presence of abundant microbial communities in the topsoil and also in the deepest Cg2 horizon of the AS soil. The patterns of microbial counts, biomass and activity in the profile of the AS soil and partly also in the non-AS soil therefore differed from the general tendency of gradual decreases in soil profiles. High respiration in the deepest Cg2 horizon of the AS soil (5.66 μg Cg(-1)h(-1), as compared to 2.71 μg Cg(-1)h(-1) in a top Ap horizon) is unusual but reasonable given the large amount of organic carbon in this horizon. Nitrous oxide production peaked in the BCgc horizon of the AS and in the BC horizon of the non-AS soil, but the peak value was ten-fold higher in the AS soil than in the non-AS soil (82.3 vs. 8.6 ng Ng(-1)d(-1)). The data suggest that boreal AS soils on the Baltic coast contain high microbial abundance and activity. This, together with the abundant carbon and total and mineral nitrogen in the deep layers of AS soils, may result in substantial gas production. Consequently, high GHG emissions could occur, for example, when the generally high water table is lowered because of arable farming. © 2013.

Influence of the Amino Acid Sequence on Protein-Mineral Interactions in Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chacon, S. S.; Reardon, P. N.; Purvine, S.; Lipton, M. S.; Washton, N.; Kleber, M.

2017-12-01

The intimate associations between protein and mineral surfaces have profound impacts on nutrient cycling in soil. Proteins are an important source of organic C and N, and a subset of proteins, extracellular enzymes (EE), can catalyze the depolymerization of soil organic matter (SOM). Our goal was to determine how variation in the amino acid sequence could influence a protein's susceptibility to become chemically altered by mineral surfaces to infer the fate of adsorbed EE function in soil. We hypothesized that (1) addition of charged amino acids would enhance the adsorption onto oppositely charged mineral surfaces (2) addition of aromatic amino acids would increase adsorption onto zero charged surfaces (3) Increase adsorption of modified proteins would enhance their susceptibility to alterations by redox active minerals. To test these hypotheses, we generated three engineered proxies of a model protein Gb1 (IEP 4.0, 6.2 kDA) by inserting either negatively charged, positively charged or aromatic amino acids in the second loop. These modified proteins were allowed to interact with functionally different mineral surfaces (goethite, montmorillonite, kaolinite and birnessite) at pH 5 and 7. We used LC-MS/MS and solution-state Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence Spectroscopy NMR to observe modifications on engineered proteins as a consequence to mineral interactions. Preliminary results indicate that addition of any amino acids to a protein increase its susceptibility to fragmentation and oxidation by redox active mineral surfaces, and alter adsorption to the other mineral surfaces. This suggest that not all mineral surfaces in soil may act as sorbents for EEs and chemical modification of their structure should also be considered as an explanation for decrease in EE activity. Fragmentation of proteins by minerals can bypass the need to produce proteases, but microbial acquisition of other nutrients that require enzymes such as cellulases, ligninases or phosphatases

p-Coumaric acid influenced cucumber rhizosphere soil microbial communities and the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen.

PubMed

Zhou, Xingang; Wu, Fengzhi

2012-01-01

Autotoxicity of cucumber root exudates or decaying residues may be the cause of the soil sickness of cucumber. However, how autotoxins affect soil microbial communities is not yet fully understood. The aims of this study were to study the effects of an artificially applied autotoxin of cucumber, p-coumaric acid, on cucumber seedling growth, rhizosphere soil microbial communities, and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen (a soil-borne pathogen of cucumber) growth. Abundance, structure and composition of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed with real-time PCR, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone library methods. Soil dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass C (MBC) were determined to indicate the activity and size of the soil microflora. Results showed that p-coumaric acid (0.1-1.0 µmol/g soil) decreased cucumber leaf area, and increased soil dehydrogenase activity, MBC and rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community abundances. p-Coumaric acid also changed the structure and composition of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities, with increases in the relative abundances of bacterial taxa Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and fungal taxa Sordariomycete, Zygomycota, and decreases in the relative abundances of bacterial taxa Bacteroidetes, Deltaproteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and fungal taxon Pezizomycete. In addition, p-coumaric acid increased Fusarium oxysporum population densities in soil. These results indicate that p-coumaric acid may play a role in the autotoxicity of cucumber via influencing soil microbial communities.

Pore water sampling in acid sulfate soils: a new peeper method.

PubMed

Johnston, Scott G; Burton, Edward D; Keene, Annabelle F; Bush, Richard T; Sullivan, Leigh A; Isaacson, Lloyd

2009-01-01

This study describes the design, deployment, and application of a modified equilibration dialysis device (peeper) optimized for sampling pore waters in acid sulfate soils (ASS). The modified design overcomes the limitations of traditional-style peepers, when sampling firm ASS materials over relatively large depth intervals. The new peeper device uses removable, individual cells of 25 mL volume housed in a 1.5 m long rigid, high-density polyethylene rod. The rigid housing structure allows the device to be inserted directly into relatively firm soils without requiring a supporting frame. The use of removable cells eliminates the need for a large glove-box after peeper retrieval, thus simplifying physical handling. Removable cells are easily maintained in an inert atmosphere during sample processing and the 25-mL sample volume is sufficient for undertaking multiple analyses. A field evaluation of equilibration times indicates that 32 to 38 d of deployment was necessary. Overall, the modified method is simple and effective and well suited to acquisition and processing of redox-sensitive pore water profiles>1 m deep in acid sulfate soil or any other firm wetland soils.

Decline in snail abundance due to soil acidification causes eggshell defects in forest passerines.

PubMed

Graveland, J; van der Wal, R

1996-02-01

On poor soils in the Netherlands an increasing number of great tits, Parus major, and of other forest passerines produce eggs with defective shells and have low reproductive success as a result of calcium deficiency. A similar increase in eggshell defects has been observed in Germany and Sweden. Snail shells are the main calcium source for tits in forests where defective eggshells do not occur, but are very little taken in forests where tits often have eggshell defects. We investigated whether a decrease in snail abundance on poor soils could be responsible for the decline in eggshell quality, and if so, what caused this decrease. Snail density in forests where tits have eggshell defects was much lower than in forests where tits do not have such defects. Snail density correlated with the calcium content and to a lesser extent with pH of the litter layer. Liming of a calciumpoor forest soil with few snails resulted in snail densities comparable to those on calcium-rich soils after 4 years. Snail density has declined on calcium-poor soils over the last two decades, but not on calcium-rich soils. Acid deposition has caused a decline of soil calcium on poor soils. We conclude, therefore, that anthropogenic acidification has caused a decline in snail populations, resulting in an increase in eggshell defects in birds in forests on poor soils.

Active ammonia oxidizers in an acidic soil are phylogenetically closely related to neutrophilic archaeon.

PubMed

Wang, Baozhan; Zheng, Yan; Huang, Rong; Zhou, Xue; Wang, Dongmei; He, Yuanqiu; Jia, Zhongjun

2014-03-01

All cultivated ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) within the Nitrososphaera cluster (former soil group 1.1b) are neutrophilic. Molecular surveys also indicate the existence of Nitrososphaera-like phylotypes in acidic soil, but their ecological roles are poorly understood. In this study, we present molecular evidence for the chemolithoautotrophic growth of Nitrososphaera-like AOA in an acidic soil with pH 4.92 using DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP). Soil microcosm incubations demonstrated that nitrification was stimulated by urea fertilization and accompanied by a significant increase in the abundance of AOA rather than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Real-time PCR analysis of amoA genes as a function of the buoyant density of the DNA gradient following the ultracentrifugation of the total DNA extracted from SIP microcosms indicated a substantial growth of soil AOA during nitrification. Pyrosequencing of the total 16S rRNA genes in the "heavy" DNA fractions suggested that archaeal communities were labeled to a much greater extent than soil AOB. Acetylene inhibition further showed that (13)CO2 assimilation by nitrifying communities depended solely on ammonia oxidation activity, suggesting a chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle. Phylogenetic analysis of both (13)C-labeled amoA and 16S rRNA genes revealed that most of the active AOA were phylogenetically closely related to the neutrophilic strains Nitrososphaera viennensis EN76 and JG1 within the Nitrososphaera cluster. Our results provide strong evidence for the adaptive growth of Nitrososphaera-like AOA in acidic soil, suggesting a greater metabolic versatility of soil AOA than previously appreciated.

Active Ammonia Oxidizers in an Acidic Soil Are Phylogenetically Closely Related to Neutrophilic Archaeon

PubMed Central

Wang, Baozhan; Zheng, Yan; Huang, Rong; Zhou, Xue; Wang, Dongmei; He, Yuanqiu

2014-01-01

All cultivated ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) within the Nitrososphaera cluster (former soil group 1.1b) are neutrophilic. Molecular surveys also indicate the existence of Nitrososphaera-like phylotypes in acidic soil, but their ecological roles are poorly understood. In this study, we present molecular evidence for the chemolithoautotrophic growth of Nitrososphaera-like AOA in an acidic soil with pH 4.92 using DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP). Soil microcosm incubations demonstrated that nitrification was stimulated by urea fertilization and accompanied by a significant increase in the abundance of AOA rather than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Real-time PCR analysis of amoA genes as a function of the buoyant density of the DNA gradient following the ultracentrifugation of the total DNA extracted from SIP microcosms indicated a substantial growth of soil AOA during nitrification. Pyrosequencing of the total 16S rRNA genes in the “heavy” DNA fractions suggested that archaeal communities were labeled to a much greater extent than soil AOB. Acetylene inhibition further showed that 13CO2 assimilation by nitrifying communities depended solely on ammonia oxidation activity, suggesting a chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle. Phylogenetic analysis of both 13C-labeled amoA and 16S rRNA genes revealed that most of the active AOA were phylogenetically closely related to the neutrophilic strains Nitrososphaera viennensis EN76 and JG1 within the Nitrososphaera cluster. Our results provide strong evidence for the adaptive growth of Nitrososphaera-like AOA in acidic soil, suggesting a greater metabolic versatility of soil AOA than previously appreciated. PMID:24375137

Effect of short-chain organic acids on the enhanced desorption of phenanthrene by rhamnolipid biosurfactant in soil-water environment.

PubMed

An, Chun-jiang; Huang, Guo-he; Wei, Jia; Yu, Hui

2011-11-01

This study investigated the effect of short-chain organic acids on biosurfactant-enhanced mobilization of phenanthrene in soil-water system. The desorption characteristics of phenanthrene by soils were assessed in the presence of rhamnolipid and four SCOAs, including acetic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid. The tests with rhamnolipid and different organic acids could attain the higher desorption of phenanthrene compared to those with only rhamnolipid. Among the different combinations, the series with rhamnolipid and citric acid exhibited more significant effect on the desorption performance. The removal of phenanthrene using rhamnolipid and SCOAs gradually increased as the SCOA concentration increased up to a concentration of 300 mmol/L. The effects of pH, soil dissolved organic matter and ionic strength were further evaluated in the presence of both biosurfactant and SCOAs. The results showed that the extent of phenanthrene desorption was more significant at pH 6 and 9. Desorption of phenanthrene was relatively lower in the DOM-removed soils with the addition of biosurfactant and SCOAs. The presence of more salt ions made phenanthrene more persistent on the solid phase and adversely affected its desorption from contaminated soil. The results from this study may have important implications for soil washing technologies used to treat PAH-contaminated soil and groundwater. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Al-Fe interactions and growth enhancement in Melastoma malabathricum and Miscanthus sinensis dominating acid sulphate soils.

PubMed

Watanabe, Toshihiro; Jansen, Steven; Osaki, Mitsuru

2006-12-01

Plants growing in acid sulphate soils are subject to high levels of Al availability, which may have effects on the growth and distribution of these species. Although Fe availability is also high in acid sulphate soils, little is known about the effect of Fe on the growth of native plants in these soils. Two species dominating this soil type in Asia, viz. Melastoma malabathricum and Miscanthus sinensis were grown hydroponically in a nutrient solution with different concentrations of Al and Fe. Melastoma malabathricum is found to be sensitive to Fe (40 and 100 microm). Application of 500 microm Al, however, completely ameliorates Fe toxicity and is associated with a decrease of Fe concentration in shoots and roots. The primary reason for the Al-induced growth enhancement of M. malabathricum is considered to be the Al-induced reduction of toxic Fe accumulation in roots and shoots. Therefore, Al is nearly essential for M. malabathricum when growing in acid sulphate soils. In contrast, application of both Fe and Al does not reduce the growth of M. sinensis, and Al application does not result in lower shoot concentrations of Fe, suggesting that this grass species has developed different mechanisms for adaptation to acid sulphate soils.

Toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid towards earthworm and enzymatic activities in soil.

PubMed

He, Wenxiang; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

2016-07-01

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a widespread persistent organic contaminant in the environment that has recently raised much of regulatory and public concern. Therefore, assessment of its ecological risk is a top priority research. Hence, this study investigated the toxicity of PFOA to beneficial microbial processes in the soil such as activities of dehydrogenase, urease and potential nitrification in addition to earthworm survival, weight loss and PFOA bioaccumulation in two contrasting soils. In general, PFOA caused inhibition of all the measured microbial processes in a dose-dependent manner and the inhibition was higher in Williamtown (WT) soil than Edinburgh (EB) soil. Thus, WT soil being sandy in nature with low clay content showed higher PFOA bioavailability and hence showed higher toxicity. There was no mortality in earthworms exposed up to 100 mg PFOA/kilogram soil in both the soils; however, there was a significant weight loss from 25 mg/kg onwards. This study clearly demonstrates that soil contamination of PFOA can lead to adverse effects on soil health.

Role of organic acids on the bioavailability of selenium in soil: A review.

