40 CFR 412.37 - Additional measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... STANDARDS CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dairy Cows and Cattle Other... application; (4) Test methods used to sample and analyze manure, litter, process waste water, and soil; (5) Results from manure, litter, process waste water, and soil sampling; (6) Explanation of the basis for...

40 CFR 412.37 - Additional measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... STANDARDS CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dairy Cows and Cattle Other... application; (4) Test methods used to sample and analyze manure, litter, process waste water, and soil; (5) Results from manure, litter, process waste water, and soil sampling; (6) Explanation of the basis for...

40 CFR 412.37 - Additional measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... STANDARDS CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dairy Cows and Cattle Other... application; (4) Test methods used to sample and analyze manure, litter, process waste water, and soil; (5) Results from manure, litter, process waste water, and soil sampling; (6) Explanation of the basis for...

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.

Geotechnical characterization of mined clay from Appalachian Ohio: challenges and implications for the clay mining industry.

PubMed

Moran, Anthony R; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-07-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling.

Geotechnical Characterization of Mined Clay from Appalachian Ohio: Challenges and Implications for the Clay Mining Industry

PubMed Central

Moran, Anthony R.; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-01-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling. PMID:21845150

CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTING AND PREPARING DUST AND SOIL SAMPLES FOR ANALYSIS OF POLAR PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (SOP-5.15)

EPA Science Inventory

The method for extracting and preparing a dust or soil sample for analysis of polar persistent organic pollutants is summarized in this SOP. It covers the extraction, concentration, and derivatization of samples that are to be analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Heavy metals in soils and sediments from Dongting Lake in China: occurrence, sources, and spatial distribution by multivariate statistical analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaxin; Tian, Ye; Shen, Maocai; Zeng, Guangming

2018-05-01

Heavy metal contamination in soils/sediments and its impact on human health and ecological environment have aroused wide concerns. Our study investigated 30 samples of soils and sediments around Dongting Lake to analyze the concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the samples and to distinguish the natural and anthropogenic sources. Also, the relationship between heavy metals and the physicochemical properties of samples was studied by multivariate statistical analysis. Concentration of Cd at most sampling sites were more than five times that of national environmental quality standard for soil in China (GB 15618-1995), and Pb and Zn levels exceeded one to two times. Moreover, Cr in the soil was higher than the national environmental quality standards for one to two times while in sediment was lower than the national standard. The investigation revealed that the accumulations of As, Cd, Mn, and Pb in the soils, and sediments were affected apparently by anthropogenic activities; however, Cr, Fe, and Ni levels were impacted by parent materials. Human activities around Dongting Lake mainly consisted of industrial activities, mining and smelting, sewage discharges, fossil fuel combustion, and agricultural chemicals. The spatial distribution of heavy metal in soil followed the rule of geographical gradient, whereas in sediments, it was significantly affected by the river basins and human activities. The result of principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that heavy metals in soils were associated with pH and total phosphorus (TP), while in sediments, As, Cr, Fe, and Ni were closely associated with cation exchange capacity (CEC) and pH, where Pb, Zn, and Cd were associated with total nitrogen (TN), TP, total carbon (TC), moisture content (MC), soil organic matter (SOM), and ignition lost (IL). Our research provides comprehensive approaches to better understand the potential sources and the fate of contaminants in lakeshore soils and sediments.

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS OF SOIL OR HOUSE DUST SAMPLES USING CHLORPYRIFOS ELISA SAMPLES (BCO-L-1.0)

EPA Science Inventory

This abstract is included for completeness of documentation, but this SOP was not used in the study.

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the procedures for analyzing both Stage II and Stage III soil and vacuum-cleaner collected house dust samples, and Stage III air samples u...

40 CFR 265.112 - Closure plan; amendment of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... residues and contaminated containment system components, equipment, structures, and soils during partial... contaminated soils, methods for sampling and testing surrounding soils, and criteria for determining the extent of decontamination necessary to satisfy the closure performance standard; and (5) A detailed...

40 CFR 264.112 - Closure plan; amendment of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... residues and contaminated containment system components, equipment, structures, and soils during partial... contaminated soils, methods for sampling and testing surrounding soils, and criteria for determining the extent of decontamination required to satisfy the closure performance standard; and (5) A detailed...

Speciation of Soil Phosphorus Assessed by XANES Spectroscopy at Different Spatial Scales

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

Hesterberg, Dean; McNulty, Ian; Thieme, Juergen

Precise management of soil phosphorus (P) to meet competing demands of agriculture and environmental protection can benefit from more comprehensive characterization of P speciation in soils. Our objectives were to provide spatial context for spectroscopic analyses of soil P speciation in relation to molecular-scale species and landscape-scale management of P, and to compare soil P-species diversity from spectroscopic measurements at submicron and millimeter scales. The spatial range of ~26 orders of magnitude between atomic and field scales presents a challenge to upscaling and downscaling information from spectroscopic analyses of soils. Scanning fluorescence X-ray microscopy images of a 50-mm ´ 45-mmmore » area of an organic soil sample showed heterogeneous distributions of P, Al, and Si. Microscale X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectra collected at the P K-edge from 12 spots on the soil sample exhibited diverse features that indicated variations in highly localized P speciation. Linear combination fitting analysis of the μ-XANES spectra included various proportions of three standards that appeared in fits for most spots and five standards that appeared in fits for one spot each. The fit to a bulk-soil spectrum was dominated by two of the common standards in the μ-XANES fits, and a fit to the sum of m-XANES spectra included four of the standards. Lastly, these results illustrate a gain in P species sensitivity from spatially resolved XANES analysis. Integrating spectroscopic analyses from multiple scales determines soil P species diversity and will ultimately help connect speciation to the chemical reactivity and mobility of P in soils.« less

Speciation of Soil Phosphorus Assessed by XANES Spectroscopy at Different Spatial Scales

DOE PAGES

Hesterberg, Dean; McNulty, Ian; Thieme, Juergen

2017-07-27

Precise management of soil phosphorus (P) to meet competing demands of agriculture and environmental protection can benefit from more comprehensive characterization of P speciation in soils. Our objectives were to provide spatial context for spectroscopic analyses of soil P speciation in relation to molecular-scale species and landscape-scale management of P, and to compare soil P-species diversity from spectroscopic measurements at submicron and millimeter scales. The spatial range of ~26 orders of magnitude between atomic and field scales presents a challenge to upscaling and downscaling information from spectroscopic analyses of soils. Scanning fluorescence X-ray microscopy images of a 50-mm ´ 45-mmmore » area of an organic soil sample showed heterogeneous distributions of P, Al, and Si. Microscale X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectra collected at the P K-edge from 12 spots on the soil sample exhibited diverse features that indicated variations in highly localized P speciation. Linear combination fitting analysis of the μ-XANES spectra included various proportions of three standards that appeared in fits for most spots and five standards that appeared in fits for one spot each. The fit to a bulk-soil spectrum was dominated by two of the common standards in the μ-XANES fits, and a fit to the sum of m-XANES spectra included four of the standards. Lastly, these results illustrate a gain in P species sensitivity from spatially resolved XANES analysis. Integrating spectroscopic analyses from multiple scales determines soil P species diversity and will ultimately help connect speciation to the chemical reactivity and mobility of P in soils.« less

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 5): Rose Township Cemetery Dump Site, Oakland County, Michigan. (Second remedial action), September 1989. Final report

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

Not Available

1989-09-29

The 4-acre Cemetery Dump site is a former sand and gravel pit in Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan. During the late 1960s or early 1970s, approximately 300 to 600 drums, containing paint sludges, solvents, PCBs, and oils, were illegally dumped and buried onsite. A 1985 Record of Decision (ROD) addressed the soil cleanup which included excavation and offsite disposal of visually-contaminated soil and drum fragments. Soil which was not visually contaminated was sampled and backfilled with clean soil into the excavated areas. Subsequent soil and ground water sampling indicated that zinc contaminants in the ground water exceed the Federal secondarymore » MCL, a nonenforceable standard based on taste and odor, not protection of health. Zinc contamination, however, is most likely a result of monitoring well construction materials. No other contaminants exceed Federal or State environmental standards.« less

Quantitative evaluation of the CEEM soil sampling intercomparison.

PubMed

Wagner, G; Lischer, P; Theocharopoulos, S; Muntau, H; Desaules, A; Quevauviller, P

2001-01-08

The aim of the CEEM soil project was to compare and to test the soil sampling and sample preparation guidelines used in the member states of the European Union and Switzerland for investigations of background and large-scale contamination of soils, soil monitoring and environmental risk assessments. The results of the comparative evaluation of the sampling guidelines demonstrated that, in soil contamination studies carried out with different sampling strategies and methods, comparable results can hardly be expected. Therefore, a reference database (RDB) was established by the organisers, which acted as a basis for the quantitative comparison of the participants' results. The detected deviations were related to the methodological details of the individual strategies. The comparative evaluation concept consisted of three steps: The first step was a comparison of the participants' samples (which were both centrally and individually analysed) between each other, as well as with the reference data base (RDB) and some given soil quality standards on the level of concentrations present. The comparison was made using the example of the metals cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. As a second step, the absolute and relative deviations between the reference database and the participants' results (both centrally analysed under repeatability conditions) were calculated. The comparability of the samples with the RDB was categorised on four levels. Methods of exploratory statistical analysis were applied to estimate the differential method bias among the participants. The levels of error caused by sampling and sample preparation were compared with those caused by the analytical procedures. As a third step, the methodological profiles of the participants were compiled to concisely describe the different procedures used. They were related to the results to find out the main factors leading to their incomparability. The outcome of this evaluation process was a list of strategies and methods, which are problematic with respect to comparability, and should be standardised and/or specified in order to arrive at representative and comparable results in soil contamination studies throughout Europe. Pre-normative recommendations for harmonising European soil sampling guidelines and standard operating procedures have been outlined in Wagner G, Desules A, Muntau H, Theocharopoulos S. Comparative Evaluation of European Methods for Sampling and Sample Preparation of Soils for Inorganic Analysis (CEEM Soil). Final Report of the Contract SMT4-CT96-2085, Sci Total Environ 2001;264:181-186. Wagner G, Desaules A, Munatu H. Theocharopolous S, Quevauvaller Ph. Suggestions for harmonising sampling and sample pre-treatment procedures and improving quality assurance in pre-analytical steps of soil contamination studies. Paper 1.7 Sci Total Environ 2001b;264:103-118.

Composting Explosives/Organics Contaminated Soils

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

29 144. Quantitation of C Trapped by Activated Carbon . ... 29 5. Preliminary Extraction Trials .... ........ ..... . 30 6. Tetryl Product...ppm (standard deviation 1892 ppm). All samples of soil from Letterkenny AD were pooled to yield one composite sample. Pooled samples from Louisiana...combustion efficiency, and counting efficiency. 4. Quantitation of 14 C Trapped by Activated Carbon Random subsamples of carbon from the air intake

Direct soil contact values for ecological receptors exposed to weathered petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) fraction 2.

PubMed

Angell, Robin A; Kullman, Steve; Shrive, Emma; Stephenson, Gladys L; Tindal, Miles

2012-11-01

Ecological tier 1 Canada-wide standards (CWS) for petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) fraction 2 (F2; >nC10-C16) in soil were derived using ecotoxicological assessment endpoints (effective concentrations [ECs]/lethal concentrations [LCs]/inhibitory concentrations, 25% [IC25s]) with freshly spiked (fresh) fine- and coarse-grained soils. These soil standards might be needlessly conservative when applied to field samples with weathered hydrocarbons. The purpose of the present study was to assess the degradation and toxicity of weathered PHC F2 in a fine-grained soil and to derive direct soil contact values for ecological receptors. Fine-grained reference soils were spiked with distilled F2 and weathered for 183 d. Toxicity tests using plants and invertebrates were conducted with the weathered F2-spiked soils. Endpoint EC/IC25s were calculated and used to derive soil standards for weathered F2 in fine-grained soil protective of ecological receptors exposed via direct soil contact. The values derived for weathered F2 were less restrictive than current ecological tier 1 CWS for F2 in soil. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental soil and sediment samples.

PubMed

Johnson, J C; Van Emon, J M

1996-01-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the quantitative determination of Aroclors 1242, 1248, 1254, and 1260 in soil and sediments was developed and its performance compared with that of gas chromatography (GC). The detection limits for Aroclors 1242 and 1248 in soil are 10.5 and 9 ng/g, respectively. The assay linear dynamic range is 50-1333 ng/g. Cross-reactivity of the assay with 37 structurally related potential cocontaminants in environmental soil samples was examined; none of the chlorinated anisoles, benzenes, or phenols exhibited >3% cross-reactivity, with <0.1% cross-reactivity being the norm. Soil spike recoveries of 107% and 104% were obtained for Aroclors 1242 and 1248, respectively, for a spike level of 5 mg/kg, with corresponding relative standard deviations of 14% and 17%. One hundred forty-eight environmental soil, sediment, and paper pulp samples, obtained from two EPA listed Superfund sites, were analyzed by ELISA and standard GC methods. Samples were extracted for ELISA analysis by shaking with methanol. Additional extractions of the same samples were performed either with supercritical carbon dioxide or by Soxhlet extraction with methanol. ELISA results for both the supercritical fluid and the Soxhlet extracts were in close agreement with the GC results, while the ELISA results for the methanol shake extracts were not. The data for the environmental samples demonstrated the capability of the ELISA to provide accurate results and reinforced the dependence of any detection method, including ELISA, on appropriate extraction procedures.

Detecting and enumerating soil-transmitted helminth eggs in soil: New method development and results from field testing in Kenya and Bangladesh.

PubMed

Steinbaum, Lauren; Kwong, Laura H; Ercumen, Ayse; Negash, Makeda S; Lovely, Amira J; Njenga, Sammy M; Boehm, Alexandria B; Pickering, Amy J; Nelson, Kara L

2017-04-01

Globally, about 1.5 billion people are infected with at least one species of soil-transmitted helminth (STH). Soil is a critical environmental reservoir of STH, yet there is no standard method for detecting STH eggs in soil. We developed a field method for enumerating STH eggs in soil and tested the method in Bangladesh and Kenya. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method for enumerating Ascaris eggs in biosolids was modified through a series of recovery efficiency experiments; we seeded soil samples with a known number of Ascaris suum eggs and assessed the effect of protocol modifications on egg recovery. We found the use of 1% 7X as a surfactant compared to 0.1% Tween 80 significantly improved recovery efficiency (two-sided t-test, t = 5.03, p = 0.007) while other protocol modifications-including different agitation and flotation methods-did not have a significant impact. Soil texture affected the egg recovery efficiency; sandy samples resulted in higher recovery compared to loamy samples processed using the same method (two-sided t-test, t = 2.56, p = 0.083). We documented a recovery efficiency of 73% for the final improved method using loamy soil in the lab. To field test the improved method, we processed soil samples from 100 households in Bangladesh and 100 households in Kenya from June to November 2015. The prevalence of any STH (Ascaris, Trichuris or hookworm) egg in soil was 78% in Bangladesh and 37% in Kenya. The median concentration of STH eggs in soil in positive samples was 0.59 eggs/g dry soil in Bangladesh and 0.15 eggs/g dry soil in Kenya. The prevalence of STH eggs in soil was significantly higher in Bangladesh than Kenya (chi-square, χ2 = 34.39, p < 0.001) as was the concentration (Mann-Whitney, z = 7.10, p < 0.001). This new method allows for detecting STH eggs in soil in low-resource settings and could be used for standardizing soil STH detection globally.

Detecting and enumerating soil-transmitted helminth eggs in soil: New method development and results from field testing in Kenya and Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Kwong, Laura H.; Ercumen, Ayse; Negash, Makeda S.; Lovely, Amira J.; Njenga, Sammy M.; Boehm, Alexandria B.; Pickering, Amy J.; Nelson, Kara L.

2017-01-01

Globally, about 1.5 billion people are infected with at least one species of soil-transmitted helminth (STH). Soil is a critical environmental reservoir of STH, yet there is no standard method for detecting STH eggs in soil. We developed a field method for enumerating STH eggs in soil and tested the method in Bangladesh and Kenya. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method for enumerating Ascaris eggs in biosolids was modified through a series of recovery efficiency experiments; we seeded soil samples with a known number of Ascaris suum eggs and assessed the effect of protocol modifications on egg recovery. We found the use of 1% 7X as a surfactant compared to 0.1% Tween 80 significantly improved recovery efficiency (two-sided t-test, t = 5.03, p = 0.007) while other protocol modifications—including different agitation and flotation methods—did not have a significant impact. Soil texture affected the egg recovery efficiency; sandy samples resulted in higher recovery compared to loamy samples processed using the same method (two-sided t-test, t = 2.56, p = 0.083). We documented a recovery efficiency of 73% for the final improved method using loamy soil in the lab. To field test the improved method, we processed soil samples from 100 households in Bangladesh and 100 households in Kenya from June to November 2015. The prevalence of any STH (Ascaris, Trichuris or hookworm) egg in soil was 78% in Bangladesh and 37% in Kenya. The median concentration of STH eggs in soil in positive samples was 0.59 eggs/g dry soil in Bangladesh and 0.15 eggs/g dry soil in Kenya. The prevalence of STH eggs in soil was significantly higher in Bangladesh than Kenya (chi-square, χ2 = 34.39, p < 0.001) as was the concentration (Mann-Whitney, z = 7.10, p < 0.001). This new method allows for detecting STH eggs in soil in low-resource settings and could be used for standardizing soil STH detection globally. PMID:28379956

Stability of mercury concentration measurements in archived soil and peat samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Navrátil, Tomáš; Burns, Douglas; Nováková, Tereza; Kaňa, Jiří; Rohovec, Jan; Roll, Michal; Ettler, Vojtěch

2018-01-01

Archived soil samples can provide important information on the history of environmental contamination and by comparison with recently collected samples, temporal trends can be inferred. Little previous work has addressed whether mercury (Hg) concentrations in soil samples are stable with long-term storage under standard laboratory conditions. In this study, we have re-analyzed using cold vapor atomic adsorption spectroscopy a set of archived soil samples that ranged from relatively pristine mountainous sites to a polluted site near a non-ferrous metal smelter with a wide range of Hg concentrations (6 - 6485 µg kg-1). Samples included organic and mineral soils and peats with a carbon content that ranged from 0.2 to 47.7%. Soil samples were stored in polyethylene bags or bottles and held in laboratory rooms where temperature was not kept to a constant value. Mercury concentrations in four subsets of samples were originally measured in 2000, 2005, 2006 and 2007, and re-analyzed in 2017, i.e. after 17, 12, 11 and 10 years of storage. Statistical analyses of either separated or lumped data yielded no significant differences between the original and current Hg concentrations. Based on these analyses, we show that archived soil and peat samples can be used to evaluate historical soil mercury contamination.

Measurement of technetium-99 in Marshall Islands soil samples by ICP-MS

PubMed

Tagami; Uchida; Hamilton; Robison

2000-07-01

Extraction techniques for recovery of technetium-99 (99Tc) for Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements were evaluated using soil samples collected from the Marshall Islands. The results of three different extraction techniques were compared: (MI) acid leaching of Tc from ashed soil; (M2) acid leaching of Tc from raw dry soil; and (M3) Tc volatilization from ashed soil using a combustion apparatus. Total Tc recoveries varied considerably between the extraction techniques but each method yielded similar analytical results for 99Tc. Applications of these extraction techniques to a series of environmental samples and ICP-MS measurements have yielded first data on the 99Tc content of Marshall Islands soil samples contaminated with close-in radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing. The 99Tc activity concentration in the soil samples ranged between 0.1 and 1.1 mBq g(-1) dry weight (dw). The limit of detection for 99Tc by ICP-MS was 0.17 mBq per sample or 0.014 mBq g(-1) dw under standard operating conditions.

Lunar soils grain size catalog

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graf, John C.

1993-01-01

This catalog compiles every available grain size distribution for Apollo surface soils, trench samples, cores, and Luna 24 soils. Original laboratory data are tabled, and cumulative weight distribution curves and histograms are plotted. Standard statistical parameters are calculated using the method of moments. Photos and location comments describe the sample environment and geological setting. This catalog can help researchers describe the geotechnical conditions and site variability of the lunar surface essential to the design of a lunar base.

The surface area of soil organic matter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiou, C.T.; Lee, J.-F.; Boyd, S.A.

1990-01-01

The previously reported surface area for soil organic matter (SOM) of 560-800 m2/g as determined by the ethylene glycol (EG) retention method was reexamined by the standard BET method based on nitrogen adsorption at liquid nitrogen temperature. Test samples consisted of two high organic content soils, a freeze-dried soil humic acid, and an oven-dried soil humic acid. The measured BET areas for these samples were less than 1 m2/g, except for the freeze-dried humic acid. The results suggest that surface adsorption of nonionic organic compounds by SOM is practically insignificant in comparison to uptake by partition. The discrepancy between the surface areas of SOM obtained by BET and EG methods was explained in terms of the 'free surface area' and the 'apparent surface area' associated with these measurements.The previously reported surface area for soil organic matter (SOM) of 560-800 m2/g as determined by the ethylene glycol (EG) retention method was reexamined by the standard BET method based on nitrogen adsorption at liquid nitrogen temperature. Test samples consisted of two high organic content soils, a freeze-dried soil humic acid, and an oven-dried soil humic acid. The measured BET areas for these samples were less than 1 m2/g, except for the freeze-dried humic acid. The results suggest that surface adsorption of nonionic organic compounds by SOM is practically insignificant in comparison to uptake by partition. The discrepancy between the surface areas of SOM obtained by BET and EG methods was explained in terms of the 'free surface area' and the 'apparent surface area' associated with these measurements.

Distribution of pesticide residues in soil and uncertainty of sampling.

PubMed

Suszter, Gabriela K; Ambrus, Árpád

2017-08-03

Pesticide residues were determined in about 120 soil cores taken randomly from the top 15 cm layer of two sunflower fields about 30 days after preemergence herbicide treatments. Samples were extracted with acetone-ethyl acetate mixture and the residues were determined with GC-TSD. Residues of dimethenamid, pendimethalin, and prometryn ranged from 0.005 to 2.97 mg/kg. Their relative standard deviations (CV) were between 0.66 and 1.13. The relative frequency distributions of residues in soil cores were very similar to those observed in root and tuber vegetables grown in pesticide treated soils. Based on all available information, a typical CV of 1.00 was estimated for pesticide residues in primary soil samples (soil cores). The corresponding expectable relative uncertainty of sampling is 20% when composite samples of size 25 are taken. To obtain a reliable estimate of the average residues in the top 15 cm layer of soil of a field up to 8 independent replicate random samples should be taken. To obtain better estimate of the actual residue level of the sampled filed would be marginal if larger number of samples were taken.

Microflora in soils of desert regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cameron, R. E.

1970-01-01

Desert soil samples, collected using aseptic techniques, are low in organic matter and cation exchange capacity. Aerobic and microaerophilic bacteria are most abundant, next are algae and molds. Chemical and physical properties are determined by standard procedures, including the Kjeldahl method and the use of Munsell soil color charts.

Advances in spectroscopic methods for quantifying soil carbon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gold standard for soil C determination is combustion. However, this method requires expensive consumables, is limited to the determination of the total carbon and in the number of samples which can be processed (~100/d). With increased interest in soil C sequestration, faster methods are needed....

Soil sampling and analytical strategies for mapping fallout in nuclear emergencies based on the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Onda, Yuichi; Kato, Hiroaki; Hoshi, Masaharu; Takahashi, Yoshio; Nguyen, Minh-Long

2015-01-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident resulted in extensive radioactive contamination of the environment via deposited radionuclides such as radiocesium and (131)I. Evaluating the extent and level of environmental contamination is critical to protecting citizens in affected areas and to planning decontamination efforts. However, a standardized soil sampling protocol is needed in such emergencies to facilitate the collection of large, tractable samples for measuring gamma-emitting radionuclides. In this study, we developed an emergency soil sampling protocol based on preliminary sampling from the FDNPP accident-affected area. We also present the results of a preliminary experiment aimed to evaluate the influence of various procedures (e.g., mixing, number of samples) on measured radioactivity. Results show that sample mixing strongly affects measured radioactivity in soil samples. Furthermore, for homogenization, shaking the plastic sample container at least 150 times or disaggregating soil by hand-rolling in a disposable plastic bag is required. Finally, we determined that five soil samples within a 3 m × 3-m area are the minimum number required for reducing measurement uncertainty in the emergency soil sampling protocol proposed here. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil analysis based on sa,ples withdrawn from different volumes: correlation versus calibration

Treesearch

Lucian Weilopolski; Kurt Johnsen; Yuen Zhang

2010-01-01

Soil, particularly in forests, is replete with spatial variation with respect to soil C. Th e present standard chemical method for soil analysis by dry combustion (DC) is destructive, and comprehensive sampling is labor intensive and time consuming. Th ese, among other factors, are contributing to the development of new methods for soil analysis. Th ese include a near...

Determination of diagnostic standards on saturated soil extracts for cut roses grown in greenhouses

PubMed Central

Cabrera, Raúl Iskander

2017-01-01

This work comprises the theoretical determination and validation of diagnostic standards for the analysis of saturated soil extracts for cut rose flower crops (Rosa spp.) growing in the Bogota Plateau, Colombia. The data included 684 plant tissue analyses and 684 corresponding analyses of saturated soil extracts, all collected between January 2009 and June 2013. The tissue and soil samples were selected from 13 rose farms, and from cultivars grafted on the 'Natal Briar' rootstock. These concurrent samples of soil and plant tissues represented 251 production units (locations) of approximately 10,000 m2 distributed across the study area. The standards were conceived as a tool to improve the nutritional balance in the leaf tissue of rose plants and thereby define the norms for expressing optimum productive potential relative to nutritional conditions in the soil. To this end, previously determined diagnostic standard for rose leaf tissues were employed to obtain rates of foliar nutritional balance at each analyzed location and as criteria for determining the diagnostic norms for saturated soil extracts. Implementing this methodology to foliar analysis, showed a higher significant correlation for diagnostic indices. A similar behavior was observed in saturated soil extracts analysis, becoming a powerful tool for integrated nutritional diagnosis. Leaf analyses determine the most limiting nutrients for high yield and analyses of saturated soil extracts facilitate the possibility of correcting the fertigation formulations applied to soils or substrates. Recommendations are proposed to improve the balance in soil-plant system with which the possibility of yield increase becomes more probable. The main recommendations to increase and improve rose crop flower yields would be: continuously check pH values of SSE, reduce the amounts of P, Fe, Zn and Cu in fertigation solutions and carefully analyze the situation of Mn in the soil-plant system. PMID:28542547

Monitoring of Nitrate and Pesticide Pollution in Mnasra, Morocco Soil and Groundwater.

PubMed

Marouane, Bouchra; Dahchour, Abdelmalek; Dousset, Sylvie; El Hajjaji, Souad

2015-06-01

This study evaluates the levels of nitrates and pesticides occurring in groundwater and agricultural soil in the Mnasra, Morocco area, a zone with intensive agricultural activity. A set of 108 water samples and 68 soil samples were collected from ten selected sites in the area during agricultural seasons, from May 2010 to September 2012. The results reveal that 89.7% of water samples exceeded the standard limit of nitrate concentrations for groundwater (50 mg/L). These results can be explained by the prevailing sandy nature of the soil in the area, the frequency of fertilizer usage, and the shallow level of the water table, which favors the leaching of nitrate from field to groundwater. In contrast, the selected pesticide molecules were not detected in the analysed soil and water samples; levels were below the quantification limit in all samples. This situation could be explained by the probable partial or total transformation of the molecules in soil.

Microfungi diversity isolation from sandy soil of Acapulco touristic beaches

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microscopic fungi diversity in marine sandy soil habitats is associated with key functions of beach ecosystems. There are few reports on their presence in Mexican beaches. Although standard methods to obtain the fungi from soil samples are established, the aim of this pilot study was to test the pla...

Uptake of explosives from contaminated soil by vegetation at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant

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

Schneider, J.F.; Tomczyk, N.A.; Zellmer, S.D.

1994-06-01

This study examines the uptake of explosives by vegetation growing on soils contaminated by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in Group 61 at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (JAAP). Plant materials and soil from the root zone were sampled and analyzed to determine TNT uptake under natural field conditions. Standard USATHAMA methods were used to determine concentrations of explosives, their derivatives, and metabolites in the soil samples. No- explosives were detected in the aboveground portion of any plant sample. However, results indicate that TNT, 2-aminodinitrotoluene (2-ADNT), and/or 4-ADNT were present in some root samples. The presence of 2-ADNT and 4-ADNT increases the likelihoodmore » that explosives were taken up by plant roots, as opposed to their presence resulting from external soil contamination.« less

The effect of short-range spatial variability on soil sampling uncertainty.

PubMed

Van der Perk, Marcel; de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Fajgelj, Ales; Sansone, Umberto; Jeran, Zvonka; Jaćimović, Radojko

2008-11-01

This paper aims to quantify the soil sampling uncertainty arising from the short-range spatial variability of elemental concentrations in the topsoils of agricultural, semi-natural, and contaminated environments. For the agricultural site, the relative standard sampling uncertainty ranges between 1% and 5.5%. For the semi-natural area, the sampling uncertainties are 2-4 times larger than in the agricultural area. The contaminated site exhibited significant short-range spatial variability in elemental composition, which resulted in sampling uncertainties of 20-30%.

Mixing soil samples across experimental units ignores uncertainty and generates falsely precise estimates of soil biota effects on plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A number of recent soil biota studies have deviated from the standard experimental approach of generating a distinct data value for each experimental unit (e.g. Yang et al., 2013; Gundale et al., 2014). Instead, these studies have mixed together soils from multiple experimental units (i.e. sites wi...

Study of aliphatic-aromatic copolyester degradation in sandy soil and its ecotoxicological impact.

PubMed

Rychter, Piotr; Kawalec, Michał; Sobota, Michał; Kurcok, Piotr; Kowalczuk, Marek

2010-04-12

Degradation of poly[(1,4-butylene terephthalate)-co-(1,4-butylene adipate)] (Ecoflex, BTA) monofilaments (rods) in standardized sandy soil was investigated. Changes in the microstructure and chemical composition distribution of the degraded BTA samples were evaluated and changes in the pH and salinity of postdegradation soil, as well as the soil phytotoxicity impact of the degradation products, are reported. A macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of the surface of BTA rod samples after specified periods of incubation in standardized soil indicated erosion of the surface of BTA rods starting from the fourth month of their incubation, with almost total disintegration of the incubated BTA material observed after 22 months. However, the weight loss after this period of time was about 50% and only a minor change in the M(w) of the investigated BTA samples was observed, along with a slight increase in the dispersity (from an initial 2.75 up to 4.00 after 22 months of sample incubation). The multidetector SEC and ESI-MS analysis indicated retention of aromatic chain fragments in the low molar mass fraction of the incubated sample. Phytotoxicity studies revealed no visible damage, such as necrosis and chlorosis, or other inhibitory effects, in the following plants: radish, cres, and monocotyledonous oat, indicating that the degradation products of the investigated BTA copolyester are harmless to the tested plants.

Gamma-spectrometric measurement of radioactivity in agricultural soils of the Lombardia region, northern Italy.

PubMed

Guidotti, Laura; Carini, Franca; Rossi, Riccardo; Gatti, Marina; Cenci, Roberto M; Beone, Gian Maria

2015-04-01

This work is part of a wider monitoring project of the agricultural soils in Lombardia, which aims to build a database of topsoil properties and the potentially toxic elements, organic pollutants and gamma emitting radionuclides that the topsoils contain. A total of 156 agricultural soils were sampled according to the LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey) standard procedure. The aim was to provide a baseline to document the conditions present at the time of sampling. The results of the project concerning soil radioactivity are presented here. The aim was to assess the content of (238)U, (232)Th, (137)Cs and (40)K by measuring soil samples by gamma spectrometry. (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K activities range 24-231, 20-70, and 242-1434 Bq kg(-1) respectively. The geographic distribution of (238)U reflects the geophysical framework of the Lombardia region: the soils with high content of uranium are distributed for the most part in the South Alpine belt, where the presence of magmatic rocks is widespread. These soils show an higher activity of (238)U than of (232)Th. The (238)U activities become lower than (232)Th when soils are located in the plain, originating from basic sedimentary rocks. (137)Cs activity ranges 0.4-86.8 kBq m(-2). The lowest activity of (137)Cs is in the plain, whereas the highest is in the North on soils kept as lawn or pasture. The (137)Cs activity of some samples suggests the presence of accumulation processes that lead to (137)Cs enriched soils. This is the first survey of gamma emitting radionuclides in Lombardia that is based on the LUCAS standard sampling. The results from this monitoring campaign are important for the human radiation exposure and provide the zero point, which will be useful for assessing future effects due to external factors such as human activities. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Is soil dressing a way once and for all in remediation of arsenic contaminated soils? A case study of arsenic re-accumulation in soils remediated by soil dressing in Hunan Province, China.

PubMed

Su, Shiming; Bai, Lingyu; Wei, Caibing; Gao, Xiang; Zhang, Tuo; Wang, Yanan; Li, Lianfang; Wang, Jinjin; Wu, Cuixia; Zeng, Xibai

2015-07-01

The investigation of arsenic (As) re-accumulation in an area previously remediated by soil dressing will help in sustainable controlling the risks of As to local ecosystems and should influence management decisions about remediation strategies. In this study, As content in an area remediated by soil dressing and the possible As accumulation risk in agricultural products were investigated. The results indicated that after 7 years of agricultural activities, the average As content (24.6 mg kg(-1)) in surface soil of the investigated area increased by 83.6% compared with that (13.4 mg kg(-1)) in clean soil. Of the surface soil samples (n = 88), 21.6% had As levels that exceeded the limits of the Environmental Quality Standard for Soils of China (GB 15618-1995) and 98.9% of the surface soil samples with As contents exceeding that in clean soil was observed. Soil dressing might be not a remediation method once and for all in some contaminated areas, even though no significant difference in available As content was found between clean (0.18 mg kg(-1)) and surface (0.22 mg kg(-1)) soils. The foreign As in surface soil of the investigated area mainly specifically sorbed with soil colloid or associated with hydrous oxides of Fe and Al, or existed in residual fraction. The upward movement of contaminated soil from the deeper layers and the atmospheric deposition of slag particles might be responsible for the re-accumulation of As in the investigated area. Decreases in soil pH in the investigated soils and the fact that no plant samples had As levels exceeding the limits of the National Food Safety Standards for Contaminants of China (GB 2762-2012) were also observed.

Simultaneous determination of the quantity and isotopic signature of dissolved organic matter from soil water using high-performance liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Scheibe, Andrea; Krantz, Lars; Gleixner, Gerd

2012-01-30

We assessed the accuracy and utility of a modified high-performance liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (HPLC/IRMS) system for measuring the amount and stable carbon isotope signature of dissolved organic matter (DOM) <1 µm. Using a range of standard compounds as well as soil solutions sampled in the field, we compared the results of the HPLC/IRMS analysis with those from other methods for determining carbon and (13)C content. The conversion efficiency of the in-line wet oxidation of the HPLC/IRMS averaged 99.3% for a range of standard compounds. The agreement between HPLC/IRMS and other methods in the amount and isotopic signature of both standard compounds and soil water samples was excellent. For DOM concentrations below 10 mg C L(-1) (250 ng C total) pre-concentration or large volume injections are recommended in order to prevent background interferences. We were able to detect large differences in the (13)C signatures of soil solution DOM sampled in 10 cm depth of plots with either C3 or C4 vegetation and in two different parent materials. These measurements also demonstrated changes in the (13)C signature that demonstrate rapid loss of plant-derived C with depth. Overall the modified HLPC/IRMS system has the advantages of rapid sample preparation, small required sample volume and high sample throughput, while showing comparable performance with other methods for measuring the amount and isotopic signature of DOM. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Heavy metals in soils of Hechuan County in the upper Yangtze (SW China): Comparative pollution assessment using multiple indices with high-spatial-resolution sampling.

PubMed

Ni, Maofei; Mao, Rong; Jia, Zhongmin; Dong, Ruozhu; Li, Siyue

2018-02-01

In order to assess heavy metals (HMs) in soils of the upper Yangtze Basin, a very high-spatial-resolution sampling (582 soil samples) was conducted from Hechuan County, an important agricultural practice area in the Southwest China. Multiple indices including geoaccumulation index (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF), sediment pollution index (SPI) and risk index (RI), as well as multivariate statistics were employed for pollution assessment and source identification of HMs in soils. Our results demonstrated that the averages of eight HMs decreased in the following order: Zn (82.8 ± 15.9) > Cr (71.6 ± 12.2) > Ni (32.1 ± 9.89) > Pb (27.6 ± 13.8) > Cu (25.9 ± 11.8) > As (5.48 ± 3.42) > Cd (0.30 ± 0.077) > Hg (0.082 ± 0.092). Averages of HMs except Cd were lower than threshold value of Environmental Quality Standard for Soils, while 43% of total samples had Cd concentration exceeding the national standard, 1% of samples for Hg and 5% samples for Ni, moreover, Cd and Hg averages were much higher than their background levels. I geo and EF indicated that their levels decreased as follows: Cd > Hg > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cu > Cr > As, with moderate enrichments of Cd and Hg. RI indicated that 61.7% of all samples showed moderate risk, while 6.5% of samples with greater than considerable risk due to human activities should be paid more attention. Multivariate analysis showed lithogenic source of Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn, while Cd and Hg were largely contributed by anthropogenic activities such as agricultural practices. Our study would be helpful for improving soil environmental quality in SW, China, as well as supplying modern approaches for other areas with soil HM pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Open charcoal chamber method for mass measurements of radon exhalation rate from soil surface.

PubMed

Tsapalov, Andrey; Kovler, Konstantin; Miklyaev, Peter

2016-08-01

Radon exhalation rate from the soil surface can serve as an important criterion in the evaluation of radon hazard of the land. Recently published international standard ISO 11665-7 (2012) is based on the accumulation of radon gas in a closed container. At the same time since 1998 in Russia, as a part of engineering and environmental studies for the construction, radon flux measurements are made using an open charcoal chamber for a sampling duration of 3-5 h. This method has a well-defined metrological justification and was tested in both favorable and unfavorable conditions. The article describes the characteristics of the method, as well as the means of sampling and measurement of the activity of radon absorbed. The results of the metrological study suggest that regardless of the sampling conditions (weather, the mechanism and rate of radon transport in the soil, soil properties and conditions), uncertainty of method does not exceed 20%, while the combined standard uncertainty of radon exhalation rate measured from the soil surface does not exceed 30%. The results of the daily measurements of radon exhalation rate from the soil surface at the experimental site during one year are reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of soil sampling and analytical methods for asbestos at the Sumas Mountain Asbestos Site-Working towards a toolbox for better assessment.

PubMed

Wroble, Julie; Frederick, Timothy; Frame, Alicia; Vallero, Daniel

2017-01-01

Established soil sampling methods for asbestos are inadequate to support risk assessment and risk-based decision making at Superfund sites due to difficulties in detecting asbestos at low concentrations and difficulty in extrapolating soil concentrations to air concentrations. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) currently recommends the rigorous process of Activity Based Sampling (ABS) to characterize site exposures. The purpose of this study was to compare three soil analytical methods and two soil sampling methods to determine whether one method, or combination of methods, would yield more reliable soil asbestos data than other methods. Samples were collected using both traditional discrete ("grab") samples and incremental sampling methodology (ISM). Analyses were conducted using polarized light microscopy (PLM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods or a combination of these two methods. Data show that the fluidized bed asbestos segregator (FBAS) followed by TEM analysis could detect asbestos at locations that were not detected using other analytical methods; however, this method exhibited high relative standard deviations, indicating the results may be more variable than other soil asbestos methods. The comparison of samples collected using ISM versus discrete techniques for asbestos resulted in no clear conclusions regarding preferred sampling method. However, analytical results for metals clearly showed that measured concentrations in ISM samples were less variable than discrete samples.

Comparison of soil sampling and analytical methods for asbestos at the Sumas Mountain Asbestos Site—Working towards a toolbox for better assessment

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Established soil sampling methods for asbestos are inadequate to support risk assessment and risk-based decision making at Superfund sites due to difficulties in detecting asbestos at low concentrations and difficulty in extrapolating soil concentrations to air concentrations. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) currently recommends the rigorous process of Activity Based Sampling (ABS) to characterize site exposures. The purpose of this study was to compare three soil analytical methods and two soil sampling methods to determine whether one method, or combination of methods, would yield more reliable soil asbestos data than other methods. Samples were collected using both traditional discrete (“grab”) samples and incremental sampling methodology (ISM). Analyses were conducted using polarized light microscopy (PLM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods or a combination of these two methods. Data show that the fluidized bed asbestos segregator (FBAS) followed by TEM analysis could detect asbestos at locations that were not detected using other analytical methods; however, this method exhibited high relative standard deviations, indicating the results may be more variable than other soil asbestos methods. The comparison of samples collected using ISM versus discrete techniques for asbestos resulted in no clear conclusions regarding preferred sampling method. However, analytical results for metals clearly showed that measured concentrations in ISM samples were less variable than discrete samples. PMID:28759607

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR SOIL CHARACTERIZATION (UA-L-11.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the procedures to be followed in splitting and determining the grain size characteristics, electrical conductivity, and pH of the "Composite Soil" and "Foundation Soil" samples. This procedure applies to the general characterization of sedi...

Bioecology of pear thrips: distribution in forest soils

Treesearch

Margaret Skinner; Bruce L. Parker

1991-01-01

The vertical and horizontal distribution of pear thrips in Vermont sugar maple forest soils was investigated. In the fall, about 86% of the thrips were found in the upper 10 cm of soil, though a few were found as deep as 20 cm. No thrips were found in the leaf litter. Soil sampling tools to determine thrips populations within an entire forest were tested and a standard...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF SOIL AND HOUSE DUST SAMPLES FOR GC/MS ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE AND PAH (BCO-L-28.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe procedures for extracting and preparing a dust or soil sample for gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of pesticides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval durin...

Assessment of hyporheic zone, flood-plain, soil-gas, soil, and surface-water contamination at the Old Incinerator Area, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guimaraes, Wladmir B.; Falls, W. Fred; Caldwell, Andral W.; Ratliff, W. Hagan; Wellborn, John B.; Landmeyer, James E.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, Georgia, assessed the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, soil, and surface-water for contaminants at the Old Incinerator Area at Fort Gordon, from October 2009 to September 2010. The assessment included the detection of organic contaminants in the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, and surface water. In addition, the organic contaminant assessment included the analysis of explosives and chemical agents in selected areas. Inorganic contaminants were assessed in soil and surface-water samples. The assessment was conducted to provide environmental contamination data to the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon pursuant to requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process. Total petroleum hydrocarbons were detected above the method detection level in all 13 samplers deployed in the hyporheic zone and flood plain of an unnamed tributary to Spirit Creek. The combined concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene were detected at 3 of the 13 samplers. Other organic compounds detected in one sampler included octane and trichloroethylene. In the passive soil-gas survey, 28 of the 60 samplers detected total petroleum hydrocarbons above the method detection level. Additionally, 11 of the 60 samplers detected the combined masses of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene above the method detection level. Other compounds detected above the method detection level in the passive soil-gas survey included octane, trimethylbenzene, perchlorethylene, and chloroform. Subsequent to the passive soil-gas survey, six areas determined to have relatively high contaminant mass were selected, and soil-gas samplers were deployed, collected, and analyzed for explosives and chemical agents. No explosives or chemical agents were detected above their method detection levels, but those that were detected were above the nondetection level. The same six locations that were sampled for explosives and chemical agents were selected for the collection of soil samples. No metals that exceeded the Regional Screening Levels for Industrial Soils as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were detected at any of the six Old Incinerator Area locations. The soil samples also were compared to values from the ambient, uncontaminated (background) levels for soils in South Carolina. Because South Carolina is adjacent to Georgia and the soils in the coastal plain are similar, these comparisons are valid. No similar values are available for Georgia to use for comparison purposes. The only metal detected above the ambient background levels for South Carolina was barium. A surface-water sample collected from a tributary west and north of the Old Incinerator Area was analyzed for volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and inorganic compounds (metals). The only volatile organic and (or) semivolatile organic compound that was detected above the laboratory reporting level was toluene. The compounds 4-isopropyl-1-methylbenzene and isophorone were detected above the nondetection level but below the laboratory reporting level and were estimated. These compounds were detected at levels below the maximum contaminant levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Primary Drinking Water Standard. Iron was the only inorganic compound detected in the surface-water sample that exceeded the maximum contaminant level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Secondary Drinking Water Standard. No other inorganic compounds exceeded the maximum contaminant levels for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Primary Drinking Water Standard, National Secondary Drinking Water Standard, or the Georgia In-Stream Water Quality Standard.

Rapid detection of soils contaminated with heavy metals and oils by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

PubMed

Kim, Gibaek; Kwak, Jihyun; Kim, Ki-Rak; Lee, Heesung; Kim, Kyoung-Woong; Yang, Hyeon; Park, Kihong

2013-12-15

A laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) coupled with the chemometric method was applied to rapidly discriminate between soils contaminated with heavy metals or oils and clean soils. The effects of the water contents and grain sizes of soil samples on LIBS emissions were also investigated. The LIBS emission lines decreased by 59-75% when the water content increased from 1.2% to 7.8%, and soil samples with a grain size of 75 μm displayed higher LIBS emission lines with lower relative standard deviations than those with a 2mm grain size. The water content was found to have a more pronounced effect on the LIBS emission lines than the grain size. Pelletizing and sieving were conducted for all samples collected from abandoned mining areas and military camp to have similar water contents and grain sizes before being analyzed by the LIBS with the chemometric analysis. The data show that three types of soil samples were clearly discerned by using the first three principal components from the spectral data of soil samples. A blind test was conducted with a 100% correction rate for soil samples contaminated with heavy metals and oil residues. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Average variograms to guide soil sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerry, R.; Oliver, M. A.

2004-10-01

To manage land in a site-specific way for agriculture requires detailed maps of the variation in the soil properties of interest. To predict accurately for mapping, the interval at which the soil is sampled should relate to the scale of spatial variation. A variogram can be used to guide sampling in two ways. A sampling interval of less than half the range of spatial dependence can be used, or the variogram can be used with the kriging equations to determine an optimal sampling interval to achieve a given tolerable error. A variogram might not be available for the site, but if the variograms of several soil properties were available on a similar parent material and or particular topographic positions an average variogram could be calculated from these. Averages of the variogram ranges and standardized average variograms from four different parent materials in southern England were used to suggest suitable sampling intervals for future surveys in similar pedological settings based on half the variogram range. The standardized average variograms were also used to determine optimal sampling intervals using the kriging equations. Similar sampling intervals were suggested by each method and the maps of predictions based on data at different grid spacings were evaluated for the different parent materials. Variograms of loss on ignition (LOI) taken from the literature for other sites in southern England with similar parent materials had ranges close to the average for a given parent material showing the possible wider application of such averages to guide sampling.

[Distribution Characteristics of Heavy Metals in Environmental Samples Around Electroplating Factories and the Health Risk Assessment].

PubMed

Guo, Peng-ran; Lei, Yong-qian; Zhou, Qiao-li; Wang, Chang; Pan, Jia-chuan

2015-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the pollution degree and human health risk of heavy metals in soil and air samples around electroplating factories. Soil, air and waste gas samples were collected to measure 8 heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in two electroplating factories, located in Baiyun district of Guangzhou city. Geoaccumulation index and USEPA Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) were respectively carried out. Results showed that concentrations of Hg and Pb in waste gas and Cr in air samples were higher than limits of the corresponding quality standards, and concentrations of Cd, Hg and Zn in soil samples reached the moderate pollution level. The HQ and HI of exposure by heavy metals in air and soil samples were both lower than 1, indicating that there was no non-carcinogen risk. CRAs and CRCr in soil samples were beyond the maximum acceptable level of carcinogen risk (10(-4)), and the contribution rate of CRCr to TCR was over 81%. CRCr, CRNi and TCR in air samples were in range of 10(-6) - 10(-4), indicating there was possibly carcinogen risk but was acceptable risk. CR values for children were higher than adults in soils, but were higher for adults in air samples. Correlation analysis revealed that concentrations of heavy metals in soils were significantly correlated with these in waste gas samples, and PCA data showed pollution sources of Cd, Hg and Zn in soils were different from other metals.

Collaborative, Nondestructive Analysis of Contaminated Soil

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

Knight, K. B.; Dai, Z.; Davidson, L.

This report summarizes a joint nondestructive analysis exercise that LLNL, LANL, and COMENA discussed through a collaborative meeting in July 2017. This work was performed as one part of a collaboration with Algeria under Action Sheet 7: “Technical Cooperation and Assistance in Nuclear Forensics”. The primary intent of this exercise was for US and Algerian participants to jointly share results of nondestructive analyses (NDA) of a contaminated soil sample provided by the Algerians and to discuss key observations and analytical approaches. While the two samples were analyzed blind at LLNL and LANL, the soil samples were revealed after the exercisemore » to have a common origin, and to have originated as an IAEA soil sample (IAEA-326, Bojanowski et al., 2001) provided to COMENA as part of a previous exercise. Comparative analysis revealed common findings between the laboratories, and also emphasized the need for standardized operating procedures to improve inter-comparability and confidence in conclusions. Recommended handling practices in the presence of sample heterogeneities were also discussed. This exercise provided an opportunity to demonstrate nuclear forensics analytical capabilities at COMENA, LANL, and LLNL, and identified areas that could benefit from future technical exchanges. Plans were made for a follow-on joint exercise in 2018, involving destructive analyses of the CUP-2 uranium ore concentrate standard.« less

Assessing NIR & MIR Spectral Analysis as a Method for Soil C Estimation Across a Network of Sampling Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, S.; Ogle, S.; Borch, T.; Rock, B.

2008-12-01

Monitoring soil C stocks is critical to assess the impact of future climate and land use change on carbon sinks and sources in agricultural lands. A benchmark network for soil carbon monitoring of stock changes is being designed for US agricultural lands with 3000-5000 sites anticipated and re-sampling on a 5- to10-year basis. Approximately 1000 sites would be sampled per year producing around 15,000 soil samples to be processed for total, organic, and inorganic carbon, as well as bulk density and nitrogen. Laboratory processing of soil samples is cost and time intensive, therefore we are testing the efficacy of using near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectral methods for estimating soil carbon. As part of an initial implementation of national soil carbon monitoring, we collected over 1800 soil samples from 45 cropland sites in the mid-continental region of the U.S. Samples were processed using standard laboratory methods to determine the variables above. Carbon and nitrogen were determined by dry combustion and inorganic carbon was estimated with an acid-pressure test. 600 samples are being scanned using a bench- top NIR reflectance spectrometer (30 g of 2 mm oven-dried soil and 30 g of 8 mm air-dried soil) and 500 samples using a MIR Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) with a DRIFT reflectance accessory (0.2 g oven-dried ground soil). Lab-measured carbon will be compared to spectrally-estimated carbon contents using Partial Least Squares (PLS) multivariate statistical approach. PLS attempts to develop a soil C predictive model that can then be used to estimate C in soil samples not lab-processed. The spectral analysis of soil samples either whole or partially processed can potentially save both funding resources and time to process samples. This is particularly relevant for the implementation of a national monitoring network for soil carbon. This poster will discuss our methods, initial results and potential for using NIR and MIR spectral approaches to either replace or augment traditional lab-based carbon analyses of soils.

Three-dimensional prediction of soil physical, chemical, and hydrological properties in a forested catchment of the Santa Catalina CZO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepard, C.; Holleran, M.; Lybrand, R. A.; Rasmussen, C.

2014-12-01

Understanding critical zone evolution and function requires an accurate assessment of local soil properties. Two-dimensional (2D) digital soil mapping provides a general assessment of soil characteristics across a sampled landscape, but lacks the ability to predict soil properties with depth. The utilization of mass-preserving spline functions enable the extrapolation of soil properties with depth, extending predictive functions to three-dimensions (3D). The present study was completed in the Marshall Gulch (MG) catchment, located in the Santa Catalina Mountains, 30 km northwest of Tucson, Arizona, as part of the Santa Catalina-Jemez Mountains Critical Zone Observatory. Twenty-four soil pits were excavated and described following standard procedures. Mass-preserving splines were used to extrapolate mass carbon (kg C m-2); percent clay, silt, and sand (%); sodium mass flux (kg Na m-2); and pH for 24 sampled soil pits in 1-cm depth increments. Saturated volumetric water content (θs) and volumetric water content at 10 kPa (θ10) were predicted using ROSETTA and established empirical relationships. The described profiles were all sampled to differing depths; to compensate for the unevenness of the profile descriptions, the soil depths were standardized from 0.0 to 1.0 and then split into five equal standard depth sections. A logit-transformation was used to normalize the target variables. Step-wise regressions were calculated using available environmental covariates to predict the properties of each variable across the catchment in each depth section, and interpolated model residuals added back to the predicted layers to generate the final soil maps. Logit-transformed R2 for the predictive functions varied widely, ranging from 0.20 to 0.79, with logit-transformed RMSE ranging from 0.15 to 2.77. The MG catchment was further classified into clusters with similar properties based on the environmental covariates, and representative depth functions for each target variable in each cluster calculated. Mass-preserving splines combined with stepwise regressions are an effective tool for predicting soil physical, chemical, and hydrological properties with depth, enhancing our understanding of the critical zone.

Effects of fines content on hydraulic conductivity and morphology of laterite soil as hydraulic barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bello Yamusa, Yamusa; Yunus, Nor Zurairahetty Mohd; Ahmad, Kamarudin; Rahman, Norhan Abd; Sa'ari, Radzuan

2018-03-01

Laterite soil was investigated to find out the effects of fines content and to identify the micro-structural and molecular characteristics to evaluate its potentiality as a compacted soil landfill liner material. Tests were carried out on natural soil and reconstituted soil by dry weight of soil samples to determine the physical and engineering properties of the soil. All tests were carried out on the samples by adopting the British Standard 1377:1990. The possible mechanisms that contributed to the clay mineralogy were analyzed using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The laterite soil was found to contain kaolinite as the major clay minerals. A minimum of 50% fines content of laterite soil met the required result for hydraulic barriers in waste containment facilities.

Characterization of the International Humic Substances Society standard and reference fulvic and humic acids by solution state carbon-13 (13C) and hydrogen-1 (1H) nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thorn, Kevin A.; Folan, Daniel W.; MacCarthy, Patrick

1989-01-01

Standard and reference samples of the International Humic Substances Society have been characterized by solution state carbon-13 and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. Samples included the Suwannee River, soil, and peat standard fulvic and humic acids, the Leonardite standard humic acid, the Nordic aquatic reference fulvic and humic acids, and the Summit Hill soil reference humic acid. Aqueous-solution carbon-13 NMR analyses included the measurement of spin-lattice relaxation times, measurement of nuclear Overhauser enhancement factors, measurement of quantitative carbon distributions, recording of attached proton test spectra, and recording of spectra under nonquantitative conditions. Distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer carbon-13 NMR spectra also were recorded on the Suwannee River fulvic acid in deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide. Hydrogen-1 NMR spectra were recorded on sodium salts of the samples in deuterium oxide. The carbon aromaticities of the samples ranged from 0.24 for the Suwannee River fulvic acid to 0.58 for the Leonardite humic acid.

Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of organochlorine pesticides in water and soil samples in Bolu, Turkey.

PubMed

Karadeniz, Hatice; Yenisoy-Karakaş, Serpil

2015-03-01

In this study, a total of 75 water samples (38 groundwater and 37 surface water samples) and 54 surface soil samples were collected from the five districts of Bolu, which is located in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey in the summer season of 2009. In the autumn season, 17 water samples (surface water and groundwater samples) and 17 soil samples were collected within the city center to observe the seasonal changes of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Groundwater and surface water samples were extracted using solid phase extraction. Soil samples were extracted ultrasonically. Sixteen OCP compounds in the standard solution were detected by a gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Therefore, the method validation was performed for those 16 OCP compounds. However, 13 OCP compounds could be observed in the samples. The concentrations of most OCPs were higher in samples collected in the summer than those in the autumn. The most frequently observed pesticides were endosulfan sulfate and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in groundwater samples, α-HCH in surface water samples, and endosulfan sulfate in soil samples. The average concentration of endosulfan sulfate was the highest in water and soil samples. Compared to the literature values, the average concentrations in this study were lower values. Spatial distribution of OCPs was evaluated with the aid of contour maps for the five districts of Bolu. Generally, agricultural processes affected the water and soil quality in the region. However, non-agricultural areas were also affected by pesticides. The concentrations of pesticides were below the legal limits of European directives for each pesticide.

Impact of effluents from a car battery manufacturing plant in Nigeria on water, soil, and food qualities.

PubMed

Orisakwe, Orish Ebere; Asomugha, Rose; Afonne, Onyenmechi Johnson; Anisi, C N; Obi, Ejeatuluchukwualo; Dioka, Chudi Emma

2004-01-01

The authors investigated the impact of effluents from a car battery manufacturing plant in Nnewi, Nigeria, on water, soil, and food qualities. The authors analyzed heavy metals mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium and nickel in tap and cassava waters, soil, dried cassava tuber, and edible fruit samples from the company, using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Other parameters the authors analyzed include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), salinity (SAL), total hardness (TH), biological oxygen demand (BOD), volatile and non-volatile solids, and bacterial and fungal loads of the soil samples. Results show that lead had the highest concentration in all the samples, with the soil samples having the highest lead concentration (38-12 ppm, 102 ppm) and the water samples having the lowest (0.02-0.20 ppm). Mercury had the lowest concentration (<0.0002 ppm) in all the samples. Soil sample B had the highest concentration of all the metals tested. Cassava water had higher levels of EC, SAL, TH, BOD, and volatile and nonvolatile solids, but lower pH than tap water. Bacterial loads were higher than fungal loads in all the soil samples. Because there was moderate contamination of the environment by some of the metals studied, with lead being exceptionally high and above the specified international standards, the authors recommend control measures to reduce lead exposure to the local populace within and around this industry.

Evaluation of a modified QuEChERS extraction of multiple classes of pesticides from a rice paddy soil by LC-APCI-MS/MS.

PubMed

Caldas, Sergiane S; Bolzan, Cátia M; Cerqueira, Maristela B; Tomasini, Débora; Furlong, Eliana B; Fagundes, Carlos; Primel, Ednei G

2011-11-23

A new method for the determination of clomazone, fipronil, tebuconazole, propiconazole, and azoxystrobin in samples of rice paddy soil is presented. The extraction of the pesticides from soil samples was performed by using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method. Some extraction conditions such as salt addition, sample acidification, use of buffer, and cleanup step were evaluated. The optimized method dealt with a single extraction of the compounds under study with acidified acetonitrile, followed by the addition of MgSO(4) and NaCl prior to the final determination by liquid chromatography-atmospheric chemical pressure ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Validation studies were carried out in soil samples. Recoveries of the spiked samples ranged between 70.3 and 120% with relative standard deviation lower than 18.2%. The limits of quantification were between 10 and 50 μg kg(-1). The method was applied to the analysis of real samples of soils where rice is cultivated.

Mapping CO2 emission in highly urbanized region using standardized microbial respiration approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasenev, V. I.; Stoorvogel, J. J.; Ananyeva, N. D.

2012-12-01

Urbanization is a major recent land-use change pathway. Land conversion to urban has a tremendous and still unclear effect on soil cover and functions. Urban soil can act as a carbon source, although its potential for CO2 emission is also very high. The main challenge in analysis and mapping soil organic carbon (SOC) in urban environment is its high spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics. The urban environment provides a number of specific features and processes that influence soil formation and functioning and results in a unique spatial variability of carbon stocks and fluxes at short distance. Soil sealing, functional zoning, settlement age and size are the predominant factors, distinguishing heterogeneity of urban soil carbon. The combination of these factors creates a great amount of contrast clusters with abrupt borders, which is very difficult to consider in regional assessment and mapping of SOC stocks and soil CO2 emission. Most of the existing approaches to measure CO2 emission in field conditions (eddy-covariance, soil chambers) are very sensitive to soil moisture and temperature conditions. They require long-term sampling set during the season in order to obtain relevant results. This makes them inapplicable for the analysis of CO2 emission spatial variability at the regional scale. Soil respiration (SR) measurement in standardized lab conditions enables to overcome this difficulty. SR is predominant outgoing carbon flux, including autotrophic respiration of plant roots and heterotrophic respiration of soil microorganisms. Microbiota is responsible for 50-80% of total soil carbon outflow. Microbial respiration (MR) approach provides an integral CO2 emission results, characterizing microbe CO2 production in optimal conditions and thus independent from initial difference in soil temperature and moisture. The current study aimed to combine digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques with standardized microbial respiration approach in order to analyse and map CO2 emission and its spatial variability in highly urbanized Moscow region. Moscow region with its variability of bioclimatic conditions and high urbanization level (10 % from the total area) was chosen as an interesting case study. Random soil sampling in different soil zones (4) and land-use types (3 non-urban and 3 urban) was organized in Moscow region in 2010-2011 (n=242). Both topsoil (0-10 cm) and subsoil (10-150 cm) were included. MR for each point was analysed using standardized microbial (basal) respiration approach, including the following stages: 1) air dried soil samples were moisturised up to 55% water content and preincubated (7 days, 22° C) in a plastic bag with air exchange; 2) soil MR (in μg CO2-C g-1) was measured as the rate of CO2 production (22° C, 24 h) after incubating 2g soil with 0.2 μl distilled water; 3) the MR results were used to estimate CO2 emission (kg C m-2 yr-1). Point MR and CO2 emission results obtained were extrapolated for the Moscow region area using regression model. As a result, two separate CO2 maps for topsoil and subsoil were created. High spatial variability was demonstrated especially for the urban areas. Thus standardized MR approach combined with DSM techniques provided a unique opportunity for spatial analysis of soil carbon temporal dynamics at the regional scale.

Development of a nematode offspring counting assay for rapid and simple soil toxicity assessment.

PubMed

Kim, Shin Woong; Moon, Jongmin; Jeong, Seung-Woo; An, Youn-Joo

2018-05-01

Since the introduction of standardized nematode toxicity assays by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO), many studies have reported their use. Given that the currently used standardized nematode toxicity assays have certain limitations, in this study, we examined the use of a novel nematode offspring counting assay for evaluating soil ecotoxicity based on a previous soil-agar isolation method used to recover live adult nematodes. In this new assay, adult Caenorhabditis elegans were exposed to soil using a standardized toxicity assay procedure, and the resulting offspring in test soils attracted by a microbial food source in agar plates were counted. This method differs from previously used assays in terms of its endpoint, namely, the number of nematode offspring. The applicability of the bioassay was demonstrated using metal-spiked soils, which revealed metal concentration-dependent responses, and with 36 field soil samples characterized by different physicochemical properties and containing various metals. Principal component analysis revealed that texture fraction (clay, sand, and silt) and electrical conductivity values were the main factors influencing the nematode offspring counting assay, and these findings warrant further investigation. The nematode offspring counting assay is a rapid and simple process that can provide multi-directional toxicity assessment when used in conjunction with other standard methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transfer of Cadmium from Soil to Vegetable in the Pearl River Delta area, South China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Huihua; Chen, Junjian; Zhu, Li; Yang, Guoyi; Li, Dingqiang

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the regional Cadmium (Cd) concentration levels in soils and in leaf vegetables across the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area; and reveal the transfer characteristics of Cadmium (Cd) from soils to leaf vegetable species on a regional scale. 170 paired vegetables and corresponding surface soil samples in the study area were collected for calculating the transfer factors of Cadmium (Cd) from soils to vegetables. This investigation revealed that in the study area Cd concentration in soils was lower (mean value 0.158 mg kg−1) compared with other countries or regions. The Cd-contaminated areas are mainly located in west areas of the Pearl River Delta. Cd concentrations in all vegetables were lower than the national standard of Safe vegetables (0.2 mg kg−1). 88% of vegetable samples met the standard of No-Polluted vegetables (0.05 mg kg−1). The Cd concentration in vegetables was mainly influenced by the interactions of total Cd concentration in soils, soil pH and vegetable species. The fit lines of soil-to-plant transfer factors and total Cd concentration in soils for various vegetable species were best described by the exponential equation (), and these fit lines can be divided into two parts, including the sharply decrease part with a large error range, and the slowly decrease part with a low error range, according to the gradual increasing of total Cd concentrations in soils. PMID:25247431

Transfer of cadmium from soil to vegetable in the Pearl River Delta area, South China.

PubMed

Zhang, Huihua; Chen, Junjian; Zhu, Li; Yang, Guoyi; Li, Dingqiang

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the regional Cadmium (Cd) concentration levels in soils and in leaf vegetables across the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area; and reveal the transfer characteristics of Cadmium (Cd) from soils to leaf vegetable species on a regional scale. 170 paired vegetables and corresponding surface soil samples in the study area were collected for calculating the transfer factors of Cadmium (Cd) from soils to vegetables. This investigation revealed that in the study area Cd concentration in soils was lower (mean value 0.158 mg kg(-1)) compared with other countries or regions. The Cd-contaminated areas are mainly located in west areas of the Pearl River Delta. Cd concentrations in all vegetables were lower than the national standard of Safe vegetables (0.2 mg kg(-1)). 88% of vegetable samples met the standard of No-Polluted vegetables (0.05 mg kg(-1)). The Cd concentration in vegetables was mainly influenced by the interactions of total Cd concentration in soils, soil pH and vegetable species. The fit lines of soil-to-plant transfer factors and total Cd concentration in soils for various vegetable species were best described by the exponential equation (y = ax(b)), and these fit lines can be divided into two parts, including the sharply decrease part with a large error range, and the slowly decrease part with a low error range, according to the gradual increasing of total Cd concentrations in soils.

Soil and leaf litter metaproteomics—a brief guideline from sampling to understanding

PubMed Central

Keiblinger, Katharina M.; Fuchs, Stephan; Zechmeister-Boltenstern, Sophie; Riedel, Katharina

2016-01-01

The increasing application of soil metaproteomics is providing unprecedented, in-depth characterization of the composition and functionality of in situ microbial communities. Despite recent advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry, soil metaproteomics still suffers from a lack of effective and reproducible protein extraction protocols and standardized data analyses. This review discusses the opportunities and limitations of selected techniques in soil-, and leaf litter metaproteomics, and presents a step-by-step guideline on their application, covering sampling, sample preparation, extraction and data evaluation strategies. In addition, we present recent applications of soil metaproteomics and discuss how such approaches, linking phylogenetics and functionality, can help gain deeper insights into terrestrial microbial ecology. Finally, we strongly recommend that to maximize the insights environmental metaproteomics may provide, such methods should be employed within a holistic experimental approach considering relevant aboveground and belowground ecosystem parameters. PMID:27549116

Advances in spectroscopic methods for quantifying soil carbon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liebig, Mark; Franzluebbers, Alan J.; Follett, Ronald F.; Hively, W. Dean; Reeves, James B.; McCarty, Gregory W.; Calderon, Francisco

2012-01-01

The gold standard for soil C determination is combustion. However, this method requires expensive consumables, is limited to the determination of the total carbon and in the number of samples which can be processed (~100/d). With increased interest in soil C sequestration, faster methods are needed. Thus, interest in methods based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the visible, near-infrared or mid-infrared ranges using either proximal or remote sensing. These methods have the ability to analyze more samples (2 to 3X/d) or huge areas (imagery) and do multiple analytes simultaneously, but require calibrations relating spectral and reference data and have specific problems, i.e., remote sensing is capable of scanning entire watersheds, thus reducing the sampling needed, but is limiting to the surface layer of tilled soils and by difficulty in obtaining proper calibration reference values. The objective of this discussion is the present state of spectroscopic methods for soil C determination.

A laboratory procedure for measuring and georeferencing soil colour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marques-Mateu, A.; Balaguer-Puig, M.; Moreno-Ramon, H.; Ibanez-Asensio, S.

2015-04-01

Remote sensing and geospatial applications very often require ground truth data to assess outcomes from spatial analyses or environmental models. Those data sets, however, may be difficult to collect in proper format or may even be unavailable. In the particular case of soil colour the collection of reliable ground data can be cumbersome due to measuring methods, colour communication issues, and other practical factors which lead to a lack of standard procedure for soil colour measurement and georeferencing. In this paper we present a laboratory procedure that provides colour coordinates of georeferenced soil samples which become useful in later processing stages of soil mapping and classification from digital images. The procedure requires a laboratory setup consisting of a light booth and a trichromatic colorimeter, together with a computer program that performs colour measurement, storage, and colour space transformation tasks. Measurement tasks are automated by means of specific data logging routines which allow storing recorded colour data in a spatial format. A key feature of the system is the ability of transforming between physically-based colour spaces and the Munsell system which is still the standard in soil science. The working scheme pursues the automation of routine tasks whenever possible and the avoidance of input mistakes by means of a convenient layout of the user interface. The program can readily manage colour and coordinate data sets which eventually allow creating spatial data sets. All the tasks regarding data joining between colorimeter measurements and samples locations are executed by the software in the background, allowing users to concentrate on samples processing. As a result, we obtained a robust and fully functional computer-based procedure which has proven a very useful tool for sample classification or cataloging purposes as well as for integrating soil colour data with other remote sensed and spatial data sets.

Investigating the Relationship Between Soil Water Mobility and Stable Isotope Composition with Implications for the Ecohydrologic Separation Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuler, J.; McNamara, J. P.; Benner, S. G.; Kohn, M. J.; Evans, S.

2017-12-01

The ecohydrologic separation (ES) hypothesis states that streams and plants return different soil water compartments to the atmosphere and that these compartments bear distinct isotopic compositions that can be used to infer soil water mobility. Recent studies have found isotopic evidence for ES in a variety of ecosystems, though interpretations of these data vary. ES investigations frequently suffer from low sampling frequencies as well as incomplete or missing soil moisture and matric potential data to support assumptions of soil water mobility. We sampled bulk soil water every 2-3 weeks in the upper 1 m of a hillslope profile from May 2016 to July 2017 in a semi-arid watershed outside Boise, ID. Twig samples of three plant species were also collected concurrently. Plant and soil water samples extracted via cryogenic vacuum distillation were analyzed for δ2H and δ18O composition. Soil moisture and soil matric potential sensors were installed at five and four depths in the profile, respectively. Shallow bulk soil water was progressively enriched in both isotopes over the growing season and plotted along a soil evaporation line in a plot of δ2H versus δ18O. Plant water during the growing season plotted below both the Local Meteoric Water Line and soil evaporation line. Plant water isotopic composition could not be traced to any source sampled in this study. Additionally, soil moisture and matric potential data revealed that soils were well-drained and that mobile soil water was unavailable throughout most of the growing season at the depths sampled. Soil water isotopic composition alone failed to predict mobility as observed in soil moisture and matric potential data. These results underscore the need for standard hydrologic definitions for the mobile and immobile compartments of soil water in future studies of the ES hypothesis and ecohydrologic processes in general.

Determination of benazolin-ethyl residues in soil and rape seed by SPE clean-up and GC with electron capture detection.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaolu; Yang, Tao; Hu, Jiye

2013-01-01

A method has been developed and established for residue determination of benazolin-ethyl in soil and rape seed samples by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD). Limits of quantification of the method are 0.005 mg/kg for both soil and rape seed, which are sufficiently below the maximum residue limit, and the limit of detection is 0.0023 ng. The average recoveries of the analyte range from 85.89 to 105.84% with relative standard deviations (coefficient of variation) less than 5.53% at the three spike levels (0.005, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg). The half-life of benazolin-ethyl in soil from the experimental field is 4.62 days. The final residues of benazolin-ethyl in soil and rape seed samples are lower than 0.005 mg/kg at harvest time. Direct confirmation of the analyte in real samples is achieved by GC-mass spectrometry. It is demonstrated that the proposed method is simple, rapid and efficient, and reliable to detect benazolin-ethyl residues in soil and rape seed samples.

Comparison of procedures for correction of matrix interferences in the analysis of soils by ICP-OES with CCD detection

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

Sadler, D.A.; Sun, F.; Littlejohn, D.

1995-12-31

ICP-OES is a useful technique for multi-element analysis of soils. However, as a number of elements are present in relatively high concentrations, matrix interferences can occur and examples have been widely reported. The availability of CCD detectors has increased the opportunities for rapid multi-element, multi-wave-length determination of elemental concentrations in soils and other environmental samples. As the composition of soils from industrial sites can vary considerably, especially when taken from different pit horizons, procedures are required to assess the extent of interferences and correct the effects, on a simultaneous multi-element basis. In single element analysis, plasma operating conditions can sometimesmore » be varied to minimize or even remove multiplicative interferences. In simultaneous multi-element analysis, the scope for this approach may be limited, depending on the spectrochemical characteristics of the emitting analyte species. Matrix matching, by addition of major sample components to the analyte calibrant solutions, can be used to minimize inaccuracies. However, there are also limitations to this procedure, when the sample composition varies significantly. Multiplicative interference effects can also be assessed by a {open_quotes}single standard addition{close_quotes} of each analyte to the sample solution and the information obtained may be used to correct the analyte concentrations determined directly. Each of these approaches has been evaluated to ascertain the best procedure for multi-element analysis of industrial soils by ICP-OES with CCD detection at multiple wavelengths. Standard reference materials and field samples have been analyzed to illustrate the efficacy of each procedure.« less

Evaluation of gravimetric ground truth soil moisture data collected for the agricultural soil moisture experiment, 1978 Colby, Kansas, aircraft mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arya, L. M.; Phinney, D. E. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

Soil moisture data acquired to support the development of algorithms for estimating surface soil moisture from remotely sensed backscattering of microwaves from ground surfaces are presented. Aspects of field uniformity and variability of gravimetric soil moisture measurements are discussed. Moisture distribution patterns are illustrated by frequency distributions and contour plots. Standard deviations and coefficients of variation relative to degree of wetness and agronomic features of the fields are examined. Influence of sampling depth on observed moisture content an variability are indicated. For the various sets of measurements, soil moisture values that appear as outliers are flagged. The distribution and legal descriptions of the test fields are included along with examinations of soil types, agronomic features, and sampling plan. Bulk density data for experimental fields are appended, should analyses involving volumetric moisture content be of interest to the users of data in this report.

Environmental Assessment of the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center near Butlerville, Indiana, October and November 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risch, Martin R.; Ulberg, Amanda L.; Robinson, Bret A.

2007-01-01

Concentrations of constituents detected in these samples were compared with regulatory standards (the Indiana Surface-Water-Quality Standards and Indiana Ground-Water-Quality Standards) and guidance criteria from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Risk Integrated System of Closures for contaminated soil and ground water. Standards or criteria were exceeded by 17 constituent concentrations in 11 environmental samples from 5 of the 7 geographic study areas. Standards or criteria were exceeded for 10 constituents: ammonia, arsenic, benzo(a)pyrene, beryllium, chloride, chloroform, copper, lead, sulfate, and zinc.

Quantification of transformation products of rocket fuel unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine in soils using SPME and GC-MS.

PubMed

Bakaikina, Nadezhda V; Kenessov, Bulat; Ul'yanovskii, Nikolay V; Kosyakov, Dmitry S

2018-07-01

Determination of transformation products (TPs) of rocket fuel unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) in soil is highly important for environmental impact assessment of the launches of heavy space rockets from Kazakhstan, Russia, China and India. The method based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is advantageous over other known methods due to greater simplicity and cost efficiency. However, accurate quantification of these analytes using HS SPME is limited by the matrix effect. In this research, we proposed using internal standard and standard addition calibrations to achieve proper combination of accuracies of the quantification of key TPs of UDMH and cost efficiency. 1-Trideuteromethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole (MTA-d3) was used as the internal standard. Internal standard calibration allowed controlling matrix effects during quantification of 1-methyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole (MTA), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in soils with humus content < 1%. Using SPME at 60 °C for 15 min by 65 µm Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber, recoveries of MTA, DMF and NDMA for sandy and loamy soil samples were 91-117, 85-123 and 64-132%, respectively. For improving the method accuracy and widening the range of analytes, standard addition and its combination with internal standard calibration were tested and compared on real soil samples. The combined calibration approach provided greatest accuracies for NDMA, DMF, N-methylformamide, formamide, 1H-pyrazole, 3-methyl-1H-pyrazole and 1H-pyrazole. For determination of 1-formyl-2,2-dimethylhydrazine, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, 2-ethyl-1H-imidazole, 1H-imidazole, 1H-1,2,4-triazole, pyrazines and pyridines, standard addition calibration is more suitable. However, the proposed approach and collected data allow using both approaches simultaneously. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: the impact of soil variables

PubMed Central

McBride, Murray B.; Shayler, Hannah A.; Spliethoff, Henry M.; Mitchell, Rebecca G.; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G.; Ferenz, Gretchen S.; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M.; Casey, Linda; Bachman, Sharon

2014-01-01

Paired vegetable/soil samples from New York City and Buffalo, NY, gardens were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and barium (Ba). Vegetable aluminum (Al) was measured to assess soil adherence. Soil and vegetable metal concentrations did not correlate; vegetable concentrations varied by crop type. Pb was below health-based guidance values (EU standards) in virtually all fruits. 47% of root crops and 9% of leafy greens exceeded guidance values; over half the vegetables exceeded the 95th percentile of market-basket concentrations for Pb. Vegetable Pb correlated with Al; soil particle adherence/incorporation was more important than Pb uptake via roots. Cd was similar to market-basket concentrations and below guidance values in nearly all samples. Vegetable Ba was much higher than Pb or Cd, although soil Ba was lower than soil Pb. The poor relationship between vegetable and soil metal concentrations is attributable to particulate contamination of vegetables and soil characteristics that influence phytoavailability. PMID:25163429

Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: the impact of soil variables.

PubMed

McBride, Murray B; Shayler, Hannah A; Spliethoff, Henry M; Mitchell, Rebecca G; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G; Ferenz, Gretchen S; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M; Casey, Linda; Bachman, Sharon

2014-11-01

Paired vegetable/soil samples from New York City and Buffalo, NY, gardens were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and barium (Ba). Vegetable aluminum (Al) was measured to assess soil adherence. Soil and vegetable metal concentrations did not correlate; vegetable concentrations varied by crop type. Pb was below health-based guidance values (EU standards) in virtually all fruits. 47% of root crops and 9% of leafy greens exceeded guidance values; over half the vegetables exceeded the 95th percentile of market-basket concentrations for Pb. Vegetable Pb correlated with Al; soil particle adherence/incorporation was more important than Pb uptake via roots. Cd was similar to market-basket concentrations and below guidance values in nearly all samples. Vegetable Ba was much higher than Pb or Cd, although soil Ba was lower than soil Pb. The poor relationship between vegetable and soil metal concentrations is attributable to particulate contamination of vegetables and soil characteristics that influence phytoavailability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM SOIL, DUST, AIR FILTER, AND SURFACE AND DERMAL SAMPLES FOR AA (GRAPHITE FURNACE OR FLAME) OR ICP-AES ANALYSIS (BCO-L-3.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the acid digestion of soil, house dust, air filter, and surface or dermal wipe samples for analysis using inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES) and/or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) or fl...

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…

Ecotoxicological study of arsenic and lead contaminated soils in former orchards at the Hanford Site, USA.