PubMed

Dinh, Quang Toan; Li, Zhe; Tran, Thi Anh Thu; Wang, Dan; Liang, Dongli

2017-10-01

Organic Acids (OAs) are important components in the rhizosphere soil and influence Se bioavailability in soil. OAs have a bidirectional contrasting effect on Se bioavailability. Understanding the interaction of OAs with Se is essential to assessing Se bioavailability in soil and clarifying the role of OAs in controlling the behavior and fate of Se in soil. This review examines the mechanisms for the (im)mobilization of Se by OAs and discusses the practical implications of these mechanisms in relation to sequestration and bioavailability of Se in soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ANALYSIS OF PERFLUORINATED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS IN SOILS II: OPTIMIZATION OF CHROMATOGRAPHY AND EXTRACTION

EPA Science Inventory

With the objective of detecting and quantitating low concentrations of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), including perfluorinated octanoic acid (PFOA), in soils, we compared the analytical suitability of liquid chromatography columns containing three different stationary p...

Litter Decomposition in Low and High Mortality Northern Red Oak Stands on Extremely Acidic Southwestern Pennsylvania Soils

Treesearch

Michael C. Demchik; William E. Sharpe

2004-01-01

Previous research has shown that decomposition of organic matter is slower in soils with high levels of soil acidity and available aluminum (Al). The objective of this experiment was to determine if differences in decomposition rates of northern red oak leaves occurred between extremely acidic and less acidic sites that also differed in oak mortality. Leaf litter from...

Effects of acidic deposition and soil acidification on sugar maple trees in the Adirondack Mountains, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Timothy J.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Bailey, Scott W.; McDonnell, Todd C.; McPherson, G.T.

2013-01-01

This study documents the effects of acidic deposition and soil acid-base chemistry on the growth, regeneration, and canopy condition of sugar maple (SM) trees in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Sugar maple is the dominant canopy species throughout much of the northern hardwood forest in the State. A field study was conducted in 2009 in which 50 study plots within 20 small Adirondack watersheds were sampled and evaluated for soil acid-base chemistry and SM growth, canopy condition, and regeneration. Atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition were estimated for each plot. Trees growing on soils with poor acid-base chemistry (low exchangeable calcium and % base saturation) that receive relatively high levels of atmospheric S and N deposition exhibited little to no SM seedling regeneration, decreased canopy condition, and short-to long-term growth declines compared with study plots having better soil condition and lower levels of atmospheric deposition. These results suggest that the ecosystem services provided by SM in the western and central Adirondack Mountain region, including aesthetic, cultural, and monetary values, are at risk from ongoing soil acidification caused in large part by acidic deposition.

Acid rain and its ecological consequences.

PubMed

Singh, Anita; Agrawal, Madhoolika

2008-01-01

Acidification of rain-water is identified as one of the most serious environmental problems of transboundary nature. Acid rain is mainly a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids depending upon the relative quantities of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen emissions. Due to the interaction of these acids with other constituents of the atmosphere, protons are released causing increase in the soil acidity Lowering of soil pH mobilizes and leaches away nutrient cations and increases availability of toxic heavy metals. Such changes in the soil chemical characteristics reduce the soil fertility which ultimately causes the negative impact on growth and productivity of forest trees and crop plants. Acidification of water bodies causes large scale negative impact on aquatic organisms including fishes. Acidification has some indirect effects on human health also. Acid rain affects each and every components of ecosystem. Acid rain also damages man-made materials and structures. By reducing the emission of the precursors of acid rain and to some extent by liming, the problem of acidification of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem has been reduced during last two decades.

A new approach to study cadmium complexes with oxalic acid in soil solution.

PubMed

Dytrtová, Jana Jaklová; Jakl, Michal; Sestáková, Ivana; Zins, Emilie-Laure; Schröder, Detlef; Navrátil, Tomáš

2011-05-05

This study presents a new analytical approach for the determination of heavy metals complexed to low-molecular-weight-organic acids in soil solutions, which combines the sensitivity of differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) with the molecular insight gained by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The combination of these analytical methods allows the investigation of such complexes in complex matrixes. On the voltammograms of the soil solutions, in addition to the expected complexes of oxalic acid with cadmium and lead, respectively, also peaks belonging to mixed complexes of cadmium, lead, and oxalic acid (OAH(2)) were observed. In order to verify the possible formation of complexes with OAH(2), aqueous solutions of OAH(2) with traces of Cd(II) were investigated as model systems. Signals corresponding to several distinct molecular complexes between cadmium and oxalic acid were detected in the model solutions using negative-ion ESI-MS, which follow the general formula [Cd(n)(X,Y)((2n+1))](-), where n is the number of cadmium atoms, X=Cl(-), and Y=OAH(-). Some of these complexes were also identified in the ESI mass spectra taken from the soil solutions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Citric-acid preacidification enhanced electrokinetic remediation for removal of chromium from chromium-residue-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Meng, Fansheng; Xue, Hao; Wang, Yeyao; Zheng, Binghui; Wang, Juling

2018-02-01

Electrokinetic experiments were conducted on chromium-residue-contaminated soils collected from a chemical plant in China. Acidification-electrokinetic remediation technology was proposed in order to solve the problem of removing inefficient with ordinary electrokinetic. The results showed that electrokinetic remediation removal efficiency of chromium from chromium-contaminated soil was significantly enhanced with acidizing pretreatment. The total chromium [Cr(T)] and hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] removal rate of the group acidized by citric acid (0.9 mol/L) for 5 days was increased from 6.23% and 19.01% in the acid-free experiments to 26.97% and 77.66% in the acidification-treated experiments, respectively. In addition, part of chromium with the state of carbonate-combined will be converted into water-soluble state through acidification to improve the removal efficiency. Within the appropriate concentration range, the higher concentration of acid was, the more chromium was released. So the removal efficiency of chromium depended on the acid concentration. The citric acid is also a kind of complexing agent, which produced complexation with Cr that was released by the electrokinetic treatment and then enhanced the removal efficiency. The major speciation of chromium that was removed from soils by acidification-electrokinetics remediation was acid-soluble speciation, revivification speciation and oxidation speciation, which reduced biological availability of chromium.

Potential origin and formation for molecular components of humic acids in soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatcher, Patrick; DiDonato, Nicole; Waggoner, Derek

2016-04-01

Humification is defined as the process by which plant and microbial debris are transformed in to humic substances. Proposed pathways for the formation of humic substances, include the lignin and lignin decomposition theories, the lignin-polyphenol theory as well as the melanoidin pathway. It is generally accepted that a combination of several of these pathways with some modifications may be responsible for producing humic substances. The current study examines humic acids from numerous soil samples to demonstrate their molecular composition. In addition we provide an explanation for the formation of these molecules that introduces a new perspective of the humification process. Our work utilizes advanced analytical techniques such as ESI-FTICR-MS and solid state NMR to more completely characterize humic acids at the molecular level. Methods Humic acids were extracted from soils using 0.5 M NaOH followed by treatment with a Dowex™ ion-exchange resin to remove sodium ions. Solid State 13C NMR spectra were obtained on a Bruker 400 MHz Avance II spectrometer equipped with a 4 mm solid state MAS probe. ESI-FTICR-MS analysis was conducted in the negative ion mode on a Bruker Daltonics 12 Tesla Apex Qe FTICR-MS instrument equipped with an Apollo II ESI source. Results: Soil humic acids from numerous soils were investigated in this study. The molecular formulas calculated from ultrahigh resolution mass spectra of well humified soils fall clearly into two predominant regions consisting of condensed aromatic molecules as well as high H/C, low O/C carboxyl-containing aliphatic molecules (CCAM). In contrast, the spectral data for humic acids from a poorly humified spodosol soil show a less dramatic separation of these regions, with relatively more molecular formula plotting in the lignin-like region and relatively fewer condensed aromatic molecules. From the mass spectral observations made for the humic acids, we can readily discern a relationship based on degree of

ANALYSIS OF PERFLUORINATED CARBOXYLIC ACIDS IN SOILS: DETECTION AND QUANTITATION ISSUES AT LOW CONCENTRATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Methods were developed for the extraction from soil, identification, confirmation and quantitation by LC/MS/MS of trace levels of perfluorinated octanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorinated nonanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorinated decanoic acid (PFDA). Whereas PFOA, PFNA and PFDA all can...

Acidity in organic horizons of arctic soils on the Barents Sea coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamrikova, E. V.; Deneva, S. V.; Kubik, O. S.; Punegov, V. V.; Kyz”yurova, E. V.; Bobrova, Yu. I.; Zueva, O. M.

2017-11-01

Parameters of water and KCl extracts from organic horizons of arctic soils on the coast of Khaipudyr Bay of the Barents Sea, in which the values of pH are 3.8-4.3 and 2.7-3.5, respectively, have been compared. It has been found that the content of water-extractable organic carbon is 0.2-0.5 g/dm3; the contents of low-molecular-weight carbohydrates and acids are 1-24 and 6 mg/dm3, respectively, and the content of Fe3+ ions is 1-4 mmol/dm3. The increase in the ionic strength of solution reduces the extraction efficiency of total organic carbon in 1.2 times and that of acids and carbohydrates in 3 times on the average at the simultaneous increase in the content of iron ions in the liquid phase in 7-15 times. It has been shown that organic acids and iron compounds are the main sources of acidity in salt extracts from organic soil horizons. The low contents of Ca2+ and Mg2+, which participate in the neutralization of acids, favor the high acidity of the studied horizons.

p-Coumaric Acid Influenced Cucumber Rhizosphere Soil Microbial Communities and the Growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xingang; Wu, Fengzhi

2012-01-01

Background Autotoxicity of cucumber root exudates or decaying residues may be the cause of the soil sickness of cucumber. However, how autotoxins affect soil microbial communities is not yet fully understood. Methodology/Principal Findings The aims of this study were to study the effects of an artificially applied autotoxin of cucumber, p-coumaric acid, on cucumber seedling growth, rhizosphere soil microbial communities, and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen (a soil-borne pathogen of cucumber) growth. Abundance, structure and composition of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed with real-time PCR, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone library methods. Soil dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass C (MBC) were determined to indicate the activity and size of the soil microflora. Results showed that p-coumaric acid (0.1–1.0 µmol/g soil) decreased cucumber leaf area, and increased soil dehydrogenase activity, MBC and rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community abundances. p-Coumaric acid also changed the structure and composition of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities, with increases in the relative abundances of bacterial taxa Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and fungal taxa Sordariomycete, Zygomycota, and decreases in the relative abundances of bacterial taxa Bacteroidetes, Deltaproteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and fungal taxon Pezizomycete. In addition, p-coumaric acid increased Fusarium oxysporum population densities in soil. Conclusions/Significance These results indicate that p-coumaric acid may play a role in the autotoxicity of cucumber via influencing soil microbial communities. PMID:23118972

Exoenzyme activity in contaminated soils before and after soil washing: ß-glucosidase activity as a biological indicator of soil health.

PubMed

Chae, Yooeun; Cui, Rongxue; Woong Kim, Shin; An, Gyeonghyeon; Jeong, Seung-Woo; An, Youn-Joo

2017-01-01

It is essential to remediate or amend soils contaminated with various heavy metals or pollutants so that the soils may be used again safely. Verifying that the remediated or amended soils meet soil quality standards is an important part of the process. We estimated the activity levels of eight soil exoenzymes (acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, protease, urease, and ß-glucosidase) in contaminated and remediated soils from two sites near a non-ferrous metal smelter, using colorimetric and titrimetric determination methods. Our results provided the levels of activity of soil exoenzymes that indicate soil health. Most enzymes showed lower activity levels in remediated soils than in contaminated soils, with the exception of protease and urease, which showed higher activity after remediation in some soils, perhaps due to the limited nutrients available in remediated soils. Soil exoenzymes showed significantly higher activity in soils from one of the sites than from the other, due to improper conditions at the second site, including high pH, poor nutrient levels, and a high proportion of sand in the latter soil. Principal component analysis revealed that ß-glucosidase was the best indicator of soil ecosystem health, among the enzymes evaluated. We recommend using ß-glucosidase enzyme activity as a prior indicator in estimating soil ecosystem health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climate-driven reduction in soil loss due to the dynamic role of vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Constantine, J. A.; Ciampalini, R.; Walker-Springett, K.; Hales, T. C.; Ormerod, S.; Gabet, E. J.; Hall, I. R.

2016-12-01

Simulations of 21st century climate change predict increases in seasonal precipitation that may lead to widespread soil loss and reduced soil carbon stores by increasing the likelihood of surface runoff. Vegetation may counteract this increase through its dynamic response to climate change, possibly mitigating any impact on soil erosion. Here, we document for the first time the potential for vegetation to prevent widespread soil loss by surface-runoff mechanisms (i.e., rill and inter-rill erosion) by implementing a process-based soil erosion model across catchments of Great Britain with varying land-cover, topographic, and soil characteristics. Our model results reveal that, even under a significantly wetter climate, warmer air temperatures can limit soil erosion across areas with permanent vegetation cover because of its role in enhancing primary productivity, which improves leaf interception, soil infiltration-capacity, and the erosive resistance of soil. Consequently, any increase in air temperature associated with climate change will increase the threshold change in rainfall required to accelerate soil loss, and rates of soil erosion could therefore decline by up to 50% from 2070-2099 compared to baseline values under the IPCC-defined medium-emissions scenario SRES A1B. We conclude that enhanced primary productivity due to climate change can introduce a negative-feedback mechanism that limits soil loss by surface runoff as vegetation-induced impacts on soil hydrology and erodibility offset precipitation increases, highlighting the need to expand areas of permanent vegetation cover to reduce the potential for climate-driven soil loss.

Chemical dynamics of acidity and heavy metals in a mine water-polluted soil during decontamination using clean water.