PubMed

Delistraty, Damon; Yokel, Jerry

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess ecotoxicity of former orchard soils contaminated with lead arsenate pesticides at the Hanford Site in Washington state (USA). Surface soil, plant, and invertebrate samples were collected from 11 sites in former orchard areas. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) for As and Pb in soil were 39.5 (40.6) and 208 (142) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 11). These concentrations exceeded Hanford background levels but were similar to orchard soils elsewhere. In our study, As and Pb soil concentrations were positively and significantly correlated (r = 0.87, Bonferroni P < 0.05). Speciation of total inorganic As in soil (n = 6) demonstrated that As+5 was the dominant form (>99%). Mean (SD) for As and Pb in cheatgrass were 3.9 (7.9) and 12.4 (20.0) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 11), while mean (SD) for As and Pb in darkling beetles were 5.4 (2.6) and 3.9 (3.0) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 8). Linear regressions were constructed to estimate soil to cheatgrass and soil to darkling beetle uptake for As and Pb. These were significant (Bonferroni P < 0.05) only for cheatgrass versus soil (As) and darkling beetle versus soil (Pb). Standardized lettuce seedling and earthworm bioassays were performed with a subset of soil samples (n = 6). No significant effects (P > 0.05) were observed in lettuce survival or growth nor in earthworm survival or sublethal effects. Based on these bioassays, unbounded no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) in soil for As and Pb were 128 and 390 mg/kg dry wt, respectively. However, our range of soil concentrations generally overlapped a set of ecotoxicological benchmarks reported in the literature. Given uncertainty and limited sampling related to our NOECs, as well as uncertainty in generic benchmarks from the literature, further study is needed to refine characterization of As and Pb ecotoxicity in former orchard soils at the Hanford Site. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nickel speciation in several serpentine (ultramafic) topsoils via bulk synchrotron-based techniques

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

Siebecker, Matthew G.; Chaney, Rufus L.; Sparks, Donald L.

2017-07-01

Serpentine soils have elevated concentrations of trace metals including nickel, cobalt, and chromium compared to non-serpentine soils. Identifying the nickel bearing minerals allows for prediction of potential mobility of nickel. Synchrotron-based techniques can identify the solid-phase chemical forms of nickel with minimal sample treatment. Element concentrations are known to vary among soil particle sizes in serpentine soils. Sonication is a useful method to physically disperse sand, silt and clay particles in soils. Synchrotron-based techniques and sonication were employed to identify nickel species in discrete particle size fractions in several serpentine (ultramafic) topsoils to better understand solid-phase nickel geochemistry. Nickel commonlymore » resided in primary serpentine parent material such as layered-phyllosilicate and chain-inosilicate minerals and was associated with iron oxides. In the clay fractions, nickel was associated with iron oxides and primary serpentine minerals, such as lizardite. Linear combination fitting (LCF) was used to characterize nickel species. Total metal concentration did not correlate with nickel speciation and is not an indicator of the major nickel species in the soil. Differences in soil texture were related to different nickel speciation for several particle size fractionated samples. A discussion on LCF illustrates the importance of choosing standards based not only on statistical methods such as Target Transformation but also on sample mineralogy and particle size. Results from the F-test (Hamilton test), which is an underutilized tool in the literature for LCF in soils, highlight its usefulness to determine the appropriate number of standards to for LCF. EXAFS shell fitting illustrates that destructive interference commonly found for light and heavy elements in layered double hydroxides and in phyllosilicates also can occur in inosilicate minerals, causing similar structural features and leading to false positive results in LCF.« less

Comparative phosphorus sorption by marine sediments and agricultural soils in a tropical environment.

PubMed

Fox, Robert L; Fares, Ali; Wan, Y; Evensen, Carl I

2006-01-01

The influence of soil phosphorus (P) sources on P sorption characteristics of marine sediments was investigated for Pearl Harbor and off shore Molokai in Hawaii. Estuary sediments were sampled in seven locations; these represented different soils and on-shore activities. The soil samples included nine major soils that contributed sediment to the Harbor and coastal sediments near the island of Molokai. Sediment and soil samples were equilibrated for 6 days in 0.01 M CaCl(2) solution and synthetic seawater containing differing amounts of P. Phosphorus sorption curves were constructed. The equilibrated solution P, with no P added, ranged from 0.01 to 0.2 mg L(-1); P sorption by sediments at standard solution concentration 0.2 mg L(-1), ranged from 0 to 230 mg kg(-1). Sediment P sorption corresponded closely with soil sorption characteristics. Soils contributing sediments to the west reach of Pearl Harbor are highly weathered Oxisols with high standard P sorption values while those in the southeast of the Harbor were Vertisols and Mollisols which sorb little P. The influence of source materials on sediment P sorption was also observed for off-shore sediments near Molokai. Sediments serve as both source and sink for P in Pearl Harbor and in this role can be a stabilizing influence on P concentration in the water column. Phosphorus sorption curves in conjunction with water quality data can help to understand P dynamics between sediments and the water column and help evaluate concerns about P loading to a water body. For Pearl Harbor, solution P in equilibrium with sediments from the Lochs was 0.021 mg L(-1); a value unlikely to produce an algal bloom. (Measured total P in the water columns (mean) was 0.060.).

Within-field variability of plant and soil parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T. (Principal Investigator); Brisco, B.; Dobson, C.

1981-01-01

The variability of ground truth data collected for vegetation experiments was investigated. Two fields of wheat and one field of corn were sampled on two different dates. The variability of crop and soil parameters within a field, between two fields of the same type, and within a field over time were compared statistically. The number of samples from each test site required in order to be able to determine with confidence the mean and standard deviations for a given variable was determined. Eight samples were found to be adequate for plant height determinations, while twenty samples were required for plant moisture and soil moisture characterization. Eighteen samples were necessary for detecting within field variability over time and for between field variability for the same crop. The necessary sample sites vary according to the physiological growth stage of the crop and recent weather events that affect the moisture and/or height characteristics of the field in question.

Detailed study of selenium and selected constituents in water, bottom sediment, soil, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the San Juan River area, New Mexico, 1991-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Carole L.; Wilson, R.M.; Lusk, J.D.; Bristol, R.S.; Shineman, A.R.

1998-01-01

In response to increasing concern about the quality of irrigation drainage and its potential effects on fish, wildlife, and human health, the U.S. Department of the Interior began the National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP) to investigate these concerns at irrigation projects sponsored by the Department. The San Juan River in northwestern New Mexico was one of the areas designated for study. Study teams composed of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs collected water, bottom-sediment, soil, and biological samples at 61 sites in the San Juan River area during 1993-94. Supplemental data collection conducted during 1991-95 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its contractor extended the time period and sampling sites available for analysis. Analytical chemistry performed on samples indicated that most potentially toxic elements other than selenium generally were not high enough to be of concern to fish, wildlife, and human health. Element concentrations in some water, bottom-sediment, soil, and biological samples exceeded applicable standards and criteria suggested by researchers in current literature. Selenium concentrations in water samples from 28 sites in the study area exceeded the 2-microgram-per-liter wildlife-habitat standard. Vanadium concentrations in water exceeded the 100-microgram-per-liter standard for livestock-drinking water at one site. In biota, selenium and aluminum concentrations regularly equaled or exceeded avian dietary threshold concentrations. In bottom sediment and soil, element concentrations above the upper limit of the baseline range for western soils were: selenium, 24 exceedances; lead, 2 exceedances; molybdenum, 2 exceedances; strontium, 4 exceedances; and zinc, 4 exceedances. Concentrations of total selenium in bottom-sediment and soil samples were significantly greater for Cretaceous than for non-Cretaceous soil types in the study area and were generally similar for habitats within and outside irrigation-affected areas. Mean and median total-selenium concentrations in samples from areas with Cretaceous soil types were 4.6 and 2.2 micrograms per gram, respectively. Mean and median total-selenium concentrations in samples from areas with non-Cretaceous soil types were 0.6 and 0.15 microgram per gram, respectively. Samples from the study area had low concentrations of organic constituents. Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in a few biological samples at low concentrations. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds were not detected in whole-water samples collected using conventional water-sampling techniques. In tests involving the use of semipermeable-membrane devices to supplement conventional water assays for PAH's, low concentrations of PAH's were found at several locations in the Hammond Irrigation Supply Canal, but were not detected in the Hammond ponds at the downstream reach of the Hammond irrigation service area. PAH compounds do not appear to reach the San Juan River through the Hammond Canal. Data indicate that water samples from irrigation-drainage-affected habitats had increased mean selenium concentrations compared with samples from irrigation-delivery habitat. The mean selenium concentration in water was greatest at seeps and tributaries draining irrigated land (17 micrograms per liter); less in irrigation drains and in ponds on irrigated land (6 micrograms per liter); and least in backwater, the San Juan River, and irrigation-supply water (0.5 - 0.6 microgram per liter). Statistical tests imply that irrigation significantly increases selenium concentrations in water samples when a Department of the Interior irrigation project is developed on selenium-rich sediments. Water samples from sites with Cretaceous soils had signi

iSOIL: Interactions between soil related sciences - Linking geophysics, soil science and digital soil mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietrich, Peter; Werban, Ulrike; Sauer, Uta

2010-05-01

High-resolution soil property maps are one major prerequisite for the specific protection of soil functions and restoration of degraded soils as well as sustainable land use, water and environmental management. To generate such maps the combination of digital soil mapping approaches and remote as well as proximal soil sensing techniques is most promising. However, a feasible and reliable combination of these technologies for the investigation of large areas (e.g. catchments and landscapes) and the assessment of soil degradation threats is missing. Furthermore, there is insufficient dissemination of knowledge on digital soil mapping and proximal soil sensing in the scientific community, to relevant authorities as well as prospective users. As one consequence there is inadequate standardization of techniques. At the poster we present the EU collaborative project iSOIL within the 7th framework program of the European Commission. iSOIL focuses on improving fast and reliable mapping methods of soil properties, soil functions and soil degradation risks. This requires the improvement and integration of advanced soil sampling approaches, geophysical and spectroscopic measuring techniques, as well as pedometric and pedophysical approaches. The focus of the iSOIL project is to develop new and to improve existing strategies and innovative methods for generating accurate, high resolution soil property maps. At the same time the developments will reduce costs compared to traditional soil mapping. ISOIL tackles the challenges by the integration of three major components: (i)high resolution, non-destructive geophysical (e.g. Electromagnetic Induction EMI; Ground Penetrating Radar, GPR; magnetics, seismics) and spectroscopic (e.g., Near Surface Infrared, NIR) methods, (ii)Concepts of Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) and pedometrics as well as (iii)optimized soil sampling with respect to profound soil scientific and (geo)statistical strategies. A special focus of iSOIL lies on the sustainable dissemination of technologies and concepts developed in the projects through workshops for stakeholders and the publication of a handbook "Methods and Technologies for Mapping of Soil Properties, Function and Threat Risks". Besides, the CEN Workshop offers a new mechanism and approach to standardization. During the project we decided that the topic of the CEN Workshop should focus on a voluntary standardization of electromagnetic induction measurement to ensure that results can be evaluated and processed under uniform circumstances and can be comparable. At the poster we will also present the idea and the objectives of our CEN Workshop "Best Practice Approach for electromagnetic induction measurements of the near surface"and invite every interested person to participate.

On soil textural classifications and soil-texture-based estimations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ángel Martín, Miguel; Pachepsky, Yakov A.; García-Gutiérrez, Carlos; Reyes, Miguel

2018-02-01

The soil texture representation with the standard textural fraction triplet sand-silt-clay is commonly used to estimate soil properties. The objective of this work was to test the hypothesis that other fraction sizes in the triplets may provide a better representation of soil texture for estimating some soil parameters. We estimated the cumulative particle size distribution and bulk density from an entropy-based representation of the textural triplet with experimental data for 6240 soil samples. The results supported the hypothesis. For example, simulated distributions were not significantly different from the original ones in 25 and 85 % of cases when the sand-silt-clay and very coarse+coarse + medium sand - fine + very fine sand - silt+clay were used, respectively. When the same standard and modified triplets were used to estimate the average bulk density, the coefficients of determination were 0.001 and 0.967, respectively. Overall, the textural triplet selection appears to be application and data specific.

Statistical design and analysis of environmental studies for plutonium and other transuranics at NAEG ''safety-shot'' sites

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

Gilbert, R.O.; Eberhardt, L.L.; Fowler, E.B.

This paper is centered around the use of stratified random sampling for estimating the total amount (inventory) of $sup 239-240$Pu and uranium in surface soil at ten ''safety-shot'' sites on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and Tonopah Test Range (TTR) that are currently being studied by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG). The use of stratified random sampling has resulted in estimates of inventory at these desert study sites that have smaller standard errors than would have been the case had simple random sampling (no stratification) been used. Estimates of inventory are given for $sup 235$U, $sup 238$U, and $supmore » 239-240$Pu in soil at A Site of Area 11 on the NTS. Other results presented include average concentrations of one or more of these isotopes in soil and vegetation and in soil profile samples at depths to 25 cm. The regression relationship between soil and vegetation concentrations of $sup 235$U and $sup 238$U at adjacent sampling locations is also examined using three different models. The applicability of stratified random sampling to the estimation of concentration contours of $sup 239-240$Pu in surface soil using computer algorithms is also investigated. Estimates of such contours are obtained using several different methods. The planning of field sampling plans for estimating inventory and distribution is discussed. (auth)« less

Nondestructive Evaluation of Airport Pavements. Volume I. Program References,

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

greater than its original capacity (see test 13 on Fig. 2.5). During the material tests by Majidzadeh, the dynamic E-value of frozen subgrade soil was...Sample the base and subbase material by conventional spoon and identify the material by standard soil -aggregate classification and penetration...such as shaker table. The new testing specification is designed for all paving materials including subgrade soils . The specifications of material

X-Ray Fluorescence to Estimate the Maximum Temperature Reached at Soil Surface during Experimental Slash-and-Burn Fires.

PubMed

Melquiades, Fábio L; Thomaz, Edivaldo L

2016-05-01

An important aspect for the evaluation of fire effects in slash-and-burn agricultural system, as well as in wildfire, is the soil burn severity. The objective of this study is to estimate the maximum temperature reached in real soil burn events using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) as an analytical tool, combined with partial least square (PLS) regression. Muffle-heated soil samples were used for PLS regression model calibration and two real slash-and-burn soils were tested as external samples in the model. It was possible to associate EDXRF spectra alterations to the maximum temperature reached in the heat affected soils with about 17% relative standard deviation. The results are promising since the analysis is fast, nondestructive, and conducted after the burn event, although local calibration for each type of burned soil is necessary. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

[Pollution characteristics and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in riparian soils along urban rivers of Wenzhou city].

PubMed

Zhou, Jie-Cheng; Bi, Chun-Juan; Chen, Zhen-Lou; Wang, Lu; Xu, Shi-Yuan; Pan, Qi

2012-12-01

Twenty one riparian soil samples along Jiushanwai River and Shanxia River of Wenzhou city were collected in August 2010 to investigate the pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The samples were extracted by an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE), purified by a purification column and determined by GC-MS. Results showed that the total concentrations of PAHs in the riparian soils ranged from 60.7 ng x g(-1) to 3 871.3 ng x g(-1), and the concentrations of sigma PAHs in soils along the Shanxia River were significantly lower than the levels along Jiushanwai River. The dominant compounds were 2 to 3 rings in the riparian soils along both rivers, which in average accounted for 62.47% - 72.51% in sigma PAHs. Compared with the PAHs concentrations in soils of other areas in the world, the riparian soils of the studied rivers were moderately polluted by PAHs, but the concentrations of BaP in three soil samples were much higher than the soil standard value of the former Soviet Union, which should be paid more attention. Based on the ratios of Ant/(Ant + Phe) and Fla/(Fla + Pyr) and principal component analysis results, PAHs in riparian soils of the studied rivers were mainly derived from both the petroleum and combustion.

Studies on geotechnical properties of subsoil in south east coastal region of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Susom; Barik, D. K.

2017-11-01

Soil testing and analysis has become essential before commencement of any activity or process on soil i.e. residential construction, road construction etc. It is the most important work particularly in coastal area as these areas are more vulnerable to the natural disastrous like tsunami and cyclone. In India, there is lack of facility to collect and analyse the soil from the field. Hence, to study the various characteristics of the coastal region sub soil, Old Mahabalipuram area, which is the South East region of India has been chosen in this study. The aim of this study is to collect and analyse the soil sample from various localities of the Old Mahabalipuram area. The analysed soil data will be helpful for the people who are working in the field of Geotechnical in coastal region of India to make decision. The soil sample collected from different boreholes have undergone various field and laboratory tests like Pressuremeter Test, Field Permeability Test, Electrical Resistivity Test, Standard Penetration Test, Shear Test, Atterberg Limits etc. are performed including rock tests to know the geotechnical properties of the soil samples for each and every stratum

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM SOIL, DUST, AIR FILTER, AND SURFACE AND DERMAL WIPE SAMPLES FOR AA (GRAPHITE FURNACE OR FLAME) OR ICP-AES ANALYSIS (BCO-L-3.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the acid digestion of soil, house dust, air filter, and surface or dermal wipe samples for analysis using inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES) and/or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) or fl...

Removal of uranium from soil sample digests for ICP-OES analysis of trace metals

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

Foust, R.D. Jr.; Bidabad, M.

1996-10-01

An analytical procedure has been developed to quantitatively remove uranium from soil sample digests, permitting ICP-OES analysis of trace metals. The procedure involves digesting a soil sample with standard procedures (EPA SW-846, Method 3050), and passing the sample digestate through commercially available resin (U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec, Eichrom Industries, Inc.) containing diarryl amylphosphonate as the stationary phase. Quantitative removal of uranium was achieved with soil samples containing up to 60% uranium, and percent recoveries averaged better than 85% for 9 of the 10 metals evaluated (Ag, As, Cd. Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Tl). The U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec column was regenerated by washing withmore » 200 mL of a 0.01 M oxalic acid/0.02 M nitric acid solution, permitting re-use of the column. GFAAS analysis of a sample spiked with 56.5% uranium, after treatment of the digestate with a U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec resin column, resulted in percent recoveries of 97% or better for all target metals.« less

[Simultaneous determination of pyraclostrobin and thiophanate-methyl and its metabolite carbendazim residues in soil and citrus by QuEChERS-liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Li, Fuqin; Shi, Lihong; Wang, Fei; Sun, Caiyuan; Kang, Di; Zhang, Yuping; Chen, Lingzhu; Hu, Deyu

2017-06-08

A QuEChERS-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of pyraclostrobin, thiophanate-methyl and its metabolite carbendazim in soil and citrus. The samples were extracted with methanol or acetonitrile, purified by primary secondary amine (PSA), then separated by LC, detected in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry mode via positive electrospray ionization. The analytes were quantified by matrix-matched standard solutions with external standard method. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of pyraclostrobin, thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim in different matrices were 5.8-7.0 μg/kg, 9.3-14.1 μg/kg and 2.1-2.6 μg/kg, respectively. For all the samples, the spiked recoveries ranged from 75.48% to 109.18%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 0.60%-5.11% ( n =5). The method is quick, easy, effective, sensitive and accurate. The matrix-matched calibration solutions can efficiently compensate matrix effects of the pyraclostrobin, thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim in LC-MS/MS analysis. The established method can be applied to the residue analysis of the real samples of soil, citrus peel, citrus pulp and citrus fruits.

Suitability of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based assay to assess the toxicity of pyrimethanil sprayed soils via surface runoff: comparison with standard aquatic and soil toxicity assays.

PubMed

Gil, Fátima N; Moreira-Santos, Matilde; Chelinho, Sónia; Pereira, Carla; Feliciano, Joana R; Leitão, Jorge H; Sousa, José P; Ribeiro, Rui; Viegas, Cristina A

2015-02-01

The present study is aimed at evaluating whether a gene expression assay with the microbial eukaryotic model Saccharomyces cerevisiae could be used as a suitable warning tool for the rapid preliminary screening of potential toxic effects on organisms due to scenarios of soil and water contamination with pyrimethanil. The assay consisted of measuring changes in the expression of the selected pyrimethanil-responsive genes ARG3 and ARG5,6 in a standardized yeast population. Evaluation was held by assessing the toxicity of surface runoff, a major route of pesticide exposure in aquatic systems due to non-point-source pollution, which was simulated with a pyrimethanil formulation at a semifield scale mimicking worst-case scenarios of soil contamination (e.g. accident or improper disposal). Yeast cells 2-h exposure to the runoff samples led to a significant 2-fold increase in the expression of both indicator genes. These results were compared with those from assays with organisms relevant for the aquatic and soil compartments, namely the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (reproduction), the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna (survival and reproduction), the benthic midge Chironomus riparius (growth), and the soil invertebrates Folsomia candida and Enchytraeus crypticus (survival and reproduction). Under the experimental conditions used to simulate accidental discharges into soil, runoff waters were highly toxic to the standard test organisms, except for C. elegans. Overall, results point out the usefulness of the yeast assay to provide a rapid preview of the toxicity level in preliminary screenings of environmental samples in situations of inadvertent high pesticide contamination. Advantages and limitations of this novel method are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sampling for Chemical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratochvil, Byron; And Others

1984-01-01

This review, designed to make analysts aware of uncertainties introduced into analytical measurements during sampling, is organized under these headings: general considerations; theory; standards; and applications related to mineralogy, soils, sediments, metallurgy, atmosphere, water, biology, agriculture and food, medical and clinical areas, oil…

Effect of Drying on Heavy Metal Fraction Distribution in Rice Paddy Soil

PubMed Central

Qi, Yanbing; Huang, Biao; Darilek, Jeremy Landon

2014-01-01

An understanding of how redox conditions affect soil heavy metal fractions in rice paddies is important due to its implications for heavy metal mobility and plant uptake. Rice paddy soil samples routinely undergo oxidation prior to heavy metal analysis. Fraction distribution of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Cd from paddy soil with a wide pH range was investigated. Samples were both dried according to standard protocols and also preserved under anaerobic conditions through the sampling and analysis process and heavy metals were then sequentially extracted for the exchangeable and carbonate bound fraction (acid soluble fraction), iron and manganese oxide bound fraction (reducible fraction), organic bound fraction (oxidizable fraction), and residual fraction. Fractions were affected by redox conditions across all pH ranges. Drying decreased reducible fraction of all heavy metals. Curesidual fraction, Pboxidizable fraction, Cdresidual fraction, and Niresidual fraction increased by 25%, 33%, 35%, and >60%, respectively. Pbresidual fraction, Niacid soluble fraction, and Cdoxidizable fraction decreased 33%, 25%, and 15%, respectively. Drying paddy soil prior to heavy metal analysis overestimated Pb and underestimated Cu, Ni, and Cd. In future studies, samples should be stored after injecting N2 gas to maintain the redox potential of soil prior to heavy metal analysis, and investigate the correlation between heavy metal fraction distribution under field conditions and air-dried samples. PMID:24823670

Regional accumulation characteristics of cadmium in vegetables: Influencing factors, transfer model and indication of soil threshold content.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Chen, Weiping; Wang, Meie; Peng, Chi

2016-12-01

A regional investigation in the Youxian prefecture, southern China, was conducted to analyze the impact of environmental factors including soil properties and irrigation in conjunction with the use of fertilizers on the accumulation of Cd in vegetables. The Cd transfer potential from soil to vegetable was provided by the plant uptake factor (PUF), which varied by three orders of magnitude and was described by a Gaussian distribution model. The soil pH, content of soil organic matter (SOM), concentrations of Zn in the soil, pH of irrigation water and nitrogenous fertilizers contributed significantly to the PUF variations. A path model analysis, however, revealed the principal control of the PUF values resulted from the soil pH, soil Zn concentrations and SOM. Transfer functions were developed using the total soil Cd concentrations, soil pH, and SOM. They explained 56% of the variance for all samples irrespective of the vegetable genotypes. The transfer functions predicted the probability of exceeding China food safety standard concentrations for Cd in four major consumable vegetables under different soil conditions. Poor production practices in the study area involved usage of soil with pH values ≤ 5.5, especially for the cultivation of Raphanus sativus L., even with soil Cd concentrations below the China soil quality standard. We found the soil standard Cd concentrations for cultivating vegetables was not strict enough for strongly acidic (pH ≤ 5.5) and SOM-poor (SOM ≤ 10 g kg -1 ) soils present in southern China. It is thus necessary to address the effect of environmental variables to generate a suitable Cd threshold for cultivated soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 761.125 - Requirements for PCB spill cleanup.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Additional pre- or post-cleanup sampling. (B) The estimated cost of the cleanup by man-hours, dollars, or... section are designed to be consistent with existing reporting requirements to the extent possible so as to...) by standard commercial wipe tests. (ii) All soil within the spill area (i.e., visible traces of soil...

40 CFR 761.125 - Requirements for PCB spill cleanup.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Additional pre- or post-cleanup sampling. (B) The estimated cost of the cleanup by man-hours, dollars, or... section are designed to be consistent with existing reporting requirements to the extent possible so as to...) by standard commercial wipe tests. (ii) All soil within the spill area (i.e., visible traces of soil...

40 CFR 761.125 - Requirements for PCB spill cleanup.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Additional pre- or post-cleanup sampling. (B) The estimated cost of the cleanup by man-hours, dollars, or... section are designed to be consistent with existing reporting requirements to the extent possible so as to...) by standard commercial wipe tests. (ii) All soil within the spill area (i.e., visible traces of soil...

40 CFR 761.125 - Requirements for PCB spill cleanup.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Additional pre- or post-cleanup sampling. (B) The estimated cost of the cleanup by man-hours, dollars, or... section are designed to be consistent with existing reporting requirements to the extent possible so as to...) by standard commercial wipe tests. (ii) All soil within the spill area (i.e., visible traces of soil...

40 CFR 761.125 - Requirements for PCB spill cleanup.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Additional pre- or post-cleanup sampling. (B) The estimated cost of the cleanup by man-hours, dollars, or... section are designed to be consistent with existing reporting requirements to the extent possible so as to...) by standard commercial wipe tests. (ii) All soil within the spill area (i.e., visible traces of soil...

Selected trace metals and organic compounds and bioavailability of selected organic compounds in soils, Hackberry Flat, Tillman County, Oklahoma, 1994-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, M.F.

1997-01-01

In 1995 the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation acquired a drained wetland in southwest Oklahoma known as Hackberry Flat. Following restoration by Wildlife Conservation the wetland will be used by migratory birds and waterfowl. If naturally occurring trace metals and residual organic compounds from agriculture and industry were present, they may have posed a potential biohazard and were a concern for Wildlife Conservation. The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Geological Survey, examined the soils of Hackberry Flat to determine trace metal concentrations, presence of selected organic compounds, and the bioavailability of selected organic compounds in the soils. The purpose of this report is to present the data that establish the baseline concentrations of selected trace metals and organic compounds in the soils of Hackberry Flat prior to wetland restoration. Sampling and analysis were performed using two approaches. One was to collect soil samples and analyze the composition with standard laboratory practices. The second exposed composite soils samples to organic-free water and a semipermeable membrane device that mimics an organism and then analyzed the device. Ten soil samples were collected in 1994 to be analyzed for trace metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Soil samples tested for bioavailability of selected organic compounds were collected in 1995. Most of the 182 soil samples collected were from the center of every 40-acre quarter-quarter section owned by the Wildlife Conservation. The samples were grouped by geographical area with a maximum of 16 sample sites per group. Concentrations of most selected trace metals measured from soils in Hackberry Flat are within the range of mean concentrations measured in cultivated soils within the United States. Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons were not found at concentrations above the analytical detection levels and, if present, in the soil samples are at concentrations below the detection level of the analytical method used. Organochlorine pesticides, total polychlorinated biphenyls, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons were not detected in any of the semipermeable membrane devices at the analytical detection levels.

Uptake of explosives from contaminated soil by existing vegetation at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant

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

Schneider, J.F.; Tomczyk, N.A.; Zellmer, S.D.

1994-01-01

This study examines the uptake of explosives by existing vegetation growing in TNT-contaminated soils on Group 61 at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (JAAP). The soils in this group were contaminated more than 40 years ago. In this study, existing plant materials and soil from the root zone were sampled from 15 locations and analyzed to determine TNT uptake by plants under natural field conditions. Plant materials were separated by species if more than one species was present at a sampling location. Standard methods were used to determine concentrations of explosives, their derivatives, and metabolites in the soil samples. Plantmore » materials were also analyzed. No. explosives were detected in the aboveground portion of any plant sample. However, the results indicate that TNT, 2-amino DNT, and/or 4-amino DNT were found in some root samples of false boneset (Kuhnia eupatorioides), teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris), and bromegrass (Bromus inermis). It is possible that slight soil contamination remained on the roots, especially in the case of the very fine roots for species like bromegrass, where washing was difficult. The presence of 2-amino DNT and 4-amino DNT, which could be plant metabolites of TNT, increases the likelihood that explosives were taken up by plant roots, as opposed to their presence resulting from external soil contamination.« less

A procedure for estimating Bacillus cereus spores in soil and stream-sediment samples - A potential exploration technique

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watterson, J.R.

1985-01-01

The presence of bacterial spores of the Bacillus cereus group in soils and stream sediments appears to be a sensitive indicator of several types of concealed mineral deposits, including vein-type gold deposits. The B. cereus assay is rapid, inexpensive, and inherently reproducible. The test, currently under investigation for its potential in mineral exploration, is recommended for use on a research basis. Among the aerobic spore-forming bacilli, only B. cereus and closely related strains produce an opaque zone in egg-yolk emulsion agar. This characteristic, also known as the Nagler of lecitho-vitellin reaction, has long been used to rapidly indentify and estimate presumptive B. cereus. The test is here adapted to permit rapid estimation of B. cereus spores in soil and stream-sediment samples. Relative standard deviation was 10.3% on counts obtained from two 40-replicate pour-plate determinations. As many as 40 samples per day can be processed. Enough procedural detail is included to permit investigation of the test in conventional geochemical laboratories using standard microbiological safety precautions. ?? 1985.

Analysis of Metals Concentration in the Soils of SIPCOT Industrial Complex, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu

PubMed Central

Mathivanan, V.; Prabavathi, R.; Prithabai, C.; Selvisabhanayakam

2010-01-01

Phytoremediation is a promising area of new research, both for its low cost and great benefit to society in the clean retrieval of contaminated sites. Phytoremediation is the use of living green plants for in situ risk reduction and/or removal of contaminants from contaminated soil, water, sediments, and air. Specially selected or engineered plants are used in the process. The soil samples were taken from Cuddalore Old Town (OT) and the samples from SIPCOT industrial complex, which was the study area and analyzed for various metals concentrations. Fifteen metals have been analyzed by adopting standard procedure. The detection limits of metal concentration are drawn as control. The various (15) metal concentrations in the soil samples were found higher in soil taken from SIPCOT industrial complex, compared with samples taken from Cuddalore OT. In all the observations, it was found that most of the metals like calcium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, and zinc showed maximum concentrations, whereas arsenic, antimony, lead, magnesium, sodium have shown minimum concentrations, both when compared with control. From the present study, it was found that the soil collected from SIPCOT complex area were more polluted due to the presence of various industrial effluents, municipal wastes, and sewages when compared with the soil collected from Cuddalore OT. PMID:21170256

Investigation and health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils from partial areas of Daye city, china

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, M. S.; Li, F.; Zhang, J. D.; Lin, S. Y.; Zhuang, Z. Y.; Wu, Z. X.

2017-05-01

Heavy metals (Cu and Pb) in four sampling sites from parts areas of Daye city were collected. Concentrations of Cu and Pb in soils in sampling sites were detected, the enrichment degree was measured by geo-accumulation index, and the human health risks were calculated by applying the human health risk assessment model. The results show that the concentrations of Cu and Pb of soils in some areas are much more than Daye City, Hubei Province soil background value. The concentration of Cu and Pb in Xiaganwan soil sample has a higher value and the concentration of Cu (110.17 mg·kg-1) exceeds the soil environmental quality standards. The values of Igeo of Cu and Pb in the soil in some areas of Daye city are 1 except Xiaganwan sample is 2. For human health risk assessment, the non-cancer risk of Cu in three routes of exposure is less than Pb. The non-cancer risk both adults and children are less than 1 and show a general trend of HQ in oral ingestion exposure pathway > HQ in inhalation exposure pathway>HQ in skin contact exposure pathway. It will not cause significant non-carcinogenic health effects on the human body.

Transversely Excited Atmospheric CO2 Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy for the Detection of Heavy Metals in Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khumaeni, A.; Sugito, H.; Setia Budi, W.; Yoyo Wardaya, A.

2018-01-01

A rapid detection of heavy metals in soil was presented by the metal-assisted gas plasma method using specific characteristics of a pulsed, transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO2 laser. The soil particles were placed in a hole made of acrylic plate. The sample was covered by a to prevent the soil particles from being blown off. The mesh also functioned to initiate a luminous plasma. When a TEA CO2 laser (1500 mJ, 200 ns) was focused on the soil sample, passing through the metal mesh, some of the laser energy was used to generate the gas plasma on the mesh surface, and the remaining laser energy was employed to ablate the soil particles. The fine, ablated soil particles moved into the gas plasma region to be dissociated and excited. Using this technique, analysis can be made with reduced sample pretreatment, and therefore a rapid analysis can be performed efficiently. The results proved that the signal to noise ratio (S/N) of the emission spectral lines is much better for the case of the present method (mesh method) compared to the case of standard laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using the pellet method. Rapid detection of heavy metal elements in soil has been successfully carried out. The detection limits of Cu and Hg in soil were estimated to be 3 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. The present method has good potential for rapid and sensitive detection of heavy metals in soil samples.

Detection of salts in soil using transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) by the aid of a metal mesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, N.; Ramli, M.; Khumaeni, A.; Kurihara, K.

2018-04-01

In this work, a nickel metal mesh was used to allow a direct detection of salt in soil sample by LIBS utilizing unique characteristics of a TEA CO2. The metal mesh is placed in the front of the soil sample to prevent the soil sample from blowing off upon focusing the high pulsed laser beam irradiation. LIBS apparatus used in this work is a TEA CO2 laser operated at wavelength of 10.6 μm with pulse energy and duration of 3J and 200 ns, respectively. The laser beam was focused using a ZnSe lens (f = 200 mm) onto soil sample after passing through the metal mesh. The emission spectrum from the induced plasma was detected using an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) system consisting of a 0.32-m-focal length spectrograph with a grating of 1200 graves/mm and a 1024-channel photodiode detector array with a micro-channel plate intensifier. The soil sample used is a standard soil and ordinary soil containing several salts such as Ca, Mg at high concentration. The LIBS experiment was carried out at high pressure surrounding gas of 1 atmosphere. It was observed that by the aid of the metal mesh, strong breakdown gas plasma can be produced just after TEA CO2 laser irradiation on soil sample without significant sample blowing off. It was found that emission lines from salts, Ca (Ca II 393. 3 nm, Ca II 396.3 nm, Ca I 422.5 nm), and also other salts including Mg and Na can clearly be detected with strong emission intensity and narrow spectral width. This result implies that a TEA CO2 LIBS assisted by the metal mesh (metal mesh method) can be used for direct analysis several salts such as Ca, Mg, and Na in soil sample.

Practical soil analysis by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy employing subtarget supported micro mesh as a powder sample holder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suyanto, Hery; Lie, Tjung Jie; Kurniawan, Koo Hendrik; Kagawa, Kiichiro; Tjia, May On

2017-11-01

A practical alternative of sample preparation technique is proposed for direct powder analysis using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instead of the commonly adopted treatment of pelletizing the powder. The resulted pellet is known to suffer from reduced sensitivity of emission. Besides, it may also give rise to interfering effect from the binder emission. We introduce in this report a more practical technique of using a subtarget supported micro mesh (SSMM) powder sample holder. The LIBS spectrum of standard soil powder measured with 13 mJ 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser in 0.65 kPa ambient air is shown to exhibit the sharp emission lines of all the major elements in the sample. A comparison with the emission spectra measured from the pelletized powder, the spectrum obtained using the SSMM sample holder shows distinctly superior spectral quality marked by the absence of matrix effect found in pelletized powder samples, and the much stronger intensity due to the more effective shock wave plasma induced thermal excitation process produced by the hard subtarget in the sample holder. Repeating the measurement on a number of the standard soil samples of various Pb contents is shown to yield a linear calibration line with practically zero intercept and a detection limit of less than 10 ppm. We have thus demonstrated the viability of the proposed powder sample holder for the development of practical and quantitative powder analysis in the field.

Cost-effective sampling of (137)Cs-derived net soil redistribution: part 2 - estimating the spatial mean change over time.

PubMed

Chappell, A; Li, Y; Yu, H Q; Zhang, Y Z; Li, X Y

2015-06-01

The caesium-137 ((137)Cs) technique for estimating net, time-integrated soil redistribution by the processes of wind, water and tillage is increasingly being used with repeated sampling to form a baseline to evaluate change over small (years to decades) timeframes. This interest stems from knowledge that since the 1950s soil redistribution has responded dynamically to different phases of land use change and management. Currently, there is no standard approach to detect change in (137)Cs-derived net soil redistribution and thereby identify the driving forces responsible for change. We outline recent advances in space-time sampling in the soil monitoring literature which provide a rigorous statistical and pragmatic approach to estimating the change over time in the spatial mean of environmental properties. We apply the space-time sampling framework, estimate the minimum detectable change of net soil redistribution and consider the information content and cost implications of different sampling designs for a study area in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Three phases (1954-1996, 1954-2012 and 1996-2012) of net soil erosion were detectable and attributed to well-documented historical change in land use and management practices in the study area and across the region. We recommend that the design for space-time sampling is considered carefully alongside cost-effective use of the spatial mean to detect and correctly attribute cause of change over time particularly across spatial scales of variation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Taylor, B.B.; Ripp, J.; Sims, R.C.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is studying the environmental impact of preservatives associated with in-service utility poles. As part of this endeavor, two EPRI contractors, META Environmental, Inc. (META) and Atlantic Environmental Services, Inc. (Atlantic), have collected soil samples from around wood utility poles nationwide, for various chemical and physical analyses. This report covers the results for 107 pole sites in the US. These pole sites included a range of preservative types, soil types, wood types, pole sizes, and in-service ages. The poles in this study were preserved with one of two types of preservative: pentachlorophenol (PCP) or creosote.more » Approximately 40 to 50 soil samples were collected from each wood pole site in this study. The soil samples collected from the pole sites were analyzed for chlorinated phenols and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) if the pole was preserved with PCP, or for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) if the pole was preserved with creosote. The soil samples were also analyzed for physical/chemical parameters, such as pH, total organic carbon (TOC), and cationic exchange capacity (CEC). Additional samples were used in studies to determine biological degradation rates, and soil-water distribution and retardation coefficients of PCP in site soils. Methods of analysis followed standard EPA and ASTM methods, with some modifications in the chemical analyses to enable the efficient processing of many samples with sufficiently low detection limits for this study. All chemical, physical, and site-specific data were stored in a relational computer database.« less

Advances in spectroscopic methods for quantifying soil carbon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeves, James B.; McCarty, Gregory W.; Calderon, Francisco; Hively, W. Dean

2012-01-01

The current gold standard for soil carbon (C) determination is elemental C analysis using dry combustion. However, this method requires expensive consumables, is limited by the number of samples that can be processed (~100/d), and is restricted to the determination of total carbon. With increased interest in soil C sequestration, faster methods of analysis are needed, and there is growing interest in methods based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the visible, near-infrared or mid-infrared spectral ranges. These spectral methods can decrease analytical requirements and speed sample processing, be applied to large landscape areas using remote sensing imagery, and be used to predict multiple analytes simultaneously. However, the methods require localized calibrations to establish the relationship between spectral data and reference analytical data, and also have additional, specific problems. For example, remote sensing is capable of scanning entire watersheds for soil carbon content but is limited to the surface layer of tilled soils and may require difficult and extensive field sampling to obtain proper localized calibration reference values. The objective of this chapter is to discuss the present state of spectroscopic methods for determination of soil carbon.

Estimation of soil pH at Mount Beigu Wetland based on visible and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yongguang; Li, Pingping; Mao, Hanping; Chen, Bin; Wang, Xi

2006-12-01

pH of the wetland soil is one of the most important indicators for aquatic vegetation and water bodies. Mount Beigu Wetland, just near the Yangtse River, is under ecological recovery. Visible and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was adopted to estimate soil pH of the wetland. The spectroradiometer, FieldSpec 3 (ASD) with a full spectral range (350-2500 nm), was used to acquire the reflectance spectra of wetland soil, and soil pH was measured with the pH meter of IQ150 (Spectrum) and InPro 3030 (Mettler Toledo). 146 soil samples were taken with soil sampler (Eijkelkamp) according to different position and depth, which covered the wider range of pH value from 7.1 to 8.39. 133 samples were used to establish the calibration model with the method of partial least square regression and principal component analysis regression. 13 soil samples were used to validate the model. The results show that the model is not good, but the mean error and root mean standard error of prediction are less (1.846% and 0.186 respectively). Spectral reflectancebased estimation of soil pH of the wetland is applicable and the calibration model needs to be improved.

[Spatial variation of soil properties and quality evaluation for arable Ustic Cambosols in central Henan Province].

PubMed

Zhang, Xue-Lei; Feng, Wan-Wan; Zhong, Guo-Min

2011-01-01

A GIS-based 500 m x 500 m soil sampling point arrangement was set on 248 points at Wenshu Town of Yuzhou County in central Henan Province, where the typical Ustic Cambosols locates. By using soil digital data, the spatial database was established, from which, all the needed latitude and longitude data of the sampling points were produced for the field GPS guide. Soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected from 202 points, of which, bulk density measurement were conducted for randomly selected 34 points, and the ten soil property items used as the factors for soil quality assessment, including organic matter, available K, available P, pH, total N, total P, soil texture, cation exchange capacity (CEC), slowly available K, and bulk density, were analyzed for the other points. The soil property items were checked by statistic tools, and then, classified with standard criteria at home and abroad. The factor weight was given by analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, and the spatial variation of the major 10 soil properties as well as the soil quality classes and their occupied areas were worked out by Kriging interpolation maps. The results showed that the arable Ustic Cambosols in study area was of good quality soil, over 95% of which ranked in good and medium classes and only less than 5% were in poor class.

Geochemical fingerprinting and source discrimination in soils at the continental scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negrel, Philippe; Sadeghi, Martiya; Ladenberger, Anna; Birke, Manfred; Reimann, Clemens

2014-05-01

Agricultural soil (Ap-horizon, 0-20 cm) samples were collected from a large part of Europe (33 countries, 5.6 million km2) at an average density of 1 sample site per 2500 km2. The resulting 2108 soil samples were air dried, sieved to <2 mm, milled and analysed for their major and trace element concentrations by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WD-XRF). The main goal of this study is to provide a global view of element mobility and source rocks at the continent scale, either by reference to crustal evolution or normalized patterns of element mobility during weathering processes. The survey area includes several sedimentary basins with different geological history, developed in different climate zones and landscapes and with different land use. In order to normalize the chemical composition of soils, mean values and standard deviation of the selected elements have been checked against values for the upper continental crust (UCC). Some elements turned out to be enriched relative to the UCC (Al, P, Zr, Pb) whereas others, like Mg, Na, Sr and Pb were depleted with regards to the variation represented by the standard deviation. The concept of UCC extended normalization patterns have been further used for the selected elements. The mean value of Rb, K, Y, Ti, Al, Si, Zr, Ce and Fe are very close to the UCC model even if standard deviation suggests slight enrichment or depletion, and Zr shows the best fit with the UCC model using both mean value and standard deviation. Lead and Cr are enriched in European soils when compared to UCC but their standard deviation values show very large variations, particularly towards very low values, which can be interpreted as a lithological effect. Element variability has been explored by looking at the variations using indicator elements. Soil data have been converted into Al-normalized enrichment factors and Na was applied as normalizing element for studying provenance source taking into account the main lithologies of the UCC. This latter normalization highlighted variations related to the soluble and insoluble behavior of some elements (K, Rb versus Ti, Al, Si, V, Y, Zr, Ba, and La, respectively), their reactivity (Fe, Mn, Zn), association with carbonates (Ca and Sr) and with phosphates (P and Ce). The maps of normalized composition revealed some problems with use of classical element ratios due to genetical differences in composition of parent material reflected, for example, in large differences in titanium content in bedrock and soil throughout the Europe.

Geological Engineering Characteristics of the Residual Soil: Implementation for Soil Bearing Capacity at Gayungan, Surabaya, East Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rukmana, Y. Y.; Ridwan, M.

2018-01-01

This paper presents the results of soil investigation on the residual soil at Gayungan Surabaya. The methodology of the research consists of Drilling + Standard Penetration Test (ASTM D1586-99), sampling and laboratory test for index properties & mechanical of soil, then analyzed for Soil Bearing Capacity (Meyerhoff, 1976). Field test analysis data showed that Bore Hole.01(BH.01) and Bore Hole.03 (BH.03) were dominated by Sand / Sandy clay layer with Standart Penetration Test (SPT) values: 6-68, whereas in BH.02 was dominated by Clayey sand layer with Standard Penetration Test (SPT) values: 32-68. Based on Soil classification according to Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), the soil type at the research area consisted of ML (Silt with Low plasticity), CL ( Clay with low plasticity), MH (Silt with High plasticity), and SP (Sand with Poor gradation). Based on the borlog data and soil bearing capacity analysis of the research area is recommended: for The Deep foundation to reaches at least 16 meters depth with Qa = 1160.40-2032.80 kN / m2, and Shallow foundation reaches at least 1-2 meters deep with Qa = 718.25 kN / M2.

Spatial Variation in Soil Properties among North American Ecosystems and Guidelines for Sampling Designs

PubMed Central

Loescher, Henry; Ayres, Edward; Duffy, Paul; Luo, Hongyan; Brunke, Max

2014-01-01

Soils are highly variable at many spatial scales, which makes designing studies to accurately estimate the mean value of soil properties across space challenging. The spatial correlation structure is critical to develop robust sampling strategies (e.g., sample size and sample spacing). Current guidelines for designing studies recommend conducting preliminary investigation(s) to characterize this structure, but are rarely followed and sampling designs are often defined by logistics rather than quantitative considerations. The spatial variability of soils was assessed across ∼1 ha at 60 sites. Sites were chosen to represent key US ecosystems as part of a scaling strategy deployed by the National Ecological Observatory Network. We measured soil temperature (Ts) and water content (SWC) because these properties mediate biological/biogeochemical processes below- and above-ground, and quantified spatial variability using semivariograms to estimate spatial correlation. We developed quantitative guidelines to inform sample size and sample spacing for future soil studies, e.g., 20 samples were sufficient to measure Ts to within 10% of the mean with 90% confidence at every temperate and sub-tropical site during the growing season, whereas an order of magnitude more samples were needed to meet this accuracy at some high-latitude sites. SWC was significantly more variable than Ts at most sites, resulting in at least 10× more SWC samples needed to meet the same accuracy requirement. Previous studies investigated the relationship between the mean and variability (i.e., sill) of SWC across space at individual sites across time and have often (but not always) observed the variance or standard deviation peaking at intermediate values of SWC and decreasing at low and high SWC. Finally, we quantified how far apart samples must be spaced to be statistically independent. Semivariance structures from 10 of the 12-dominant soil orders across the US were estimated, advancing our continental-scale understanding of soil behavior. PMID:24465377

Spatial distribution and enteroparasite contamination in peridomiciliar soil and water in the Apucaraninha Indigenous Land, southern Brazil.

PubMed

da Silva, Joseane Balan; Piva, Camila; Falavigna-Guilherme, Ana Lúcia; Rossoni, Diogo Francisco; de Ornelas Toledo, Max Jean

2016-04-01

The prevalence and distribution of soil and water samples contaminated with enteroparasites of humans and animals with zoonotic potential (EHAZP) in Apucaraninha Indigenous Land (AIL), southern Brazil, was evaluated. An environmental survey was conducted to evaluate the presence of parasitic forms in peridomiciliary soil and associated variables. Soil samples were collected from 40/293 domiciles (10 domiciles per season), from November 2010 to June 2011, and evaluated by modified methods of Faust et al. and Lutz. Analyses of water from seven consumption sites were also performed. The overall prevalence of soil samples contaminated by EHAZP was 23.8 %. The most prevalent parasitic forms were cyst of Entamoeba spp. and eggs of Ascaris spp. The highest prevalence of contaminated soil samples was observed in winter (31 %). The probability map obtained with geostatistical analyses showed an average of 47 % soil contamination at a distance of approximately 140 m. The parasitological analysis of water did not detect Giardia spp. or Cryptosporidium spp. and showed that all collection points were within the standards of the Brazilian law. However, the microbiological analysis showed the presence of Escherichia coli in 6/7 sampled points. Despite the low level of contamination by EHAZP in peridomiciliar soil and the absence of pathogenic protozoa in water, the AIL soil and water (due to the presence of fecal coliforms) are potential sources of infection for the population, indicating the need for improvements in sanitation and water treatment, in addition periodic treatment of the population with antiparasitic.

Effect of Lime Stabilization on Vertical Deformation of Laterite Halmahera Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saing, Zubair; Djainal, Herry

2018-04-01

In this paper, the study was conducted to determine the lime effect on vertical deformation of road base physical model of laterite Halmahera soil. The samples of laterite soil were obtained from Halmahera Island, North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Soil characteristics were obtained from laboratory testing, according to American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM), consists of physical, mechanical, minerals, and chemical. The base layer of physical model testing with the dimension; 2m of length, 2m of width, and 1.5m of height. The addition of lime with variations of 3, 5, 7, an 10%, based on maximum dry density of standard Proctor test results and cured for 28 days. The model of lime treated laterite Halmahera soil with 0,1m thickness placed on subgrade layer with 1,5m thickness. Furthermore, the physical model was given static vertical loading. Some dial gauge is placed on the lime treated soil surface with distance interval 20cm, to read the vertical deformation that occurs during loading. The experimentals data was analyzed and validated with numerical analysis using finite element method. The results showed that the vertical deformation reduced significantly on 10% lime content (three times less than untreated soil), and qualify for maximum deflection (standard requirement L/240) on 7-10% lime content.

Fast, simple and efficient supramolecular solvent-based microextraction of mecoprop and dichlorprop in soils prior to their enantioselective determination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Caballo, C; Sicilia, M D; Rubio, S

2014-02-01

A simple, sensitive, rapid and economic method was developed for the quantification of enantiomers of chiral pesticides as mecoprop (MCPP) and dichlorprop (DCPP) in soil samples using supramolecular solvent-based microextraction (SUSME) combined with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). SUSME has been described for the extraction of chiral pesticides in water, but this is firstly applied to soil samples. MCPP and DCPP are herbicides widely used in agriculture that have two enantiomeric forms (R- and S-) differing in environmental fate and toxicity. Therefore, it is essential to have analytical methods for monitoring individual DCPP and MCPP enantiomers in environmental samples. MCPP and DCPP were extracted in a supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS) made up of dodecanoic acid aggregates, the extract was dried under a nitrogen stream, the two herbicides dissolved in acetate buffer and the aqueous extract directly injected in the LC-MS/MS system. The recoveries obtained were independent of soil composition and age of herbicide residues. The detection and quantitation limits of the developed method for the determination of R- and S-MCPP and R- and S-DCPP in soils were 0.03 and 0.1 ng g(-1), respectively, and the precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (n=6), for enantiomer concentrations of 5 and 100 ng g(-1) were in the ranges 4.1-6.1% and 2.9-4.1%. Recoveries for soil samples spiked with enantiomer concentrations within the interval 5-180 ng g(-1) and enantiomeric ratios (ERs) of 1, 3 and 9, ranged between 93 and 104% with standard deviations of the percent recovery varying between 0.3% and 6.0%. Because the SUPRAS can solubilize analytes through different type of interactions (dispersion, dipole-dipole and hydrogen bonds), it could be used to extract a great variety of pesticides (including both polar and non-polar) in soils. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Field and laboratory procedures used in a soil chronosequence study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Singer, Michael J.; Janitzky, Peter

1986-01-01

In 1978, the late Denis Marchand initiated a research project entitled "Soil Correlation and Dating at the U.S. Geological Survey" to determine the usefulness of soils in solving geologic problems. Marchand proposed to establish soil chronosequences that could be dated independently of soil development by using radiometric and other numeric dating methods. In addition, by comparing dated chronosequences in different environments, rates of soil development could be studied and compared among varying climates and mineralogical conditions. The project was fundamental in documenting the value of soils in studies of mapping, correlating, and dating late Cenozoic deposits and in studying soil genesis. All published reports by members of the project are included in the bibliography.The project demanded that methods be adapted or developed to ensure comparability over a wide variation in soil types. Emphasis was placed on obtaining professional expertise and on establishing consistent techniques, especially for the field, laboratory, and data-compilation methods. Since 1978, twelve chronosequences have been sampled and analyzed by members of this project, and methods have been established and used consistently for analysis of the samples.The goals of this report are to:Document the methods used for the study on soil chronosequences,Present the results of tests that were run for precision, accuracy, and effectiveness, andDiscuss our modifications to standard procedures.Many of the methods presented herein are standard and have been reported elsewhere. However, we assume less prior analytical knowledge in our descriptions; thus, the manual should be easy to follow for the inexperienced analyst. Each chapter presents one or more references of the basic principle, an equipment and reagents list, and the detailed procedure. In some chapters this is followed by additional remarks or example calculations.The flow diagram in figure 1 outlines the step-by-step procedures used to obtain and analyze soil samples for this study. The soils analyzed had a wide range of characteristics (such as clay content, mineralogy, salinity, and acidity). Initially, a major task was to test and select methods that could be applied and interpreted similarly for the various types of soils. Tests were conducted to establish the effectiveness and comparability of analytical techniques, and the data for such tests are included in figures, tables, and discussions. In addition, many replicate analyses of samples have established a "standard error" or "coefficient of variance" which indicates the average reproducibility of each laboratory procedure. These averaged errors are reported as percentage of a given value. For example, in particle-size determination, 3 percent error for 10 percent clay content equals 10 ± 0.3 percent clay. The error sources were examined to determine, for example, if the error in particle-size determination was dependent on clay content. No such biases were found, and data are reported as percent error in the text and in tables of reproducibility.

NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--HANDLING QUALITY CONTROL SAMPLES IN THE FIELD (RTI/ACS-AP-209-090)

EPA Science Inventory

This protocol describes how quality control samples should be handled in the field, and was designed as a quick reference source for the field staff. The protocol describes quality control samples for air-VOCs, air-particles, water samples, house dust, soil, urine, blood, hair, a...

Effect of addition of GGBS and lime in soil stabilisation for stabilising local village roads in Thanjavur region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saravanan, R.; Udhayakumar, T.; Dinesh, S.; Venkatasubramanian, C.; Muthu, D.

2017-07-01

Construction of pavements uses various filling materials and due to the cost factor, the local soil is used for pavement construction. The strength of the soil is improved by stabilisation. This stabilisation increases the load bearing capacities of soil for heavy wheeled vehicle traffic. GGBS, silica fume, rice husk are the basic waste materials used as a waste material, which improves the quality of soil and reduces the cost of pavements. In this study, a detailed investigation is made on the Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS), activated by lime, in the stabilisation of low bearing capacity sand and clay soils collected from Thanjavur district (Budalur, Sengipatti, Vallam and Palliahgraharam villages). The tests are carried out as per Indian Standards. The test procedures separated into two phases, namely Stage-I and Stage-II. In Stage-I the soil tests include soil type, particle size distribution, soil index properties, standard proctor tests, shear tests and CBR test. In Stage-II the soil tests include shear tests and CBR test for the suitable required proportions of GGBS along with lime in the collected soil samples. The test results from stage-I and stage-II are compared and from the study, it is inferred that the application of GGBS is a useful material for soil stabilisation.

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF SOIL/HOUSE DUST FOR GC/MS ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDES (BCO-L-14.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe procedures for extracting and preparing dust or soil samples for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of pesticides. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXAS project and the "...

Soil Compaction Absent in Plantation Thinning

Treesearch

Tony King; Sharon Haines

1979-01-01

We examine the effects on soil bulk density by using a TH-105 Thinner Harvester and two forwarders in a mechanically thinned slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantation. Points in the machine tracks were sampled before and after harvesting at depths of 5 and 10 cm (2 and 4 in) for moisture and bulk density. Both the standard gravimetric method...

Sediment quality in the north coastal basin of Massachusetts, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breault, Robert F.; Ashman, Mary S.; Heath, Douglas

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, completed a reconnaissance-level study of bottom-sediment quality in selected lakes, rivers, and estuaries in the North Coastal Basin of Massachusetts. Bottom-sediment grab samples were collected from 20 sites in the North River, Lake Quannapowitt, Saugus River, Mill River, Shute Brook, Sea Plane Basin, Pines River, and Bear Creek. The samples were tested for various types of potentially harmful contaminants? including 33 elements, 17 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 22 organochlorine pesticides, and 7 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures (Aroclors)?to benthic organisms (bottom-dwelling) and humans. The results were compared among sampling sites, to background concentrations, and to concen-trations measured in other urban rivers, and sediment-quality guidelines were used to predict toxicity at the sampling sites to benthic organisms and humans. Because there are no standards for human toxicity for aquatic sediment, standards for contaminated upland soil were used. Contaminant concentrations measured in sediment collected from the North Coastal Basin generally were equal to or greater than concentrations in sediment from uncontaminated rivers throughout New England. Contaminants in North Coastal Basin sediment with elevated concentrations (above back-ground levels) included arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc, some of the PAHs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT) and its metabolites, and dieldrin. No PCBs were measured above the detection limits. Measured concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and lead were also generally greater than those measured in other urban rivers throughout the conter-minous United States. With one exception (arsenic), local con-centrations measured in sediment samples collected from the North Coastal Basin were lower than concentrations measured in sediment collected from two of three urban rivers draining to Boston Harbor. The probable toxicity to benthic organisms ranged from about 33 to 91 percent across the study area. Of the elements analyzed, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, and lead exceeded the soil standards for risk to human health. Of the PAHs analyzed, four also exceeded soil standards. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations, however, were not high enough relative to the soil standards to pose a risk to human health. Some trace element and some organic compound concentrations in bottom sediment may be toxic to aquatic organisms and may pose a risk to human health.

[Transportation and risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in water-soil from the Riparian Zone of Daye Lake, China].

PubMed

Zhang, Jia-quan; Li, Xiu; Zhang, Quan-fa; Li, Qiong; Xiao, Wen-sheng; Wang, Yong-kui; Zhang, Jian-chun; Gai, Xi-guang

2015-01-01

Each 20 water samples and soil samples (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm) were collected from the riparian zone of Daye Lake in dry season during March 2013. Heavy metals (Cu, Ph, Cd, Zn) have been detected by flame atomic absorption spectrometric (FAAS). The results showed that the average concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn in the water were 7.14, 25.94, 15.72 and 37.58 microg x L(-1), respectively. The concentration of Cu was higher than the five degree of the surface water environment quality standard. The average concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn in soil(0-10 cm) were 108.38, 53.92, 3.55, 139.26 mg x kg(-1) in soil (10-20 cm) were 93.00, 51.72, 2.08, 171.00 mg x kg(-1), respectively. The Cd concentrations were higher than the three grade value of the national soil environment quality standard. The transportation of Pb from soil to water was relatively stable, and Zn was greatly influenced by soil property and the surrounding environment from soil to water. The transformation of heavy metal in west riparian zone was higher than that of east riparian zone. The potential environmental risk was relatively high. Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn were dominated by residue fraction of the modified BCR sequential extraction method. The overall migration order of heavy metal element was: Pb > Cu > Cd > Zn. There were stronger transformation and higher environmental pollution risk of Cu, Pb. The index of assessment and potential ecological risk coefficient indicated that heavy metal pollution in soil (0-10 cm) was higher than the soil (10-20 cm), Cd was particularly serious.

Prediction of SOC content by Vis-NIR spectroscopy at European scale using a modified local PLS algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nocita, M.; Stevens, A.; Toth, G.; van Wesemael, B.; Montanarella, L.

2012-12-01

In the context of global environmental change, the estimation of carbon fluxes between soils and the atmosphere has been the object of a growing number of studies. This has been motivated notably by the possibility to sequester CO2 into soils by increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and by the role of SOC in maintaining soil quality. Spatial variability of SOC masks its slow accumulation or depletion, and the sampling density required to detect a change in SOC content is often very high and thus very expensive and labour intensive. Visible near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (Vis-NIR DRS) has been shown to be a fast, cheap and efficient tool for the prediction of SOC at fine scales. However, when applied to regional or country scales, Vis-NIR DRS did not provide sufficient accuracy as an alternative to standard laboratory soil analysis for SOC monitoring. Under the framework of Land Use/Cover Area Frame Statistical Survey (LUCAS) project of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), about 20,000 samples were collected all over European Union. Soil samples were analyzed for several physical and chemical parameters, and scanned with a Vis-NIR spectrometer in the same laboratory. The scope of our research was to predict SOC content at European scale using LUCAS spectral library. We implemented a modified local partial least square regression (l-PLS) including, in addition to spectral distance, other potentially useful covariates (geography, texture, etc.) to select for each unknown sample a group of predicting neighbours. The dataset was split in mineral soils under cropland, mineral soils under grassland, mineral soils under woodland, and organic soils due to the extremely diverse spectral response of the four classes. Four every class training (70%) and test (30%) sets were created to calibrate and validate the SOC prediction models. The results showed very good prediction ability for mineral soils under cropland and mineral soils under grassland, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.6 and 7.2 g C kg-1 respectively, while mineral soils under woodland and organic soils predictions were less accurate (RMSE of 11.9 and 51.1 g C kg-1). The RMSE was lower (except for organic soils) when sand content was used as covariate in the selection of the l-PLS predicting neighbours. The obtained results proved that: (i) Although the enormous spatial variability of European soils, the developed modified l-PLS algorithm was able to produce stable calibrations and accurate predictions. (ii) It is essential to invest in spectral libraries built according to sampling strategies, based on soil types, and a standardized laboratory protocol. (iii) Vis-NIR DRS spectroscopy is a powerful and cost effective tool to predict SOC content at regional/continental scales, and should be converted from a pure research discipline into a reference operational method decreasing the uncertainties of SOC monitoring and terrestrial ecosystems carbon fluxes at all scales.

Determination of Aroclor 1260 in soil samples by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

Zhang, Mengliang; Jackson, Glen P; Kruse, Natalie A; Bowman, Jennifer R; Harrington, Peter de B

2014-10-01

A novel fast screening method was developed for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls that are constituents of the commercial mixture, Aroclor 1260, in soil matrices by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry combined with solid-phase microextraction. Nonequilibrium headspace solid-phase microextraction with a 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane fiber was used to extract polychlorinated biphenyls from 0.5 g of soil matrix. The use of 2 mL of saturated potassium dichromate in 6 M sulfuric acid solution improved the reproducibility of the extractions and the mass transfer of the polychlorinated biphenyls from the soil matrix to the microextraction fiber via the headspace. The extraction time was 30 min at 100°C. The percent recoveries, which were evaluated using an Aroclor 1260 standard and liquid injection, were within the range of 54.9-65.7%. Two-way extracted ion chromatogram data were used to construct calibration curves. The relative error was <±15% and the relative standard deviation was <15%, which are respective measures of the accuracy and precision. The method was validated with certified soil samples and the predicted concentrations for Aroclor 1260 agreed with the certified values. The method was demonstrated to be linear from 10 to 1000 ng/g for Aroclor 1260 in dry soil. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Risks and benefits of gardening in urban soil; heavy metals and nutrient content in Los Angeles Community Gardens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, L. W.; Jenerette, D.; Bain, D. J.

2012-12-01

The availability of soil nutrients and heavy metals in urban community gardens can influence health of crops and participants. Interactions between garden history, management, and soils are understudied in cities. In July 2011, we collected soil samples from 45 plots at 6 Los Angeles community gardens. For comparison, 3 samples were collected from uncultivated garden soils and 3 more from outside soils. Samples were then tested for major nutrients- Nitrogen(N), Potassium (K), and Phosphorous (P)- and organic matter (SOM). We also measured concentrations of 29 metals in 3 gardens using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. Potassium and phosphorus exceeded optimum levels in all plots, with some over twice the maximum recommended levels. Over-fertilized soils may contribute to local watershed pollution and crop micronutrient deficiencies. Low soil SOM was observed in gardens in impoverished neighborhoods, possibly due to low quality amendments. Our metals analysis showed dangerous levels of lead (Pb)-- up to 1700 ppm in outside soils and 150 ppm in garden soils-- near older gardens, indicating lead deposition legacies. California lead safety standards indicate that children should not play near soils with Pb above 200 ppm, indicating need for long term monitoring of lead contaminated gardens. Arsenic (As) levels exceeded federal risk levels (0.3 ppm) and average CA background levels (2 ppm) in all areas, with some gardens exceeding 10 ppm. Heavy metal legacies in gardens may pose risks to participants with prolonged exposure and remediation of soils may be necessary.

Application of a novel cold activated carbon fiber-solid phase microextraction for analysis of organochlorine pesticides in soil.

PubMed

Chai, Xiaolan; Jia, Jinping; Sun, Tonghua; Wang, Yalin; Liao, Liyan

2007-08-01

A novel and simple analytical procedure using cold activated carbon fiber-solid phase microextraction (CACF-SPME) was applied to determine organochlorine pesticides (OCs) in soil samples. The pesticides in this study consist of alpha -, beta -, gamma -, and delta -hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). By heating the sample while cooling the fiber, the developed method not only provides better performance in terms of sensitivity, linearity and recovery but also offers shorter adsorption procedure than that of traditional headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). The experimental conditions such as the amount of water, adsorption time and adsorption temperature were optimized. Matrix effects were investigated with different types of soils. We concluded that using the standard addition method was required for quantification purposes. The limits of detection obtained using the proposed method range from 0.01 to 0.05 ng/g, and the recoveries for CACF-SPME are in the range of 80.01% to 89.68% with relative standard deviation (RSDs) better than 8.60%. The proposed method was further applied to determine OCs in real agricultural soil. The results are in good agreement with those obtained using traditional ultrasonic extraction. The research demonstrates the suitability of the CACF-SPME for the analysis of OCs in soil.

Evaluation of Three Field-Based Methods for Quantifying Soil Carbon

PubMed Central

Izaurralde, Roberto C.; Rice, Charles W.; Wielopolski, Lucian; Ebinger, Michael H.; Reeves, James B.; Thomson, Allison M.; Francis, Barry; Mitra, Sudeep; Rappaport, Aaron G.; Etchevers, Jorge D.; Sayre, Kenneth D.; Govaerts, Bram; McCarty, Gregory W.

2013-01-01

Three advanced technologies to measure soil carbon (C) density (g C m−2) are deployed in the field and the results compared against those obtained by the dry combustion (DC) method. The advanced methods are: a) Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), b) Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and c) Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS). The measurements and soil samples were acquired at Beltsville, MD, USA and at Centro International para el Mejoramiento del Maíz y el Trigo (CIMMYT) at El Batán, Mexico. At Beltsville, soil samples were extracted at three depth intervals (0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm) and processed for analysis in the field with the LIBS and DRIFTS instruments. The INS instrument determined soil C density to a depth of 30 cm via scanning and stationary measurements. Subsequently, soil core samples were analyzed in the laboratory for soil bulk density (kg m−3), C concentration (g kg−1) by DC, and results reported as soil C density (kg m−2). Results from each technique were derived independently and contributed to a blind test against results from the reference (DC) method. A similar procedure was employed at CIMMYT in Mexico employing but only with the LIBS and DRIFTS instruments. Following conversion to common units, we found that the LIBS, DRIFTS, and INS results can be compared directly with those obtained by the DC method. The first two methods and the standard DC require soil sampling and need soil bulk density information to convert soil C concentrations to soil C densities while the INS method does not require soil sampling. We conclude that, in comparison with the DC method, the three instruments (a) showed acceptable performances although further work is needed to improve calibration techniques and (b) demonstrated their portability and their capacity to perform under field conditions. PMID:23383225

Designing a national soil erosion monitoring network for England and Wales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lark, Murray; Rawlins, Barry; Anderson, Karen; Evans, Martin; Farrow, Luke; Glendell, Miriam; James, Mike; Rickson, Jane; Quine, Timothy; Quinton, John; Brazier, Richard

2014-05-01

Although soil erosion is recognised as a significant threat to sustainable land use and may be a priority for action in any forthcoming EU Soil Framework Directive, those responsible for setting national policy with respect to erosion are constrained by a lack of robust, representative, data at large spatial scales. This reflects the process-orientated nature of much soil erosion research. Recognising this limitation, The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) established a project to pilot a cost-effective framework for monitoring of soil erosion in England and Wales (E&W). The pilot will compare different soil erosion monitoring methods at a site scale and provide statistical information for the final design of the full national monitoring network that will: provide unbiased estimates of the spatial mean of soil erosion rate across E&W (tonnes ha-1 yr-1) for each of three land-use classes - arable and horticultural grassland upland and semi-natural habitats quantify the uncertainty of these estimates with confidence intervals. Probability (design-based) sampling provides most efficient unbiased estimates of spatial means. In this study, a 16 hectare area (a square of 400 x 400 m) positioned at the centre of a 1-km grid cell, selected at random from mapped land use across E&W, provided the sampling support for measurement of erosion rates, with at least 94% of the support area corresponding to the target land use classes. Very small or zero erosion rates likely to be encountered at many sites reduce the sampling efficiency and make it difficult to compare different methods of soil erosion monitoring. Therefore, to increase the proportion of samples with larger erosion rates without biasing our estimates, we increased the inclusion probability density in areas where the erosion rate is likely to be large by using stratified random sampling. First, each sampling domain (land use class in E&W) was divided into strata; e.g. two sub-domains within which, respectively, small or no erosion rates, and moderate or larger erosion rates are expected. Each stratum was then sampled independently and at random. The sample density need not be equal in the two strata, but is known and is accounted for in the estimation of the mean and its standard error. To divide the domains into strata we used information on slope angle, previous interpretation of erosion susceptibility of the soil associations that correspond to the soil map of E&W at 1:250 000 (Soil Survey of England and Wales, 1983), and visual interpretation of evidence of erosion from aerial photography. While each domain could be stratified on the basis of the first two criteria, air photo interpretation across the whole country was not feasible. For this reason we used a two-phase random sampling for stratification (TPRS) design (de Gruijter et al., 2006). First, we formed an initial random sample of 1-km grid cells from the target domain. Second, each cell was then allocated to a stratum on the basis of the three criteria. A subset of the selected cells from each stratum were then selected for field survey at random, with a specified sampling density for each stratum so as to increase the proportion of cells where moderate or larger erosion rates were expected. Once measurements of erosion have been made, an estimate of the spatial mean of the erosion rate over the target domain, its standard error and associated uncertainty can be calculated by an expression which accounts for the estimated proportions of the two strata within the initial random sample. de Gruijter, J.J., Brus, D.J., Biekens, M.F.P. & Knotters, M. 2006. Sampling for Natural Resource Monitoring. Springer, Berlin. Soil Survey of England and Wales. 1983 National Soil Map NATMAP Vector 1:250,000. National Soil Research Institute, Cranfield University.

Soil Organic Carbon Estimation and Mapping Using "on-the-go" VisNIR Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. J.; Bricklemyer, R. S.; Christy, C.

2007-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and other soil properties related to carbon sequestration (eg. soil clay content and mineralogy) vary spatially across landscapes. To cost effectively capture this variability, new technologies, such as Visible and Near Infrared (VisNIR) spectroscopy, have been applied to soils for rapid, accurate, and inexpensive estimation of SOC and other soil properties. For this study, we evaluated an "on the go" VisNIR sensor developed by Veris Technologies, Inc. (Salinas, KS) for mapping SOC, soil clay content and mineralogy. The Veris spectrometer spanned 350 to 2224 nm with 8 nm spectral resolution, and 25 spectra were integrated every 2 seconds resulting in 3 -5 m scanning distances on the ground. The unit was mounted to a mobile sensor platform pulled by a tractor, and scanned soils at an average depth of 10 cm through a quartz-sapphire window. We scanned eight 16.2 ha (40 ac) wheat fields in north central Montana (USA), with 15 m transect intervals. Using random sampling with spatial inhibition, 100 soil samples from 0-10 cm depths were extracted along scanned transects from each field and were analyzed for SOC. Neat, sieved (<2 mm) soil sample materials were also scanned in the lab using an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD, Boulder, CO, USA) Fieldspec Pro FR spectroradiometer with a spectral range of 350-2500 and spectral resolution of 2-10 nm. The analyzed samples were used to calibrate and validate a number of partial least squares regression (PLSR) VisNIR models to compare on-the-go scanning vs. higher spectral resolution laboratory spectroscopy vs. standard SOC measurement methods.

Analytical methods of the U.S. Geological Survey's New York District Water-Analysis Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Gregory B.; Lincoln, Tricia A.; Horan-Ross, Debra A.; Olson, Mark L.; Waldron, Laura A.

1995-01-01

The New York District of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Troy, N.Y., operates a water-analysis laboratory for USGS watershed-research projects in the Northeast that require analyses of precipitation and of dilute surface water and soil water for major ions; it also provides analyses of certain chemical constituents in soils and soil gas samples.This report presents the methods for chemical analyses of water samples, soil-water samples, and soil-gas samples collected in wateshed-research projects. The introduction describes the general materials and technicques for each method and explains the USGS quality-assurance program and data-management procedures; it also explains the use of cross reference to the three most commonly used methods manuals for analysis of dilute waters. The body of the report describes the analytical procedures for (1) solution analysis, (2) soil analysis, and (3) soil-gas analysis. The methods are presented in alphabetical order by constituent. The method for each constituent is preceded by (1) reference codes for pertinent sections of the three manuals mentioned above, (2) a list of the method's applications, and (3) a summary of the procedure. The methods section for each constitutent contains the following categories: instrumentation and equipment, sample preservation and storage, reagents and standards, analytical procedures, quality control, maintenance, interferences, safety considerations, and references. Sufficient information is presented for each method to allow the resulting data to be appropriately used in environmental investigations.

Integrated ecological risk assessment of pesticides in tropical ecosystems: a case study with carbofuran in Brazil.

PubMed

Chelinho, Sónia; Lopes, Isabel; Natal-da-Luz, Tiago; Domene, Xaxier; Nunes, Maria Edna Tenorio; Espíndola, Evaldo L G; Ribeiro, Rui; Sousa, Jose P

2012-02-01

The aim of the present study is to contribute an ecologically relevant assessment of the ecotoxicological effects of pesticide applications in agricultural areas in the tropics, using an integrated approach with information gathered from soil and aquatic compartments. Carbofuran, an insecticide/nematicide used widely on sugarcane crops, was selected as a model substance. To evaluate the toxic effects of pesticide spraying for soil biota, as well as the potential indirect effects on aquatic biota resulting from surface runoff and/or leaching, field and laboratory (using a cost-effective simulator of pesticide applications) trials were performed. Standard ecotoxicological tests were performed with soil (Eisenia andrei, Folsomia candida, and Enchytraeus crypticus) and aquatic (Ceriodaphnia silvestrii) organisms, using serial dilutions of soil, eluate, leachate, and runoff samples. Among soil organisms, sensitivity was found to be E. crypticus < E. andrei < F. candida. Among the aqueous extracts, mortality of C. silvestrii was extreme in runoff samples, whereas eluates were by far the least toxic samples. A generally higher toxicity was found in the bioassays performed with samples from the field trial, indicating the need for improvements in the laboratory simulator. However, the tool developed proved to be valuable in evaluating the toxic effects of pesticide spraying in soils and the potential risks for aquatic compartments. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in vegetables and relationships with soil heavy metal distribution in Zhejiang province, China.

PubMed

Ye, Xuezhu; Xiao, Wendan; Zhang, Yongzhi; Zhao, Shouping; Wang, Gangjun; Zhang, Qi; Wang, Qiang

2015-06-01

There are increasing concerns on heavy metal contaminant in soils and vegetables. In this study, we investigated heavy metal pollution in vegetables and the corresponding soils in the main vegetable production regions of Zhejiang province, China. A total of 97 vegetable samples and 202 agricultural soil samples were analyzed for the concentrations of Cd, Pb, As, Hg, and Cr. The average levels of Cd, Pb, and Cr in vegetable samples [Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris spp. Pekinensis), pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.), celery (Apium graveolens), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), cucumber (Colletotrichum lagenarium), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.), and eggplant (Solanum melongena)] were 0.020, 0.048, and 0.043 mg kg(-1), respectively. The Pb and Cr concentrations in all vegetable samples were below the threshold levels of the Food Quality Standard (0.3 and 0.5 mg kg(-1), respectively), except that two eggplant samples exceeded the threshold levels for Cd concentrations (0.05 mg kg(-1)). As and Hg contents in vegetables were below the detection level (0.005 and 0.002 mg kg(-1), respectively). Soil pollution conditions were assessed in accordance with the Chinese Soil Quality Criterion (GB15618-1995, Grade II); 50 and 68 soil samples from the investigated area exceeded the maximum allowable contents for Cd and Hg, respectively. Simple correlation analysis revealed that there were significantly positive correlations between the metal concentrations in vegetables and the corresponding soils, especially for the leafy and stem vegetables such as pakchoi, cabbage, and celery. Bio-concentration factor values for Cd are higher than those for Pb and Cr, which indicates that Cd is more readily absorbed by vegetables than Pb and Cr. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the possible pollution of heavy metals in vegetables, especially Cd.

Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Momoge Wetland, China

PubMed Central

Xu, Jianling; Wang, Hanxi; Sheng, Lianxi; Liu, Xuejun; Zheng, Xiaoxue

2017-01-01

The Momoge Nature Reserve is the research object of this study. Through field sampling, laboratory experiments and analysis, the contents, distribution characteristics, source identification, pollution levels and risk levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wetland soils were studied. The results show that the sum content of 16 types of PAHs (Σ16 PAH) in the wetland soil was within the range (0.029–0.4152) mg/kg. PAHs in wetland soil are primarily 2–3-rings PAHs. PAHs in the Momoge wetland soil have multiple sources: petroleum, combustion of petroleum and coal, and others, of which petroleum and the sum of combustion of petroleum and coal account for 38.0% and 59.3%, respectively. Research, using the standard index and pollution range methods, shows that the content of the PAH labelled Nap, found in the Momoge wetland soil, is excessive; some sampling sites exhibit a low level of pollution. The result of a biotoxicity assessment shows that there are two sampling sites that occasionally present an ecological toxicity hazard. The result of the organic carbon normalization process shows that an ecological risk exists only at sampling site No. 10. PMID:28106776

Composite Sampling Approaches for Bacillus anthracis Surrogate Extracted from Soil

PubMed Central

France, Brian; Bell, William; Chang, Emily; Scholten, Trudy

2015-01-01

Any release of anthrax spores in the U.S. would require action to decontaminate the site and restore its use and operations as rapidly as possible. The remediation activity would require environmental sampling, both initially to determine the extent of contamination (hazard mapping) and post-decon to determine that the site is free of contamination (clearance sampling). Whether the spore contamination is within a building or outdoors, collecting and analyzing what could be thousands of samples can become the factor that limits the pace of restoring operations. To address this sampling and analysis bottleneck and decrease the time needed to recover from an anthrax contamination event, this study investigates the use of composite sampling. Pooling or compositing of samples is an established technique to reduce the number of analyses required, and its use for anthrax spore sampling has recently been investigated. However, use of composite sampling in an anthrax spore remediation event will require well-documented and accepted methods. In particular, previous composite sampling studies have focused on sampling from hard surfaces; data on soil sampling are required to extend the procedure to outdoor use. Further, we must consider whether combining liquid samples, thus increasing the volume, lowers the sensitivity of detection and produces false negatives. In this study, methods to composite bacterial spore samples from soil are demonstrated. B. subtilis spore suspensions were used as a surrogate for anthrax spores. Two soils (Arizona Test Dust and sterilized potting soil) were contaminated and spore recovery with composites was shown to match individual sample performance. Results show that dilution can be overcome by concentrating bacterial spores using standard filtration methods. This study shows that composite sampling can be a viable method of pooling samples to reduce the number of analysis that must be performed during anthrax spore remediation. PMID:26714315

Evaluation of different approaches for identifying optimal sites to predict mean hillslope soil moisture content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Kaihua; Zhou, Zhiwen; Lai, Xiaoming; Zhu, Qing; Feng, Huihui

2017-04-01

The identification of representative soil moisture sampling sites is important for the validation of remotely sensed mean soil moisture in a certain area and ground-based soil moisture measurements in catchment or hillslope hydrological studies. Numerous approaches have been developed to identify optimal sites for predicting mean soil moisture. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages, but they have rarely been evaluated and compared. In our study, surface (0-20 cm) soil moisture data from January 2013 to March 2016 (a total of 43 sampling days) were collected at 77 sampling sites on a mixed land-use (tea and bamboo) hillslope in the hilly area of Taihu Lake Basin, China. A total of 10 methods (temporal stability (TS) analyses based on 2 indices, K-means clustering based on 6 kinds of inputs and 2 random sampling strategies) were evaluated for determining optimal sampling sites for mean soil moisture estimation. They were TS analyses based on the smallest index of temporal stability (ITS, a combination of the mean relative difference and standard deviation of relative difference (SDRD)) and based on the smallest SDRD, K-means clustering based on soil properties and terrain indices (EFs), repeated soil moisture measurements (Theta), EFs plus one-time soil moisture data (EFsTheta), and the principal components derived from EFs (EFs-PCA), Theta (Theta-PCA), and EFsTheta (EFsTheta-PCA), and global and stratified random sampling strategies. Results showed that the TS based on the smallest ITS was better (RMSE = 0.023 m3 m-3) than that based on the smallest SDRD (RMSE = 0.034 m3 m-3). The K-means clustering based on EFsTheta (-PCA) was better (RMSE <0.020 m3 m-3) than these based on EFs (-PCA) and Theta (-PCA). The sampling design stratified by the land use was more efficient than the global random method. Forty and 60 sampling sites are needed for stratified sampling and global sampling respectively to make their performances comparable to the best K-means method (EFsTheta-PCA). Overall, TS required only one site, but its accuracy was limited. The best K-means method required <8 sites and yielded high accuracy, but extra soil and terrain information is necessary when using this method. The stratified sampling strategy can only be used if no pre-knowledge about soil moisture variation is available. This information will help in selecting the optimal methods for estimation the area mean soil moisture.

Geochemical analysis of soils and sediments, Coeur d'Alene drainage basin, Idaho: sampling, analytical methods, and results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, Stephen E.; Bookstrom, Arthur A.; Ikramuddin, Mohammed; Lindsay, James

2001-01-01

(Fe), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd). In general inter-laboratory correlations are better for samples within the compositional range of the Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Analyses by EWU are the most accurate relative to the NIST standards (mean recoveries within 1% for Pb, Fe, Mn, and As, 3% for Zn and 5% for Cd) and are the most precise (within 7% of the mean at the 95% confidence interval). USGS-EDXRF is similarly accurate for Pb and Zn. XRAL and ACZ are relatively accurate for Pb (within 5-8% of certified NIST values), but were considerably less accurate for the other 5 elements of concern (10-25% of NIST values). However, analyses of sample splits by more than one laboratory reveal that, for some elements, XRAL (Pb, Mn, Cd) and ACZ (Pb, Mn, Zn, Fe) analyses were comparable to EWU analyses of the same samples (when values are within the range of NIST SRMs). These results suggest that, for some elements, XRAL and ACZ dissolutions are more effective on the matrix of the CdA samples than on the matrix of the NIST samples (obtained from soils around Butte, Montana). Splits of CdA samples analyzed by CHEMEX were the least accurate, yielding values 10-25% less than those of EWU.

Soil salinization in the agricultural lands of Rhodope District, northeastern Greece.

PubMed

Pisinaras, V; Tsihrintzis, V A; Petalas, C; Ouzounis, K

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to identify seasonal and spatial trends and soil salinization patterns in a part of Rhodope District irrigated land, northeastern Greece, located east of Vistonis Lagoon. The study area is irrigated from a coastal aquifer, where salt water intrusion occurs because of extensive groundwater withdrawals. Fourteen monitoring sites were established in harvest fields in the study area, where soil samples were collected. Electrical conductivity (ECe), pH, and ion concentrations were determined in the saturated paste extract of the soil samples in the laboratory using standard methods. A clear tendency was observed for ECe to increase from April to September, i.e., within the irrigation period, indicating the effect of saline groundwater to soil. In the last years, the change from moderately sensitive (e.g., corn) to moderately tolerant crops (e.g., cotton) in the south part of the study area indicates the impacts of soil salinity. The study proposes management methods to alleviate this problem.

Floodplain Assessment for the Middle Los Alamos Canyon Aggregate Area Investigations in Technical Area 02 at Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Hathcock, Charles Dean

The proposed action being assessed in this document occurs in TA-02 in the bottom of Los Alamos Canyon. The DOE proposes to conduct soil sampling at AOC 02-011 (d), AOC 02- 011(a)(ii), and SWMU 02-005, and excavate soils in AOC 02-011(a)(ii) as part of a corrective actions effort. Additional shallow surface soil samples (soil grab samples) will be collected throughout the TA-02 area, including within the floodplain, to perform ecotoxicology studies (Figures 1 and 2). The excavation boundaries in AOC 02-011(a)(ii) are slightly within the delineated 100-year floodplain. The project will use a variety of techniques for soil sampling andmore » remediation efforts to include hand/digging, standard hand auger/sampling, excavation using machinery such as backhoe and front end loader and small drill rig. Heavy equipment will traverse the floodplain and spoils piles will be staged in the floodplain within developed or previously disturbed areas (e.g., existing paved roads and parking areas). The project will utilize and maintain appropriate best management practices (BMPs) to contain excavated materials, and all pollutants, including oil from machinery/vehicles. The project will stabilize disturbed areas as appropriate at the end of the project.« less

Environmental hazard assessment of contaminated soils in Antarctica: Using a structured tier 1 approach to inform decision-making.

PubMed

Pereira, Joana Luísa; Pereira, Patrícia; Padeiro, Ana; Gonçalves, Fernando; Amaro, Eduardo; Leppe, Marcelo; Verkulich, Sergey; Hughes, Kevin A; Peter, Hans-Ulrich; Canário, João

2017-01-01

Generally, Antarctica is considered to be an untouched area of the planet; however, the region's ecosystems have been subject to increased human pressure for at least the past half-century. This study assessed soils of Fildes Peninsula, where trace element pollution is thought to prevail. Four soil samples were collected from different locations and assessed following tier 1 methodologies for chemical and ecotoxicological lines of evidence (LoE) used in typical soil Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA). Trace element quantification was run on soil samples and sequential extracts, and elutriates were used to address their ecotoxicity using a standard ecotoxicological battery. The highest levels of trace elements were found for Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn, which were well above baseline levels in two sites located near previously identified contamination sources. Trace element concentrations in soils were compared with soil quality guidelines to estimate the contribution of the chemical LoE for integrated risk calculations; risk was found high, above 0.5 for all samples. Total concentrations in soil were consistent with corresponding sequentially extracted percentages, with Cu and Zn being the most bioavailable elements. Bacteria did not respond consistently to the elutriate samples and cladocerans did not respond at all. In contrast, the growth of microalgae and macrophytes was significantly impaired by elutriates of all soil samples, consistently to estimated trace element concentrations in the elutriate matrix. These results translated into lower risk values for the ecotoxicological compared to the chemical LoE. Nevertheless, integrated risk calculations generated either an immediate recommendation for further analysis to better understand the hazardous potential of the tested soils or showed that the soils could not adequately sustain natural ecosystem functions. This study suggests that the soil ecosystem in Fildes has been inadequately protected and supports previous claims on the need to reinforce protection measures and remediation activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using rank-order geostatistics for spatial interpolation of highly skewed data in a heavy-metal contaminated site.

PubMed

Juang, K W; Lee, D Y; Ellsworth, T R

2001-01-01

The spatial distribution of a pollutant in contaminated soils is usually highly skewed. As a result, the sample variogram often differs considerably from its regional counterpart and the geostatistical interpolation is hindered. In this study, rank-order geostatistics with standardized rank transformation was used for the spatial interpolation of pollutants with a highly skewed distribution in contaminated soils when commonly used nonlinear methods, such as logarithmic and normal-scored transformations, are not suitable. A real data set of soil Cd concentrations with great variation and high skewness in a contaminated site of Taiwan was used for illustration. The spatial dependence of ranks transformed from Cd concentrations was identified and kriging estimation was readily performed in the standardized-rank space. The estimated standardized rank was back-transformed into the concentration space using the middle point model within a standardized-rank interval of the empirical distribution function (EDF). The spatial distribution of Cd concentrations was then obtained. The probability of Cd concentration being higher than a given cutoff value also can be estimated by using the estimated distribution of standardized ranks. The contour maps of Cd concentrations and the probabilities of Cd concentrations being higher than the cutoff value can be simultaneously used for delineation of hazardous areas of contaminated soils.

Detection techniques using multispectral data to index soil erosional status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelletier, R. E.

1988-01-01

Indexing techniques that can be used to detect soil erosion utilizing the known band widths of the Landsat MSS and TM sensors are identified. The indexing techniques focus on iron oxides, clays, and organic matter as properties revealing soil erosional status. For data aquisition, a Collins visible and infrared intelligent spectrometer was used to collect data from 0.4-24 microns. Pressed polytetrafluorethylene was used as the reflectance standard and was aquired at the same time that the sample data were aquired.

Nutrients, heavy metals and phthalate acid esters in solar greenhouse soils in Round-Bohai Bay-Region, China: impacts of cultivation year and biogeography.

PubMed

Chen, Zhiqun; Tian, Tian; Gao, Lihong; Tian, Yongqiang

2016-07-01

Solar greenhouse is a common facility type used for horticultural crop production in China. However, most solar greenhouse fields have been degraded due to continuous cropping and excessive fertilizer use. Therefore, we investigated solar greenhouse soils covering a wide range of cultivation years and environmental conditions in Round-Bohai Bay-Region to test the effects of cultivation year and biogeography on nutrients, heavy metals, and phthalate acid esters (PAEs). In general, soil pH decreased while soil electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), NO3 (-)-N, NH4 (+)-N, mineral nitrogen (MN), Olsen-P, and NH4OAc-K contents increased as time of cultivation increased. However, this trend was influenced by sampling sites. Among sampling sites, Jiangsu showed a relatively low soil pH and high Olsen-P content, while Hebei showed a relatively high soil EC value, NO3 (-)-N, NH4 (+)-N, MN, and NH4OAc-K contents. Liaoning was characterized by relatively high soil OM and TN contents. The nutrient level indexes in evaluation of soil quality on Olsen-P and NH4OAc-K exceeded the standard seriously. The maximum values of the heavy metals Cd, Cu, and Zn were 4.87, 2.78, and 1.15 times higher than the threshold values, respectively. There was a rising trend on the heavy metal contents with the increasing cultivation years, and this trend was significantly influenced by sampling sites. Both Cu and Zn had relative high heavy metal indexes in evaluation of soil pollution. The PAEs were not detected in almost all sampling soils. Overall, the excessive fertilizer application was an important cause of nutrient accumulation and heavy metal pollution, resulting in soil degradation in solar greenhouses.

Natural chlorate in the environment: Application of a new IC-ESI/MS/MS method with a Cl18O3- internal standard

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rao, Balaji; Hatzinger, Paul B.; Böhlke, John Karl; Sturchio, Neil C.; Andraski, Brian J.; Eckardt, Frank D.; Jackson, W. Andrew

2010-01-01

A new ion chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ESI/MS/MS) method has been developed for quantification and confirmation of chlorate (ClO3−) in environmental samples. The method involves the electro-chemical generation of isotopically labeled chlorate internal standard (Cl18O3−) using 18O water (H218O). The standard was added to all samples prior to analysis thereby minimizing the matrix effects that are associated with common ions without the need for expensive sample pretreatments. The method detection limit (MDL) for ClO3− was 2 ng L−1 for a 1 mL volume sample injection. The proposed method was successfully applied to analyze ClO3− in difficult environmental samples including soil and plant leachates. The IC-ESI/MS/MS method described here was also compared to established EPA method 317.0 for ClO3− analysis. Samples collected from a variety of environments previously shown to contain natural perchlorate (ClO4−) occurrence were analyzed using the proposed method and ClO3− was found to co-occur with ClO4− at concentrations ranging from <2 ng L−1 in precipitation from Texas and Puerto Rico to >500 mg kg−1 in caliche salt deposits from the Atacama Desert in Chile. Relatively low concentrations of ClO3− in some natural groundwater samples (<0.1 μg L−1) analyzed in this work may indicate lower stability when compared to ClO4− in the subsurface. The high concentrations of ClO3− in caliches and soils (3−6 orders of magnitude greater) as compared to precipitation samples indicate that ClO3−, like ClO4−, may be atmospherically produced and deposited, then concentrated in dry soils, and is possibly a minor component in the biogeochemical cycle of chlorine.

Natural chlorate in the environment: application of a new IC-ESI/MS/MS method with a Cl¹⁸O₃-internal standard.

PubMed

Balaji Rao, Balaji Rao; Hatzinger, Paul B; Böhlke, John Karl; Sturchio, Neil C; Andraski, Brian J; Eckardt, Frank D; Jackson, W Andrew

2010-11-15

A new ion chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ESI/MS/MS) method has been developed for quantification and confirmation of chlorate (ClO₃⁻) in environmental samples. The method involves the electrochemical generation of isotopically labeled chlorate internal standard (Cl¹⁸O₃⁻) using ¹⁸O water (H₂¹⁸O) he standard was added to all samples prior to analysis thereby minimizing the matrix effects that are associated with common ions without the need for expensive sample pretreatments. The method detection limit (MDL) for ClO₃⁻ was 2 ng L⁻¹ for a 1 mL volume sample injection. The proposed method was successfully applied to analyze ClO₃⁻ in difficult environmental samples including soil and plant leachates. The IC-ESI/MS/MS method described here was also compared to established EPA method 317.0 for ClO₃⁻ analysis. Samples collected from a variety of environments previously shown to contain natural perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) occurrence were analyzed using the proposed method and ClO₃⁻ was found to co-occur with ClO₄⁻ at concentrations ranging from < 2 ng L⁻¹ in precipitation from Texas and Puerto Rico to >500 mg kg⁻¹ in caliche salt deposits from the Atacama Desert in Chile. Relatively low concentrations of ClO₃⁻ in some natural groundwater samples (0.1 µg L⁻¹) analyzed in this work may indicate lower stability when compared to ClO₄⁻ in the subsurface. The high concentrations ClO₃⁻ in caliches and soils (3-6 orders of magnitude greater) as compared to precipitation samples indicate that ClO₃⁻, like ClO₄⁻, may be atmospherically produced and deposited, then concentrated in dry soils, and is possibly a minor component in the biogeochemical cycle of chlorine.

Heavy Metal Pollution and Ecological Assessment around the Jinsha Coal-Fired Power Plant (China)

PubMed Central

Hu, Jiwei; Qin, Fanxin; Quan, Wenxuan; Cao, Rensheng; Wu, Xianliang

2017-01-01

Heavy metal pollution is a serious problem worldwide. In this study, 41 soil samples and 32 cabbage samples were collected from the area surrounding the Jinsha coal-fired power plant (JCFP Plant) in Guizhou Province, southwest China. Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cu and Cr concentrations in soil samples and cabbage samples were analysed to study the pollution sources and risks of heavy metals around the power plant. The results indicate that the JCFP Plant contributes to the Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Cu, and Cr pollution in nearby soils, particularly Hg pollution. Cu and Cr in soils from both croplands and forestlands in the study area derive mainly from crustal materials or natural processes. Pb, Cd and As in soils from croplands arise partly through anthropogenic activities, but these elements in soils from forestlands originate mainly from crustal materials or natural processes. Hg pollution in soils from both croplands and forestlands is caused mainly by fly ash from the JCFP Plant. The cabbages grown in the study area were severely contaminated with heavy metals, and more than 90% of the cabbages had Pb concentrations exceeding the permissible level established by the Ministry of Health and the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China. Additionally, 30% of the cabbages had As concentrations exceeding the permissible level. Because forests can protect soils from heavy metal pollution caused by atmospheric deposition, close attention should be given to the Hg pollution in soils and to the concentrations of Pb, As, Hg and Cr in vegetables from the study area. PMID:29258250

Heavy Metal Pollution and Ecological Assessment around the Jinsha Coal-Fired Power Plant (China).

PubMed

Huang, Xianfei; Hu, Jiwei; Qin, Fanxin; Quan, Wenxuan; Cao, Rensheng; Fan, Mingyi; Wu, Xianliang

2017-12-18

Heavy metal pollution is a serious problem worldwide. In this study, 41 soil samples and 32 cabbage samples were collected from the area surrounding the Jinsha coal-fired power plant (JCFP Plant) in Guizhou Province, southwest China. Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cu and Cr concentrations in soil samples and cabbage samples were analysed to study the pollution sources and risks of heavy metals around the power plant. The results indicate that the JCFP Plant contributes to the Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Cu, and Cr pollution in nearby soils, particularly Hg pollution. Cu and Cr in soils from both croplands and forestlands in the study area derive mainly from crustal materials or natural processes. Pb, Cd and As in soils from croplands arise partly through anthropogenic activities, but these elements in soils from forestlands originate mainly from crustal materials or natural processes. Hg pollution in soils from both croplands and forestlands is caused mainly by fly ash from the JCFP Plant. The cabbages grown in the study area were severely contaminated with heavy metals, and more than 90% of the cabbages had Pb concentrations exceeding the permissible level established by the Ministry of Health and the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China. Additionally, 30% of the cabbages had As concentrations exceeding the permissible level. Because forests can protect soils from heavy metal pollution caused by atmospheric deposition, close attention should be given to the Hg pollution in soils and to the concentrations of Pb, As, Hg and Cr in vegetables from the study area.

Modeling of U-series Radionuclide Transport Through Soil at Pena Blanca, Chihuahua, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekar, K. E.; Goodell, P. C.; Walton, J. C.; Anthony, E. Y.; Ren, M.

2007-05-01

The Nopal I uranium deposit is located at Pena Blanca in Chihuahua, Mexico. Mining of high-grade uranium ore occurred in the early 1980s, with the ore stockpiled nearby. The stockpile was mostly cleared in the 1990s; however, some of the high-grade boulders have remained there, creating localized sources of radioactivity for a period of 25-30 years. This provides a unique opportunity to study radionuclide transport, because the study area did not have any uranium contamination predating the stockpile in the 1980s. One high-grade boulder was selected for study based upon its shape, location, and high activity. The presumed drip-line off of the boulder was marked, samples from the boulder surface were taken, and then the boulder was moved several feet away. Soil samples were taken from directly beneath the boulder, around the drip-line, and down slope. Eight of these samples were collected in a vertical profile directly beneath the boulder. Visible flakes of boulder material were removed from the surficial soil samples, because they would have higher concentrations of U-series radionuclides and cause the activities in the soil samples to be excessively high. The vertical sampling profile used 2-inch thicknesses for each sample. The soil samples were packaged into thin plastic containers to minimize the attenuation and to standardize sample geometry, and then they were analyzed by gamma-ray spectroscopy with a Ge(Li) detector for Th-234, Pa-234, U-234, Th-230, Ra-226, Pb-214, Bi-214, and Pb-210. The raw counts were corrected for self-attenuation and normalized using BL-5, a uranium standard from Beaverlodge, Saskatchewan. BL-5 allowed the counts obtained on the Ge(Li) to be referenced to a known concentration or activity, which was then applied to the soil unknowns for a reliable calculation of their concentrations. Gamma ray spectra of five soil samples from the vertical profile exhibit decreasing activities with increasing depth for the selected radionuclides. Independent multi-element analyses of three samples by ICP-MS show decreasing uranium concentration with depth as well. The transport of the radionuclides is evaluated using STANMOD, a Windows-based software package for evaluating solute transport in porous media using analytical solutions of the advection-dispersion solute transport equation. The package allows various one-dimensional, advection-dispersion parameters to be determined by fitting mathematical solutions of theoretical transport models to observed data. The results are promising for future work on the release rate of radionuclides from the boulder, the dominant mode of transport (e.g., particulate or dissolution), and the movement of radionuclides through porous media. The measured subsurface transport rates provide modelers with a model validation dataset.

Experimental investigation of infiltration in soil with occurrence of preferential flow and air trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snehota, Michal; Jelinkova, Vladimira; Sacha, Jan; Cislerova, Milena

2015-04-01

Recently, a number of infiltration experiments have not proved the validity of standard Richards' theory of the flow in soils with wide pore size distribution. Water flow in such soils under near-saturated conditions often exhibits preferential flow and temporal instability of the saturated hydraulic conductivity. An intact sample of coarse sandy loam from Cambisol series containing naturally developed vertically connected macropore was investigated during recurrent ponding infiltration (RPI) experiments conducted during period of 30 hours. RPI experiment consisted of two ponded infiltration runs, each followed by free gravitational draining of the sample. Three-dimensional neutron tomography (NT) image of the dry sample was acquired before the infiltration begun. The dynamics of the wetting front advancement was investigated by a sequence of neutron radiography (NR) images. Analysis of NR showed that water front moved preferentially through the macropore at the approximate speed of 2 mm/sec, which was significantly faster pace than the 0.3 mm/sec wetting advancement in the surrounding soil matrix. After the water started to flow out of the sample, changes in the local water content distribution were evaluated quantitatively by subtracting the NT image of the dry sample from subsequent tomography images. As a next stage, the experiment was repeated on a composed sample packed of ceramic and coarse sand. Series of infiltration runs was conducted in the sample with different initial water contents. The neutron tomography data quantitatively showed that both in natural soil sample containing the macropore and in the composed sample air was gradually transported from the region of fine soil matrix to the macropores or to the coarser material. The accumulation of the air bubbles in the large pores affected the hydraulic conductivity of the sample reducing it up to 50% of the initial value. This supports the hypothesis on strong influence of entrapped air amount and spatial distribution on infiltration into heterogeneous soils. The research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation Project No. 14-03691S.

Determination of the water retention of peat soils in the range of the permanent wilting point.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nünning, Lena; Bechtold, Michel; Dettmann, Ullrich; Piayda, Arndt; Tiemeyer, Bärbel; Durner, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

Global coverage of peatlands decreases due to the use of peat for horticulture and to the drainage of peatlands for agriculture and forestry. While alternatives for peat in horticulture exist, profitable agriculture on peatlands and climate protection are far more difficult to combine. A controlled water management that is optimized to stabilize yields while reducing peat degradation provides a promising path in this direction. For this goal, profound knowledge of hydraulic properties of organic soil is essential, for which, however, literature is scarce. This study aimed to compare different methods to determine the water retention of organic soils in the dry range (pF 3 to 4.5). Three common methods were compared: two pressure based apparatus (ceramic plate vs. membrane, Eijkelkamp) and a dew point potentiameter (WP4C, Decagon Devices), which is based on the equilibrium of soil water potential and air humidity. Two different types of organic soil samples were analyzed: i) samples wet from the field and ii) samples that were rewetted after oven-drying. Additional WP4C measurements were performed at samples from standard evaporation experiments directly after they have been finished. Results were: 1) no systematic differences between pressure apparatus and WP4C measurements, 2) however, high moisture variability of the samples from the pressure apparatus as well as high variability of the WP4C measurements at these samples when they were removed from these devices which indicated that applied pressure did not establish well in all samples, 3) rewetted oven-dried samples resulted in up to three times lower soil moistures even after long equilibrium times, i.e. there was a strong and long-lasting hysteresis effect that was highest for less degraded peat samples, 4) and highly consistent WP4C measurements at samples from the end of the evaporation experiment. Results provide useful information for deriving reliable water retention characteristics for organic soils.

BetaScint{trademark} fiber-optic sensor for detecting strontium-90 and uranium-238 in soil. Innovative technology summary report

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

NONE

1998-12-01

Accurate measurements of radioactivity in soils contaminated with Strontium-90 (Sr-90) or Uranium-238 (U-238) are essential for many DOE site remediation programs. These crucial measurements determine if excavation and soil removal is necessary, where remediation efforts should be focused, and/or if a site has reached closure. Measuring soil contamination by standard EPA laboratory methods typically takes a week (accelerated analytical test turnaround) or a month (standard analytical test turnaround). The time delay extends to operations involving heavy excavation equipment and associated personnel which are the main costs of remediation. This report describes an application of the BetaScint{trademark} fiber-optic sensor that measuresmore » Sr-90 or U-238 contamination in soil samples on site in about 20 minutes, at a much lower cost than time-consuming laboratory methods, to greatly facilitate remediation. This report describes the technology, its performance, its uses, cost, regulatory and policy issues, and lessons learned.« less

Environmental impact of heavy metals on the soils and plants around a coke-making factory of Jiyuan city, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lun Leung, Kwun

2010-05-01

The combustion of coal usually leads to many different kinds of pollution around coke-making factories. Among these pollutions, the heavy metal contamination in the soil and plants is one of the major concerns by people living around. Heavy metals are highly attracted to the biological tissue, and can stay in bodies of organisms for long period of time, causing a lot of hazardous diseases to human beings, animal and plants. In the developing regions of China, developing of industries has been based on the sacrifices of environments and human health. In order to evaluate the danger of heavy metal contamination from a coke factory to citizens of close inhabitants, a survey on soil and plants was conducted in the region around a coke-making factory in Jiyuan city, which is a major electricity supplying city for the Henan Province in China. In this study, 8 surface soil samples and 11 plant samples were collected from 8 different places around the coke-making factory in Jiyuan city. The collected samples are then treated in the laboratory, and 8 types of heavy metals, which include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and zinc, are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The concentration data of heavy metals that collected from the analysis are then used to evaluate their toxicity towards living organisms and ecology by applying several biological effect standards, such as effect-range low (ERL), effect-range median (ERM) and several maximum allowances standards of heavy metal concentrations in soils and plants that established by different countries. Moreover, the relationship between the distance from the factory and the concentration of heavy metals in soils and plants are also evaluated in order to find out the contamination ranges of those heavy metals from the source. The result shows that the concentration of these 8 types of heavy metals in the site exceeds the ERL, with lead being the heavy metals that exceeds the biological effect standards the most. This study suggests some remediate measures that must be made in order to decrease the emission of these elements to meet the national standards. The local government is now realized the problems and begins to limit the emissions and offers medical treatments to kids detected with high blood lead.

Dissipation behavior and risk assessment of butralin in soybean and soil under field conditions.

PubMed

Li, Congdi; Liu, Rong; Li, Li; Li, Wei; He, Yujian; Yuan, Longfei

2017-08-29

Dissipation behavior, final residue, and risk assessment of butralin in soybean, green soybean, plant, and soil were investigated. Butralin residues were extracted with acetonitrile and then soybean samples were detected with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and soil samples were determined with GC with nitrogen phosphorous detector (GC-NPD). The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 0.01 mg/kg for soybean, green soybean, plant, and soil. Average recoveries ranged from 90.4 ~ 98.2% for green soybean, 86.2 ~ 86.6% for soybean, 86.0 ~ 98.8% for plant, and 85.0 ~ 106.8% for soil. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 2.0 ~ 7.2% for green soybean, 2.0 ~ 3.0% for soybean, 3.1 ~ 8.1% for plant, and 1.8 ~ 6.6% for soil. Half-lives of butralin in soil samples varied in the range of 11-22 days. At harvest time, final residues of butralin in soybean and green soybean were lower than LOQ. Risk assessment demonstrated that, at recommended dosage and frequency, butralin would not induce significant harm on humans. The study could be used as a quantitative basis for application of butralin on soybean.

Adequacy of laser diffraction for soil particle size analysis

PubMed Central

Fisher, Peter; Aumann, Colin; Chia, Kohleth; O'Halloran, Nick; Chandra, Subhash

2017-01-01

Sedimentation has been a standard methodology for particle size analysis since the early 1900s. In recent years laser diffraction is beginning to replace sedimentation as the prefered technique in some industries, such as marine sediment analysis. However, for the particle size analysis of soils, which have a diverse range of both particle size and shape, laser diffraction still requires evaluation of its reliability. In this study, the sedimentation based sieve plummet balance method and the laser diffraction method were used to measure the particle size distribution of 22 soil samples representing four contrasting Australian Soil Orders. Initially, a precise wet riffling methodology was developed capable of obtaining representative samples within the recommended obscuration range for laser diffraction. It was found that repeatable results were obtained even if measurements were made at the extreme ends of the manufacturer’s recommended obscuration range. Results from statistical analysis suggested that the use of sample pretreatment to remove soil organic carbon (and possible traces of calcium-carbonate content) made minor differences to the laser diffraction particle size distributions compared to no pretreatment. These differences were found to be marginally statistically significant in the Podosol topsoil and Vertosol subsoil. There are well known reasons why sedimentation methods may be considered to ‘overestimate’ plate-like clay particles, while laser diffraction will ‘underestimate’ the proportion of clay particles. In this study we used Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient to determine the equivalence of laser diffraction and sieve plummet balance results. The results suggested that the laser diffraction equivalent thresholds corresponding to the sieve plummet balance cumulative particle sizes of < 2 μm, < 20 μm, and < 200 μm, were < 9 μm, < 26 μm, < 275 μm respectively. The many advantages of laser diffraction for soil particle size analysis, and the empirical results of this study, suggest that deployment of laser diffraction as a standard test procedure can provide reliable results, provided consistent sample preparation is used. PMID:28472043

Leaching Properties of Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals from Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, M.; Hoshino, M.; Yoshikawa, M.; Hara, J.; Sugita, H.

2014-12-01

The major threats to human health from heavy metals are associated with exposure to arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, as well as some other elements. The effects of such heavy metals on human health have been extensively studied and reviewed by international organizations such as WHO. Due to their toxicity, heavy metal contaminations have been regulated by national environmental standards in many countries, and/or laws such as the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act in Japan. Leaching of naturally occurring heavy metals from the soils, especially those around abandoned metal mines into surrounding water systems, either groundwater or surface water systems, is one of the major pathways of exposure. Therefore, understanding the leaching properties of toxic heavy metals from naturally polluted soils is of fundamentally importance for effectively managing abandoned metal mines, excavated rocks discharged from infrastructure constructions such as tunneling, and/or selecting a pertinent countermeasure against pollution when it is necessary. In this study, soil samples taken from the surroundings of abandoned metal mines in different regions in Japan were collected and analyzed. The samples contained multiple heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and chromium. Standard leaching test and sequential leaching test considering different forms of contaminants, such as trivalent and pentavalent arsenics, and trivalent and hexavalent chromiums, together with standard test for evaluating total concentration, X-ray Fluorescence Analysis (XRF), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) tests were performed. In addition, sequential leaching tests were performed to evaluate long-term leaching properties of lead from representative samples. This presentation introduces the details of the above experimental study, discusses the relationships among leaching properties and chemical and mineral compositions, indicates the difficulties associated with remediation of naturally polluted sites, and emphasizes the importance of risk-based countermeasures against naturally occurring heavy metals. Keywords: Leaching properties, Control Factor, Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals, Lead, Arsenic, Chromium

Assessment of nonpoint source chemical loading potential to watersheds containing uranium waste dumps associated with uranium exploration and mining, Browns Hole, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marston, Thomas M.; Beisner, Kimberly R.; Naftz, David L.; Snyder, Terry

2012-01-01

During August of 2008, 35 solid-phase samples were collected from abandoned uranium waste dumps, undisturbed geologic background sites, and adjacent streambeds in Browns Hole in southeastern Utah. The objectives of this sampling program were (1) to assess impacts on human health due to exposure to radium, uranium, and thorium during recreational activities on and around uranium waste dumps on Bureau of Land Management lands; (2) to compare concentrations of trace elements associated with mine waste dumps to natural background concentrations; (3) to assess the nonpoint source chemical loading potential to ephemeral and perennial watersheds from uranium waste dumps; and (4) to assess contamination from waste dumps to the local perennial stream water in Muleshoe Creek. Uranium waste dump samples were collected using solid-phase sampling protocols. Solid samples were digested and analyzed for major and trace elements. Analytical values for radium and uranium in digested samples were compared to multiple soil screening levels developed from annual dosage calculations in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act's minimum cleanup guidelines for uranium waste sites. Three occupancy durations for sites were considered: 4.6 days per year, 7.0 days per year, and 14.0 days per year. None of the sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 96 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 4.6 days per year exposure. Two sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 66 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 7.0 days per year exposure. Seven sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 33 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 14.0 days per year exposure. A perennial stream that flows next to the toe of a uranium waste dump was sampled, analyzed for major and trace elements, and compared with existing aquatic-life and drinking-water-quality standards. None of the water-quality standards were exceeded in the stream samples.

Spatial Distribution of Soil Fauna In Long Term No Tillage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbo, J. Z. F.; Vieira, S. R.; Siqueira, G. M.

2012-04-01

The soil is a complex system constituted by living beings, organic and mineral particles, whose components define their physical, chemical and biological properties. Soil fauna plays an important role in soil and may reflect and interfere in its functionality. These organisms' populations may be influenced by management practices, fertilization, liming and porosity, among others. Such changes may reduce the composition and distribution of soil fauna community. Thus, this study aimed to determine the spatial variability of soil fauna in consolidated no-tillage system. The experimental area is located at Instituto Agronômico in Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil). The sampling was conducted in a Rhodic Eutrudox, under no tillage system and 302 points distributed in a 3.2 hectare area in a regular grid of 10.00 m x 10.00 m were sampled. The soil fauna was sampled with "Pitfall Traps" method and traps remained in the area for seven days. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the main statistical moments (mean variance, coefficient of variation, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis). Geostatistical tools were used to determine the spatial variability of the attributes using the experimental semivariogram. For the biodiversity analysis, Shannon and Pielou indexes and richness were calculated for each sample. Geostatistics has proven to be a great tool for mapping the spatial variability of groups from the soil epigeal fauna. The family Formicidae proved to be the most abundant and dominant in the study area. The parameters of descriptive statistics showed that all attributes studied showed lognormal frequency distribution for groups from the epigeal soil fauna. The exponential model was the most suited for the obtained data, for both groups of epigeal soil fauna (Acari, Araneae, Coleoptera, Formicidae and Coleoptera larva), and the other biodiversity indexes. The sampling scheme (10.00 m x 10.00 m) was not sufficient to detect the spatial variability for all groups of soil epigeal fauna found in this study.

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 4): T H Agriculture and Nutrition Site, Dougherty County, Albany, GA, April 26, 1996

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

NONE

This decision document (Record of Decision), presents the selected Remedial Action for the Operable Unit Two for the T H Agriculture & Nutrition (THAN) Site, Albany, Georgia. The second operable unit addresses the source of the contamination on the eastern parcel of the Site. The major components of the selected remedy for operable unit two include: the excavation of all soil contaminated with organics necessary to meet performance standards; the staging and preconditioning of soil for low temperature thermal desorption treatment; the treatment of excavated soil by low temperature thermal desorption; the placement of treated, decontaminated soil back to themore » site; periodic sampling of treated soil during the treatment process to verify the effectiveness of the remedy; air monitoring to ensure safety of nearby residents and workers; groundwater monitoring to ensure that metals contaminated remaining in the subsurface soil will not result in contaminated groundwater migrating offsite in concentrations which exceed groundwater protection standards; and deed restrictions to prevent residential use of the property.« less

Evaluation of a low-cost commercially available extraction device for assessing lead bioaccessibility in contaminated soils.

PubMed

Nelson, Clay M; Gilmore, Thomas M; Harrington, M; Scheckel, Kirk G; Miller, Bradley W; Bradham, Karen D

2013-03-01

The U.S. EPA's in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) method 9200.1-86 defines a validated analytical procedure for the determination of lead bioaccessibility in contaminated soils. The method requires the use of a custom-fabricated extraction device that uses a heated water bath for sample incubation. In an effort to improve ease of use, increase sample throughput, and reduce equipment acquisition and maintenance costs, an alternative low-cost, commercially available extraction device capable of sample incubation via heated air and end-over-end rotation was evaluated. An intra-laboratory study was conducted to compare lead bioaccessibility values derived using the two extraction devices. IVBA values were not statistically different (α = 0.05) between the two extraction devices for any of the soils (n = 6) evaluated in this study, with an average difference in mean lead IVBA of 0.8% (s.d. = 0.5%). The commercially available extraction device was able to generate accurate lead IVBA data as compared to the U.S. EPA's expected value for a National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material soil. The relative percent differences between high and low IVBA values for each soil, a measure of instrument precision, were also not statistically different (α = 0.05) between the two extraction devices. The statistical agreement of lead IVBA values observed using the two extraction devices supports the use of a low-cost, commercially available extraction device as a reliable alternative to a custom-fabricated device as required by EPA method 9200.1-86.

[Situation and assessment of heavy metal pollution in river and mud in one city in Henan Province].

PubMed

Xi, Jingzhuan; Li, Cuimei; Wang, Shouying; Jiang, Zhigang; Zhang, Miaomiao; Han, Guangliang

2010-11-01

To study the heavy metal contamination status in river water and mud in the suburb of a city in Henan Province. Typical sampling method is used to select a farmland irrigation river of the suburb of a city. Use the atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and measure the heavy metal cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) in the river water samples and mud samples by graphite furnace method and flame method, respectively. The results of water were compared with GB 3838-2002, Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water, and GB 5084-2005, Standards for Irrigation Water Quality. The results of mud were compared with national soil background value. The contents of Cu and Cd in the river samples do not exceed the standard, and that of Pb is 3 to 6 times higher than the standard. According to the single factor pollution index method, the single factor pollution indice of Cu, and Cd in the river are less than 0.2 and are of clean level, while that of Pb reaches 6.84, indicating the Pb pollution in river water is severe. Cu in mud is more than 4 times of the soil background value, and that of Cd is more than 69 times of the soil background value, and that of Pb is more than 2 times of the soil background value. The single item pollution index indicates, in mud, the pollution index of Pb is 2.5, medium level pollution. The pollution indice of Cu and Cd in mud are more than 3, is severe pollution, and the Cd pollution is especially heavy, and the single pollution index reaches 67.76. The comprehensive pollution indice of the river and the mud are 5.346 and 84.115, respectively, indicating that both are at heavy pollution level. The main pollution source of the river originates from Pb, and that of the mud is from Cd and it is required to take measure and control as early as possible.

Soil arsenic surveys of New Orleans: localized hazards in children's play areas.

PubMed

Mielke, Howard W; Gonzales, Chris R; Cahn, Elise; Brumfield, Jessica; Powell, Eric T; Mielke, Paul W

2010-10-01

Arsenic (As) ranks first on the 2005 and 2007 hazardous substances priority lists compiled for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This study describes two New Orleans soil As surveys: (1) a survey of composite soil samples from 286 census tracts and (2) a field survey of soil As at 38 play areas associated with the presence of chromated-copper-arsenate (CCA)-treated wood on residential and public properties. The survey of metropolitan New Orleans soils revealed a median As content of 1.5 mg/kg (range <0.2-16.4) and no distinctive differences between the soils of the city core and outlying areas. Play area accessible soils associated with CCA-treated wood (N = 32) had a median As of 57 mg/kg and 78% of the samples were ≥12 mg/kg, the Louisiana soil As standard. The field survey of play areas for CCA-treated wood (N = 132 samples at 38 sites) was conducted with a portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. Seventy-five of 132 wood samples (56.8%) were deemed CCA-treated wood. Of the 38 play areas surveyed, 14 (36.8%) had CCA-treated wood. A significant association (Fisher's exact p-value = 0.348 × 10(-6)) was found between CCA-treated wood and soil As (N = 75). At one elementary school CCA-treated woodchips (As range 813-1,654 mg As/kg) covered the playgrounds. The situation in New Orleans probably exists in play areas across the nation. These findings support a precautionary program for testing soils and wood for hazardous substances at all play areas intended for children.

Novel potentiometric sensors for the determination of the dinotefuran insecticide residue levels in cucumber and soil samples.

PubMed

Abdel-Ghany, Maha F; Hussein, Lobna A; El Azab, Noha F

2017-03-01

Five new potentiometric membrane sensors for the determination of the dinotefuran levels in cucumber and soil samples have been developed. Four of these sensors were based on a newly designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) material consisting of acrylamide or methacrylic acid as a functional monomer in a plasticized PVC (polyvinyl chloride) membrane before and after elution of the template. A fifth sensor, a carboxylated PVC-based sensor plasticized with dioctyl phthalate, was also prepared and tested. Sensor 1 (acrylamide washed) and sensor 3 (methacrylic acid washed) exhibited significantly enhanced responses towards dinotefuran over the concentration range of 10 -7 -10 -2 molL -1 . The limit of detection (LOD) for both sensors was 0.35µgL -1 . The response was near-Nernstian, with average slopes of 66.3 and 50.8mV/decade for sensors 1 and 3 respectively. Sensors 2 (acrylamide non-washed), 4 (methacrylic acid non-washed) and 5 (carboxylated-PVC) exhibited non-Nernstian responses over the concentration range of 10 -7 -10 -3 molL -1 , with LODs of 10.07, 6.90, and 4.30µgL -1 , respectively, as well as average slopes of 39.1, 27.2 and 33mV/decade, respectively. The application of the proposed sensors to the determination of the dinotefuran levels in spiked soil and cucumber samples was demonstrated. The average recoveries from the cucumber samples were from 7.93% to 106.43%, with a standard deviation of less than 13.73%, and recoveries from soil samples were from 97.46% to 108.71%, with a standard deviation of less than 10.66%. The sensors were applied successfully to the determination of the dinotefuran residue, its rate of disappearance and its half-life in cucumbers in soil in which a safety pre-harvest interval for dinotefuran was suggested. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Environmental geochemical baseline of heavy metals in soils of the Ili river basin and pollution evaluation].

PubMed

Zhao, Xin-Ru; Nasier, Telajin; Cheng, Yong-Yi; Zhan, Jiang-Yu; Yang, Jian-Hong

2014-06-01

Environmental geochemical baseline models of Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Hg were established by standardized method in the ehernozem, chestnut soil, sierozem and saline soil from the Ili river valley region. The theoretical baseline values were calculated. Baseline factor pollution index evaluation method, environmental background value evaluation method and heavy metal cleanliness evaluation method were used to compare soil pollution degrees. The baseline factor pollution index evaluation showed that As pollution was the most prominent among the four typical types of soils within the river basin, with 7.14%, 9.76%, 7.50% of sampling points in chernozem, chestnut soil and sierozem reached the heavy pollution, respectively. 7.32% of sampling points of chestnut soil reached the permitted heavy metal Pb pollution index in the chestnut soil. The variation extent of As and Pb was the largest, indicating large human disturbance. Environmental background value evaluation showed that As was the main pollution element, followed by Cu, Zn and Pb. Heavy metal cleanliness evaluation showed that Cu, Zn and Pb were better than cleanliness level 2 and Hg was the of cleanliness level 1 in all four types of soils. As showed moderate pollution in sierozem, and it was of cleanliness level 2 or better in chernozem, chestnut soil and saline-alkali soil. Comparing the three evaluation systems, the baseline factor pollution index evaluation more comprehensively reflected the geochemical migration characteristics of elements and the soil formation processes, and the pollution assessment could be specific to the sampling points. The environmental background value evaluation neglected the natural migration of heavy metals and the deposition process in the soil since it was established on the regional background values. The main purpose of the heavy metal cleanliness evaluation was to evaluate the safety degree of soil environment.

A simple and automated sample preparation system for subsequent halogens determination: Combustion followed by pyrohydrolysis.

PubMed

Pereira, L S F; Pedrotti, M F; Vecchia, P Dalla; Pereira, J S F; Flores, E M M

2018-06-20

A simple and automated system based on combustion followed by a pyrohydrolysis reaction was proposed for further halogens determination. This system was applied for digestion of soils containing high (90%) and also low (10%) organic matter content for further halogens determination. The following parameters were evaluated: sample mass, use of microcrystalline cellulose and heating time. For analytes absorption, a diluted alkaline solution (6 mL of 25 mmol L -1  NH 4 OH) was used in all experiments. Up to 400 mg of soil with high organic matter content and 100 mg of soil with low organic matter content (mixed with 400 mg of cellulose) could be completely digested using the proposed system. Quantitative results for all halogens were obtained using less than 12 min of sample preparation step (about 1.8 min for sample combustion and 10 min for pyrohydrolysis). The accuracy was evaluated using a certified reference material of coal and spiked samples. No statistical difference was observed between the certified values and results obtained by the proposed method. Additionally, the recoveries obtained using spiked samples were in the range of 98-103% with relative standard deviation values lower than 5%. The limits of quantification obtained for F, Cl, Br and I for soil with high (400 mg of soil) and low (100 mg of soil) organic matter were in the range of 0.01-2 μg g -1 and 0.07-59 μg g -1 , respectively. The proposed system was considered as a simple and suitable alternative for soils digestion for further halogens determination by ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flushing of distal hillslopes as an alternative source of stream dissolved organic carbon in a headwater catchment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, John P; Bailey, Scott W.; McGuire, Kevin J.; Shanley, James B.

2015-01-01

We investigated potential source areas of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in headwater streams by examining DOC concentrations in lysimeter, shallow well, and stream water samples from a reference catchment at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. These observations were then compared to high-frequency temporal variations in fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) at the catchment outlet and the predicted spatial extent of shallow groundwater in soils throughout the catchment. While near-stream soils are generally considered a DOC source in forested catchments, DOC concentrations in near-stream groundwater were low (mean = 2.4 mg/L, standard error = 0.6 mg/L), less than hillslope groundwater farther from the channel (mean = 5.7 mg/L, standard error = 0.4 mg/L). Furthermore, water tables in near-stream soils did not rise into the carbon-rich upper B or O horizons even during events. In contrast, soils below bedrock outcrops near channel heads where lateral soil formation processes dominate had much higher DOC concentrations. Soils immediately downslope of bedrock areas had thick eluvial horizons indicative of leaching of organic materials, Fe, and Al and had similarly high DOC concentrations in groundwater (mean = 14.5 mg/L, standard error = 0.8 mg/L). Flow from bedrock outcrops partially covered by organic soil horizons produced the highest groundwater DOC concentrations (mean = 20.0 mg/L, standard error = 4.6 mg/L) measured in the catchment. Correspondingly, stream water in channel heads sourced in part by shallow soils and bedrock outcrops had the highest stream DOC concentrations measured in the catchment. Variation in FDOM concentrations at the catchment outlet followed water table fluctuations in shallow to bedrock soils near channel heads. We show that shallow hillslope soils receiving runoff from organic matter-covered bedrock outcrops may be a major source of DOC in headwater catchments in forested mountainous regions where catchments have exposed or shallow bedrock near channel heads.

Simultaneous quantification of Aroclor mixtures in soil samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with solid phase microextraction using partial least-squares regression.

PubMed

Zhang, Mengliang; Harrington, Peter de B

2015-01-01

Multivariate partial least-squares (PLS) method was applied to the quantification of two complex polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) commercial mixtures, Aroclor 1254 and 1260, in a soil matrix. PCBs in soil samples were extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME) and determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Decachlorinated biphenyl (deca-CB) was used as internal standard. After the baseline correction was applied, four data representations including extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) for Aroclor 1254, EIC for Aroclor 1260, EIC for both Aroclors and two-way data sets were constructed for PLS-1 and PLS-2 calibrations and evaluated with respect to quantitative prediction accuracy. The PLS model was optimized with respect to the number of latent variables using cross validation of the calibration data set. The validation of the method was performed with certified soil samples and real field soil samples and the predicted concentrations for both Aroclors using EIC data sets agreed with the certified values. The linear range of the method was from 10μgkg(-1) to 1000μgkg(-1) for both Aroclor 1254 and 1260 in soil matrices and the detection limit was 4μgkg(-1) for Aroclor 1254 and 6μgkg(-1) for Aroclor 1260. This holistic approach for the determination of mixtures of complex samples has broad application to environmental forensics and modeling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key parameters in testing biodegradation of bio-based materials in soil.

PubMed

Briassoulis, D; Mistriotis, A

2018-09-01

Biodegradation of plastics in soil is currently tested by international standard testing methods (e.g. ISO 17556-12 or ASTM D5988-12). Although these testing methods have been developed for plastics, it has been shown in project KBBPPS that they can be extended also to lubricants with small modifications. Reproducibility is a critical issue regarding biodegradation tests in the laboratory. Among the main testing variables are the soil types and nutrients available (mainly nitrogen). For this reason, the effect of the soil type on the biodegradation rates of various bio-based materials (cellulose and lubricants) was tested for five different natural soil types (loam, loamy sand, clay, clay-loam, and silt-loam organic). It was shown that use of samples containing 1 g of C in a substrate of 300 g of soil with the addition of 0.1 g of N as nutrient strongly improves the reproducibility of the test making the results practically independent of the soil type with the exception of the organic soil. The sandy soil was found to need addition of higher amount of nutrients to exhibit similar biodegradation rates as those achieved with the other soil types. Therefore, natural soils can be used for Standard biodegradation tests of bio-based materials yielding reproducible results with the addition of appropriate nutrients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of phthalate esters in soil using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method followed by GC-MS.

PubMed

Liu, Qianjun; Chen, Di; Wu, Jiyuan; Yin, Guangcai; Lin, Qintie; Zhang, Min; Hu, Huawen

2018-04-01

A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe procedure was designed to extract pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables with a high percentage of water. It has not been used extensively for the extraction of phthalate esters from sediments, soils, and sludges. In this work, this procedure was combined with gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine 16 selected phthalate esters in soil. The extraction efficiency of the samples was improved by ultrasonic extraction and dissolution of the soil samples in ultra-pure water, which promoted the dispersion of the samples. Furthermore, we have simplified the extraction step and reduced the risk of organic solvent contamination by minimizing the use of organic solvents. Different extraction solvents and clean-up adsorbents were compared to optimize the procedure. Dichloromethane/n-hexane (1:1, v/v) and n-hexane/acetone (1:1, v/v) were selected as the extractants from the six extraction solvents tested. C18/primary secondary amine (1:1, m/m) was selected as the sorbent from the five clean-up adsorbents tested. The recoveries from the spiked soils ranged from 70.00 to 117.90% with relative standard deviation values of 0.67-4.62%. The proposed approach was satisfactorily applied for the determination of phthalate esters in 12 contaminated soil samples. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Critical evaluation of distillation procedure for the determination of methylmercury in soil samples.

PubMed

Perez, Pablo A; Hintelman, Holger; Quiroz, Waldo; Bravo, Manuel A

2017-11-01

In the present work, the efficiency of distillation process for extracting monomethylmercury (MMHg) from soil samples was studied and optimized using an experimental design methodology. The influence of soil composition on MMHg extraction was evaluated by testing of four soil samples with different geochemical characteristics. Optimization suggested that the acid concentration and the duration of the distillation process were most significant and the most favorable conditions, established as a compromise for the studied soils, were determined to be a 70 min distillation using an 0.2 M acid. Corresponding limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.21 and 0.7 pg absolute, respectively. The optimized methodology was applied with satisfactory results to soil samples and was compared to a reference methodology based on isotopic dilution analysis followed by gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IDA-GC-ICP-MS). Using the optimized conditions, recoveries ranged from 82 to 98%, which is an increase of 9-34% relative to the previously used standard operating procedure. Finally, the validated methodology was applied to quantify MMHg in soils collected from different sites impacted by coal fired power plants in the north-central zone of Chile, measuring MMHg concentrations ranging from 0.091 to 2.8 ng g -1 . These data are to the best of our knowledge the first MMHg measurements reported for Chile. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil heavy metal contamination related to roasted stone coal slag: a study based on geostatistical and multivariate analyses.

PubMed

Li, De'an; Jiang, Jianguo; Li, Tianran; Wang, Jiaming

2016-07-01

Soil was examined for vanadium (V) and related metal contamination near a stone coal mine in Hubei Province, China. In total, 92 surface and vertical (0-200 cm) soil samples were collected from the site. A handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used for in situ analysis of the soil concentrations of heavy metals, including V, chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). The mean concentrations of these metals were 931, 721, 279, 223, 163, and 11 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils guidelines, up to 88.0, 76.1, and 56.5 % of the soil samples had single factor pollution indices >3 for V, Cr, and Cu, respectively. Furthermore, 2.2 % of samples were slightly polluted with Zn, while there was no Mn or Pb contamination. GaussAmp curve fitting was performed based on the sample frequency distribution of the Nemerow pollution index. The fitted mean was 5.99, indicating severe pollution. The heavy metals were clustered into two groups, V/Cr/Cu/Zn and Mn/Pb, based on the spatial distributions, the Pearson correlation and principal component analyses. The positive correlations within the V/Cr/Cu/Zn group suggested that they originated from roasted stone coal slag. Finally, the negative correlation between the two groups was attributed to mechanical mixing of the slag and original soil.

Comparison method for uranium determination in ore sample by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).

PubMed

Sert, Şenol

2013-07-01

A comparison method for the determination (without sample pre-concentration) of uranium in ore by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) has been performed. The experiments were conducted using three procedures: matrix matching, plasma optimization, and internal standardization for three emission lines of uranium. Three wavelengths of Sm were tested as internal standard for the internal standardization method. The robust conditions were evaluated using applied radiofrequency power, nebulizer argon gas flow rate, and sample uptake flow rate by considering the intensity ratio of the Mg(II) 280.270 nm and Mg(I) 285.213 nm lines. Analytical characterization of method was assessed by limit of detection and relative standard deviation values. The certificated reference soil sample IAEA S-8 was analyzed, and the uranium determination at 367.007 nm with internal standardization using Sm at 359.260 nm has been shown to improve accuracy compared with other methods. The developed method was used for real uranium ore sample analysis.

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.

Atomic Force Microscopy for Soil Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

gazze, andrea; doerr, stefan; dudley, ed; hallin, ingrid; matthews, peter; quinn, gerry; van keulen, geertje; francis, lewis

2016-04-01

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a high-resolution surface-sensitive technique, which provides 3-dimensional topographical information and material properties of both stiff and soft samples in their natural environments. Traditionally AFM has been applied to samples with low roughness: hence its use for soil analysis has been very limited so far. Here we report the optimization settings required for a standardization of high-resolution and artefact-free analysis of natural soil with AFM: soil immobilization, AFM probe selection, artefact recognition and minimization. Beyond topography, AFM can be used in a spectroscopic mode to evaluate nanomechanical properties, such as soil viscosity, stiffness, and deformation. In this regards, Bruker PeakForce-Quantitative NanoMechanical (QNM) AFM provides a fast and convenient way to extract physical properties from AFM force curves in real-time to obtain soil nanomechanical properties. Here we show for the first time the ability of AFM to describe the topography of natural soil at nanometre resolution, with observation of micro-components, such as clays, and of nano-structures, possibly of biotic origin, the visualization of which would prove difficult with other instrumentations. Finally, nanomechanical profiling has been applied to different wettability states in soil and the respective physical patterns are discussed.

Radiation dose in the high background radiation area in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Christa, E P; Jojo, P J; Vaidyan, V K; Anilkumar, S; Eappen, K P

2012-03-01

A systematic radiological survey has been carried out in the region of high-background radiation area in Kollam district of Kerala to define the natural gamma-radiation levels. One hundred and forty seven soil samples from high-background radiation areas and five samples from normal background region were collected as per standard sampling procedures and were analysed for (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K by gamma-ray spectroscopy. External gamma dose rates at all sampling locations were also measured using a survey meter. The activities of (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K was found to vary from 17 to 3081 Bq kg(-1), 54 to 11976 Bq kg(-1) and BDL (67.4 Bq kg(-1)) to 216 Bq kg(-1), respectively, in the study area. Such heterogeneous distribution of radionuclides in the region may be attributed to the deposition phenomenon of beach sand soil in the region. Radium equivalent activities were found high in several locations. External gamma dose rates estimated from the levels of radionuclides in soil had a range from 49 to 9244 nGy h(-1). The result of gamma dose rate measured at the sampling sites using survey meter showed an excellent correlation with dose rates computed from the natural radionuclides estimated from the soil samples.

Misrepresentation of hydro-erosional processes in rainfall simulations using disturbed soil samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomaz, Edivaldo L.; Pereira, Adalberto A.

2017-06-01

Interrill erosion is a primary soil erosion process which consists of soil detachment by raindrop impact and particle transport by shallow flow. Interill erosion affects other soil erosion sub-processes, e.g., water infiltration, sealing, crusting, and rill initiation. Interrill erosion has been widely studied in laboratories, and the use of a sieved soil, i.e., disturbed soil, has become a standard method in laboratory experiments. The aims of our study are to evaluate the hydro-erosional response of undisturbed and disturbed soils in a laboratory experiment, and to quantify the extent to which hydraulic variables change during a rainstorm. We used a splash pan of 0.3 m width, 0.45 m length, and 0.1 m depth. A rainfall simulation of 58 mm h- 1 lasting for 30 min was conducted on seven replicates of undisturbed and disturbed soils. During the experiment, several hydro-physical parameters were measured, including splashed sediment, mean particle size, runoff, water infiltration, and soil moisture. We conclude that use of disturbed soil samples results in overestimation of interrill processes. Of the nine assessed parameters, four displayed greater responses in the undisturbed soil: infiltration, topsoil shear strength, mean particle size of eroded particles, and soil moisture. In the disturbed soil, five assessed parameters displayed greater responses: wash sediment, final runoff coefficient, runoff, splash, and sediment yield. Therefore, contextual soil properties are most suitable for understanding soil erosion, as well as for defining soil erodibility.

[Impacts of landscape patterns on heavy metal contamination of agricultural top soils in the Pearl River Delta, South China].

PubMed

Li, Cheng; Li, Fang-bai; Wu, Zhi-feng; Cheng, Jiong

2015-04-01

Landscape patterns are known to influence many ecological processes, but the relationship between landscape patterns and soil pollution processes is not well understood. Based on 300 top soil samples, land use and cover map for the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of 2005, this study explored the characteristics and spatial pattern of heavy metal contamination of agricultural top soils and examined the impacts of landscape patterns on the heavy metal contamination in the buffers of soil samples. Research methods included geostatistical analysis, landscape pattern analysis, single-factor pollution indices, and Pearson correlation analysis. We found that: 1) out of the 235 agricultural soil samples, 3.8%, 0.4%, 17.0% and 9.4% samples exceeded the Grade II national standard for As, Pb, Cd and Ni concentrations respectively. High pollution levels were found in three cities, Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhongshan; 2) soils in the farmland were more polluted than those in the forest and orchard land, and there were no differences among different agricultural land use types in contamination level of each heavy metal (except Cd); and 3) the proportion, mean patch area as well as the degree of landscape fragmentation, landscape-level structural complexity and aggregation/connectivity of water at the buffer zone were significantly positively correlated with the contamination level of each of the four heavy metals in agricultural top soils. Part of the landscape pattern of urban land in the buffer zone also positively correlated with Pb and Cd levels (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the proportion, mean patch area and aggregation degree of forest land negatively correlated with soil Pb and Ni levels (P < 0.05); and 4) the closer to the industry land were the soil samples, the more polluted the soils were for Pb, Cd and Ni. Only landscape diversity was found to be positively correlated with soil Cd contamination. The study results provide new information and scientific basis for heavy metal pollution control and remediation, especially for agricultural soils in the PRD.

Influence of nano-material on the expansive and shrinkage soil behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, Mohd Raihan; Taha, Omer Muhie Eldeen

2012-10-01

This paper presents an experimental study performed on four types of soils mixed with three types of nano-material of different percentages. The expansion and shrinkage tests were conducted to investigate the effect of three type of nano-materials (nano-clay, nano-alumina, and nano-copper) additive on repressing strains in compacted residual soil mixed with different ratios of bentonite (S1 = 0 % bentonite, S2 = 5 % bentonite, S3 = 10 % bentonite, and S4 = 20 % bentonite). The soil specimens were compacted under the condition of maximum dry unit weight and optimum water content ( w opt) using standard compaction test. The physical and mechanical results of the treated samples were determined. The untreated soil values were used as control points for comparison purposes. It was found that with the addition of optimum percentage of nano-material, both the swell strain and shrinkage strain reduced. The results show that nano-material decreases the development of desiccation cracks on the surface of compacted samples without decrease in the hydraulic conductivity.

Combining supercritical fluid extraction of soil herbicides with enzyme immunoassay analysis.

PubMed

Stearman, G K

2001-10-01

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of soil herbicides followed by enzyme immunoassay analysis (EIA) is explained in a step-by-step process. Extracted herbicides, include 2,4-D, simazine, atrazine, and alachlor. The herbicide, trifluralin was not successfully analyzed by EIA because of crossreacting metabolites. Problems with SFE, including uneven packing of cells, leaks, uneven flow and clogging, can largely be eliminated as the method parameters are optimized. It was necessary to add modifiers including methanol or acetone to the SF CO2 to increase the solubility of the analytes. Detection limits of 2.5 ng/g soil for atrazine and alachlor and 15 ng/g soil for simazine and 2,4-D without concentration of the sample were achieved. Recoveries above 80% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 15% for 2,4-D simazine, atrazine and alachlor were achieved. Atrazine and alachlor recoveries were above 90% with RSDs below 10%. Forty soil samples could be extracted and analyzed in an 8-h day.

Effects of produced waters at oilfield production sites on the Osage Indian Reservation, northeastern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Otton, James K.; Asher-Bolinder, Sigrid; Owen, Douglass E.; Hall, Laurel

1997-01-01

The authors conducted limited site surveys in the Wildhorse and Burbank oilfields on the Osage Indian Reservation, northeastern Oklahoma. The purpose was to document salt scarring, erosion, and soil and water salinization, to survey for radioactivity in oilfield equipment, and to determine if trace elements and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) were present in soils affected by oilfield solid waste and produced waters. These surveys were also designed to see if field gamma spectrometry and field soil conductivity measurements were useful in screening for NORM contamination and soil salinity at these sites. Visits to oilfield production sites in the Wildhorse field in June of 1995 and 1996 confirmed the presence of substantial salt scarring, soil salinization, and slight to locally severe erosion. Levels of radioactivity on some oil field equipment, soils, and road surfaces exceed proposed state standards. Radium activities in soils affected by tank sludge and produced waters also locally exceed proposed state standards. Laboratory analyses of samples from two sites show moderate levels of copper, lead, and zinc in brine-affected soils and pipe scale. Several sites showed detectable levels of bromine and iodine, suggesting that these trace elements may be present in sufficient quantity to inhibit plant growth. Surface waters in streams at two sampled sites exceed total dissolved solid limits for drinking waters. At one site in the Wildhorse field, an EM survey showed that saline soils in the upper 6m extend from a surface salt scar downvalley about 150 m. (Photo [95k]: Dead oak trees and partly revegetated salt scar at Site OS95-2 in the Wildhorse field, Osage County, Oklahoma.) In the Burbank field, limited salt scarring and slight erosion occurs in soils at some sites and low to moderate levels of radioactivity were observed in oil field equipment at some sites. The levels of radioactivity and radium observed in some soils and equipment at these sites are above levels of concern as defined in regulations proposed by the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors. The volumes of material involved appear to be relatively small for most sites. The lead levels observed in soils affected by tank sludge wastes are about one half of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) interim remedial action levels used for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites (400 ppm). Field gamma spectrometry proved useful in delineating areas where radium has been added to the natural soil by oilfield solid waste and produced water, although the technique does not meet standards of assessment used in the state of Louisiana which require core sampling of 15 cm intervals and radiochemical analysis in the laboratory. Further work is needed to develop field gamma spectrometry as a substitute for the more expensive coring and laboratory analysis. The ratio of radium-228 to radium-226 may hold promise in evaluating the relative ages of NORM contamination at a site.

Analysis of some chlorophenoxy acids and carbamate herbicides in water and soil as amide derivatives using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Salem, A A

2007-03-01

A newly developed method for determining three phenoxy acids and one carbamate herbicide in water and soil samples using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection is developed. Phenoxy acids are derivatized through a condensation reaction with a suitable aromatic amine. 1,1-Carbonyldiimidazole is used as a condensation reagent. Derivatization conditions are optimized with respect to the amount of analyte, amine, solvent, and derivatization reagent. The optimum derivatization yield is accomplished in acetonitrile. 4-Methoxy aniline is used as a derivatizing agent. Obtained derivatives are stable indefinitely. Enhancement in sensitivity is achieved by using the single-ion monitoring mass spectrometric mode. The effectiveness of the developed method is tested by determining investigated compounds in water and soil samples. Analytes are concentrated from water samples using liquid-phase extraction and solid-phase extraction. Soil samples are extracted using methanol. Detection limits of 1.00, 50.00, 100.00, and 1.00 ng/mL are obtained for 2-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl methylcarbamate (Baygon), 2-(3-chlorophenoxy)-propionic acid (Cloprop), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)butyric acid, respectively. LPE for spiked water samples yields recoveries in the range of 60.6-95.7%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 1.07-7.85% using single component calibration curves. Recoveries of 44.8-275.5%, with RSD values ranging from 1.43% to 8.61% were obtained using a mixed component calibration curves. SPE from water samples and soil samples showed low recoveries. The reason is attributed to the weak sorption capabilities of soil and Al(2)O(3).

Development of a screening method for the determination of 49 priority pollutants in soil

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

Kiang, P.H.; Grob, R.L.

1986-01-01

A screening procedure was develop for the determination of 49 priority pollutants in soil. An extraction procedure followed by the capillary gas chromatographic technique was used. Dual pH solutions with methylene chloride were used as extraction solvent system; no sample clean-up procedure was applied. Both base/neutral and acid fractions were analyzed on the same capillary column (SPB-1). The relative standard deviation for 5.1 ppm (51 ..mu..g/ 10 g) concentration in zero soil was less than 25%.

Characterization of oily sludge from a Tehran oil refinery.

PubMed

Heidarzadeh, Nima; Gitipour, Saeid; Abdoli, Mohammad Ali

2010-10-01

In this study, oily sludge samples generated from a Tehran oil refinery (Pond I) were evaluated for their contamination levels and to propose an adequate remediation technique for the wastes. A simple, random, sampling method was used to collect the samples. The samples were analyzed to measure Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and heavy metal concentrations in the sludge. Statistical analysis showed that seven samples were adequate to assess the sludge with respect to TPH analyses. The mean concentration of TPHs in the samples was 265,600 mg kg⁻¹. A composite sample prepared from a mix of the seven samples was used to determine the sludge's additional characteristics. Composite sample analysis showed that there were no detectable amounts of PAHs in the sludge. In addition, mean concentrations of the selected heavy metals Ni, Pb, Cd and Zn were 2700, 850, 100, 6100 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. To assess the sludge contamination level, the results from the analysis above were compared with soil clean-up levels. Due to a lack of national standards for soil clean-up levels in Iran, sludge pollutant concentrations were compared with standards set in developed countries. According to these standards, the sludge was highly polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons. The results indicated that incineration, biological treatment and solidification/stabilization treatments would be the most appropriate methods for treatment of the sludges. In the case of solidification/stabilization, due to the high organic content of the sludge, it is recommended to use organophilic clays prior to treatment of the wastes.

Ultra-trace determination of Strontium-90 in environmental soil samples from Qatar by collision/reaction cell-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CRC-ICP-MS/MS)

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

Al-Meer, S. H.; Amr, M. A.; Helal, A.I.

Because of the very low level of {sup 90}Sr in the environmental soil samples and its determination by beta counting may take several weeks, we developed a procedure for ultra-trace determination of {sup 90}Sr using collision reaction cell-inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (CRC-ICP-MS/MS, Agilent 8800). Soil samples were dried at 105 deg. C and then heated in a furnace at 550 deg. C to remove any organics present. 500 g of each soil samples were aliquoted into 2000 ml glass beakers. Each Soils samples were soaked in 2 ppm Sr solution carrier to allow determination of chemical yield. Themore » solid to liquid ratio was 1:1. Finally the soil samples were dried at 105 deg. C. Five hundred milliliters concentrated nitric acid and 250 ml hydrochloric acid volumes were added on 500 g soil samples. The samples were digested on hot plate at 80 deg. C to prevent spraying with continuous manual mixing. The leachate solution was separated. The solids were rinsed with 500 ml deionized water, warmed on a hot plate and the leachate plus previous leachate were filtered and the total volume was reduced to 500 ml by evaporation. Final leachate volume was transferred to a centrifuge tubes. The centrifuge tubes were centrifuged at 3,500 rpm for 10 min. The leachate was transferred to a 1 L beaker and heated on a hot plate to evaporate the leachate to dryness. The reside was re-dissolved in 100 ml of 2% HNO{sub 3} and reduced by evaporation to 10 mL. The solution was measured directly by CRC-ICP-MS/MS by setting the first quadruple analyzer to m/z 90 and introducing oxygen gas into the reaction cell for elimination isobar interference from zirconium-90. The method was validated by measurements of standard reference materials and applied on environmental soil samples. The overall time requirement for the measurement of strontium-90 by CRC-ICP-MS/MS is 2 days, significantly shorter than any radioanalytical protocol currently available. (authors)« less

Determination of Decabrominated Diphenyl Ether in Soils by Soxhlet Extraction and High Performance Liquid Chromatography

PubMed Central

Yang, Xing-Jian; Dang, Zhi; Zhang, Fang-Li; Lin, Zhao-Ying; Zou, Meng-Yao; Tao, Xue-Qin; Lu, Gui-Ning

2013-01-01

This study described the development of a method based on soxhlet extraction combining high performance liquid chromatography (soxhlet-HPLC) for the accurate detection of BDE-209 in soils. The solvent effect of working standard solutions in HPLC was discussed. Results showed that 1 : 1 of methanol and acetone was the optimal condition which could totally dissolve the BDE-209 in environmental samples and avoid the decrease of the peak area and the peak deformation difference of BDE-209 in HPLC. The preliminary experiment was conducted on the configured grassland (1 μg/g) to validate the method feasibility. The method produced reliable reproducibility, simulated soils (n = 4) RSD 1.0%, and was further verified by the analysis e-waste contaminated soils, RSD range 5.9–11.4%. The contamination level of BDE-209 in burning site was consistent with the previous study of Longtang town but lower than Guiyu town, and higher concentration of BDE-209 in paddy field mainly resulted from the long-standing disassembling area nearby. This accurate and fast method was successfully developed to extract and analyze BDE-209 in soil samples, showing its potential use for replacing GC to determinate BDE-209 in soil samples. PMID:24302876

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

Kelly, R.F.; Kravchenko, I.I.; Kuharik, J.C.

Widespread use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) as a wood preservative has led to increasing public concern regarding possible toxic contamination of areas surrounding CCA-treated structures, e.g., decks, playground equipment, etc. Appreciable leaching of arsenic, chromium, and copper into soils adjacent to such structures has been demonstrated via standard techniques of analytical chemistry. The advantages of PIXE [rapid analysis, quick sample turnover, possible lower cost] suggest its application to this area of interest. PIXE studies in our laboratory of CCA-contaminated soil samples show good agreement with previous analyses of As, Cu, Cr, and other heavy-elemental content, with some variability inmore » diffusion rates.« less

Intrinsic Remediation Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for Car Care Center at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-01-01

supplemented using established literature values for similar aquifer materials . The groundwater sampling activities and analytical results from both...subsurface materials recovered. Observed soil classification types compared very favorably to the soil classifications determined by the CPT tests. 0 2.1.5...other similar substances were handled in a manner consistent with accepted safety procedures and standard operating practices. Well completion materials

Comparison of soil solution sampling techniques to assess metal fluxes from contaminated soil to groundwater.

PubMed

Coutelot, F; Sappin-Didier, V; Keller, C; Atteia, O

2014-12-01

The unsaturated zone plays a major role in elemental fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. A representative chemical analysis of soil pore water is required for the interpretation of soil chemical phenomena and particularly to assess Trace Elements (TEs) mobility. This requires an optimal sampling system to avoid modification of the extracted soil water chemistry and allow for an accurate estimation of solute fluxes. In this paper, the chemical composition of soil solutions sampled by Rhizon® samplers connected to a standard syringe was compared to two other types of suction probes (Rhizon® + vacuum tube and Rhizon® + diverted flow system). We investigated the effects of different vacuum application procedures on concentrations of spiked elements (Cr, As, Zn) mixed as powder into the first 20 cm of 100-cm columns and non-spiked elements (Ca, Na, Mg) concentrations in two types of columns (SiO2 sand and a mixture of kaolinite + SiO2 sand substrates). Rhizon® was installed at different depths. The metals concentrations showed that (i) in sand, peak concentrations cannot be correctly sampled, thus the flux cannot be estimated, and the errors can easily reach a factor 2; (ii) in sand + clay columns, peak concentrations were larger, indicating that they could be sampled but, due to sorption on clay, it was not possible to compare fluxes at different depths. The different samplers tested were not able to reflect the elemental flux to groundwater and, although the Rhizon® + syringe device was more accurate, the best solution remains to be the use of a lysimeter, whose bottom is kept continuously at a suction close to the one existing in the soil.

Spatial analysis of plutonium-239 + 240 and Americium-241 in soils around Rocky Flats, Colorado

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

Litaor, M.I.

1995-05-01

Plutonium and american contamination of soils around Rocky Flats, Colorado resulted from past outdoor storage practices. Four previous studies produce four different Pu isopleth maps. Spatial estimation techniques were not used in the construction of these maps and were also based on an extremely small number of soil samples. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the magnitude of Pu-239 + 240 and Am-241 dispersion in the soil environment east of Rocky Flats using robust spatial estimation techniques. Soils were sampled from 118 plots of 1.01 and 4.05 ha by compositing 25 evenly spaced samples in each plot frommore » the top 0.64 cm. Plutonium-239 + 240 activity ranged from 1.85 to 53 560 Bq/kg with a mean of 1924 Bq/kg and a standard deviation of 6327 Bq/kg. Americium-241 activity ranged from 0.18 to 9990 Bq/kg with a mean of 321 Bq/kg and a standard deviation of 1143 Bq/kg. Geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial dependency and construct isopleth maps showing Pu-239 + 240 and Am-241 distribution. The isopleth configuration was consistent with the hypothesis that the dominant dispersal mechanism of Pu-239 + 240 was wind dispersion from west to east. The Pu-239 + 240 isopleth map proposed to this study differed significantly in the direction and distance of dispersal from the previously published maps. This ispleth map as well as the Am-241 map should be used as the primary data for future risk assessment associated with public exposure to Pu-239 + 240 and Am-241. 37 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Implications of the field sampling procedure of the LUCAS Topsoil Survey for uncertainty in soil organic carbon concentrations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lark, R. M.; Rawlins, B. G.; Lark, T. A.

2014-05-01

The LUCAS Topsoil survey is a pan-European Union initiative in which soil data were collected according to standard protocols from 19 967 sites. Any inference about soil variables is subject to uncertainty due to different sources of variability in the data. In this study we examine the likely magnitude of uncertainty due to the field-sampling protocol. The published sampling protocol (LUCAS, 2009) describes a procedure to form a composite soil sample from aliquots collected to a depth of between approximately 15-20. A v-shaped hole to the target depth is cut with a spade, then a slice is cut from one of the exposed surfaces. This methodology gives rather less control of the sampling depth than protocols used in other soil and geochemical surveys, this may be a substantial source of variation in uncultivated soils with strong contrasts between an organic-rich A-horizon and an underlying B-horizon. We extracted all representative profile descriptions from soil series recorded in the memoir of the 1:250 000-scale map of Northern England (Soil Survey of England and Wales, 1984) where the base of the A-horizon is less than 20 cm below the surface. The Soil Associations in which these 14 series are significant members cover approximately 17% of the area of Northern England, and are expected to be the mineral soils with the largest organic content. Soil Organic Carbon content and bulk density were extracted for the A- and B-horizons, along with the thickness of the horizons. Recorded bulk density, or prediction by a pedotransfer function, were also recorded. For any proposed angle of the v-shaped hole, the proportions of A- and B-horizon in the resulting sample may be computed by trigonometry. From the bulk density and SOC concentration of the horizons, the SOC concentration of the sample can be computed. For each Soil Series we drew 1000 random samples from a trapezoidal distribution of angles, with uniform density over the range corresponding to depths 15-20 cm and zero density for angles corresponding to depths larger than 21 cm or less than 14 cm. We computed the corresponding variance of sample SOC contents. We found that the variance in SOC determinations attributable to variation in sample depth for these uncultivated soils was of the same order of magnitude as the estimate of the subsampling + analytical variance component (both on a log scale) that we previously computed for soils in the UK (Rawlins et al., 2009). It seems unnecessary to accept this source of uncertainty, given the effort undertaken to reduce the analytical variation which is no larger (and often smaller) than this variation due to the field protocol. If pan-European soil monitoring is to be based on the LUCAS Topsoil survey, as suggested by an initial report, uncertainty could be reduced if the sampling depth was specified to a unique depth, rather than the current depth range. LUCAS. 2009. Instructions for Surveyors. Technical reference document C-1: General implementation, Land Cover and Use, Water management, Soil, Transect, Photos. European Commission, Eurostat. Rawlins, B.G., Scheib, A.J., Lark, R.M. & Lister, T.R. 2009. Sampling and analytical plus subsampling variance components for five soil indicators observed at regional scale. European Journal of Soil Science 60, 740-747

Area G Perimeter Surface-Soil and Single-Stage Water Sampling: Environmental Surveillance for Fiscal Years 1996 and 1997, Group ESH-19

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

Marquis Childs; Ron Conrad

1998-10-01

Area Gin Technical Area 54, has been the principal facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the storage and disposal of low-level, solid mixed, and transuranic radioactive waste since 1957. Soil samples were analyzed for tritium, isotopic plutonium, americium-241, and cesium-137. Thirteen metals-silver, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, thallium and zinc-were analyzed on filtered-sediment fractions of the single-stage samples using standard analytical chemistry techniques. During the two years of sampling discussed in this report elevated levels of tritium (as high as 716,000 pCi/L) in soil were found for sampling sites adjacent to the tritium burialmore » shafts located on the south- central perimeter of Area G. Additionally, tritium concentrations in soil as high as 38,300 pCi/L were detected adjacent to the TRU pads in the northeast comer of Area G. Plutonium-238 activities in FY96 soils ranged from 0.001-2.866 pCi/g, with an average concentration of 0.336& 0.734 pCdg. Pu-238 activities in FY97 soils ranged from 0.002-4.890 pCi/g, with an average concentration of 0.437 & 0.928 pCdg. Pu-239 activities in FY96 soils ranged from 0.009 to 1.62 pCdg, with an average of 0.177- 0.297 pCdg. Pu-239 activities in FY97 soils ranged from 0.005 to 1.71 pCi/g, with an average of 0.290- 0.415 pCi/g. The locations of elevated plutonium readings were consistent with the history of plutonium disposal at Area G. The two areas of elevated Am-241 activity reflected the elevated activities found for plutonium, the average values for Am-241 on soils were 0.6-2.07 pCi/g, and 0.10-0.14 pCi/g respectively for samples collected in FY96 and FY97. CS-137 activities in soils had average values of 0.33 pCi/g, and 0.28 pCi/g respectively for samples collected in FY96 and 97. There was no perimeter area where soil concentrations of CS-137 were significantly elevated.« less

Portable Automation of Static Chamber Sample Collection for Quantifying Soil Gas Flux

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

Davis, Morgan P.; Groh, Tyler A.; Parkin, Timothy B.