PubMed

Chen, A; Lin, C; Lu, W; Ma, Y; Bai, Y; Chen, H; Li, J

2010-03-15

A column leaching experiment was conducted to investigate the chemical dynamics of the percolating water and washed soil during decontamination of an acidic mine water-polluted soil. The results show that leaching of the contaminated soil with clean water rapidly reduced soluble acidity and ion concentrations in the soils. However, only <20% of the total actual acidity in the soil column was eliminated after 30 leaching cycles. It is likely that the stored acidity continues to be released to the percolating water over a long period of time. During the column leaching, dissolved Cu and Pb were rapidly leached out, followed by mobilization of colloidal Cu and Pb from the exchangeable and the oxide-bound fractions as a result of reduced ionic strength in the soil solution. The soluble Fe contained in the soil was rare, probably because the soil pH was not sufficiently low; marked mobility of colloidal Fe took place after the ionic strength of the percolating water was weakened and the mobilized Fe was mainly derived from iron oxides. In contrast with Cu, Pb and Fe, the concentration of leachate Zn and Mn showed a continuously decreasing trend during the entire period of the experiment. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil Studies: Applying Acid-Base Chemistry to Environmental Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Donna M.; Sterling, Donna R.

2001-01-01

Laboratory activities for chemistry students focus attention on the use of acid-base chemistry to examine environmental conditions. After using standard laboratory procedures to analyze soil and rainwater samples, students use web-based resources to interpret their findings. Uses CBL probes and graphing calculators to gather and analyze data and…

[Enhanced phytoextraction of heavy metal contaminated soil by chelating agents and auxin indole-3-acetic acid].

PubMed

Zhou, Jian-min; Dang, Zhi; Chen, Neng-chang; Xu, Sheng-guang; Xie, Zhi-yi

2007-09-01

The environmental risk of chelating agents such as EDTA application to the heavy metals polluted soils and the stress on plant roots due to the abrupt increase metals concentration limit the wide commercial use of chelate-induced phytoextraction. Chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were used for enhancing heavy metals uptake from soils by Zea mays L. (corn) in pot experiments. The metals content in plant tissues was quantified using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results showed that the combination of IAA and EDTA increased the biomass by about 40.0% and the contents of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in corn shoots by 27.0%, 26.8%, 27.5% and 32.8% respectively, as compared to those in EDTA treatment. While NTA&IAA treatment increased the biomass by about 29.9% and the contents of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in corn shoots by 31.8%, 27.6%, 17.0% and 26.9% respectively, as compared to those in NTA treatment. These results indicated that corn growth was promoted, and the biomass and the accumulation of heavy metals in plant shoots were increased significantly with the addition of IAA, which probably helps to change the cell membrane properties and the biomass distribution, resulting in the alleviation of the phytotoxicity of metals and the chelating agents.

Effect of simulated acid rain on nitrate and ammonium production in soils from three ecosystems of Camels Hump Mountain, Vermont

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Like, D.E.; Klein, R.M.

1985-11-01

The authors removed intact soil columns from the Harwood (550 to 790 m), Transition (790 to 1050 m), and Conifer (1050 to 1160 m) ecological zones of Camels Hump Mountain, Vermont, treated them with simulated acid rain (pH 4.0) or nonacidic (pH 5.6) rain, and examined the percolates for ammonium and nitrate ions. Nitrification in soils from all three ecosystems was unaffected by acidic treatments, but mineralization was stimulated by acidic treatment of soil from the Transition Zone. Irrespective of treatment, Conifer Zone soils released less nitrate than did either Transition or Hardwood Zone soils. Soil columns from the Hardwoodmore » Zone were treated with acidic or nonacidic simulated rainfall supplemented with nitrate, ammonium, or both N sources. NO3-N in percolates increased when acidic simulated rain was supplemented with ammonium ion or both ammonium and nitrate ions. Efflux of NH4-N was unaffected by supplementing precipitation with either ammonium or nitrate ions.« less

Emerging Technology Summary. ACID EXTRACTION TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR TREATMENT OF METAL CONTAMINATED SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

The Acid Extraction Treatment System (AETS) is intended to reduce the concentrations and/or teachability of heavy metals in contaminated soils so the soil can be returned to the site from which it originated. The objective of the project was to determine the effectiveness and com...

Growth inhibition of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings in Ga- and In-contaminated acidic soils is respectively caused by Al and Al+In toxicity.

PubMed

Su, Jeng-Yan; Syu, Chien-Hui; Lee, Dar-Yuan

2018-02-15

Limited information exists on the effects of emerging contaminants gallium (Ga) and indium (In) on rice plant growth. This study investigated the effects on growth and uptake of Ga and In by rice plants grown in soils with different properties. Pot experiment was conducted and the rice seedlings were grown in two soils of different pH (Pc and Cf) spiked with various Ga and In concentrations. The results showed concentrations of Ga, In, and Al in soil pore water increased with Ga- or In-spiking in acidic Pc soils, significantly decreasing growth indices. According to the dose-response curve, we observed that the EC 50 value for Ga and In treatments were 271 and 390mgkg -1 in Pc soils, respectively. The context of previous hydroponic studies suggests that growth inhibition of rice seedlings in Ga-spiked Pc soils is mainly due to Al toxicity resulting from enhanced Al release through competitive adsorption of Ga, rather than from Ga toxicity. In-spiked Pc soils, both In and Al toxicity resulted in growth inhibition, while no such effect was found in Cf soils due to the low availability of Ga, In and Al under neutral pH conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aluminium Uptake and Translocation in Al Hyperaccumulator Rumex obtusifolius Is Affected by Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids Content and Soil pH

PubMed Central

Vondráčková, Stanislava; Száková, Jiřina; Drábek, Ondřej; Tejnecký, Václav; Hejcman, Michal; Müllerová, Vladimíra; Tlustoš, Pavel

2015-01-01

Background and Aims High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8) and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of the role of organic acids in plant can explain the Al tolerance mechanism. Methods We established a pot experiment with R. obtusifolius planted in slightly acidic and alkaline soils. For the manipulation of Al availability, both soils were untreated and treated by lime and superphosphate. We determined mobile Al concentrations in soils and concentrations of Al and organic acids in organs. Results Al availability correlated positively to the extraction of organic acids (citric acid < oxalic acid) in soils. Monovalent Al cations were the most abundant mobile Al forms with positive charge in soils. Liming and superphosphate application were ambiguous measures for changing Al mobility in soils. Elevated transport of total Al from belowground organs into leaves was recorded in both lime-treated soils and in superphosphate-treated alkaline soil as a result of sufficient amount of Ca available from soil solution as well as from superphosphate that can probably modify distribution of total Al in R. obtusifolius as a representative of “oxalate plants.” The highest concentrations of Al and organic acids were recorded in the leaves, followed by the stem and belowground organ infusions. Conclusions In alkaline soil, R. obtusifolius is an Al-hyperaccumulator with the highest concentrations of oxalate in leaves, of malate in stems, and of citrate in belowground organs. These organic acids form strong complexes with Al that can play a key role in internal Al tolerance but the used methods did not allow us to distinguish the proportion of total Al-organic complexes to the free organic acids. PMID:25880431

Aluminium uptake and translocation in Al hyperaccumulator Rumex obtusifolius is affected by low-molecular-weight organic acids content and soil pH.

PubMed

Vondráčková, Stanislava; Száková, Jiřina; Drábek, Ondřej; Tejnecký, Václav; Hejcman, Michal; Müllerová, Vladimíra; Tlustoš, Pavel

2015-01-01

High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8) and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of the role of organic acids in plant can explain the Al tolerance mechanism. We established a pot experiment with R. obtusifolius planted in slightly acidic and alkaline soils. For the manipulation of Al availability, both soils were untreated and treated by lime and superphosphate. We determined mobile Al concentrations in soils and concentrations of Al and organic acids in organs. Al availability correlated positively to the extraction of organic acids (citric acid < oxalic acid) in soils. Monovalent Al cations were the most abundant mobile Al forms with positive charge in soils. Liming and superphosphate application were ambiguous measures for changing Al mobility in soils. Elevated transport of total Al from belowground organs into leaves was recorded in both lime-treated soils and in superphosphate-treated alkaline soil as a result of sufficient amount of Ca available from soil solution as well as from superphosphate that can probably modify distribution of total Al in R. obtusifolius as a representative of "oxalate plants." The highest concentrations of Al and organic acids were recorded in the leaves, followed by the stem and belowground organ infusions. In alkaline soil, R. obtusifolius is an Al-hyperaccumulator with the highest concentrations of oxalate in leaves, of malate in stems, and of citrate in belowground organs. These organic acids form strong complexes with Al that can play a key role in internal Al tolerance but the used methods did not allow us to distinguish the proportion of total Al-organic complexes to the free organic acids.

Early indications of soil recovery from acidic deposition in U.S. red spruce forests

Treesearch

Gregory B. Lawrence; Walter C. Shortle; Mark B. David; Kevin T. Smith; Richard A. Warby; Andrei G. Lapenis

2012-01-01

Forty to fifty percent decreases in acidic deposition through the 1980s and 1990s led to partial recovery of acidified surface waters in the northeastern United States; however, the limited number of studies that have assessed soil change found increased soil acidification during this period. From existing data, it's not clear whether soils continued to worsen in...

Declining acidic deposition begins reversal of forest-soil acidification in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Gregory B.; Hazlett, Paul W.; Fernandez, Ivan J.; Ouimet, Rock; Bailey, Scott W.; Shortle, Walter C.; Smith, Kevin T.; Antidormi, Michael

2015-01-01

Decreasing trends in acidic deposition levels over the past several decades have led to partial chemical recovery of surface waters. However, depletion of soil Ca from acidic deposition has slowed surface water recovery and led to the impairment of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Nevertheless, documentation of acidic deposition effects on soils has been limited, and little is known regarding soil responses to ongoing acidic deposition decreases. In this study, resampling of soils in eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. was done at 27 sites exposed to reductions in wet SO42– deposition of 5.7–76%, over intervals of 8–24 y. Decreases of exchangeable Al in the O horizon and increases in pH in the O and B horizons were seen at most sites. Among all sites, reductions in SO42– deposition were positively correlated with ratios (final sampling/initial sampling) of base saturation (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with exchangeable Al ratios (P < 0.05) in the O horizon. However, base saturation in the B horizon decreased at one-third of the sites, with no increases. These results are unique in showing that the effects of acidic deposition on North American soils have begun to reverse.

Declining Acidic Deposition Begins Reversal of Forest-Soil Acidification in the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada.

PubMed

Lawrence, Gregory B; Hazlett, Paul W; Fernandez, Ivan J; Ouimet, Rock; Bailey, Scott W; Shortle, Walter C; Smith, Kevin T; Antidormi, Michael R

2015-11-17

Decreasing trends in acidic deposition levels over the past several decades have led to partial chemical recovery of surface waters. However, depletion of soil Ca from acidic deposition has slowed surface water recovery and led to the impairment of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Nevertheless, documentation of acidic deposition effects on soils has been limited, and little is known regarding soil responses to ongoing acidic deposition decreases. In this study, resampling of soils in eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. was done at 27 sites exposed to reductions in wet SO4(2-) deposition of 5.7-76%, over intervals of 8-24 y. Decreases of exchangeable Al in the O horizon and increases in pH in the O and B horizons were seen at most sites. Among all sites, reductions in SO4(2-) deposition were positively correlated with ratios (final sampling/initial sampling) of base saturation (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with exchangeable Al ratios (P < 0.05) in the O horizon. However, base saturation in the B horizon decreased at one-third of the sites, with no increases. These results are unique in showing that the effects of acidic deposition on North American soils have begun to reverse.

Effects of acidic deposition and soil acidification on sugar maple trees in the Adirondack Mountains, New York.

PubMed

Sullivan, T J; Lawrence, G B; Bailey, S W; McDonnell, T C; Beier, C M; Weathers, K C; McPherson, G T; Bishop, D A

2013-11-19

We documented the effects of acidic atmospheric deposition and soil acidification on the canopy health, basal area increment, and regeneration of sugar maple (SM) trees across the Adirondack region of New York State, in the northeastern United States, where SM are plentiful but not well studied and where widespread depletion of soil calcium (Ca) has been documented. Sugar maple is a dominant canopy species in the Adirondack Mountain ecoregion, and it has a high demand for Ca. Trees in this region growing on soils with poor acid-base chemistry (low exchangeable Ca and % base saturation [BS]) that receive relatively high levels of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition exhibited a near absence of SM seedling regeneration and lower crown vigor compared with study plots with relatively high exchangeable Ca and BS and lower levels of acidic deposition. Basal area increment averaged over the 20th century was correlated (p < 0.1) with acid-base chemistry of the Oa, A, and upper B soil horizons. A lack of Adirondack SM regeneration, reduced canopy condition, and possibly decreased basal area growth over recent decades are associated with low concentrations of nutrient base cations in this region that has undergone soil Ca depletion from acidic deposition.

Airborne soil dust and its importance in buffering of atmospheric acidity and critical load assessment, over the semi arid tract of northern India.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Disha; Kulshrestha, Umesh

Airborne soil dust and its importance in buffering of atmospheric acidity and critical load assessment, over the semi arid tract of northern India. The Critical Load approach alongwith integrated assessment models has been used in the European nations for policy formations to reduce acidic emissions. This unique approach was applied to assess the of vulnerability of natural systems to the present day atmospheric pollution scenario. The calculated values of critical loads of sulphur ( 225 - 275 eq/ha/yr) and nitrogen (298 - 303 eq/ha/yr), for the soil system in Delhi, were calculated with respect to Anjan grass, Hibiscus and Black siris. The present loads of sulphur (PL(S) = 26.40 eq/ha/yr) and nitrogen (PL(N) = 36.51 eq/ha/yr) were found to be much lower than their critical loads without posing any danger of atmospheric acidic deposition on the soil systems. The study indicated that the system is still protective due to high pH of soil. The nature of buffering capability of calcium derived from soil dust can be considered as a natural tool to combat acidification in the Indian region. The results showed that the pollution status in Delhi is still within the safe limits. However, at the pace at which the city is growing, it is likely that in coming decades, it may exceed these critical values. In order to set deposition limits and avoid adverse effects of acidic deposition this approach can be applied in India too. Such approach is very useful, not only in abating pollution but also in devising means of cost optimal emission abatement strategies.

soil organic matter fractionation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osat, Maryam; Heidari, Ahmad

2010-05-01

Carbon is essential for plant growth, due to its effects on other soil properties like aggregation. Knowledge of dynamics of organic matter in different locations in the soil matrix can provide valuable information which affects carbon sequestration and soil the other soil properties. Extraction of soil organic matter (SOM) fractions has been a long standing approach to elucidating the roles of soil organic matter in soil processes. Several kind fractionation methods are used and all provide information on soil organic matter function. Physical fractionation capture the effects on SOM dynamics of the spatial arrangement of primary and secondary organomineral particles in soil while chemical fractionation can not consider the spatial arrangement but their organic fractions are suitable for advanced chemical characterization. Three method of physical separation of soil have been used, sieving, sedimentation and densitometry. The distribution of organic matter within physical fractions of the soil can be assessed by sieving. Sieving separates soil particles based strictly on size. The study area is located on north central Iran, between 35° 41'- 36° 01' N and 50° 42'- 51° 14' E. Mean annual precipitation about 243.8 mm and mean annual air temperature is about 14.95 °C. The soil moisture and temperature regime vary between aridic-thermic in lower altitudes to xeric-mesic in upper altitudes. More than 36 surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected according to land-use map units. After preliminary analyzing of samples 10 samples were selected for further analyses in five size fractions and three different time intervals in September, January and April 2008. Fractionation carried out by dry sieving in five classes, 1-2 mm, 0.5-1 mm, 270 μm-0.5mm, 53-270 μm and <53 μm. Organic matter and C/N ratio were determined for all fractions at different time intervals. Chemical fractionation of organic matter also carried out according to Tan (2003), also Mineralogical

Determination of the gram-positive bacterial content of soils and sediments by analysis of teichoic acid components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehron, M. J.; Davis, J. D.; Smith, G. A.; White, D. C.

1984-01-01

Many gram-positive bacteria form substituted polymers of glycerol and ribitol phosphate esters known as teichoic acids. Utilizing the relative specificity of cold concentrated hydrofluoric acid in the hydrolysis of polyphosphate esters it proved possible to quantitatively assay the teichoic acid-derived glycerol and ribitol from gram-positive bacteria added to various soils and sediments. The lipids are first removed from the soils or sediments with a one phase chloroform-methanol extraction and the lipid extracted residue is hydrolyzed with cold concentrated hydrofluoric acid. To achieve maximum recovery of the teichoic acid ribitol, a second acid hydrolysis of the aqueous extract is required. The glycerol and ribitol are then acetylated after neutralization and analyzed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. This technique together with measures of the total phospholipid, the phospholipid fatty acid, the muramic acid and the hydroxy fatty acids of the lipopolysaccharide lipid A of the gram-negative bacteria makes it possible to describe the community structure environmental samples. The proportion of gram-positive bacteria measured as the teichoic acid glycerol and ribitol is higher in soils than in sediments and increases with depth in both.

Changes in soil chemistry following wood and grass biochar amendments to an acidic agricultural production soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The utility of biochars produced by biomass gasification for remediation of acidic production soils and plant growth in general is not as well known compared to effects from biochars resulting from pyrolysis. Recent characterization of biochar produced from gasification of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pr...

Analysis of perfluorinated carboxylic acids in soils II: optimization of chromatography and extraction.

PubMed

Washington, John W; Henderson, W Matthew; Ellington, J Jackson; Jenkins, Thomas M; Evans, John J

2008-02-15

With the objective of detecting and quantitating low concentrations of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in soils, we compared the analytical suitability of liquid chromatography columns containing three different stationary phases, two different liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) systems, and eight combinations of sample-extract pretreatments, extractions and cleanups on three test soils. For the columns and systems we tested, we achieved the greatest analytical sensitivity for PFCAs using a column with a C(18) stationary phase in a Waters LC/MS/MS. In this system we achieved an instrument detection limit for PFOA of 270 ag/microL, equating to about 14 fg of PFOA on-column. While an elementary acetonitrile/water extraction of soils recovers PFCAs effectively, natural soil organic matter also dissolved in the extracts commonly imparts significant noise that appears as broad, multi-nodal, asymmetric peaks that coelute with several PFCAs. The intensity and elution profile of this noise is highly variable among soils and it challenges detection of low concentrations of PFCAs by decreasing the signal-to-noise contrast. In an effort to decrease this background noise, we investigated several methods of pretreatment, extraction and cleanup, in a variety of combinations, that used alkaline and unbuffered water, acetonitrile, tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate, methyl-tert-butyl ether, dispersed activated carbon and solid-phase extraction. For the combined objectives of complete recovery and minimization of background noise, we have chosen: (1) alkaline pretreatment; (2) extraction with acetonitrile/water; (3) evaporation to dryness; (4) reconstitution with tetrabutylammonium-hydrogen-sulfate ion-pairing solution; (5) ion-pair extraction to methyl-tert-butyl ether; (6) evaporation to dryness; (7) reconstitution with 60/40 acetonitrile/water (v/v); and (8) analysis by LC/MS/MS. Using this method, we

Irreversibility of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Sorption onto a Volcanic Ash Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mon, E.; Kawamoto, K.; Komatsu, T.; Moldrup, P.

2008-12-01

Pesticide sorption and desorption in soils are key processes governing fate and transport of pesticides in the soil environment. The irreversibility (or hysteresis) in the processes of pesticide sorption and desorption needs to be known to accurately predict behavior of pesticides in soil systems. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a widely used pesticide in agriculture fields. However, only few studies of 2,4-D adsorption onto Andosols (volcanic ash soils) have been published, and the knowledge of 2,4-D desorption onto Andosols is very limited. In this study, a volcanic ash soil sampled from a pasture site in Nishi-Tokyo, Japan was used as a sorbent in order to investigate the irreversibility of 2,4-D sorption. For comparison, a pure clay mineral (kaolinite) obtained from Clay Science Society of Japan (CSSJ) was also used. 2,4-D solutions with three concentrations (0.011, 0.022 and 0.045 mmol/L) were prepared in artificial rain water (ARW= 0.085mM NaCl + 0.015mM CaCl2) to simulate field conditions. To prepare the sample solutions, the solid mass/liquid volume ratio of 1:10 was used for both sorbents (volcanic ash soil and kaolinite). The experiments were conducted in triplicate using a batch method under different pH conditions to examine the effect of pH. Desorption was measured during a equilibration procedure: After removal of 7 mL of supernatant in the sorption step, 7 mL of ARW excluding 2,4-D was added to the sample solution after which, it was equilibrated and centrifuged. The procedure was performed sequentially three or four times to obtain a desorption isotherm. Sorption and desorption generally followed Freundlich isotherms. The results showed markedly effects of pH on 2,4-D sorption and desorption in both the soil and kaolinite, with the percentage of sorption increasing with decreasing pH whereas the percentage of desorption decreased. There was a larger adsorption-desorption hysteresis in the volcanic ash soil as compared to kaolinite

Low pH, aluminum and phosphorus coordinately regulate malate exudation through GmALMT1 to improve soybean adaptation to acid soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Low pH, aluminum (Al) toxicity and low phosphorus (P) often coexist in acid soils where crops need to cope with these multiple limiting factors. In this study we found that P addition to acid soils alleviates Al toxicity and enhanced soybean adaptation to acid soils, especially for the P-efficient g...

Combined effects of low-molecular-weight organic acids on mobilization of arsenic and lead from multi-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Onireti, Olaronke O; Lin, Chuxia; Qin, Junhao

2017-03-01

A batch experiment was conducted to examine the combined effects of three common low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) on the mobilization of arsenic and lead in different types of multi-contaminated soils. The capacity of individual LMWOAs (at a same molar concentration) to mobilize soil-borne As and Pb varied significantly. The combination of the organic acids did not make a marked "additive" effect on the mobilization of the investigated three elements. An "antagonistic" effect on element mobilization was clear in the treatments involving oxalic acid for some soils. The acid strength of a LMWOA did not play an important role in controlling the mobilization of elements. While the mobilization of As and Pb was closely associated with the dissolution of soil-borne Fe, soil properties such as original soil pH, organic matter contents and the total amount of the element relative to the total Fe markedly complicated the mobility of that element. Aging led to continual consumption of proton introduced from addition of LMWOAs and consequently caused dramatic changes in solution-borne Fe, which in turn resulted in change in As and Pb in the soil solution though different elements behaved differently. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field dissipation of trifloxystrobin and its metabolite trifloxystrobin acid in soil and apples.

PubMed

Wang, Chen; Wu, Junxue; Zhang, Yun; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Hongyan

2015-01-01

The dissipation of trifloxystrobin and its metabolite trifloxystrobin acid in apples and soil was studied, and the half-life (DT₅₀) was estimated in a field study carried out at three different locations for apples and four different locations for soil. Trifloxystrobin was sprayed on apples at 127 g a.i./ha for the dissipation study. Samples of apple and soil for the dissipation experiment were collected at time intervals of 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, and 45 days after treatment. The quantification of residues was done by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The DT₅₀ of trifloxystrobin ranged from 0.54 to 8.8 and 4.8 to 9.5 days in soil and apples at different latitude sites. Photolysis may be the main dissipation pathway for trifloxystrobin, and the number of sunshine hours may be the main factor affecting the trifloxystrobin dissipation rate in the field. For trifloxystrobin acid residues in soil and apples, it first increased and then began decreasing. It was indicated that the risk of trifloxystrobin application in shorter sunshine hour area should be considered.

Effect of dolomite and biochar addition on N2O and CO2 emissions from acidic tea field soil

PubMed Central

Win, Khin Thuzar; Shibata, Akira; Yamamoto, Akinori; Sano, Tomohito; Hirono, Yuhei

2018-01-01

A laboratory study was conducted to study the effects of liming and different biochar amendments on N2O and CO2 emissions from acidic tea field soil. The first experiment was done with three different rates of N treatment; N 300 (300 kg N ha-1), N 600 (600 kg N ha-1) and N 900 (900 kg N ha-1) and four different rates of bamboo biochar amendment; 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% biochar. The second experiment was done with three different biochars at a rate of 2% (rice husk, sawdust, and bamboo) and a control and lime treatment (dolomite) and control at two moisture levels (50% and 90% water filled pore space (WFPS)). The results showed that dolomite and biochar amendment significantly increased soil pH. However, only biochar amendment showed a significant increase in total carbon (C), C/N (the ratio of total carbon and total nitrogen), and C/IN ratio (the ratio of total carbon and inorganic nitrogen) at the end of incubation. Reduction in soil NO3--N concentration was observed under different biochar amendments. Bamboo biochar with the rates of 0.5, 1 and 2% reduced cumulative N2O emission by 38%, 48% and 61%, respectively, compare to the control soil in experiment 1. Dolomite and biochar, either alone or combined significantly reduced cumulative N2O emission by 4.6% to 32.7% in experiment 2. Reduction in N2O production under biochar amendment was due to increases in soil pH and decreases in the magnitude of mineral-N in soil. Although, both dolomite and biochar increased cumulative CO2 emission, only biochar amendment had a significant effect. The present study suggests that application of dolomite and biochar to acidic tea field soil can mitigate N2O emissions. PMID:29394272

Effect of dolomite and biochar addition on N2O and CO2 emissions from acidic tea field soil.

PubMed

Oo, Aung Zaw; Sudo, Shigeto; Akiyama, Hiroko; Win, Khin Thuzar; Shibata, Akira; Yamamoto, Akinori; Sano, Tomohito; Hirono, Yuhei

2018-01-01

A laboratory study was conducted to study the effects of liming and different biochar amendments on N2O and CO2 emissions from acidic tea field soil. The first experiment was done with three different rates of N treatment; N 300 (300 kg N ha-1), N 600 (600 kg N ha-1) and N 900 (900 kg N ha-1) and four different rates of bamboo biochar amendment; 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% biochar. The second experiment was done with three different biochars at a rate of 2% (rice husk, sawdust, and bamboo) and a control and lime treatment (dolomite) and control at two moisture levels (50% and 90% water filled pore space (WFPS)). The results showed that dolomite and biochar amendment significantly increased soil pH. However, only biochar amendment showed a significant increase in total carbon (C), C/N (the ratio of total carbon and total nitrogen), and C/IN ratio (the ratio of total carbon and inorganic nitrogen) at the end of incubation. Reduction in soil NO3--N concentration was observed under different biochar amendments. Bamboo biochar with the rates of 0.5, 1 and 2% reduced cumulative N2O emission by 38%, 48% and 61%, respectively, compare to the control soil in experiment 1. Dolomite and biochar, either alone or combined significantly reduced cumulative N2O emission by 4.6% to 32.7% in experiment 2. Reduction in N2O production under biochar amendment was due to increases in soil pH and decreases in the magnitude of mineral-N in soil. Although, both dolomite and biochar increased cumulative CO2 emission, only biochar amendment had a significant effect. The present study suggests that application of dolomite and biochar to acidic tea field soil can mitigate N2O emissions.

May humic acids or mineral fertilisation mitigate arsenic mobility and availability to carrot plants (Daucus carota L.) in a volcanic soil polluted by As from irrigation water?