Quantification of soil gas flux using the static chamber method is labor intensive. The number of chambers that can be sampled is limited by the spacing between chambers and the availability of trained research technicians. An automated system for collecting gas samples from chambers in the field would eliminate the need for personnel to return to the chamber during a flux measurement period and would allow a single technician to sample multiple chambers simultaneously. This study describes Chamber Automated Sampling Equipment (FluxCASE) to collect and store chamber headspace gas samples at assigned time points for the measurement of soil gasmore » flux. The FluxCASE design and operation is described, and the accuracy and precision of the FluxCASE system is evaluated. In laboratory measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) concentrations of a standardized gas mixture, coefficients of variation associated with automated and manual sample collection were comparable, indicating no loss of precision. In the field, soil gas fluxes measured from FluxCASEs were in agreement with manual sampling for both N2O and CO2. Slopes of regression equations were 1.01 for CO2 and 0.97 for N2O. The 95% confidence limits of the slopes of the regression lines included the value of one, indicating no bias. Additionally, an expense analysis found a cost recovery ranging from 0.6 to 2.2 yr. Implementing the FluxCASE system is an alternative to improve the efficiency of the static chamber method for measuring soil gas flux while maintaining the accuracy and precision of manual sampling.« less

Photometric properties of Mars soils analogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pommerol, A.; Thomas, N.; Jost, B.; Beck, P.; Okubo, C.; McEwen, A.S.

2013-01-01

We have measured the bidirectional reflectance of analogs of dry, wet, and frozen Martian soils over a wide range of phase angles in the visible spectral range. All samples were produced from two geologic samples: the standard JSC Mars-1 soil simulant and Hawaiian basaltic sand. In a first step, experiments were conducted with the dry samples to investigate the effects of surface texture. Comparisons with results independently obtained by different teams with similar samples showed a satisfying reproducibility of the photometric measurements as well as a noticeable influence of surface textures resulting from different sample preparation procedures. In a second step, water was introduced to produce wet and frozen samples and their photometry investigated. Optical microscope images of the samples provided information about their microtexture. Liquid water, even in relatively low amount, resulted in the disappearance of the backscattering peak and the appearance of a forward-scattering peak whose intensity increases with the amount of water. Specular reflections only appeared when water was present in an amount large enough to allow water to form a film at the surface of the sample. Icy samples showed a wide variability of photometric properties depending on the physical properties of the water ice. We discuss the implications of these measurements in terms of the expected photometric behavior of the Martian surface, from equatorial to circum-polar regions. In particular, we propose some simple photometric criteria to improve the identification of wet and/or icy soils from multiple observations under different geometries.

Uptake of explosives from contaminated soil by existing vegetation at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant

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

Schneider, J.F.; Zellmer, S.D.; Tomczyk, N.A.

This study examines the uptake of explosives by existing vegetation growing in soils contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 1,3,5-trinitro-3,5-triazine (RDX) in three areas at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP). To determine explosives uptake under natural environmental conditions, existing plant materials and soil from the root zone were sampled at different locations in each area, and plant materials were separated by species. Standard methods were used to determine the concentrations of explosives, their derivatives, and metabolites in the soil samples. Plant materials were also analyzed. The compound TNT was not detected in the aboveground portion of plants, and vegetation growingmore » on TNT-contaminated soils is not considered a health hazard. However, soil and plant roots may contain TNT degradation products that may be toxic; hence, their consumption is not advised. The compound RDX was found in the tops and roots of plants growing on RDX-contaminated soils at all surveyed sites. Although RDX is not a listed carcinogen, several of its potentially present degradation products are carcinogens. Therefore, the consumption of any plant tissues growing on RDX-contaminated sites should be considered a potential health hazard.« less

Simultaneous determination of Cd and Fe in beans and soil of different regions of Brazil using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and direct solid sampling.

PubMed

dos Santos, Lisia M G; Welz, Bernhard; Araujo, Rennan G O; Jacob, Silvana do C; Vale, Maria Goreti R; Martens, Andreas; Gonzaga Martens, Irland B; Becker-Ross, Helmut

2009-11-11

A fast routine screening method for the simultaneous determination of cadmium and iron in bean and soil samples is proposed, using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and direct solid sampling. The primary absorption line at 228.802 nm has been used for the determination of cadmium, and an adjacent secondary line, at 228.726 nm, for iron. Fourteen bean samples and 10 soil samples from nine states all over Brazil have been analyzed. The limits of detection (3 sigma, n = 10) were 2.0 microg kg(-1) for Cd and 4.5 mg kg(-1) for Fe. The relative standard deviation ranged from 4 to 7% for Cd and from 5 to 28% for Fe, which is usually acceptable for a screening method. The accuracy of the method has been confirmed by the analysis of two certified reference materials; the results were in agreement with the certified values at a 95% confidence interval.

Miniaturized Sample Preparation and Rapid Detection of Arsenite in Contaminated Soil Using a Smartphone.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Mohd Farhan; Kim, Soocheol; Jeon, Hyoil; Kim, Taeho; Joo, Chulmin; Park, Seungkyung

2018-03-04

Conventional methods for analyzing heavy metal contamination in soil and water generally require laboratory equipped instruments, complex procedures, skilled personnel and a significant amount of time. With the advancement in computing and multitasking performances, smartphone-based sensors potentially allow the transition of the laboratory-based analytical processes to field applicable, simple methods. In the present work, we demonstrate the novel miniaturized setup for simultaneous sample preparation and smartphone-based optical sensing of arsenic As(III) in the contaminated soil. Colorimetric detection protocol utilizing aptamers, gold nanoparticles and NaCl have been optimized and tested on the PDMS-chip to obtain the high sensitivity with the limit of detection of 0.71 ppm (in the sample) and a correlation coefficient of 0.98. The performance of the device is further demonstrated through the comparative analysis of arsenic-spiked soil samples with standard laboratory method, and a good agreement with a correlation coefficient of 0.9917 and the average difference of 0.37 ppm, are experimentally achieved. With the android application on the device to run the experiment, the whole process from sample preparation to detection is completed within 3 hours without the necessity of skilled personnel. The approximate cost of setup is estimated around 1 USD, weight 55 g. Therefore, the presented method offers the simple, rapid, portable and cost-effective means for onsite sensing of arsenic in soil. Combined with the geometric information inside the smartphones, the system will allow the monitoring of the contamination status of soils in a nation-wide manner.

Relationships between soil and leaf mineral composition are element-specific, environment-dependent and geographically structured in the emerging model Arabidopsis halleri.

PubMed

Stein, Ricardo J; Höreth, Stephan; de Melo, J Romário F; Syllwasschy, Lara; Lee, Gwonjin; Garbin, Mário L; Clemens, Stephan; Krämer, Ute

2017-02-01

Leaf mineral composition, the leaf ionome, reflects the complex interaction between a plant and its environment including local soil composition, an influential factor that can limit species distribution and plant productivity. Here we addressed within-species variation in plant-soil interactions and edaphic adaptation using Arabidopsis halleri, a well-suited model species as a facultative metallophyte and metal hyperaccumulator. We conducted multi-element analysis of 1972 paired leaf and soil samples from 165 European populations of A. halleri, at individual resolution to accommodate soil heterogeneity. Results were further confirmed under standardized conditions upon cultivation of 105 field-collected genotypes on an artificially metal-contaminated soil in growth chamber experiments. Soil-independent between- and within-population variation set apart leaf accumulation of zinc, cadmium and lead from all other nutrient and nonessential elements, concurring with differential hypothesized ecological roles in either biotic interaction or nutrition. For these metals, soil-leaf relationships were element-specific, differed between metalliferous and nonmetalliferous soils and were geographically structured both in the field and under standardized growth conditions, implicating complex scenarios of recent ecological adaptation. Our study provides an example and a reference for future related work and will serve as a basis for the molecular-genetic dissection and ecological analysis of the observed phenotypic variation. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Inter-laboratory variation in the chemical analysis of acidic forest soil reference samples from eastern North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, Donald S.; Bailiey, Scott W; Briggs, Russell D; Curry, Johanna; Fernandez, Ivan J.; Fredriksen, Guinevere; Goodale, Christine L.; Hazlett, Paul W.; Heine, Paul R; Johnson, Chris E.; Larson, John T; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Kolka, Randy K; Ouimet, Rock; Pare, D; Richter, Daniel D.; Shirmer, Charles D; Warby, Richard A.F.

2015-01-01

Long-term forest soil monitoring and research often requires a comparison of laboratory data generated at different times and in different laboratories. Quantifying the uncertainty associated with these analyses is necessary to assess temporal changes in soil properties. Forest soil chemical properties, and methods to measure these properties, often differ from agronomic and horticultural soils. Soil proficiency programs do not generally include forest soil samples that are highly acidic, high in extractable Al, low in extractable Ca and often high in carbon. To determine the uncertainty associated with specific analytical methods for forest soils, we collected and distributed samples from two soil horizons (Oa and Bs) to 15 laboratories in the eastern United States and Canada. Soil properties measured included total organic carbon and nitrogen, pH and exchangeable cations. Overall, results were consistent despite some differences in methodology. We calculated the median absolute deviation (MAD) for each measurement and considered the acceptable range to be the median 6 2.5 3 MAD. Variability among laboratories was usually as low as the typical variability within a laboratory. A few areas of concern include a lack of consistency in the measurement and expression of results on a dry weight basis, relatively high variability in the C/N ratio in the Bs horizon, challenges associated with determining exchangeable cations at concentrations near the lower reporting range of some laboratories and the operationally defined nature of aluminum extractability. Recommendations include a continuation of reference forest soil exchange programs to quantify the uncertainty associated with these analyses in conjunction with ongoing efforts to review and standardize laboratory methods.

ANZSoilML: An Australian - New Zealand standard for exchange of soil data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simons, Bruce; Wilson, Peter; Ritchie, Alistair; Cox, Simon

2013-04-01

The Australian-New Zealand soil information exchange standard (ANZSoilML) is a GML-based standard designed to allow the discovery, query and delivery of soil and landscape data via standard Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Feature Services. ANZSoilML modifies the Australian soil exchange standard (OzSoilML), which is based on the Australian Soil Information Transfer and Evaluation System (SITES) database design and exchange protocols, to meet the New Zealand National Soils Database requirements. The most significant change was the removal of the lists of CodeList terms in OzSoilML, which were based on the field methods specified in the 'Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook'. These were replaced with empty CodeLists as placeholders to external vocabularies to allow the use of New Zealand vocabularies without violating the data model. Testing of the use of these separately governed Australian and New Zealand vocabularies has commenced. ANZSoilML attempts to accommodate the proposed International Organization for Standardization ISO/DIS 28258 standard for soil quality. For the most part, ANZSoilML is consistent with the ISO model, although major differences arise as a result of: • The need to specify the properties appropriate for each feature type; • The inclusion of soil-related 'Landscape' features; • Allowing the mapping of soil surfaces, bodies, layers and horizons, independent of the soil profile; • Allowing specifying the relationships between the various soil features; • Specifying soil horizons as specialisations of soil layers; • Removing duplication of features provided by the ISO Observation & Measurements standard. The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) Working Group on Soil Information Standards (WG-SIS) aims to develop, promote and maintain a standard to facilitate the exchange of soils data and information. Developing an international exchange standard that is compatible with existing and emerging national and regional standards is a considerable challenge. ANZSoilML is proposed as a profile of the more generalised SoilML model being progressed through the IUSS Working Group.

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

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

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and others. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerning a procedure,more » it has been included to indicate special studies or applications perhaps more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

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

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and other biological material. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerningmore » a procedure, it has been included to indicate special studies or applications more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less

Determination of traces of cobalt in soils: A field method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Almond, H.

1953-01-01

The growing use of geochemical prospecting methods in the search for ore deposits has led to the development of a field method for the determination of cobalt in soils. The determination is based on the fact that cobalt reacts with 2-nitroso-1-naphthol to yield a pink compound that is soluble in carbon tetrachloride. The carbon tetrachloride extract is shaken with dilute cyanide to complex interfering elements and to remove excess reagent. The cobalt content is estimated by comparing the pink color in the carbon tetrachloride with a standard series prepared from standard solutions. The cobalt 2-nitroso-1-naphtholate system in carbon tetrachloride follows Beer's law. As little as 1 p.p.m. can be determined in a 0.1-gram sample. The method is simple and fast and requires only simple equipment. More than 40 samples can be analyzed per man-day with an accuracy within 30% or better.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a tool for monitoring the fate of fluazinam in soil.

PubMed

Hakala, Kati P; Tuomainen, Päivi M; Yli-Halla, Markku J; Hartikainen, Helinä

2014-01-01

Fluazinam is a widely used pesticide employed against the fungal disease late blight in potato cultivation. A specific, repeatable, and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method utilizing a diode array detector (DAD) was developed to determine the presence of fluazinam in soil. The method consists of acetonitrile (ACN) extraction, clean-up with solid-phase extraction (SPE), and separation using a mobile phase consisting of 70% ACN and 30% water (v/v), including 0.02% acetic acid. HPLC was performed with a C18 column and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. The method was successfully applied to an incubation experiment and to soil samples taken from potato fields where fluazinam had been applied two to three times during the on-going growing season. In the 90-day incubation experiment, analytical standard fluazinam and the commercial fungicide Shirlan(®) were added to soil samples that had never been treated with fluazinam, and were then extracted with ACN and 0.01 M calcium chloride (CaCl2). Fluazinam was not extractable with CaCl2, indicating that it does not leach to watercourses in the dissolved form. Recovery with ACN extraction for sandy soils was 72-95% immediately after application and 53-73% after 90 days of incubation. Out of the eight potato field soil samples, fluazinam was found in two samples at concentrations of 2.1 mg kg(-1) and 1.9 mg kg(-1), well above the limit of quantification (0.1 mg kg(-1)).

Molecular characterization of Toxocara spp. from soil of public areas in Ahvaz southwestern Iran.

PubMed

Khademvatan, Shahram; Abdizadeh, Rahman; Tavalla, Mahdi

2014-07-01

In the present study, the microscopy and polymerase chain reaction methods were used for detection and identification of soil contamination by Toxocara eggs in squares, streets, public parks, and rubbish dumps in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran. A total of 210 soil samples were collected from different parts of the city and examined by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, following sodium nitrate flotation. Nucleotide sequencing was performed to confirm the results of the PCR method. Toxocara eggs were found in 64 and 71 soil samples using the microscopy and PCR methods, respectively. The highest contamination rate was observed in the central part of Ahvaz (39.5% and 46.5% by the microscopy and PCR methods, respectively). Based on internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) PCR identification, 28% of the samples were diagnosed as Toxocara cati and 5.7% as Toxocara canis; no mixed contamination was observed. DNA sequencing of the ITS2 gene confirmed our findings. Compared to the conventional microscopic detection following by flotation, used as the gold standard, the PCR method appears to be rapid and sensitive as well as allows analysis of Toxocara spp. isolated from soil independent of the stage of egg development. Therefore, the PCR method appears to be a valuable tool for the diagnosis and differentiation of Toxocara spp. from soil samples in epidemiological studies, and will help the local health systems in effective prevention and control of disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Determination of cadmium by HG-aFS in soil of virescent zone in Chengdu city].

PubMed

Chen, Yuan; Zeng, Ying; Wu, Hong-ji; Wang, Qin-er

2008-12-01

The different speciations of cadmium in soil samples from Chengdu greenbelt were extracted by Tessier sequential extraction method. The contents of total cadmium and different speciation cadmium were determined using HG-AFS. Under optimization condition of HG-AFS and using 2% HCl as medium, and 30 g x L(-1) KBH4 as reductive reagent, 1 mg x L(-1) Co2+ acting together with 10 g x L(-1) CH4N2S can advance the generating efficiency of cadmium compound. The effects of the coexisting elements in soil on the determination of cadmium can be reduced if certain amount of Na4P2O7, K2SO4 and BaCl2 are added. The linear range is 0-10 mg x L(-1) with r=0.9991 and the detection limit is 0.016 mg x L(-1). The recovery is 97.80%-100.2% with RSD of 1.93%. The analytical method is very sensitive and accurate. The distribution of average percentage of five speciations of cadmium in experimental soil samples is: residual fraction (62.1%) > exchangeable fraction (11.7%) > Fe-Mn oxide-bound (9.71%) > carbonate-bound (4.17%) > organic-bound (3.47%). Although residual fraction is the main speciation of cadmium in soil, the content of exchangeable fraction is relatively high. Thus the bioactivity of cadmium in the research area should be recognized. The concentration of cadmium exceeds the country standard in 19 soil sample, accounting for 86. 4% of all soil samples. The soil from Chengdu greenbelt located in 1st ring road, 2nd ring road and 3rd ring road was polluted to different degree. The relative pollution magnitude of them is: 2nd ring road > 1st ring road > 3rd ring road.

The assessment of treated wastewater quality and the effects of mid-term irrigation on soil physical and chemical properties (case study: Bandargaz-treated wastewater)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaboosi, Kami

2017-09-01

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of inflow and outflow wastewater of the Bandargaz wastewater treatment plant on the basis of the data collection of operation period and the samples taken during the study. Also the effects of mid-term use of the wastewater for irrigation (from 2005 to 2013) on soil physical and chemical characteristics were studied. For this purpose, 4 samples were taken from the inflow and outflow wastewater and 25 quality parameters were measured. Also, the four soil samples from a depth of 0-30 cm of two rice field irrigated with wastewater in the beginning and middle of the planting season and two samples from one adjacent rice field irrigated with fresh water were collected and their chemical and physical characteristics were determined. Average of electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, sodium adsorption ratio, chemical oxygen demand and 5 days biochemical oxygen demand in treated wastewater were 1.35 dS/m, 707 ppm, 0.93, 80 ppm and 40 ppm, respectively. Results showed that although some restrictions exist about chlorine and bicarbonate, the treated wastewater is suitable for irrigation based on national and international standards and criteria. In comparison with fresh water, the mid-term use of wastewater caused a little increase of soil salinity. However, it did not lead to increase of soil salinity beyond rice salinity threshold. Also, there were no restrictions on soil in the aspect of salinity and sodium hazard on the basis of many irrigated soil classifications. In comparison with fresh water, the mid-term use of wastewater caused the increase of total N, absorbable P and absorbable K in soil due to high concentration of those elements in treated wastewater.

Field soil aggregate stability kit for soil quality and rangeland health evaluations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herrick, J.E.; Whitford, W.G.; de Soyza, A. G.; Van Zee, J. W.; Havstad, K.M.; Seybold, C.A.; Walton, M.

2001-01-01

Soil aggregate stability is widely recognized as a key indicator of soil quality and rangeland health. However, few standard methods exist for quantifying soil stability in the field. A stability kit is described which can be inexpensively and easily assembled with minimal tools. It permits up to 18 samples to be evaluated in less than 10 min and eliminates the need for transportation, minimizing damage to soil structure. The kit consists of two 21??10.5??3.5 cm plastic boxes divided into eighteen 3.5??3.5 cm sections, eighteen 2.5-cm diameter sieves with 1.5-mm distance openings and a small spatula used for soil sampling. Soil samples are rated on a scale from one to six based on a combination of ocular observations of slaking during the first 5 min following immersion in distilled water, and the percent remaining on a 1.5-mm sieve after five dipping cycles at the end of the 5-min period. A laboratory comparison yielded a correlation between the stability class and percent aggregate stability based on oven dry weight remaining after treatment using a mechanical sieve. We have applied the method in a wide variety of agricultural and natural ecosystems throughout western North America, including northern Mexico, and have found that it is highly sensitive to differences in management and plant community composition. Although the field kit cannot replace the careful laboratory-based measurements of soil aggregate stability, it can clearly provide valuable information when these more intensive procedures are not possible.

Environmental impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant to the surroundings of Barapukuria, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Hossain, Md Nazir; Paul, Shitangsu Kumar; Hasan, Md Muyeed

2015-04-01

The study was carried out to analyse the environmental impacts of coal mine and coal-based thermal power plant to the surrounding environment of Barapukuria, Dinajpur. The analyses of coal, water, soil and fly ash were carried out using standard sample testing methods. This study found that coal mining industry and coal-based thermal power plant have brought some environmental and socio-economic challenges to the adjacent areas such as soil, water and air pollution, subsidence of agricultural land and livelihood insecurity of inhabitants. The pH values, heavy metal, organic carbon and exchangeable cations of coal water treated in the farmland soil suggest that coal mining deteriorated the surrounding water and soil quality. The SO4(2-) concentration in water samples was beyond the range of World Health Organisation standard. Some physico-chemical properties such as pH, conductivity, moisture content, bulk density, unburned carbon content, specific gravity, water holding capacity, liquid and plastic limit were investigated on coal fly ash of Barapukuria thermal power plant. Air quality data provided by the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited were contradictory with the result of interview with the miners and local inhabitants. However, coal potentially contributes to the development of economy of Bangladesh but coal mining deteriorates the environment by polluting air, water and soil. In general, this study includes comprehensive baseline data for decision makers to evaluate the feasibility of coal power industry at Barapukuria and the coalmine itself.

[Analysis of Cr in soil by LIBS based on conical spatial confinement of plasma].

PubMed

Lin, Yong-Zeng; Yao, Ming-Yin; Chen, Tian-Bing; Li, Wen-Bing; Zheng, Mei-Lan; Xu, Xue-Hong; Tu, Jian-Ping; Liu, Mu-Hua

2013-11-01

The present study is to improve the sensitivity of detection and reduce the limit of detection in detecting heavy metal of soil by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The Cr element of national standard soil was regarded as the research object. In the experiment, a conical cavity with small diameter end of 20 mm and large diameter end of 45 mm respectively was installed below the focusing lens near the experiment sample to mainly confine the signal transmitted by plasma and to some extent to confine the plasma itself in the LIBS setup. In detecting Cr I 425.44 nm, the beast delay time gained from experiment is 1.3 micros, and the relative standard deviation is below 10%. Compared with the setup of non-spatial confinement, the spectral intensity of Cr in the soil sample was enhanced more than 7%. Calibration curve was established in the Cr concentration range from 60 to 400 microg x g(-1). Under the condition of spatial confinement, the liner regression coefficient and the limit of detection were 0.997 71 and 18.85 microg x g(-1) respectively, however, the regression coefficient and the limit of detection were 0.991 22 and 36.99 microg x g(-1) without spatial confinement. So, this shows that conical spatial confinement can/improve the sensitivity of detection and enhance the spectral intensity. And it is a good auxiliary function in detecting Cr in the soil by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Alternative Penetrometers to Measure the Near Surface Strength of Soft Seafloor Soils

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

penetrometer (CPT), standard ball penetrometer (BPT), mini-ball penetrometer (mBPT) and a shear vane ( VST ). The CPT and BPT measure electronically a...The VST records the undrained shear strength of the soil at discreet depths. In addition, Shelby tube samples were collected for triaxial and...benchmark strengths from the VST and triaxial/simple shear tests. Thus far, the VST strengths have compared favorably with the results. Results from the

Dynamic Response of Reinforced Soil Systems. Volume 2. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

by a burster slab. These protection measures are costly, time consuming to construct, and sensitive to multiple strikes. Soil has been used to...load--deflection behavior of the reinforced soi I Dynamic puilout tests were then performed using the same parameters as the static tests. A standard...system was capable cf loading the sample in just a few micro-seconds to simulate a blast load. Dynamic load-deflection behavior was characterized and

Assessment of Hyporheic Zone, Flood-Plain, Soil-Gas, Soil, and Surface-Water Contamination at the McCoys Creek Chemical Training Area, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guimaraes, Wladmir B.; Falls, W. Fred; Caldwell, Andral W.; Ratliff, W. Hagan; Wellborn, John B.; Landmeyer, James E.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, Georgia, assessed the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, soil, and surface water for contaminants at the McCoys Creek Chemical Training Area (MCTA) at Fort Gordon, from October 2009 to September 2010. The assessment included the detection of organic contaminants in the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, and surface water. In addition, the organic contaminant assessment included the analysis of organic compounds classified as explosives and chemical agents in selected areas. Inorganic contaminants were assessed in soil and surface-water samples. The assessment was conducted to provide environmental contamination data to the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon pursuant to requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process. Ten passive samplers were deployed in the hyporheic zone and flood plain, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and octane were detected above the method detection level in every sampler. Other organic compounds detected above the method detection level in the hyporheic zone and flood-plain samplers were trichloroethylene, and cis- and trans- 1, 2-dichloroethylene. One trip blank detected TPH below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. The concentrations of TPH in the samplers were many times greater than the concentrations detected in the blank; therefore, all other TPH concentrations detected are considered to represent environmental conditions. Seventy-one soil-gas samplers were deployed in a grid pattern across the MCTA. Three trip blanks and three method blanks were used and not deployed, and TPH was detected above the method detection level in two trip blanks and one method blank. Detection of TPH was observed at all 71 samplers, but because TPH was detected in the trip and method blanks, TPH was censored and, therefore, only 7 of the 71 samplers were reported as detecting TPH. In addition, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene were detected above the method detection level in 22 samplers. Other compounds detected above the method detection level included naphthalene, octane, undecane, tridecane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, chloroform, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Subsequent to the soil-gas survey, five locations with elevated contaminant mass were selected and a passive sampler was deployed at those locations to detect the presence of organic compounds classified as explosives or chemical agents. No explosives or chemical agents were detected above the method detection level, but some compounds were detected below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. Dimethyl disulfide, benzothiazole, chloroacetophenones, and para-chlorophenyl methyl sulfide were all detected below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. The compounds 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and para-chlorophenyl methyl sulfone were detected in samplers but also were detected in trip blanks and are not considered as present in the MCTA. The same five locations that were selected for sampling of explosives and chemical agents were selected for soil sampling. Metal concentrations in composite soil samples collected at five locations from land surface to a depth of 6 inches did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Screening Levels for Industrial Soil. Concentrations in some compounds were higher than the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control background levels for nearby South Carolina, including aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and potassium. A surface-water sample was collected from McCoys Creek and analyzed for volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and inorganic compounds (metals). No volatile organic compounds and (or) semivolatile organic compounds were detected at levels above the maximum contaminant level of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Primary Drinking Water Standard, and no inorganic compounds exceeded the maximum contaminant level of the USEPA National Primary Drinking Water Standard or the Georgia In-Stream Water-Quality Standard. Iron was the only inorganic compound detected in the surface-water sample (578 micrograms per liter) that exceeded the USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Standard of 300 micrograms per liter.

Soil dioxins levels at agriculture sites and natural preserve areas of Taiwan.

PubMed

Jou, Jin-juh; Lin, Kae-Long; Chung, Jen-Chir; Liaw, Shu-Liang

2007-08-17

In this study, agriculture soil in Taiwan has been sampled and analyzed to determine the background level of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/DF) in the agricultural and nature preserve areas. Another objective is to investigate relationship between soil characteristics and air deposition in Taiwan. The results indicate that in nature preserve areas the topsoil shows an extraordinary profile of PCDD/DF compared to that in the air deposition. The PCDD/DF levels of the low-contaminated agricultural soils are compatible with those of the nature preserves soils. However, in the highly-contaminated agricultural soils, there is an abrupt jump in their concentrations, 10-100 times higher. The overall I-TEQ values of the background topsoils range from 0.101 to 15.2 ng I-TEQ/kg. Near industrial/urban areas in Taiwan the PCDD/DF are slightly higher compared to those in the low concentration group. Typically, the PCDD/DF background values found in this survey fall in the 90% confidence interval and can thus, be deemed the background levels in Taiwan. Ninety-five percent of these data are below the European and American soil standard of 10 ng I-TEQ/kg d.w. The PCDD/DF profile with one neighborhood soil sample was shown no significant difference.

Quantitative detection of Lactarius deliciosus extraradical soil mycelium by real-time PCR and its application in the study of fungal persistence and interspecific competition.

PubMed

Parladé, J; Hortal, S; Pera, J; Galipienso, L

2007-01-30

Real-Time PCR has been applied to quantify extraradical soil mycelium of the edible ectomycorrhizal fungus Lactarius deliciosus in an interspecific competition experiment under greenhouse conditions. Couples of Pinus pinea seedlings inoculated with either L. deliciosus, Rhizopogon roseolus, or non-inoculated (control) were transplanted into pots filled with two types of soil in all the possible combinations. Total DNA was extracted from soil samples at 3 and 6 months after transplantation to perform real-time PCR analysis. DNA extractions from soil mixed with known amounts of mycelium of L. deliciosus were used as standards. Six months after transplantation, the percentage of mycorrhizas of L. deliciosus and seedling growth were significantly affected by the soil type. Extraradical soil mycelium of L. deliciosus was positively correlated with the final percentage of mycorrhizas and significantly affected by the sampling time and soil depth. The competition effect of R. roseolus was not significant for any of the measured parameters, probably due to the sharp decrease of the mycorrhizal colonization by this fungus. We conclude that real-time PCR is a powerful technique for extraradical mycelium quantification in studies aimed at evaluating the persistence of introduced strains of L. deliciosus in field plantations.

Simultaneous determination of traces of pyrethroids, organochlorines and other main plant protection agents in agricultural soils by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography.

PubMed

Fernandez-Alvarez, Maria; Llompart, Maria; Lamas, J Pablo; Lores, Marta; Garcia-Jares, Carmen; Cela, Rafael; Dagnac, Thierry

2008-04-25

A solvent-free and simple method based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was developed in order to determine simultaneously 36 common pesticides and breakdown products (mostly pyrethroids and organochlorine compounds) in soil. The analysis was carried out by gas chromatography with micro-electron-capture detection (GC-microECD). As far as we know, this is the first study about the SPME of pyrethroid insecticides from soil. Factors such as extraction temperature, matrix modification by addition of water, salt addition (% NaCl) and fiber coating were considered in the optimization of the HS-SPME. To this end, a 3 x 2(3-1) fractional factorial design was performed. The results showed that temperature and fiber coating were the most significant variables affecting extraction efficiency. A suitable sensitivity for all investigated compounds was achieved at 100 degrees C by extracting soil samples wetted with 0.5 mL of ultrapure water (0% NaCl) employing a polyacrylate (PA) coating fiber. Using the recommended extraction conditions with GC-microECD, a linear calibration could be achieved over a range of two orders of magnitude for both groups of analytes. Limits of detection (LODS) at the sub-ng g(-1) level were attained and relative standard deviations (RSDs) were found to be lower than 14% for both groups of pesticides. Matrix effects were investigated by the analysis of different soil samples fortified with the target compounds. The method accuracy was assessed and good recovery values (>70%, in most cases) were obtained. The method was also validated with a certified reference material (RTC-CRM818-050), which was quantified using a standard addition protocol. Finally, the proposed HS-SPME-GC-microECD methodology was further applied to the screening of environmental soil samples for the presence of the target pesticides.

Health risks of heavy metal exposure through vegetable consumption near a large-scale Pb/Zn smelter in central China.

PubMed

Li, Xinyu; Li, Zhonggen; Lin, Che-Jen; Bi, Xiangyang; Liu, Jinling; Feng, Xinbin; Zhang, Hua; Chen, Ji; Wu, Tingting

2018-06-04

Smelting of nonferrous metals is an important source of heavy metals in surface soil. The crops/vegetables grown on contaminated soil potentially impose adverse effects on human health. In this study, the contamination level of five heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu) in ten types of vegetables grown nearby a large scale Pb/Zn smelter in Hunan Province, China and the health risk associated with their consumption are assessed. Based on the data obtained from 52 samples, we find that Pb and Cd contributed to the greatest health risk and leafy vegetables tend to be more contaminated than non-leafy vegetables. Within 4 km radius of the smelter, over 75% of vegetable samples exceeded the national food standard for Pb; over 47% exceeded the Cd standard; and 7% exceeded the Hg standard. Heavy metal concentrations in vegetables measured within the 4 km radius are on average three times more elevated compared to those found at the control area 15 km away. Heavy metals in vegetables have dual sources of root absorption from soil and leaf adsorption from atmosphere. Health risk in terms of the hazard index (HI) at contaminated areas are 3.66 and 3.14 for adults and children, respectively, suggesting adverse health effects would occur. HI for both groups are mainly contributed by Pb (48%) and Cd (40%). Fortunately, vegetable samples collected at the control area are considered safe to consume. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bacterial community composition in Brazilian Anthrosols and adjacent soils characterized using culturing and molecular identification.

PubMed

O'Neill, B; Grossman, J; Tsai, M T; Gomes, J E; Lehmann, J; Peterson, J; Neves, E; Thies, J E

2009-07-01

Microbial community composition was examined in two soil types, Anthrosols and adjacent soils, sampled from three locations in the Brazilian Amazon. The Anthrosols, also known as Amazonian dark earths, are highly fertile soils that are a legacy of pre-Columbian settlement. Both Anthrosols and adjacent soils are derived from the same parent material and subject to the same environmental conditions, including rainfall and temperature; however, the Anthrosols contain high levels of charcoal-like black carbon from which they derive their dark color. The Anthrosols typically have higher cation exchange capacity, higher pH, and higher phosphorus and calcium contents. We used culture media prepared from soil extracts to isolate bacteria unique to the two soil types and then sequenced their 16S rRNA genes to determine their phylogenetic placement. Higher numbers of culturable bacteria, by over two orders of magnitude at the deepest sampling depths, were counted in the Anthrosols. Sequences of bacteria isolated on soil extract media yielded five possible new bacterial families. Also, a higher number of families in the bacteria were represented by isolates from the deeper soil depths in the Anthrosols. Higher bacterial populations and a greater diversity of isolates were found in all of the Anthrosols, to a depth of up to 1 m, compared to adjacent soils located within 50-500 m of their associated Anthrosols. Compared to standard culture media, soil extract media revealed diverse soil microbial populations adapted to the unique biochemistry and physiological ecology of these Anthrosols.

Analysis of bioavailable Ge in agricultural and mining-affected-soils in Freiberg area (Saxony, Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiche, Oliver; Székely, Balázs; Kummer, Nicolai-Alexeji; Heinemann, Ute; Heilmeier, Hermann

2014-05-01

Germanium (Ge) concentrations in different soil fraction were investigated using a sequential selective dissolution analysis and a rhizosphere-based single-step extraction method for the identification of Ge-bearing soil fractions and prediction of bioavailability of Ge in soil to plants. About 50 soil samples were collected from various soil depths (horizons A and B) and study sites with different types of land use (dry and moist grassland, arable land, mine dumps) in Freiberg area (Saxony, Germany). Ge has been extracted in six soil fractions: mobile fraction, organic matter and sulfides, Mn- and Fe-oxides (amorphous and crystalline), and kaolinite and phytoliths, and residual fraction. The rhizosphere-based method included a 7-day-long extraction sequence with various organic acids like citric acid, malic acid and acetic acid. For the residue the aforementioned sequential extraction has been applied. The Ge-content of the samples have been measured with ICP-MS using rhodium internal standard and two different soil standards. Total Ge concentrations were found to be in the range of 1.6 to 5.5 ppm with highest concentrations on the tailing site in the mining area of Altenberg. The mean Ge concentration in agriculturally used soils was 2.6 ± 0.67 ppm, whereas the maximum values reach 2.9 ± 0.64 ppm and 3.2 ± 0.67 ppm in Himmelsfürst and in a grassland by the Mulde river, respectively. With respect to the fractions, the vast majority of Ge is contained in the last three fractions, indicating that the bioavailable Ge is typically low in the samples. On the other hand at the soil horizons A at the aforementioned two sites characterised by high total Ge, together with that of Reiche Zeche mine dump have also the highest concentrations of Ge in the first three fractions, reaching levels of 1.74 and 0.98 ppm which account for approximately 40% of the total Ge content. Ge concentrations of soil samples extracted with 0.01 or 0.1 M citric acid and malic acid were significantly higher than those extracted with acetic acid or solutions adjusted to pH 3.5 with nitric acid, indicating the formation of Ge-organic acid complexes. Ge eluted with organic acids like citric acid or malic acid closely corresponded to Ge concentrations in the initial fractions indicating that these organic acids are able to mobilize Ge bound to organic matter, crystalline Fe-oxides and silicates. The results show that bioavailability of Ge in soils of Freiberg area is strongly related to Ge bound to organic matter, Fe-oxides and silicates. Organic acids, exuded by plant roots, might be of particular importance in controlling bioavailability of Ge to plants by attacking resistant soil fractions as an effect of lowering pH in the rhizosphere and complexation. These studies have been carried out in the framework of the PhytoGerm project, financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany. BS contributed as an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow. The authors are grateful to students and laboratory assistants contributing in the field work and sample preparation.

Eco-toxicity and metal contamination of paddy soil in an e-wastes recycling area.

PubMed

Jun-hui, Zhang; Hang, Min

2009-06-15

Paddy soil samples taken from different sites in an old primitive electronic-waste (e-waste) processing region were examined for eco-toxicity and metal contamination. Using the environmental quality standard for soils (China, Grade II) as reference, soil samples of two sites were weakly contaminated with trace metal, but site G was heavily contaminated with Cd (6.37 mg kg(-1)), and weakly contaminated with Cu (256.36 mg kg(-1)) and Zn (209.85 mg kg(-1)). Zn appeared to be strongly bound in the residual fraction (72.24-77.86%), no matter the soil was metal contaminated or not. However, more than 9% Cd and 16% Cu was present in the non-residual fraction in the metal contaminated soils than in the uncontaminated soil, especially for site G and site F. Compared with that of the control soil, the micronucleus rates of site G and site F soil treatments increased by 2.7-fold and 1.7-fold, respectively. Low germination rates were observed in site C (50%) and site G (50%) soil extraction treated rice seeds. The shortest root length (0.2377 cm) was observed in site G soil treated groups, which is only 37.57% of that of the control soil treated groups. All of the micronucleus ratio of Vicia faba root cells, rice germination rate and root length after treatment of soil extraction indicate the eco-toxicity in site F and G soils although the three indexes are different in sensitivity to soil metal contamination.

A Novel Method to Quantify Soil Aggregate Stability by Measuring Aggregate Bond Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efrat, Rachel; Rawlins, Barry G.; Quinton, John N.; Watts, Chris W.; Whitmore, Andy P.

2016-04-01

Soil aggregate stability is a key indicator of soil quality because it controls physical, biological and chemical functions important in cultivated soils. Micro-aggregates are responsible for the long term sequestration of carbon in soil, therefore determine soils role in the carbon cycle. It is thus vital that techniques to measure aggregate stability are accurate, consistent and reliable, in order to appropriately manage and monitor soil quality, and to develop our understanding and estimates of soil as a carbon store to appropriately incorporate in carbon cycle models. Practices used to assess the stability of aggregates vary in sample preparation, operational technique and unit of results. They use proxies and lack quantification. Conflicting results are therefore drawn between projects that do not provide methodological or resultant comparability. Typical modern stability tests suspend aggregates in water and monitor fragmentation upon exposure to an un-quantified amount of ultrasonic energy, utilising a laser granulometer to measure the change in mean weight diameter. In this project a novel approach has been developed based on that of Zhu et al., (2009), to accurately quantify the stability of aggregates by specifically measuring their bond energies. The bond energies are measured operating a combination of calorimetry and a high powered ultrasonic probe, with computable output function. Temperature change during sonication is monitored by an array of probes which enables calculation of the energy spent heating the system (Ph). Our novel technique suspends aggregates in heavy liquid lithium heteropolytungstate, as opposed to water, to avoid exposing aggregates to an immeasurable disruptive energy source, due to cavitation, collisions and clay swelling. Mean weight diameter is measured by a laser granulometer to monitor aggregate breakdown after successive periods of calculated ultrasonic energy input (Pi), until complete dispersion is achieved and bond energy (Pb; input energy used in aggregate breakdown) can be calculated by the following equation: ΣPi - Ph = Pb The novel technique was tested by comparing the bond energies measured from a series of soil aggregates sampled from different land management histories, to the samples corresponding stability measurement obtained from standard modern stability tests. The effectiveness of the heavy liquid as a suspension (as opposed to water) was evaluated by comparing the bond energies of samples measured in both suspensions. Our results determine i) how disruptive water is in aggregate stability tests, ii) how accurate and representative standard aggregate stability tests are, and iii) how bond strength varies depending on land use. Keywords: Aggregate; Bond; Fragmentation; Soil; Sonication; Stability References: Zhu, Z. L., Minasny, B. & Field D. J. 2009. Measurement of aggregate bond energy using ultrasonic dispersion. European Journal of Soil Science, 60, 695-705

Between and within-field variation in physico-chemical soil properties of vineyards: implications for terroir zoning and management in Heuvelland, Belgium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavernier, Emma; Verdoodt, Ann; Cornelis, Wim; Delbecque, Nele; Tiebergijn, Lynn; Seynnaeve, Marleen; Gabriels, Donald

2015-04-01

The 'Heuvelland' region with a surface area of 94 km² is situated in the Province of West Flanders, Belgium, bordering with France. The region comprises a number of hills ("heuvel") on which a fast growing 'wine culture' is developing. Both professional as well as non-professional wine makers together cultivate about 19 ha of vineyards, and are still expanding. Grapes cultivated include Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Pinot noir among others. The small-scale, strongly dispersed vineyards are located in different landscape positions of variable aspect. The objective of our preliminary study was to assess the between-field and within-field variation in physico-chemical soil properties of these vineyards with the aim to better characterise the terroir(s) in Heuvelland and provide guidelines for soil management. Fourteen vineyards from five different wineries were selected for detailed soil sampling. Twenty-five sampling sites were chosen according to the topography, soil map units and observed variability in grape growth. The soil was sampled using 15 cm depth increments up to a depth of 60 cm or a shallower lithic contact. Composite samples of 5 sampling locations along the contour lines were taken per within-field zone. Besides the texture, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous and exchangeable base cations (Ca, Mg, K), also some micronutrients (Fe, B, Cu, Mn) were determined using standard laboratory procedures. The soils developed on Quaternary niveo-eolian sandy loam and loamy sediments of variable thickness covering marine sandy and clayey sediments of the Tertiary. Where the Tertiary clayey sediments occur at shallow depth, they can strongly influence the internal drainage. At higher positions in the landscape, iron-rich sandstone layers are found at shallow depth. Fragments of this iron-rich sandstone can also be found at lower positions (colluvial material). This iron sandstone is claimed to contribute to the unique character of this wine growing region. According to the soil map of Belgium (scale 1:20,000), the soils are characterized by variable depth, texture, internal drainage and profile development. As such, the 23 vineyards in Heuvelland are found on 21 different soil types; of which 12 different soil types are included within our sampling strategy. Our sampling furthermore revealed an even greater variability in physico-chemical soil properties than reflected by the soil map. This leads to a 'tentative' conclusion that Heuvelland cannot be considered as one natural terroir as such and that the wine growers can potentially improve their production by adapting their management to local soil properties using the improved knowledge on the vineyard soils.

Effects of Freezing and Thawing on Consolidation Behavior of Clayey Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binal, Adil; Adeli, Parisa

2015-04-01

An apprehending of freezing and thawing effects on cohesive soil is considerable for many construction and environmental subjects. This paper relates the effects of freezing and thawing on consolidation behaviour of clayey soils. The Capital of Ankara settled on a sequence of lacustrine sediments. These sediments include fine grain soils, locally. Collected samples were undisturbed grey clay and clayey sand that were obtained from the bottom of a construction zone at about 1m depth below the ground surface. Total of 32 moulded samples were prepared with constant water content to reflect the moisture condition in the active surface layer. Gray clay and clayey sand were analysed in the laboratory, and found to have the plastic limits (PL) of 33.01% and 22.56%, the liquid limits (LL) of 75.05% and 36.97%, and the plasticity indexes (PI) of 42.04% and 14.41%. The soil samples were classified as "CH" and "SC" in accordance with the unified soil classification system. Soil samples for all tests were placed in a freezer that has -18°C temperature. Samples have been waited in it for twenty-four hours. Then, they have been removed from the freezer and allowed to stand for twenty-four hours at a constant room temperature (21°C) and humidity (80% RH). As a result, one freezing and thawing cycle was achieved between -18°C (24 hours) and 21°C (24 hours), and it took two days. Freezing and thawing (FT) sequences were selected as 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21. After each FT sequence, Atterberg limits and consolidation tests were carried out in accordance with ASTM standards. Liquid and plastic limits of soil samples, suddenly, were decreased after first FT cycle. That state is a sign of the clay mineral orientation due to freezing and thawing process. The soil classification of clayey sand was changed from "SC" to "SM" after first FT cycle. Furthermore, the coefficient of consolidation and permeability of grey clay had been increased by rising in FT cycles up to 7 and then continue to decline as well as these values of clayey sand start to decrease after 14 FT cycles.

[Contamination Assessment and Sources Analysis of Soil Heavy Metals in Opencast Mine of East Junggar Basin in Xinjiang].

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Yang, Jian-jun; Wang, Jun; Wang, Guo; Cao, Yue-e

2016-05-15

The opencast mine of East Junggar Basin in Xinjiang is the largest self-contained coalfield in China, and the ecological environment of the opencast is very fragile because of its arid climate and poor soil. In this study, 50 soil samples (from 0 to 30 cm depth soil at intervals of 10 cm) in opencast Mine of East Junggar Basin in Xinjiang were collected in order to explore the heavy metals contamination of the coal mining. The contents of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) were measured and the degree of pollution was assessed by Nemerow index, geo-accumulation (Igeo) index and potential ecological risk index. In addition, the layered comparison, dust fall and the distance between coal mine and samples location were used to analyze the source of heavy metals contamination. The results showed that value of As surpassed the Chinese soil quality standard class I (GB 15618-1995) mostly severely, followed by Cr, a relatively lower surpass was obtained by Hg and Cu, while Zn and Pb did not surpass the standard. According to the standard, the soil heavy metals content of research region was in light pollution status and the pollution index for each heavy metal followed the order of As (2.07) > Cr (0.95) > Cu (0.55) > Zn (0.48) > Hg (0.45) > Pb (0.38), which demonstrated a heavy pollution of As and clean status of others. Additionally, an Igeo value of 1.14 for Hg reflected a moderated pollution. The major contribution factor was Hg with a risk index of 251.40. The source analysis showed that the content of Pb in the surface soil (10-20 cm) was different from that in the deep layer (20-30 cm), which may be caused by coal combustion and other human activities. The sources of Hg and As were similar and may come from coal combustion. The distance to the mining area was not the major factor affecting the diffusion of heavy metals, other candidate factors included terrain, aspect and wind direction, etc.

Minerals vs. Microbes: Biogeochemical Controls on Carbon Storage in Humid Tropical Forest Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, S. J.; Silver, W. L.

2012-12-01

Humid tropical forest soils contain a substantial portion (~500 Pg) of the terrestrial carbon (C) pool, yet their response to climate change remains unclear due to mechanistic uncertainty in the biogeochemical controls on soil C storage in these ecosystems. Poorly-crystalline minerals have long been known to stabilize soil C, but few studies have explored their relative importance in comparison with other likely controls such as rhizosphere processes, oxygen deficiency (anaerobiosis), and C quality. We examined relationships among soil C and a suite of biogeochemical variables measured in 162 samples from surface soils (ultisols and oxisols) collected over scales of landforms to landscapes (m - km) in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. We measured iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), and manganese (Mn) oxides in 0.5M hydrochloric acid (HCl), sodium citrate/ascorbic acid (CA), and citrate/dithionite (CD) extractions, along with clay content, root biomass, C quality (C/N ratios), and anaerobiosis using HCl-extractable reduced iron (Fe(II)) concentrations as a proxy. We used mixed-effects models to compare the relative importance of the above variables (normalized by mean and standard deviation) as predictors of soil C, with random effects to account for spatial structure. Poorly-crystalline Al oxide concentrations (CA extraction), soil C/N ratio, and Fe(II) concentrations each had highly significant (p < 0.0001) positive relationships with soil C concentrations that conveyed equivalent explanatory power, assessed by comparing standardized regression coefficients. The optimal mixed model explained 82 % of the variation of the residual sum of squares of soil C concentrations, which varied between 2 - 20 % C among samples. Fine root biomass had a weak but significantly positive association with soil C concentrations (p < 0.05), while crystalline Fe oxide concentrations (CD extraction) displayed a negative correlation (p < 0.01), and clay contents had no significant relationship. The latter results are surprising given the documented role of Fe oxides and clay minerals in C stabilization, yet may indicate the importance of C supply via roots in controlling C concentrations in humid tropical ecosystems. Samples associated with high concentrations of crystalline Fe and high clay contents may represent soils from deeper in the soil profile exposed by landslides, characterized by poorly-developed aggregate structure and fewer C inputs since disturbance. Our optimal mixed model suggested an equivalent importance of soil mineralogy, anaerobiosis, and C quality as correlates of soil C concentrations across tropical forest ecosystems varying in temperature, precipitation, and community composition. Whereas soil mineralogy may be relatively static over timescales of years to decades, O2 availability and the chemical composition of soil C inputs and can potentially vary more rapidly. Our model suggests that changes in temperature and precipitation regimes that alter O2 availability and/or increase the lability of C inputs may lead to decreased soil C storage in humid tropical forest soils.

[Evaluation on environmental quality of heavy metals in soils and vegetables based on geostatistics and GIS].

PubMed

Xie, Zheng-miao; Li, Jing; Wang, Bi-ling; Chen, Jian-jun

2006-10-01

Contents of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu) in soils and vegetables from Dongguan town in Shangyu city, China were studied using geostatistical analysis and GIS technique to evaluate environmental quality. Based on the evaluation criteria, the distribution of the spatial variability of heavy metals in soil-vegetable system was mapped and analyzed. The results showed that the distribution of soil heavy metals in a large number of soil samples in Dongguan town was asymmetric. The contents of Zn and Cu were lower than those of Cd and Pb. The concentrations distribution of Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu in soils and vegetables were different in spatial variability. There was a close relationship between total and available contents of heavy metals in soil. The contents of Pb and Cd in green vegetables were higher than those of Zn and Cu and exceeded the national sanitation standards for vegetables.

Site and soil characterization of hazardous waste sites using an expert system guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Roy E.

1993-03-01

An expert system guide (knowledge book) has been devised to assist field personnel who must identify, describe, sample, and interpret size and soil characteristics of hazardous waste sites. The guide takes an approach that will be unfamiliar to most soil and environmental scientists and is directed to on-scene coordinators and project managers and others who may have little soil science training. It meets the need of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for standard procedures, guidelines, or protocols that address soil and site contamination, particularly heavy metals. The guide is organized to include: (1) general considerations and processes for collecting and using site and soils data, (2) detailed knowledge frames (descriptive profiles) of likely site and soil conditions, (3) a citation of references, (4) an appendix listing common sources of characterization data, and (5) a glossary of more than 900 general definitions.

Progressing towards more quantitative analytical pyrolysis of soil organic matter using molecular beam mass spectroscopy of whole soils and added standards

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

Haddix, Michelle L.; Magrini-Bair, Kim; Evans, Robert J.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is extremely complex. It is composed of hundreds of different organic substances and it has been difficult to quantify these diverse substances in a dynamic-ecosystem functioning standpoint. Analytical pyrolysis has been used to compare chemical differences between soils, but its ability to measure the absolute amount of a specific compound in the soil is still in question. Our objective was to assess whether utilizing pyrolysis-molecular beam mass spectroscopy (py-MBMS) to define the signature of known reference compounds (adenine, indole, palmitic acid, etc.) and biological samples (chitin, fungi, cellulose, etc.) separately and when added to whole soilsmore » it was possible to make py-MBMS more quantitative. Reference compounds, spanning a wide variety of compound categories, and biological samples, expected to be present in SOM, were added to three soils from Colorado, Ohio, and Massachusetts that have varying total C, % clay, and clay type. Py-MBMS, a rapid analysis technique originally developed to analyze complex biomolecules, flash pyrolyzes soil organic matter to form products that are often considered characteristic of the original molecular structure. Samples were pyrolyzed at 550 degrees C by py-MBMS. All samples were weighed and %C and %N determined both before and after pyrolysis to evaluate mass loss, C loss, and N loss for the samples.An average relationship of r2 = 0.76 (P = 0.005) was found for the amount of cellulose added to soil at 25, 50, and 100% of soil C relative to the ion intensity of select mass/charge of the compound.There was a relationship of r2 = 0.93 (P < 0.001) for the amount of indole added to soil at 25, 50, and 100% of soil C and the ion intensity of the associated mass variables (mass/charge). Comparing spectra of pure compounds with the spectra of the compounds added to soil and isolated clay showed that interference could occur based on soil type and compound with the Massachusetts soil with high C (55.8 g C kg-1) and low % clay (5.4%) having the least interference and the Colorado soil with low C (14.6 g C kg-1) and a moderate smectite clay content of 14% having the greatest soil interference. Due to soil interference from clay type and content and varying optimum temperatures of pyrolysis for different compounds it is unlikely that analytical pyrolysis can be quantitative for all types of compounds. Select compound categories such as carbohydrates have the potential to be quantified in soil with analytical pyrolysis due to the fact that they: 1) almost fully pyrolyzed, 2) were represented by a limited number of m/z, and 3) had a strong relationship with the amount added and the total ion intensity produced. The three different soils utilized in this study had similar proportions of C pyrolyzed in the whole soil (54-57%) despite differences in %C and %clay between the soils. Mid-infrared spectroscopic analyses of the soil before and after pyrolysis showed that pyrolysis resulted in reductions in the 3400, 2930-2870, 1660 and 1430 cm-1 bands. These bands are primarily representative of O-H and N-H bonds, C-H stretch, and ..delta.. (CH2) in polysaccharides/lipid and are associated with mineralizable SOM. The incorporation of standards into routine analytical pyrolysis allowed us to assess the quantitative potential of py-MBMS along with the effect of the mineral matrix, which we believe is applicable to all forms of analytical pyrolysis.« less

Standardized Procedures for Use of Nucleic Acid-Based Tools

EPA Science Inventory

Groundwater and soil samples are frequently analyzed using molecular biological tools (MBTs) to detect unique genetic biomarkers associated with Dehalococcoides (Dhc) and other environmentally relevant microorganisms. The results of these analyses are increasingly used b...

Determination of As concentration in earthworm coelomic fluid extracts by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allegretta, Ignazio; Porfido, Carlo; Panzarino, Onofrio; Fontanella, Maria Chiara; Beone, Gian Maria; Spagnuolo, Matteo; Terzano, Roberto

2017-04-01

Earthworms are often used as sentinel organisms to study As bioavailability in polluted soils. Arsenic in earthworms is mainly sequestrated in the coelomic fluids whose As content can therefore be used to asses As bioavalability. In this work, a method for determining As concentration in coelomic fluid extracts using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF) is presented. For this purpose coelomic fluid extracts from earthworms living in three polluted soils and one non-polluted (control) soil have been collected and analysed. A very simple sample preparation was implemented, consisting of a dilution of the extracts with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using a 1:8 ratio and dropwise deposition of the sample on the reflector. A detection limit of 0.2 μg/l and quantification limit of 0.6 μg/l was obtained in the diluted samples, corresponding to 2 μg/l and 6 μg/l in the coelomic fluid extracts, respectively. This allowed to quantify As concentration in coelomic fluids extracted from earthworms living in soils polluted with As at concentrations higher than 20 mg/kg (considered as a pollution threshold for agricultural soils). The TXRF method has been validated by comparison with As concentrations in standards and by analysing the same samples by ICP-MS, after acid digestion of the sample. The low limit of detection, the proven reliability of the method and the little sample preparation make TXRF a suitable, cost-efficient and "green" technique for the analysis of As in earthworm coelomic fluid extracts for bioavailability studies.

A New Model of Size-graded Soil Veneer on the Lunar Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basu, Abhijit; McKay, David S.

2005-01-01

Introduction. We propose a new model of distribution of submillimeter sized lunar soil grains on the lunar surface. We propose that in the uppermost millimeter or two of the lunar surface, soil-grains are size graded with the finest nanoscale dust on top and larger micron-scale particles below. This standard state is perturbed by ejecta deposition of larger grains at the lunar surface, which have a coating of dusty layer that may not have substrates of intermediate sizes. Distribution of solar wind elements (SWE), agglutinates, vapor deposited nanophase Fe0 in size fractions of lunar soils and ir spectra of size fractions of lunar soils are compatible with this model. A direct test of this model requires bringing back glue-impregnated tubes of lunar soil samples to be dissected and examined on Earth.

Target-specific digital soil mapping supporting terroir mapping in Tokaj Wine Region, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takács, Katalin; Szabó, József; Laborczi, Annamária; Szatmári, Gábor; László, Péter; Koós, Sándor; Bakacsi, Zsófia; Pásztor, László

2016-04-01

Tokaj Wine Region - located in Northeast-Hungary, at Hegyalja, in Tokaj Mountains - is a historical region for botrityzed dessert wine making. Very recently the sustainable quality wine production in the region was targeted, which requires detailed and "terroir-based approach" characterization of viticultural land and the survey of the state of vineyards. Terroir is a homogeneous area that relates to both environmental and cultural factors, that influence the grape and wine quality. Soil plays dominant role determining the viticultural potential and terroir delineation. According to viticultural experts the most relevant soil properties are drainage, water holding capacity, soil depth and pH. Not all of these soil characteristics can be directly measured, therefore the synthesis of observed soil properties is needed to satisfy the requirements of terroir mapping. The sampling strategy was designed to be representative to the combinations of basic environmental parameters (slope, aspect and geology) which determine the main soil properties of the vineyards. Field survey was carried out in two steps. At first soil samples were collected from 200 sites to obtain a general view about the pedology of the area. In the second stage further 650 samples were collected and the sampling strategy was designed based on spatial annealing technique taking into consideration the results of the preliminary survey and the local characteristics of vineyards. The data collection regarded soil type, soil depth, parent material, rate of erosion, organic matter content and further physical and chemical soil properties which support the inference of the proper soil parameters. In the framework of the recent project 33 primary and secondary soil property, soil class and soil function maps were compiled. A set of the resulting maps supports to meet the demands of the Hungarian standard viticultural potential assessment, while the majority of the maps is intended to be applied for terroir delineation. The spatial extension was performed by two, different methods which are widely applied in digital soil mapping. Regression kriging was used for creating continuous soil property maps, category type soil maps were compiled by classification trees method. Accuracy assessment was also provided for all of the soil map products. Our poster will present the summary of the project workflow - the design of sampling strategy, field survey, digital soil mapping process - and some examples of the resulting soil property maps indicating their applicability in terroir delineation. Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to the Tokaj Kereskedöház Ltd. which has been supporting the project for the survey of the state of vineyards. Digital soil mapping was partly supported by the Hungarian National Scientific Research Foundation (OTKA, Grant No. K105167).

Use of a deuterated internal standard with pyrolysis-GC/MS dimeric marker analysis to quantify tire tread particles in the environment.

PubMed

Unice, Kenneth M; Kreider, Marisa L; Panko, Julie M

2012-11-08

Pyrolysis(pyr)-GC/MS analysis of characteristic thermal decomposition fragments has been previously used for qualitative fingerprinting of organic sources in environmental samples. A quantitative pyr-GC/MS method based on characteristic tire polymer pyrolysis products was developed for tread particle quantification in environmental matrices including soil, sediment, and air. The feasibility of quantitative pyr-GC/MS analysis of tread was confirmed in a method evaluation study using artificial soil spiked with known amounts of cryogenically generated tread. Tread concentration determined by blinded analyses was highly correlated (r2 ≥ 0.88) with the known tread spike concentration. Two critical refinements to the initial pyrolysis protocol were identified including use of an internal standard and quantification by the dimeric markers vinylcyclohexene and dipentene, which have good specificity for rubber polymer with no other appreciable environmental sources. A novel use of deuterated internal standards of similar polymeric structure was developed to correct the variable analyte recovery caused by sample size, matrix effects, and ion source variability. The resultant quantitative pyr-GC/MS protocol is reliable and transferable between laboratories.

Standard operating procedures for collection of soil and sediment samples for the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Shawn C.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Jones, Daniel K.; Benzel, William M.; Griffin, Dale W.; Loftin, Keith A.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Cohl, Jonathan A.

2015-12-17

An understanding of the effects on human and ecological health brought by major coastal storms or flooding events is typically limited because of a lack of regionally consistent baseline and trends data in locations proximal to potential contaminant sources and mitigation activities, sensitive ecosystems, and recreational facilities where exposures are probable. In an attempt to close this gap, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has implemented the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study to collect regional sediment-quality data prior to and in response to future coastal storms. The standard operating procedure (SOP) detailed in this document serves as the sample-collection protocol for the SCoRR strategy by providing step-by-step instructions for site preparation, sample collection and processing, and shipping of soil and surficial sediment (for example, bed sediment, marsh sediment, or beach material). The objectives of the SCoRR strategy pilot study are (1) to create a baseline of soil-, sand-, marsh sediment-, and bed-sediment-quality data from sites located in the coastal counties from Maine to Virginia based on their potential risk of being contaminated in the event of a major coastal storm or flooding (defined as Resiliency mode); and (2) respond to major coastal storms and flooding by reoccupying select baseline sites and sampling within days of the event (defined as Response mode). For both modes, samples are collected in a consistent manner to minimize bias and maximize quality control by ensuring that all sampling personnel across the region collect, document, and process soil and sediment samples following the procedures outlined in this SOP. Samples are analyzed using four USGS-developed screening methods—inorganic geochemistry, organic geochemistry, pathogens, and biological assays—which are also outlined in this SOP. Because the SCoRR strategy employs a multi-metric approach for sample analyses, this protocol expands upon and reconciles differences in the sample collection protocols outlined in the USGS “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data,” which should be used in conjunction with this SOP. A new data entry and sample tracking system also is presented to ensure all relevant data and metadata are gathered at the sample locations and in the laboratories.

Microbial Biomarkers for Native and Agricultural Soil Inputs to Atmospheric Particulate Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, J. M.; Herckes, P.; Fraser, M. P.; Collins, J.; Van Mooy, B. A.

2017-12-01

Intense dust storms (haboobs) erode desert soils and cause dramatic short-term increases in particulate matter (PM) concentration in the atmosphere. Background atmospheric PM levels in the southwestern United States also commonly exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, so episodic haboobs and normal weather patterns both contribute to aeolian transport. We analyzed fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM>2.5) dust fractions sampled in Tempe, Arizona for molecular biomarkers indicative of dust sourced from either native or agricultural soils. We focused on pigments and intact polar lipids (IPLs) that were also in soil crusts collected in the region. The PM samples were taken during two weeks (23 July to 5 August 2014) that included two haboobs during the first week and mostly calm weather with minor rainfall during the second week. We detected scytonemin, a diagnostic pigment biomarker for cyanobacteria, in all PM>2.5 samples, but its concentration was highest in haboob dust. Similarly, scytonemin was only abundant in PM2.5 samples taken during haboobs. Scytonemin is an important component of native biological soil crusts, protecting the crust community from UV radiation, and is ca. two orders of magnitude less abundant in disturbed agricultural soils. In biological soil crusts, scytonemin is associated with extracellular polysaccharides that are produced by cyanobacteria and bind soil into cohesive crusts. The association between scytonemin and haboobs suggests that native soil erosion is facilitated by high energy, episodic events that overcome crust cohesion. IPLs were abundant in agricultural soil crusts and included phosphatidylethanolamine from soil bacteria and a glucosylceramide from fungi. These compounds had similar concentration in haboob and background dust, suggesting agricultural or otherwise disturbed soils contribute more to ambient dust. In this study, we employed a new high resolution mass spectrometric method that produces molecular formulas and structural information, even at very low abundance. Employing this analysis on atmospheric PM improves our understanding of mechanisms by which soil crust biomarkers are transferred to lake and ocean sediments and can also contribute to source apportionment models for describing atmospheric dust contamination.

Impacts of mining activities on water and soil.

PubMed

Warhate, S R; Yenkie, M K N; Chaudhari, M D; Pokale, W K

2006-04-01

Seven coal mines are situated in Wardha River Valley. These mines are located at Wani (Dist. Yavatmal of Maharashtra). Out of these, 5 open cast coal mines are run by Western Coal Field Ltd. India. The present study has been undertaken to assess the impacts of mining activities in the adjacent areas. Total 25 samples of water and 19 samples of soil from Nilapur, Bramhani, Kolera, Gowari, Pimpari and Aheri were analyzed for pH, TDS, hardness, alkalinity, fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, cadmium, lead, zinc, copper, nickel, arsenic, manganese, sodium and potassium, and the results were compared with the limits of Indian Standards: 10500.

Amalgam Electrode-Based Electrochemical Detector for On-Site Direct Determination of Cadmium(II) and Lead(II) from Soils

PubMed Central

Nejdl, Lukas; Kynicky, Jindrich; Brtnicky, Martin; Vaculovicova, Marketa; Adam, Vojtech

2017-01-01

Toxic metal contamination of the environment is a global issue. In this paper, we present a low-cost and rapid production of amalgam electrodes used for determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in environmental samples (soils and wastewaters) by on-site analysis using difference pulse voltammetry. Changes in the electrochemical signals were recorded with a miniaturized potentiostat (width: 80 mm, depth: 54 mm, height: 23 mm) and a portable computer. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated for the geometric surface of the working electrode 15 mm2 that can be varied as required for analysis. The LODs were 80 ng·mL−1 for Cd(II) and 50 ng·mL−1 for Pb(II), relative standard deviation, RSD ≤ 8% (n = 3). The area of interest (Dolni Rozinka, Czech Republic) was selected because there is a deposit of uranium ore and extreme anthropogenic activity. Environmental samples were taken directly on-site and immediately analysed. Duration of a single analysis was approximately two minutes. The average concentrations of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in this area were below the global average. The obtained values were verified (correlated) by standard electrochemical methods based on hanging drop electrodes and were in good agreement. The advantages of this method are its cost and time effectivity (approximately two minutes per one sample) with direct analysis of turbid samples (soil leach) in a 2 M HNO3 environment. This type of sample cannot be analyzed using the classical analytical methods without pretreatment. PMID:28792458

Wave-current induced erosion of cohesive riverbanks in northern Manitoba, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimiaghalam, N.; Clark, S.; Ahmari, H.; Hunt, J.

2015-03-01

The field of cohesive soil erosion is still not fully understood, in large part due to the many soil parameters that affect cohesive soil erodibility. This study is focused on two channels, 2-Mile and 8-Mile channels in northern Manitoba, Canada, that were built to connect Lake Winnipeg with Playgreen Lake and Playgreen Lake with Kiskikittogisu Lake, respectively. The banks of the channels consist of clay rich soils and alluvial deposits of layered clay, silts and sands. The study of erosion at the sites is further complicated because the flow-induced erosion is combined with the effects of significant wave action due to the large fetch length on the adjacent lakes, particularly Lake Winnipeg that is the seventh largest lake in North America. The study included three main components: field measurements, laboratory experiments and numerical modelling. Field measurements consisted of soil sampling from the banks and bed of the channels, current measurements and water sampling. Grab soil samples were used to measure the essential physical and electrochemical properties of the riverbanks, and standard ASTM Shelby tube samples were used to estimate the critical shear stress and erodibility of the soil samples using an erosion measurement device (EMD). Water samples were taken to estimate the sediment concentration profile and also to monitor changes in sediment concentration along the channels over time. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was used to collect bathymetry and current data, and two water level gauges have been installed to record water levels at the entrance and outlet of the channels. The MIKE 21 NSW model was used to simulate waves using historical winds and measured bathymetry of the channels and lakes. Finally, results from the wave numerical model, laboratory tests and current measurement were used to estimate the effect of each component on erodibility of the cohesive banks.

[Bayesian geostatistical prediction of soil organic carbon contents of solonchak soils in nor-thern Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Wu, Wei Mo; Wang, Jia Qiang; Cao, Qi; Wu, Jia Ping

2017-02-01

Accurate prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution is crucial for soil resources utilization and conservation, climate change adaptation, and ecosystem health. In this study, we selected a 1300 m×1700 m solonchak sampling area in northern Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China, and collected a total of 144 soil samples (5-10 cm). The objectives of this study were to build a Baye-sian geostatistical model to predict SOC content, and to assess the performance of the Bayesian model for the prediction of SOC content by comparing with other three geostatistical approaches [ordinary kriging (OK), sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS), and inverse distance weighting (IDW)]. In the study area, soil organic carbon contents ranged from 1.59 to 9.30 g·kg -1 with a mean of 4.36 g·kg -1 and a standard deviation of 1.62 g·kg -1 . Sample semivariogram was best fitted by an exponential model with the ratio of nugget to sill being 0.57. By using the Bayesian geostatistical approach, we generated the SOC content map, and obtained the prediction variance, upper 95% and lower 95% of SOC contents, which were then used to evaluate the prediction uncertainty. Bayesian geostatistical approach performed better than that of the OK, SGS and IDW, demonstrating the advantages of Bayesian approach in SOC prediction.

Impact of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution on Food Safety in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiuying; Zhong, Taiyang; Liu, Lei; Ouyang, Xiaoying

2015-01-01

Food safety is a major concern for the Chinese public. This study collected 465 published papers on heavy metal pollution rates (the ratio of the samples exceeding the Grade II limits for Chinese soils, the Soil Environmental Quality Standard-1995) in farmland soil throughout China. The results showed that Cd had the highest pollution rate of 7.75%, followed by Hg, Cu, Ni and Zn, Pb and Cr had the lowest pollution rates at lower than 1%. The total pollution rate in Chinese farmland soil was 10.18%, mainly from Cd, Hg, Cu, and Ni. The human activities of mining and smelting, industry, irrigation by sewage, urban development, and fertilizer application released certain amounts of heavy metals into soil, which resulted in the farmland soil being polluted. Considering the spatial variations of grain production, about 13.86% of grain production was affected due to the heavy metal pollution in farmland soil. These results many provide valuable information for agricultural soil management and protection in China.

Impact of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution on Food Safety in China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiuying; Zhong, Taiyang; Liu, Lei; Ouyang, Xiaoying

2015-01-01

Food safety is a major concern for the Chinese public. This study collected 465 published papers on heavy metal pollution rates (the ratio of the samples exceeding the Grade II limits for Chinese soils, the Soil Environmental Quality Standard-1995) in farmland soil throughout China. The results showed that Cd had the highest pollution rate of 7.75%, followed by Hg, Cu, Ni and Zn, Pb and Cr had the lowest pollution rates at lower than 1%. The total pollution rate in Chinese farmland soil was 10.18%, mainly from Cd, Hg, Cu, and Ni. The human activities of mining and smelting, industry, irrigation by sewage, urban development, and fertilizer application released certain amounts of heavy metals into soil, which resulted in the farmland soil being polluted. Considering the spatial variations of grain production, about 13.86% of grain production was affected due to the heavy metal pollution in farmland soil. These results many provide valuable information for agricultural soil management and protection in China. PMID:26252956

Comparative evaluation of PCR amplification of RLEP, 16S rRNA, rpoT and Sod A gene targets for detection of M. leprae DNA from clinical and environmental samples.

PubMed

Turankar, Ravindra P; Pandey, Shradha; Lavania, Mallika; Singh, Itu; Nigam, Astha; Darlong, Joydeepa; Darlong, Fam; Sengupta, Utpal

2015-03-01

PCR assay is a highly sensitive, specific and reliable diagnostic tool for the identification of pathogens in many infectious diseases. Genome sequencing Mycobacterium leprae revealed several gene targets that could be used for the detection of DNA from clinical and environmental samples. The PCR sensitivity of particular gene targets for specific clinical and environmental isolates has not yet been established. The present study was conducted to compare the sensitivity of RLEP, rpoT, Sod A and 16S rRNA gene targets in the detection of M. leprae in slit skin smear (SSS), blood, soil samples of leprosy patients and their surroundings. Leprosy patients were classified into Paucibacillary (PB) and Multibacillary (MB) types. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining method for all the SSS samples and Bacteriological Index (BI) was calculated for all patients. Standard laboratory protocol was used for DNA extraction from SSS, blood and soil samples. PCR technique was performed for the detection of M. leprae DNA from all the above-mentioned samples. RLEP gene target was able to detect the presence of M. leprae in 83% of SSS, 100% of blood samples and in 36% of soil samples and was noted to be the best out of all other gene targets (rpoT, Sod A and 16S rRNA). It was noted that the RLEP gene target was able to detect the highest number (53%) of BI-negative leprosy patients amongst all the gene targets used in this study. Amongst all the gene targets used in this study, PCR positivity using RLEP gene target was the highest in all the clinical and environmental samples. Further, the RLEP gene target was able to detect 53% of blood samples as positive in BI-negative leprosy cases indicating its future standardization and use for diagnostic purposes. Copyright © 2015 Asian African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey monitoring results on the reduction of micropollutants, bacteria, bacteriophages and TSS in retention soil filters.

PubMed

Tondera, Katharina; Koenen, Stefan; Pinnekamp, Johannes

2013-01-01

A main source of surface water pollution in Western Europe stems from combined sewer overflow. One of the few technologies available to reduce this pollution is the retention soil filter. In this research project, we evaluated the cleaning efficiency of retention soil filters measuring the concentration ratio of standard wastewater parameters and bacteria according to factors limiting efficiency, such as long dry phases or phases of long-lasting retention. Furthermore, we conducted an initial investigation on how well retention soil filters reduce certain micropollutants on large-scale plants. There was little precipitation during the 1-year sampling phase, which led to fewer samples than expected. Nevertheless, we could verify how efficiently retention soil filters clean total suspended solids. Our results show that retention soil filters are not only able to eliminate bacteria, but also to retain some of the micropollutants investigated here. As the filters were able to reduce diclofenac, bisphenol A and metoprolol by a median rate of almost 75%, we think that further investigations should be made into the reduction processes in the filter. At this point, a higher accuracy in the results could be achieved by conducting bench-scale experiments.

Bacterial Diversity within the Extreme Arid Atacama Desert Soils of the Yungay Region, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connon, S. A.; Lester, E. D.; Shafaat, H. S.; Obenhuber, D. C.; Ponce, A.

2006-12-01

Surface and subsurface soil samples analyzed for this study were collected from the hyper-arid Yungay region of the Atacama Desert, Chile. This is the first report of microbial diversity from DNA extracted directly from these extremely desiccated soils. Our data shows that 94% of the 16S rRNA genes cloned from these soils belong to the Actinobacteria phylum. A 24-hour time course series showed a diurnal water activity (aw) cycle that peaked at 0.52 in the early predawn hours, and ranged from 0.08 0.01 during the day. All measured water activity values were below the level required for microbial growth or enzyme activity. Total organic carbon (TOC) levels in this region were just above the limits of detection and ranged from 220 660 μg/g of soil. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) levels indicated cellular biomass ranging from 2 ×105 to 7 ×106 cell equivalents per gram of soil. The culturable counts were low with most samples showing no growth on standard plates of R2A medium; the highest single count was 47 colony forming units (CFU) per gram.

Haemolytic activity of soil from areas of varying podoconiosis endemicity in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Le Blond, Jennifer S.; Baxter, Peter J.; Bello, Dhimiter; Raftis, Jennifer; Molla, Yordanos B.; Cuadros, Javier; Davey, Gail

2017-01-01

Background Podoconiosis, non-filarial elephantiasis, is a non-infectious disease found in tropical regions such as Ethiopia, localized in highland areas with volcanic soils cultivated by barefoot subsistence farmers. It is thought that soil particles can pass through the soles of the feet and taken up by the lymphatic system, leading to the characteristic chronic oedema of the lower legs that becomes disfiguring and disabling over time. Methods The close association of the disease with volcanic soils led us to investigate the characteristics of soil samples in an endemic area in Ethiopia to identify the potential causal constituents. We used the in vitro haemolysis assay and compared haemolytic activity (HA) with soil samples collected in a non-endemic region of the same area in Ethiopia. We included soil samples that had been previously characterized, in addition we present other data describing the characteristics of the soil and include pure phase mineral standards as comparisons. Results The bulk chemical composition of the soils were statistically significantly different between the podoconiosis-endemic and non-endemic areas, with the exception of CaO and Cr. Likewise, the soil mineralogy was statistically significant for iron oxide, feldspars, mica and chlorite. Smectite and kaolinite clays were widely present and elicited a strong HA, as did quartz, in comparison to other mineral phases tested, although no strong difference was found in HA between soils from the two areas. The relationship was further investigated with principle component analysis (PCA), which showed that a combination of an increase in Y, Zr and Al2O3, and a concurrent increase Fe2O3, TiO2, MnO and Ba in the soils increased HA. Conclusion The mineralogy and chemistry of the soils influenced the HA, although the interplay between the components is complex. Further research should consider the variable biopersistance, hygroscopicity and hardness of the minerals and further characterize the nano-scale particles. PMID:28493920

Carbon Turnover in Organic Soils of Central Saskatchewan: Insights From a Core-Based Decomposition Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, I. E.; Bhatti, J. S.; Hurdle, P. A.

2004-05-01

Field-based decomposition studies that examine several site types tend to use one of two approaches: Either the decay of one (or more) standard litters is examined in all sites, or litters native to each site type are incubated in the environment they came from. The first of these approaches examines effects of environment on decay, whereas the latter determines rates of mass loss characteristic of each site type. Both methods are usually restricted to a limited number of litters, and neither allows for a direct estimate of ecosystem-level parameters (e.g. heterotrophic respiration). In order to examine changes in total organic matter turnover along forest - peatland gradients in central Saskatchewan, we measured mass loss of native peat samples from six different depths (surface to 50 cm) over one year. Samples were obtained by sectioning short peat cores, and cores and samples were returned to their original position after determining the initial weight of each sample. A standard litter (birch popsicle sticks) was included at each depth, and water tables and soil temperature were monitored over the growing season. After one year, average mass loss in surface peat samples was similar to published values from litter bag studies, ranging from 12 to 21 percent in the environments examined. Native peat mass loss showed few systematic differences between sites or along the forest - peatland gradient, with over 60 percent of the total variability explained by depth alone. Mass loss of standard litter samples was highly variable, with high values in areas at the transition between upland and peatland that may have experienced recent disturbance. In combination, these results suggest strong litter-based control over natural rates of organic matter turnover. Estimates of heterotrophic respiration calculated from the mass loss data are higher than values obtained by eddy covariance or static chamber techniques, probably reflecting loss of material during the handling of samples or increased mass loss from manipulated profiles. Nevertheless, the core-based method is a useful tool in examining carbon dynamics of organic soils, since it provides a good relative index of organic matter turnover, and allows for separate examination of environmental and litter-based effects.

[Determination of soil exchangeable base cations by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and extraction with ammonium acetate].

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-ge; Xiao, Min; Dong, Yi-hua; Jiang, Yong

2012-08-01

A method to determine soil exchangeable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and sodium (Na) by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and extraction with ammonium acetate was developed. Results showed that the accuracy of exchangeable base cation data with AAS method fits well with the national standard referential soil data. The relative errors for parallel samples of exchangeable Ca and Mg with 66 pair samples ranged from 0.02%-3.14% and 0.06%-4.06%, and averaged to be 1.22% and 1.25%, respectively. The relative errors for exchangeable K and Na with AAS and flame photometer (FP) ranged from 0.06%-8.39% and 0.06-1.54, and averaged to be 3.72% and 0.56%, respectively. A case study showed that the determination method for exchangeable base cations by using AAS was proven to be reliable and trustable, which could reflect the real situation of soil cation exchange properties in farmlands.

Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) equipment calibration for multielement analysis of soil and rock samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Moraes, Alex Silva; Tech, Lohane; Melquíades, Fábio Luiz; Bastos, Rodrigo Oliveira

2014-11-01

Considering the importance to understand the behavior of the elements on different natural and/or anthropic processes, this study had as objective to verify the accuracy of a multielement analysis method for rocks characterization by using soil standards as calibration reference. An EDXRF equipment was used. The analyses were made on samples doped with known concentration of Mn, Zn, Rb, Sr and Zr, for the obtainment of the calibration curves, and on a certified rock sample to check the accuracy of the analytical curves. Then, a set of rock samples from Rio Bonito, located in Figueira city, Paraná State, Brazil, were analyzed. The concentration values obtained, in ppm, for Mn, Rb, Sr and Zr varied, respectively, from 175 to 1084, 7.4 to 268, 28 to 2247 and 15 to 761.

Comparison of three DNA extraction kits to establish maximum yield and quality of coral-associated microbial DNA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Erin J.; Kellogg, Christina A.

2014-01-01

Coral microbiology is an expanding field, yet there is no standard DNA extraction protocol. Although many researchers depend on commercial extraction kits, no specific kit has been optimized for use with coral samples. Both soil and plant DNA extraction kits from MO BIO Laboratories, Inc., have been used by many research groups for this purpose. MO BIO recently replaced their PowerPlant® kit with an improved PowerPlantPro kit, but it was unclear how these changes would affect the kit’s use with coral samples. In order to determine which kit produced the best results, we conducted a comparison between the original PowerPlant kit, the new PowerPlantPro kit, and an alternative kit, PowerSoil, using samples from several different coral genera. The PowerPlantPro kit had the highest DNA yields, but the lack of 16S rRNA gene amplification in many samples suggests that much of the yield may be coral DNA rather than microbial DNA. The most consistent positive amplifications came from the PowerSoil kit.

Stray animal and human defecation as sources of soil-transmitted helminth eggs in playgrounds of Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Mohd Zain, S N; Rahman, R; Lewis, J W

2015-11-01

Soil contaminated with helminth eggs and protozoan cysts is a potential source of infection and poses a threat to the public, especially to young children frequenting playgrounds. The present study determines the levels of infection of helminth eggs in soil samples from urban and suburban playgrounds in five states in Peninsular Malaysia and identifies one source of contamination via faecal screening from stray animals. Three hundred soil samples from 60 playgrounds in five states in Peninsular Malaysia were screened using the centrifugal flotation technique to identify and determine egg/cyst counts per gram (EPG) for each parasite. All playgrounds, especially those in Penang, were found to be contaminated with eggs from four nematode genera, with Toxocara eggs (95.7%) the highest, followed by Ascaris (93.3%), Ancylostoma (88.3%) and Trichuris (77.0%). In addition, faeces from animal shelters were found to contain both helminth eggs and protozoan cysts, with overall infection rates being 54% and 57% for feline and canine samples, respectively. The most frequently occurring parasite in feline samples was Toxocara cati (37%; EPG, 42.47 ± 156.08), while in dog faeces it was Ancylostoma sp. (54%; EPG, 197.16 ± 383.28). Infection levels also tended to be influenced by season, type of park/playground and the texture of soil/faeces. The occurrence of Toxocara, Ancylostoma and Trichuris eggs in soil samples highlights the risk of transmission to the human population, especially children, while the presence of Ascaris eggs suggests a human source of contamination and raises the issue of hygiene standards and public health risks at sites under investigation.

The validation of forensic DNA extraction systems to utilize soil contaminated biological evidence.

PubMed

Kasu, Mohaimin; Shires, Karen

2015-07-01

The production of full DNA profiles from biological evidence found in soil has a high failure rate due largely to the inhibitory substance humic acid (HA). Abundant in various natural soils, HA co-extracts with DNA during extraction and inhibits DNA profiling by binding to the molecular components of the genotyping assay. To successfully utilize traces of soil contaminated evidence, such as that found at many murder and rape crime scenes in South Africa, a reliable HA removal extraction system would often be selected based on previous validation studies. However, for many standard forensic DNA extraction systems, peer-reviewed publications detailing the efficacy on soil evidence is either lacking or is incomplete. Consequently, these sample types are often not collected or fail to yield suitable DNA material due to the use of unsuitable methodology. The aim of this study was to validate the common forensic DNA collection and extraction systems used in South Africa, namely DNA IQ, FTA elute and Nucleosave for processing blood and saliva contaminated with HA. A forensic appropriate volume of biological evidence was spiked with HA (0, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 mg/ml) and processed through each extraction protocol for the evaluation of HA removal using QPCR and STR-genotyping. The DNA IQ magnetic bead system effectively removed HA from highly contaminated blood and saliva, and generated consistently acceptable STR profiles from both artificially spiked samples and crude soil samples. This system is highly recommended for use on soil-contaminated evidence over the cellulose card-based systems currently being preferentially used for DNA sample collection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved δ(13)C analysis of amino sugars in soil by ion chromatography-oxidation-isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Dippold, Michaela A; Boesel, Stefanie; Gunina, Anna; Kuzyakov, Yakov; Glaser, Bruno

2014-03-30

Amino sugars build up microbial cell walls and are important components of soil organic matter. To evaluate their sources and turnover, δ(13)C analysis of soil-derived amino sugars by liquid chromatography was recently suggested. However, amino sugar δ(13)C determination remains challenging due to (1) a strong matrix effect, (2) CO2 -binding by alkaline eluents, and (3) strongly different chromatographic behavior and concentrations of basic and acidic amino sugars. To overcome these difficulties we established an ion chromatography-oxidation-isotope ratio mass spectrometry method to improve and facilitate soil amino sugar analysis. After acid hydrolysis of soil samples, the extract was purified from salts and other components impeding chromatographic resolution. The amino sugar concentrations and δ(13)C values were determined by coupling an ion chromatograph to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The accuracy and precision of quantification and δ(13)C determination were assessed. Internal standards enabled correction for losses during analysis, with a relative standard deviation <6%. The higher magnitude peaks of basic than of acidic amino sugars required an amount-dependent correction of δ(13)C values. This correction improved the accuracy of the determination of δ(13)C values to <1.5‰ and the precision to <0.5‰ for basic and acidic amino sugars in a single run. This method enables parallel quantification and δ(13)C determination of basic and acidic amino sugars in a single chromatogram due to the advantages of coupling an ion chromatograph to the isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Small adjustments of sample amount and injection volume are necessary to optimize precision and accuracy for individual soils. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distribution Development for STORM Ingestion Input Parameters

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

Fulton, John

The Sandia-developed Transport of Radioactive Materials (STORM) code suite is used as part of the Radioisotope Power System Launch Safety (RPSLS) program to perform statistical modeling of the consequences due to release of radioactive material given a launch accident. As part of this modeling, STORM samples input parameters from probability distributions with some parameters treated as constants. This report described the work done to convert four of these constant inputs (Consumption Rate, Average Crop Yield, Cropland to Landuse Database Ratio, and Crop Uptake Factor) to sampled values. Consumption rate changed from a constant value of 557.68 kg / yr tomore » a normal distribution with a mean of 102.96 kg / yr and a standard deviation of 2.65 kg / yr. Meanwhile, Average Crop Yield changed from a constant value of 3.783 kg edible / m 2 to a normal distribution with a mean of 3.23 kg edible / m 2 and a standard deviation of 0.442 kg edible / m 2 . The Cropland to Landuse Database ratio changed from a constant value of 0.0996 (9.96%) to a normal distribution with a mean value of 0.0312 (3.12%) and a standard deviation of 0.00292 (0.29%). Finally the crop uptake factor changed from a constant value of 6.37e -4 (Bq crop /kg)/(Bq soil /kg) to a lognormal distribution with a geometric mean value of 3.38e -4 (Bq crop /kg)/(Bq soil /kg) and a standard deviation value of 3.33 (Bq crop /kg)/(Bq soil /kg)« less

Multivariate statistical analysis of heavy metal concentration in soils of Yelagiri Hills, Tamilnadu, India--spectroscopical approach.

PubMed

Chandrasekaran, A; Ravisankar, R; Harikrishnan, N; Satapathy, K K; Prasad, M V R; Kanagasabapathy, K V

2015-02-25

Anthropogenic activities increase the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil environment. Soil pollution significantly reduces environmental quality and affects the human health. In the present study soil samples were collected at different locations of Yelagiri Hills, Tamilnadu, India for heavy metal analysis. The samples were analyzed for twelve selected heavy metals (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn) using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy. Heavy metals concentration in soil were investigated using enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) to determine metal accumulation, distribution and its pollution status. Heavy metal toxicity risk was assessed using soil quality guidelines (SQGs) given by target and intervention values of Dutch soil standards. The concentration of Ni, Co, Zn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ti, K, Al, Mg were mainly controlled by natural sources. Multivariate statistical methods such as correlation matrix, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied for the identification of heavy metal sources (anthropogenic/natural origin). Geo-statistical methods such as kirging identified hot spots of metal contamination in road areas influenced mainly by presence of natural rocks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variations in the Rate of Infestations of Dogs with Zoonotic Nematodes and the Contamination of Soil in Different Environments

PubMed Central

Demkowska-Kutrzepa, Marta; Borecka, Anna; Meisner, Michał; Tomczuk, Krzysztof; Roczeń-Karczmarz, Monika; Kłapeć, Teresa; Abbass, Zahrai; Cholewa, Alicja

2017-01-01

Companion animals are an important aspect in human life. However, they may also be considered a source of pathogens. An example of zoonotic parasitoses is toxocarosis or cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). The aim of the study was to detect zoonotic nematodes of dogs living in different areas and the intensity of contamination in parasite polluted environments that are hazardous to human health. The fecal samples were examined using standard flotation and decantation methods as well as McMaster’s quantitative technique. The soil samples in urban and rural areas were examined using a modified flotation method as described by Quinn et al. Statistical analyses were performed by IBM SPSS Statistics Version 23. The overall prevalence of parasites in dogs was 38%, 17.02% and 56.60% from urban and rural areas, respectively. The percentage values of nematodes important for human health (Toxocara canis, Ancylostomatidae, Trichuris vulpis) remained at the same level (16%). The infected dogs were dominated by a single parasite species, the main was T. canis (28.95%). In total, 54.30% of the soil samples were contaminated with parasite eggs. The contamination of urban and rural sandpits was 40% and 60%, respectively. The molecular examinations of soil samples using LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) confirmed the presence of nematode eggs of the species T. canis in all samples previously classified as positive PMID:28862690

Variations in the Rate of Infestations of Dogs with Zoonotic Nematodes and the Contamination of Soil in Different Environments.

PubMed

Studzińska, Maria Bernadeta; Demkowska-Kutrzepa, Marta; Borecka, Anna; Meisner, Michał; Tomczuk, Krzysztof; Roczeń-Karczmarz, Monika; Kłapeć, Teresa; Abbass, Zahrai; Cholewa, Alicja

2017-09-01

Companion animals are an important aspect in human life. However, they may also be considered a source of pathogens. An example of zoonotic parasitoses is toxocarosis or cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). The aim of the study was to detect zoonotic nematodes of dogs living in different areas and the intensity of contamination in parasite polluted environments that are hazardous to human health. The fecal samples were examined using standard flotation and decantation methods as well as McMaster's quantitative technique. The soil samples in urban and rural areas were examined using a modified flotation method as described by Quinn et al. Statistical analyses were performed by IBM SPSS Statistics Version 23. The overall prevalence of parasites in dogs was 38%, 17.02% and 56.60% from urban and rural areas, respectively. The percentage values of nematodes important for human health ( Toxocara canis , Ancylostomatidae, Trichuris vulpis ) remained at the same level (16%). The infected dogs were dominated by a single parasite species, the main was T. canis (28.95%). In total, 54.30% of the soil samples were contaminated with parasite eggs. The contamination of urban and rural sandpits was 40% and 60%, respectively. The molecular examinations of soil samples using LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) confirmed the presence of nematode eggs of the species T. canis in all samples previously classified as positive.

Effort versus Reward: Preparing Samples for Fungal Community Characterization in High-Throughput Sequencing Surveys of Soils

PubMed Central

Song, Zewei; Schlatter, Dan; Kennedy, Peter; Kinkel, Linda L.; Kistler, H. Corby; Nguyen, Nhu; Bates, Scott T.

2015-01-01

Next generation fungal amplicon sequencing is being used with increasing frequency to study fungal diversity in various ecosystems; however, the influence of sample preparation on the characterization of fungal community is poorly understood. We investigated the effects of four procedural modifications to library preparation for high-throughput sequencing (HTS). The following treatments were considered: 1) the amount of soil used in DNA extraction, 2) the inclusion of additional steps (freeze/thaw cycles, sonication, or hot water bath incubation) in the extraction procedure, 3) the amount of DNA template used in PCR, and 4) the effect of sample pooling, either physically or computationally. Soils from two different ecosystems in Minnesota, USA, one prairie and one forest site, were used to assess the generality of our results. The first three treatments did not significantly influence observed fungal OTU richness or community structure at either site. Physical pooling captured more OTU richness compared to individual samples, but total OTU richness at each site was highest when individual samples were computationally combined. We conclude that standard extraction kit protocols are well optimized for fungal HTS surveys, but because sample pooling can significantly influence OTU richness estimates, it is important to carefully consider the study aims when planning sampling procedures. PMID:25974078

An instrument for automated purification of nucleic acids from contaminated forensic samples

PubMed Central

Broemeling, David J; Pel, Joel; Gunn, Dylan C; Mai, Laura; Thompson, Jason D; Poon, Hiron; Marziali, Andre

2008-01-01

Forensic crime scene sample analysis, by its nature, often deals with samples in which there are low amounts of nucleic acids, on substrates that often lead to inhibition of subsequent enzymatic reactions such as PCR amplification for STR profiling. Common substrates include denim from blue jeans, which yields indigo dye as a PCR inhibitor, and soil, which yields humic substances as inhibitors. These inhibitors frequently co-extract with nucleic acids in standard column or bead-based preps, leading to frequent failure of STR profiling. We present a novel instrument for DNA purification of forensic samples that is capable of highly effective concentration of nucleic acids from soil particulates, fabric, and other complex samples including solid components. The novel concentration process, known as SCODA, is inherently selective for long charged polymers such as DNA, and therefore is able to effectively reject known contaminants. We present an automated sample preparation instrument based on this process, and preliminary results based on mock forensic samples. PMID:18438455

The first X-ray diffraction measurements on Mars.

PubMed

Bish, David; Blake, David; Vaniman, David; Sarrazin, Philippe; Bristow, Thomas; Achilles, Cherie; Dera, Przemyslaw; Chipera, Steve; Crisp, Joy; Downs, R T; Farmer, Jack; Gailhanou, Marc; Ming, Doug; Morookian, John Michael; Morris, Richard; Morrison, Shaunna; Rampe, Elizabeth; Treiman, Allan; Yen, Albert

2014-11-01

The Mars Science Laboratory landed in Gale crater on Mars in August 2012, and the Curiosity rover then began field studies on its drive toward Mount Sharp, a central peak made of ancient sediments. CheMin is one of ten instruments on or inside the rover, all designed to provide detailed information on the rocks, soils and atmosphere in this region. CheMin is a miniaturized X-ray diffraction/X-ray fluorescence (XRD/XRF) instrument that uses transmission geometry with an energy-discriminating CCD detector. CheMin uses onboard standards for XRD and XRF calibration, and beryl:quartz mixtures constitute the primary XRD standards. Four samples have been analysed by CheMin, namely a soil sample, two samples drilled from mudstones and a sample drilled from a sandstone. Rietveld and full-pattern analysis of the XRD data reveal a complex mineralogy, with contributions from parent igneous rocks, amorphous components and several minerals relating to aqueous alteration. In particular, the mudstone samples all contain one or more phyllosilicates consistent with alteration in liquid water. In addition to quantitative mineralogy, Rietveld refinements also provide unit-cell parameters for the major phases, which can be used to infer the chemical compositions of individual minerals and, by difference, the composition of the amorphous component.

Filter Membrane Effects on Water-Extractable Phosphorus Concentrations from Soil.

PubMed

Norby, Jessica; Strawn, Daniel; Brooks, Erin

2018-03-01

To accurately assess P concentrations in soil extracts, standard laboratory practices for monitoring P concentrations are needed. Water-extractable P is a common analytical test to determine P availability for leaching from soils, and it is used to determine best management practices. Most P analytical tests require filtration through a filter membrane with 0.45-μm pore size to distinguish between particulate and dissolved P species. However, filter membrane type is rarely specified in method protocols, and many different types of membranes are available. In this study, three common filter membrane materials (polyether sulfone, nylon, and nitrocellulose), all with 0.45-μm pore sizes, were tested for analytical differences in total P concentrations and dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentrations in water extracts from six soils sampled from two regions. Three of the extracts from the six soil samples had different total P concentrations for all three membrane types. The other three soil extracts had significantly different total P results from at least one filter membrane type. Total P concentration differences were as great as 35%. The DRP concentrations in the extracts were dependent on filter type in five of the six soil types. Results from this research show that filter membrane type is an important parameter that affects concentrations of total P and DRP from soil extracts. Thus, membrane type should be specified in soil extraction protocols. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Effects of heavy metal contamination of soils on micronucleus induction in Tradescantia and on microbial enzyme activities: a comparative investigation.

PubMed

Majer, Bernhard J; Tscherko, Dagmar; Paschke, Albrecht; Wennrich, Rainer; Kundi, Michael; Kandeler, Ellen; Knasmüller, Siegfried

2002-03-25

The aim of this study was to investigate correlation between genotoxic effects and changes of microbial parameters caused by metal contamination in soils. In total, 20 soils from nine locations were examined; metal contents and physicochemical soil parameters were measured with standard methods. In general, a pronounced induction of the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MN) assay was seen with increasing metal concentration in soils from identical locations. However, no correlations were found between metal contents and genotoxicity of soils from different locations. These discrepancies are probably due to differences of the physicochemical characteristics of the samples. Also, the microbial parameters depended on the metal content in soils from identical sampling locations. Inconsistent responses of the individual enzymes were seen in soils from different locations, indicating that it is not possible to define a specific marker enzyme for metal contamination. The most sensitive microbial parameters were dehydrogenase and arylsulfatase activity, biomass C, and biomass N. Statistical analyses showed an overall correlation between genotoxicity in Tradescantia on the one hand and dehydrogenase activity, biomass C, and the metabolic quotient on the other hand. In conclusion, the results of the present study show that the Trad-MN assay is suitable for the detection of genotoxic effects of metal contamination in soils and furthermore, that the DNA-damaging potential of soils from different origin cannot be predicted on the basis of chemical analyses of their metal concentrations.

Mercury pollution in vegetables, grains and soils from areas surrounding coal-fired power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rui; Wu, Han; Ding, Jing; Fu, Weimin; Gan, Lijun; Li, Yi

2017-05-01

Mercury contamination in food can pose serious health risks to consumers and coal-fired power plants have been identified as the major source of mercury emissions. To assess the current state of mercury pollution in food crops grown near coal-fired power plants, we measured the total mercury concentration in vegetables and grain crops collected from farms located near two coal-fired power plants. We found that 79% of vegetable samples and 67% of grain samples exceeded the PTWI's food safety standards. The mercury concentrations of soil samples were negatively correlated with distances from the studied coal-fired power plants, and the mercury contents in lettuce, amaranth, water spinach, cowpea and rice samples were correlated with the mercury contents in soil samples, respectively. Also, the mercury concentrations in vegetable leaves were much higher than those in roots and the mercury content of vegetable leaves decreased significantly after water rinses. Our calculation suggests that probable weekly intake of mercury for local residents, assuming all of their vegetables and grains are from their own farmland, may exceed the toxicologically tolerable values allowed, and therefore long-term consumptions of these contaminated vegetables and grains may pose serious health risks.

Headspace-mass spectrometry determination of benzene, toluene and the mixture of ethylbenzene and xylene isomers in soil samples using chemometrics.

PubMed

Esteve-Turrillas, F A; Armenta, S; Garrigues, S; Pastor, A; de la Guardia, M

2007-03-21

A simple and fast method has been developed for the determination of benzene, toluene and the mixture of ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX) in soils. Samples were introduced in 10 mL standard glass vials of a headspace (HS) autosampler together with 150 microL of 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane, heated at 90 degrees C for 10 min and introduced in the mass spectrometer by using a transfer line heated at 250 degrees C as interface. The volatile fraction of samples was directly introduced into the source of the mass spectrometer which was scanned from m/z 75 to 110. A partial least squares (PLS) multivariate calibration approach based on a classical 3(3) calibration model was build with mixtures of benzene, toluene and o-xylene in 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane for BTEX determination. Results obtained for BTEX analysis by HS-MS in different types of soil samples were comparables to those obtained by the reference HS-GC-MS procedure. So, the developed procedure allowed a fast identification and prediction of BTEX present in the samples without a prior chromatographic separation.

Mercury pollution in vegetables, grains and soils from areas surrounding coal-fired power plants

PubMed Central

Li, Rui; Wu, Han; Ding, Jing; Fu, Weimin; Gan, Lijun; Li, Yi

2017-01-01

Mercury contamination in food can pose serious health risks to consumers and coal-fired power plants have been identified as the major source of mercury emissions. To assess the current state of mercury pollution in food crops grown near coal-fired power plants, we measured the total mercury concentration in vegetables and grain crops collected from farms located near two coal-fired power plants. We found that 79% of vegetable samples and 67% of grain samples exceeded the PTWI’s food safety standards. The mercury concentrations of soil samples were negatively correlated with distances from the studied coal-fired power plants, and the mercury contents in lettuce, amaranth, water spinach, cowpea and rice samples were correlated with the mercury contents in soil samples, respectively. Also, the mercury concentrations in vegetable leaves were much higher than those in roots and the mercury content of vegetable leaves decreased significantly after water rinses. Our calculation suggests that probable weekly intake of mercury for local residents, assuming all of their vegetables and grains are from their own farmland, may exceed the toxicologically tolerable values allowed, and therefore long-term consumptions of these contaminated vegetables and grains may pose serious health risks. PMID:28484233

Emission spectrographic determination of volatile trace elements in geologic materials by a carrier distillation technique

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, H.N.

1986-01-01

Trace levels of chalcophile elements that form volatile sulfide minerals are determined in stream sediments and in the nonmagnetic fraction of a heavy-mineral concentrate of stream sediments by a carrier distillation emission spectrographic method. Photographically recorded spectra of samples are visually compared with those of synthetic standards for the two sample types. Rock and soil samples may also be analyzed by comparison with the stream-sediment standards. A gallium oxide spectrochemical carrier/buffer enhances the early emission of the volatile elements. Detection limits in parts per million attained are: Sb 5, As 20, Bi 0.1, Cd 1, Cu 1, Pb 2, Ag 0.1, Zn 2, and Sn 0.1. A comparison with other methods of analysis, total-burn emission and atomic absorption spectroscopy, shows good correlation for standard reference for materials and samples from a variety of geologic terranes. ?? 1986.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of nitrophenols in soils by microvial insert large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Cacho, J I; Campillo, N; Viñas, P; Hernández-Córdoba, M

2016-07-22

A rapid and sensitive procedure for the determination of six NPs in soils by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is proposed. Ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) is used for NP extraction from soil matrices to an organic solvent, while the environmentally friendly technique dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) is used for the preconcentration of the resulting UAE extracts. NPs were derivatized by applying an "in-situ" acetylation procedure, before being injected into the GC-MS system using microvial insert large volume injection (LVI). Several parameters affecting UAE, DLLME, derivatization and injection steps were investigated. The optimized procedure provided recoveries of 86-111% from spiked samples. Precision values of the procedure (expressed as relative standard deviation, RSD) lower than 12%, and limits of quantification ranging from 1.3 to 2.6ngg(-1), depending on the compound, were obtained. Twenty soil samples, obtained from military, industrial and agricultural areas, were analyzed by the proposed method. Two of the analytes were quantified in two of the samples obtained from industrial areas, at concentrations in the 4.8-9.6ngg(-1) range. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential use of fly ash to soil treatment in the Morava region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulíková, Lucia; Kresta, František; Rochovanský, Martin

2017-09-01

Soil treatment by binders is a standard technology and leads to optimal utilization of excavated soils in road constructions. Soil treatment is controlled in the Czech Republic by EN 14227-15 and Technical Requirement TP 94. Soil treatment using fly ash has not been performed in the Czech Republic, although there is a sufficient normative base. Fly ash produced by burning of hard coal in the Moravian region was tested as a potential binder. Fly ash samples were mixed with loess loams (CI). Tested siliceous fly ash of class F (ASTM C618) did not showed hydraulic properties but it showed positive effect on reducing maximum dry density of mixtures, increasing the IBI value (Immediate bearing index) and decreasing tendency to volume changes when the amount of fly ash was increased. The results of laboratory tests demonstrate the possibility of using fly ashes as a binder for soil treatment.

Particle-size distribution models for the conversion of Chinese data to FAO/USDA system.

PubMed

Shangguan, Wei; Dai, YongJiu; García-Gutiérrez, Carlos; Yuan, Hua

2014-01-01

We investigated eleven particle-size distribution (PSD) models to determine the appropriate models for describing the PSDs of 16349 Chinese soil samples. These data are based on three soil texture classification schemes, including one ISSS (International Society of Soil Science) scheme with four data points and two Katschinski's schemes with five and six data points, respectively. The adjusted coefficient of determination r (2), Akaike's information criterion (AIC), and geometric mean error ratio (GMER) were used to evaluate the model performance. The soil data were converted to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) standard using PSD models and the fractal concept. The performance of PSD models was affected by soil texture and classification of fraction schemes. The performance of PSD models also varied with clay content of soils. The Anderson, Fredlund, modified logistic growth, Skaggs, and Weilbull models were the best.

Quantification of soil water retention parameters using multi-section TDR-waveform analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baviskar, S. M.; Heimovaara, T. J.

2017-06-01

Soil water retention parameters are important for describing flow in variably saturated soils. TDR is one of the standard methods used for determining water content in soil samples. In this study, we present an approach to estimate water retention parameters of a sample which is initially saturated and subjected to an incremental decrease in boundary head causing it to drain in a multi-step fashion. TDR waveforms are measured along the height of the sample at assumed different hydrostatic conditions at daily interval. The cumulative discharge outflow drained from the sample is also recorded. The saturated water content is obtained using volumetric analysis after the final step involved in multi-step drainage. The equation obtained by coupling the unsaturated parametric function and the apparent dielectric permittivity is fitted to a TDR wave propagation forward model. The unsaturated parametric function is used to spatially interpolate the water contents along TDR probe. The cumulative discharge outflow data is fitted with cumulative discharge estimated using the unsaturated parametric function. The weight of water inside the sample estimated at the first and final boundary head in multi-step drainage is fitted with the corresponding weights calculated using unsaturated parametric function. A Bayesian optimization scheme is used to obtain optimized water retention parameters for these different objective functions. This approach can be used for samples with long heights and is especially suitable for characterizing sands with a uniform particle size distribution at low capillary heads.

A Comparison of Soil Moisture Retrieval Models Using SIR-C Measurements over the Little Washita River Watershed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J. R.; Hsu, A.; Shi, J. C.; ONeill, P. E.; Engman, E. T.

1997-01-01

Six SIR-C L-band measurements over the Little Washita River watershed in Chickasha, Oklahoma during 11-17 April 1994 have been analyzed for studying the change of soil moisture in the region. Two algorithms developed recently for estimation of moisture content in bare soil were applied to these measurements and the results were compared with those sampled on the ground. There is a good agreement between the values of soil moisture estimated by either one of the algorithms and those measured from ground sampling for bare or sparsely vegetated fields. The standard error from this comparison is on the order of 0.05-0.06 cu cm/cu cm, which is comparable to that expected from a regression between backscattering coefficients and measured soil moisture. Both algorithms provide a poor estimation of soil moisture or fail to give solutions to areas covered with moderate or dense vegetation. Even for bare soils the number of pixels that bear no numerical solution from the application of either one of the two algorithms to the data is not negligible. Results from using one of these algorithms indicate that the fraction of these pixels becomes larger as the bare soils become drier. The other algorithm generally gives a larger fraction of these pixels when the fields are vegetation-covered. The implication and impact of these features are discussed in this article.

Topsoil investigation on two different urban areas in West Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horváth, Adrienn; Bidló, András

2015-04-01

Heavy metal contents of urban soils in two different urban areas have been investigated in Sopron town (169.01 km2) and in Szombathely town 97.50 km2) in Hungary. In a standard network 208 samples have been collected Sopron from 0 to 10 and from 10 to 20 cm depth. 164 samples have been taken on 88 points in the area of Szombathely. We analysed all of the soil samples with ICP equipment applying Lakanen-Erviö method (Ammonium Acetate - EDTA (pH 4.65)) and we focused on Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn during the evaluation. The soils of suburb are determined largely by the bedrock, but in the downtown the soil pH was alkaline in soils of Sopron. Therefore, the toxic elements are still accumulated in the topsoil. The lead content was very high (suggested pollution limit >25 mg Pb/kg) in both layers on the whole area of the town. Urban soils with high copper content (among 611 mg and 1221 mg Cu/kg) have been collected from garden and viticulture areas. According to our measurements we found the highest average values in the soils of parks. The pH of urban topsoils of Szombathely was mostly neutral and it was lower in soil of agricultural areas on the suburb, where the artificial fertiliser is still used. The Pb content was high (more than 25 mg Pb/kg) in case of 13 samples next to traffic roads of the town. The Co, Cu and Ni results were below the suggested Hungarian background limits. The Zn values were above the suggested Hungarian pollution (20 mg Zn/kg) and interventional limits (>40 mg Zn/kg) in most cases. According to the results we found the highest average values of heavy metals in the soil of traffic areas or next to the Gyöngyös creek, which could be originated from traffic contamination, binding in the soil of urban green spaces, thus possibly affects human health. The research is supported by the "Agroclimate-2" (VKSZ_12-1-2013-0034) joint EU-national research project. Keywords: anthropogenic effects, heavy metal content, lead pollution, polluted urban soils

7 CFR 611.10 - Standards, guidelines, and plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS SOIL SURVEYS Soil Survey Operations § 611.10 Standards, guidelines, and plans. (a) NRCS conducts soil surveys under national standards and guidelines for naming, classifying, and interpreting soils and for disseminating soil survey information. (b...

7 CFR 611.10 - Standards, guidelines, and plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS SOIL SURVEYS Soil Survey Operations § 611.10 Standards, guidelines, and plans. (a) NRCS conducts soil surveys under national standards and guidelines for naming, classifying, and interpreting soils and for disseminating soil survey information. (b...

7 CFR 611.10 - Standards, guidelines, and plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS SOIL SURVEYS Soil Survey Operations § 611.10 Standards, guidelines, and plans. (a) NRCS conducts soil surveys under national standards and guidelines for naming, classifying, and interpreting soils and for disseminating soil survey information. (b...

7 CFR 611.10 - Standards, guidelines, and plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS SOIL SURVEYS Soil Survey Operations § 611.10 Standards, guidelines, and plans. (a) NRCS conducts soil surveys under national standards and guidelines for naming, classifying, and interpreting soils and for disseminating soil survey information. (b...

7 CFR 611.10 - Standards, guidelines, and plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS SOIL SURVEYS Soil Survey Operations § 611.10 Standards, guidelines, and plans. (a) NRCS conducts soil surveys under national standards and guidelines for naming, classifying, and interpreting soils and for disseminating soil survey information. (b...

Determination of Wastewater Compounds in Sediment and Soil by Pressurized Solvent Extraction, Solid-Phase Extraction, and Capillary-Column Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkhardt, Mark R.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Smith, Steven G.; ReVello, Rhiannon C.

2006-01-01

A method for the determination of 61 compounds in environmental sediment and soil samples is described. The method was developed in response to increasing concern over the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wastewater and wastewater-impacted sediment on aquatic organisms. This method also may be used to evaluate the effects of combined sanitary and storm-sewer overflow on the water and sediment quality of urban streams. Method development focused on the determination of compounds that were chosen on the basis of their endocrine-disrupting potential or toxicity. These compounds include the alkylphenol ethoxylate nonionic surfactants and their degradates, food additives, fragrances, antioxidants, flame retardants, plasticizers, industrial solvents, disinfectants, fecal sterols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and high-use domestic pesticides. Sediment and soil samples are extracted using a pressurized solvent extraction system. The compounds of interest are extracted from interfering matrix components by high-pressure water/isopropyl alcohol extraction. The compounds were isolated using disposable solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges containing chemically modified polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin. The cartridges were dried with nitrogen gas, and then sorbed compounds were eluted with methylene chloride (80 percent)-diethyl ether (20 percent) through Florisil/sodium sulfate SPE cartridge, and then determined by capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Recoveries in reagent-sand samples fortified at 4 to 72 micrograms averaged 76 percent ?13 percent relative standard deviation for all method compounds. Initial method reporting levels for single-component compounds ranged from 50 to 500 micrograms per kilogram. The concentrations of 20 out of 61 compounds initially will be reported as estimated with the 'E' remark code for one of three reasons: (1) unacceptably low-biased recovery (less than 60 percent) or highly variable method performance (greater than 25 percent relative standard deviation), (2) reference standards prepared from technical mixtures, or (3) potential blank contamination. Samples were preserved by freezing to -20 degrees Celsius. The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory has established a 1-year sample-holding time limit (prior to sample extraction) from the date of sample collection (if the sample is kept at -20?C) until a statistically accepted method can be used to determine the effectiveness of the sample-freezing procedure.

Atmospheric pressure gas chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of fifteen organochlorine pesticides in soil and water.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhipeng; Dong, Fengshou; Xu, Jun; Liu, Xingang; Wu, Xiaohu; Chen, Zenglong; Pan, Xinglu; Zheng, Yongquan

2016-02-26

In this study, the application of atmospheric pressure gas chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (APGC-QTOF-MS) has been investigated for simultaneous determination of fifteen organochlorine pesticides in soil and water. Soft ionization of atmospheric pressure gas chromatography was evaluated by comparing with traditional more energetic electron impact ionization (EI). APGC-QTOF-MS showed a sensitivity enhancement by approximately 7-305 times. The QuEChERs (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method was used to pretreat the soil samples and solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup was used for water samples. Precision, accuracy and stability experiments were undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of the method. The results showed that the mean recoveries for all the pesticides from the soil samples were 70.3-118.9% with 0.4-18.3% intra-day relative standard deviations (RSD) and 1.0-15.6% inter-day RSD at 10, 50 and 500 μg/L levels, while the mean recoveries of water samples were 70.0-118.0% with 1.1-17.8% intra-day RSD and 0.5-12.2% inter-day RSD at 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 μg/L levels. Excellent linearity (0.9931 ≦ r(2)≤ 0.9999) was obtained for each pesticides in the soil and water matrix calibration curves within the range of 0.01-1.0mg/L. The limits of detection (LOD) for each of the 15 pesticides was less than 3.00 μg/L, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) was less than 9.99 μg/L in soil and water. Furthermore, the developed method was successfully applied to monitor the targeted pesticides in real soil and water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on agricultural lands surrounding Tehran oil refinery.

PubMed

Bayat, J; Hashemi, S H; Khoshbakht, K; Deihimfard, R; Shahbazi, A; Momeni-Vesalian, R

2015-07-01

Soil samples at two depths were collected and analyzed to determine the concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic carbon, and soil pH. The Σ16PAHs were 0.13 to 3.92 mg kg(-1) at depth 1 and 0.21 to 50.32 mg kg(-1)at depth 2. The averages of the PAH compounds indicate that the area is contaminated with oil, and this pollution was greater at depth 2. Interpolation maps showed that the southern region, especially at depth 2, has been contaminated more by anthropogenic activity. The diagnostic ratios indicate several sources of pollution of the agricultural soil. A comparison of average PAHs and standard values revealed that higher molecular weight compounds in the topsoil (InP and BghiP) and subsoil (BaA, BkF, BaP, DBA, and BghiP) exceed standard values for farmland. The pH interpolation map for both depths showed that most of the area has alkaline soil from long-term irrigation with untreated urban wastewater.

[Uncertainty evaluation of the determination of toxic equivalent quantity of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in soil by isotope dilution high resolution gas chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Du, Bing; Liu Aimin; Huang, Yeru

2014-09-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in soil samples were analyzed by isotope dilution method with high resolution gas chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry (ID-HRGC/HRMS), and the toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) were calculated. The impacts of major source of measurement uncertainty are discussed, and the combined relative standard uncertainties were calculated for each 2, 3, 7, 8 substituted con- gener. Furthermore, the concentration, combined uncertainty and expanded uncertainty for TEQ of PCDD/Fs in a soil sample in I-TEF, WHO-1998-TEF and WHO-2005-TEF schemes are provided as an example. I-TEF, WHO-1998-TEF and WHO-2005-TEF are the evaluation schemes of toxic equivalent factor (TEF), and are all currently used to describe 2,3,7,8 sub- stituted relative potencies.

MICROWAVE-ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM STANDARD REFERENCE SOILS AND SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

As part of an ongoing evaluation of new sample preparation techniques by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), especially those that minimize waste solvents, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of organic compounds from solid materials (or "matrices") was evaluated. Six...

COMPARISON OF TAXONOMIC, COLONY MORPHOTYPE AND PCR-RFLP METHODS TO CHARACTERIZE MICROFUNGAL DIVERSITY

EPA Science Inventory

We compared three methods for estimating fungal species diversity in soil samples. A rapid screening method based on gross colony morphological features and color reference standards was compared with traditional fungal taxonomic methods and PCR-RFLP for estimation of ecological ...

Impacts of ultramafic outcrops in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah on soil and water quality.

PubMed

Tashakor, Mahsa; Modabberi, Soroush; van der Ent, Antony; Echevarria, Guillaume

2018-05-08

This study focused on the influence of ultramafic terrains on soil and surface water environmental chemistry in Peninsular Malaysia and in the State of Sabah also in Malaysia. The sampling included 27 soils from four isolated outcrops at Cheroh, Bentong, Bukit Rokan, and Petasih from Peninsular Malaysia and sites near Ranau in Sabah. Water samples were also collected from rivers and subsurface waters interacting with the ultramafic bodies in these study sites. Physico-chemical parameters (including pH, EC, CEC) as well as the concentration of major and trace elements were measured in these soils and waters. Geochemical indices (geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, and concentration factor) were calculated. Al 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 had relatively high concentrations in the samples. A depletion in MgO, CaO, and Na 2 O was observed as a result of leaching in tropical climate, and in relation to weathering and pedogenesis processes. Chromium, Ni, and Co were enriched and confirmed by the significant values obtained for Igeo, EF, and CF, which correspond to the extreme levels of contamination for Cr and high to moderate levels of contamination for Ni and Co. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Co in surface waters did not reflect the local geochemistry and were within the permissible ranges according to WHO and INWQS standards. Subsurface waters were strongly enriched by these elements and exceeded these standards. The association between Cr and Ni was confirmed by factor analysis. The unexpected enrichment of Cu in an isolated component can be explained by localized mineralization in Sabah.

Technological developments for strontium-90 determination using AMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satou, Yukihiko; Sueki, Keisuke; Sasa, Kimikazu; Matsunaka, Tetsuya; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Shibayama, Nao; Izumi, Daiki; Kinoshita, Norikazu; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki

2015-10-01

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is one of method used for 90Sr determination. It would enable rapid 90Sr measurements from environmental samples such as water, soil, and milk. However, routine analysis of 90Sr using AMS has not yet been achieved because of difficulties associated with isobaric separation and production of intense negative ion beams characterized by currents from hundreds of nanoamperes to several microamperes. We have developed a rapid procedure for preparing samples with optimum compositions for use with AMS, which enables production of intense Sr beam currents from an ion source. Samples of SrF2 were prepared from a standard Sr solution and agricultural soil. The time required to prepare a SrF2 sample from a soil sample was 10 h. Negative 88SrF3- ions were successfully extracted at 500 nA from mixed samples of SrF2 and PbF2. In the present work, negative ions of 90Zr, included as an impurity, were accelerated with a tandem accelerator operated at a terminal voltage of 5 MV. Ions characterized by a charge state of 6+ were channeled into a gas counter. An atomic ratio of 90Zr/88Sr of 3 × 10-8 was estimated for the soil sample. No signal was detected from the assay of PbF2, which was pressed in an aluminum cathode, for a mass number of 90. PbF2 revealed good performance in the production of negative SrF3- molecular ion beams and detection of 90Sr with a gas counter.

77 FR 35431 - Final Alternative Soils Standards for the Uravan, CO, Uranium Mill

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-13

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0258] Final Alternative Soils Standards for the Uravan, CO... material. The Commission has determined that the State of Colorado's proposed alternative soils standards... State alternative soil standards. DATES: The Commission made a determination on the State of Colorado's...

Pollution of soils (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni) along the ring road of Wrocław (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hołtra, Anna; Zamorska-Wojdyła, Dorota

2017-11-01

The concentrations of metallic pollution in soils and plants along the ring road of Wrocław, Poland, have been determined. Environmental samples were collected from the surface layer of the profile within 2-3 m from the edge of the road. The analysis of metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu and Ni) has been carried out through FAAS and GFAAS methods. The mineralizates of soils and plants were prepared in HNO3, 65% supra pure, using the Microwave Digestion System. The pH and conductivity of the soil solutions were measured to evaluate their active and exchangeable acidity and the salinity of the soils. The index of the enrichment of soils in metals (Wn) and the bioaccumulation coefficient (WB) have been determined. Also, histograms of the frequency of the occurrence of metals in the environmental samples and the Pearson's correlation coefficients were presented. The results of metal concentrations in soils were compared to the geochemical background in uncontaminated soils of Poland. The assessment of the results in the soils was also made relative to the standard, according to the Polish Ministry of Environment Regulation from September 1st, 2016. During the assessment of the bioaccumulation coefficients of metals in plants a reference was made to the content of undesirable substances in feed in agreement with the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Regulation from January 23rd, 2007.

Bioremediation of industrially contaminated soil using compost and plant technology.

PubMed

Taiwo, A M; Gbadebo, A M; Oyedepo, J A; Ojekunle, Z O; Alo, O M; Oyeniran, A A; Onalaja, O J; Ogunjimi, D; Taiwo, O T

2016-03-05

Compost technology can be utilized for bioremediation of contaminated soil using the active microorganisms present in the matrix of contaminants. This study examined bioremediation of industrially polluted soil using the compost and plant technology. Soil samples were collected at the vicinity of three industrial locations in Ogun State and a goldmine site in Iperindo, Osun State in March, 2014. The compost used was made from cow dung, water hyacinth and sawdust for a period of twelve weeks. The matured compost was mixed with contaminated soil samples in a five-ratio pot experimental design. The compost and contaminated soil samples were analyzed using the standard procedures for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus, exchangeable cations (Na, K, Ca and Mg) and heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Cr). Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) seeds were also planted for co-remediation of metals. The growth parameters of Kenaf plants were observed weekly for a period of one month. Results showed that during the one-month remediation experiment, treatments with 'compost-only' removed 49 ± 8% Mn, 32 ± 7% Fe, 29 ± 11% Zn, 27 ± 6% Cu and 11 ± 5% Cr from the contaminated soil. On the other hand, treatments with 'compost+plant' remediated 71 ± 8% Mn, 63 ± 3% Fe, 59 ± 11% Zn, 40 ± 6% Cu and 5 ± 4% Cr. Enrichment factor (EF) of metals in the compost was low while that of Cu (EF=7.3) and Zn (EF=8.6) were high in the contaminated soils. Bioaccumulation factor (BF) revealed low metal uptake by Kenaf plant. The growth parameters of Kenaf plant showed steady increments from week 1 to week 4 of planting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Persistent Organic Pollutants and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soil from the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Orta-García, Sandra Teresa; Ochoa-Martinez, Angeles Catalina; Carrizalez-Yáñez, Leticia; Varela-Silva, José Antonio; Pérez-Vázquez, Francisco Javier; Pruneda-Álvarez, Lucia Guadalupe; Torres-Dosal, Arturo; Guzmán-Mar, Jorge Luis; Pérez-Maldonado, Iván N

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDE), and four heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, and lead) in outdoor surface soils (50 samples) collected from the metropolitan area of Monterrey in Mexico. Total PBDEs levels ranged from 1.80 to 127 µg/kg, with mean total PBDEs level of 14.2 ± 21.5 µg/kg (geometric mean ± standard deviation). For PCBs, the mean total level in the studied soils was 23.5 ± 20.2 µg/kg (range 4.0-65.5 µg/kg). An important finding in our study was that all soil samples (100%) had detectable levels of the metabolite p,p'-DDE. Moreover, the mean total DDT level (∑p'p-DDT and p'p-DDE) was approximately 132 ± 175 µg/kg. The mean levels for arsenic, cadmium, and lead in soil were 5.30 ± 1.35 (range 1.55-7.85) mg/kg, 2.20 ± 1.20 (range 0.65-6.40) mg/kg, and 455 ± 204 (range 224-1230) mg/kg, respectively. Our study has several limitations, the most notable of which is the small sample of soils evaluated. However, this screening study provided concentration data for the occurrence of POPs and four heavy metals in soil from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and taking into consideration that soil is an important pathway of exposure for people, a biomonitoring program for the surveillance of the general population in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon is deemed necessary.

Heavy metals and health risk assessment of arable soils and food crops around Pb-Zn mining localities in Enyigba, southeastern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obiora, Smart C.; Chukwu, Anthony; Davies, Theophilus C.

2016-04-01

This study determined the heavy metals concentration in arable soils and associated food crops around the Pb-Zn mines in Enyigba, Nigeria, and metal transfer factors were calculated. Air-dried samples of the soils and food crops were analyzed for 8 known nutritional and toxic heavy metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) method. Eighty seven percent of all the 20 sampled soils contain Pb in excess of the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) set by Canadian Environmental Quality Guideline (CCME) and European Union (EU) Standard, while Zn in thirty-one percent of the samples exceeded the CCME for MAC of 200 mg/kg. All the food crops, with the exception of yam tuber, contain Pb which exceeded the 0.43 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg MAC standards of EU and WHO/FAO respectively, with the leafy vegetables accumulating more Pb than the tubers. The metal transfer factors in the tubers and the leafy vegetables were in the order: Mo > Cu > Zn > Mn > As > Cd > Cr > Ni > Pb and Cd > Cu > Zn > Mn > Mo > As > Ni > Pb > Cr, respectively. Risk assessment studies revealed no health risk in surrounding populations for most of the heavy metals. However, Pb had a high health risk index (HRI) of 1.1 and 1.3, in adults and children, respectively for cassava tuber; Pb had HRI > 1 in lemon grass while Mn also had HRI > 1 in all the leafy vegetables for both adult and children. This high level of HRI for Pb and Mn is an indication that consumers of the food crops contaminated by these metals are at risk of health problems such as Alzheimers' disease and Manganism, associated with excessive intake of these metals. Further systematic monitoring of heavy metal fluxes in cultivable soils around the area of these mines is recommended.

Dissolved organic carbon in soil solution of peat-moorsh soils on Kuwasy Mire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaszczyński, J.; Sapek, A.

2009-04-01

Key words: peat-moorsh soils, soil solution, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), temperature of soil, redox potential. The objective this study was the dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) in soil solution on the background of soil temperature, moisture and redox potential. The investigations were localized on the area of drained and agricultural used Kuwasy Mire, which are situated in the middle basin of Biebrza River, in North-East Poland. Research point was placed on a low peat soil of 110 cm depth managed as extensive grassland. The soil was recognized as peat-moorsh with the second degree of the moorshing process (with 20 cm of moorsh layer). The ceramic suction cups were installed in three replications at 30 cm depth of soil profile. The soil solution was continuously sampled by pomp of the automatic field station. The successive samples comprised of solution collected at the intervals of 21 days. Simultaneously, at the 20, 30 and 40 cm soil depths the measurements of temperature and determination of soil moisture and redox potential were made automatically. The mean twenty-four hours data were collected. The concentrations of DOC were determined by means of the flow colorimeter using the Skalar standard methods. Presented observations were made in 2001-2006. Mean DOC concentration in soil solution was 66 mg.dm-3 within all research period. A significant positive correlation between studied compound concentration and temperature of soil at 30 cm depth was observed; (correlation coefficient - r=0.55, number of samples - n=87). The highest DOC concentrations were observed during the season from July to October, when also a lower ground water level occurred. The DOC concentration in soil solution showed as well a significant correlation with the soil redox potential at 20 cm level. On this depth of describing soil profile a frontier layer between moorshing layer and peat has been existed. This layer is the potentially most active in the respect to biochemical transformation. On the other hand it wasn't possible to shown dependences on the DOC concentration from soil moisture. That probably results from a huge water-holding capacity of these type of peat soils, which are keeping a high moisture content even at a long time after decreasing of the groundwater table.

Geochemistry of soils and shallow ground water, with emphasis on arsenic and selenium, in part of the Garrison Diversion Unit, North Dakota, 1985-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goolsby, D.A.; Severson, R.C.; Wilson, S.A.; Webber, Kurt

1989-01-01

The Garrison Diversion Unit is being constructed to transfer water from the Missouri River (Lake Sakakawea) to areas in east-central and southeastern North Dakota for expanded irrigation of agricultural lands. During initial investigations of irrigation return flows in 1969-76, the potential effects of toxic elements were considered, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation concluded these elements would have no adverse effects on streams receiving return flows. After the development of problems associated with selenium in irrigation return flows in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., in 1985, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation initiated additional studies, including an investigation conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, to assist in collecting and evaluating trace-element data. Also, in 1986, with the passage of the Garrison Diversion Unit Reformulation Act, Congress mandated that soil surveys be conducted to determine if there are "*** soil characteristics which might result in toxic or hazardous irrigation return flows."In order to address this issue, an investigation was conducted during 1995-87 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to determine the occurrence and distribution of arsenic, selenium, and other trace elements in the soils of six potential irrigation areas along the Garrison Diversion Unit route and in the James River basin. A total of 165 soil samples were collected and analyzed for total concentrations of as many as 42 elements, including arsenic and selenium. In addition, 81 of the samples were analyzed for water-extractable concentrations of 14 elements, including arsenic and selenium, to aid in determining the extent to which they might be mobilized by the irrigation water. In a detailed phase of the investigation, 376 water samples were collected in one of the six potential irrigation areas, the west Oakes irrigation area. Most of these samples were analyzed for arsenic, selenium, and as many as 28 other elements.Results of the investigation indicate that soils in the potential irrigation areas contain small concentrations of arsenic, selenium, and other trace elements. The geometric mean concentrations of total arsenic and selenium were 4.15 and 0.13 milligrams per kilogram, respectively, which are considerably smaller than those measured in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., and soils from other areas in the western United States. Water-extractable concentrations of arsenic and selenium, determined on 1:5 soil to water extractions, generally were less than 10 percent of the total concentrations. The geometric mean water-extractable concentrations for both elements were 0.02 milligram per kilogram or less.The median and maximum concentrations of all constituents and properties indicative of irrigation drainage were tens to hundreds of times smaller in the Oakes test area drains than in western San Joaquin Valley drains. The maximum arsenic concentration in ground-water samples was 44 micrograms per liter, and the median concentration was 4 micrograms per liter. The maximum concentration in drain samples was 11 micrograms per liter, and the median concentration was 3 micrograms per liter.Only 22 percent of the water samples collected from wells in the Oakes test area contained detectable concentrations (1 microgram per liter or more) of selenium. However, selenium was detected in 63 percent of the samples collected from sites on drains. The greater incidence of detection of selenium in the drain samples is interpreted as an effect of the more oxidizing environment of the drains, which are about 8 feet below land surface near the top of the water table. The median selenium concentration in the drain samples, however, was only 1 microgram per liter, and the maximum concentration in 63 drain samples was 4 micrograms per liter. For comparison, the median selenium concentrations reported for drains in the western San Joaquin Valley, Calif., ranged from 84 to 320 micrograms per liter. Mater from two observation wells had the largest selenium concentrations (8 and 9 micrograms per liter) measured during the investigation. These were the only two samples that exceeded any of the water-quality regulations, standards, or criteria for selenium. Mercury and boron were the only other trace elements that exceeded standards and criteria. The median concentration of mercury was less than 0.1 microgram per liter, and the maximum concentration was 0.8 microgram per liter. The chronic freshwater-aquatic-life criterion for mercury (0.012 microgram per liter) is about 10 times less than the laboratory detection limit and is derived from bioconcentration factors based on methylmercury. Two boron samples exceeded the irrigation criteria of 750 micrograms per liter. Comparisons with criteria and standards indicate that the concentrations of trace elements determined in samples from wells and drains in the Oakes test area during this investigation should not adversely affect human and aquatic life or irrigated crops. The data collected indicate that the soils and ground water in the Garrison Diversion Unit contain small concentrations of trace elements, including arsenic and selenium. Based on a detailed study of soils and ground water in the west Oakes irrigation area, however, there is no evidence that expanded irrigation will mobilize these elements in concentrations large enough to adversely affect aquatic life in the James River ecosystem, based on current regulations, standards, and criteria. Data are not currently available to make definitive statements about selenium concentrations in ground water in Garrison Diversion Unit irrigation areas other than the west Oakes Irrigation area. Data available on total and water-extractable selenium concentrations in soils t however, indicate that concentrations in ground water would be similar to those determined in the west Oakes irrigation area. Plans have been developed to sample ground water in the additional areas.

Conventional and organic soil fertility management practices affect corn plant nutrition and Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larval performance.

PubMed

Murrell, Ebony G; Cullen, Eileen M

2014-10-01

Few studies compare how different soil fertilization practices affect plant mineral content and insect performance in organic systems. This study examined: 1) The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), larval response on corn (Zea mays L.) grown in field soils with different soil management histories; and 2) resilience of these plants to O. nubilalis herbivory. Treatments included: 1) standard organic--organically managed soil fertilized with dairy manure and 2 yr of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in the rotation; 2) basic cation saturation ratio--organically managed soil fertilized with dairy manure and alfalfa nitrogen credits, plus addition of gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) according to the soil balance hypothesis; and 3) conventional--conventionally managed soil fertilized with synthetic fertilizers. Corn plants were reared to maturity in a greenhouse, and then infested with 0-40 O. nubilalis larvae for 17 d. O. nubilalis exhibited negative competitive response to increasing larval densities. Mean development time was significantly faster for larvae consuming basic cation saturation ratio plants than those on standard organic plants, with intermediate development time on conventional plants. Neither total yield (number of kernels) nor proportion kernels damaged differed among soil fertility treatments. Soil nutrients differed significantly in S and in Ca:Mg and Ca:K ratios, but principal components analysis of plant tissue samples taken before O. nubilalis infestation showed that S, Fe, and Cu contributed most to differences in plant nutrient profiles among soil fertility treatments. Results demonstrate that different fertilization regimens can significantly affect insect performance within the context of organic systems, but the effects in this study were relatively minor compared with effects of intraspecific competition.

Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Craine, Joseph M.; Elmore, Andrew J.; Wang, Lixin; Augusto, Laurent; Baisden, W. Troy; Brookshire, E. N. J.; Cramer, Michael D.; Hasselquist, Niles J.; Hobbie, Erik A.; Kahmen, Ansgar; Koba, Keisuke; Kranabetter, J. Marty; Mack, Michelle C.; Marin-Spiotta, Erika; Mayor, Jordan R.; McLauchlan, Kendra K.; Michelsen, Anders; Nardoto, Gabriela B.; Oliveira, Rafael S.; Perakis, Steven S.; Peri, Pablo L.; Quesada, Carlos A.; Richter, Andreas; Schipper, Louis A.; Stevenson, Bryan A.; Turner, Benjamin L.; Viani, Ricardo A. G.; Wanek, Wolfgang; Zeller, Bernd

2015-01-01

Quantifying global patterns of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is central to predicting future patterns of primary productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient fluxes to aquatic systems, and climate forcing. With limited direct measures of soil N cycling at the global scale, syntheses of the 15 N: 14 N ratio of soil organic matter across climate gradients provide key insights into understanding global patterns of N cycling. In synthesizing data from over 6000 soil samples, we show strong global relationships among soil N isotopes, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and the concentrations of organic carbon and clay in soil. In both hot ecosystems and dry ecosystems, soil organic matter was more enriched in 15 N than in corresponding cold ecosystems or wet ecosystems. Below a MAT of 9.8°C, soil δ15N was invariant with MAT. At the global scale, soil organic C concentrations also declined with increasing MAT and decreasing MAP. After standardizing for variation among mineral soils in soil C and clay concentrations, soil δ15N showed no consistent trends across global climate and latitudinal gradients. Our analyses could place new constraints on interpretations of patterns of ecosystem N cycling and global budgets of gaseous N loss.

Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients.

PubMed

Craine, Joseph M; Elmore, Andrew J; Wang, Lixin; Augusto, Laurent; Baisden, W Troy; Brookshire, E N J; Cramer, Michael D; Hasselquist, Niles J; Hobbie, Erik A; Kahmen, Ansgar; Koba, Keisuke; Kranabetter, J Marty; Mack, Michelle C; Marin-Spiotta, Erika; Mayor, Jordan R; McLauchlan, Kendra K; Michelsen, Anders; Nardoto, Gabriela B; Oliveira, Rafael S; Perakis, Steven S; Peri, Pablo L; Quesada, Carlos A; Richter, Andreas; Schipper, Louis A; Stevenson, Bryan A; Turner, Benjamin L; Viani, Ricardo A G; Wanek, Wolfgang; Zeller, Bernd

2015-02-06

Quantifying global patterns of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is central to predicting future patterns of primary productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient fluxes to aquatic systems, and climate forcing. With limited direct measures of soil N cycling at the global scale, syntheses of the (15)N:(14)N ratio of soil organic matter across climate gradients provide key insights into understanding global patterns of N cycling. In synthesizing data from over 6000 soil samples, we show strong global relationships among soil N isotopes, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and the concentrations of organic carbon and clay in soil. In both hot ecosystems and dry ecosystems, soil organic matter was more enriched in (15)N than in corresponding cold ecosystems or wet ecosystems. Below a MAT of 9.8°C, soil δ(15)N was invariant with MAT. At the global scale, soil organic C concentrations also declined with increasing MAT and decreasing MAP. After standardizing for variation among mineral soils in soil C and clay concentrations, soil δ(15)N showed no consistent trends across global climate and latitudinal gradients. Our analyses could place new constraints on interpretations of patterns of ecosystem N cycling and global budgets of gaseous N loss.

A model based on Rock-Eval thermal analysis to quantify the size of the centennially persistent organic carbon pool in temperate soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cécillon, Lauric; Baudin, François; Chenu, Claire; Houot, Sabine; Jolivet, Romain; Kätterer, Thomas; Lutfalla, Suzanne; Macdonald, Andy; van Oort, Folkert; Plante, Alain F.; Savignac, Florence; Soucémarianadin, Laure N.; Barré, Pierre

2018-05-01

Changes in global soil carbon stocks have considerable potential to influence the course of future climate change. However, a portion of soil organic carbon (SOC) has a very long residence time ( > 100 years) and may not contribute significantly to terrestrial greenhouse gas emissions during the next century. The size of this persistent SOC reservoir is presumed to be large. Consequently, it is a key parameter required for the initialization of SOC dynamics in ecosystem and Earth system models, but there is considerable uncertainty in the methods used to quantify it. Thermal analysis methods provide cost-effective information on SOC thermal stability that has been shown to be qualitatively related to SOC biogeochemical stability. The objective of this work was to build the first quantitative model of the size of the centennially persistent SOC pool based on thermal analysis. We used a unique set of 118 archived soil samples from four agronomic experiments in northwestern Europe with long-term bare fallow and non-bare fallow treatments (e.g., manure amendment, cropland and grassland) as a sample set for which estimating the size of the centennially persistent SOC pool is relatively straightforward. At each experimental site, we estimated the average concentration of centennially persistent SOC and its uncertainty by applying a Bayesian curve-fitting method to the observed declining SOC concentration over the duration of the long-term bare fallow treatment. Overall, the estimated concentrations of centennially persistent SOC ranged from 5 to 11 g C kg-1 of soil (lowest and highest boundaries of four 95 % confidence intervals). Then, by dividing the site-specific concentrations of persistent SOC by the total SOC concentration, we could estimate the proportion of centennially persistent SOC in the 118 archived soil samples and the associated uncertainty. The proportion of centennially persistent SOC ranged from 0.14 (standard deviation of 0.01) to 1 (standard deviation of 0.15). Samples were subjected to thermal analysis by Rock-Eval 6 that generated a series of 30 parameters reflecting their SOC thermal stability and bulk chemistry. We trained a nonparametric machine-learning algorithm (random forests multivariate regression model) to predict the proportion of centennially persistent SOC in new soils using Rock-Eval 6 thermal parameters as predictors. We evaluated the model predictive performance with two different strategies. We first used a calibration set (n = 88) and a validation set (n = 30) with soils from all sites. Second, to test the sensitivity of the model to pedoclimate, we built a calibration set with soil samples from three out of the four sites (n = 84). The multivariate regression model accurately predicted the proportion of centennially persistent SOC in the validation set composed of soils from all sites (R2 = 0.92, RMSEP = 0.07, n = 30). The uncertainty of the model predictions was quantified by a Monte Carlo approach that produced conservative 95 % prediction intervals across the validation set. The predictive performance of the model decreased when predicting the proportion of centennially persistent SOC in soils from one fully independent site with a different pedoclimate, yet the mean error of prediction only slightly increased (R2 = 0.53, RMSEP = 0.10, n = 34). This model based on Rock-Eval 6 thermal analysis can thus be used to predict the proportion of centennially persistent SOC with known uncertainty in new soil samples from different pedoclimates, at least for sites that have similar Rock-Eval 6 thermal characteristics to those included in the calibration set. Our study reinforces the evidence that there is a link between the thermal and biogeochemical stability of soil organic matter and demonstrates that Rock-Eval 6 thermal analysis can be used to quantify the size of the centennially persistent organic carbon pool in temperate soils.

Concentration of potentially toxic elements in field crops grown near and far from cities of the Pampas (Argentina).

PubMed

Lavado, Raúl S

2006-07-01

Soils of the Pampas show no signs of contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), except in the areas that surround cities. The concentration of PTE in crops grown in this region is in most cases unknown. Our objective was to determine the PTE concentration in main field crops and pastures grown in 'a priori' non-contaminated areas and in potentially contaminated areas around cities. Forty-eight plots from farms located far from cities or roads and 36 plots from farms located very close to cities or to high traffic roads were sampled. The area ranged from 33 degrees 40' S to 36 degrees 0' S and from 57 degrees 35' W to 61 degrees 22' W. Maize, soybean, wheat, grazed grassland and pastures, and their top soils were sampled. All samples were acid digested. Cadmium, zinc, chromium, copper, nickel and lead were determined using ICPES. Standard t-tests were performed. All soils were within the known normal values of soil PTE concentrations, with the exception of a few cases around cities. PTE accumulation on grains and aerial biomass is considered almost negligible in crops grown in both studied areas, with the exception of a few elements in soybean. PTE concentrations in crops and pastures are in keeping with the low content of trace metals found in soils of the Pampas.

Use of a Deuterated Internal Standard with Pyrolysis-GC/MS Dimeric Marker Analysis to Quantify Tire Tread Particles in the Environment

PubMed Central

Unice, Kenneth M.; Kreider, Marisa L.; Panko, Julie M.

2012-01-01

Pyrolysis(pyr)-GC/MS analysis of characteristic thermal decomposition fragments has been previously used for qualitative fingerprinting of organic sources in environmental samples. A quantitative pyr-GC/MS method based on characteristic tire polymer pyrolysis products was developed for tread particle quantification in environmental matrices including soil, sediment, and air. The feasibility of quantitative pyr-GC/MS analysis of tread was confirmed in a method evaluation study using artificial soil spiked with known amounts of cryogenically generated tread. Tread concentration determined by blinded analyses was highly correlated (r2 ≥ 0.88) with the known tread spike concentration. Two critical refinements to the initial pyrolysis protocol were identified including use of an internal standard and quantification by the dimeric markers vinylcyclohexene and dipentene, which have good specificity for rubber polymer with no other appreciable environmental sources. A novel use of deuterated internal standards of similar polymeric structure was developed to correct the variable analyte recovery caused by sample size, matrix effects, and ion source variability. The resultant quantitative pyr-GC/MS protocol is reliable and transferable between laboratories. PMID:23202830

Risk assessment of Cd polluted paddy soils in the industrial and township areas in Hunan, Southern China.

PubMed

Wang, Meie; Chen, Weiping; Peng, Chi

2016-02-01

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice in Youxian, Hunan, China is a major environmental health concern. In order to reveal the Cd contamination in rice and paddy soils and the health risks to the population consuming the local rice grain, field surveys were conducted in eight towns in Youxian, China. The Cd contents of paddy soils averaged 0.228-1.91 mg kg(-1), 90% exceeding the allowable limit of 0.3 mg kg(-1) stipulated by the China Soil Environmental Quality Standards. Low average pH values (for air dried oxidized soils) ranging from 4.98 to 6.02 in paddy soil were also found. More than seventy percent (39 of 53) of the grain samples exceeded the maximum safe concentration of Cd, 0.2 mg kg(-1) on a dry weight basis. Considering the high consumption of local rice (339 g capita(-1) DW d(-1)) and Cd levels measured, dietary ingestion of 78% of the sampled rice grains would have adverse health risks because the intake exposure of Cd was greater than the JECFA recommended exposures, 0.8 µg Cd BW kg(-1) day(-1) or 25 µg Cd BW kg(-1) month(-1). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Do European Standard Disinfectant tests truly simulate in-use microbial and organic soiling conditions on food preparation surfaces?

PubMed

Meyer, B; Morin, V N; Rödger, H-J; Holah, J; Bird, C

2010-04-01

The results from European standard disinfectant tests are used as one basis to approve the use of disinfectants in Europe. The design of these laboratory-based tests should thus simulate as closely as possible the practical conditions and challenges that the disinfectants would encounter in use. No evidence is available that the organic and microbial loading in these tests simulates actual levels in the food service sector. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total viable count (TVC) were determined on 17 visibly clean and 45 visibly dirty surfaces in two restaurants and the food preparation surfaces of a large retail store. These values were compared to reference values recovered from surfaces soiled with the organic and microbial loading, following the standard conditions of the European Surface Test for bactericidal efficacy, EN 13697. The TOC reference values for clean and dirty conditions were higher than the data from practice, but cannot be regarded as statistical outliers. This was considered as a conservative assessment; however, as additional nine TOC samples from visibly dirty surfaces were discarded from the analysis, as their loading made them impossible to process. Similarly, the recovery of test organisms from surfaces contaminated according to EN 13697 was higher than the TVC from visibly dirty surfaces in practice; though they could not be regarded as statistical outliers of the whole data field. No correlation was found between TVC and TOC in the sampled data, which re-emphasizes the potential presence of micro-organisms on visibly clean surfaces and thus the need for the same degree of disinfection as visibly dirty surfaces. The organic soil and the microbial burden used in EN disinfectant standards represent a realistic worst-case scenario for disinfectants used in the food service and food-processing areas.

Contamination of commonly consumed raw vegetables with soil transmitted helminth eggs in Mazandaran province, northern Iran.

PubMed

Rostami, Ali; Ebrahimi, Maryam; Mehravar, Saeed; Fallah Omrani, Vahid; Fallahi, Shirzad; Behniafar, Hamed

2016-05-16

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are responsible for significant burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Consumption of raw vegetables without proper washing is one of the major routes of such infections. We evaluate the prevalence of STH contamination in commonly used vegetables in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. A total of 772 fresh raw vegetables were obtained from retail markets. Each sample was divided into two groups. One group was used as the unwashed sample and the second group was washed with standard washing procedures. Then, samples were examined for helminth eggs by using standard methods. Data analysis was performed using SPSS20. The overall prevalence of STHs was 14.89% (115/772). The rate of STH contamination was significantly higher in warm seasons (20.5%, 79/386) than in cold seasons (9.32%, 36/386) among the unwashed vegetables (OR=2.50; CI 95%=1.64-3.8; P<0.001). No parasites were observed in standard washed samples (OR=271.40; CI 95%=16.84-4373.64; P<0.001). Prevalence of STH contamination was significantly higher in leafy vegetables than root vegetables (OR=1.67; CI 95%=1.09-2.55; P<0.05). The prevalence of STHs species in all the vegetables were as follows: Ascaris lumbricoides (3.36%), Trichuris trichiura (2.2%), hookworms (2.9%), Toxocara spp. (1.68%), Trichostrongylus spp. (1.55), Taenia sp. (0.9%) and Hymenolepis nana (2.2%). The results of the present study emphasized that vegetables are potential risk factor for transmission of helminth infection to human in northern Iran. It is necessary that health authorities trained the consumers to proper and standard washing of vegetables before consumption. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Autoclave decomposition method for metals in soils and sediments.

PubMed

Navarrete-López, M; Jonathan, M P; Rodríguez-Espinosa, P F; Salgado-Galeana, J A

2012-04-01

Leaching of partially leached metals (Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was done using autoclave technique which was modified based on EPA 3051A digestion technique. The autoclave method was developed as an alternative to the regular digestion procedure passed the safety norms for partial extraction of metals in polytetrafluoroethylene (PFA vessel) with a low constant temperature (119.5° ± 1.5°C) and the recovery of elements were also precise. The autoclave method was also validated using two Standard Reference Materials (SRMs: Loam Soil B and Loam Soil D) and the recoveries were equally superior to the traditionally established digestion methods. Application of the autoclave was samples from different natural environments (beach, mangrove, river, and city soil) to reproduce the recovery of elements during subsequent analysis.

Near infrared spectroscopy for determination of various physical, chemical and biochemical properties in Mediterranean soils.

PubMed

Zornoza, R; Guerrero, C; Mataix-Solera, J; Scow, K M; Arcenegui, V; Mataix-Beneyto, J

2008-07-01

The potential of near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy to predict various physical, chemical and biochemical properties in Mediterranean soils from SE Spain was evaluated. Soil samples (n=393) were obtained by sampling thirteen locations during three years (2003-2005 period). These samples had a wide range of soil characteristics due to variations in land use, vegetation cover and specific climatic conditions. Biochemical properties also included microbial biomarkers based on phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA). Partial least squares (PLS) regression with cross validation was used to establish relationships between the NIR spectra and the reference data from physical, chemical and biochemical analyses. Based on the values of coefficient of determination (r(2)) and the ratio of standard deviation of validation set to root mean square error of cross validation (RPD), predicted results were evaluated as excellent (r(2)>0.90 and RPD>3) for soil organic carbon, Kjeldahl nitrogen, soil moisture, cation exchange capacity, microbial biomass carbon, basal soil respiration, acid phosphatase activity, β-glucosidase activity and PLFA biomarkers for total bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, actinomycetes, vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and total PLFA biomass. Good predictions (0.81

The natural abundance of 13C with different agricultural management by NIRS with fibre optic probe technology.

PubMed

Fuentes, Mariela; González-Martín, Inmaculada; Hernández-Hierro, Jose Miguel; Hidalgo, Claudia; Govaerts, Bram; Etchevers, Jorge; Sayre, Ken D; Dendooven, Luc

2009-06-30

In the present study the natural abundance of (13)C is quantified in agricultural soils in Mexico which have been submitted to different agronomic practices, zero and conventional tillage, retention of crop residues (with and without) and rotation of crops (wheat and maize) for 17 years, which have influenced the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The natural abundance of C13 is quantified by near infrared spectra (NIRS) with a remote reflectance fibre optic probe, applying the probe directly to the soil samples. Discriminate partial least squares analysis of the near infrared spectra allowed to classify soils with and without residues, regardless of the type of tillage or rotation systems used with a prediction rate of 90% in the internal validation and 94% in the external validation. The NIRS calibration model using a modified partial least squares regression allowed to determine the delta(13)C in soils with or without residues, with multiple correlation coefficients 0.81 and standard error prediction 0.5 per thousand in soils with residues and 0.92 and 0.2 per thousand in soils without residues. The ratio performance deviation for the quantification of delta(13)C in soil was 2.5 in soil with residues and 3.8 without residues. This indicated that the model was adequate to determine the delta(13)C of unknown soils in the -16.2 per thousand to -20.4 per thousand range. The development of the NIR calibration permits analytic determinations of the values of delta(13)C in unknown agricultural soils in less time, employing a non-destructive method, by the application of the fibre optic probe of remote reflectance to the soil sample.

Depositional history of core section 74001 - Depth profiles of maturity, FeO, and metal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Gose, W. A.

1977-01-01

Samples from every 0.5-cm interval of soil in core section 74001 have been studied by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and magnetic techniques. The values of the FMR maturity index show that the 74001 samples are very immature (the index ranges from 0.14 to 0.29 units) and have not seen appreciable, if any, surface exposure since their deposition. In fact, the small amount of fine-grained metal in the 74001 samples is probably not acquired as a result of their exposure to the micrometeoroid flux at the lunar surface. Thus, the black-glass soil of 74001 was deposited very rapidly, probably in a single episode or several closely spaced episodes of lunar fire fountaining. The average concentration of FeO and its standard deviation for all the 74001 samples are 22.5 + or - 0.3 wt.%. Since the FeO concentration is so uniform, no large variations in the major-element chemistry of 74001 are expected, with the possible exception of the volatile elements. The concentration of coarse-grained metal, which is measured magnetically, and its standard deviation are 0.15 + or - 0.01 wt.%. The coarse-grained metal probably precipitated contemporaneously with the silicate and oxide phases in the black-glass droplets.

[Heavy metal pollution characteristics and ecological risk analysis for soil around Haining electroplating industrial park].

PubMed

Li, Jiong-Hui; Weng, Shan; Fang, Jing; Huang, Jia-Lei; Lu, Fang-Hua; Lu, Yu-Hao; Zhang, Hong-Ming

2014-04-01

The pollution status and potential ecological risks of heavy metal in soils around Haining electroplating industrial park were studied. Hakanson index approach was used to assess the ecological hazards of heavy metals in soils. Results showed that average concentrations of six heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cr) in the soils were lower than the secondary criteria of environmental quality standard for soils, indicating limited harmful effects on the plants and the environment in general. Though the average soil concentrations were low, heavy metal concentrations in six sampling points located at the side of road still exceeded the criteria, with excessive rate of 13%. Statistic analysis showed that concentrations of Cu and Cd in roadside soils were significantly higher than those in non-roadside soils, indicating that the excessive heavy metal accumulations in the soil closely related with traffic transport. The average potential ecological hazard index of soils around Haining electroplating industrial park was 46.6, suggesting a slightly ecological harm. However, the potential ecological hazard index of soils with excessive heavy metals was 220-278, suggesting the medium ecological hazards. Cd was the most seriously ecological hazard factor.

Measurement of particle size distribution of soil and selected aggregate sizes using the hydrometer method and laser diffractometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzmán, G.; Gómez, J. A.; Giráldez, J. V.

2010-05-01

Soil particle size distribution has been traditionally determined by the hydrometer or the sieve-pipette methods, both of them time consuming and requiring a relatively large soil sample. This might be a limitation in situations, such as for instance analysis of suspended sediment, when the sample is small. A possible alternative to these methods are the optical techniques such as laser diffractometry. However the literature indicates that the use of this technique as an alternative to traditional methods is still limited, because the difficulty in replicating the results obtained with the standard methods. In this study we present the percentages of soil grain size determined using laser diffractometry within ranges set between 0.04 - 2000 μm. A Beckman-Coulter ® LS-230 with a 750 nm laser beam and software version 3.2 in five soils, representative of southern Spain: Alameda, Benacazón, Conchuela, Lanjarón and Pedrera. In three of the studied soils (Alameda, Benacazón and Conchuela) the particle size distribution of each aggregate size class was also determined. Aggregate size classes were obtained by dry sieve analysis using a Retsch AS 200 basic ®. Two hundred grams of air dried soil were sieved during 150 s, at amplitude 2 mm, getting nine different sizes between 2000 μm and 10 μm. Analyses were performed by triplicate. The soil sample preparation was also adapted to our conditions. A small amount each soil sample (less than 1 g) was transferred to the fluid module full of running water and disaggregated by ultrasonication at energy level 4 and 80 ml of sodium hexametaphosphate solution during 580 seconds. Two replicates of each sample were performed. Each measurement was made for a 90 second reading at a pump speed of 62. After the laser diffractometry analysis, each soil and its aggregate classes were processed calibrating its own optical model fitting the optical parameters that mainly depends on the color and the shape of the analyzed particle. As a second alternative a unique optical model valid for a broad range of soils developed by the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science of the University of Arizona (personal communication, already submitted) was tested. The results were compared with the particle size distribution measured in the same soils and aggregate classes using the hydrometer method. Preliminary results indicate a better calibration of the technique using the optical model of the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science of the University of Arizona, which obtained a good correlations (r2>0.85). This result suggests that with an appropriate calibration of the optical model laser diffractometry might provide a reliable soil particle characterization.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) concentration in soil from San Luis Potosi, Mexico: levels and ecological and human health risk characterization.

PubMed

Pérez-Vázquez, Francisco J; Orta-García, Sandra T; Ochoa-Martínez, Ángeles C; Pruneda-Álvarez, Lucia G; Ruiz-Vera, Tania; Jiménez-Avalos, Jorge Armando; González-Palomo, Ana K; Pérez-Maldonado, Iván N

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils from the city of San Luis Potosi in Mexico and perform an ecological and human health risk characterization. In order to confirm the presence of PBDEs, outdoor surface soil samples were collected and the concentrations of PBDEs in urban, industrial, agricultural, and brick kiln industry areas were determined. The mean total PBDEs levels obtained in the study sites were 25.0 ± 39.5 μg/kg (geometric mean ± standard deviation) in the brick kiln industry zone; 34.5 ± 36.0 μg/kg in the urban zone; 8.00 ± 7.10 μg/kg in the industrial zone and 16.6 ± 15.3 μg/kg in the agricultural zone. The ecological and human health risk characterization showed relatively low-hazard quotient values. However, the moderately high PBDEs levels found in soils highlight the necessity to establish a systematic monitoring process for PBDEs in environmental and biological samples.

Pu-239+240 and Cs-137 in Montenegro soil: their correlation and origin.

PubMed

Antovic, Nevenka M; Vukotic, Perko; Svrkota, Nikola; Andrukhovich, Sergey K

2012-08-01

The (239+240)Pu activity concentrations in soil from Montenegro (six samples from three localities) have been measured for the first time. The alpha and gamma-spectrometric measurements are used to determine the (239+240)Pu/(137)Cs activity ratio, and it was found to be with an average of 0.02 and standard deviation of 0.007. This average activity ratio was applied to estimate (239+240)Pu in soil samples from the other 21 localities at which (137)Cs activity concentrations were measured. In this research obtained (either experimentally or estimated) (239+240)Pu activity concentrations (0.036-8.265 Bq kg(-1)) are comparable with those measured in some other European countries. On the basis of the results obtained in the present study and a survey of relevant literature, it is possible to conclude that Chernobyl contribution to (137)Cs contamination of Montenegro soils is dominant, whilst Pu contamination comes from the global fallout of nuclear weapon tests. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical method for nitroaromatic explosives in radiologically contaminated soil for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation

DOE PAGES

Boggess, Andrew; Crump, Stephen; Gregory, Clint; ...