PubMed

Caporale, Antonio G; Adamo, Paola; Azam, Shah M G G; Rao, Maria A; Pigna, Massimo

2018-02-01

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is a widely consumed root vegetable, whose growth and safety might be threatened by growing-medium arsenic (As) contamination. By this work, we evaluated the effects of humic acids from Leonardite and NPK mineral fertilisation on As mobility and availability to carrot plants grown for 60 days in a volcanic soil irrigated with As-contaminated water - representing the most common scenario occurring in As-affected Italian areas. As expected, the irrigation with As-contaminated water caused a serious toxic effect on plant growth and photosynthetic rate; the highest rate of As also inhibited soil enzymatic activity. In contrast, the organic and mineral fertilisation alleviated, at least partially, the toxicity of As, essentially by stimulating plant growth and promoting nutrient uptake. The mobility of As in the volcanic soil and thus its phytoavailability were differently affected by the organic and mineral fertilisers; the application of humic acids mitigated the availability of the contaminant, likely by its partial immobilisation on humic acid sorption sites - thus raising up the intrinsic anionic sorption capacity of the volcanic soil; the mineral fertilisation enhanced the mobility of As in soil, probably due to competition of P for the anionic sorption sites of the soil variable-charge minerals, very affine to available P. These findings hence suggest that a proper soil management of As-polluted volcanic soils and amendment by stable organic matter might mitigate the environmental risk of these soils, thus minimising the availability of As to biota. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil acidity amelioration in a no-till system in west Tennessee USA differs by cover crop type and nitrogen application rate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conservation soil management practices may influence the soil acidity. Surface application of lime may be required in no-till systems to ameliorate soil acidity and to improve crop yields. The application of lime may also increase microbial activity on soil. Specifically, the microbial activity of s...

H-binding of size- and polarity-fractionated soil and lignite humic acids after removal of metal and ash components

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drosos, Marios; Leenheer, Jerry A.; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Deligiannakis, Yiannis

2014-01-01

A fractionation technique, combining dialysis removal of metal and ash components with hydrofluoric acid and pH 10 citrate buffer followed by chromatography of dialysis permeate on XAD-8 resin at decreasing pH values, has been applied to lignite humic acid (lignite-HA) and soil humic acid (soil-HA). H-binding data and non ideal competitive adsorption-Donnan model parameters were obtained for the HA fractions by theoretical analysis of H-binding data which reveal a significant increase of the carboxyl and the phenolic charge for the lignite-HA fractions vs. the parental lignite humic acid (LParentalHA). The fractionated lignite-HA material consisted mainly of permeate fractions, some of which were fulvic acid-like. The fractionated soil-HA material consisted mainly of large macromolecular structures that did not permeate the dialysis membrane during deashing. Chargeable groups had comparable concentrations in soil-HA fractions and parental soil humic acid (SParentalHA), indicating minimal interference of ash components with carboxyl and phenolic (and/or enolic) groups. Fractionation of HA, combined with theoretical analysis of H-binding, can distinguish the supramolecular vs. macromolecular nature of fractions within the same parental HA.

H-binding of size- and polarity-fractionated soil and lignite humic acids after removal of metal and ash components.

PubMed

Drosos, Marios; Leenheer, Jerry A; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Deligiannakis, Yiannis

2014-03-01

A fractionation technique, combining dialysis removal of metal and ash components with hydrofluoric acid and pH 10 citrate buffer followed by chromatography of dialysis permeate on XAD-8 resin at decreasing pH values, has been applied to lignite humic acid (lignite-HA) and soil humic acid (soil-HA). H-binding data and non ideal competitive adsorption-Donnan model parameters were obtained for the HA fractions by theoretical analysis of H-binding data which reveal a significant increase of the carboxyl and the phenolic charge for the lignite-HA fractions vs. the parental lignite humic acid (LParentalHA). The fractionated lignite-HA material consisted mainly of permeate fractions, some of which were fulvic acid-like. The fractionated soil-HA material consisted mainly of large macromolecular structures that did not permeate the dialysis membrane during deashing. Chargeable groups had comparable concentrations in soil-HA fractions and parental soil humic acid (SParentalHA), indicating minimal interference of ash components with carboxyl and phenolic (and/or enolic) groups. Fractionation of HA, combined with theoretical analysis of H-binding, can distinguish the supramolecular vs. macromolecular nature of fractions within the same parental HA.

Lead identification in soil surrounding a used lead acid battery smelter area in Banten, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adventini, N.; Santoso, M.; Lestiani, D. D.; Syahfitri, W. Y. N.; Rixson, L.

2017-06-01

A used lead acid battery smelter generates particulates containing lead that can contaminate the surrounding environment area. Lead is a heavy metal which is harmful to health if it enters the human body through soil, air, or water. An identification of lead in soil samples surrounding formal and informal used lead acid battery smelters area in Banten, Indonesia using EDXRF has been carried out. The EDXRF accuracy and precision evaluated from marine sediment IAEA 457 gave a good agreement to the certified value. A number of 16 soil samples from formal and informal areas and 2 soil samples from control area were taken from surface and subsurface soils. The highest lead concentrations from both lead smelter were approximately 9 folds and 11 folds higher than the reference and control samples. The assessment of lead contamination in soils described in Cf index was in category: moderately and strongly polluted by lead for formal and informal lead smelter. Daily lead intake of children in this study from all sites had exceeded the recommended dietary allowance. The HI values for adults and children living near both lead smelter areas were greater than the value of safety threshold 1. This study finding confirmed that there is a potential health risk for inhabitants surrounding the used lead acid battery smelter areas in Banten, Indonesia.

Clarithromycin and tetracycline binding to soil humic acid in the absence and presence of calcium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christl, Iso; Ruiz, Mercedes; Schmidt, J. R.; Pedersen, Joel A.

2017-04-01

Many organic micropollutants including antibiotics contain positively charged moieties and are present as organic cations or zwitterions at environmentally relevant pH conditions. In this study, we investigated the pH-, ionic strength-, and concentration-dependent binding of the two antibiotics clarithromycin and tetracycline to dissolved humic acid in the absence and presence of Ca2+. The investigated compounds strongly differ in their chemical speciation. Clarithromycin can be present as neutral and cationic species, only. But tetracycline can form cations, zwitterions as well as anions and is able to form various calcium complexes. The pH-dependence of binding to soil humic acid was observed to be strongly linked to the protonation behavior for both antibiotics. The presence of Ca2+ decreased clarithromycin binding to soil humic acid, but increased tetracycline binding with increasing Ca2+ concentration. The experimental observations were well described with the NICA-Donnan model considering the complete aqueous speciation of antibiotics and allowing for binding of cationic and zwitterionic species to soil humic acid. Our results indicate that clarithromycin is subject to competition with Ca2+ for binding to soil humic acid and that the electrostatic interaction of positively charged tetracycline-Ca complexes with humic acid enhances tetracycline binding in presence of Ca2+ rather than the formation of ternary complexes, except at very low tetracycline concentrations. We conclude that for the description of ionizable organic micropollutant binding to dissolved natural organic matter, the complete speciation of both sorbate and sorbent has to be considered.

The influence of spruce on acidity and nutrient content in soils of Northern Taiga dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlova, M. A.; Lukina, N. V.; Smirnov, V. E.; Artemkina, N. A.

2016-11-01

Presently, among the works considering the influence of forest trees on soil properties, the idea that spruce ( Picea abies) promotes the acidification of soils predominates. The aim of this work is to assess the effects of spruce trees of different ages and Kraft classes on the acidity and content of available nutrient compounds in the soils under boreal dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests by the example of forest soils in the Kola Peninsula. The soils are typical iron-illuvial podzols (Albic Rustic Podzols (Arenic)). Three probable ways of developing soils under spruce forests with the moss-dwarf shrub ground cover are considered. The soils under windfall-soil complexes of flat mesodepressions present the initial status. The acidity of organic soil horizons from the initial stage of mesodepression overgrowth to the formation of adult trees changed nonlinearly: the soil acidity reached its maximum under the 30-40-year-old trees and decreased under the trees older than 100 years. The contents of nitrogen and available nutrients increased. The acidity of the mineral soil horizons under the trees at the ages of 110-135 and 190-220 years was comparable, but higher than that under the 30-40-year-old trees. The differences in the strength and trends of the trees' effect on the soils are explained by the age of spruce trees and their belonging to different Kraft classes.

Identification of a new sulfonic acid metabolite of metolachlor in soil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aga, D.S.; Thurman, E.M.; Yockel, M.E.; Zimmerman, L.R.; Williams, T.D.

1996-01-01

An ethanesulfonic acid metabolite of metolachlor (metolachlor ESA) was identified in soil-sample extracts by negative-ion, fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) and FAB tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS). Production fragments from MS/MS analysis of the deprotonated molecular ion of metolachlor ESA in the soil extract can be reconciled with the structure of the synthesized standard. The elemental compositions of the (M - H)- ions of the metolachlor ESA standard and the soil-sample extracts were confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. A dissipation study revealed that metolachlor ESA is formed in soil under field conditions corresponding to a decrease in the concentration of the parent herbicide, metolachlor. The identification of the sulfonated metabolite of metolachlor suggests that the glutathione conjugation pathway is a common detoxification pathway shared by chloroacetanilide herbicides.

Acid-base characteristics of the Grass Pond watershed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, USA: interactions among soil, vegetation and surface waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEathron, K. M.; Mitchell, M. J.; Zhang, L.

2013-07-01

Grass Pond watershed is located within the southwestern Adirondack Mountain region of New York State, USA. This region receives some of the highest rates of acidic deposition in North America and is particularly sensitive to acidic inputs due to many of its soils having shallow depths and being generally base poor. Differences in soil chemistry and tree species between seven subwatersheds were examined in relation to acid-base characteristics of the seven major streams that drain into Grass Pond. Mineral soil pH, stream water BCS (base-cation surplus) and pH exhibited a positive correlation with sugar maple basal area (p = 0.055; 0.48 and 0.39, respectively). Black cherry basal area was inversely correlated with stream water BCS, ANC (acid neutralizing capacity)c and NO3- (p = 0.23; 0.24 and 0.20, respectively). Sugar maple basal areas were positively associated with watershed characteristics associated with the neutralization of atmospheric acidic inputs while in contrast, black cherry basal areas showed opposite relationships to these same watershed characteristics. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that black cherry had a distinctive relationship with forest floor chemistry apart from the other tree species, specifically a strong positive association with forest floor NH4, while sugar maple had a distinctive relationship with stream chemistry variables, specifically a strong positive association with stream water ANCc, BCS and pH. Our results provide evidence that sugar maple is acid-intolerant or calciphilic tree species and also demonstrate that black cherry is likely an acid-tolerant tree species.

Modeling the plant-soil interaction in presence of heavy metal pollution and acidity variations.

PubMed

Guala, Sebastián; Vega, Flora A; Covelo, Emma F

2013-01-01

On a mathematical interaction model, developed to model metal uptake by plants and the effects on their growth, we introduce a modification which considers also effects on variations of acidity in soil. The model relates the dynamics of the uptake of metals from soil to plants and also variations of uptake according to the acidity level. Two types of relationships are considered: total and available metal content. We suppose simple mathematical assumptions in order to get as simple as possible expressions with the aim of being easily tested in experimental problems. This work introduces modifications to two versions of the model: on the one hand, the expression of the relationship between the metal in soil and the concentration of the metal in plants and, on the other hand, the relationship between the metal in the soil and total amount of the metal in plants. The fine difference of both versions is fundamental at the moment to consider the tolerance and capacity of accumulation of pollutants in the biomass from the soil.

A Novel Phytase Derived from an Acidic Peat-Soil Microbiome Showing High Stability under Acidic Plus Pepsin Conditions.

PubMed

Tan, Hao; Wu, Xiang; Xie, Liyuan; Huang, Zhongqian; Peng, Weihong; Gan, Bingcheng

2016-01-01

Four novel phytases of the histidine acid phosphatase family were identified in two publicly available metagenomic datasets of an acidic peat-soil microbiome in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. These enzymes have low similarity to all the reported phytases. They were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Catalytic efficacy in simulated gastric fluid was measured and compared among the four candidates. The phytase named rPhyPt4 was selected for its high activity. It is the first phytase identified from unculturable Acidobacteria. The phytase showed a longer half-life than all the gastric-stable phytases that have been reported to date, suggesting a strong resistance to low pH and pepsin. A wide pH profile was observed between pH 1.5 and 5.0. At the optimum pH (2.5) the activity was 2,790 μmol/min/mg at the physiological temperature of 37°C and 3,989 μmol/min/mg at the optimum temperature of 60°C. Due to the competent activity level as well as the high gastric stability, the phytase could be a potential candidate for practical use in livestock and poultry feeding. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of Organic Acids and Sylvite on Phytoextraction of 241Am Contaminated Soil.

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Du, Liang; Tan, Zhaoyi; Su, Rongbo; Li, Taowen

2017-03-01

Contamination of soil with Americium ( 241 Am) at nuclear sites in China poses a serious problem. We screened six plants, from five families, for their 241 Am-enrichment potential. Europium (Eu), which is morphologically and chemically similar to the highly toxic 241 Am, was used in its place. Moreover, the effects of sylvite, citric acid (CA), malic acid (MA), and humic acid (HA) on the absorption of 241 Am by the plants, and its transport within them, were evaluated along with their effect on plant biomass and 241 Am extraction volume. Barley and cabbage showed relatively stronger Eu accumulation capacities. Citric acid promoted the absorption of 241 Am by barley roots and its transport within the plants. The effects of sylvite were not obvious and those of HA were the weakest in case of sunflower; HA, however, maximally increased the biomass of the plants. Our results could provide the basis for future radionuclide phytoremediation of contaminated soils.

Specular Reflection and Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy of Soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies on the occurrence and effects of specular reflection in mid-infrared spectra of soils have shown that distortions due to specular reflection occur for both organic (humic acid) and non-organic fractions (carbonates, silica, ashed fraction of soil). The results demonstrated explain why the s...

Changes in soil properties and in the growth of Lolium multiflorum in an acid soil amended with a solid waste from wineries.

PubMed

Nóvoa-Muñoz, J C; Simal-Gándara, J; Fernández-Calviño, D; López-Periago, E; Arias-Estévez, M

2008-10-01

The agronomic utility of a solid waste, waste perlite (WP), from wine companies was assessed. In this sense, the natural characteristics of the waste were measured, followed by the monitoring of its effects on the chemical properties of acid soils and the growth of Lolium multiflorum. Taking into account that heavy metals associated to the waste (such as Cu, Zn and Mn) could cause problems when used as amendment, the changes in their total levels and in their soil fractionation were also studied, together with their total contents in L. multiflorum. The high content in C (214gkg(-1)), N (25gkg(-1)), P (534mgkg(-1)) and K (106gkg(-1)) of WP turned it into an appropriate amendment to increase soil fertility, solving at the same time its disposal. WP contributed to increase soil pH (in 2 pH units) and cation exchange capacity (CEC increased in 3cmolckg(-1)units), but reduced the potential Cu phytotoxicity due to a change in Cu distribution towards less soluble fractions. The growth of L. multiflorum adequately responds to the treatment with WP at addition rates below 2.5gkg(-1), whereas the imbalance between nutrients can justify the reduction in biomass production at higher WP addition rates. The levels of heavy metals analyzed in L. multiflorum biomass (8-85gkg(-1)) do not seem to cause undesirable effects on its growth.

Changes in soil organic carbon fractions after remediation of a coastal floodplain soil.

PubMed

Wong, V N L; McNaughton, C; Pearson, A

2016-03-01

Coastal floodplain soils and wetland sediments can store large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC). These environments are also commonly underlain by sulfidic sediments which can oxidise to form coastal acid sulfate soils (CASS) and contain high concentrations of acidity and trace metals. CASS are found on every continent globally except Antarctica. When sulfidic sediments are oxidised, scalds can form, which are large bare patches without vegetation. However, SOC stocks and fractions have not been quantified in these coastal floodplain environments. We studied the changes in soil geochemistry and SOC stocks and fractions three years after remediation of a CASS scald. Remediation treatments included raising water levels, and addition of either lime (LO) or lime and mulch (LM) relative to a control (C) site. We found SOC concentrations in the remediated sites (LO and LM) were more than double than that found at site C, reflected in the higher SOC stocks to a depth of 1.6 m (426 Mg C/ha, 478 Mg C/ha and 473 Mg C/ha at sites C, LO and LM, respectively). The particulate organic C (POC) fraction was higher at sites LO and LM due to increased vegetation and biomass inputs, compared to site C. Reformation of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) occurred throughout the profile at site LM, whereas only limited AVS reformation occurred at sites LO and C. Higher AVS at site LM may be linked to the additional source of organic matter provided by the mulch. POC can also potentially contribute to decreasing acidity as a labile SOC source for Fe(3+) and SO4(2-) reduction. Therefore, coastal floodplains and wetlands are a large store of SOC and can potentially increase SOC following remediation due to i) reduced decomposition rates with higher water levels and waterlogging, and ii) high C inputs due to rapid revegetation of scalded areas and high rates of biomass production. These results highlight the importance of maintaining vegetation cover in coastal floodplains and wetlands for

Screening and assessment of solidification/stabilization amendments suitable for soils of lead-acid battery contaminated site.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhuo; Guo, Guanlin; Teng, Yanguo; Wang, Jinsheng; Rhee, Jae Seong; Wang, Sen; Li, Fasheng

2015-05-15

Lead exposure via ingestion of soil and dust generally occurs at lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling sites. Screening solidification/stabilization (S/S) amendments suitable for lead contaminated soil in an abandoned lead-acid battery factory site was conducted based on its chemical forms and environmental risks. Twelve amendments were used to immobilize the Pb in soil and assess the solidification/stabilization efficiency by toxicity leaching tests. The results indicated that three amendments, KH₂PO₄ (KP), KH₂PO₄:oyster shell power=1:1 (by mass ratio; SPP), and KH₂PO₄:sintered magnesia=1:1 (by mass ratio; KPM) had higher remediation efficiencies that led to a 92% reduction in leachable Pb with the addition of 5% amendments, while the acid soluble fraction of Pb (AS-Pb) decreased by 41-46% and the residual fraction (RS-Pb) increased by 16-25%. The S/S costs of the three selected amendments KP, SPP, and KPM could be controlled to $22.3 per ton of soil when the Pb concentration in soil ranged from 2000 to 3000 mg/kg. The results of this study demonstrated that KP, SPP, and KPM can effectively decrease bioavailability of Pb. These findings could provide basis for decision-making of S/S remediation of lead-acid battery contaminated sites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of disintegration behavior of biodegradable poly (hydroxy butanoic acid) copolymer mulch films in soil environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahajan, Viabhav

Biodegradation of polymeric films used for mulch film applications in agriculture not only eliminates problems of sorting out and disposal of plastics films, but also ensures increased yields in crop growth and cost reduction. One such polymer which is completely biodegradable in the soil is poly 3-hydroxy butanoic acid copolymer, which is a promising alternative to non-biodegradable incumbent polyethylene mulch films. The purpose of mulch film made of poly 3-hydroxy butanoic acid copolymers is to sustain itself during the crop growth and disintegrate and eventually biodegrade back to nature after the crop cycle is over. The disintegration phase of the biodegradation process was evaluated for poly 3-hydroxy butanoic acid copolymer incorporated with no additive, antimicrobial additives, varying amount of crystallinities, another biodegradable polymer, and in different soils, with or without varying soil moisture content. The tools used for quantification were weight loss and visual observation. The test method was standardized using repeatability tests. The onset of disintegration was optimized with addition of right anti-microbial additives, higher crystallinity of film, blending with other biodegradable polymers, compared to virgin poly 3-hydroxy butanoic acid copolymer film. The onset of disintegration time was reduced when soil moisture content was reduced. After the onset of disintegration, the polymer film was physically and mechanically deteriorated, withering away in soil, which is possible to tailor with the crop growth cycle.

Sorption-desorption of imidacloprid onto a lacustrine Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid fractions.

PubMed

Kandil, Mahrous M; El-Aswad, Ahmed F; Koskinen, William C

2015-01-01

Sorption-desorption of the insecticide imidacloprid 1-[(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)-methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine onto a lacustrine sandy clay loam Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid (HA) fractions was investigated in 24-h batch equilibrium experiments. Imidacloprid (IMDA) sorption-desorption isotherms onto the three sorbents were found to belong to a non-linear L-type and were best described by the Freundlich model. The value of the IMDA adsorption distribution coefficient, Kd(ads), varied according to its initial concentration and was ranged 40-84 for HA, 14-58 for clay and 1.85-4.15 for bulk soil. Freundlich sorption coefficient, Kf(ads), values were 63.0, 39.7 and 4.0 for HA, clay and bulk soil, respectively. The normalized soil Koc value for imidacloprid sorption was ∼800 indicating its slight mobility in soils. Nonlinear sorption isotherms were indicated by 1/n(ads) values <1 for all sorbents. Values of the hysteresis index (H) were <1, indicating the irreversibility of imidacloprid sorption process with all tested sorbents. Gibbs free energy (ΔG) values indicated a spontaneous and physicosorption process for IMDA and a more favorable sorption to HA than clay and soil. In conclusion, although the humic acid fraction showed the highest capacity and affinity for imidacloprid sorption, the clay fraction contributed to approximately 95% of soil-sorbed insecticide. Clay and humic acid fractions were found to be the major two factors controlling IMDA sorption in soils. The slight mobility of IMDA in soils and the hysteresis phenomenon associated with the irreversibility of its sorption onto, mainly, clay and organic matter of soils make its leachability unlikely to occur.

Impacts of Steel-Slag-Based Silicate Fertilizer on Soil Acidity and Silicon Availability and Metals-Immobilization in a Paddy Soil

PubMed Central

Ning, Dongfeng; Liang, Yongchao; Liu, Zhandong; Xiao, Junfu; Duan, Aiwang

2016-01-01

Slag-based silicate fertilizer has been widely used to improve soil silicon- availability and crop productivity. A consecutive early rice-late rice rotation experiment was conducted to test the impacts of steel slag on soil pH, silicon availability, rice growth and metals-immobilization in paddy soil. Our results show that application of slag at a rate above higher or equal to 1 600 mg plant-available SiO2 per kg soil increased soil pH, dry weight of rice straw and grain, plant-available Si concentration and Si concentration in rice shoots compared with the control treatment. No significant accumulation of total cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) was noted in soil; rather, the exchangeable fraction of Cd significantly decreased. The cadmium concentrations in rice grains decreased significantly compared with the control treatment. In conclusion, application of steel slag reduced soil acidity, increased plant–availability of silicon, promoted rice growth and inhibited Cd transport to rice grain in the soil-plant system. PMID:27973585

Effects of simulated acid rain on soil respiration and its components in a subtropical mixed conifer and broadleaf forest in southern China.

PubMed

Liang, Guohua; Hui, Dafeng; Wu, Xiaoying; Wu, Jianping; Liu, Juxiu; Zhou, Guoyi; Zhang, Deqiang

2016-02-01

Soil respiration is a major pathway in the global carbon cycle and its response to environmental changes is an increasing concern. Here we explored how total soil respiration (RT) and its components respond to elevated acid rain in a mixed conifer and broadleaf forest, one of the major forest types in southern China. RT was measured twice a month in the first year under four treatment levels of simulated acid rain (SAR: CK, the local lake water, pH 4.7; T1, water pH 4.0; T2, water pH 3.25; and T3, water pH 2.5), and in the second year, RT, litter-free soil respiration (RS), and litter respiration (RL) were measured simultaneously. The results indicated that the mean rate of RT was 2.84 ± 0.20 μmol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) in the CK plots, and RS and RL contributed 60.7% and 39.3% to RT, respectively. SAR marginally reduced (P = 0.08) RT in the first year, but significantly reduced RT and its two components in the second year (P < 0.05). The negative effects were correlated with the decrease in soil microbial biomass and fine root biomass due to soil acidification under the SAR. The temperature coefficients (Q10) of RT and its two components generally decreased with increasing levels of the SAR, but only the decrease of RT and RL was significant (P < 0.05). In addition, the contribution of RL to RT decreased significantly under the SAR, indicating that RL was more sensitive to the SAR than RS. In the context of elevated acid rain, the decline trend of RT in the forests in southern China appears to be attributable to the decline of soil respiration in the litter layer.

Detoxification of Fusaric Acid by the Soil Microbe Mucor rouxii.

PubMed

Crutcher, Frankie K; Puckhaber, Lorraine S; Bell, Alois A; Liu, Jinggao; Duke, Sara E; Stipanovic, Robert D; Nichols, Robert L

2017-06-21

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 (VCG0114), which causes root rot and wilt of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum and G. barbadense), has been identified recently for the first time in the western hemisphere in certain fields in the San Joaquin Valley of California. This pathotype produces copious quantities of the plant toxin fusaric acid (5-butyl-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) compared to other isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov) that are indigenous to the United States. Fusaric acid is toxic to cotton plants and may help the pathogen compete with other microbes in the soil. We found that a laboratory strain of the fungus Mucor rouxii converts fusaric acid into a newly identified compound, 8-hydroxyfusaric acid. The latter compound is significantly less phytotoxic to cotton than the parent compound. On the basis of bioassays of hydroxylated analogues of fusaric acid, hydroxylation of the butyl side chain of fusaric acid may affect a general detoxification of fusaric acid. Genes that control this hydroxylation may be useful in developing biocontrol agents to manage Fov.

Tree species affect cation exchange capacity (CEC) and cation binding properties of organic matter in acid forest soils.

PubMed

Gruba, Piotr; Mulder, Jan

2015-04-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) in forest soil is of major importance for cation binding and acid buffering, but its characteristics may differ among soils under different tree species. We investigated acidity, cation exchange properties and Al bonding to SOM in stands of Scots pine, pedunculate oak, Norway spruce, European beech and common hornbeam in southern Poland. The content of total carbon (Ct) was by far the major contributor to total cation exchange capacity (CECt) even in loamy soils and a strong relationship between Ct and CECt was found. The slope of the regression of CECt to Ct increased in the order hornbeam≈oakacid pH range was smallest for hornbeam and oak, and largest for spruce and pine soils. This was supported by the apparent dissociation constant (pKapp) values of SOM, which were largest in soils under oak. The maximum values of Al saturation were similar between the stands. However, maximum Al bonding to SOM occurred at higher pH values in soils under pine and spruce than under oak. Therefore, at any value in the acid pH range, the SOM in pine soil has less Al complexed and more adsorbed H+ than SOM from oak soils. Such differences in Al and H bonding are not only important for pH buffering and metal solubility controls, but also for stabilization of SOM via saturation of functional groups by Al and H. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Removal of heavy metals from polluted soil using the citric acid fermentation broth: a promising washing agent.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongjiao; Gao, Yuntao; Xiong, Huabin

2017-04-01

The citric acid fermentation broth was prepared and it was employed to washing remediation of heavy metal-polluted soil. A well-defined washing effect was obtained, the removal percentages using citric acid fermentation broth are that 48.2% for Pb, 30.6% for Cu, 43.7% for Cr, and 58.4% for Cd and higher than that using citric acid solution. The kinetics of heavy metals desorption can be described by the double constant equation and Elovich equation and is a heterogeneous diffusion process. The speciation analysis shows that the citric acid fermentation broth can effectively reduce bioavailability and environmental risk of heavy metals. Spectroscopy characteristics analysis suggests that the washing method has only a small effect on the mineral composition and does not destroy the framework of soil system. Therefore, the citric acid fermentation broth is a promising washing agent and possesses a potential practical application value in the field of remediation of soils with a good washing performance.

The combined effects of urea application and simulated acid rain on soil acidification and microbial community structure.