2017-12-06

Here, unique hazards are presented in the analysis of radiologically contaminated samples. Strenuous safety and security precautions must be in place to protect the analyst, laboratory, and instrumentation used to perform analyses. A validated method has been optimized for the analysis of select nitroaromatic explosives and degradative products using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry via sonication extraction of radiologically contaminated soils, for samples requiring ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory conformance. Target analytes included 2-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, as well as the degradative product 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. Analytes were extracted from soil in methylene chloride by sonication. Administrative and engineering controls, as well as instrument automationmore » and quality control measures, were utilized to minimize potential human exposure to radiation at all times and at all stages of analysis, from receiving through disposition. Though thermal instability increased uncertainties of these selected compounds, a mean lower quantitative limit of 2.37 µg/mL and mean accuracy of 2.3% relative error and 3.1% relative standard deviation were achieved. Quadratic regression was found to be optimal for calibration of all analytes, with compounds of lower hydrophobicity displaying greater parabolic curve. Blind proficiency testing (PT) of spiked soil samples demonstrated a mean relative error of 9.8%. Matrix spiked analyses of PT samples demonstrated that 99% recovery of target analytes was achieved. To the knowledge of the authors, this represents the first safe, accurate, and reproducible quantitative method for nitroaromatic explosives in soil for specific use on radiologically contaminated samples within the constraints of a nuclear analytical lab.« less

Analytical method for nitroaromatic explosives in radiologically contaminated soil for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation

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

Boggess, Andrew; Crump, Stephen; Gregory, Clint

Here, unique hazards are presented in the analysis of radiologically contaminated samples. Strenuous safety and security precautions must be in place to protect the analyst, laboratory, and instrumentation used to perform analyses. A validated method has been optimized for the analysis of select nitroaromatic explosives and degradative products using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry via sonication extraction of radiologically contaminated soils, for samples requiring ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory conformance. Target analytes included 2-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, as well as the degradative product 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. Analytes were extracted from soil in methylene chloride by sonication. Administrative and engineering controls, as well as instrument automationmore » and quality control measures, were utilized to minimize potential human exposure to radiation at all times and at all stages of analysis, from receiving through disposition. Though thermal instability increased uncertainties of these selected compounds, a mean lower quantitative limit of 2.37 µg/mL and mean accuracy of 2.3% relative error and 3.1% relative standard deviation were achieved. Quadratic regression was found to be optimal for calibration of all analytes, with compounds of lower hydrophobicity displaying greater parabolic curve. Blind proficiency testing (PT) of spiked soil samples demonstrated a mean relative error of 9.8%. Matrix spiked analyses of PT samples demonstrated that 99% recovery of target analytes was achieved. To the knowledge of the authors, this represents the first safe, accurate, and reproducible quantitative method for nitroaromatic explosives in soil for specific use on radiologically contaminated samples within the constraints of a nuclear analytical lab.« less

Determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its major transformation product in soil samples by liquid chromatographic analysis.

PubMed

de Amarante, O P; Brito, N M; Dos Santos, T C R; Nunes, G S; Ribeiro, M L

2003-05-28

The 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is one of the most applied herbicides around the world to control broad leave herbs in many crops. In this study, a method was developed for simultaneous extraction and determination of 2,4-D and its major transformation product, i.e., the 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), in soil samples. The herbicide and its degradation product were extracted twice from soil samples, after acidification, by dichloromethane on ultrasound system for 1 h. Both extracts were combined and filtrated in qualitative filter paper and Celite((R)). The total extract was concentrated in rotatory evaporator, dried under N(2) and finally dissolved in 1 ml of methanol. High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV detection at 230 nm was used for analysis. Recoveries were obtained from soil samples fortified at 0.1, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mgkg(-1) levels and the results varied from 85 to 111% (for 2,4-D) and from 95 to 98% (for 2,4-DCP). For both compounds, the limits of quantification were 0.1 mgkg(-1), which were the loss level at which the accuracy and the precision were studied. Nevertheless, the limits of detection, calculated by considering the blank standard deviation and the minimum concentration level, were 0.03 and 0.02 mgkg(-1), for 2,4-D and 2,4-DCP, respectively. This proposed method was applied to soil samples of eucalyptus crops, which was previously treated with the herbicide. Despite that, neither 2,4-D nor its degradation product were detected 30 days after the herbicide application.

Application of the digital image correlation method in the study of cohesive coarse soil deformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kogut, Janusz P.; Tekieli, Marcin

2018-04-01

Non-contact video measurement methods are used to extend the capabilities of standard measurement systems, based on strain gauges or accelerometers. In most cases, they are able to provide more accurate information about the material or construction being tested than traditional sensors, while maintaining a high resolution and measurement stability. With the use of optical methods, it is possible to generate a full field of displacement on the surface of the test sample. The displacement value is the basic (primary) value determined using optical methods, and it is possible to determine the size of the derivative in the form of a sample deformation. This paper presents the application of a non-contact optical method to investigate the deformation of coarse soil material. For this type of soil, it is particularly difficult to obtain basic strength parameters. The use of a non-contact optical method, followed by a digital image correlation (DIC) study of the sample obtained during the tests, effectively completes the description of the behaviour of this type of material.

Buildup of heavy metals in soil-water-plant continuum as influenced by irrigation with contaminated effluent.

PubMed

Sachan, Sanjay; Singh, S K; Srivastava, P C

2007-10-01

Accumulation of heavy metals in soil-water-plant continuum as a result of irrigation with metals contaminated effluent has been studied. Effluents being used for irrigating agricultural fields had normal pH 7.3-7.5, high Cr and Cl content as per the prescribed standards for irrigation. Among the heavy metals, buildup of total Iron was highest (9 times) and that of cadmium (1.3 times) was lowest in effluent irrigated soil as compared to tubewell irrigated soils. In most of the hand pump water samples, Pb, Cd and Cr were above the permissible limits for drinking. Bioaccumulation of Pb and Cr in vegetables was found to be above the critical concentrations for plant growth while Pb and Cd were above the prescribed limit in the diet of animals. Most of the heavy metals were above the maximum allowable limit in soil.

Soil pH Mapping with an On-The-Go Sensor

PubMed Central

Schirrmann, Michael; Gebbers, Robin; Kramer, Eckart; Seidel, Jan

2011-01-01

Soil pH is a key parameter for crop productivity, therefore, its spatial variation should be adequately addressed to improve precision management decisions. Recently, the Veris pH Manager™, a sensor for high-resolution mapping of soil pH at the field scale, has been made commercially available in the US. While driving over the field, soil pH is measured on-the-go directly within the soil by ion selective antimony electrodes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Veris pH Manager™ under farming conditions in Germany. Sensor readings were compared with data obtained by standard protocols of soil pH assessment. Experiments took place under different scenarios: (a) controlled tests in the lab, (b) semicontrolled test on transects in a stop-and-go mode, and (c) tests under practical conditions in the field with the sensor working in its typical on-the-go mode. Accuracy issues, problems, options, and potential benefits of the Veris pH Manager™ were addressed. The tests demonstrated a high degree of linearity between standard laboratory values and sensor readings. Under practical conditions in the field (scenario c), the measure of fit (r2) for the regression between the on-the-go measurements and the reference data was 0.71, 0.63, and 0.84, respectively. Field-specific calibration was necessary to reduce systematic errors. Accuracy of the on-the-go maps was considerably higher compared with the pH maps obtained by following the standard protocols, and the error in calculating lime requirements was reduced by about one half. However, the system showed some weaknesses due to blockage by residual straw and weed roots. If these problems were solved, the on-the-go sensor investigated here could be an efficient alternative to standard sampling protocols as a basis for liming in Germany. PMID:22346591

Soil pH mapping with an on-the-go sensor.

PubMed

Schirrmann, Michael; Gebbers, Robin; Kramer, Eckart; Seidel, Jan

2011-01-01

Soil pH is a key parameter for crop productivity, therefore, its spatial variation should be adequately addressed to improve precision management decisions. Recently, the Veris pH Manager™, a sensor for high-resolution mapping of soil pH at the field scale, has been made commercially available in the US. While driving over the field, soil pH is measured on-the-go directly within the soil by ion selective antimony electrodes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Veris pH Manager™ under farming conditions in Germany. Sensor readings were compared with data obtained by standard protocols of soil pH assessment. Experiments took place under different scenarios: (a) controlled tests in the lab, (b) semicontrolled test on transects in a stop-and-go mode, and (c) tests under practical conditions in the field with the sensor working in its typical on-the-go mode. Accuracy issues, problems, options, and potential benefits of the Veris pH Manager™ were addressed. The tests demonstrated a high degree of linearity between standard laboratory values and sensor readings. Under practical conditions in the field (scenario c), the measure of fit (r(2)) for the regression between the on-the-go measurements and the reference data was 0.71, 0.63, and 0.84, respectively. Field-specific calibration was necessary to reduce systematic errors. Accuracy of the on-the-go maps was considerably higher compared with the pH maps obtained by following the standard protocols, and the error in calculating lime requirements was reduced by about one half. However, the system showed some weaknesses due to blockage by residual straw and weed roots. If these problems were solved, the on-the-go sensor investigated here could be an efficient alternative to standard sampling protocols as a basis for liming in Germany.

Impacts of Small-Scale Industrialized Swine Farming on Local Soil, Water and Crop Qualities in a Hilly Red Soil Region of Subtropical China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Di; Wang, Xingxiang; Zhou, Zhigao

2017-01-01

Industrialized small-scale pig farming has been rapidly developed in developing regions such as China and Southeast Asia, but the environmental problems accompanying pig farming have not been fully recognized. This study investigated 168 small-scale pig farms and 29 example pig farms in Yujiang County of China to examine current and potential impacts of pig wastes on soil, water and crop qualities in the hilly red soil region, China. The results indicated that the small-scale pig farms produced considerable annual yields of wastes, with medians of 216, 333 and 773 ton yr−1 per pig farm for manure, urine and washing wastewater, respectively, which has had significant impact on surface water quality. Taking NH4+-N, total nitrogen (TN) or total phosphorus (TP) as a criterion to judge water quality, the proportions of Class III and below Class III waters in the local surface waters were 66.2%, 78.7% and 72.5%. The well water (shallow groundwater) quality near these pig farms met the water quality standards by a wide margin. The annual output of pollutants from pig farms was the most important factor correlated with the nutrients and heavy metals in soils, and the relationship can be described by a linear equation. The impact on croplands was marked by the excessive accumulation of available phosphorus and heavy metals such as Cu and Zn. For crop safety, the over-limit ratio of Zn in vegetable samples reached 60%, other heavy metals in vegetable and rice samples tested met the food safety standard at present. PMID:29211053

Impacts of Small-Scale Industrialized Swine Farming on Local Soil, Water and Crop Qualities in a Hilly Red Soil Region of Subtropical China.

PubMed

Zhang, Di; Wang, Xingxiang; Zhou, Zhigao

2017-12-06

Industrialized small-scale pig farming has been rapidly developed in developing regions such as China and Southeast Asia, but the environmental problems accompanying pig farming have not been fully recognized. This study investigated 168 small-scale pig farms and 29 example pig farms in Yujiang County of China to examine current and potential impacts of pig wastes on soil, water and crop qualities in the hilly red soil region, China. The results indicated that the small-scale pig farms produced considerable annual yields of wastes, with medians of 216, 333 and 773 ton yr -1 per pig farm for manure, urine and washing wastewater, respectively, which has had significant impact on surface water quality. Taking NH₄⁺-N, total nitrogen (TN) or total phosphorus (TP) as a criterion to judge water quality, the proportions of Class III and below Class III waters in the local surface waters were 66.2%, 78.7% and 72.5%. The well water (shallow groundwater) quality near these pig farms met the water quality standards by a wide margin. The annual output of pollutants from pig farms was the most important factor correlated with the nutrients and heavy metals in soils, and the relationship can be described by a linear equation. The impact on croplands was marked by the excessive accumulation of available phosphorus and heavy metals such as Cu and Zn. For crop safety, the over-limit ratio of Zn in vegetable samples reached 60%, other heavy metals in vegetable and rice samples tested met the food safety standard at present.

Easy and fast extraction methods to determine organochlorine pesticides in sewage sludge, soil, and water samples based at low temperature.

PubMed

Mesquita, Tayane C R; Santos, Rizia R; Cacique, Ane P; De Sá, Ludimara J; Silvério, Flaviano O; Pinho, Gevany P

2018-03-04

Organochlorine pesticides present in sewage sludge can contaminate soil and water when they are used as either fertilizer or agricultural soil conditioner. In this study, the technique solid-liquid extraction with low temperature purification was optimized and validated for determination of ten organochlorine pesticides in sewage sludge and soil samples. Liquid-liquid extraction with low temperature purification was also validated for the same compounds in water. Analyses were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry operating in the selective ion monitoring mode. After optimization, the methods showed recoveries between 70% and 115% with relative standard deviation lower than 13% for all target analytes in the three matrices. The linearity was demonstrated in the range of 20 to 70 µg L -1 , 0.5 to 60 µg L -1 , and 3 to 13 µg L -1 , for sludge, soil, and acetonitrile, respectively. The limit of quantification ranged between 2 and 40 µg kg -1 , 1 and 6 µg kg -1 , and 0.5 µg L -1 for sludge, soil, and water, respectively. The methods were used in the study of pesticide lixiviation carried out in a poly vinyl chlorine column filled with soil, which had its surface layer mixed with sludge. The results showed that pesticides are not leached into soil, part of them is adsorbed by the sewage sludge (4-40%), and most pesticides are lost by volatilization.

Amorphous Analogs of Martian Global Soil: Pair Distribution Function Analyses and Implications for Scattering Models of Chemin X-ray Diffraction Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Achilles, C. N.; Bish, D. L.; Rampe, E. B.; Morris, R. V.

2015-01-01

Soils on Mars have been analyzed by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) and most recently by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover. Chemical analyses from a majority of soil samples suggest that there is a relatively uniform global soil composition across much of the planet. A soil site, Rocknest, was sampled by the MSL science payload including the CheMin X-ray diffractometer and the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). Che- Min X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed crystalline phases and a broad, elevated background, indicating the presence of amorphous or poorly ordered materials (Fig 1). Based on the chemical composition of the bulk soil measured by APXS and the composition of crystalline phases derived from unit-cell parameters determined with CheMin data, the percentages of crystalline and amorphous phases were calculated at 51% and 49%, respectively. Attempts to model the amorphous contribution to CheMin XRD patterns were made using amorphous standards and full-pattern fitting methods and show that the broad, elevated background region can be fitted by basaltic glass, allophane, and palagonite. However, the modeling shows only that these phases have scattering patterns similar to that for the soil, not that they represent unique solutions. Here, we use pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to determine the short-range order of amorphous analogs in martian soils and better constrain the amorphous material detected by CheMin.

Soil sampling kit and a method of sampling therewith

DOEpatents

Thompson, Cyril V.

1991-01-01

A soil sampling device and a sample containment device for containing a soil sample is disclosed. In addition, a method for taking a soil sample using the soil sampling device and soil sample containment device to minimize the loss of any volatile organic compounds contained in the soil sample prior to analysis is disclosed. The soil sampling device comprises two close fitting, longitudinal tubular members of suitable length, the inner tube having the outward end closed. With the inner closed tube withdrawn a selected distance, the outer tube can be inserted into the ground or other similar soft material to withdraw a sample of material for examination. The inner closed end tube controls the volume of the sample taken and also serves to eject the sample. The soil sample containment device has a sealing member which is adapted to attach to an analytical apparatus which analyzes the volatile organic compounds contained in the sample. The soil sampling device in combination with the soil sample containment device allow an operator to obtain a soil sample containing volatile organic compounds and minimizing the loss of the volatile organic compounds prior to analysis of the soil sample for the volatile organic compounds.

Soil sampling kit and a method of sampling therewith

DOEpatents

Thompson, C.V.

1991-02-05

A soil sampling device and a sample containment device for containing a soil sample is disclosed. In addition, a method for taking a soil sample using the soil sampling device and soil sample containment device to minimize the loss of any volatile organic compounds contained in the soil sample prior to analysis is disclosed. The soil sampling device comprises two close fitting, longitudinal tubular members of suitable length, the inner tube having the outward end closed. With the inner closed tube withdrawn a selected distance, the outer tube can be inserted into the ground or other similar soft material to withdraw a sample of material for examination. The inner closed end tube controls the volume of the sample taken and also serves to eject the sample. The soil sample containment device has a sealing member which is adapted to attach to an analytical apparatus which analyzes the volatile organic compounds contained in the sample. The soil sampling device in combination with the soil sample containment device allows an operator to obtain a soil sample containing volatile organic compounds and minimizing the loss of the volatile organic compounds prior to analysis of the soil sample for the volatile organic compounds. 11 figures.

Removal of arsenic from Janghang smelter site and energy crops-grown soil with soil washing using magnetic iron oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jaemaro; Zhao, Xin; Lee, Jong Keun; Kim, Jae Young

2014-05-01

Arsenic compounds are considered carcinogen and easily enter drinking water supplies with their natural abundance. US Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing a regulation to reduce the public health risks from arsenic in drinking water by revising the current drinking water standard for arsenic from 50 ppb to 10 ppb in 2001 (USEPA, 2001). Therefore, soil remediation is also growing field to prevent contamination of groundwater as well as crop cultivation. Soil washing is adjusted as ex-situ soil remediation technique which reduces volume of the contaminated soil. The technique is composed of physical separation and chemical extraction to extract target metal contamination in the soil. Chemical extraction methods have been developed solubilizing contaminants containing reagents such as acids or chelating agents. And acid extraction is proven as the most commonly used technology to treat heavy metals in soil, sediment, and sludge (FRTR, 2007). Due to the unique physical and chemical properties, magnetic iron oxide have been used in diverse areas including information technology and biomedicine. Magnetic iron oxides also can be used as adsorbent to heavy metal enhancing removal efficiency of arsenic concentration. In this study, magnetite is used as the washing agent with acid extraction condition so that the injected oxide can be separated by magnetic field. Soil samples were collected from three separate areas in the Janghang smelter site and energy crops-grown soil to have synergy effect with phytoremediation. Each sample was air-dried and sieved (2mm). Soil washing condition was adjusted on pH in the range of 0-12 with hydrogen chloride and sodium hydroxide. After performing soil washing procedure, arsenic-extracted samples were analyzed for arsenic concentration by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). All the soils have exceeded worrisome level of soil contamination for region 1 (25mg/kg) so the soil remediation techniques are needed to be applied. The objective of this study is to investigate soil washing efficiency using magnetic iron oxide and derive the availability of the washing technique to the arsenic-contaminated field soils. Acknowledgement This study was supported by Korea Ministry of Environment as 'Knowledge-based environmental service (Waste to Energy) Human Resource Development Project'.

Nitrous Oxide Reductase (nosZ) Gene Fragments Differ between Native and Cultivated Michigan Soils

PubMed Central

Stres, Blaž; Mahne, Ivan; Avguštin, Gorazd; Tiedje, James M.

2004-01-01

The effect of standard agricultural management on the genetic heterogeneity of nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) fragments from denitrifying prokaryotes in native and cultivated soil was explored. Thirty-six soil cores were composited from each of the two soil management conditions. nosZ gene fragments were amplified from triplicate samples, and PCR products were cloned and screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The total nosZ RFLP profiles increased in similarity with soil sample size until triplicate 3-g samples produced visually identical RFLP profiles for each treatment. Large differences in total nosZ profiles were observed between the native and cultivated soils. The fragments representing major groups of clones encountered at least twice and four randomly selected clones with unique RFLP patterns were sequenced to verify nosZ identity. The sequence diversity of nosZ clones from the cultivated field was higher, and only eight patterns were found in clone libraries from both soils among the 182 distinct nosZ RFLP patterns identified from the two soils. A group of clones that comprised 32% of all clones dominated the gene library of native soil, whereas many minor groups were observed in the gene library of cultivated soil. The 95% confidence intervals of the Chao1 nonparametric richness estimator for nosZ RFLP data did not overlap, indicating that the levels of species richness are significantly different in the two soils, the cultivated soil having higher diversity. Phylogenetic analysis of deduced amino acid sequences grouped the majority of nosZ clones into an interleaved Michigan soil cluster whose cultured members are α-Proteobacteria. Only four nosZ sequences from cultivated soil and one from the native soil were related to sequences found in γ-Proteobacteria. Sequences from the native field formed a distinct, closely related cluster (Dmean = 0.16) containing 91.6% of the native clones. Clones from the cultivated field were more distantly related to each other (Dmean = 0.26), and 65% were found outside of the cluster from the native soil, further indicating a difference in the two communities. Overall, there appears to be a relationship between use and richness, diversity, and the phylogenetic position of nosZ sequences, indicating that agricultural use of soil caused a shift to a more diverse denitrifying community. PMID:14711656

Natural Radioactivity in Bananas

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

Zagatto, V. A. B.; Medina, N. H.; Okuno, E.

The content of {sup 40}K natural radionuclide in bananas (Musa sapientum) from the Vale do Ribeira region, Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been measured. We have collected several samples of bananas prata and nanica, its peels, leaves, and also different soils where the banana tree was planted, such as soil with a standard amount of fertilizer, the fertilizer itself and also soil without fertilizer for comparison. We have used the gamma-ray spectroscopy technique with a NaI(T1) crystal inside a 12 cm thick lead shield to detect the gamma-radiation. The results indicate that only part of the available potassium is absorbed bymore » the plant, which is mainly concentrated in the banana peel.« less

Natural Radioactivity in Bananas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zagatto, V. A. B.; Medina, N. H.; Okuno, E.; Umisedo, N. K.

2008-08-01

The content of 40K natural radionuclide in bananas (Musa sapientum) from the Vale do Ribeira region, São Paulo, Brazil, has been measured. We have collected several samples of bananas prata and nanica, its peels, leaves, and also different soils where the banana tree was planted, such as soil with a standard amount of fertilizer, the fertilizer itself and also soil without fertilizer for comparison. We have used the gamma-ray spectroscopy technique with a NaI(T1) crystal inside a 12 cm thick lead shield to detect the gamma-radiation. The results indicate that only part of the available potassium is absorbed by the plant, which is mainly concentrated in the banana peel.

Detection and quantification of ionophore antibiotics in runoff, soil and poultry litter.

PubMed

Sun, Peizhe; Barmaz, Delphine; Cabrera, Miguel L; Pavlostathis, Spyros G; Huang, Ching-Hua

2013-10-18

Ionophore antibiotics (IPAs) are widely used as coccidiostats in poultry and other livestock industries to promote growth and prevent infections. Because most of the ingested IPAs are excreted in poultry litter, which is primarily applied as grassland fertilizer, a significant amount of IPAs can be released into the litter-soil-water environment. A robust analytical method has been developed to quantify IPAs (monensin (MON), salinomycin (SAL) and narasin (NAR)) in complex environmental compartments including surface runoff, soil and poultry litter, with success to minimize matrix interference. The method for water samples involves solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) post-clean up steps. The method for solid samples involves bi-solvent LLE. IPAs were detected by HPLC-MS, with optimized parameters to achieve the highest sensitivity. Nigericin (NIG), an IPA not used in livestock industry, is successfully applied and validated as a surrogate standard. The method recoveries were at 92-95% and 81-85% in runoff samples from unfertilized and litter-fertilized fields, respectively. For solids, the method recoveries were at 93-99% in soils, and 79-83% in poultry litter samples. SAL was detected at up to 22mg/kg and MON and NAR at up to 4mg/kg in broiler litter from different farms. Up to 183μg/kg of MON was detected in litter-fertilized soils. All three IPAs were detected in the rainfall runoff from litter-fertilized lands at concentrations up to 9μg/L. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring design for assessing compliance with numeric nutrient standards for rivers and streams using geospatial variables.

PubMed

Williams, Rachel E; Arabi, Mazdak; Loftis, Jim; Elmund, G Keith

2014-09-01

Implementation of numeric nutrient standards in Colorado has prompted a need for greater understanding of human impacts on ambient nutrient levels. This study explored the variability of annual nutrient concentrations due to upstream anthropogenic influences and developed a mathematical expression for the number of samples required to estimate median concentrations for standard compliance. A procedure grounded in statistical hypothesis testing was developed to estimate the number of annual samples required at monitoring locations while taking into account the difference between the median concentrations and the water quality standard for a lognormal population. For the Cache La Poudre River in northern Colorado, the relationship between the median and standard deviation of total N (TN) and total P (TP) concentrations and the upstream point and nonpoint concentrations and general hydrologic descriptors was explored using multiple linear regression models. Very strong relationships were evident between the upstream anthropogenic influences and annual medians for TN and TP ( > 0.85, < 0.001) and corresponding standard deviations ( > 0.7, < 0.001). Sample sizes required to demonstrate (non)compliance with the standard depend on the measured water quality conditions. When the median concentration differs from the standard by >20%, few samples are needed to reach a 95% confidence level. When the median is within 20% of the corresponding water quality standard, however, the required sample size increases rapidly, and hundreds of samples may be required. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Contribution to Estimating Bearing Capacity of Pile in Clayey Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drusa, Marián; Gago, Filip; Vlček, Jozef

2016-12-01

The estimation of real geotechnical parameters is key factor for safe and economic design of geotechnical structures. One of these are pile foundations, which require proper design and evaluation due to accessing more deep foundation soil and because remediation work of not bearable piles or broken piles is a crucial operation. For this reason, geotechnical field testing like cone penetration test (CPT), standard penetration (SPT) or dynamic penetration test (DP) are realized in order to receive continuous information about soil strata. Comparing with rotary core drilling type of survey with sampling, these methods are more progressive. From engineering geologist point of view, it is more important to know geological characterization of locality but geotechnical engineers have more interest above the real geotechnical parameters of foundation soils. The role of engineering geologist cannot be underestimated because important geological processes in origin or during history can explain behaviour of a geological environment. In effort to streamline the survey, investigation by penetration tests is done as it is able to provide enough information for designers. This paper deals with actual trends in pile foundation design; because there are no new standards and usable standards are very old. Estimation of the bearing capacity of a single pile can be demonstrated on the example of determination of the cone factor Nk from CPT testing. Then results were compared with other common methods.

Determination of uranium isotopic composition and 236U content of soil samples and hot particles using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Boulyga, S F; Becker, J S

2001-07-01

As a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) the environment was contaminated with spent nuclear fuel. The 236U isotope was used in this study to monitor the spent uranium from nuclear fallout in soil samples collected in the vicinity of the Chernobyl NPP. Nuclear track radiography was applied for the identification and extraction of hot radioactive particles from soil samples. A rapid and sensitive analytical procedure was developed for uranium isotopic ratio measurement in environmental samples based on double-focusing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (DF-ICP-MS) with a MicroMist nebulizer and a direct injection high-efficiency nebulizer (DIHEN). The performance of the DF-ICP-MS with a quartz DIHEN and plasma shielded torch was studied. Overall detection efficiencies of 4 x 10(-4) and 10(-3) counts per atom were achieved for 238U in DF-ICP-QMS with the MicroMist nebulizer and DIHEN, respectively. The rate of formation of uranium hydride ions UH+/U+ was 1.2 x 10(-4) and 1.4 x 10(-4), respectively. The precision of short-term measurements of uranium isotopic ratios (n = 5) in 1 microg L(-1) NBS U-020 standard solution was 0.11% (238U/235U) and 1.4% (236U/238U) using a MicroMist nebulizer and 0.25% (235U/238U) and 1.9% (236U/P38U) using a DIHEN. The isotopic composition of all investigated Chernobyl soil samples differed from those of natural uranium; i.e. in these samples the 236U/238U ratio ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-3). Results obtained with ICP-MS, alpha- and gamma-spectrometry showed differences in the migration properties of spent uranium, plutonium, and americium. The isotopic ratio of uranium was also measured in hot particles extracted from soil samples.

XANES Identification of Plutonium Speciation in RFETS Samples

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

LoPresti, V.; Conradson, S.D.; Clark, D.L.

2009-06-03

Using primarily X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) with standards run in tandem with samples, probable plutonium speciation was determined for 13 samples from contaminated soil, acid-splash or fire-deposition building interior surfaces, or asphalt pads from the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). Save for extreme oxidizing situations, all other samples were found to be of Pu(IV) speciation, supporting the supposition that such contamination is less likely to show mobility off site. EXAFS analysis conducted on two of the 13 samples supported the validity of the XANES features employed as determinants of the plutonium valence.

Soil Particle Size Analysis by Laser Diffractometry: Result Comparison with Pipette Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šinkovičová, Miroslava; Igaz, Dušan; Kondrlová, Elena; Jarošová, Miriam

2017-10-01

Soil texture as the basic soil physical property provides a basic information on the soil grain size distribution as well as grain size fraction representation. Currently, there are several methods of particle dimension measurement available that are based on different physical principles. Pipette method based on the different sedimentation velocity of particles with different diameter is considered to be one of the standard methods of individual grain size fraction distribution determination. Following the technical advancement, optical methods such as laser diffraction can be also used nowadays for grain size distribution determination in the soil. According to the literature review of domestic as well as international sources related to this topic, it is obvious that the results obtained by laser diffractometry do not correspond with the results obtained by pipette method. The main aim of this paper was to analyse 132 samples of medium fine soil, taken from the Nitra River catchment in Slovakia, from depths of 15-20 cm and 40-45 cm, respectively, using laser analysers: ANALYSETTE 22 MicroTec plus (Fritsch GmbH) and Mastersizer 2000 (Malvern Instruments Ltd). The results obtained by laser diffractometry were compared with pipette method and the regression relationships using linear, exponential, power and polynomial trend were derived. Regressions with the three highest regression coefficients (R2) were further investigated. The fit with the highest tightness was observed for the polynomial regression. In view of the results obtained, we recommend using the estimate of the representation of the clay fraction (<0.01 mm) polynomial regression, to achieve a highest confidence value R2 at the depths of 15-20 cm 0.72 (Analysette 22 MicroTec plus) and 0.95 (Mastersizer 2000), from a depth of 40-45 cm 0.90 (Analysette 22 MicroTec plus) and 0.96 (Mastersizer 2000). Since the percentage representation of clayey particles (2nd fraction according to the methodology of Complex Soil Survey done in Slovakia) in soil is the determinant for soil type specification, we recommend using the derived relationships in soil science when the soil texture analysis is done according to laser diffractometry. The advantages of laser diffraction method comprise the short analysis time, usage of small sample amount, application for the various grain size fraction and soil type classification systems, and a wide range of determined fractions. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on this issue further to address the needs of soil science research and attempt to replace the standard pipette method with more progressive laser diffraction method.

On the compressibility and temperature boundary of warm frozen soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Jilin; Dang, Boxiang; Guo, Xueluan; Sun, Xiaoyu; Yan, Xu

2017-04-01

A silty-clay obtained along the Qinghai-Tibetan railway and a standard Chinese sand were taken as study objects. Saturated frozen soil samples were prepared for testing. Step-load was used and confined compression was carried out on the soils under different temperatures. Compression index and pseudo-preconsolidation pressure (PPC) were obtained. Unlike unfrozen soils, PPC is not associated with stress history. However, it is still the boundary of elastic and plastic deformations. Different compression indexes can be obtained from an individual compression curve under pressures before and after PPC. The parameters at different thermal and stress conditions were analyzed. It is found that temperature plays a critical role in mechanical behaviours of frozen soils. Efforts were then made on the silty-clay in order to suggest a convincing temperature boundary in defining warm frozen soil. Three groups of ice-rich samples with different ice contents were prepared and tested under confined compression. The samples were compressed under a constant load and with 5 stepped temperatures. Strain rates at different temperatures were examined. It was found that the strain rate at around -0.6°C increased abruptly. Analysis of compression index was performed on the data both from our own testing program and from the literature, which showed that at about -1°C was a turning point in the curves for compression index against temperature. Based on both our work and taking into account the unfrozen water content vs. temperature, the range of -1°C to -0.5°C seems to be the temperature where the mechanical properties change greatly. For convenience, -1.0°C can be defined as the boundary for warm frozen soils.

Reconstructing rare soil microbial genomes using in situ enrichments and metagenomics

PubMed Central

Delmont, Tom O.; Eren, A. Murat; Maccario, Lorrie; Prestat, Emmanuel; Esen, Özcan C.; Pelletier, Eric; Le Paslier, Denis; Simonet, Pascal; Vogel, Timothy M.

2015-01-01

Despite extensive direct sequencing efforts and advanced analytical tools, reconstructing microbial genomes from soil using metagenomics have been challenging due to the tremendous diversity and relatively uniform distribution of genomes found in this system. Here we used enrichment techniques in an attempt to decrease the complexity of a soil microbiome prior to sequencing by submitting it to a range of physical and chemical stresses in 23 separate microcosms for 4 months. The metagenomic analysis of these microcosms at the end of the treatment yielded 540 Mb of assembly using standard de novo assembly techniques (a total of 559,555 genes and 29,176 functions), from which we could recover novel bacterial genomes, plasmids and phages. The recovered genomes belonged to Leifsonia (n = 2), Rhodanobacter (n = 5), Acidobacteria (n = 2), Sporolactobacillus (n = 2, novel nitrogen fixing taxon), Ktedonobacter (n = 1, second representative of the family Ktedonobacteraceae), Streptomyces (n = 3, novel polyketide synthase modules), and Burkholderia (n = 2, includes mega-plasmids conferring mercury resistance). Assembled genomes averaged to 5.9 Mb, with relative abundances ranging from rare (<0.0001%) to relatively abundant (>0.01%) in the original soil microbiome. Furthermore, we detected them in samples collected from geographically distant locations, particularly more in temperate soils compared to samples originating from high-latitude soils and deserts. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first successful attempt to assemble multiple bacterial genomes directly from a soil sample. Our findings demonstrate that developing pertinent enrichment conditions can stimulate environmental genomic discoveries that would have been impossible to achieve with canonical approaches that focus solely upon post-sequencing data treatment. PMID:25983722

Assessment of exposure to heavy metals and health risks among residents near Tonglushan mine in Hubei, China.

PubMed

Cai, Li-Mei; Xu, Zhen-Cheng; Qi, Jian-Ying; Feng, Zhi-Zhou; Xiang, Ting-Sheng

2015-05-01

Heavy metal contamination due to mining activity is a global major concern because of its potential health risks to local inhabitants. In the present study, we investigated the levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and As in soil, crop, well water and fish samples collected from the vicinity of the Tonglushan mine in Hubei, China, and evaluated potential health risks among local residents. Results indicate that soils near the mine were heavily contaminated with Cd (2.59 mg kg(-1)), Cu (386 mg kg(-1)), Pb (120 mg kg(-1)) and As (35.4 mg kg(-1)), and exceeded the soil quality standard values of Cd and Cu contamination. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and As in crop samples grown in mine-affected soils were significantly higher than those of the reference soils. The concentrations of Cd and As in most vegetables grown in mine-affected soils exceeded the maximum allowable level (MAL). The Cd, Pb and As concentration in rice grain collected from mine-affected soils were 2.95, 1.85 and 2.07-fold higher than the MAL, respectively. The concentrations of Cd and As in fish muscle from the mine-affected area were above national MAL in 61% and 34% of analyzed samples, respectively. All measured heavy metals except Pb were significantly greater in well water in the mine-affected area than those in the reference areas. The average estimated daily intakes of Cd and As were beyond the provisional tolerable daily intake, respectively. The intake of rice was identified as a major contributor (⩾72%) to the estimated daily intake among the residents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecologically-based clean-up criteria for nitroaromatic explosives using toxicity test results

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

Duh, D.; Roberts, B.; Buzgo, S.

1995-12-31

A former trinitrotoluene (TNT) production and storage facility was the focus of a Remedial Investigation (RI). Contaminants identified during the RI included 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), 2,6-DNT, and 2,4,6-TNT, PCBs, arsenic, lead and chromium. The Conceptual Site Model determined there to be several complete exposure pathways. One of these identified a route by which soil invertebrate communities could be affected through dermal contact and ingestion of soil contaminants. Maintenance of the soil invertebrate community was chosen as the assessment endpoints for this pathway in the Ecological Risk Assessment. The corresponding measurement endpoint was survival of earthworms in 14-day toxicity tests in whichmore » they were exposed to site soils. Seven surficial soil samples were collected from Areas of Concern. Each sample was evaluated for acute toxicity to earthworms using standard USEPA protocols. Chemical concentrations were also measured. An artificial soil was used as the control and diluent to establish the Lethal Concentration (LC{sub 50}) of the test soils to earthworms. From the toxicity test results and the corresponding chemical analysis, a matrix of toxicity and contaminant levels was developed. This table was used to determine a concentration of each contaminant at which no acute lethality would be expected. Lower bounds to the chemical specific LC{sub 50} values were determined and, based on sample-specific toxicity units, appropriate LC{sub 50} values were derived (333 mg/kg 2,4-DNT, 182 mg/kg 2,6-DNT, and 1960 mg/kg 2,4,6TNT). Extrapolation of this level to a chronic No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) provided a means of proposing site-specific ecologically based clean-up criteria for the constituents of concern which would be protective of the chosen assessment endpoint.« less

[Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Farmland Soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China].

PubMed

Wu, Yang; Yang, Jun; Zhou, Xiao-yong; Lei, Mei; Gao, Ding; Qiao, Peng-wei; Du, Guo-dong

2015-08-01

For a comprehensive understanding of the pollution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, this study evaluated the cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu) and lead ( Pb) pollution situation using the single factor index, the Nemerow pollution index and the Hakanson ecological risk index. The results showed that heavy-metal pollution of farmland soil in Du'an County was serious. 74.6% of the soil samples had heavy metals concentrations higher than the Grade II of National Soil Environmental Quality Standard (GB 15618-1995). The over standard rates of Cd, As, Ni, Zn, Cr, Sb, Cu, Pb were 70.6%, 42.9%, 34.9%, 19.8%, 19.6%, 2.94%, 1.59%, 0.79%, respectively. Cd and As were the main contaminants in Du'an County, the pollution was far more serious than those of the national and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In terms of the ecological risk, heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an County showed a "middle" ecological risk, with Cd accounting for 88% of the total ecological risk. The north-west of Jiudu Town and the zone between Bao'an Town and Dongmiao Town were two areas with high ecological risk in Du'an County. The contamination of farmland soils in Du'an County was caused by two main sources, whereas the pollution of As and Sb of farmland soils near Diaojiang River was mainly caused by the upstream mining industry.

Residues of organochlorine pesticides in surface soil and raw foods from rural areas of the Republic of Tajikistan.

PubMed

Barron, Mace G; Ashurova, Zebunisso J; Kukaniev, Mukhamadcho A; Avloev, Hakbarqul K; Khaidarov, Karim K; Jamshedov, Jamshed N; Rahmatullova, Oygul S; Atolikshoeva, Sunbula S; Mamadshova, Sakina S; Manzenyuk, Oksana

2017-05-01

The central Asian Republic of Tajikistan has been an area of extensive historical agricultural pesticide use as well as large scale burials of banned chlorinated insecticides. The current investigation was a four year study of legacy organochlorine pesticides in surface soil and raw foods in four rural areas of Tajikistan. Study areas included the pesticide burial sites of Konibodom and Vakhsh, and family farms of Garm and Chimbuloq villages. These areas were selected to represent a diversity of pesticide disposal histories and to allow assessment of local pesticide contamination in Tajikistan. Each site was visited multiple times and over 500 samples of surface soil and raw foods were collected and analyzed for twenty legacy organochlorine pesticides. Various local food products were sampled to represent the range of raw foods potentially containing residues of banned pesticides, including dairy products, meat, edible plant and cotton seed products. The pesticide analytes included DDTs (DDT, DDD, DDE), lindane isomers (α, β, γ, δ BHC), endosulfan isomers (endosulfan I, II, sulfate), other cyclodienes (aldrin, α and γ chlordanes, dieldrin, endrin, endrin aldehyde and ketone, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide), and methoxychlor. Pesticide analytes were selected based on availability of commercial standards and known or suspected historical pesticide use and burial. Pesticide contamination was highest in soil and generally low in meat, dairy, and plant products. DDT was consistently the highest measured individual pesticide at each of the four sampling areas, along with BHC isomers and endosulfan II. Soil concentrations of pesticides were extremely heterogeneous at the Vakhsh and Konibodam disposal sites with many soil samples greater than 10 ppm. In contrast, samples from farms in Chimbuloq and Garm had low concentrations of pesticides. Pesticide contamination in raw foods was generally low, indicating minimal transfer from the pesticide sites into local food chains. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spatial Variability of the Topsoil Organic Carbon in the Moso Bamboo Forests of Southern China in Association with Soil Properties

PubMed Central

Zhang, Houxi; Zhuang, Shunyao; Qian, Haiyan; Wang, Feng; Ji, Haibao

2015-01-01

Understanding the spatial variability of soil organic carbon (SOC) must be enhanced to improve sampling design and to develop soil management strategies in terrestrial ecosystems. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex Houz.) forests have a high SOC storage potential; however, they also vary significantly spatially. This study investigated the spatial variability of SOC (0-20 cm) in association with other soil properties and with spatial variables in the Moso bamboo forests of Jian’ou City, which is a typical bamboo hometown in China. 209 soil samples were collected from Moso bamboo stands and then analyzed for SOC, bulk density (BD), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and gravel content (GC) based on spatial distribution. The spatial variability of SOC was then examined using geostatistics. A Kriging map was produced through ordinary interpolation and required sample numbers were calculated by classical and Kriging methods. An aggregated boosted tree (ABT) analysis was also conducted. A semivariogram analysis indicated that ln(SOC) was best fitted with an exponential model and that it exhibited moderate spatial dependence, with a nugget/sill ratio of 0.462. SOC was significantly and linearly correlated with BD (r = −0.373**), pH (r = −0.429**), GC (r = −0.163*), CEC (r = 0.263**), and elevation (r = 0.192**). Moreover, the Kriging method requires fewer samples than the classical method given an expected standard error level as per a variance analysis. ABT analysis indicated that the physicochemical variables of soil affected SOC variation more significantly than spatial variables did, thus suggesting that the SOC in Moso bamboo forests can be strongly influenced by management practices. Thus, this study provides valuable information in relation to sampling strategy and insight into the potential of adjustments in agronomic measure, such as in fertilization for Moso bamboo production. PMID:25789615

Effects of Pb Smelting on the Soil Bacterial Community near a Secondary Lead Plant.

PubMed

Luo, Zhanbin; Ma, Jing; Chen, Fu; Li, Xiaoxiao; Zhang, Shaoliang

2018-05-20

Secondary lead smelting is a widespread industrial activity which has exacerbated Pb or Cd contamination of soil and water across the world. Soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activities, heavy metal concentrations, and bacterial diversity near a secondary lead plant in Xuzhou, China were examined in this study. The results showed that secondary lead smelting activities influenced nearby soils. Soil acidification decreased one order of magnitude, with a mean value of 7.3. Soil organic matter also showed a downward trend, while potassium and nitrogen appeared to accumulate. Soil urease and protease activity increased in samples with greater heavy metal pollution, but overall the soil microbial biodiversity decreased. Soil heavy metal concentration-especially Pb and Cd-greatly exceeded the concentrations of Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB 15618-1995). Some environmental factors-such as pH, organic matter, enzyme activity, and the concentration of heavy metals-significantly affected bacterial diversity: compared with the control site, the Chao1 estimator decreased about 50%, while the Shannon diversity index dropped approximately 20%. Moreover, some genera have significant relationships with heavy metal concentration-such as Ramlibacter with Zn and Steroidobacter with Cd-which might act as bio-indicators for soil remediation. These results will provide a new insight in the future for reclaiming soil contaminants caused by secondary lead smelting.

Comparison of Soil Quality Index Using Three Methods

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Atanu; Lal, Rattan

2014-01-01

Assessment of management-induced changes in soil quality is important to sustaining high crop yield. A large diversity of cultivated soils necessitate identification development of an appropriate soil quality index (SQI) based on relative soil properties and crop yield. Whereas numerous attempts have been made to estimate SQI for major soils across the World, there is no standard method established and thus, a strong need exists for developing a user-friendly and credible SQI through comparison of various available methods. Therefore, the objective of this article is to compare three widely used methods to estimate SQI using the data collected from 72 soil samples from three on-farm study sites in Ohio. Additionally, challenge lies in establishing a correlation between crop yield versus SQI calculated either depth wise or in combination of soil layers as standard methodology is not yet available and was not given much attention to date. Predominant soils of the study included one organic (Mc), and two mineral (CrB, Ko) soils. Three methods used to estimate SQI were: (i) simple additive SQI (SQI-1), (ii) weighted additive SQI (SQI-2), and (iii) statistically modeled SQI (SQI-3) based on principal component analysis (PCA). The SQI varied between treatments and soil types and ranged between 0–0.9 (1 being the maximum SQI). In general, SQIs did not significantly differ at depths under any method suggesting that soil quality did not significantly differ for different depths at the studied sites. Additionally, data indicate that SQI-3 was most strongly correlated with crop yield, the correlation coefficient ranged between 0.74–0.78. All three SQIs were significantly correlated (r = 0.92–0.97) to each other and with crop yield (r = 0.65–0.79). Separate analyses by crop variety revealed that correlation was low indicating that some key aspects of soil quality related to crop response are important requirements for estimating SQI. PMID:25148036

Novel diffusive gradients in thin films technique to assess labile sulfate in soil.

PubMed

Hanousek, Ondrej; Mason, Sean; Santner, Jakob; Chowdhury, Md Mobaroqul Ahsan; Berger, Torsten W; Prohaska, Thomas

2016-09-01

A novel diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique for sampling labile soil sulfate was developed, based on a strong basic anion exchange resin (Amberlite IRA-400) for sulfate immobilization on the binding gel. For reducing the sulfate background on the resin gels, photopolymerization was applied instead of ammonium persulfate-induced polymerization. Agarose cross-linked polyacrylamide (APA) hydrogels were used as diffusive layer. The sulfate diffusion coefficient in APA gel was determined as 9.83 × 10(-6) ± 0.35 × 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1) at 25 °C. The accumulated sulfate was eluted in 1 mol L(-1) HNO3 with a recovery of 90.9 ± 1.6 %. The developed method was tested against two standard extraction methods for soil sulfate measurement. The obtained low correlation coefficients indicate that DGT and conventional soil test methods assess differential soil sulfate pools, rendering DGT a potentially important tool for measuring labile soil sulfate.

Legacy lead arsenate soil contamination at childcare centers in the Yakima Valley, Central Washington, USA.

PubMed

Durkee, Jenna; Bartrem, Casey; Möller, Gregory

2017-02-01

From the early 1900s to the 1950s, Yakima Valley orchards were commonly treated with lead arsenate (LA) insecticides. Lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) soil contamination has been identified on former orchard lands throughout Central Washington and pose a threat to human health and the environment. The levels of Pb and As in soil and interior dust at participating childcare centers in the Upper Yakima Valley (Yakima County), Washington were sampled to explore exposure potential for young children. Childcare center soils were collected from two soil depths, homogenized, and analyzed in bulk by a field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF). Interior dust wipes samples were collected from at least two locations in each facility. All soil samples >250 mg/kg Pb and/or >20 As mg/kg were sieved to 250 μm, tested by XRF a second time, and analyzed via acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. Bulk and sieved XRF results, as well as ICP-MS to XRF results were strongly correlated. Maximum Pb and As XRF results indicated that 4 (21%) and 8 (42%) of the 19 childcare centers surveyed exceeded the regulatory standard for Pb and As, respectively. Historic land use was significantly associated with elevated Pb and As levels. Interior dust loadings were below United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. Childcare centers are areas of intensive use for children and when coupled with potential residential exposure in their homes, the total daily exposure is a potential hazard to children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Road Proximity on the Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Korean Urban Agricultural Soils and Crops.

PubMed

Kim, Hyuck Soo; Kim, Kwon-Rae; Kim, Won-Il; Owens, Gary; Kim, Kye-Hoon

2017-02-01

The urban agricultural (UA) environment near active roadways can be degraded by traffic-related particles (i.e., exhaust gases and road dust), which may contain heavy metals. The current study investigated changes in heavy-metal [cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr) nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)] concentrations in soils located near highly trafficked roads in Korea and the subsequent uptake of these metals by Chinese cabbage. Heavy-metal plant concentrations were determined in both washed and unwashed plant leaves to determine whether foliar deposition played any role in plant metal uptake. Soil concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were all lower than the Korean standard soil limits and showed no significant influence from road traffic. In contrast, both Ni and Cr concentrations in soils collected within 10 m of the road were 4 and 5 times greater, respectively, than those in soils collected 70 m from the road. Heavy-metal concentrations in unwashed Chinese cabbage leaf collected at 5 m from the road were consistently greater than those of washed leaf samples, thus indicating the deposition of traffic-related particles on the plant surface. With the exception of Cu, all heavy-metal concentration in washed plant samples collected at 5 m also showed greater accumulation compared with samples collected further away. This was mainly attributed to increased total soil heavy-metal concentrations and increased metal phytoavailability induced by decreases in soil pH near the road. However, overall heavy-metal soil concentrations were well lower than the allowable concentrations, and the levels observed in plants collected in this study were considered not to currently pose a significant risk to human health. However, some traffic-related heavy metals, in particular Cr and Ni, were being accumulated in the roadside UA environment, which may warrant some caution regarding the environment and/or health issues in the future.

Validation, residue analysis, and risk assessment of fipronil and flonicamid in cotton (Gossypium sp.) samples and soil.

PubMed

Chawla, Suchi; Gor, Hetal N; Patel, Hemlatta K; Parmar, Kaushik D; Patel, Anil R; Shukla, Varsha; Ilyas, Mohammad; Parsai, Satish K; Somashekar; Meena, Roop Singh; Shah, Paresh G

2018-05-04

Cotton crop is highly susceptible to attack by sucking pests. Being an important oilseed and feed crop, it is essential to monitor the pesticides and ensure health protection at consumer level. Therefore, a method was validated to estimate fipronil and flonicamid in various cotton samples and risk assessment was performed. Contamination of oil in the extracts from the various oil seeds and cake samples is a major problem as this oil contaminates the column and interferes with the detection of pesticides. The present manuscript for the first time describes successful analysis of the pesticides from various cotton samples including cotton oil, seed, and cake. Quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS)-based methods were validated for estimation of fipronil and flonicamid in cotton samples and in soil by LC-MS/MS. Recoveries were within the acceptable range of 70-120% with relative standard deviation ≤ 20% and HorRat values < 0.3-1.3. R 2 was > 0.99. Matrix effects of 150 and 13.5% were observed for fipronil and flonicamid, respectively, in cotton leaves. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) were in the range of 0.0004 to 0.004 mg kg -1 for fipronil and flonicamid. Cotton samples collected from a field study at different locations were analyzed. Half-life ranged from 2.2 to 5.8 for fipronil and 4.6 to 7.0 days for flonicamid. A pre-harvest interval of 33 days is suggested. The risk assessment studies at maximum residue level values showed HQ < 1 at pre-harvest interval (PHI). The methods being short and easy can be extended to estimate more types of pesticides in different oilseeds. Following a PHI of 33 days, fipronil and flonicamid can be used on cotton at standard dose. As the levels of fipronil and flonicamid were below determination limit in all the soils, the environmental risk is negligible.

Development, validation, and application of a method for the GC-MS analysis of fipronil and three of its degradation products in samples of water, soil, and sediment.

PubMed

de Toffoli, Ana L; da Mata, Kamilla; Bisinoti, Márcia C; Moreira, Altair B

2015-01-01

A method for the identification and quantification of pesticide residues in water, soil, and sediment samples has been developed, validated, and applied for the analysis of real samples. The specificity was determined by the retention time and the confirmation and quantification of analyte ions. Linearity was demonstrated over the concentration range of 20 to 120 µg L(-1), and the correlation coefficients varied between 0.979 and 0.996, depending on the analytes. The recovery rates for all analytes in the studied matrix were between 86% and 112%. The intermediate precision and repeatability were determined at three concentration levels (40, 80, and 120 µg L(-1)), with the relative standard deviation for the intermediate precision between 1% and 5.3% and the repeatability varying between 2% and 13.4% for individual analytes. The limits of detection and quantification for fipronil, fipronil sulfide, fipronil-sulfone, and fipronil-desulfinyl were 6.2, 3.0, 6.6, and 4.0 ng L(-1) and 20.4, 9.0, 21.6, and 13.0 ng L(-1), respectively. The method developed was used in water, soil, and sediment samples containing 2.1 mg L(-1) and 1.2% and 5.3% of carbon, respectively. The recovery of pesticides in the environmental matrices varied from 88.26 to 109.63% for the lowest fortification level (40 and 100 µg kg(-1)), from 91.17 to 110.18% for the intermediate level (80 and 200 µg kg(-1)), and from 89.09 to 109.82% for the highest fortification level (120 and 300 µg kg(-1)). The relative standard deviation for the recovery of pesticides was under 15%.

Assessment the effect of homogenized soil on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohawesh, O.; Janssen, M.; Maaitah, O.; Lennartz, B.

2017-09-01

Soil hydraulic properties play a crucial role in simulating water flow and contaminant transport. Soil hydraulic properties are commonly measured using homogenized soil samples. However, soil structure has a significant effect on the soil ability to retain and to conduct water, particularly in aggregated soils. In order to determine the effect of soil homogenization on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport, undisturbed soil samples were carefully collected. Five different soil structures were identified: Angular-blocky, Crumble, Angular-blocky (different soil texture), Granular, and subangular-blocky. The soil hydraulic properties were determined for undisturbed and homogenized soil samples for each soil structure. The soil hydraulic properties were used to model soil water transport using HYDRUS-1D.The homogenized soil samples showed a significant increase in wide pores (wCP) and a decrease in narrow pores (nCP). The wCP increased by 95.6, 141.2, 391.6, 3.9, 261.3%, and nCP decreased by 69.5, 10.5, 33.8, 72.7, and 39.3% for homogenized soil samples compared to undisturbed soil samples. The soil water retention curves exhibited a significant decrease in water holding capacity for homogenized soil samples compared with the undisturbed soil samples. The homogenized soil samples showed also a decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity. The simulated results showed that water movement and distribution were affected by soil homogenizing. Moreover, soil homogenizing affected soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport. However, field studies are being needed to find the effect of these differences on water, chemical, and pollutant transport under several scenarios.

Viability of Mycobacterium leprae in the environment and its role in leprosy dissemination.

PubMed

Mohanty, Partha Sarathi; Naaz, Farah; Katara, Dheeraj; Misba, Lama; Kumar, Dilip; Dwivedi, Deepak Kumar; Tiwari, Amit Kumar; Chauhan, Devendra Singh; Bansal, Avi Kumar; Tripathy, Srikanth Prasad; Katoch, Kiran

2016-01-01

Leprosy, a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is a public health concern in certain countries, including India. Although the prevalence of the disease has fallen drastically over time, new cases continue to occur at nearly the same rate in many regions. Several endemic pockets have been observed in India and elsewhere. The precise dynamics of leprosy transmission are still not clearly understood. Both live bacilli as well as M. leprae DNA have been detected in the soil and water of endemic areas; they possibly play an important role in disease transmission. To study the occurrence of viable M. leprae in environmental samples collected from areas of residence of patients with active leprosy. The study was conducted on 169 newly diagnosed leprosy patients in Ghatampur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Soil and water samples were collected from their areas of residence using a standardized protocol. An equal number of soil and water samples were also collected from non-patient areas of the same or adjoining villages. The environmental samples collected from the patients surroundings were subjected to 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis after obtaining informed consent. About a quarter of the environmental samples collected from patient areas, (25.4% of soil samples and 24.2% of water samples) were found to be positive for specific 16S ribosomal RNA genes of M. leprae. Environmental samples collected from non-patient areas were all found negative for M. leprae 16S ribosomal RNA genes. The major limitation of the study was that the sample size was small. The study demonstrated the presence of viable strains of M. leprae in skin smear samples of paucibacillary patients and multibacillary patients, as well as in the environmental samples obtained from around their houses. This could play an important role in the continued transmission of leprosy.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution and Health Risks in the Soil-Plant-Human System in the Yangtze River Delta, China.

PubMed

Hu, Bifeng; Jia, Xiaolin; Hu, Jie; Xu, Dongyun; Xia, Fang; Li, Yan

2017-09-10

Heavy metal (HM) contamination and accumulation is a serious problem around the world due to the toxicity, abundant sources, non-biodegradable properties, and accumulative behaviour of HMs. The degree of soil HM contamination in China, especially in the Yangtze River Delta, is prominent. In this study, 1822 pairs of soil and crop samples at corresponding locations were collected from the southern Yangtze River Delta of China, and the contents of Ni, Cr, Zn, Cd, As, Cu, Hg, and Pb were measured. The single pollution index in soil (SPI) and Nemerow composite pollution index (NCPI) were used to assess the degree of HM pollution in soil, and the crop pollution index (CPI) was used to explore the degree of HM accumulation in crops. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was used to investigate the translocation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system. The health risks caused by HMs were calculated based on the model released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SPIs of all elements were at the unpolluted level. The mean NCPI was at the alert level. The mean CPIs were in the following decreasing order: Ni (1.007) > Cr (0.483) > Zn (0.335) > Cd (0.314) > As (0.232) > Cu (0.187) > Hg (0.118) > Pb (0.105). Only the mean content of Ni in the crops exceeded the national standard value. The standard exceeding rates were used to represent the percentage of samples whose heavy metal content is higher than the corresponding national standard values. The standard exceeding rates of Cu, Hg, and Cd in soil were significantly higher than corresponding values in crops. Meanwhile, the standard exceeding rates of Ni, As, and Cr in crops were significantly higher than corresponding values in soil. The chronic daily intake (CDI) of children (13.8 × 10 -3 ) was the largest among three age groups, followed by adults (6.998 × 10 -4 ) and seniors (5.488 × 10 -4 ). The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of all crops followed the order Cd (0.249) > Zn (0.133) > As (0.076) > Cu (0.064) > Ni (0.018) > Hg (0.011) > Cr (0.010) > Pb (0.001). Therefore, Cd was most easily absorbed by crops, and different crops had different capacities to absorb HMs. The hazard quotient (HQ) represents the potential non-carcinogenic risk for an individual HM and it is an estimation of daily exposure to the human population that is not likely to represent an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime. All the HQs of the HMs for the different age groups were significantly less than the alert value of 1.0 and were at a safe level. This indicated that citizens in the study area face low potential non-carcinogenic risk caused by HMs. The total carcinogens risks (TCRs) for children, adults, and seniors were 5.24 × 10 -5 , 2.65 × 10 -5 , and 2.08 × 10 -5 , respectively, all of which were less than the guideline value but at the alert level. Ingestion was the main pathway of carcinogen risk to human health.

Metal contamination of home garden soils and cultivated vegetables in the province of Brescia, Italy: implications for human exposure.

PubMed

Ferri, Roberta; Hashim, Dana; Smith, Donald R; Guazzetti, Stefano; Donna, Filippo; Ferretti, Enrica; Curatolo, Michele; Moneta, Caterina; Beone, Gian Maria; Lucchini, Roberto G

2015-06-15

For the past century, ferroalloy industries in Brescia province, Italy produced particulate emissions enriched in manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al). This study assessed metal concentrations in soil and vegetables of regions with varying ferroalloy industrial activity levels. Home gardens (n=63) were selected in three regions of varying ferroalloy plant activity durations in Brescia province. Total soil metal concentration and extractability were measured by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), aqua regia extraction, and modified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction. Unwashed and washed spinach and turnips cultivated in the same gardens were analyzed for metal concentrations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Median soil Al, Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in home gardens near ferroalloy plants compared to reference home gardens. The BCR method yielded the most mobile soil fraction (the sum of extractable metals in Fractions 1 and 2) and all metal concentrations were higher in ferroalloy plant areas. Unwashed spinach showed higher metal concentrations compared to washed spinach. However, some metals in washed spinach were higher in the reference area likely due to history of agricultural product use. Over 60% of spinach samples exceeded the 2- to 4-fold Commission of European Communities and Codex Alimentarius Commission maximum Pb concentrations, and 10% of the same spinach samples exceeded 2- to 3-fold maximum Cd concentrations set by both organizations. Turnip metal concentrations were below maximum standard reference values. Prolonged industrial emissions increase median metal concentrations and most soluble fractions (BCR F1+F2) in home garden soils near ferroalloy plants. Areas near ferroalloy plant sites had spinach Cd and Pb metal concentrations several-fold above maximum standard references. We recommend thorough washing of vegetables to minimize metal exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal contamination of home gardens soils and cultivated vegetables in the province of Brescia, Italy: Implications for human exposure

PubMed Central

Ferri, Roberta; Hashim, Dana; Smith, Donald R.; Guazzetti, Stefano; Donna, Filippo; Ferretti, Enrica; Curatolo, Michele; Moneta, Caterina; Beone, Gian Maria; Lucchini, Roberto G.

2015-01-01

Background For the past century, ferroalloy industries in Brescia province, Italy produced particulate emissions enriched in manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al). This study assessed metal concentrations in soil and vegetables of regions with varying ferroalloy industrial activity levels. Methods Home gardens (n=63) were selected in three regions of varying ferroalloy plant activity duration in Brescia province. Total soil metal concentration and extractability were measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), aqua regia extraction, and modified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction. Unwashed and washed spinach and turnips cultivated in the same gardens were analyzed for metal concentrations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results Median soil Al, Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in home gardens near ferroalloy plants compared to reference home gardens. The BCR method yielded the most mobile soil fraction (the sum of extractable metals in Fractions 1 and 2) and all metal concentrations were higher in ferroalloy plant areas. Unwashed spinach showed higher metal concentrations compared to washed spinach. However, some metals in washed spinach were higher in the reference area likely due to history of agricultural product use. Over 60% of spinach samples exceeded the 2- to 4-fold Commission of European Communities and Codex Alimentarius Commission maximum Pb concentrations, and 10% of the same spinach samples exceeded 2- to 3-fold maximum Cd concentrations set by both organizations. Turnip metal concentrations were below maximum standard reference values. Conclusions Prolonged industrial emissions increase median metal concentrations and most soluble fractions (BCR F1+F2) in home garden soils near ferroalloy plants. Areas near ferroalloy plant sites had spinach Cd and Pb metal concentrations several-fold above maximum standard references. We recommend thoroughly washing vegetables to minimize metal exposure. PMID:25777956

Spatial-temporal variability of soil water content in a cropland-shelterbelt-desert site in an arid inland river basin of Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Qin; Gao, Guangyao; Hu, Wei; Fu, Bojie

2016-09-01

Knowledge of the spatial-temporal variability of soil water content (SWC) is critical for understanding a range of hydrological processes. In this study, the spatial variance and temporal stability of SWC were investigated in a cropland-shelterbelt-desert site at the oasis-desert ecotone in the middle of the Heihe River Basin, China. The SWC was measured on 65 occasions to a depth of 2.8 m at 45 locations during two growing seasons from 2012 to 2013. The standard deviation of the SWC versus the mean SWC exhibited a convex upward relationship in the shelterbelt with the greatest spatial variation at the SWC of around 22.0%, whereas a linearly increasing relationship was observed for the cropland, desert, and land use pattern. The standard deviation of the relative difference was positively linearly correlated with the SWC (p < 0.05) for the land use pattern, whereas such a relationship was not found in the three land use types. The spatial pattern of the SWC was more time stable for the land use pattern, followed by desert, shelterbelt, and cropland. The spatial pattern of SWC changed dramatically among different soil layers. The locations representing the mean SWC varied with the depth, and no location could represent the whole soil profile due to different soil texture, root distribution and irrigation management. The representative locations of each soil layer could be used to estimate the mean SWC well. The statistics of temporal stability of the SWC could be presented equally well with a low frequency of observation (30-day interval) as with a high frequency (5-day interval). Sampling frequency had little effect on the selection of the representative locations of the field mean SWC. This study provides useful information for designing the optimal strategy for sampling SWC at the oasis-desert ecotone in the arid inland river basin.

Pushing Boreal Headwaters: Responses of Dissolved Organic Carbon to Increased Hydro-Meteorological Forcing by Forest Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schelker, J.; Grabs, T. J.; Bishop, K. H.; Laudon, H.

2012-12-01

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in stream water show large variations as a response to disturbances such as forestry operations. We used a paired catchment experiment in northern Sweden which shows well quantified increases of DOC concentrations and C-exports as a result of forest harvesting. To identify the drivers of these increases, a physically-based process model (Riparian Flow Integration Model, RIM) was used to inversely simulate the DOC availability in the peat-rich riparian soils of the catchments. DOC availability in soils followed a seasonal signal paralleling the seasonality of soil-temperatures (min: February; max: August) during 2005-2011. Further, high-frequency event sampling of DOC during spring and summer seasons of 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, revealed that event size acted as a secondary control of DOC in streams: Spring snowmelt events (as well as one major event in 2009) showed clockwise hysteresis, whereas minor runoff episodes during summer (when DOC availability in soils was highest) were characterized by a counterclockwise behavior. The higher hydro-meteorological forcing consisting of increases of soil temperature and soil moisture after the forest removal governed additional increases in DOC availability in soils. The higher DOC concentrations observed in streams after forest harvesting can therefore be ascribed to i) the increased climatic forcing comprising higher water flows through riparian soils, ii) increased soil temperatures and soil moisture, respectively, favoring an increased production of DOC, and iii) additional variation by event size. Overall these results underline the large impact of forestry operations on stream water quality as well as DOC exports leaving managed boreal forests. Simulated and measured soil water TOC concentration profiles within the three Balsjö catchments (CC-4 = clear-cut with 67% harvest; NO-5 = 35% harvest; NR-7 = northern reference). The simulated curves represent the inversely modeled soil profiles using the average f-parameter calculated for August 2009 for each catchment. Measured values represent TOC concentrations of soil water sampled in mid August 2009. Sample numbers (soil depth in bracket) are given as: n (-0.2m) = 16; n (-0.6m) = 17; n (-0.9m) = 15. Horizontal whiskers indicate the standard deviation of measured values for each soil depth.

National-Scale Changes in Soil Profile C and N in New Zealand Pastures are Determined by Land Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schipper, L. A.; Parfitt, R.; Ross, C.; Baisden, W. T.; Claydon, J.; Fraser, S.

2010-12-01

Grazed pasture is New Zealand’s predominant agricultural land-use and has been relatively recently developed from forest and native grasslands/shrub communities. From the 1850s onwards, land was cleared and exotic pastures established. Phosphorus fertilizer was increasingly used after 1950 which accelerated N fixation by clover. In the last two decades N fertilizers have been used, and grazing intensity has increased, thus affecting soil C and N. Re-sampling of 31 New Zealand soil profiles under grazed pasture measured surprisingly large losses of C and N over the last 2-3 decades (Schipper et al., 2007 Global Change Biology 13:1138-1144). These profiles were predominantly on the most intensively grazed flat land. We extended this re-sampling to 83 profiles (to 90 cm depth), to investigate whether changes in soil C and N stocks also occurred in less intensively managed pasture. Archived soils samples were analysed for total soil C and N alongside the newly collected samples. Intact cores were collected to determine bulk density through the profile. Over an average of 27 years, soils (0-30 cm) in flat dairy pastures significantly lost 0.73±0.16 Mg C ha-1y-1 and 57±16 kg N ha-1y-1 while we observed no change in soil C or N in flat pasture grazed by “dry stock” (e.g., sheep, beef), or in grazed tussock grasslands. Grazed hill country soils (0-30 cm) gained 0.52±0.18 Mg C ha-1y-1 and 66±18 kg N ha-1y-1. The losses of C and N were strongly correlated and C:N ratio has generally declined suggesting soils are becoming N saturated. Losses and gains also occurred in soil layers below 30 cm demonstrating that organic matter throughout the profile was responding to land use. The losses under dairying may be due to greater grazing pressure, fertilizer inputs and exports of C and N. There is evidence that grazing pressure reduces inputs of C below ground, reduces soil microbial C, and that dairy cow urine can mobilise C and N. Gains in hill country pastures may be due to long-term recovery from erosion and disturbance following land clearance. When changes were extrapolated across New Zealand taking into account the different areas of pastures, gains and losses cancelled one another (Table 1) but none-the-less demonstrate considerable alteration of basic soil properties at national scales, and show the usefulness of resampling sites providing that older samples have been archived.Table 1. Change in total C and total N of grazed land for top 30 cm extrapolated across New Zealand. SEM - standard error of the mean

Measuring and predicting the transport of actinides and fission product contaminants in unsaturated prairie soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sims, D. J.

Soil samples have been taken in 2001 from the area of a 1951 release from an underground storage tank of 6.7 L of an aqueous solution of irradiated uranium (360 GBq). A simulation of the dispersion of the actinides and fission products was conducted in the laboratory using irradiated natural uranium, non-irradiated natural uranium and metal standards dissolved in acidic aqueous solutions and added to soil columns containing uncontaminated prairie soil. The lab soil columns were allowed 12 to 14 months for contaminant transport. Soil samples were analyzed using gamma-ray spectroscopy, neutron activation analysis (NAA) and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) to determine the elemental concentrations of U, Cs and Sr. Diffusion coefficients from the 50 year soil samples and the lab soil samples were determined. The measured diffusion coefficients from the field samples were 3.0 x 10-4 cm2 s-1 (Cs-137), 1.8 x 10-5 cm2 s-1 (U-238) and 2.6 x 10-3 cm2 s-1 (Sr-90) and the values determined from lab simulation were 5 x 10-6 cm 2 s-1 (Cs-137), 3 x 10-5 cm2 s-1 (U-238) and 1.9 x 10-5 cm 2 s-1 (Sr-90). The differences between the sets of diffusion coefficients can be attributed to differences in retardation effects, weather effects and changes in the soil characteristics when transporting, such as porosity. The analytical work showed that Cs-137 content of soil can be determined effectively using gamma-ray spectroscopy; U-238 content can be measured using NAA; and Sr-90 content can be measured using LSC. For non- and low-radioactive species, it was shown that both flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) gave comparable results for Sr, Cs and Sm, with the average values ranging from 0.5 to 4.5 ppm of each other. The U-238 content results from NAA and from ICP-MS showed general agreement with an average difference of 81.3 ppm on samples having concentrations up to 988.2 ppm. The difference may have been due to matrix interference. It was determined through finite element modeling that 250 years after the 1951 release, the soil concentration of the three contaminant of U-238, Sr-90 and Cs-137 will be less than their respective soil clearance level values and therefore will not pose a long term environmental hazard. The fastest nuclide to reach the water table, at a depth of 45 m below the surface, at Suffield Site 27 was calculated to be Sr-90 after a period of 15,000 years. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the subsurface soil at Site 27 for site decontamination but it is recommended that a "no-digging" policy, except for scientific research, be enforced at this site.

Analysis of DDT and its metabolites in soil and water samples obtained in the vicinity of a closed-down factory in Bangladesh using various extraction methods.

PubMed

Al Mahmud, M N U; Khalil, Farzana; Rahman, Md Musfiqur; Mamun, M I R; Shoeb, Mohammad; Abd El-Aty, A M; Park, Jong-Hyouk; Shin, Ho-Chul; Nahar, Nilufar; Shim, Jae-Han

2015-12-01

This study was conducted to monitor the spread of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD)) in soil and water to regions surrounding a closed DDT factory in Bangladesh. This fulfillment was accomplished using inter-method and inter-laboratory validation studies. DDTs (DDT and its metabolites) from soil samples were extracted using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and solvent extraction (SE). Inter-laboratory calibration was assessed by SE, and all methods were validated by intra- and inter-day accuracy (expressed as recovery %) and precision (expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD)) in the same laboratory, at three fortified concentrations (n = 4). DDTs extracted from water samples by liquid-liquid partitioning and all samples were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-electron capture detector (ECD) and confirmed by GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Linearities expressed as determination coefficients (R (2)) were ≥0.995 for matrix-matched calibrations. The recovery rate was in the range of 72-120 and 83-110%, with <15% RSD in soil and water, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.0165 mg kg(-1) in soil and 0.132 μg L(-1) in water. Greater quantities of DDTs were extracted from soil using the MAE and SE techniques than with the SFE method. Higher amounts of DDTs were discovered in the southern (2.2-936 × 10(2) mg kg(-1)) or southwestern (86.3-2067 × 10(2) mg kg(-1)) direction from the factory than in the eastern direction (1.0-48.6 × 10(2) mg kg(-1)). An exception was the soil sample collected 50 ft (15.24 m) east (2904 × 10(2) mg kg(-1)) of the factory. The spread of DDTs in the water bodies (0.59-3.01 μg L(-1)) was approximately equal in all directions. We concluded that DDTs might have been dumped randomly around the warehouse after the closing of the factory.

Effects of Moisture and Particle Size on Quantitative Determination of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in Soils Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Tamburini, Elena; Vincenzi, Fabio; Costa, Stefania; Mantovi, Paolo; Pedrini, Paola; Castaldelli, Giuseppe

2017-10-17

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique that could represent an alternative to conventional soil analysis methods, including total organic carbon (TOC). Soil fertility and quality are usually measured by traditional methods that involve the use of hazardous and strong chemicals. The effects of physical soil characteristics, such as moisture content and particle size, on spectral signals could be of great interest in order to understand and optimize prediction capability and set up a robust and reliable calibration model, with the future perspective of being applied in the field. Spectra of 46 soil samples were collected. Soil samples were divided into three data sets: unprocessed, only dried and dried, ground and sieved, in order to evaluate the effects of moisture and particle size on spectral signals. Both separate and combined normalization methods including standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and normalization by closure (NCL), as well as smoothing using first and second derivatives (DV1 and DV2), were applied to a total of seven cases. Pretreatments for model optimization were designed and compared for each data set. The best combination of pretreatments was achieved by applying SNV and DV2 on partial least squares (PLS) modelling. There were no significant differences between the predictions using the three different data sets ( p < 0.05). Finally, a unique database including all three data sets was built to include all the sources of sample variability that were tested and used for final prediction. External validation of TOC was carried out on 16 unknown soil samples to evaluate the predictive ability of the final combined calibration model. Hence, we demonstrate that sample preprocessing has minor influence on the quality of near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) predictions, laying the ground for a direct and fast in situ application of the method. Data can be acquired outside the laboratory since the method is simple and does not need more than a simple band ratio of the spectra.

Evaluation on expansive performance of the expansive soil using electrical responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Ya; Liu, Songyu; Bate, Bate; Xu, Lei

2018-01-01

Light structures, such as highways and railroads, built on expansive soils are prone to damages from the swelling of their underlain soil layers. Considerable amount of research has been conducted to characterize the swelling properties of expansive soils. Current swell characterization models, however, are limited by lack of standardized tests. Electrical methods are non-destructive, and are faster and less expensive than the traditional geotechnical methods. Therefore, geo-electrical methods are attractive for defining soil characteristics, including the swelling behavior. In this study, comprehensive laboratory experiments were undertaken to measure the free swelling and electrical resistivity of the mixtures of commercial kaolinite and bentonite. The electrical conductivity of kaolinite-bentonite mixtures was measured by a self-developed four-electrode soil resistivity box. Increasing the free swelling rate of the kaolinite-bentonite mixtures (0.72 to 1 of porosity of soils samples) led to a reduction in the electrical resistivity and an increase in conductivity. A unique relationship between free swelling rate and normalized surface conductivity was constructed for expensive soils by eliminating influences of porosity and m exponent. Therefore, electrical response measurement can be used to characterize the free swelling rate of expensive soils.

Heavy metals transfer in the olive tree and assessment of food contamination risk.

PubMed

Zaanouni, Nada; Gharssallaoui, Mariem; Eloussaief, Mabrouk; Gabsi, Slimane

2018-03-11

Due to constraints of fresh water for agricultural irrigation, wastewater was used for irrigation of agricultural land as alternative water resources in arid and semi-arid Tunisian regions. However, long-term irrigation may cause contamination by heavy metals in the soil as well as for crops, thus becoming a threat to humans. To understand the effect of irrigation with wastewater on the concentrations of heavy metals Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Pb, in soil and plants, soil samples and plants were collected and analyzed. Results have shown that all soil samples do not exhibit extreme values. The content of heavy metals in the surface layer (0-30 cm) is much higher than that in depth. Overall, the concentrations of Mn, Pb, Cu, Cr, and Zn in soil were found to be lower than the authorized national safety limits. Moreover, the content in both parts of forage crops have not exceeded the WHO standard. For olive trees, no negative values were found in the different organs, which was also true for the extracted oil. An exception happened for the oils produced from fallen olives in direct contact with the wastewater and the soil. Therefore, to ensure food security and wastewater use for irrigation, monitoring and control of pollution is required. Graphical abstract Biomass production from treated wastewater without risk.

Assessment of groundwater and soil quality degradation using multivariate and geostatistical analyses, Dakhla Oasis, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoud, Alaa A.; El-Horiny, Mohamed M.; Atwia, Mohamed G.; Gemail, Khaled S.; Koike, Katsuaki

2018-06-01

Salinization of groundwater and soil resources has long been a serious environmental hazard in arid regions. This study was conducted to investigate and document the factors controlling such salinization and their inter-relationships in the Dakhla Oasis (Egypt). To accomplish this, 60 groundwater samples and 31 soil samples were collected in February 2014. Factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were integrated with geostatistical analyses to characterize the chemical properties of groundwater and soil and their spatial patterns, identify the factors controlling the pattern variability, and clarify the salinization mechanism. Groundwater quality standards revealed emergence of salinization (av. 885.8 mg/L) and extreme occurrences of Fe2+ (av. 17.22 mg/L) and Mn2+ (av. 2.38 mg/L). Soils were highly salt-affected (av. 15.2 dS m-1) and slightly alkaline (av. pH = 7.7). Evaporation and ion-exchange processes governed the evolution of two main water types: Na-Cl (52%) and Ca-Mg-Cl (47%), respectively. Salinization leads the chemical variability of both resources. Distinctive patterns of slight salinization marked the northern part and intense salinization marked the middle and southern parts. Congruence in the resources clusters confirmed common geology, soil types, and urban and agricultural practices. Minimizing the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the resources salinization urges the need for better understanding of the hydrochemical characteristics and prediction of quality changes.

Determination of phosphate in soil extracts in the field: A green chemistry enzymatic method.

PubMed

Campbell, Ellen R; Warsko, Kayla; Davidson, Anna-Marie; Bill Campbell, Wilbur H

2015-01-01

Measurement of ortho-phosphate in soil extracts usually involves sending dried samples of soil to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several weeks for the results. Phosphate determination methods often involve use of strong acids, heavy metals, and organic dyes. To overcome limitations of this approach, we have developed a phosphate determination method which can be carried out in the field to obtain results on the spot. This new method uses: •Small volumes.•An enzymatic reaction.•Green chemistry. First, the soil sample is extracted with deionized water and filtered. Next, an aliquot of the soil extract (0.5 mL) is transferred to a disposable cuvette, containing 0.5 mL of reaction mixture [200 mM HEPES, pH 7.6, 20 mM MgCl2, with 80 nmol 2-amino-6-mercapto-7-methylpurine ribonucleoside (MESG) and 1 unit of recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP; EC 2.4.2.1)], mixed, and incubated for 10 min at field temperature. Absorbance of the completed reaction is measured at 360 nm in open-source, portable photometer linked by bluetooth to a smartphone. The phosphate and phosphorus content of the soil is determined by comparison of its absorbance at 360 nm to a previously prepared standard phosphate curve, which is stored in the smartphone app.

Arsenic and mercury in the soils of an industrial city in the Donets Basin, Ukraine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conko, Kathryn M.; Landa, Edward R.; Kolker, Allan; Kozlov, Kostiantyn; Gibb, Herman J.; Centeno, Jose; Panov, Boris S.; Panov, Yuri B.