PubMed

Liu, Xingmei; Zhou, Jian; Li, Wanlu; Xu, Jianming; Brookes, Philip C

2014-05-01

Our aim was to test the effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) at different pHs, when applied to fertilized and unfertilized soils, on the leaching of soil cations (K, Ca, Mg, Na) and Al. Their effects on soil pH, exchangeable H(+) and Al(3+) and microbial community structure were also determined. A Paleudalfs soil was incubated for 30 days, with and without an initial application of urea (200 mg N kg(-1)soil) as nitrogen (N) fertilizer. The soil was held in columns and leached with SAR at three pH levels. Six treatments were tested: SAR of pH 2.5, 4.0 and 5.6 leaching on unfertilized soil (T1, T2 and T3), and on soils fertilized with urea (T4, T5 and T6). Increasing acid inputs proportionally increased cation leaching in both unfertilized and fertilized soils. Urea application increased the initial Ca and Mg leaching, but had no effect on the total concentrations of Ca, Mg and K leached. There was no significant difference for the amount of Na leached between the different treatments. The SAR pH and urea application had significant effects on soil pH, exchangeable H(+) and Al(3+). Urea application, SAR treated with various pH, and the interactions between them all had significant impacts on total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). The highest concentration of total PLFAs occurred in fertilized soils with SAR pH5.6 and the lowest in soils leached with the lowest SAR pH. Soils pretreated with urea then leached with SARs of pH 4.0 and 5.6 had larger total PLFA concentrations than soil without urea. Bacterial, fungal, actinomycete, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial PLFAs had generally similar trends to total PLFAs.

Acid-base properties of water-soluble organic matter of forest soils, studied by the pK-spectroscopy method.

PubMed

Shamrikova, E V; Ryazanov, M A; Vanchikova, E V

2006-11-01

Using the potentiometric titration and pK spectroscopy method, acid-base properties of water-soluble organic matter of forest soils have been studied. Five acidic classes composed of different substances with pK(a) values around 3.6; 4.8; 6.7; 8.7 and 9.7 have been identified. Testing the properties of soluble soil fraction, it is to be taken into account that when it is isolated from non-soluble soil matter, some water-soluble substances remain in soil and do not pass into the solution. Most firmly adsorbed in soil are water-soluble components with pK(a) 9.6-9.8.

Water-soluble low-molecular-weight organic acids in automorphic loamy soils of the tundra and taiga zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamrikova, E. V.; Gruzdev, I. V.; Punegov, V. V.; Khabibullina, F. M.; Kubik, O. S.

2013-06-01

The formation features of water-soluble low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) in a zonal series of automorphic soils on loose silicate rocks from the middle taiga to the southern tundra (typical podzolic, gley-podzolic, and surface-gley tundra soils) were first revealed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and gas-liquid chromatography. The content of LMWOAs varies within the range of 1-14 mg/dm3, which corresponds to 1-5% of the total carbon of the water-soluble soil organic matter. It has been shown that a subzonal feature of gley-podzolic soils in the northern taiga is the high content of LMWOAs, including primarily the strongest aliphatic hydroxyl acids. Possible mechanisms of their formation and accumulation in soils have been considered.

Isolation and fractionation of soil humin using alkaline urea and dimethylsulphoxide plus sulphuric acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Guixue; Hayes, Michael H. B.; Novotny, Etelvino H.; Simpson, Andre J.

2011-01-01

Humin, the most recalcitrant and abundant organic fraction of soils and of sediments, is a significant contributor to the stable carbon pool in soils and is important for the global carbon budget. It has significant resistance to transformations by microorganisms. Based on the classical operational definition, humin can include any humic-type substance that is not soluble in water at any pH. We demonstrate in this study how sequential exhaustive extractions with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) + 6 M urea, followed by dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) + 6% ( v/ v) sulphuric acid (H2SO4) solvent systems, can extract 70-80% of the residual materials remaining after prior exhaustive extractions in neutral and aqueous basic media. Solid-state 13C NMR spectra have shown that the components isolated in the base + urea system were compositionally similar to the humic and fulvic acid fractions isolated at pH 12.6 in the aqueous media. The NMR spectra indicated that the major components isolated in the DMSO + H2SO4 medium had aliphatic hydrocarbon associated with carboxyl functionalities and with lesser amounts of carbohydrate and peptide and minor amounts of lignin-derived components. The major components will have significant contributions from long-chain fatty acids, waxes, to cuticular materials. The isolates in the DMSO + H2SO4 medium were compositionally similar to the organic components that resisted solvation and remained associated with the soil clays. It is concluded that the base + urea system released humic and fulvic acids held by hydrogen bonding or by entrapment within the humin matrix. The recalcitrant humin materials extracted in DMSO + H2SO4 are largely biological molecules (from plants and the soil microbial population) that are likely to be protected from degradation by their hydrophobic moieties and by sorption on the soil clays. Thus, the major components of humin do not satisfy the classical definitions for humic substances which emphasise that these arise from

Differences in sorption behavior of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid on artificial soils as a function of soil pre-aging.

PubMed

Waldner, Georg; Friesl-Hanl, Wolfgang; Haberhauer, Georg; Gerzabek, Martin H

The sorption behavior of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) to three different artificial soil mixtures was investigated. Artificial soils serve as model systems for improving understanding of sorption phenomena. The soils consisted of quartz, ferrihydrite, illite, montmorillonite, and charcoal. In a previous study, several selected mixtures had been inoculated with organic matter, and microbial aging (incubation) had been performed for different periods of time (3, 12, and 18 months) before conducting the sorption experiments. The effect of this pre-incubation time on the sorption behavior was determined. Interaction of MCPA with soil surfaces was monitored by aqueous phase sorption experiments, using high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet and in selected cases Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. The sorption behavior showed large differences between differently aged soils; Freundlich and linear sorption model fits (with sorption constants K f , 1/ n exponents, and K d values, respectively) were given for pH = 3 and the unbuffered pH of ∼7. The largest extent of sorption from diluted solutions was found on the surfaces with a pre-incubation time of 3 months. Sorption increased at acidic pH values. Regarding the influence of aging of artificial soils, the following conclusions were drawn: young artificial soils exhibit stronger sorption at lower concentrations, with a larger K f value than aged soils. A correlation with organic carbon content was not confirmed. Thus, the sorption characteristics of the soils are more influenced by the aging of the organic carbon than by the organic carbon content itself.

Aluminium tolerance and high phosphorus efficiency helps Stylosanthes better adapt to low-P acid soils.

PubMed

Du, Yu-Mei; Tian, Jiang; Liao, Hong; Bai, Chang-Jun; Yan, Xiao-Long; Liu, Guo-Dao

2009-06-01

Stylosanthes spp. (stylo) is one of the most important pasture legumes used in a wide range of agricultural systems on acid soils, where aluminium (Al) toxicity and phosphorus (P) deficiency are two major limiting factors for plant growth. However, physiological mechanisms of stylo adaptation to acid soils are not understood. Twelve stylo genotypes were surveyed under field conditions, followed by sand and nutrient solution culture experiments to investigate possible physiological mechanisms of stylo adaptation to low-P acid soils. Stylo genotypes varied substantially in growth and P uptake in low P conditions in the field. Three genotypes contrasting in P efficiency were selected for experiments in nutrient solution and sand culture to examine their Al tolerance and ability to utilize different P sources, including Ca-P, K-P, Al-P, Fe-P and phytate-P. Among the three tested genotypes, the P-efficient genotype 'TPRC2001-1' had higher Al tolerance than the P-inefficient genotype 'Fine-stem' as indicated by relative tap root length and haematoxylin staining. The three genotypes differed in their ability to utilize different P sources. The P-efficient genotype, 'TPRC2001-1', had superior ability to utilize phytate-P. The findings suggest that possible physiological mechanisms of stylo adaptation to low-P acid soils might involve superior ability of plant roots to tolerate Al toxicity and to utilize organic P and Al-P.

Effect of aluminum, zinc, copper, and lead on the acid-base properties of water extracts from soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motuzova, G. V.; Makarychev, I. P.; Petrov, M. I.

2013-01-01

The potentiometric titration of water extracts from the upper horizons of taiga-zone soils by salt solutions of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Zn) showed that their addition is an additional source of the extract acidity because of the involvement of the metal ions in complexation with water-soluble organic substances (WSOSs). At the addition of 0.01 M water solutions of Al(NO3)3 to water extracts from soils, Al3+ ions are also involved in complexes with WSOSs, which is accompanied by stronger acidification of the extracts from the upper horizon of soddy soils (with a near-neutral reaction) than from the litter of bog-podzolic soil (with a strongly acid reaction). The effect of the Al3+ hydrolysis on the acidity of the extracts is insignificantly low in both cases. A quantitative relationship was revealed between the release of protons and the ratio of free Cu2+ ions to those complexed with WSOSs at the titration of water extracts from soils by a solution of copper salt.

Rehabilitating acid soils for increasing crop productivity through low-cost liming material.

PubMed

Bhat, Javid Ahmad; Kundu, Manik Chandra; Hazra, Gora Chand; Santra, Gour Hari; Mandal, Biswapati

2010-09-15

Productivity of red and lateritic soils is low because of their acidity and deficiencies in few essential nutrients viz., nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, boron, molybdenum etc. We compared the effectiveness of basic slag, a low-cost liming material, with that of calcite as an ameliorant for these soils using mustard followed by rice as test crops. Experiments were conducted with three levels of each of basic slag and calcite along with a control on farmers' fields at 14 different locations. Influence of farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) on the effectiveness of the slag was also tested. On an average, basic slag performed better than calcite in increasing yields of both mustard and rice and left over higher amounts of available Ca, Si and Zn in residual soils. The slag also improved N, P, K and Ca nutrition of mustard and Si and Zn nutrition of rice with a favorable benefit:cost (B:C) ratio over the calcite (4.82 vs. 1.44). Effectiveness of the basic slag improved when it was applied in combination with FYM or PM (B:C, 5.83 and 6.27). Basic slag can, therefore, be advocated for use in the acidic red and lateritic soils for economically improving their productivity. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate change impacts on forest soil critical acid loads and exceedances at a national scale

Treesearch

Steven G. McNulty; Erika C. Cohen; Jennifer A. Moore Myers

2013-01-01

Federal agencies are currently developing guidelines for forest soil critical acid loads across the United States. A critical acid load is defined as the amount of acid deposition (usually expressed on an annual basis) that an ecosystem can absorb. Traditionally, an ecosystem is considered to be at risk for health impairment when the critical acid load exceeds a level...

Influence of triethyl phosphate on phosphatase activity in shooting range soil: Isolation of a zinc-resistant bacterium with an acid phosphatase.

PubMed

Story, Sandra; Brigmon, Robin L

2017-03-01

Phosphatase-mediated hydrolysis of organic phosphate may be a viable means of stabilizing heavy metals via precipitation as a metal phosphate in bioremediation applications. We investigated the effect of triethyl phosphate (TEP) on soil microbial-phosphatase activity in a heavy-metal contaminated soil. Gaseous TEP has been used at subsurface sites for bioremediation of organic contaminants but not applied in heavy-metal contaminated areas. Little is known about how TEP affects microbial activity in soils and it is postulated that TEP can serve as a phosphate source in nutrient-poor groundwater and soil/sediments. Over a 3-week period, TEP amendment to microcosms containing heavy-metal contaminated soil resulted in increased activity of soil acid-phosphatase and repression of alkaline phosphatase, indicating a stimulatory effect on the microbial population. A soil-free enrichment of microorganisms adapted to heavy-metal and acidic conditions was derived from the TEP-amended soil microcosms using TEP as the sole phosphate source and the selected microbial consortium maintained a high acid-phosphatase activity with repression of alkaline phosphatase. Addition of 5mM zinc to soil-free microcosms had little effect on acid phosphatase but inhibited alkaline phosphatase. One bacterial member from the consortium, identified as Burkholderia cepacia sp., expressed an acid-phosphatase activity uninhibited by high concentrations of zinc and produced a soluble, indigo pigment under phosphate limitation. The pigment was produced in a phosphate-free medium and was not produced in the presence of TEP or phosphate ion, indicative of purple acid-phosphatase types that are pressed by bioavailable phosphate. These results demonstrate that TEP amendment was bioavailable and increased overall phosphatase activity in both soil and soil-free microcosms supporting the possibility of positive outcomes in bioremediation applications. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Arsenic Speciation and Extraction and the Significance of Biodegradable Acid on Arsenic Removal—An Approach for Remediation of Arsenic-Contaminated Soil

PubMed Central

Nguyen Van, Thinh; Osanai, Yasuhito; Do Nguyen, Hai; Kurosawa, Kiyoshi

2017-01-01

A series of arsenic remediation tests were conducted using a washing method with biodegradable organic acids, including oxalic, citric and ascorbic acids. Approximately 80% of the arsenic in one sample was removed under the effect of the ascorbic and oxalic acid combination, which was roughly twice higher than the effectiveness of the ascorbic and citric acid combination under the same conditions. The soils treated using biodegradable acids had low remaining concentrations of arsenic that are primarily contained in the crystalline iron oxides and organic matter fractions. The close correlation between extracted arsenic and extracted iron/aluminum suggested that arsenic was removed via the dissolution of Fe/Al oxides in soils. The fractionation of arsenic in four contaminated soils was investigated using a modified sequential extraction method. Regarding fractionation, we found that most of the soil contained high proportions of arsenic (As) in exchangeable fractions with phosphorus, amorphous oxides, and crystalline iron oxides, while a small amount of the arsenic fraction was organic matter-bound. This study indicated that biodegradable organic acids can be considered as a means for arsenic-contaminated soil remediation.

Forms and Lability of Phosphorus in Humic Acid Fractions of Hord Silt Loam Soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phosphorus (P) has long been known to be present in soil humic fractions, but little is known about specific P forms in humic fractions, or their lability. We extracted the mobile humic acid (MHA) and recalcitrant calcium humate (CaHA) fractions from a Nebraska Hord silt loam soil under continuous c...

Changes in Soil Minerology Reduce Phosphorus Mobility During Anoxic Soil Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, S. K.; Geohring, L. D.; Richards, B. K.; Walter, M.; Steenhuis, T. S.

2008-05-01

Phosphorus (P) transfer from the landscape to receiving waters is an important environmental concern because these diffuse losses may cause widespread water quality impairments which can accelerate freshwater eutrophication. Phosphorus (P) mobilization from soil to surface and subsurface flow paths is controlled by numerous factors, and thus it can vary greatly with time and landscape scale. To determine whether P mobilization during soil saturation in the landscape was caused or controlled by complexation, iron reduction or ligand exchange, experiments were carried out to better characterize the interrelationships of varying P sources with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soil anoxic conditions. The soil incubation experiments consisted of treatments with distilled water, 5 mM acetic acid (HAc), 0.05% humic acid (HA) and glucose (40 mM) at 26 o C under anaerobic conditions to isolate effects of the various P exchange processes. The experimental results suggest that during soil saturation, the loosely bound P, which is primarily associated with iron oxyhydroxides, was mobilized by both reduction and complexation processes. Good correlations were observed between ferrous iron (Fe+2) and DOC, and between total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) and DOC, facilitating P desorption to the soil water. The anaerobic soil conditions with different P sources also indicated that mineralization facilitated P mobility, mainly due to chelation (humics and metabolites) and as a result of the bio-reduction of iron when fresh litter and grass were present. The organic P sources which are rich in carbohydrate and cellulose and that undergo fermentation due to the action of lactate forming organisms also caused a release of P. The easily metabolizable DOC sources lead to intensive bio-reduction of soil with the release of Fe, however this did not necessarily appear to cause more TDP in the soil solution. The varying P additions in soils with water, HAc and glucose (40mm) before and after

Characterization of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid-degrading fungi in Vietnamese soils.

PubMed

Itoh, Kazuhito; Kinoshita, Masahiro; Morishita, Shigeyuki; Chida, Masateru; Suyama, Kousuke

2013-04-01

Sixty-nine fungal strains were isolated countrywide from 10 Vietnamese soils, in areas both with and without a history of exposure to Agent Orange, and their degrading activities on the phenoxy acid herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), as well as related compounds, were examined. Among taxonomically various fungi, 45, 12 and 4% of the isolates degraded phenoxyacetic acid (PA), 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, respectively. While the PA-degrading fungi were distributed to all sites and among many genera, the 2,4-D-degraders were found only in order Eurotiales in class Eurotiomycetes. All of the 2,4,5-T-degrading fungal strains were phylogenetically close to Eupenicillium spp. and were isolated from southern Vietnam. As a degradation intermediate, the corresponding phenol compounds were detected in some strains. The degradation substrate spectrum for 26 compounds of Eupenicillium spp. strains including 2,4,5-T-degraders and -non-degraders seemed to be related to phylogenetic similarity and soil sampling location of the isolates. These results suggest that the heavily contaminated environments enhanced the adaptation of the phylogenetic group of Eupenicillium spp. toward to obtain the ability to degrade 2,4,5-T. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effect of phosphate and organic acid addition on passivation of simulated Pb contaminated soil and the stability of the product].

PubMed

Zuo, Ji-Chao; Gao, Ting-Ting; Su, Xiao-Juan; Wan, Tian-Ying; Hu, Hong-Qing

2014-10-01

Organic acids can improve the phosphorus availability, influence the immobilization of heavy metals in soil, and has very complicated function in phosphorus activation and heavy metal passivation. This research took simulated Pb contaminated soil as material, phosphate and citric acid as remediation matter, adopted BCR continuous extraction, 0.01 mol · L(-1) CaCl2 and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) to evaluate the remediation effect. Besides, malic acid and NaNO3 were taken as desorption reagents to discuss the stability of the phosphorus-citric acid-Pb system. The results showed that: in the absence of citric acid, the amount of acid extracted Pb decreased along with the increase of P concentration; when the P concentration was 100 and 400 mg · kg(-1), acid extractable Pb increased with the increasing of citric acid concentration. However, residual Pb changed in the opposite direction from acid extractable Pb. The phenomenon showed that P improved the bioavailability of Pb, while citric acid had the opposite effect. With a certain organic acid concentration, extractable Pb contents extracted by 0.01 mol · L(-1) CaCl2 and TCLP both decreased with the increasing P concentration, therefore, P had immobilization effect on Pb in contaminated soil. But at a fixed P concentration, extractable Pb contents by 0.01 mol · L(-1) CaCl2 and TCLP changed in the opposite trend with the increasing citric acid concentration. The desorption rate of Pb in soil increased with the increasing malic acid concentration, the decreasing pH and the increasing ionic strength. The desorption extent of Pb in soil with P only was lower than that with both P and citric acid. But the stability of Pb passivated by the former was higher.

Reclamation of heavy metals from contaminated soil using organic acid liquid generated from food waste: removal of Cd, Cu, and Zn, and soil fertility improvement.

PubMed

Dai, Shijin; Li, Yang; Zhou, Tao; Zhao, Youcai

2017-06-01

Food waste fermentation generates complicated organic and acidic liquids with low pH. In this work, it was found that an organic acid liquid with pH 3.28 and volatile low-molecular-weight organic acid (VLMWOA) content of 5.2 g/L could be produced from food wastes after 9-day fermentation. When the liquid-to-solid ratio was 50:1, temperature was 40 °C, and contact time was 0.5-1 day, 92.9, 78.8, and 52.2% of the Cd, Cu, and Zn in the contaminated soil could be washed out using the fermented food waste liquid, respectively. The water-soluble, acid-soluble, and partly reducible heavy metal fractions can be removed after 0.5-day contact time, which was more effective than that using commercially available VLMWOAs (29-72% removal), as the former contained microorganisms and adequate amounts of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, and exchangeable Na, K, and Ca) which favored the washing process of heavy metals. It is thus suggested that the organic acid fractions from food waste has a considerable potential for reclaiming contaminated soil while improving soil fertility.

[Responses of rhizosphere nitrogen and phosphorus transformations to different acid rain intensities in a hilly red soil tea plantation].

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Chen, Fu-sheng; Ye, Su-qiong; Yu, Su-qin; Fang, Xiang-min; Hu, Xiao-fei

2015-01-01

Tea (Camellia sinensis) plantation in hilly red soil region has been long impacted by acid deposition, however its effects on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) transformations in rhizosphere soils remain unclear. A 25-year old tea plantation in a typical hilly red soil region was selected for an in situ simulation experiment treated by pH 4.5, pH 3.5, pH 2.5 and control. Rhizosihere and bulk soils were collected in the third year from the simulated acid deposition experiment. Soil mineral N, available P contents and major enzyme activities were analyzed using the chemical extraction and biochemical methods, and N and P mineralization rates were estimated using the indoor aerobic incubation methods. Our results showed that compared to the control, the treatments of pH 4.5, pH 3.5 and pH 2.5, respectively decreased 7.1%, 42.1% and 49.9% NO3(-)-N, 6.4%, 35.9% and 40.3% mineral N, 10.5%, 41.1% and 46.9% available P, 18.7%, 30.1% and 44.7% ammonification rate, 3.6%, 12.7% and 38.8% net N-mineralization rate, and 31.5%, 41.8% and 63.0% P mineralization rate in rhizosphere soils; however, among the 4 treatments, rhizosphere soil nitrification rate was not significantly different, the rhizosphere soil urease and acid phosphatase activities generally increased with the increasing intensity of acid rain (P<0.05). In bulk soil, compared with the control, the treatments of pH 4.5, pH 3.5 and pH 2.5 did not cause significant changes in NO3(-)-N, mineral N, available P as well as in the rates of nitrification, ammonification, net N-mineralization and P mineralization. With increasing the acid intensity, the rhizosphere effects of NH4+-N, NO3(-)-N, mineral N, ammonification and net N-mineralization rates were altered from positive to negative effects, those of urease and acid phosphatease showed the opposite trends, those of available P and P mineralization were negative and that of nitrification was positive. In sum, prolonged elevated acid rain could reduce N and P transformation

Effective gamma-ray doses due to natural radiation from soils of southeastern Brazil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silveira, M. A. G.; Moreira, R. H.; Bellini, B. S.

2010-08-04

We have used gamma-ray spectrometry to study the distribution of natural radiation from soils of southeastern Brazil: Billings reservoir, Sao Bernardo do Campo Parks, Diadema Parks, Interlagos region, Sao Paulo, and soil from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro beaches. In most of the regions studied we have found that the dose due the external exposure to gamma-rays, proceeding from natural terrestrial elements, are between the values 0.3 and 0.6 mSv/year, established by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.

[Process and mechanism of plants in overcoming acid soil aluminum stress].

PubMed

Zhao, Tian-Long; Xie, Guang-Ning; Zhang, Xiao-Xia; Qiu, Lin-Quan; Wang, Na; Zhang, Su-Zhi

2013-10-01

Aluminum (Al) stress is one of the most important factors affecting the plant growth on acid soil. Currently, global soil acidification further intensifies the Al stress. Plants can detoxify Al via the chelation of ionic Al and organic acids to store the ionic Al in vacuoles and extrude it from roots. The Al extrusion is mainly performed by the membrane-localized anion channel proteins Al(3+)-activated malate transporter (ALMT) and multi-drug and toxin extrusion (MATE). The genes encoding ABC transporter and zinc-finger protein conferred plant Al tolerance have also been found. The identification of these Al-resistant genes makes it possible to increase the Al resistance of crop plants and enhance their production by the biological methods such as gene transformation and mark-associated breeding. The key problems needed to be solved and the possible directions in the researches of plant Al stress resistance were proposed.

Microbial Substrate Usage Indicated by C-14 Contents of Phospholipid Fatty Acids From Soil Organic Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rethemeyer, J.; Nadeau, M. J.; Grootes, P. M.; Kramer, C.; Gleixner, G.

2004-05-01

Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA's) are generally associated with viable (bacterial) cell membranes. They are thought to be short-lived under normal soil conditions. We compare the C-14 levels in PLFA's obtained from soil samples from the,clean" experimental site at Rotthalmünster (Germany) with those from the agricultural research station at Halle (Germany), where the soil is contaminated with,old" carbon from lignite mining and industry. The most abundant PLFA's were isolated via preparative capillary gas chromatography of their methyl-esters at the Max-Planck Institute, Jena, and their C-14 concentration was determined via accelerator mass spectrometry at the Leibniz-Labor, Kiel. The C-14 levels of three mono-unsaturated fatty acids (n-C17:1, n-C18:1 (and n-C16:1)) are not statistically significant different from those of the contemporaneous atmosphere, indicating these fatty acids were derived from fresh plant material. C-14 levels significantly above those of the atmosphere in three saturated fatty acids (i/a-C15:0, n-C16:0 and cy-C18:0) from the surface soil of Rotthalmünster must derive from carbon fixed from the atmosphere several years earlier, when levels of bomb-C-14, remaining from the atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, especially of the early 1960's, were still higher. Lower C-14 levels in the same compounds from the Halle surface soil indicate the incorporation of "old" contaminant carbon. A below- atmospheric C-14 concentration in n-C18:0 in Rotthalmünster surface soil may reflect the partial incorporation of carbon from older, pre-bomb times. The C-14 concentrations show these PLFA's were synthesized predominantly from recent to sub-recent photosynthetic compounds, while the significant differences in C-14 concentration, observed between the PLFA's, indicate their production from soil organic matter fractions of different (recent) age and C-14 content. The Halle results show "old" carbon may be incorporated into PLFA's and thus reenter the soil

Selective dissolution followed by EDDS washing of an e-waste contaminated soil: Extraction efficiency, fate of residual metals, and impact on soil environment.

PubMed

Beiyuan, Jingzi; Tsang, Daniel C W; Valix, Marjorie; Zhang, Weihua; Yang, Xin; Ok, Yong Sik; Li, Xiang-Dong

2017-01-01

To enhance extraction of strongly bound metals from oxide minerals and organic matter, this study examined the sequential use of reductants, oxidants, alkaline solvents and organic acids followed by a biodegradable chelating agent (EDDS, [S,S]-ethylene-diamine-disuccinic-acid) in a two-stage soil washing. The soil was contaminated by Cu, Zn, and Pb at an e-waste recycling site in Qingyuan city, China. In addition to extraction efficiency, this study also examined the fate of residual metals (e.g., leachability, bioaccessibility, and distribution) and the soil quality parameters (i.e., cytotoxicity, enzyme activities, and available nutrients). The reductants (dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride) effectively extracted metals by mineral dissolution, but elevated the leachability and bioaccessibility of metals due to the transformation from Fe/Mn oxides to labile fractions. Subsequent EDDS washing was found necessary to mitigate the residual risks. In comparison, prior washing by oxidants (persulphate, hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide) was marginally useful because of limited amount of soil organic matter. Prior washing by alkaline solvents (sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate) was also ineffective due to metal precipitation. In contrast, prior washing by low-molecular-weight organic acids (citrate and oxalate) improved the extraction efficiency. Compared to hydroxylamine hydrochloride, citrate and oxalate induced lower cytotoxicity (Microtox) and allowed higher enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, and urease) and soil nutrients (available nitrogen and phosphorus), which would facilitate reuse of the treated soil. Therefore, while sequential washing proved to enhance extraction efficacy, the selection of chemical agents besides EDDS should also include the consideration of effects on metal leachability/bioaccessibility and soil quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Scirpus triqueter root exudates and the effects of organic acids on desorption and bioavailability of pyrene and lead in co-contaminated wetland soils.