2013-01-01

Soil and house dust collected in and around Hg mines and a processing facility in Horlivka, a mid-sized city in the Donets Basin of southeastern Ukraine, have elevated As and Hg levels. Surface soils collected at a former Hg-processing facility had up to 1300 mg kg−1 As and 8800 mg kg−1 Hg; 1M HCl extractions showed 74–93% of the total As, and 1–13% of the total Hg to be solubilized, suggesting differential environmental mobility between these elements. In general, lower extractability of As and Hg was seen in soil samples up to 12 km from the Hg-processing facility, and the extractable (1M HCl, synthetic precipitation, deionized water) fractions of As are greater than those for Hg, indicating that Hg is present in a more resistant form than As. The means (standard deviation) of total As and Hg in grab samples collected from playgrounds and public spaces within 12 km of the industrial facility were 64 (±38) mg kg−1 As and 12 (±9.4) mg kg−1 Hg; all concentrations are elevated compared to regional soils. The mean concentrations of As and Hg in dust from homes in Horlivka were 5–15 times higher than dust from homes in a control city. Estimates of possible exposure to As and Hg through inadvertent soil ingestion are provided.

Specular reflectance of soiled glass mirrors - Study on the impact of incidence angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heimsath, Anna; Lindner, Philip; Klimm, Elisabeth; Schmid, Tobias; Moreno, Karolina Ordonez; Elon, Yehonatan; Am-Shallem, Morag; Nitz, Peter

2016-05-01

The accumulation of dust and soil on the surface of solar reflectors is an important factor reducing the power output of solar power plants. Therefore the effect of accumulated dust on the specular reflectance of solar mirrors should be understood well in order to improve the site-dependent performance prediction. Furthermore, an optimization of the CSP System maintenance, in particular the cleaning cycles, can be achieved. Our measurements show a noticeable decrease of specular reflectance when the angle of incidence is increased. This effect may be explained by shading and blocking mechanisms caused by dirt particles. The main physical causes of radiation loss being absorption and scattering, the near-angle scattering leads to a further decrease of specular reflectance for smaller angles of acceptance. Within this study mirror samples were both outdoor exposed and indoor artificially soiled. For indoor soiling, the mirror samples were artificially soiled in an in-house developed dusting device using both artificial-standardized dust and real dust collected from an arid outdoor test field at the Negev desert. A model function is proposed that approximates the observed reduction of specular reflectance with the incidence angle with a sufficient accuracy and by simple means for this soil type. Hence a first step towards a new approach to improve site dependent performance prediction of solar power plants is taken.

Determination of phosphate in soil extracts in the field: A green chemistry enzymatic method

PubMed Central

Campbell, Ellen R.; Warsko, Kayla; Davidson, Anna-Marie; (Bill) Campbell, Wilbur H.

2015-01-01

Measurement of ortho-phosphate in soil extracts usually involves sending dried samples of soil to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several weeks for the results. Phosphate determination methods often involve use of strong acids, heavy metals, and organic dyes. To overcome limitations of this approach, we have developed a phosphate determination method which can be carried out in the field to obtain results on the spot. This new method uses: • Small volumes. • An enzymatic reaction. • Green chemistry. First, the soil sample is extracted with deionized water and filtered. Next, an aliquot of the soil extract (0.5 mL) is transferred to a disposable cuvette, containing 0.5 mL of reaction mixture [200 mM HEPES, pH 7.6, 20 mM MgCl2, with 80 nmol 2-amino-6-mercapto-7-methylpurine ribonucleoside (MESG) and 1 unit of recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP; EC 2.4.2.1)], mixed, and incubated for 10 min at field temperature. Absorbance of the completed reaction is measured at 360 nm in open-source, portable photometer linked by bluetooth to a smartphone. The phosphate and phosphorus content of the soil is determined by comparison of its absorbance at 360 nm to a previously prepared standard phosphate curve, which is stored in the smartphone app. PMID:26150991

Heavy metals deposited in the culture of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by the influence of vehicular traffic in Pernambuco, Brazil.

PubMed

França, Fernanda C S S; Albuuerque, Adriana M A; Almeida, Amanda C; Silveira, Patrícia B; Filho, Crescêncio A; Hazin, Clovis A; Honorato, Eliane V

2017-01-15

Currently one of the main sources of atmospheric pollution identified in urban centers is derived from both industrial and motor vehicle emissions. These pollutants can be adsorbed to particulate matter which is present in the air or deposited in the soil and plants, eventually reaching the human food chain. In this context, the present study aimed to determine the concentration of metals such as Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni and Zn in two subspecies of Lactuca sativa L. and in the soil from were lettuce samples were collected. The results for the soil samples analyzed show a possible contamination by Pb with concentration values as high as 140mg.kg(-1), which are above the Brazilian standards defined by Resolution CONAMA 420/2009 (Brazilian Environmental Council). However, the values found in the lettuce itself reveal that it is still suitable for consumption. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Organic matter-solid phase interactions are critical for predicting arsenic release and plant uptake in Bangladesh paddy soils.

PubMed

Williams, Paul N; Zhang, Hao; Davison, William; Meharg, Andrew A; Hossain, Mahmud; Norton, Gareth J; Brammer, Hugh; Islam, M Rafiqul

2011-07-15

Agroecological zones within Bangladesh with low levels of arsenic in groundwater and soils produce rice that is high in arsenic with respect to other producing regions of the globe. Little is known about arsenic cycling in these soils and the labile fractions relevant for plant uptake when flooded. Soil porewater dynamics of field soils (n = 39) were recreated under standardized laboratory conditions to investigate the mobility and interplay of arsenic, Fe, Si, C, and other elements, in relation to rice grain element composition, using the dynamic sampling technique diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). Based on a simple model using only labile DGT measured arsenic and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), concentrations of arsenic in Aman (Monsoon season) rice grain were predicted reliably. DOC was the strongest determinant of arsenic solid-solution phase partitioning, while arsenic release to the soil porewater was shown to be decoupled from that of Fe. This study demonstrates the dual importance of organic matter (OM), in terms of enhancing arsenic release from soils, while reducing bioavailability by sequestering arsenic in solution.

Using LUCAS topsoil database to estimate soil organic carbon content in local spectral libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castaldi, Fabio; van Wesemael, Bas; Chabrillat, Sabine; Chartin, Caroline

2017-04-01

The quantification of the soil organic carbon (SOC) content over large areas is mandatory to obtain accurate soil characterization and classification, which can improve site specific management at local or regional scale exploiting the strong relationship between SOC and crop growth. The estimation of the SOC is not only important for agricultural purposes: in recent years, the increasing attention towards global warming highlighted the crucial role of the soil in the global carbon cycle. In this context, soil spectroscopy is a well consolidated and widespread method to estimate soil variables exploiting the interaction between chromophores and electromagnetic radiation. The importance of spectroscopy in soil science is reflected by the increasing number of large soil spectral libraries collected in the world. These large libraries contain soil samples derived from a consistent number of pedological regions and thus from different parent material and soil types; this heterogeneity entails, in turn, a large variability in terms of mineralogical and organic composition. In the light of the huge variability of the spectral responses to SOC content and composition, a rigorous classification process is necessary to subset large spectral libraries and to avoid the calibration of global models failing to predict local variation in SOC content. In this regard, this study proposes a method to subset the European LUCAS topsoil database into soil classes using a clustering analysis based on a large number of soil properties. The LUCAS database was chosen to apply a standardized multivariate calibration approach valid for large areas without the need for extensive field and laboratory work for calibration of local models. Seven soil classes were detected by the clustering analyses and the samples belonging to each class were used to calibrate specific partial least square regression (PLSR) models to estimate SOC content of three local libraries collected in Belgium (Loam belt and Wallonia) and Luxembourg. The three local libraries only consist of spectral data (199 samples) acquired using the same protocol as the one used for the LUCAS database. SOC was estimated with a good accuracy both within each local library (RMSE: 1.2 ÷ 5.4 g kg-1; RPD: 1.41 ÷ 2.06) and for the samples of the three libraries together (RMSE: 3.9 g kg-1; RPD: 2.47). The proposed approach could allow to estimate SOC everywhere in Europe only collecting spectra, without the need for chemical laboratory analyses, exploiting the potentiality of the LUCAS database and specific PLSR models.

Mercury accumulation in the surface layers of mountain soils: a case study from the Karkonosze Mountains, Poland.

PubMed

Szopka, Katarzyna; Karczewska, Anna; Kabała, Cezary

2011-06-01

The study was aimed to examine total concentrations and pools of Hg in surface layers of soils in the Karkonosze Mountains, dependent on soil properties and site locality. Soil samples were collected from a litter layer and the layers 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, at 68 sites belonging to the net of a monitoring system, in two separate areas, and in three altitudinal zones: below 900 m, 900-1100 m, and over 1100 m. Air-borne pollution was the major source of mercury in soils. Hg has accumulated mainly in the litter (where its concentrations were the highest), and in the layer 0-10 cm. Hg concentrations in all samples were in the range 0.04-0.97 mg kg(-1), with mean values 0.38, 0.28, and 0.14 mg kg(-1) for litter and the layers 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, respectively. The highest Hg concentrations in the litter layer were found in the intermediate altitudinal zone, whereas Hg concentrations in the layer 0-10 cm increased with increasing altitude. Soil quality standard for protected areas (0.50 mg kg(-1)) was exceeded in a few sites. The pools of Hg accumulated in soils were in the range: 0.8-84.8 mg m(-2), with a mean value of 16.5 mg m(-2), and they correlated strongly with the pools of stored organic matter. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of Prometryne in water and soil by HPLC-UV using cloud-point extraction.

PubMed

Zhou, Jihai; Chen, Jiandong; Cheng, Yanhong; Li, Daming; Hu, Feng; Li, Huixin

2009-07-15

A CPE-HPLC (UV) method has been developed for the determination of Prometryne. In this method, non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 was first used to extract and pre-concentrate Prometryne from water and soil samples. The separation and determination of Prometryne were then carried out in an HPLC-UV system with isocratic elution using a detector set at 254 nm wavelength. The parameters and variables that affected the extraction were also investigated and the optimal conditions were found to be 0.5% of Triton X-114 (w/v), 3% of NaCl (w/v) and heat-assisted at 50 degrees C for 30 min. Using these conditions, the recovery rates of Prometryne ranged from 92.84% to 99.23% in water and 85.48% to 93.67% in soil, respectively, with all the relative standard deviations less than 3.05%. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 3.5 microg L(-1) and 11.0 microg L(-1) in water and 4.0 microg kg(-1) and 13.0 microg kg(-1) in soil, respectively. Thus, we developed a method that has proven to be an efficient, green, rapid and inexpensive approach for extraction and determination of Prometryne from soil samples.

[Simultaneous determination of 6 neonicotinoid residues in soil using DLLME-HPLC and UV].

PubMed

Sun, Bao-li; Shan, Hong; Li, Yan-hua; Zeng, Ya-ling; Shen, Xiu-li; Tong, Cheng-feng

2013-09-01

A simple, cheap and rugged method was developed for simultaneous deter mination of 6 neonicotinoid residues in soil, including imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, clothianidin and nitenpyram. The soil sample was produced by dispersive liquid-liquid micro-extraction (DLLME) after extracted by the mixed solution of acetonitrile and CH2Cl2 (2:1, phi). The analytes were separated by HPLC with Alltima C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) and detected by PDA at 260 nm. External standard method was used for quantification. The results showed that good linearity was obtained with correlation coefficients between 0.9982 and 0.9999 in the range of 0.5-200 microg x L(-1). The limits of detection (LODs) were in the range between 0.0005 and 0.003 microg x mL(-1) (S/N = 3). The method was validated with five soil samples spiked at three fortification levels (0.05, 0.1, 1.0 mg x kg(-1)) and recoveries were in the range of 55.3%-95.6% with RSD of 1.4%-7.0%. The effect of clean-up was evaluated by UV spectra and demonstrated that the method established is effective. In conclusion, this method is competent for the simultaneous analysis of 6 neonicotinoid residues in soil.

The Estimation of Compaction Parameter Values Based on Soil Properties Values Stabilized with Portland Cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, A. S.; Muis, Z. A.; Pasaribu, M. I.

2017-03-01

The strength and durability of pavement construction is highly dependent on the properties and subgrade bearing capacity. This then led to the idea of the selection methods to estimate the density of the soil with the proper implementation of the system, fast and economical. This study aims to estimate the compaction parameter value namely the maximum dry unit weight (γd max) and optimum moisture content (wopt) of the soil properties value that stabilized with Portland Cement. Tests conducted in the laboratory of soil mechanics to determine the index properties (fines and liquid limit) and Standard Compaction Test. Soil samples that have Plasticity Index (PI) between 0-15% then mixed with Portland Cement (PC) with variations of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%, each 10 samples. The results showed that the maximum dry unit weight (γd max) and wopt has a significant relationship with percent fines, liquid limit and the percentation of cement. Equation for the estimated maximum dry unit weight (γd max) = 1.782 - 0.011*LL + 0,000*F + 0.006*PS with R2 = 0.915 and the estimated optimum moisture content (wopt) = 3.441 + 0.594*LL + 0,025*F + 0,024*PS with R2 = 0.726.

Subcritical Water Extraction of Amino Acids from Atacama Desert Soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amashukeli, Xenia; Pelletier, Christine C.; Kirby, James P.; Grunthaner, Frank J.

2007-01-01

Amino acids are considered organic molecular indicators in the search for extant and extinct life in the Solar System. Extraction of these molecules from a particulate solid matrix, such as Martian regolith, will be critical to their in situ detection and analysis. The goals of this study were to optimize a laboratory amino acid extraction protocol by quantitatively measuring the yields of extracted amino acids as a function of liquid water temperature and sample extraction time and to compare the results to the standard HCl vapor- phase hydrolysis yields for the same soil samples. Soil samples from the Yungay region of the Atacama Desert ( Martian regolith analog) were collected during a field study in the summer of 2005. The amino acids ( alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, serine, and valine) chosen for analysis were present in the samples at concentrations of 1 - 70 parts- per- billion. Subcritical water extraction efficiency was examined over the temperature range of 30 - 325 degrees C, at pressures of 17.2 or 20.0 MPa, and for water- sample contact equilibration times of 0 - 30 min. None of the amino acids were extracted in detectable amounts at 30 degrees C ( at 17.2 MPa), suggesting that amino acids are too strongly bound by the soil matrix to be extracted at such a low temperature. Between 150 degrees C and 250 degrees C ( at 17.2 MPa), the extraction efficiencies of glycine, alanine, and valine were observed to increase with increasing water temperature, consistent with higher solubility at higher temperatures, perhaps due to the decreasing dielectric constant of water. Amino acids were not detected in extracts collected at 325 degrees C ( at 20.0 MPa), probably due to amino acid decomposition at this temperature. The optimal subcritical water extraction conditions for these amino acids from Atacama Desert soils were achieved at 200 degrees C, 17.2 MPa, and a water- sample contact equilibration time of 10 min.

Basin F Overburden and Soil Sampling and Analysis Study, Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

boring sites will be es:ablished via standard :and surveyinS procedures. 3.3 Bor-ng/ Samaling Procidures Upon staking/marking of the bore holes, the folloi...procedure until the interferences have been eliminated. 3.2.2 Samale Testing Step OC (6) (Procedure Blank) The procedure blank consists of the

Biota dose assessment of small mammals sampled near uranium mines in northern Arizona

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

Jannik, T.; Minter, K.; Kuhne, W.

In 2015, the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected approximately 50 small mammal carcasses from Northern Arizona uranium mines and other background locations. Based on the highest gross alpha results, 11 small mammal samples were selected for radioisotopic analyses. None of the background samples had significant gross alpha results. The 11 small mammals were identified relative to the three ‘indicator’ mines located south of Fredonia, AZ on the Kanab Plateau (Kanab North Mine, Pinenut Mine, and Arizona 1 Mine) (Figure 1-1) and are operated by Energy Fuels Resources Inc. (EFRI). EFRI annually reports soil analysis for uranium and radium-226 usingmore » Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)-approved Standard Operating Procedures for Soil Sampling (EFRI 2016a, 2016b, 2017). In combination with the USGS small mammal radioiosotopic tissue analyses, a biota dose assessment was completed by Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) using the RESidual RADioactivity-BIOTA (RESRAD-BIOTA, V. 1.8) dose assessment tool provided by the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL 2017).« less

Linking the soil moisture distribution pattern to dynamic processes along slope transects in the Loess Plateau, China.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Fu, Bojie; Gao, Guangyao; Zhou, Ji; Jiao, Lei; Liu, Jianbo

2015-12-01

Soil moisture pulses are a prerequisite for other land surface pulses at various spatiotemporal scales in arid and semi-arid areas. The temporal dynamics and profile variability of soil moisture in relation to land cover combinations were studied along five slopes transect on the Loess Plateau during the rainy season of 2011. Within the 3 months of the growing season coupled with the rainy season, all of the soil moisture was replenished in the area, proving that a type stability exists between different land cover soil moisture levels. Land cover combinations disturbed the trend determined by topography and increased soil moisture variability in space and time. The stability of soil moisture resulting from the dynamic processes could produce stable patterns on the slopes. The relationships between the mean soil moisture and vertical standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) were more complex, largely due to the fact that different land cover types had distinctive vertical patterns of soil moisture. The spatial SD of each layer had a positive correlation and the spatial CV exhibited a negative correlation with the increase in mean soil moisture. The soil moisture stability implies that sampling comparisons in this area can be conducted at different times to accurately compare different land use types.

Concurrent determination of 237Np and Pu isotopes using ICP-MS: analysis of NIST environmental matrix standard reference materials 4357, 1646a, and 2702.

PubMed

Matteson, Brent S; Hanson, Susan K; Miller, Jeffrey L; Oldham, Warren J

2015-04-01

An optimized method was developed to analyze environmental soil and sediment samples for (237)Np, (239)Pu, and (240)Pu by ICP-MS using a (242)Pu isotope dilution standard. The high yield, short time frame required for analysis, and the commercial availability of the (242)Pu tracer are significant advantages of the method. Control experiments designed to assess method uncertainty, including variation in inter-element fractionation that occurs during the purification protocol, suggest that the overall precision for measurements of (237)Np is typically on the order of ± 5%. Measurements of the (237)Np concentration in a Peruvian Soil blank (NIST SRM 4355) spiked with a known concentration of (237)Np tracer confirmed the accuracy of the method, agreeing well with the expected value. The method has been used to determine neptunium and plutonium concentrations in several environmental matrix standard reference materials available from NIST: SRM 4357 (Radioactivity Standard), SRM 1646a (Estuarine Sediment) and SRM 2702 (Inorganics in Marine Sediment). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Niche and neutral processes both shape community structure in parallelized, aerobic, single carbon-source enrichments

DOE Data Explorer

Flynn, Theodore M.; Koval, Jason C.; Greenwald, Stephanie M.; Owens, Sarah M.; Kemner, Kenneth M.; Antonopoulos, Dionysios A.

2017-01-01

We present DNA sequence data in FASTA-formatted files from aerobic environmental microcosms inoculated with a sole carbon source. DNA sequences are of 16S rRNA genes present in DNA extracted from each microcosm along with the environmental samples (soil, water) used to inoculate them. These samples were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform at the Environmental Sample Preparation and Sequencing Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. This data is compatible with standard microbiome analysis pipelines (e.g., QIIME, mothur, etc.).

Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals in soil from San Luis Potosí, México.

PubMed

Perez-Vazquez, Francisco Javier; Flores-Ramirez, Rogelio; Ochoa-Martinez, Angeles Catalina; Orta-Garcia, Sandra Teresa; Hernandez-Castro, Berenice; Carrizalez-Yañez, Leticia; Pérez-Maldonado, Iván N

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and four heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) in soil from the city of San Luis Potosí in Mexico. In order to confirm the presence of the previously mentioned compounds, outdoor surface soil samples were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometer for PBDEs, PCBs, DDT, and DDE. Meanwhile, heavy metals were quantified using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. The total PBDEs levels ranged from 5.0 to 134 μg/kg dry weight (dw), with a total mean PBDEs level of 22.0 ± 32.5 μg/kg dw (geometric mean ± standard deviation). For PCBs, the total mean level in the studied soil was 21.6 ± 24.7 μg/kg dw (range,

Soil pyrogenic carbon lacks long-term persistence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutfalla, Suzanne; Abiven, Samuel; Barré, Pierre; Wiedemeier, Daniel; Christensen, Bent; Houot, Sabine; Kätterer, Thomas; Macdonald, Andy; van Oort, Fok; Chenu, Claire

2015-04-01

In the context of climate change, one mitigation technique currently investigated is the use of pyrogenic organic carbon (PyOC) -which is biomass turned into charcoal- to sequester carbon in soils with the hypothesis that PyOC is persistent and will not be biodegraded (or mineralized). In this study, we use the unique opportunity offered by five long term bare fallow (LTBF) experiments across Europe (Askov in Denmark, Grignon and Versailles in France, Ultuna in Sweden and Rothamsted in the United Kingdom) to compare the dynamics of PyOC and soil organic carbon (SOC) in the same plots at the decadal time scale (from 25 to 80 years of bare fallow depending on the site). Bare fallow plots were regularly sampled throughout the bare fallow duration and these samples were carefully archived. In bare fallow plots, with negligible external carbon input and with continuing biodegradation, SOC is depleting. Using the Benzene Polycarboxylic Acid (BPCA) technique to estimate the PyOC quantity and quality in the soils at different sampling dates, we investigated if PyOC content was also decreasing and compared the rates of depletion of PyOC and SOC. We found that PyOC contents decreased rapidly in soils at all sites. The loss of PyOC between the first and the last soil sampling ranged from 19.8 to 57.3% of the initial PyOC content. Furthermore, PyOC quality exhibited a similar evolution at all sites, becoming more enriched in condensed material with time. We applied a one pool model with mono-exponential decay to our data and found an average mean residence time of native PyOC of 116 years across the different sites, with a standard deviation of 15 years, just 1.6 times longer than that of SOC. Our results show that, though having a longer residence time than total SOC, PyOC content can decrease rapidly in soils suggesting that the potential for long-term C storage in soil by PyOC amendments is less than currently anticipated. Our results therefore question the concept of biochar production as a climate change mitigation strategy.

Effect of land use activities on PAH contamination in urban soils of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan.

PubMed

Ud Din, Ikhtiar; Rashid, Audil; Mahmood, Tariq; Khalid, Azeem

2013-10-01

Urbanization can increase the vulnerability of soils to various types of contamination. Increased contamination of urban soils with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) could relate to increased number of petrol pump stations and mechanical workshops-a phenomenon that needs to be constantly monitored. This study was undertaken to explore the soil PAH levels in Rawalpindi and Islamabad urban areas in relation to land use activities. Composite soil samples from petrol pump stations and mechanical workshops (n = 32) areas were evaluated for five PAHs--naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene-and compared with control area locations with minimum petroleum-related activity (n = 16). Surface samples up to 3 cm depth were collected and extraction of analytes was carried out using n-hexane and dichloromethane. Prior to running the samples, standards (100 μg ml(-1)) were run on HPLC to optimize signal to noise ratio using acetonitrile as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.25 ml/min at 40 °C. Significant differences between petrol pump stations and mechanical workshop areas were observed for individual PAH as well as with control area soil samples. Naphthalene was found to be the most abundant PAH in soil, ranging from 2.47 to 24.36 mg kg(-1). Correlation between the benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) level in soil and the total PAH concentration (r = 0.82, P < 0.0001) revealed that BaP can be used as a potential marker for PAH pollution. A clear segregation between petrogenic and pyrogenic sources of contamination was observed when low molecular weight PAHs detected in soil was plotted against high molecular weight PAHs. The former source comprised lubricants and used engine oil found at mechanical workshops, whereas the latter could be mostly attributed to vehicular emission at petrol pumps. The results indicate that PAH contamination in urban areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has direct relevance with land use for petroleum activity. We conclude that in order to reduce the soil PAH exposure in urban environment, petrol pumps and mechanical workshops must be shifted to less densely populated areas because of their role as important point sources for PAH emission.

Microdialysis of Soil P: A means to mimic root uptake?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schack-Kirschner, Helmer; Demand, Dominic; Lang, Friederike

2017-04-01

Standard procedures to assess P availability in soils are based on batch experiments with various extractants. However, in most soils P nutrition is less limited by bulk stocks but by slow diffusion of phosphate through the soil solution. More comparable to the root's approach is to strip phosphate locally from the solid phase by lowering the soil-solution concentration, which can be achieved by establishing an infinite diffusional sink, such as DGT. An alternative diffusive sampling technique is microdialysis (MD), well established in pharmacokinetics. Briefly, this method uses miniaturized flow-through probes where the perfusate gets in diffusive contact to the external solution by a semipermeable membrane. Important aspects of P supply to roots resemble MD sampling. This is not only the mostly diffusive transport, but also an elongated capillary tube-like geometry of absorption. The diameter of typical commercial MD probes is around 500μm. One additional inherent feature of microdialysis is the possibility to release low-molecular substances from the perfusate by diffusion into the matrix, such as carboxylates. However, microdialysis has yet not been used for P in soils. We tested microdialysis in topsoils of an acid beech forest, of an unfertilized grassland and of a fertilized crop site. Three perfusates have been used: 1 mM KNO3, electrolyte + 0.1 mM citric acid, and electrolyte + 1 mM citric acid. We observed rates of uptake into the probes in a range between 1.5*10-15 and 6.7*10-14 mol s-1cm-1 in case of no citrate addition. Surprisingly, these uptake rates were mostly independent of the bulk stocks. Citrate addition increased P yields only in the higher concentration but not in the forest soil. The order of magnitude of MD uptake rates from the soil samples matched root-length related uptake rates from other studies. The micro-radial citrate release in MD reflects the processes controlling phosphate mobilization in the rhizosphere better than measurements based on "flooding" of soil samples with citric acid in batch experiments. Important challenges in MD with phosphate are small volumes of dialysate with extremely low concentrations and a high variability of results due to soil heterogeneity and between-probe variability. We conclude that MD is a promising tool to complement existing P-analytical procedures, especially when spatial aspects or the release of mobilizing substances are in focus.

Soil chemistry and ground-water quality of the water-table zone of the surficial aquifer, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Camden County, Georgia, 1998 and 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leeth, David C.

2002-01-01

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Navy, began an investigation to determine background ground-water quality of the water-table zone of the surficial aquifer and soil chemistry at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Camden County, Georgia, and to compare these data to two abandoned solid- waste disposal areas (referred to by the U.S. Navy as Sites 5 and 16). The quality of water in the water-table zone generally is within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking-water regulation. The pH of ground water in the study area ranged from 4.0 to 7.6 standard units, with a median value of 5.4. Water from 29 wells is above the pH range and 3 wells are within the range of the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation (formerly known as the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level or SMCL) of 6.5 to 8.5 standard units. Also, water from one well at Site 5 had a chloride concentration of 570 milligrams per liter (mg/L,), which is above the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation of 250 mg/L. Sulfate concentrations in water from two wells at Site 5 are above the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation of 250 mg/L. Of 22 soil-sampling locations for this study, 4 locations had concentrations above the detection limit for either volatile organic compounds (VOCs), base-neutral acids (BNAs), or pesticides. VOCs detected in the study area include toluene in one background sample; and acetone in one background sample and one sample from Site 16--however, detection of these two compounds may be a laboratory artifact. Pesticides detected in soil at the Submarine Base include two degradates of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT): 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (4,4'-DDD) in one background sample, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (4,4'-DDE) in one background sample and one sample from Site 16; and dibenzofuran in one sample from Site 16. BNAs were detected in one background sample and in two samples from Site 16. Hypothesis testing, using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (also known as the Mann-Whitney test), indicates no statistical difference between ground-water constituent concentrations from Sites 5 and 16, and background concentrations. Hypothesis testing, however, indicates the concentration of barium in background ground-water samples is greater than in ground-water samples collected at Site 16.

Genotoxicity of soil from farmland irrigated with wastewater using three plant bioassays.

PubMed

Cabrera, G L; Rodriguez, D M

1999-05-19

Three well known plant bioassays, the Allium root chromosome aberration (AL-RAA) assay, the Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) assay, and the Tradescantia stamen hair (Trad-SHM) mutation assay were validated in 1991 by the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) under the auspices of the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). These plant bioassays have proven to be efficient tests for chemical screening and especially for in situ monitoring for genotoxicity of environmental pollutants. As a result of this validation study, standard protocols of these three plant bioassays were used by some of the 11 participating countries in the IPCS to carry on genotoxicity tests on air, water and soil as a follow up activity. In the city of Queretaro, Mexico, wastewater coming from both industrial and domestic sources and without any treatment is used to irrigate the farm crops, polluting the soil. Potentially the pollutants could reach the food chain. For the above reason, soil irrigated with wastewater was sampled and monitored for the presence of genotoxic agents using the above three bioassays. Extracts from soil samples were made using distilled water and organic solvents by shaking the sample for about 12 h under a relatively low temperature (15-20 degrees C). Plant cuttings of Tradescantia or the roots of Allium were treated by submerging them in the extracts. Three replicates of each sample were analyzed in each of the three bioassays. Extracts using DMSO, ethanol and distilled water tested positive in the three bioassays and there were no differences for the genotoxicity of the extracts with the different solvents. Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

Epidemiological Study on Metal Pollution of Ningbo in China

PubMed Central

Li, Zhou; Su, Hong; Wang, Li; Hu, Danbiao; Zhang, Lijun; Fang, Jian; Jin, Micong; Song, Xin; Shi, Hongbo; Mao, Guochuan

2018-01-01

Background: In order to search for effective control and prevention measures, the status of metal pollution in Ningbo, China was investigated. Methods: Nine of the most common contaminating metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) in samples of vegetables, rice, soil, irrigation water, and human hair were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Three different districts including industrial, suburban and rural areas in Ningbo were studied through a stratified random sample method. Results: (1) Among all of the detected vegetable samples, Cd exceeded the standard limit rates in industrial, suburban and rural areas as high as 43.9%, 27.5% and 5.0%, respectively; indicating the severity of Cd pollution in Ningbo. (2) The pollution index (PI) of Cd and Zn in soil (1.069, 1.584, respectively) suggests that soil is slightly polluted by Cd and Zn. Among all samples, metal contamination levels in soil were all relatively high. (3) A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cu in vegetables and soil; Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni in vegetables and irrigation water, as well as, Cu and Ni in rice and irrigation water; and, (4) Higher Pb and Cd concentrations were found in student scalp hair in both industrial and suburban areas compared to rural areas. (5) Hg and Pb that are found in human scalp hair may be more easily absorbed from food than any of the other metals. Conclusions: In general, certain harmful metal pollutions were detected in both industrial and suburban areas of Ningbo in China. PMID:29495631

Exfiltrometer apparatus and method for measuring unsaturated hydrologic properties in soil

DOEpatents

Hubbell, Joel M.; Sisson, James B.; Schafer, Annette L.

2006-01-17

Exfiltrometer apparatus includes a container for holding soil. A sample container for holding sample soil is positionable with respect to the container so that the sample soil contained in the sample container is in communication with soil contained in the container. A first tensiometer operatively associated with the sample container senses a surface water potential at about a surface of the sample soil contained in the sample container. A second tensiometer operatively associated with the sample container senses a first subsurface water potential below the surface of the sample soil. A water content sensor operatively associated with the sample container senses a water content in the sample soil. A water supply supplies water to the sample soil. A data logger operatively connected to the first and second tensiometers, and to the water content sensor receives and processes data provided by the first and second tensiometers and by the water content sensor.

Assessment of the global fallout of plutonium isotopes and americium-241 in the soil of the central region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Shabana, E I; Al-Shammari, H L

2001-01-01

A radiochemical technique for determination of plutonium isotopes and 241Am in soil samples is tested against IAEA-standard reference materials to determine its accuracy and precision for reliable results. The technique is then used in the investigation of topsoil samples, collected from the natural environment of the central region of Saudi Arabia, to assess the effect of fallout accumulation of these radionuclides in the region. Plutonium and americium were sequentially separated from all other components of the sample by anion-exchange chromatography and co-precipitated with Nd3+ as fluorides. The precipitates were mounted on membrane filters and measured using a high-resolution alpha-spectrometer. The results of the analysis of the reference materials showed satisfactory sensitivity and precision of the technique. The results of the analyzed soil samples show activity levels ranging from < LLD to 0.089 and from

Application of magnetic nanoparticles coated with sodium dodecyl sulfate and modified with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethyl aminophenol as a novel adsorbent for dispersive-magnetic solid-phase extraction and determination of palladium in soil samples.

PubMed

Wang, Meng; Wu, Lan; Hu, Qiufen; Yang, Yaling

2018-03-01

A rapid, sensitive, precise, and accurate dispersive-magnetic solid-phase extraction technique combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry was established for pre-concentration and separation of Pd (II) in soil samples. In the developed system, 5-amine-1,10-phenanthroline was used as synergistic complexant; sodium dodecyl sulfate and 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethyl aminophenol ligand coated on magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by a chemical precipitation method, and then employed as the efficient magnetic adsorbent with good magnetic properties and dispersibility. Various operational parameters affecting the extraction efficiency has been studied and optimized in details. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the detection limit of the mentioned method for palladium ions was 0.12 μg/L, while the relative standard deviation was 1.8%. Finally, the developed method was applied for the analysis of palladium ions in three kinds of soil samples and quantitative recoveries were achieved over the range of 96.7-104.0%. It can be a powerful alternative applied to the determination of traces of Pd ions from various real samples in further researches.

Determination of total carbonates in soil archaeometry using a new pressure method with temperature compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barouchas, Pantelis; Koulos, Vasilios; Melfos, Vasilios

2017-04-01

For the determination of total carbonates in soil archaeometry a new technique was applied using a multi-sensor philosophy, which combines simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature. This technology is innovative and complies with EN ISO 10693:2013, ASTM D4373-02(2007) and Soil Science Society of America standard test methods for calcium carbonate content in soils and sediments. The total carbonates analysis is based on a pressure method that utilizes the FOGII Digital Soil CalcimeterTM, which is a portable apparatus. The total carbonate content determined by treating a 1.000 g (+/- 0.001 g) dried sample specimens with 6N hydrochloric acid (HCL) reagent grade, in an enclosed reaction vessel. Carbon dioxide gas evolved during the reaction between the acid and carbonate fraction of the specimen, was measured by the resulting pressure generated, taking in account the temperature conditions during the reaction. Prior to analysis the procedure was validated with Sand/Soil mixtures from BIPEA proficiency testing program with soils of different origins. For applying this new method in archaeometry a total number of ten samples were used from various rocks which are related with cultural constructions and implements in Greece. They represent a large range of periods since the Neolithic times, and were selected because there was an uncertainty about their accurate mineralogical composition especially regarding the presence of carbonate minerals. The results were compared to the results from ELTRA CS580 inorganic carbon analyzer using an infrared cell. The determination of total carbonates for 10 samples from different ancient sites indicated a very good correlation (R2 >0.97) between the pressure method with temperature compensation and the infrared method. The proposed method is quickly and accurate in archaeometry and can replace easily other techniques for total carbonates testing. The FOGII Digital Soil CalcimeterTM is portable and easily can be carried for field work in archaeology.

Polyphenols as enzyme inhibitors in different degraded peat soils: Implication for microbial metabolism in rewetted peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zak, Dominik; Roth, Cyril; Gelbrecht, Jörg; Fenner, Nathalie; Reuter, Hendrik

2015-04-01

Recently, more than 30,000 ha of drained minerotrophic peatlands (= fens) in NE Germany were rewetted to restore their ecological functions. Due to an extended drainage history, a re-establishment of their original state is not expected in the short-term. Elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, ammonium and phosphate have been measured in the soil porewater of the upper degraded peat layers of rewetted fens at levels of one to three orders higher than the values in pristine systems; an indicator of increased microbial activity in the upper degraded soil layers. On the other hand there is evidence that the substrate availability within the degraded peat layer is lowered since the organic matter has formerly been subject to intense decomposition over the decades of drainage and intense agricultural use of the areas. Previously however, it was suggested that inhibition of hydrolytic enzymes by polyphenolic substances is suspended during aeration of peat soils mainly due to the decomposition of the inhibiting polyphenols by oxidising enzymes such as phenol oxidase. Accordingly we hypothesised a lack of enzyme inhibiting polyphenols in degraded peat soils of rewetted fens compared to less decomposed peat of more natural fens. We collected both peat samples at the soil surface (0-20 cm) and fresh roots of dominating vascular plants and mosses (as peat parent material) from five formerly drained rewetted sites and five more natural sites of NE Germany and NW Poland. Less decomposed peat and living roots were used to obtain an internal standard for polyphenol analysis and to run enzyme inhibition tests. For all samples we determined the total phenolic contents and in addition we distinguished between the contents of hydrolysable and condensed tannic substances. From a methodical perspective the advantage of internal standards compared to the commercially available standards cyanidin chloride and tannic acid became apparent. Quantification with cyanidin or tannic acid led to a considerable underestimation (up to 90%) of polyphenolic concentrations in peat soils. As hypothesised we found that highly degraded peat contains far lower levels of total polyphenolics (factor 8) and condensed tannins (factor 50) than less decomposed peat. In addition we detected large differences between different plant species with highest polyphenolic contents for the roots of Carex appropinquata that were more than 10-fold higher than Sphagnum spp. (450 mg/g dry mass vs. 39 mg/g dry mass). Despite these differences, we did not find a significant correlation between enzyme activities and peat degradation state, indicating that there is no simple linear relationship between polyphenolic contents and microbial activity.

Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in soil of suburban areas in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Lv, Jungang; Shi, Rongguang; Cai, Yanming; Liu, Yong

2010-07-01

Soil contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is an increasing problem and has aroused more and more concern in many countries, including China. In this study, representative soil samples (n = 87) of suburban areas in Tianjin (Xiqing, Dongli, Jinnan, Beichen) were evaluated for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Surface soil samples were air-dried and sieved. Microwave assisted extraction was used for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons preparation prior to analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total concentrations of tested polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Xiqing, Dongli, Jinnan, Beichen ranged in 58.5-2,748.3, 36.1-6,734.7, 58.5-4,502.5, 29.7-852.5 ng/g and the averages of total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were 600.5, 933.6, 640.8, 257.3 ng/g, respectively. Spatial variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil was illustrated; Pollution status and comparison to other cities were also investigated. Serious polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons soil pollution was found in Dongli district, on the contrary, Bap in most sites in Beichen did not exceed relative standards and most sites in Beichen should be classified as non-contaminated soil. Principal component analysis was used to identify the possible sources of different districts. It turned out that coal combustion still was the most important sources in three districts except Beichen. Coking, traffic, cooking, biomass combustion also accounted for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution to certain extent in different districts. These data can be further used to assess the health risk associated with soils polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and help local government find proper way to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution in soils.

Effects of lead and zinc mining contamination on bacterial community diversity and enzyme activities of vicinal cropland.

PubMed

Qu, Juanjuan; Ren, Guangming; Chen, Bao; Fan, Jinghua; E, Yong

2011-11-01

In the process of mining activity, many kinds of heavy metals enter into soils with dust, causing serious contamination to the environment. In this study, six soils were sampled from cropland at different distances from a lead/zinc mine in Heilongjiang Province, China. The total contents of lead and zinc in the vicinal cropland exceeded the third level of environmental quality standard for soil in China, which indicated that soils in this area were moderately contaminated. Bacterial community diversity and population were greatly decreased when the concentrations of lead and zinc were beyond 1,500 and 995 mg kg(-1), respectively, as analyzed by plate counting and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The bands of DGGE patterns varied with the degree of contamination. The activities of soil urease, phosphatase, and dehydrogenase were negatively correlated with the concentrations of lead and zinc. The highest inhibitory effect of heavy metals on soil enzyme activities was observed in urease. It was noted that PCR-DGGE patterns combined with soil enzyme activity analysis can be indices for the soil quality assessment by heavy metal contamination.

A case study of risk assessment in contaminated site remediation in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, S.; Guo, J.; Wu, J.; Wang, J.; Chien, C.; Stahl, R.; Mack, E.; Grosso, N.

2013-12-01

A field site in Nanjing, China was selected for a case study of risk assessment in contaminated site remediation. This site is about 100m long and 100m wide. A chemical plant (1999-2010) at the site manufactured optical brightener PF, 2-Amino-4-methylphenol and 2-Nitro-4-methylphenol, totally three products. Soil and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for PPL 126 (126 pollutants in the 'Priority Pollutants List' issued by US EPA). Values of the Dutch Standards were used as the screening criteria for soil and ground water. Low levels of ethylbenezene, chlorobenzene, 1,3-dichlorobenzene and 1,4- dichlorobenzene were detected in one soil sample. Concentrations above Dutch Target Value (DTV) of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, 1,3-dichlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, and/or 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, phenol, and/or 2,4-dichlorophenol were exhibited in two groundwater samples. The ground water was especially highly impacted by bichlorobenzenes and trichlorobenzenes. The maximum concentration of impacts was 7.3 mg/L of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene in groundwater which was 730 times higher than Dutch Intervention Values (DIV). Risk of soil and groundwater at this site was assessed according to the guidelines issued by Chinese MEP and US EPA, respectively. Finally, remedy techniques were selected according to the result of risk assessment and the characteristics of hydrogeology conditions and contaminants.

Improving risk assessments for manufactured gas plant soils by measuring PAH availability.

PubMed

Stroo, Hans F; Nakles, David V; Kreitinger, Joseph P; Loehr, Raymond C; Hawthorne, Steven B; Luthy, Richard G; Holman, Hoi-Ying; LaPierre, Adrienne

2005-07-01

Remediation of soils at oil-gas manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites is driven primarily by the human health risks posed by the carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), that are associated with lampblack residues. Although PAHs on lampblack are tightly sorbed, risk assessments do not account for this reduced availability. A multi-investigator study of 7 oil-gas MGP site soil samples demonstrated that the dermal and ingestion absorption factors are far lower than current default assumptions used in risk assessments. Using these sample-specific absorption factors in standard risk assessment equations increased risk-based cleanup levels by a factor of 72 on average (with a range from 23 to 142 times the default level). The rapidly released fraction of the BaP in each sample, as measured by supercritical fluid extraction, was closely correlated (r2 = 0.96) to these calculated cleanup levels. The weight of evidence developed during this research indicates that the risks posed by PAHs on lampblack are far less than assumed when using default absorption factors and that a tiered evaluation protocol employing chemical analyses, chemical release data, and in vitro bioassays can be used to establish more realistic site-specific criteria.

High-throughput immunomagnetic scavenging technique for quantitative analysis of live VX nerve agent in water, hamburger, and soil matrixes.

PubMed

Knaack, Jennifer S; Zhou, Yingtao; Abney, Carter W; Prezioso, Samantha M; Magnuson, Matthew; Evans, Ronald; Jakubowski, Edward M; Hardy, Katelyn; Johnson, Rudolph C

2012-11-20

We have developed a novel immunomagnetic scavenging technique for extracting cholinesterase inhibitors from aqueous matrixes using biological targeting and antibody-based extraction. The technique was characterized using the organophosphorus nerve agent VX. The limit of detection for VX in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-grade water, defined as the lowest calibrator concentration, was 25 pg/mL in a small, 500 μL sample. The method was characterized over the course of 22 sample sets containing calibrators, blanks, and quality control samples. Method precision, expressed as the mean relative standard deviation, was less than 9.2% for all calibrators. Quality control sample accuracy was 102% and 100% of the mean for VX spiked into HPLC-grade water at concentrations of 2.0 and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively. This method successfully was applied to aqueous extracts from soil, hamburger, and finished tap water spiked with VX. Recovery was 65%, 81%, and 100% from these matrixes, respectively. Biologically based extractions of organophosphorus compounds represent a new technique for sample extraction that provides an increase in extraction specificity and sensitivity.

Multivariate Analyses of Heavy Metals in Surface Soil Around an Organized Industrial Area in Eskisehir, Turkey.

PubMed

Malkoc, S; Yazici, B

2017-02-01

A total of 50 surface industrial area soil in Eskisehir, Turkey were collected and the concentrations of As, Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mg, at 11.34, 95.8, 1.37, 15.28, 33.06, 143.65, 14.34, 78.79 mg/kg, 188.80% and 78.70%, respectively. The EF values for As, Cu, Pb and Zn at a number of sampling sites were found to be the highest among metals. Igeo-index results show that the study area is moderately polluted with respect to As, Cd, Ni. According to guideline values of Turkey Environmental Quality Standard for Soils, there is no problem for Pb, but the Cd values are fairly high. However, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn values mostly exceed the limits. Cluster analyses suggested that soil the contaminator values are homogenous in those sub classes. The prevention and remediation of the heavy metal soil pollution should focus on these high-risk areas in the future.

A novel method for soil aggregate stability measurement by laser granulometry with sonication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawlins, B. G.; Lark, R. M.; Wragg, J.

2012-04-01

Regulatory authorities need to establish rapid, cost-effective methods to measure soil physical indicators - such as aggregate stability - which can be applied to large numbers of soil samples to detect changes of soil quality through monitoring. Limitations of sieve-based methods to measure the stability of soil macro-aggregates include: i) the mass of stable aggregates is measured, only for a few, discrete sieve/size fractions, ii) no account is taken of the fundamental particle size distribution of the sub-sampled material, and iii) they are labour intensive. These limitations could be overcome by measurements with a Laser Granulometer (LG) instrument, but this technology has not been widely applied to the quantification of aggregate stability of soils. We present a novel method to quantify macro-aggregate (1-2 mm) stability. We measure the difference between the mean weight diameter (MWD; μm) of aggregates that are stable in circulating water of low ionic strength, and the MWD of the fundamental particles of the soil to which these aggregates are reduced by sonication. The suspension is circulated rapidly through a LG analytical cell from a connected vessel for ten seconds; during this period hydrodynamic forces associated with the circulating water lead to the destruction of unstable aggregates. The MWD of stable aggregates is then measured by LG. In the next step, the aggregates - which are kept in the vessel at a minimal water circulation speed - are subject to sonication (18W for ten minutes) so the vast majority of the sample is broken down into its fundamental particles. The suspension is then recirculated rapidly through the LG and the MWD measured again. We refer to the difference between these two measurements as disaggregation reduction (DR) - the reduction in MWD on disaggregation by sonication. Soil types with more stable aggregates have larger values of DR. The stable aggregates - which are resistant to both slaking and mechanical breakdown by the hydrodynamic forces during circulation - are disrupted only by sonication. We used this method to compare macro-aggregate (1-2 mm) stability of air-dried agricultural topsoils under conventional tillage developed from two contrasting parent material types and compared the results with an alternative sieve-based technique. The first soil from the Midlands of England (developed from sedimentary mudstone; mean soil organic carbon (SOC) 2.5%) contained a substantially larger amount of illite/smectite (I/S) minerals compared to the second from the Wensum catchment in eastern England (developed from sands and glacial deposits; mean SOC=1.7%). The latter soils are prone to large erosive losses of fine sediment. Both sets of samples had been stored air-dried for 6 months prior to aggregate analyses. The mean values of DR (n=10 repeated subsample analyses) for the Midlands soil was 178μm; mean DR (n=10 repeat subsample analyses) for the Wensum soil was 30μm. The large difference in DR is most likely due to differences in soil mineralogy. The coefficient of variation of mean DR for duplicate analyses of sub-samples from the two topsoil types is around 10%. The majority of this variation is likely to be related to the difference in composition of the sub-samples. A standard, aggregated material could be included in further analyses to determine the relative magnitude of sub-sampling and analytical variance for this measurement technique. We then used the technique to investigate whether - as previously observed - variations (range 1000 - 4000 mg kg-1) in the quantity of amorphous (oxalate extractable) iron oxyhydroxides in a variety of soil samples (n=30) from the Wensum area (range SOC 1 - 2%) could account for differences in aggregate stability of these samples.

Toward a standardized soil carbon database platform in the US Critical Zone Observatory Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filley, T. R.; Marini, L.; Todd-Brown, K. E.; Malhotra, A.; Harden, J. W.; Kumar, P.

2017-12-01

Within the soil carbon community of the US Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) Network, efforts are underway to promote network-level data syntheses and modeling projects and to identify barriers to data intercomparability. This represents a challenging goal given the diversity of soil carbon sampling methodologies, spatial and vertical resolution, carbon pool isolation protocols, subsequent measurement techniques, and matrix terminology. During the last annual meeting of the CZO SOC Working Group, Dec 11, 2016, it was decided that integration with, and potentially adoption of, a widely used, active, and mature data aggregation, archival, and visualization platform was the easiest route to achieve this ultimate goal. Additionally, to assess the state of deep and shallow soil C data among the CZO sites it was recommended that a comprehensive survey must be undertaken to identify data gaps and catalog the various soil sampling and analysis methodologies. The International Soil Carbon Network (ISCN) has a long history of leadership in the development of soil C data aggregation, archiving, and visualization tools and currently houses data for over 70,000 soil cores contributed from international soil carbon community. Over the past year, members of the CZO network and the ISCN have met to discuss logistics of adopting the ISCN template within the CZO. Collaborative efforts among all of the CZO site data managers, led by the Intensively Managed Landscapes CZO, will evaluate feasibility of adoption of the ISCN template, or some modification thereof, and distribution to the appropriate soil scientists for data upload and aggregation. Partnering with ISCN also ensures that soil characteristics from the US CZO are placed in a developing global soil context and paves the way for future integration of data from other international CZO networks. This poster will provide an update of this overall effort along with a summary of data products, partnering networks, and recommendations for data language template and the future CZO APIs.

Certification of a reference material for determination of total cyanide in soil to support implementation of the International Standard ISO 11262:2011.

PubMed

Scharf, Holger; Bremser, Wolfram

2015-04-01

Cyanides are among the most important inorganic pollutants to be tested and monitored in environmental compartments. They can be distinguished and determined as free cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide or as total cyanide. However, in any case obtained, measurement results are operationally defined referring to the applied analytical method. In 2011, the International Standard ISO 11262 has been published which specifies a normative analytical method for the determination of total cyanide in soil. The objective of the project described in this paper was to provide the first soil reference material (CRM) certified for its mass fraction of total cyanide on the basis of this standard. A total of 12 German laboratories with proven experience in the determination of cyanides in environmental samples participated in the certification study. Measurement results were evaluated in full compliance with the requirements of ISO Guide 35. Taking into account the results of the inter-laboratory comparison as well as the outcome of the homogeneity and stability studies, a certified mass fraction of total cyanide of 21.1 mg/kg and an expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of 1.3 mg/kg were assigned to the material. The reference material has been issued as CRM BAM-U114.

Estimation of Soil Radon Concentration in Al-Qateef's Date Palm Farms, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Ghamdi, S. S.; Al-Garawi, M. S.; Baig, M. R.; Al-Sameen, M.

2011-10-01

This study involves the measurement of radon concentrations in agricultural soil from two date Palm farms in Al-Qateef province using CR-39 detector. In each farm the palm trees are arranged in rows separated by the irrigation reservoirs. The first farm is about 10000 m2 and has 350 palm trees and the second farm is about 7000 m2 and has 320 palm trees. The average distance between trees is about 5.5 m. The rows are separated by an irrigation reservoir where fertilizers are added. Sixty soil samples were collected from each farm and classified in paperboard boxes. These samples were taken from different depths and positions between the trees and from the irrigation reservoir. A newly designed tag type dosimeter is used in which the alpha tracks are registered on both sides of the CR-39 detector. The tag dosimeter was calibrated against a cup type dosimeter which was calibrated at the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) at the U.K. The detectors were left to count for five months and then chemically treated in the standard way. Finally an optical microscope is used to count alpha tracks and the data are treated statistically. The study is set to test for significant differences in radon concentrations at different positions and depths in the barren and fertilized soils in the two farms. Measured radon concentrations ranged between 42 and 344Bq/m3. No significant difference between the mean concentration values in soil samples taken between the trees and that taken at the depth of 50 cm from the irrigation reservoir. Significant difference was however found between radon concentrations in samples collected directly from the surface of the irrigation reservoir where fertilizers are introduced and those taken from the other two positions. The used fertilizers are found to have higher contents of uranium which is limited to the surface soil of the irrigation reservoir.

Resampling soil profiles can constrain large-scale changes in the C cycle: obtaining robust information from radiocarbon measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baisden, W. T.; Prior, C.; Lambie, S.; Tate, K.; Bruhn, F.; Parfitt, R.; Schipper, L.; Wilde, R. H.; Ross, C.

2006-12-01

Soil organic matter contains more C than terrestrial biomass and atmospheric CO2 combined, and reacts to climate and land-use change on timescales requiring long-term experiments or monitoring. The direction and uncertainty of soil C stock changes has been difficult to predict and incorporate in decision support tools for climate change policies. Moreover, standardization of approaches has been difficult because historic methods of soil sampling have varied regionally, nationally and temporally. The most common and uniform type of historic sampling is soil profiles, which have commonly been collected, described and archived in the course of both soil survey studies and research. Resampling soil profiles has considerable utility in carbon monitoring and in parameterizing models to understand the ecosystem responses to global change. Recent work spanning seven soil orders in New Zealand's grazed pastures has shown that, averaged over approximately 20 years, 31 soil profiles lost 106 g C m-2 y-1 (p=0.01) and 9.1 g N m{^-2} y-1 (p=0.002). These losses are unexpected and appear to extend well below the upper 30 cm of soil. Following on these recent results, additional advantages of resampling soil profiles can be emphasized. One of the most powerful applications afforded by resampling archived soils is the use of the pulse label of radiocarbon injected into the atmosphere by thermonuclear weapons testing circa 1963 as a tracer of soil carbon dynamics. This approach allows estimation of the proportion of soil C that is `passive' or `inert' and therefore unlikely to respond to global change. Evaluation of resampled soil horizons in a New Zealand soil chronosequence confirms that the approach yields consistent values for the proportion of `passive' soil C, reaching 25% of surface horizon soil C over 12,000 years. Across whole profiles, radiocarbon data suggest that the proportion of `passive' C in New Zealand grassland soil can be less than 40% of total soil C. Below 30 cm, 1 kg C m-2 or more may be reactive on decadal timescales, supporting evidence of soil C losses from throughout the soil profiles. Information from resampled soil profiles can be combined with additional contemporary measurements to test hypotheses about mechanisms for soil C changes. For example, Δ14C in excess of 200‰ in water extractable dissolved organic C (DOC) from surface soil horizons supports the hypothesis that decadal movement of DOC represents an important translocation of soil C. These preliminary results demonstrate that resampling whole soil profiles can support substantial progress in C cycle science, ranging from updating operational C accounting systems to the frontiers of research. Resampling can be complementary or superior to fixed-depth interval sampling of surface soil layers. Resampling must however be undertaken with relative urgency to maximize the potential interpretive power of bomb-derived radiocarbon.

Comparison of Lead Species in Household Dust Wipes, Soil, and Airborne Particulate Matter in El Paso, Texas, by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pingitore, N. E.; Clague, J.; Amaya, M. A.

2006-12-01

Understanding the interplay of indoor and outdoor sources of lead in an urban setting is one foundation in establishing risk for lead exposure in children in our cities. A household may be the source for lead contamination due to the deterioration of interior lead-based paint, or a sink if lead particles are tracked or blown into the home from such potential ambient sources as yard soil or urban street dust. In addressing this issue, X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) presents the opportunity to directly and quantitatively speciate lead at low concentrations in bulk samples. We performed XAS analyses on dust wipes from window sills or floors from 8 houses that exceeded Federal standards for lead in dust. We entered these data into a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) that also included El Paso environmental samples: lead-based paints, soils, and airborne particulate matter. A simple two-component mixing system accounted for more than 95% of the variance of this data set. Paint and lead oxide appear to be the principal components, with all the samples falling in a compositional range from pure paint to 75% paint, 25% lead oxide. Note that several different lead compounds are possible constituents of a given lead-based paint. The paints spread from one end out along perhaps a fifth of the range of the compositional axis, followed closely, but not overlapped, by the soil samples, which covered the remainder of the compositional range. Two of the dust wipes plotted within the paint range, and the remaining 6 dust wipes plotted randomly through the soil range. Samples of airborne particulate matter plotted in both the paint and soil ranges. These observations suggest that the lead on most of the dust wipes originated outside the house, probably from deteriorated exterior lead-based paint deposited in adjacent yards. This paint mixed with lead oxide present in the soil and entered the houses by the airborne route. The probable source of the oxide in the soil is former airborne deposition of automobile exhaust from leaded gasoline (lead halides quickly react to form oxide). The dust wipes that fall within the compositional range of the paints may have originated from deterioration of interior paint. The XAS findings are consistent with our tests of several hundred houses in El Paso: most of the wipes that exceeded Federal lead standards came from houses in the oldest neighborhoods of the city, where lead paint is still present. X-Ray absorption spectroscopy experiments were conducted at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory on beam lines 7-3 and 10-2. Spectra were collected at the Pb L-III absorption edge in fluorescence mode using a 13-element or a 30-element Ge solid-state detector. This publication was made possible by grant numbers 1RO1-ES11367 and 1 S11 ES013339-01A1 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS, NIH.

Preparation and utilization of molecularly imprinted polymer for chlorsulfuron extraction from water, soil, and wheat plant.

PubMed

Fu, Xu Wei; Wu, Yan Jiao; Qu, Jin Rong; Yang, Hong

2012-07-01

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using chlorsulfuron (CS), a herbicide as a template molecule, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker, methanol and toluene as a porogen, and 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The binding behaviors of the template chlorsulfuron and its analog on MIP were evaluated by equilibrium adsorption experiments, which showed that the MIP particles had specific affinity for the template CS. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) with the chlorsulfuron molecularly imprinted polymer as an adsorbent was investigated. The optimum loading, washing, and eluting conditions for chlorsulfuron molecularly imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction (CS-MISPE) were established. The optimized CS-MISPE procedure was developed to enrich and clean up the chlorsulfuron residue in water, soils, and wheat plants. Concentrations of chlorsulfuron in the samples were analyzed by HPLC-UVD. The average recoveries of CS spiked standard at 0.05~0.2 mg L(-1) in water were 90.2~93.3%, with the relative standard deviation (RSD) being 2.0~3.9% (n=3). The average recoveries of 1.0 mL CS spiked standard at 0.1~0.5 mg L(-1) in 10 g soil were 91.1~94.7%, with the RSD being 3.1~5.6% (n=3). The average recoveries of 1.0 mL CS spiked standard at 0.1~0.5 mg L(-1) in 5 g wheat plant were 82.3~94.3%, with the RSD being 2.9~6.8% (n=3). Overall, our study provides a sensitive and cost-effective method for accurate determination of CS residues in water, soils, and plants.

Decomposition of diverse solid inorganic matrices with molten ammonium bifluoride salt for constituent elemental analysis

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

O'Hara, Matthew J.; Kellogg, Cyndi M.; Parker, Cyrena M.

Ammonium bifluoride (ABF, NH4F·HF) is a well-known reagent for converting metal oxides to fluorides and for its applications in breaking down minerals and ores in order to extract useful components. It has been more recently applied to the decomposition of inorganic matrices prior to elemental analysis. Herein, a sample decomposition method that employs molten ABF sample treatment in the initial step is systematically evaluated across a range of inorganic sample types: glass, quartz, zircon, soil, and pitchblende ore. Method performance is evaluated across the two variables: duration of molten ABF treatment and ABF reagent mass to sample mass ratio. Themore » degree of solubilization of these sample classes are compared to the fluoride stoichiometry that is theoretically necessary to enact complete fluorination of the sample types. Finally, the sample decomposition method is performed on several soil and pitchblende ore standard reference materials, after which elemental constituent analysis is performed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Elemental recoveries are compared to the certified values; results indicate good to excellent recoveries across a range of alkaline earth, rare earth, transition metal, and actinide elements.« less

Evaluation of extraction methods for hexavalent chromium determination in dusts, ashes, and soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, Ruth E.; Wilson, Stephen A.

2010-01-01

One of the difficulties in performing speciation analyses on solid samples is finding a suitable extraction method. Traditional methods for extraction of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in soils, such as SW846 Method 3060A, can be tedious and are not always compatible with some determination methods. For example, the phosphate and high levels of carbonate and magnesium present in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 3060A digestion for Cr(VI) were found to be incompatible with the High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) detection method used by our laboratory. Modification of Method 3060A by eliminating the use of the phosphate buffer provided improved performance with the detection method, however dilutions are still necessary to achieve good chromatographic separation and detection of Cr(VI). An ultrasonic extraction method using a 1 mM Na2CO3 - 9 mM NaHCO3 buffer solution, adapted from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Method ID215, has been used with good results for the determination of Cr(VI) in air filters. The average recovery obtained for BCR-545 - Welding Dust Loaded on Filter (IRMM, Belgium) using this method was 99 percent (1.2 percent relative standard deviation) with no conversion of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) during the extraction process. This ultrasonic method has the potential for use with other sample matrices, such as ashes and soils. Preliminary investigations using NIST 2701 (Hexavalent Chromium in Contaminated Soil) loaded onto quartz filters showed promising results with approximately 90 percent recovery of the certified Cr(VI) value. Additional testing has been done using NIST 2701 and NIST 2700 using different presentation methods. Extraction efficiency of bulk presentation, where small portions of the sample are added to the bottom of the extraction vessel, will be compared with supported presentation, where small portions of the sample are loaded onto a quartz filter prior to extraction. In addition, results obtained from the standard grinding preparation of NIST 2701 and NIST 2700 will be compared with micronizing to reduce particle size before extraction.

[Fungal biomass estimation in soils from southwestern Buenos Aires province (Argentina) using calcofluor white stain].

PubMed

Vázquez, María B; Amodeo, Martín R; Bianchinotti, María V

Soil microorganisms are vital for ecosystem functioning because of the role they play in soil nutrient cycling. Agricultural practices and the intensification of land use have a negative effect on microbial activities and fungal biomass has been widely used as an indicator of soil health. The aim of this study was to analyze fungal biomass in soils from southwestern Buenos Aires province using direct fluorescent staining and to contribute to its use as an indicator of environmental changes in the ecosystem as well as to define its sensitivity to weather conditions. Soil samples were collected during two consecutive years. Soil smears were prepared and stained with two different concentrations of calcofluor, and the fungal biomass was estimated under an epifluorescence microscope. Soil fungal biomass varied between 2.23 and 26.89μg fungal C/g soil, being these values in the range expected for the studied soil type. The fungal biomass was positively related to temperature and precipitations. The methodology used was reliable, standardized and sensitive to weather conditions. The results of this study contribute information to evaluate fungal biomass in different soil types and support its use as an indicator of soil health for analyzing the impact of different agricultural practices. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Determination of insoluble soap in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

PubMed

Cantarero, Samuel; Zafra-Gómez, Alberto; Ballesteros, Oscar; Navalón, Alberto; Vílchez, José L; Crovetto, Guillermo; Verge, Coral; de Ferrer, Juan A

2010-11-01

We have developed a new analytical procedure for determining insoluble Ca and Mg fatty acid salts (soaps) in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples. The number of analytical methodologies that focus in the determination of insoluble soap salts in different environmental compartments is very limited. In this work, we propose a methodology that involves a sample clean-up step with petroleum ether to remove soluble salts and a conversion of Ca and Mg insoluble salts into soluble potassium salts using tripotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate salt and potassium carbonate, followed by the extraction of analytes from the samples using microwave-assisted extraction with methanol. An improved esterification procedure using 2,4-dibromoacetophenone before the liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection analysis also has been developed. The absence of matrix effect was demonstrated with two fatty acid Ca salts that are not commercial and are never detected in natural samples (C₁₃:₀ and C₁₇:₀). Therefore, it was possible to evaluate the matrix effect because both standards have similar environmental behavior (adsorption and precipitation) to commercial soaps (C₁₀:₀) to C₁₈:₀). We also studied the effect of the different variables on the clean-up, the conversion of Ca soap, and the extraction and derivatization procedures. The quantification limits found ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg. The proposed method was satisfactorily applied for the development of a study on soap behavior in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples. © 2010 SETAC.

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE SAMPLES BY GC/ECD (BCO-L-24.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the methods used for detection and quantification by gas chromatography electron capture detector (GC/ECD) of pesticides in a variety of matrices, including air, house dust, soil, handwipes, and surface wipes. Other SOP's detail the extract...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING GLASSWARE TO BE USED FOR INORGANIC METALS ANALYSIS (BCO-L-10.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the general procedures to be followed for cleaning glassware used in preparing and analyzing soil, house dust, air filter, surface wipe, or dermal wash samples for inorganic metals. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retr...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE SAMPLES BY GC/MS (BCO-L-15.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the methods used for detection and quantification by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of pesticides in a variety of matrices, including air, house dust, soil, and handwipes. This analysis involves automated gas GC/MS analysis us...

[Determination of lambda-cyhalothrin residue tea and soil using gas chromatography].

PubMed

Chen, Linglong; Chen, Jiuxing; Ma, Ming; Chen, Lihua; Yang, Hui; Zhang, Guiqun

2010-08-01

A gas chromatographic (GC) method was established for the determination of lambda-cyhalothrin residue in tea and soil. Tea and soil samples were extracted with hexane, separated by capillary column and determined by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The average recoveries of lambda-cyhalothrin in tea and soil were 89.0% - 94.1% and 89.8% - 94.7%, respectively at the spiking levels of 0.02 to 2.00 mg/kg. The corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 5) were 3.0% -4.9% and 2.5% -4.2%, respectively. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) was 0.002 mg/kg for lambda-cyhalothrin. The degradations of 2.5% lambda-cyhalothrin microemulsion in tea and soil in Changsha, Hunan were investigated and the degradation equations were Y = 3.199 6e(-0.339 4x) and Y = 0.122 4e(-0.103 6x) with the correlation coefficients of 0.995 6 and 0.924 7, respectively. The half-lives of lambda-cyhalothrin in tea and soil were 2.04 days and 6.69 days, respectively.

7 CFR 205.203 - Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice... Requirements § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard. (a) The producer must..., and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion. (b) The producer must manage crop...

7 CFR 205.203 - Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice... Requirements § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard. (a) The producer must..., and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion. (b) The producer must manage crop...

7 CFR 205.203 - Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice... Requirements § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard. (a) The producer must..., and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion. (b) The producer must manage crop...

7 CFR 205.203 - Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice... Requirements § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard. (a) The producer must..., and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion. (b) The producer must manage crop...

Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution and Health Risks in the Soil-Plant-Human System in the Yangtze River Delta, China

PubMed Central

Hu, Bifeng; Jia, Xiaolin; Hu, Jie; Xu, Dongyun; Xia, Fang; Li, Yan

2017-01-01

Heavy metal (HM) contamination and accumulation is a serious problem around the world due to the toxicity, abundant sources, non-biodegradable properties, and accumulative behaviour of HMs. The degree of soil HM contamination in China, especially in the Yangtze River Delta, is prominent. In this study, 1822 pairs of soil and crop samples at corresponding locations were collected from the southern Yangtze River Delta of China, and the contents of Ni, Cr, Zn, Cd, As, Cu, Hg, and Pb were measured. The single pollution index in soil (SPI) and Nemerow composite pollution index (NCPI) were used to assess the degree of HM pollution in soil, and the crop pollution index (CPI) was used to explore the degree of HM accumulation in crops. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was used to investigate the translocation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system. The health risks caused by HMs were calculated based on the model released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SPIs of all elements were at the unpolluted level. The mean NCPI was at the alert level. The mean CPIs were in the following decreasing order: Ni (1.007) > Cr (0.483) > Zn (0.335) > Cd (0.314) > As (0.232) > Cu (0.187) > Hg (0.118) > Pb (0.105). Only the mean content of Ni in the crops exceeded the national standard value. The standard exceeding rates were used to represent the percentage of samples whose heavy metal content is higher than the corresponding national standard values. The standard exceeding rates of Cu, Hg, and Cd in soil were significantly higher than corresponding values in crops. Meanwhile, the standard exceeding rates of Ni, As, and Cr in crops were significantly higher than corresponding values in soil. The chronic daily intake (CDI) of children (13.8 × 10−3) was the largest among three age groups, followed by adults (6.998 × 10−4) and seniors (5.488 × 10−4). The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of all crops followed the order Cd (0.249) > Zn (0.133) > As (0.076) > Cu (0.064) > Ni (0.018) > Hg (0.011) > Cr (0.010) > Pb (0.001). Therefore, Cd was most easily absorbed by crops, and different crops had different capacities to absorb HMs. The hazard quotient (HQ) represents the potential non-carcinogenic risk for an individual HM and it is an estimation of daily exposure to the human population that is not likely to represent an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime. All the HQs of the HMs for the different age groups were significantly less than the alert value of 1.0 and were at a safe level. This indicated that citizens in the study area face low potential non-carcinogenic risk caused by HMs. The total carcinogens risks (TCRs) for children, adults, and seniors were 5.24 × 10−5, 2.65 × 10−5, and 2.08 × 10−5, respectively, all of which were less than the guideline value but at the alert level. Ingestion was the main pathway of carcinogen risk to human health. PMID:28891954

3D printed e-tongue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaál, Gabriel; da Silva, Tatiana A.; Gaál, Vladimir; Hensel, Rafael C.; Amaral, Lucas R.; Rodrigues, Varlei; Riul, Antonio

2018-05-01

Nowadays, one of the biggest issues addressed to electronic sensor fabrication is the build-up of efficient electrodes as an alternative way to the expensive, complex and multistage processes required by traditional techniques. Printed electronics arises as an interesting alternative to fulfill this task due to the simplicity and speed to stamp electrodes on various surfaces. Within this context, the Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printing is an emerging, cost-effective and alternative technology to fabricate complex structures that potentiates several fields with more creative ideas and new materials for a rapid prototyping of devices. We show here the fabrication of interdigitated electrodes using a standard home-made CoreXY 3D printer using transparent and graphene-based PLA filaments. Macro 3D printed electrodes were easily assembled within 6 minutes with outstanding reproducibility. The electrodes were also functionalized with different nanostructured thin films via dip-coating Layer-by-Layer technique to develop a 3D printed e-tongue setup. As a proof of concept, the printed e-tongue was applied to soil analysis. A control soil sample was enriched with several macro-nutrients to the plants (N, P, K, S, Mg and Ca) and the discrimination was done by electrical impedance spectroscopy of water solution of the soil samples. The data was analyzed by Principal Component Analysis and the 3D printed sensor distinguished clearly all enriched samples despite the complexity of the soil chemical composition. The 3D printed e-tongue successfully used in soil analysis encourages further investments in developing new sensory tools for precision agriculture and other fields exploiting the simplicity and flexibility offered by the 3D printing techniques.

Nutrients in ground water and surface water of the United States; an analysis of data through 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, D.K.; Hamilton, P.A.; Helsel, D.R.; Hitt, K.J.; Ruddy, B.C.

1995-01-01

Historical data on nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus species) concentrations in ground-and surface-water samples were compiled from 20 study units of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and 5 supplemental study areas. The resultant national retrospective data sets contained analyses of about 12,000 Found-water and more than 22,000 surface-water samples. These data were interpreted on regional and national scales by relating the distributions of nutrient concentrations to ancillary data, such as land use, soil characteristics, and hydrogeology, provided by local study-unit personnel. The information provided in this report on environmental factors that affect nutrient concentrations in ground and surface water can be used to identify areas of the Nation where the vulnerability to nutrient contamination is greatest. Nitrate was the nutrient of greatest concern in the historical ground-water data. It is the only nutrient that is regulated by a national drinking-water standard. Nitrate concentrations were significantly different in ground water affected by various land uses. Concentrations in about 16 percent of the samples collected in agricultural areas exceeded the drinking-water standard. However, the standard was exceeded in only about 1 percent of samples collected from public-supply wells. A variety of ancillary factors had significant relations to nitrate concentrations in ground water beneath agricultural areas. Concentrations generally were highest within 100 feet of the land surface. They were also higher in areas where soil and geologic characteristics promoted rapid movement of water to the aquifer. Elevated concentrations commonly occurred in areas underlain by permeable materials, such as carbonate bedrock or unconsolidated sand and gravel, and where soils are generally well drained. In areas where water movement is impeded, denitrification might lead to low concentrations of nitrate in the ground water. Low concentrations were also related to interspersion of pasture and woodland with cropland in agricultural areas. Elevated nitrate concentrations in areas of more homogeneous cropland probably were a result of intensive nitrogen fertilizer application on large tracts of land. Certain regions of the United States seemed more vulnerable to nitrate contamination of ground water in agricultural areas. Regions of greater vulnerability included parts of the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast. The well-drained soils, typical in these regions, have little capacity to hold water and nutrients; therefore, these soils receive some of the largest applications of fertilizer and irrigation in the Nation. The agricultural land is intensively cultivated for row crops, with little interspersion of pasture and woodland. Nutrient concentrations in surface water also were generally related to land use. Nitrate concentrations were highest in samples from sites downstream from agricultural or urban areas. However, concentrations were not as high as in ground water and rarely exceeded the drinking-water standard. Elevated concentrations of nitrate in surface water of the Northeastern United States might be related to large amounts of atmospheric deposition (acid rain). High concentrations in parts of the Midwest might be related to tile drainage of agricultural fields. Ammonia and phosphorus concentrations were highest downstream from urban areas. These concentrations generally were high enough to warrant concerns about toxicity to fish and accelerated eutrophication. Recent improvements in wastewater treatment have decreased ammonia concentrations downstream from some urban areas, but the result has been an increase in nitrate concentrations. Information on environmental factors that affect water quality is useful to identify drainage basins throughout the Nation with the greatest vulnerability for nutrient contamination and to delineate areas where ground-water or surface-water contamination is most likely to oc

[Heavy metals distribution characteristics and risk assessment of water below an electroplating factory].

PubMed

Hang, Xiao-Shuai; Wang, Huo-Yan; Zhou, Jian-Min

2008-10-01

Surface water and shallow groundwater within the flow of an electroplating factory was analyzed in order to study the resulting impact. The analysis method of ICP-AES was used to analyze content of zinc, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel in surface water and groundwater samples. The results indicate acidic pollutants of zinc, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel were discharged from the factory with concentrations of 1.34, 3.77, 28.1, 6.40 and 9.37 mg x L(-1), respectively; and pH was 2.32. They all exceeded permissible levels according to Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard except zinc. Factory discharge is responsible for the longitudinal distribution characteristics of heavy metals in the stream water downstream from the factory. Heavy metals variations in the well water do not suggest they were affected by heavy metals in the stream, indicating that the migration rates of heavy metals in soils were relatively low. Risk assessment shows surface water quality significantly deteriorated. Nickel and manganese in the stream water exceeded the standard levels seriously, and chromium and copper in some samples were also above Grade III standard levels according to Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water. Moreover, all studied heavy metals in 14 groundwater samples measured within drinking water standard, except manganese in 4 groundwater samples, which were Grade IV according to Quality Standard for Ground water.

Mercury and cadmium contamination of irrigation water, sediment, soil and shallow groundwater in a wastewater-irrigated field in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Wu, G-H; Cao, S-S

2010-03-01

We investigated the concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb and As in samples of irrigation water, sediment, soil and groundwater from a field in Tianjin that was irrigated with wastewater. The results showed that the concentrations (Hg, 0.82 microg/L; Cd, 0.18 microg/L; Pb, 1.5 microg/L; As, 8.02 microg/L) in the irrigation water did not exceed the China Surface Water Quality Standard or the maximum concentrations in irrigation water recommended by the FAO. The concentrations of metals in the groundwater of wells (Hg, 0.016 microg/L; Cd, 0.128 microg/L; Pb, 0.25 microg/L; As, 4.65 microg/L) were lower than China Groundwater Quality Standard and the WHO guideline values for drinking water. The groundwater had not yet been contaminated through vertical infiltration-induced leaching. However, a substantial buildup of Hg and Cd in river sediments (I(geo) for Hg and Cd; 5.24 and 3.04, respectively) and wastewater-irrigated soils (I(geo) for Hg and Cd; 2.50 and 3.09, respectively) was observed. Taken together, these results indicated that irrigation with wastewater damaged the soil quality over the long term and that metals more easily accumulated in vegetable fields than rice fields.

Distribution and integrated assessment of lead in an abandoned lead-acid battery site in Southwest China before redevelopment.

PubMed

Wang, Mei; Zhang, Chao; Zhang, Zhuo; Li, Fasheng; Guo, Guanlin

2016-06-01

Lead-acid battery sites have contributed enormous amounts of lead to the environment, significantly affecting its global biogeochemical cycle and leaving the potential risks to human health. An abandoned lead-acid battery site prepared for redevelopment was selected in order to study the distribution of lead in soils, plants, rhizosphere soils and soil solutions. In total, 197 samples from 77 boreholes were collected and analyzed. Single extractions by acetic acid (HOAc) were conducted to assess the bioavailability and speciation of lead in soils for comparison with the parts of the plants that are aboveground. Health risks for future residential development were evaluated by the integrated exposure uptake biokinetic (IEUBK) model. The results indicated that lead concentrations in 83% of the soil samples exceeded the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for soil (350 mg/kg for Pb) and mainly occurred at depths between 0 and 1.5 m while accumulating at the surface of demolished construction waste and miscellaneous fill. Lead concentrations in soil solutions and HOAc extraction leachates were linked closely to the contents of aboveground Broussonetia papyrifera and Artemisia annua, two main types of local plants that were found at the site. The probability density of lead in blood (PbB) in excess of 10 µg/dL could overtake the 99% mark in the residential scenario. The findings provided a relatively integrated method to illustrate the onsite investigations and assessment for similar sites before remediation and future development from more comprehensive aspects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Influence of Clay Mineralogy on Stream Bank Erodibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambers, R. K.; Stine, M. B.

2005-12-01

Soil scientists concerned with erosion of agricultural fields and geotechnical engineers concerned with the mechanical behavior of soils under different conditions have both examined the role of clay mineralogy in controlling soil/sediment properties. Fluvial geomorphologists studying stream channel erosion and stability have focused more on the effects of particle-size distribution, vegetation and rooting. The clay mineralogy of bed and bank sediment has the potential to influence cohesiveness and erodibility, however. The goal of this study is to determine the influence of clay mineralogy on the erodibility of natural stream bank sediment, utilizing techniques drawn from pedology and soil mechanics. Bank samples were collected from eleven sites in small watersheds in central and western Virginia. To obtain sediment containing a range of different clay minerals, watersheds with different types of bedrock were chosen for sampling. Rock types included mafic to felsic metamorphic and igneous rocks, shale, sandstone, and limestone. Where stream bank materials were clearly stratified, different layers were sampled separately. X-ray diffraction of the clay-fraction of the sediment indicates the presence of kaolinite, illite, vermiculite, and mixed-layer clay minerals in various abundances in the different samples. Clay content is 9-46%, as determined by the hydrometer method, and textures range from silty clay and silt loam to clay loam and sandy loam. Organic mater contents range from 1-5% by the loss-on-ignition method. Bulk density of intact sediment samples averages 1.5 g/cc. Liquid limits range from 23-41 with one sample having a value of 65; plasticity indices range from 15-22. While these tests predict that the samples would show a range of mechanical behaviors, the channel morphology at the sampling sites was not strikingly different, all having steep cut banks eroded primarily by scour with no evidence of mass movement and most having a width/depth ratio around 4.5. The ASTM pinhole test for identifying dispersive clay soils is being adapted to measure erodibility of intact and remolded sediment samples in the laboratory to look for more subtle differences in behavior under erosive conditions. Factors such as the extent and method of sample compaction are being taken into account in order to standardize the method.

[The assessment of radionuclide contamination and toxicity of soils sampled from "experimental field" site of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site].

PubMed

Evseeva, T I; Maĭstrenko, T A; Belykh, E S; Geras'kin, S A; Kriazheva, E Iu

2009-01-01

Large-scale maps (1:25000) of soil contamination with radionuclides, lateral distribution of 137Cs, 90Sr, Fe and Mn water-soluble compounds and soil toxicity in "Experimental field" site of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site were charted. At present soils from studied site (4 km2) according to basic sanitary standards of radiation safety adopted in Russian Federation (OSPORB) do not attributed to radioactive wastes with respect to data on artificial radionuclide concentration, but they do in compliance with IAEA safety guide. The soils studied can not be released from regulatory control due to radioactive decay of 137Cs and 90Sr and accumulation-decay of 241Am up to 2106 year according to IAEA concept of exclusion, exemption and clearance. Data on bioassay "increase of Chlorella vulgaris Beijer biomass production in aqueous extract from soils" show that the largest part of soils from the studied site (74%) belongs to stimulating or insignificantly influencing on the algae reproduction due to water-soluble compounds effect. Toxic soils occupy 26% of the territory. The main factors effecting the algae reproduction in the aqueous extracts from soil are Fe concentration and 90Sr specific activity: 90Sr inhibits but Fe stimulates algae biomass production.

Nitrogen availability from residues-based biochar at two pyrolisis temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coscione, Aline Renee; Silveira Bibar, Maria Paula; de Andrade, Cristiano Alberto

2014-05-01

Biochar has been studied for several applications, such as soil quality improvement, heavy metals remediation and N2O mitigation. Considering the soil quality improvement aspect it is desirable to evaluate if the nitrogen content in biochar samples obtained from several residues used as the biomass sources could be available for plants. Samples of sewage sludge (SS), coffee grounds (CG), chicken manure (CM) and fungi mycelia (FM) were pyrolyzed at two temperatures, 400 and 700 oC (indicated by the number 4 and 7 in this abstract, respectively), in order to obtain the biochar samples. The Kjeldahl nitrogen of biochar was (% m/m): 3.0 (CM4, CG7, FM7 and CG4); 2.0 (CM7 e SS4); 3.4 (FM7); 1.4 (SS7), with organic carbon (potassium dichromate method) ranging from 2.0 to 3.0% for all but CG4 (6%). The C/N ratio of biochar samples was: 9 (CM4, SS4 and CG7); 11 (CM7); 15 (SS7); 7 (FM4 and FM7); 21 (CG4). The eight soil + biochar resulting mixtures, prepared using the equivalent to 60 t/ha of biochar (about 3% w/w), and one additional control treatment (no biochar added) were incubated for 90 days, with four replications of each treatment per time evaluated. Inorganic nitrogen and soil pH measurements were performed for all treatments at 0, 5, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days of incubation. Soil moisture was kept at 40% soil water holding capacity, by weighting, during the experiment. The data was submitted to ANOVA with Tukey's average comparison test (p < 0.05). No significative pH changes were observed during the incubation of biochar samples. At the initial incubation time (zero days) no statistical difference was observed among biochar sources or pyrolisis temperatures. After five days of incubation SS4 and CM4 showed significant inorganic nitrogen release compared to all other treatments, behavior repeated at all the following times evaluated. For CM7, FM4 and FM7 maximum nitrogen availability was observed after 15 days, while it occurred after 90 days for SS4. After 90 days, only SS4 and CM4 presented a positive nitrogen balance, reaching 8 and 9 % of the nitrogen added by biochar samples release to the soil, respectively. A first order kinetic model was adjusted for SS4 nitrogen release, enabling the calculation of half life (10 days), potential available nitrogen (76.5 mg/kg) and the speed of the process. However, compared to SS4 the standard nitrogen availability of sewage sludge is up to 30% of its Kjeldahl nitrogen. For organic residues with C/N ratios lower than 20 applied to the soil a fast degradation, with the corresponding increase in inorganic nitrogen availability is expect. Although all the biochar samples tested had C/N ratios below that cutting point, just 2 of 8 presented inorganic nitrogen available in the soil+biochar mixtures. These results show that soil incubation tests are ultimate for the evaluation of the nitrogen potential release to the soil. Low temperature SS based biochar may offer additional nitrogen release to soil besides other soil conditioning properties.

[Evaluation and cumulative characteristics of heavy metals in soil-Uncaria rhynchophylla system of different functional areas].

PubMed

Zhang, Jia-Chun; Zeng, Xian-Ping; Zhang, Zhen-Ming; Lin, Shao-Xia; Zhang, Qing-Hai; Lin, Chang-Hu

2016-10-01

Soil and Uncaria rhynchophylla in different functional areas were selected for the study,the content of heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Hg in soil and U. rhynchophylla was discussed, the characteristics of their accumulation in the U.rhynchophylla was analyzed, the contamination levels of heavy metals in soil in different functional areas was evaluated. The results showed that content of Cu, As, Pb and Cr in soil was being cropland>woodland>wasteland, content of Cd was being woodland>cropland>wasteland, content of Hg was being cropland>woodland>wasteland. According to quality standard of soil environment, soil Cd in woodland, cropland and wasteland all exceeded the state-level standards, soil Cd in woodland exceeded the secondary standard, soil Hg in cropland and wasteland all exceeded the state-level standards. According to technical conditions of green food producing area, soil Cd in woodland exceeded the limit value of standard. According to Green Trade Standards of Importing Exporting Medicinal Plants Preparations,the content of heavy metals of U.rhynchophylla in cropland,woodland and wasteland were correspond to the specification. From the single factor pollution index, the soil in woodland was polluted by Cd. From the comprehensive pollution index, the soils in different functional areas were not contaminated by heavy metals. The enrichment coefficient of heavy metals such as As, Cu, Cr, and Pb in hook of U.rhynchophylla was being wasteland>woodland>cropland, the enrichment coefficient of Cu in hook of U. rhynchophylla in wasteland was more than 1. Except Cu, the enrichment coefficient of other heavy metals was low. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Investigation and analysis of heavy metal pollution related to soil-Panax notoginseng system].

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Mi, Yan-Hua; Lin, Xin; Liu, Da-Hui; Zeng, Min; Chen, Xiao-Yan

2014-07-01

In this study, five heavy metals contamination of soil and different parts of Panax notoginseng in the plantation area was investigated. Analysis of heavy metals correlation between the planting soil and P. notoginseng; and the absorption and accumulation characteristics and translocation of soil heavy metals by P. notoginseng plants was revealed. Through field investigation and laboratory analytical methods, analysis of China's 30 different soil P. notoginseng origin and content of heavy metals in five different parts of the P. notoginseng plant content of heavy metals. The results revealed that the soil heavy metals should not be neglected in the plantation area Referring to the national soil quality standards (GB15608-1995), the excessive degree of soil heavy metals pollution showed Hg > As > Cd > Cr in the plantation area, and Pb content of soil was in the scope of the standard. Refer to 'Green Industry Standards for Import and Export of Medical Plants and Preparations', the excessive degree of heavy metals content of P. notoginseng plants showed As > Pb > Cr > Cd, and Hg content of plants was in the scope of the standard. Concentrations of five heavy metals of underground parts of P. notoginseng plants are higher than aboveground, and heavy metals elements are more concentrated in the root, followed by the rhizome of P. notoginseng plants. Heavy metal accumulation characteristics of the different parts of the P. notoginseng of the overall performance is the root > the rhizome > the root tuber > leaves > stems. From the point of view BCF value analysis of various parts of the P. notoginseng plants to absorb heavy metals in soil, BCF values of all samples were less than 1, description P. notoginseng not belong Hyperaccumulator. From the view of transportation and related analysis of the soil-P. notoginseng systems, the rhizome of P. notoginseng and the content of As and Cr in soil was significantly correlated, the root of P. notoginseng and the content of Cd in soil was significantly correlated, and no significant correlation between the other indicators. Through the analysis of transportation transfer coefficient showed: Pb, As and Cr are not easy to transport aboveground part from the underground, but Cd and Hg are relatively easy to transport stems from rhizome, the migration of five heavy metals in the aerial part is relatively strong, and heavy metal of stems is easily transported to the leaves. P. notoginseng does not belong to the enrichment of heavy metals in crops, especially for Hg in soil with strong patience. In survey area, the content of heavy metals of P. notoginseng's planting soil is relatively high, and the heavy metals As, Pb, Cr, Cd of P. notoginseng also exist heavy metals exceeded problems. Due to the presence of heavy metals in crops internal absorption and translocation of special laws, accumulation of heavy metals varied significantly in different parts of P. notoginseng. The overall, the performance for the heavy metal content of the underground parts is more than aboveground, it explain heavy metals of P. notoginseng plants is still the main source of the soiL Therefore, the key to control of planting area soil environmental quality and reduce exogenous harmful substances secondary pollution of soil in the cultivation process are to study and solve the heavy metals pollution problem of P. notoginseng.

Microwave assisted solvent extraction and coupled-column reversed-phase liquid chromatography with UV detection use of an analytical restricted-access-medium column for the efficient multi-residue analysis of acidic pesticides in soils.

PubMed

Hogendoom, E A; Huls, R; Dijkman, E; Hoogerbrugge, R

2001-12-14

A screening method has been developed for the determination of acidic pesticides in various types of soils. Methodology is based on the use of microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE) for fast and efficient extraction of the analytes from the soils and coupled-column reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC-LC) with UV detection at 228 nm for the instrumental analysis of uncleaned extracts. Four types of soils, including sand, clay and peat, with a range in organic matter content of 0.3-13% and ten acidic pesticides of different chemical families (bentazone, bromoxynil, metsulfuron-methyl, 2,4-D, MCPA, MCPP, 2,4-DP, 2,4,5-T, 2,4-DB and MCPB) were selected as matrices and analytes, respectively. The method developed included the selection of suitable MASE and LC-LC conditions. The latter consisted of the selection of a 5-microm GFF-II internal surface reversed-phase (ISRP, Pinkerton) analytical column (50 x 4.6 mm, I.D.) as the first column in the RAM-C18 configuration in combination with an optimised linear gradient elution including on-line cleanup of sample extracts and reconditioning of the columns. The method was validated with the analysis of freshly spiked samples and samples with aged residues (120 days). The four types of soils were spiked with the ten acidic pesticides at levels between 20 and 200 microg/kg. Weighted regression of the recovery data showed for most analyte-matrix combinations, including freshly spiked samples and aged residues, that the method provides overall recoveries between 60 and 90% with relative standard deviations of the intra-laboratory reproducibility's between 5 and 25%; LODs were obtained between 5 and 50 microg/kg. Evaluation of the data set with principal component analysis revealed that the parameters (i) increase of organic matter content of the soil samples and (ii) aged residues negatively effect the recovery of the analytes.

Relationship of soil terrestrial radionuclide concentrations and the excess of lifetime cancer risk in western Mazandaran Province, Iran.

PubMed

Abbaspour, M; Moattar, F; Okhovatian, A; Kharrat Sadeghi, M

2010-12-01

The main goal of this study is to lay out the map of the soil radionuclide activity concentrations and the terrestrial outdoor gamma dose rates in the western Mazandaran Province of Iran, and to present an evaluation scheme. Mazandaran Province was selected due to its special geographical characteristics, high population density and the long terrestrial and aquatic borders with the neighbouring countries possessing nuclear facilities. A total of 54 topsoil samples were collected, ranging from the Nour to Ramsar regions, and were based on geological conditions, vegetation coverage and the sampling standards outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCRs) were evaluated and the coordinates of sampling locations were determined by the global positioning system. The average terrestrial outdoor gamma dose rate was 612.38 ± 3707.93 nGy h(-1), at 1 m above the ground. The annual effective gamma dose at the western part of Mazandaran Province was 750 μSv, and the ELCR was 0.26 × 10(-2). Soil samples were analysed by gamma spectrometry with a high-purity germanium detector. The average (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs activities were 1188.50 ± 7838.40, 64.92 ± 162.26, 545.10 ± 139.42 and 10.41 ± 7.86 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The average soil radionuclide concentrations at the western part of Mazandaran Province were higher than the worldwide range. The excess lifetime risks of cancer and the annual effective gamma doses were also higher than the global average.

Heavy metals, arsenic, and pesticide contamination in an area with high incidence of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes in El Salvador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, D. A.; Ribó, A.; Quinteros, E.; Mejia, R.; Jovel, R.; VanDervort, D.; Orantes, C. M.

2013-12-01

Chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes is epidemic in Central America, Southern Mexico and other regions of the world such as Sri Lanka, where the origin of the illness is attributed to exposure to agrochemicals and arsenic in soils and groundwater. In Central America, several causes have been suggested for this illness including: high ambient temperatures and chronic dehydration, and toxic effects of agrochemicals. Previous research using step-wise multivariate regression in El Salvador found statistically significant correlation between the spatial distribution of the number of sick people per thousand inhabitants and the percent area cultivated with sugar cane, cotton, and beans, and maximum ambient temperature, with sugar cane cultivation as the most significant factor. This study aims to investigate the possible effects of agricultural activities in the occurrence of this illness looking at heavy metal, arsenic and pesticide contamination in soil, water and sediments of a community located in Bajo Lempa region (Ciudad Romero, El Salvador) and heavily affected by this illness. The Bajo Lempa region is close to Lempa River delta, in the Pacific coast. Ground and surface water, sediment and soil samples were collected in the village where the patients live and in the agricultural areas where they work. With respect to the heavy metals, lead and cadmium where detected in the soils but below the standards for cultivated soils, however, they were not detected in the majority of surface and groundwater. Of the inorganic contaminants, arsenic was present in most soil, sediments, and water samples with some concentrations considerable higher than the standards for cultivated lands and drinking water. Statistically different concentrations in soils were found for the village soils and the cultivated soils, with arsenic higher in the cultivated soils. For the pesticides, results show a significant pollution of soil and groundwater of organochlorine pesticides such as DDT and its metabolites (DDE and DDD), which are banned in El Salvador, Endosulfan Alpha isomer and Beta isomer, Endosulfan sulfate and 2.4 D. Lindane and Heptachlor Hexachlorobenzene also were found. Glyphosate and 2,4-D were found in the soils. These herbicides together with Paraquat are the most used herbicides in El Salvador. Paraquat contamination was found in drinking water from the local distribution network and in groundwater from domestic wells. These results show that the people of Bajo Lempa have been exposed to a variety of contaminants that have known toxic effects on the kidney. Investigation of these contaminants in the affected population is the next step to know the origin of this illness in El Salvador.

The concentration and chemical speciation of arsenic in the Nanpan River, the upstream of the Pearl River, China.

PubMed

Yang, Silin; Zhao, Ning; Zhou, Dequn; Wei, Rong; Yang, Bin; Pan, Bo

2016-04-01

The concentration and chemical speciation of arsenic (As) in different environmental matrixes (water, sediment, agricultural soils, and non-agricultural soils) were investigated in the Nanpan River area, the upstream of Pearl River, China. The results did not show any obvious transport of As along the flow direction of the river (from upstream to downstream). Total As concentrations in sediment were significantly different from those in agricultural soil. According to the comparison to quality standards, the As in sediments of the studied area have potential ecological risks and a minority of the sampling sites of agricultural soils in the studied area were polluted with As. As speciations were analyzed using sequential extraction and the percentage of non-residual fraction in sediment predominated over residual fraction. We thus believe that As in the studied area was with low mobility and bioavailability in sediment, agricultural soils, and non-agricultural soils. However, the bioavailability and mobility of As in sediment were higher than in both agricultural and non-agricultural soils, and thus, special attention should be paid for the risk assessment of As in the river in future studies.

Differentiation characteristics and source analysis of heavy metals in typical brown soil under different vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhicheng; Zhang, Lina; Li, Xueshuang; Lv, Shuangyan; He, Shijie; Liu, Ying; Ma, Xuanxuan

2017-08-01

Anomalous enrichment of soil elements (especially heavy metals) has aroused popular attention in China. In order to discuss distribution characteristics and analyze sources of elements in brown soil, field investigation and sample collection were carried out under different vegetation (cherry, apple, bamboos and pine) in Qixia, a typical apple production base in China. Element contents, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) were tested. Results showed that element concentrations were about roughly 2.48 times as China’s background values, while significantly lower than the class ii of National soil Environment Quality Standard (Ni excepted). Meanwhile, vertical distribution and accumulation characteristics of elements in typical brown soil were significantly different under different vegetation. In detail, elements (Zn excepted) of Pine soil accumulated in surface, while they (Cd, Arsenic excepted) increased with depth under other vegetation. Moreover, pH and EC changed like elements, while MS was exactly opposite. It was found that those differences above were mainly caused by human activities (such as improper use of fertilizer, pesticide and inadequate use of organic fertilizer, etc.). Additionally, differences in composition and decomposition rate of vegetation litter also resulted in vertical differentiations of soil elements under different vegetation.

Levels, distribution and air-soil exchange fluxes of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment of Punjab Province, Pakistan.

PubMed

Syed, Jabir Hussain; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan; Jones, Kevin C

2013-11-01

An initial survey of the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds in air and soils across industrial and agricultural areas of Punjab Province, Pakistan, was conducted from January to March 2011. The total concentration of all PCBs (31 PCBs) ranged from 34 to 389pgm(-3) in air and from 7 to 45ngg(-1) dry weight in soils, where both ranges were similar to the average ranges in other areas of the world. PCBs were elevated across industrial regions near urban and industrial sources. Consistently low air concentrations of PCBs at the agricultural sites suggest that they are less widespread or uniformly distributed in the Pakistani atmosphere. The calculated air and soil fugacity fraction values indicated that soils are a potential secondary source of PCBs in agricultural areas, whereas they are in equilibrium or atmospheric deposition in industrial and urban areas. TEQ concentrations of dioxin-like PCBs for soil samples met the Canadian standard. However, local authorities should address the human health threats from urban and industrial soils in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two Fixed Ratio Dilutions for Soil Salinity Monitoring in Hypersaline Wetlands

PubMed Central

Herrero, Juan; Weindorf, David C.; Castañeda, Carmen

2015-01-01

Highly soluble salts are undesirable in agriculture because they reduce yields or the quality of most cash crops and can leak to surface or sub-surface waters. In some cases salinity can be associated with unique history, rarity, or special habitats protected by environmental laws. Yet in considering the measurement of soil salinity for long-term monitoring purposes, adequate methods are required. Both saturated paste extracts, intended for agriculture, and direct surface and/or porewater salinity measurement, used in inundated wetlands, are unsuited for hypersaline wetlands that often are only occasionally inundated. For these cases, we propose the use of 1:5 soil/water (weight/weight) extracts as the standard for expressing the electrical conductivity (EC) of such soils and for further salt determinations. We also propose checking for ion-pairing with a 1:10 or more diluted extract in hypersaline soils. As an illustration, we apply the two-dilutions approach to a set of 359 soil samples from saline wetlands ranging in ECe from 2.3 dS m-1 to 183.0 dS m-1. This easy procedure will be useful in survey campaigns and in the monitoring of soil salt content. PMID:26001130

Two fixed ratio dilutions for soil salinity monitoring in hypersaline wetlands.

PubMed

Herrero, Juan; Weindorf, David C; Castañeda, Carmen

2015-01-01

Highly soluble salts are undesirable in agriculture because they reduce yields or the quality of most cash crops and can leak to surface or sub-surface waters. In some cases salinity can be associated with unique history, rarity, or special habitats protected by environmental laws. Yet in considering the measurement of soil salinity for long-term monitoring purposes, adequate methods are required. Both saturated paste extracts, intended for agriculture, and direct surface and/or porewater salinity measurement, used in inundated wetlands, are unsuited for hypersaline wetlands that often are only occasionally inundated. For these cases, we propose the use of 1:5 soil/water (weight/weight) extracts as the standard for expressing the electrical conductivity (EC) of such soils and for further salt determinations. We also propose checking for ion-pairing with a 1:10 or more diluted extract in hypersaline soils. As an illustration, we apply the two-dilutions approach to a set of 359 soil samples from saline wetlands ranging in ECe from 2.3 dS m(-1) to 183.0 dS m(-1). This easy procedure will be useful in survey campaigns and in the monitoring of soil salt content.

Quadrant III RFI draft report: Appendix B-I, Volume 3

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

Not Available

1992-12-01

In order to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a RCRA site it is often necessary to investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the medium in question that represents background conditions. Background is defined as current conditions present at a site which are unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste (OEPA, 1991). The background composition of soils at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) site was characterized for the purpose of comparing investigative soil data to a background standard for each metal on the Target Compound List/Target Analyte List and each radiological parameter ofmore » concern in this RFI. Characterization of background compositions with respect to organic parameters was not performed because the organic parameters in the TCL/TAL are not naturally occurring at the site and because the site is not located in a highly industrialized area nor downgradient from another unrelated hazardous waste site. Characterization of the background soil composition with respect to metals and radiological parameters was performed by collecting and analyzing soil boring and hand-auger samples in areas deemed unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Criteria used in determining whether a soil sample location would be representative of the true background condition included: environmental history of the location, relation to Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU`s), prevailing wind direction, surface runoff direction, and ground-water flow direction.« less

Quadrant III RFI draft report: Appendix B-I, Volume 3

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

Not Available

1992-12-01

In order to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a RCRA site it is often necessary to investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the medium in question that represents background conditions. Background is defined as current conditions present at a site which are unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste (OEPA, 1991). The background composition of soils at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) site was characterized for the purpose of comparing investigative soil data to a background standard for each metal on the Target Compound List/Target Analyte List and each radiological parameter ofmore » concern in this RFI. Characterization of background compositions with respect to organic parameters was not performed because the organic parameters in the TCL/TAL are not naturally occurring at the site and because the site is not located in a highly industrialized area nor downgradient from another unrelated hazardous waste site. Characterization of the background soil composition with respect to metals and radiological parameters was performed by collecting and analyzing soil boring and hand-auger samples in areas deemed unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Criteria used in determining whether a soil sample location would be representative of the true background condition included: environmental history of the location, relation to Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU's), prevailing wind direction, surface runoff direction, and ground-water flow direction.« less

The estimation of parameter compaction values for pavement subgrade stabilized with lime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, A. S.; Muis, Z. A.; Simbolon, C. A.

2018-02-01

The type of soil material, field control, maintenance and availability of funds are several factors that must be considered in compaction of the pavement subgrade. In determining the compaction parameters in laboratory desperately requires considerable materials, time and funds, and reliable laboratory operators. If the result of soil classification values can be used to estimate the compaction parameters of a subgrade material, so it would save time, energy, materials and cost on the execution of this work. This is also a clarification (cross check) of the work that has been done by technicians in the laboratory. The study aims to estimate the compaction parameter values ie. maximum dry unit weight (γdmax) and optimum water content (Wopt) of the soil subgrade that stabilized with lime. The tests that conducted in the laboratory of soil mechanics were to determine the index properties (Fines and Liquid Limit/LL) and Standard Compaction Test. Soil samples that have Plasticity Index (PI) > 10% were made with additional 3% lime for 30 samples. By using the Goswami equation, the compaction parameter values can be estimated by equation γd max # = -0,1686 Log G + 1,8434 and Wopt # = 2,9178 log G + 17,086. From the validation calculation, there was a significant positive correlation between the compaction parameter values laboratory and the compaction parameter values estimated, with a 95% confidence interval as a strong relationship.

Total content and bioavailability of plant essential nutrients and heavy metals in top-soils of an industrialized area of Northwestern Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barouchas, Pantelis; Avramidis, Pavlos; Salachas, Georgios; Koulopoulos, Athanasios; Christodoulopoulou, Kyriaki; Liopa-Tsakalidi, Aglaia

2017-04-01

Thirty surface soil samples from northwestern Greece in the Ptolemais-Kozani basin, were collected and analyzed for their total content in thirteen elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) by ICP-AES and bioavailable content from a plant nutrition scope of view for (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Zn) by AAS and colorimetric techniques. Particle size distribution, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and the magnetic susceptibility, in a low and a high frequency (at 47kHz and 0.47kHz), of soil samples were measured also in order to correlate the results. Total carbonates were tested by the pressure technique (BD Inventions, FOGII digital soil calcimeter). The concentrations of these elements were compared with international standards and guidelines. The results indicated that Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb are found enriched in the top soils of the study area, mainly as a consequence of natural processes from the surrounding rocks. Moreover, the bioavailability of some of these elements with a plant nutrition interest was tested and results indicate that they do not pose an immediate threat to the environment or crops as it all demonstrated values in an adequate range. Magnetic susceptibility in low and high frequency was correlated with clay content.

Contaminants in landfill soils - Reliability of prefeasibility studies.

PubMed

Hölzle, Ingo

2017-05-01

Recent landfill mining studies have researched the potential for resource recovery using samples from core drilling or grab cranes. However, most studies used small sample numbers, which may not represent the heterogeneous landfill composition. As a consequence, there exists a high risk of an incorrect economic and/or ecological evaluation. The main objective of this work is to investigate the possibilities and limitations of preliminary investigations concerning the crucial soil composition. The preliminary samples of landfill investigations were compared to the excavation samples from three completely excavated landfills in Germany. In addition, the research compared the reliability of prediction of the two investigation methods, core drilling and grab crane. Sampling using a grab crane led to better results, even for smaller investigations of 10 samples. Analyses of both methods showed sufficiently accurate results to make predictions (standard error 5%, level of confidence 95%) for most heavy metals, cyanide and PAH in the dry substance and for sulphate, barium, Benzo[a]pyrene, pH and the electrical conductivity in leachate analyses of soil type waste. While chrome and nickel showed less accurate results, the concentrations of hydrocarbons, TOC, DOC, PCB and fluorine (leachate) were not predictable even for sample numbers of up to 59. Overestimations of pollutant concentrations were more frequently apparent in drilling, and underestimations when using a grab crane. The dispersion of the element and elemental composition had no direct impact on the reliability of prediction. Thus, an individual consideration of the particular element or elemental composition for dry substance and leachate analyses is recommended to adapt the sample strategy and calculate an optimum sample number. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speciation of strontium-90 in NIST natural matrix standard reference materials

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

Thomas, J.W.L.; Inn, K.G.W.; Garcia, M.E.

1995-12-31

A sequential leaching, radiochemical separating, and low-level beta-particle counting procedure was designed to study the speciation of radionuclides in natural matrix standard reference materials, SRMs 4350B (Columbia River Sediment) and 4353 (Rocky Flats Soil-1). Strontium-90 is the first radionuclide studied because of the difficulty experienced with this nuclide in natural-matrix SRMs. The nine-step procedure extracted {sup 90}Sr from the following fractions: water solubles, exchangeables, carbonates, reducibles, organics, iron and manganese oxides, acid leachables, micas, and silicates. The majority of {sup 90}Sr in the soil samples was found in the exchangeable fraction. By contrast, the {sup 90}Sr in the sediment ismore » more evenly distributed among the various leached fractions. Information on the leach distribution of radionuclides in environmental SRMs, based on the procedure described, should lead to more cost-effective restoration strategies and more confidence in risk assessments of human health hazards.« less

40 CFR 268.49 - Alternative LDR treatment standards for contaminated soil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... for contaminated soil. 268.49 Section 268.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... treatment standards for contaminated soil. (a) Applicability. You must comply with LDRs prior to placing soil that exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste, or exhibited a characteristic of hazardous...

40 CFR 268.49 - Alternative LDR treatment standards for contaminated soil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... for contaminated soil. 268.49 Section 268.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... treatment standards for contaminated soil. (a) Applicability. You must comply with LDRs prior to placing soil that exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste, or exhibited a characteristic of hazardous...

40 CFR 268.49 - Alternative LDR treatment standards for contaminated soil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... for contaminated soil. 268.49 Section 268.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... treatment standards for contaminated soil. (a) Applicability. You must comply with LDRs prior to placing soil that exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste, or exhibited a characteristic of hazardous...

40 CFR 268.49 - Alternative LDR treatment standards for contaminated soil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... for contaminated soil. 268.49 Section 268.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... treatment standards for contaminated soil. (a) Applicability. You must comply with LDRs prior to placing soil that exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste, or exhibited a characteristic of hazardous...

40 CFR 268.49 - Alternative LDR treatment standards for contaminated soil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for contaminated soil. 268.49 Section 268.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... treatment standards for contaminated soil. (a) Applicability. You must comply with LDRs prior to placing soil that exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste, or exhibited a characteristic of hazardous...

Using Lunar Sample Disks and Resources to Promote Scientific Inquiry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graff, Paige; Allen, Jaclyn; Runco, Susan

2014-01-01

This poster presentation will illustrate the use of NASA Lunar Sample Disks and resources to promote scientific inquiry and address the Next Generation Science Standards. The poster will present information on the Lunar Sample Disks, housed and managed by the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Directorate at the NASA Johnson Space Center. The poster will also present information on an inquiry-based planetary sample and impact cratering unit designed to introduce students in grades 4-10 to the significance of studying the rocks, soils, and surfaces of a planetary world. The unit, consisting of many hands-on activities, provides context and background information to enhance the impact of the Lunar Sample Disks.

Novel magnetic hollow zein nanoparticles for preconcentration of chlorpyrifos from water and soil samples prior to analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

PubMed

Rahimi Moghadam, Mojtaba; Zargar, Behrooz; Rastegarzadeh, Saadat

2018-04-30

Herein, magnetically hollow zein nanoparticles were synthesized and used as a magnetic sorbent for the preconcentration of chlorpyrifos and its analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Morphology of the sorbent was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this study, the effects of important parameters such as pH of the solution, adsorption and desorption time, type and volume of desorption solvent, and salt addition were investigated. Under optimized experimental conditions, the linear range was from 50 to 2000 μg mL-1, and an LOD of 25 μg L-1 was calculated. The relative standard deviations (RSD) varied from 3.8 to 5.1% (n = 5). The enrichment factors for 50 and 100 μg L-1 samples were calculated as 187 and 210, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied in soil and water samples and showed good extraction recoveries.

The Role of Internal Standards and their Interaction with Soils Impact Accuracy of Volatile Organics Determinations

EPA Science Inventory

Both US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SW-846 Methods 8260C/5035 and 8261A include mixing soil with water and addition of internal standards prior to analyses but the equilibration of internal standards with the soil is not required. With increasing total organic carbon (...

The accuracy of formol-ether concentration in diagnosing soiltransmitted helminths in elementary school 27 Peusangan in Bireuen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitriani, C. L.; Panggabean, M.; Pasaribu, A. P.

2018-03-01

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) or a group of parasitic nematode worms causing human infection through contact with moist soil may contribute to anemia, nutritional disorders, physical and intellectual growth retardation. School-age children are at high risk of STH infection due to frequent contact with soil. Reliable, sensitive, and practical diagnostic are the test series for detecting STH. This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the formol-ether concentration (FEC) in the diagnosis of STH when compared to the Kato-Katz technique. The study was designed at state elementary school 27 Peusangan, Bireuen. The FEC study on a total of 80 (100%) elementary students showed that 12 (15%) sample had the STH infection, while Kato-Katz technique (Gold standard) showed that 31 (38.75%) sample had the STH infection. The FEC technique has the sensitivity of (38.71%), specificity of (100%) and accuracy of (76.25%). The Kato-Katz technique is better than the FEC technique for assessing STH in Bireuen due to mild infection.

Design and development of indoor device for recycling of domestic vegetable scrap.

PubMed

Harshitha, Jampala; Krupanidhi, Sreerama; Kumar, Sunil; Wong, Jonathan

2016-01-01

Since the municipal waste management and community garbage-treating systems are in vogue, there is a growing need for the waste minimization to keep our vicinity clean and green. Therefore, a feasible indoor device is designed for recycling domestic vegetable scrap by adopting the principle of soil ecosystem. To arrive at the composting process control parameters in the proposed device, the soil from landfill and quarry along with supplements namely sawdust, cow dung/yeast and the resident thermophilic bacteria are analysed. The soil parameters namely pH, electrical conductivity, Organic carbon, P, K, Fe, moisture content and the presence of thermophilic bacteria varied significantly between negative control sample (NCS) and positive control sample (PCS) and post-treatment positive control group with dried cow dung (PPC-C)-derived compost is soft-textured and homogenous. Furthermore, the double-compartment-based device would be more feasible and appealing as a recycling bin rather than as a refuse storage bin primarily due to the inclusion of dish-plantation. The standardization of composting control parameters is discussed in this article.

Subcritical water extractor for Mars analog soil analysis.

PubMed

Amashukeli, Xenia; Grunthaner, Frank J; Patrick, Steven B; Yung, Pun To

2008-06-01

Abstract Technologies that enable rapid and efficient extraction of biomarker compounds from various solid matrices are a critical requirement for the successful implementation of in situ chemical analysis of the martian regolith. Here, we describe a portable subcritical water extractor that mimics multiple organic solvent polarities by tuning the dielectric constant of liquid water through adjustment of temperature and pressure. Soil samples, collected from the Yungay region of the Atacama Desert (martian regolith analogue) in the summer of 2005, were used to test the instrument's performance. The total organic carbon was extracted from the samples at concentrations of 0.2-55.4 parts per million. The extraction data were compared to the total organic carbon content in the bulk soil, which was determined via a standard analytical procedure. The instrument's performance was examined over the temperature range of 25-250 degrees C at a fixed pressure of 20.7 MPa. Under these conditions, water remains in a subcritical fluid state with a dielectric constant varying between approximately 80 (at 25 degrees C) and approximately 30 (at 250 degrees C).

Influence of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum Amendments on Heavy Metal Distribution in Reclaimed Sodic Soils

PubMed Central

Chen, Qun; Wang, Shujuan; Li, Yan; Zhang, Ning; Zhao, Bo; Zhuo, Yuqun; Chen, Changhe

2015-01-01

Abstract Although flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum has become an effective soil amendment for sodic soil reclamation, it carries extra heavy metal contamination into the soil environment. The fate of heavy metals introduced by FGD gypsum in sodic or saline–alkali soils is still unclear. This work aims to investigate the effects of FGD gypsum addition on the heavy metal distributions in a sodic soil. Original soil samples were collected from typical sodic land in north China. Soil column leaching tests were conducted to investigate the influence of FGD gypsum addition on the soil properties, especially on distribution profiles of the heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg) in the soil layers. Results showed that pH, electrical conductivity, and exchangeable sodium percentage in amended soils were significantly reduced from 10.2 to 8.46, 1.8 to 0.2 dS/m, and 18.14% to 1.28%, respectively. As and Hg concentrations in the soils were found to be positively correlated with FGD gypsum added. The amount of Hg in the leachate was positively correlated with FGD gypsum application ratio, whereas a negative correlation was observed between the Pb concentration in the leachate and the FGD gypsum ratio. Results revealed that heavy metal concentrations in soils complied well with Environmental Quality Standard for Soils in China (GB15618-1995). This work helps to understand the fate of FGD gypsum-introduced heavy metals in sodic soils and provides a baseline for further environmental risk assessment associated with applying FGD gypsum for sodic soil remediation. PMID:26064038

Influence of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum Amendments on Heavy Metal Distribution in Reclaimed Sodic Soils.

PubMed

Chen, Qun; Wang, Shujuan; Li, Yan; Zhang, Ning; Zhao, Bo; Zhuo, Yuqun; Chen, Changhe

2015-06-01

Although flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum has become an effective soil amendment for sodic soil reclamation, it carries extra heavy metal contamination into the soil environment. The fate of heavy metals introduced by FGD gypsum in sodic or saline-alkali soils is still unclear. This work aims to investigate the effects of FGD gypsum addition on the heavy metal distributions in a sodic soil. Original soil samples were collected from typical sodic land in north China. Soil column leaching tests were conducted to investigate the influence of FGD gypsum addition on the soil properties, especially on distribution profiles of the heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg) in the soil layers. Results showed that pH, electrical conductivity, and exchangeable sodium percentage in amended soils were significantly reduced from 10.2 to 8.46, 1.8 to 0.2 dS/m, and 18.14% to 1.28%, respectively. As and Hg concentrations in the soils were found to be positively correlated with FGD gypsum added. The amount of Hg in the leachate was positively correlated with FGD gypsum application ratio, whereas a negative correlation was observed between the Pb concentration in the leachate and the FGD gypsum ratio. Results revealed that heavy metal concentrations in soils complied well with Environmental Quality Standard for Soils in China (GB15618-1995). This work helps to understand the fate of FGD gypsum-introduced heavy metals in sodic soils and provides a baseline for further environmental risk assessment associated with applying FGD gypsum for sodic soil remediation.

Mapping within-field variations of soil organic carbon content using UAV multispectral visible near-infrared images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliot, Jean-Marc; Vaudour, Emmanuelle; Michelin, Joël

2016-04-01

This study was carried out in the framework of the PROSTOCK-Gessol3 project supported by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), the TOSCA-PLEIADES-CO project of the French Space Agency (CNES) and the SOERE PRO network working on environmental impacts of Organic Waste Products recycling on field crops at long time scale. The organic matter is an important soil fertility parameter and previous studies have shown the potential of spectral information measured in the laboratory or directly in the field using field spectro-radiometer or satellite imagery to predict the soil organic carbon (SOC) content. This work proposes a method for a spatial prediction of bare cultivated topsoil SOC content, from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery. An agricultural plot of 13 ha, located in the western region of Paris France, was analysed in April 2013, shortly before sowing while it was still bare soil. Soils comprised haplic luvisols, rendzic cambisols and calcaric or colluvic cambisols. The UAV platform used was a fixed wing provided by Airinov® flying at an altitude of 150m and was equipped with a four channels multispectral visible near-infrared camera MultiSPEC 4C® (550nm, 660nm, 735 nm and 790 nm). Twenty three ground control points (GCP) were sampled within the plot according to soils descriptions. GCP positions were determined with a centimetric DGPS. Different observations and measurements were made synchronously with the drone flight: soil surface description, spectral measurements (with ASD FieldSpec 3® spectroradiometer), roughness measurements by a photogrammetric method. Each of these locations was sampled for both soil standard physico-chemical analysis and soil water content. A Structure From Motion (SFM) processing was done from the UAV imagery to produce a 15 cm resolution multispectral mosaic using the Agisoft Photoscan® software. The SOC content was modelled by partial least squares regression (PLSR) between the laboratory analyses and the multispectral information for the 23 plots. The mean squared error of cross validation (RMSECV) by LOO (Leave One Out) method was 1.97 g of OC per kg of soil. A second correction of the model incorporating the effects of moisture and roughness on reflectance, has improved the quality of the prediction by 18% and a RMSECV of 1.61 g / kg. The model was finally spatialized on the whole plot using ArcGIS® by applying the regression formula on all mosaic pixels. Results are discussed in the light of an additional sampling campaign carried out in October 2015, providing 34 independent samples.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING GLASSWARE TO BE USED FOR INORGANIC METALS ANALYSIS (BCO-L-10.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the general procedures to be followed for cleaning glassware used in preparing and analyzing soil, house dust, air filter, surface wipe, or dermal wash samples for inorganic metals. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retr...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR PREPARATION OF CALIBRATION AND SURROGATE RECOVERY SOLUTIONS FOR GC/MS ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDES (BCO-L-21.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe procedures for preparing calibration curve solutions used for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, DDT, DDE, DDD, a-chlordane, and g-chlordane in dust, soil, air, and handwipe sample ext...

Fingerprinting: Modelling and mapping physical top soil properties with the Mole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loonstra, Eddie; van Egmond, Fenny

2010-05-01

The Mole is a passive gamma ray soil sensor system. It is designed for the mobile collection of radioactive energy stemming from soil. As the system is passive, it only measures energy that reaches the surface of soil. In general, this energy comes from upto 30 to 40 cm deep, which can be considered topsoil. The gathered energy spectra are logged every second, are processed with the method of Full Spectrum Analysis. This method uses all available spectral data and processes it with a Chi square optimalisation using a set of standard spectra into individual nuclide point data. A standard spectrum is the measured full spectrum of a specific detector derived when exposed to 1 Bq/kg of a nuclide. With this method the outcome of the surveys become quantitative.The outcome of a field survey with the Mole results in a data file containing point information of position, Total Counts and the decay products of 232Th, 238U, 40K and 137Cs. Five elements are therefor available for the modelling of soil properties. There are several ways for the modelling of soil properties with sensor derived gamma ray data. The Mole generates ratio scale output. For modelling a quantitative deterministic approach is used based on sample locations. This process is called fingerprinting. Fingerprinting is a comparison of the concentration of the radioactive trace elements and the lab results (pH, clay content, etc.) by regression analysis. This results in a mathematical formula describing the relationship between a dependent and independent property. The results of the sensor readings are interpolated into a nuclide map with GIS software. With the derived formula a soil property map is composed. The principle of fingerprinting can be applied on large geographical areas for physical soil properties such as clay, loam or sand (50 micron), grain size and organic matter. Collected sample data of previous field surveys within the same region can be used for the prediction of soil properties elsewhere when adding a relatively small number of new calibration samples. For this purpose stratification of data is necessary. All radioactive trace elements play a part in the fingerprinting process for the mapping of physical soil properties. Clay content is best predicted with 232Th. It has a general R2 of 0.75 up to 0,9. The correlation is positive and basically linear. The variation of loam (or sand) content is very well described by 232Th or the combination of 232Th and 238U. It has a comparable R2 to clay. Grain size can be well modelled with 40K, probably due to the fact that this nuclide is positively correlated with matter. 40K is therefor negatively correlated to grain size. The R2 is good: 0,7 to 0,8 on average. The combination of 40K and 137Cs is generally applied for modelling organic matter content with a quality comparable with that of grain size models. Finally, Total Counts turns out to be a very useful parameter for the identification of different types of parent material and of unnatural or non-parent material. Passive gamma ray soil sensors as the Mole are very suitable for high resolution mapping of physical soil properties. The FSA method has the advantage that data from previous surveys becomes applicable in the fingerprinting procedure of new fields. Being able to model the physical soil properties with gamma ray sensors opens the possibility to run pedotransfer function models for a particular survey.

Isolation of potentially pathogenic fungi from selected pigeons' feeding sites in Karachi: A new dimension to health hazard.

PubMed

Naz, Sehar Afshan; Yaseen, Muhammad; Jabeen, Nusrat; Shafique, Maryam

2017-06-01

To determine the presence of pathogenic fungal strains in areas where pigeons are present in a large number. This study was conducted at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, from February 2015 to March2016, and comprised samples of soil contaminated with pigeons' excreta. The samples were collected from 20 different pigeon-feeding places in the city. These samples were processed for the isolation and identification of fungi by using standard conventional methods. The fungal strains isolated were also tested for their susceptibility to commonly used antifungal agents by disc diffusion technique. There were 105 samples. A wide variety of fungal strains belonging to different genera of Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Penicillium, Fusarium and Candida were isolated and identified by using conventional methods. The antifungal resistance pattern of these strains also depicts emergence of resistance against commonly used antifungal agents such as amphotericin B and fluconazole. The soil and air of places densely populated with pigeons were found to be loaded with fungal spores and many of them were potential pathogens.

Heavy metal contamination characteristic of soil in WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) dismantling community: a case study of Bangkok, Thailand.

PubMed

Damrongsiri, Seelawut; Vassanadumrongdee, Sujitra; Tanwattana, Puntita

2016-09-01

Sue Yai Utit is an old community located in Bangkok, Thailand which dismantles waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The surface soil samples at the dismantling site were contaminated with copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) higher than Dutch Standards, especially around the WEEE dumps. Residual fractions of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni in coarse soil particles were greater than in finer soil. However, those metals bonded to Fe-Mn oxides were considerably greater in fine soil particles. The distribution of Zn in the mobile fraction and a higher concentration in finer soil particles indicated its readily leachable character. The concentration of Cu, Pb, and Ni in both fine and coarse soil particles was mostly not significantly different. The fractionation of heavy metals at this dismantling site was comparable to the background. The contamination characteristics differed from pollution by other sources, which generally demonstrated the magnification of the non-residual fraction. A distribution pathway was proposed whereby contamination began by the deposition of WEEE scrap directly onto the soil surface as a source of heavy metal. This then accumulated, corroded, and was released via natural processes, becoming redistributed among the soil material. Therefore, the concentrations of both the residual and non-residual fractions of heavy metals in WEEE-contaminated soil increased.

An analytical approach to Sr isotope ratio determination in Lambrusco wines for geographical traceability purposes.

PubMed

Durante, Caterina; Baschieri, Carlo; Bertacchini, Lucia; Bertelli, Davide; Cocchi, Marina; Marchetti, Andrea; Manzini, Daniela; Papotti, Giulia; Sighinolfi, Simona

2015-04-15

Geographical origin and authenticity of food are topics of interest for both consumers and producers. Among the different indicators used for traceability studies, (87)Sr/(86)Sr isotopic ratio has provided excellent results. In this study, two analytical approaches for wine sample pre-treatment, microwave and low temperature mineralisation, were investigated to develop accurate and precise analytical method for (87)Sr/(86)Sr determination. The two procedures led to comparable results (paired t-test, with t

Mobility of arsenic and its compounds in soil and soil solution: the effect of soil pretreatment and extraction methods.

PubMed

Száková, J; Tlustos, P; Goessler, W; Frková, Z; Najmanová, J

2009-12-30

The effect of soil extraction procedures and/or sample pretreatment (drying, freezing of the soil sample) on the extractability of arsenic and its compounds was tested. In the first part, five extraction procedures were compared with following order of extractable arsenic portions: 2M HNO(3)>0.43 M CH(3)COOH>or=0.05 M EDTA>or=Mehlich III (0.2M CH(3)COOH+0.25 M NH(4)NO(3)+0.013 M HNO(3)+0.015 M NH(4)F+0.001 M EDTA) extraction>water). Additionally, two methods of soil solution sampling were compared, centrifugation of saturated soil and the use of suction cups. The results showed that different sample pretreatments including soil solution sampling could lead to different absolute values of mobile arsenic content in soils. However, the interpretation of the data can lead to similar conclusions as apparent from the comparison of the soil solution sampling methods (r=0.79). For determination of arsenic compounds mild extraction procedures (0.05 M (NH(4))(2)SO(4), 0.01 M CaCl(2), and water) and soil solution sampling using suction cups were compared. Regarding the real soil conditions the extraction of fresh samples and/or in situ collection of soil solution are preferred among the sample pretreatments and/or soil extraction procedures. However, chemical stabilization of the solutions should be allowed and included in the analytical procedures for determination of individual arsenic compounds.

Influence of soil moisture on soil respiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fer, Miroslav; Kodesova, Radka; Nikodem, Antonin; Klement, Ales; Jelenova, Klara

2015-04-01

The aim of this work was to describe an impact of soil moisture on soil respiration. Study was performed on soil samples from morphologically diverse study site in loess region of Southern Moravia, Czech Republic. The original soil type is Haplic Chernozem, which was due to erosion changed into Regosol (steep parts) and Colluvial soil (base slope and the tributary valley). Soil samples were collected from topsoils at 5 points of the selected elevation transect and also from the parent material (loess). Grab soil samples, undisturbed soil samples (small - 100 cm3, and large - 713 cm3) and undisturbed soil blocks were taken. Basic soil properties were determined on grab soil samples. Small undisturbed soil samples were used to determine the soil water retention curves and the hydraulic conductivity functions using the multiple outflow tests in Tempe cells and a numerical inversion with HYDRUS 1-D. During experiments performed in greenhouse dry large undisturbed soil samples were wetted from below using a kaolin tank and cumulative water inflow due to capillary rise was measured. Simultaneously net CO2 exchange rate and net H2O exchange rate were measured using LCi-SD portable photosynthesis system with Soil Respiration Chamber. Numerical inversion of the measured cumulative capillary rise data using the HYDRUS-1D program was applied to modify selected soil hydraulic parameters for particular conditions and to simulate actual soil water distribution within each soil column in selected times. Undisturbed soil blocks were used to prepare thin soil sections to study soil-pore structure. Results for all soil samples showed that at the beginning of soil samples wetting the CO2 emission increased because of improving condition for microbes' activity. The maximum values were reached for soil column average soil water content between 0.10 and 0.15 cm3/cm3. Next CO2 emission decreased since the pore system starts filling by water (i.e. aggravated conditions for microbes, closing soil gas pathways etc.). In the case of H2O exchange rate, values increased with increasing soil water contents (up to 0.15-0.20 cm3/cm3) and then remained approximately constant. Acknowledgement: Authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic No. QJ1230319

An evaluation of remote sensing technologies for the detection of residual contamination at ready-for-anticipated use sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slonecker, E. Terrence; Fisher, Gary B.

2014-01-01

Operational problems with site access and information, XRF instrument operation, and imagery collections hampered the effective data collection and analysis process. Of the 24 sites imaged and analyzed, 17 appeared to be relatively clean with no discernible metal contamination, hydrocarbons, or asbestos in the soil. None of the samples for the sites in Louisiana had any result exceeding the appropriate industrial or residential standard for arsenic or lead. One site in South Carolina (North Street Dump) had two samples that exceeded the residential standard for lead. One site in Texas (Cadiz Street), and four sites in Florida (210 North 12th Street, Encore Retail Site, Clearwater Auto, and 22nd Street Mixed Use) were found to have some level of residual metal contamination above the applicable residential or commercial Risk-Based Concentration (RBC) standard. Three of the Florida sites showing metal contamination also showed a pattern of vegetation stress based on standard vegetation analysis techniques.

Assessment of soil biological quality index (QBS-ar) in different crop rotation systems in paddy soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadimi-Goki, Mandana; Bini, Claudio; haefele, Stephan

2013-04-01

New methods, based on soil microarthropods for soil quality evaluation have been proposed by some Authors. Soil microarthropods demonstrated to respond sensitively to land management practices and to be correlated with beneficial soil functions. QBS Index (QBS-ar) is calculated on the basis of microarthropod groups present in a soil sample. Each biological form found in the sample receives a score from 1 to 20 (eco-morphological index, EMI), according to its adaptation to soil environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of various rotation systems and sampling periods on soil biological quality index, in paddy soils. For the purpose of this study surface soil samples (0-15 cm depth) were collected from different rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) with three replications, and four sampling times in April (after field preparation), June (after seedling), August (after tillering stage) and October (after rice harvesting). The study area is located in paddy soils of Verona area, Northern Italy. Soil microarthropods from a total of 48 samples were extracted and classified according to the Biological Quality of Soil Index (QBS-ar) method. In addition soil moisture, Cumulative Soil Respiration and pH were measured in each site. More diversity of microarthropod groups was found in June and August sampling times. T-test results between different rotations did not show significant differences while the mean difference between rotation and different sampling times is statistically different. The highest QBS-ar value was found in the fallow-rice rotation in the forth soil sampling time. Similar value was found in soya-rice-rice rotation. Result of linear regression analysis indicated that there is significant correlation between QBS-ar values and Cumulative Soil Respiration. Keywords: soil biological quality index (QBS-ar), Crop Rotation System, paddy soils, Italy

Soil Sampling Techniques For Alabama Grain Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, A. N.; Shaw, J. N.; Mask, P. L.; Touchton, J. T.; Rickman, D.

2003-01-01

Characterizing the spatial variability of nutrients facilitates precision soil sampling. Questions exist regarding the best technique for directed soil sampling based on a priori knowledge of soil and crop patterns. The objective of this study was to evaluate zone delineation techniques for Alabama grain fields to determine which method best minimized the soil test variability. Site one (25.8 ha) and site three (20.0 ha) were located in the Tennessee Valley region, and site two (24.2 ha) was located in the Coastal Plain region of Alabama. Tennessee Valley soils ranged from well drained Rhodic and Typic Paleudults to somewhat poorly drained Aquic Paleudults and Fluventic Dystrudepts. Coastal Plain s o i l s ranged from coarse-loamy Rhodic Kandiudults to loamy Arenic Kandiudults. Soils were sampled by grid soil sampling methods (grid sizes of 0.40 ha and 1 ha) consisting of: 1) twenty composited cores collected randomly throughout each grid (grid-cell sampling) and, 2) six composited cores collected randomly from a -3x3 m area at the center of each grid (grid-point sampling). Zones were established from 1) an Order 1 Soil Survey, 2) corn (Zea mays L.) yield maps, and 3) airborne remote sensing images. All soil properties were moderately to strongly spatially dependent as per semivariogram analyses. Differences in grid-point and grid-cell soil test values suggested grid-point sampling does not accurately represent grid values. Zones created by soil survey, yield data, and remote sensing images displayed lower coefficient of variations (8CV) for soil test values than overall field values, suggesting these techniques group soil test variability. However, few differences were observed between the three zone delineation techniques. Results suggest directed sampling using zone delineation techniques outlined in this paper would result in more efficient soil sampling for these Alabama grain fields.

An empirical method to estimate shear wave velocity of soils in the New Madrid seismic zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wei, B.-Z.; Pezeshk, S.; Chang, T.-S.; Hall, K.H.; Liu, Huaibao P.

1996-01-01

In this study, a set of charts are developed to estimate shear wave velocity of soils in the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ), using the standard penetration test (SPT) N values and soil depths. Laboratory dynamic test results of soil samples collected from the NMSZ showed that the shear wave velocity of soils is related to the void ratio and the effective confining pressure applied to the soils. The void ratio of soils can be estimated from the SPT N values and the effective confining pressure depends on the depth of soils. Therefore, the shear wave velocity of soils can be estimated from the SPT N value and the soil depth. To make the methodology practical, two corrections should be made. One is that field SPT N values of soils must be adjusted to an unified SPT N??? value to account the effects of overburden pressure and equipment. The second is that the effect of water table to effective overburden pressure of soils must be considered. To verify the methodology, shear wave velocities of five sites in the NMSZ are estimated and compared with those obtained from field measurements. The comparison shows that our approach and the field tests are consistent with an error of less than of 15%. Thus, the method developed in this study is useful for dynamic study and practical designs in the NMSZ region. Copyright ?? 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.

Residues of organochlorine pesticides in surface soil and raw ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The central Asian Republic of Tajikistan has been an area of extensive historical agricultural pesticide use as well as large scale burials of obsolete banned chlorinated insecticides. The current investigation was a four year study of legacy organochlorine pesticides in surface soil and raw foods in four rural areas of Tajikistan. The four study areas included the pesticide burial sites of Konibodom and Vakhsh, and family farms of Garm and Chimbuloq villages. These areas were selected to represent a diversity of pesticide disposal histories and to allow assessment of local pesticide contamination in Tajikistan. Each site was visited multiple times and over 500 samples of surface soil and raw foods were collected and analyzed for twenty legacy organochlorine pesticides. Various local food products were sampled to represent the range of raw foods potentially containing residues of banned pesticides, including dairy products, meat, edible plant and cotton seed products. The pesticide analytes included DDTs (DDT, DDD, DDE), lindane isomers (α, β, γ, δ BHC), endosulfan isomers (endosulfan I, II, sulfate), other cyclodienes (aldrin, α and γ chlordanes, dieldrin, endrin, endrin aldehyde and ketone, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide), and methoxychlor. Pesticide analytes were selected based on availability of commercial standards and known or suspected historical pesticide use and burial. Pesticide contamination was highest in soil at each of the four sites, and ge

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

Horn, M.E.

A field study and associated risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential ecological and human health impacts related to the standard application of five supplemental wood preservatives to 20 electric utility transmission poles. Post-application monitoring for chemical residuals and microbiological effects was conducted over a 17 month post-application period (June 6, 1990--November 7, 1991). The utility wood poles in the study were located in wetland sites of the New York State Adirondack Park. All poles were western red cedar and all had been treated with pentachlorophenol (PCP) prior to installation. At the time supplemental preservatives were applied, the polesmore » had been in service for approximately 40 years. Groundwater, surface water, and soil around each treated pole were monitored for release of active ingredients, organic carriers and subsequent degradation products of the commercial wood preservatives. The analytes were as follows: chlorpyrifos, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, creosote, 2,4-dinitrophenol, fluoride, chromium, arsenic, copper, naphthenate, sodium methyl dithiocarbamate and methyl isothiocyanate. Ecological response to chemical exposure was estimated by means of measuring soil gases (carbon dioxide and methane), soil macroinvertebrate populations and soil microbial biomass. Results from near-pole post-treatment sampling were compared to pre-treatment samples and reference plots used to establish preapplication biological conditions and background levels of wood preservative constituents.« less

A soil map of a large watershed in China: applying digital soil mapping in a data sparse region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthold, F.; Blank, B.; Wiesmeier, M.; Breuer, L.; Frede, H.-G.

2009-04-01

Prediction of soil classes in data sparse regions is a major research challenge. With the advent of machine learning the possibilities to spatially predict soil classes have increased tremendously and given birth to new possibilities in soil mapping. Digital soil mapping is a research field that has been established during the last decades and has been accepted widely. We now need to develop tools to reduce the uncertainty in soil predictions. This is especially challenging in data sparse regions. One approach to do this is to implement soil taxonomic distance as a classification error criterion in classification and regression trees (CART) as suggested by Minasny et al. (Geoderma 142 (2007) 285-293). This approach assumes that the classification error should be larger between soils that are more dissimilar, i.e. differ in a larger number of soil properties, and smaller between more similar soils. Our study area is the Xilin River Basin, which is located in central Inner Mongolia in China. It is characterized by semi arid climate conditions and is representative for the natural occurring steppe ecosystem. The study area comprises 3600 km2. We applied a random, stratified sampling design after McKenzie and Ryan (Geoderma 89 (1999) 67-94) with landuse and topography as stratifying variables. We defined 10 sampling classes, from each class 14 replicates were randomly drawn and sampled. The dataset was split into 100 soil profiles for training and 40 soil profiles for validation. We then applied classification and regression trees (CART) to quantify the relationships between soil classes and environmental covariates. The classification tree explained 75.5% of the variance with land use and geology as most important predictor variables. Among the 8 soil classes that we predicted, the Kastanozems cover most of the area. They are predominantly found in steppe areas. However, even some of the soils at sand dune sites, which were thought to show only little soil formation, can be classified as Kastanozems. Besides the Kastanozems, Regosols are most common at the sand dune sites as well as at sites that are defined as bare soil which are characterized by little or no vegetation. Gleysols are mostly found at sites in the vicinity of the Xilin river, which are connected to the groundwater. They can also be found in small valleys or depressions where sub-surface waters from neighboring areas collect. The richest soils are found in mountain meadow areas. Pedogenetic conditions here are most favorable and lead to the formation of Chernozems with deep humic Ah horizons. Other soil types that occur in the study area are Arenosols, Calcisols, Cambisol and Phaeozems. In addition, soil taxonomic distance is implemented into the decision tree procedure as a measure of classification error. The results of incorporating taxonomic distance as a loss function in the decision tree will be compared with the standard application of the decision tree.

Contribution of calcium oxalate to soil-exchangeable calcium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dauer, Jenny M.; Perakis, Steven S.

2013-01-01

Acid deposition and repeated biomass harvest have decreased soil calcium (Ca) availability in many temperate forests worldwide, yet existing methods for assessing available soil Ca do not fully characterize soil Ca forms. To account for discrepancies in ecosystem Ca budgets, it has been hypothesized that the highly insoluble biomineral Ca oxalate might represent an additional soil Ca pool that is not detected in standard measures of soil-exchangeable Ca. We asked whether several standard method extractants for soil-exchangeable Ca could also access Ca held in Ca oxalate crystals using spike recovery tests in both pure solutions and soil extractions. In solutions of the extractants ammonium chloride, ammonium acetate, and barium chloride, we observed 2% to 104% dissolution of Ca oxalate crystals, with dissolution increasing with both solution molarity and ionic potential of cation extractant. In spike recovery tests using a low-Ca soil, we estimate that 1 M ammonium acetate extraction dissolved sufficient Ca oxalate to contribute an additional 52% to standard measurements of soil-exchangeable Ca. However, in a high-Ca soil, the amount of Ca oxalate spike that would dissolve in 1 M ammonium acetate extraction was difficult to detect against the large pool of exchangeable Ca. We conclude that Ca oxalate can contribute substantially to standard estimates of soil-exchangeable Ca in acid forest soils with low soil-exchangeable Ca. Consequently, measures of exchangeable Ca are unlikely to fully resolve discrepancies in ecosystem Ca mass balance unless the contribution of Ca oxalate to exchangeable Ca is also assessed.

Approach of regionalisation c-stocks in forest soils on a national level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellbrock, Nicole; Höhle, Juliane; Dühnelt, Petra; Holzhausen, Marieanna

2010-05-01

Introduction In December 2006, the German government decided to manage forests as carbon sinks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol. The National Forest Monitoring data contribute to the fulfilment of these reporting commitments. In Germany, National Forest Monitoring includes the systematical extensive National Soil Condition Survey (BZE) and the detailed case studies (Level-II) which determine the processes within forests. This complex monitoring system is appropriate to Germany's greenhouse gas reporting (THG 2008 to 2012). The representative BZE plots can be used to obtain regional data for the National Carbon Stock Inventory. Here, an approach adopting a combination of geostatistics and regression analysis is preferred. The difficulty of showing the statistical significance of expected small changes while carbon stocks are generally high is one of the major challenges in carbon stock monitoring. However, through intensive preparation and cooperation with the forestry authorities of each federal state, the errors uncured in determining changes in carbon stocks in forest soils, which must be stipulated in greenhouse gas monitoring, could be minimised. In contrast to the detailed soil case studies, in which essentially the sources of error occur repeatedly in carbon stock change calculations, the BZE data can be stratified to form plots with homogenous properties, thereby reducing the standard error of estimate. Subsequently, the results of the stratification are projected across Germany, the reporting unit for greenhouse gas monitoring. National Forest Monitoring The BZE represents a national, systematic sampling inventory of the condition of forest soils. The first BZE inventory (BZE I: 1987 to 1993) was carried out on a systematic 8 x 8 km grid on the same sampling plots adopted in the Forest Condition Survey (WZE). In some areas the network of sampling plots involves 1900 grid points. The first BZE I survey was repeated after 15 years, between 2006 and 2008, by the national and the state authorities in cooperation. Afterwards, extensive laboratory and statistical analyses were conducted. Necessary parameters are listed in table 1. Upscaling approach There are different approaches for presenting extensive carbon stock data (Baritz et al., 2006). The availability of georeference plots means one can merge the point data with map data. In Germany, an approach was tested that used homogenous soil areas und plot-information from the national soil inventory. For every soil area c-stocks were regionalised. Only information form BZE-plots were involved which were characteristic for the soil area. The indicators were soil type and substrate class. For every soil area the forest areas were taken in account to calculate c-stock per forest area. The sum of every c-stock per soil area is the c-stock in forest soils of Germany. Tab.1: List of parameters for the carbon inventory (BZE II) Components Parameters Point level Field sampling Width of depth classes, Fine roots, humus (< 2 cm), dry bulk density, stone content, area of humus layer sampled, height a.s.l., litterfall, deadwood (from 10 cm) Analysis C content, fine soil fraction, weight of humus layer, Carbon stock calculations Carbon stock Regional Level Plot Soil type, parent material, vegetation type or forest Regionalisation Soil and land use maps, statistical models, ecological regions, digital elevation models, climate regions

[Heavy metal pollution characteristics and ecological risk analysis for soil in Phyllostachys praecox stands of Lin'an].

PubMed

Fang, Xiao-bo; Shi, Han; Liao, Xin-feng; Lou, Zhong; Zhou, Lyu-yan; Yu, Hai-xia; Yao, Lin; Sun, Li-ping

2015-06-01

An investigation was carried out in an attempt to reveal the characteristics of heavy metals contamination in the soils of Phyllostachys praecox forest in Lin' an. Based on the concentrations of Hg, As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co and Mn in 160 topsoil samples, the pollution status and ecological risks of heavy metals in the soils were assessed by single factor pollution index, Nemerow integrated pollution index and Hankanson potential ecological risk index. The spatial variability of heavy metal concentrations in the soils closely related to the distribution of traffic, industrial and livestock pollution sources. The average concentrations of Hg, As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co and Mn in the soils were 0.16, 7.41, 34.36, 87.98, 103.98, 0.26, 59.12, 29.56, 11.44 and 350.26 mg · kg(-1), respectively. Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu concentrations were as 2.89, 1.70, 1.12 and 1.12 times as the background values of soil in Zhejiang Province, respectively. But their concentrations were all lower than the threshold values of the National Environmental Quality Standard for Soil (GB 15618-1995). The average single factor pollution index revealed that the level of heavy metal pollution in the soils was in order of Pb>Cd>Cu= Zn>Hg>As>Ni>Co>Cr>Mn. Pb pollution was of moderate level while Cd, Cu and Zn pollutions were slight. There was no soil pollution caused by the other heavy metals. However, the Nemerow integrated pollution index showed that all the 160 soil samples were contaminated by heavy metals to a certain extent. Among total 160 soil samples, slight pollution level, moderate pollution level and heavy pollution level accounted for 55.6%, 29.4% and 15.0%, respectively. The average single factor potential ecological risk index (Er(i)) implied that the potential ecological risk related to Cd reached moderate level, while the others were of slight level. Furthermore, Cd and Hg showed higher potential ecological risk indices which reached up to 256.82 and 187.33 respectively, indicating Cd and Hg had a strong ecological risk and therefore might pose the most serious ecological risk in the soils of P. praecox standsin Lin' an. In addition, the integrated factor potential ecological risk analysis suggested a slight risk to local ecosystem originated from heavy metal contamination in the soils of P. praecox stands in Lin'an.

BOREAS TE-2 NSA Soil Lab Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veldhuis, Hugo; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Knapp, David E. (Editor)

2000-01-01

This data set contains the major soil properties of soil samples collected in 1994 at the tower flux sites in the Northern Study Area (NSA). The soil samples were collected by Hugo Veldhuis and his staff from the University of Manitoba. The mineral soil samples were largely analyzed by Barry Goetz, under the supervision of Dr. Harold Rostad at the University of Saskatchewan. The organic soil samples were largely analyzed by Peter Haluschak, under the supervision of Hugo Veldhuis at the Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research in Winnipeg, Manitoba. During the course of field investigation and mapping, selected surface and subsurface soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis. These samples were used as benchmark references for specific soil attributes in general soil characterization. Detailed soil sampling, description, and laboratory analysis were performed on selected modal soils to provide examples of common soil physical and chemical characteristics in the study area. The soil properties that were determined include soil horizon; dry soil color; pH; bulk density; total, organic, and inorganic carbon; electric conductivity; cation exchange capacity; exchangeable sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and hydrogen; water content at 0.01, 0.033, and 1.5 MPascals; nitrogen; phosphorus: particle size distribution; texture; pH of the mineral soil and of the organic soil; extractable acid; and sulfur. These data are stored in ASCII text files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Effect of temporal sampling and timing for soil moisture measurements at field scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snapir, B.; Hobbs, S.

2012-04-01

Estimating soil moisture at field scale is valuable for various applications such as irrigation scheduling in cultivated watersheds, flood and drought prediction, waterborne disease spread assessment, or even determination of mobility with lightweight vehicles. Synthetic aperture radar on satellites in low Earth orbit can provide fine resolution images with a repeat time of a few days. For an Earth observing satellite, the choice of the orbit is driven in particular by the frequency of measurements required to meet a certain accuracy in retrieving the parameters of interest. For a given target, having only one image every week may not enable to capture the full dynamic range of soil moisture - soil moisture can change significantly within a day when rainfall occurs. Hence this study focuses on the effect of temporal sampling and timing of measurements in terms of error on the retrieved signal. All the analyses are based on in situ measurements of soil moisture (acquired every 30 min) from the OzNet Hydrological Monitoring Network in Australia for different fields over several years. The first study concerns sampling frequency. Measurements at different frequencies were simulated by sub-sampling the original data. Linear interpolation was used to estimate the missing intermediate values, and then this time series was compared to the original. The difference between these two signals is computed for different levels of sub-sampling. Results show that the error increases linearly when the interval is less than 1 day. For intervals longer than a day, a sinusoidal component appears on top of the linear growth due to the diurnal variation of surface soil moisture. Thus, for example, the error with measurements every 4.5 days can be slightly less than the error with measurements every 2 days. Next, for a given sampling interval, this study evaluated the effect of the time during the day at which measurements are made. Of course when measurements are very frequent the time of acquisition does not matter, but when few measurements are available (sampling interval > 1 day), the time of acquisition can be important. It is shown that with daily measurements the error can double depending on the time of acquisition. This result is very sensitive to the phase of the sinusoidal variation of soil moisture. For example, in autumn for a given field with soil moisture ranging from 7.08% to 11.44% (mean and standard deviation being respectively 8.68% and 0.74%), daily measurements at 2 pm lead to a mean error of 0.47% v/v, while daily measurements at 9 am/pm produce a mean error of 0.24% v/v. The minimum of the sinusoid occurs every afternoon around 2 pm, after interpolation, measurements acquired at this time underestimate soil moisture, whereas measurements around 9 am/pm correspond to nodes of the sinusoid, hence they represent the average soil moisture. These results concerning the frequency and the timing of measurements can potentially drive the schedule of satellite image acquisition over some fields.

Conceptual designs for in situ analysis of Mars soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, C. P.; Zent, A. P.; Hartman, H.

1991-01-01

A goal of this research is to develop conceptual designs for instrumentation to perform in situ measurements of the Martian soil in order to determine the existence and nature of any reactive chemicals. Our approach involves assessment and critical review of the Viking biology results which indicated the presence of a soil oxidant, an investigation of the possible application of standard soil science techniques to the analysis of Martian soil, and a preliminary consideration of non-standard methods that may be necessary for use in the highly oxidizing Martian soil. Based on our preliminary analysis, we have developed strawman concepts for standard soil analysis on Mars, including pH, suitable for use on a Mars rover mission. In addition, we have devised a method for the determination of the possible strong oxidants on Mars.

Combined quantification of faecal sterols, stanols, stanones and bile acids in soils and terrestrial sediments by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Birk, Jago Jonathan; Dippold, Michaela; Wiesenberg, Guido L B; Glaser, Bruno

2012-06-15

Faeces incorporation can alter the concentration patterns of stanols, stanones, Δ(5)-sterols and bile acids in soils and terrestrial sediments. A joint quantification of these substances would give robust and specific information about the faecal input. Therefore, a method was developed for their purification and determination via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based on a total lipid extract (TLE) of soils and terrestrial sediments. Stanols, stanones, Δ(5)-steroles and bile acids were extracted by a single Soxhlet extraction yielding a TLE. The TLE was saponified with KOH in methanol. Sequential liquid-liquid extraction was applied to recover the biomarkers from the saponified extract and to separate the bile acids from the neutral stanoles, stanones and Δ(5)-steroles. The neutral fraction was directly purified using solid phase extraction (SPE) columns packed with 5% deactivated silica gel. The bile acids were methylated in dry HCl in methanol and purified on SPE columns packed with activated silica gel. A mixture of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and pyridine was used to silylate the hydroxyl groups of the stanols and Δ(5)-sterols avoiding a silylation of the keto groups of the stanones in their enol-form. Silylation of the bile acids was carried out with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) containing N-trimethylsilylimidazole (TSIM). TLEs from a set of soils with different physico-chemical properties were used for method evaluation and for comparison of amounts of faecal biomarkers analysed with saponification and without saponification of the TLE. Therefore, a Regosol, a Podzol and a Ferralsol were sampled. To proof the applicability of the method for faecal biomarker analyses in archaeological soils and sediments, additional samples were taken from pre-Columbian Anthrosols in Amazonia and an Anthrosol from a site in central Europe settled since the Neolithic. The comparison of the amounts of steroids in combination with and without saponification of the TLE showed that high amounts of faecal biomarkers occur bound to other lipids and were liberated by saponification. The method was evaluated by standard addition. The standard contained 5β-stanols, 5β-stanones and their 5α-isomers together with Δ(5)-sterols and bile acids (19 substances). The standard addition revealed mean recoveries of individual substances ≥85%. The recoveries of biomarkers within each biomarker group did not differ significantly. Precisions were ≤0.22 (RSD) and quantification limits were between 1.3 and 10 ng g(-1) soil. These data showed that the method can be applied for quantification of trace amounts of faecal steroids and for the analyses of steroid patterns to detect enhanced faeces deposition in soils and sediments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial assessment of soil contamination by heavy metals from informal electronic waste recycling in Agbogbloshie, Ghana

PubMed Central

Greve, Klaus; Atiemo, Sampson M.

2016-01-01

Objectives This study examined the spatial distribution and the extent of soil contamination by heavy metals resulting from primitive, unconventional informal electronic waste recycling in the Agbogbloshie e-waste processing site (AEPS) in Ghana. Methods A total of 132 samples were collected at 100 m intervals, with a handheld global position system used in taking the location data of the soil sample points. Observing all procedural and quality assurance measures, the samples were analyzed for barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), using X-ray fluorescence. Using environmental risk indices of contamination factor and degree of contamination (Cdeg), we analyzed the individual contribution of each heavy metal contamination and the overall Cdeg. We further used geostatistical techniques of spatial autocorrelation and variability to examine spatial distribution and extent of heavy metal contamination. Results Results from soil analysis showed that heavy metal concentrations were significantly higher than the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency and Dutch environmental standards. In an increasing order, Pb>Cd>Hg>Cu>Zn>Cr>Co>Ba>Ni contributed significantly to the overall Cdeg. Contamination was highest in the main working areas of burning and dismantling sites, indicating the influence of recycling activities. Geostatistical analysis also revealed that heavy metal contamination spreads beyond the main working areas to residential, recreational, farming, and commercial areas. Conclusions Our results show that the studied heavy metals are ubiquitous within AEPS and the significantly high concentration of these metals reflect the contamination factor and Cdeg, indicating soil contamination in AEPS with the nine heavy metals studied. PMID:26987962

Surface Runoff of Pesticides from a Clay Loam Field in Sweden.

PubMed

Larsbo, Mats; Sandin, Maria; Jarvis, Nick; Etana, Ararso; Kreuger, Jenny

2016-07-01

Pesticides stored at or close to the soil surface after field application can be mobilized and transported off the field when surface runoff occurs. The objective of our study was to quantify the potential pesticide losses in surface runoff from a conventionally managed agricultural field in a Swedish climate. This was achieved by measuring surface runoff volumes and concentrations in runoff of six spring-applied pesticides and autumn-applied glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). Measurements were performed for 3 yr both during the growing seasons and during intervening winter snowmelt periods on a clay loam field close to Uppsala. During growing seasons, surface runoff was generated on only five occasions during one 25-d period in 2012 when the infiltration capacity of the soil may have been reduced by structural degradation due to large cumulative rainfall amounts after harrowing. Concentrations in surface runoff exceeded Swedish water quality standards in all samples during this growing season for diflufenican and pirimicarb. Surface runoff was generated during three snowmelt periods during the winter of 2012-2013. All of the applied pesticides were found in snowmelt samples despite incorporation of residues by autumn plowing, degradation, and leaching into the soil profile during the period between spraying and sampling. Concentrations of glyphosate ranged from 0.12 to 7.4 μg L, and concentrations of AMPA ranged from 0 to 2.7 μg L. Our results indicate that temporal changes in hydraulic properties during the growing season and when the soil freezes during winter affect pesticide losses through surface runoff. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Spatial assessment of soil contamination by heavy metals from informal electronic waste recycling in Agbogbloshie, Ghana.

PubMed

Kyere, Vincent Nartey; Greve, Klaus; Atiemo, Sampson M

2016-01-01

This study examined the spatial distribution and the extent of soil contamination by heavy metals resulting from primitive, unconventional informal electronic waste recycling in the Agbogbloshie e-waste processing site (AEPS) in Ghana. A total of 132 samples were collected at 100 m intervals, with a handheld global position system used in taking the location data of the soil sample points. Observing all procedural and quality assurance measures, the samples were analyzed for barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), using X-ray fluorescence. Using environmental risk indices of contamination factor and degree of contamination (C deg ), we analyzed the individual contribution of each heavy metal contamination and the overall C deg . We further used geostatistical techniques of spatial autocorrelation and variability to examine spatial distribution and extent of heavy metal contamination. Results from soil analysis showed that heavy metal concentrations were significantly higher than the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency and Dutch environmental standards. In an increasing order, Pb>Cd>Hg>Cu>Zn>Cr>Co>Ba>Ni contributed significantly to the overall C deg . Contamination was highest in the main working areas of burning and dismantling sites, indicating the influence of recycling activities. Geostatistical analysis also revealed that heavy metal contamination spreads beyond the main working areas to residential, recreational, farming, and commercial areas. Our results show that the studied heavy metals are ubiquitous within AEPS and the significantly high concentration of these metals reflect the contamination factor and C deg , indicating soil contamination in AEPS with the nine heavy metals studied.

Ground-water contamination at an inactive coal and oil gasification plant site, Gas Works Park, Seattle, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turney, G.L.; Goerlitz, D.F.

1989-01-01

Gas Works Park, in Seattle, Washington, is located on the site of a coal and oil gasification plant that ceased operation in 1956. During operation, many types of wastes, including coal, tar, and oil, accumulated on site. The park soil is presently (1986) contaminated with compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and cyanide. Analyses of water samples from a network of observation wells in the park indicate that these compounds are also present in the groundwater. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds were identified in groundwater samples in concentrations as large as 200 mg/L. Concentrations of organic compounds were largest where groundwater was in contact with a nonaqueous phase liquid in the soil. Concentrations in groundwater were much smaller where no nonaqueous phase liquid was present, even if the groundwater was in contact with contaminated soils. This condition is attributed to weathering processes at the site, such as dissolution, volatilization, and biodegradation. Soluble, volatile, low-molecular-weight organic compounds are preferentially dissolved from the nonaqueous phase liquid into the groundwater. Where no nonaqueous phase liquid is present, only stained soils containing relatively insoluble, high-molecular-weight compounds remain; therefore, contaminant concentrations in the groundwater are much smaller. Concentrations of organic contaminants in the soils may still remain large. Values of specific conductance were as large as 5,280 microsiemens/cm, well above a background of 242 microsiemens/cm, suggesting large concentrations of minerals in the groundwater. Trace metal concentrations, however , were generally < 0.010 mg/L, and below limits of US EPA drinking water standards. Cyanide was present in groundwater samples from throughout the park, ranging in concentration from 0.01 to 8.6 mg/L. (Author 's abstract)

Experimentally reduced root-microbe interactions reveal limited plasticity in functional root traits in Acer and Quercus.

PubMed

Lee, Mei-Ho; Comas, Louise H; Callahan, Hilary S

2014-02-01

Interactions between roots and soil microbes are critical components of below-ground ecology. It is essential to quantify the magnitude of root trait variation both among and within species, including variation due to plasticity. In addition to contextualizing the magnitude of plasticity relative to differences between species, studies of plasticity can ascertain if plasticity is predictable and whether an environmental factor elicits changes in traits that are functionally advantageous. To compare functional traits and trait plasticities in fine root tissues with natural and reduced levels of colonization by microbial symbionts, trimmed and surface-sterilized root segments of 2-year-old Acer rubrum and Quercus rubra seedlings were manipulated. Segments were then replanted into satellite pots filled with control or heat-treated soil, both originally derived from a natural forest. Mycorrhizal colonization was near zero in roots grown in heat-treated soil; roots grown in control soil matched the higher colonization levels observed in unmanipulated root samples collected from field locations. Between-treatment comparisons revealed negligible plasticity for root diameter, branching intensity and nitrogen concentration across both species. Roots from treated soils had decreased tissue density (approx. 10-20 %) and increased specific root length (approx. 10-30 %). In contrast, species differences were significant and greater than treatment effects in traits other than tissue density. Interspecific trait differences were also significant in field samples, which generally resembled greenhouse samples. The combination of experimental and field approaches was useful for contextualizing trait plasticity in comparison with inter- and intra-specific trait variation. Findings that root traits are largely species dependent, with the exception of root tissue density, are discussed in the context of current literature on root trait variation, interactions with symbionts and recent progress in standardization of methods for quantifying root traits.