bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of a Crystalline Cyanide‐Containing Compound in Blast Furnace Sludge Deposits
Authors: Mansfeldt Tim , Dohrmann Reiner 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTDuring blast furnace operation, a cyanide‐containing muddy waste referred to as blast furnace sludge is generated in large amounts. In Germany it was and is still common practice to pump this sludge into surface deposits. Depending on species, cyanide has very different toxicity. To this day there is no information about the type of cyanide occurring in blast furnace sludge deposits. In order to identify the type of cyanide we investigated by means of wet chemical and powder X‐ray diffraction analyses 37 samples of three blast furnace deposits. Wet chemical results indicate that both the extremely toxic free cyanide (HCN and CN−) and toxic weak metal–cyanide complexes, for example [Zn(CN)4]2−, are not present in the sludge. By powder X‐ray diffraction we identified the crystalline cyanide‐containing compound potassium zinc hexacyanoferrate(II) nonahydrate, K2Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2 × 9H2O, as the cyanide‐bearing compound. Our study is the first that identifies potassium zinc hexacyanoferrate(II) nonahydrate in the environment. As the iron–cyanide complex [Fe(CN)6] is not acutely toxic, any direct hazard comes from cyanide occurring in the investigated wastes. Under the predominant pH milieu of the sludge (pH about 8) the solubility of potassium zinc hexacyanoferrate(II) nonahydrate is low, thus minimizing the mobility of cyanide.
Binding of 2,4,6‐Trinitrotoluene and its Degradation Products in a Soil Organic Matter Two‐Phase System
Authors: Eriksson J. , Skyllberg U. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTThe widely used explosive 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) and its degradation products are of large environmental concern because of their toxic properties and high concentrations encountered in contaminated soils. Batch experiments were used to study TNT* (the sum of TNT and its degradation products) bonding to dissolved (DOM) and particulate (POM) soil organic matter. Reversed‐phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) was used as a separation technique in combination with14C‐labeled TNT to determine free TNT and TNT* bound to DOM. By use of dialysis we showed that DOM did not interfere with the HPLC analysis of free TNT. Depending on pH and total TNT concentration, the relative distribution of TNT* among water, POM, and DOM varied between 60 to 90, 10 to 30, and 0.5 to 6%, respectively, after 22 h of equilibration. The association of TNT* to DOM was strongly pH dependent and followed a nonlinear Langmuir isotherm. The association of TNT* to POM was less pH dependent and data were equally well fitted by linear and nonlinear isotherms. Particulate organic matter had 6.4 (pH 6.2) to 22 (pH 5.2) times greater capacity to bind TNT* than DOM, but the binding strength (the slope of the isotherm) was greater for DOM. The TNT degradation was enhanced with increasing concentration of soil organic matter, resulting in a stronger bonding of TNT* to DOM and POM. Based on our results, combined with other recent findings, we suggest that it is mainly the degradation products of TNT that associate with DOM and POM, and that the association with DOM is mainly of ionic character involving specific DOM sites. The greater binding capacity and a weaker, linear type of isotherm suggests a nonspecific type of partitioning in POM, possibly of hydrophobic character.
Persistence of Estrogenic Hormones in Agricultural Soils: II. 17α‐Ethynylestradiol
Authors: Colucci Michael S. , Topp Edward 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTThe persistence of 17α‐ethynylestradiol in agricultural soil was established in laboratory microcosm studies. The hormone was rapidly dissipated in loam, sandy loam, and silt loam soils under a range of moisture and temperature conditions. Dissipation of 17α‐ethynylestradiol correlated closely with removal of total estrogenicity determined with a recombinant yeast bioassay, indicating that extractable estrogenic transformation products did not accumulate. The stability of 17α‐ethynylestradiol in sterile soil, decreased removal in the absence of oxygen, and the response of dissipation kinetics to variation in temperature and moisture suggested that the removal was microbially mediated. We conclude that 17α‐ethynylestradiol is rapidly dissipated in agricultural soils under a range of conditions typical of a temperate growing season.
Soil Surface Structure Effect on Isoproturon and Diflufenican Loss in Runoff
Authors: Lecomte Véronique , Barriuso Enrique , Bresson Louis‐Marie , Koch Caroline , Le Bissonnais Yves 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTBecause soil surface structure has a considerable influence on infiltration rate, the sealing process is postulated to have a significant effect on herbicide loss through runoff. We evaluated the effect of degraded soil surface structures on herbicide loss in runoff, and used the experimental data to test the uniform mixing zone concept and two‐site sorption kinetics for modeling herbicide transfer to runoff. The experiments were done with simulated rainfall on 10‐m2 plots in the field and 0.25‐m2 plots in the laboratory after a surface application of 1.5 kg ha−1 of isoproturon [3‐(4‐isopropylphenyl)‐1,1‐dimethylurea] and 0.187 kg ha−1 of diflufenican [2′,4′‐difluoro‐2‐(α,α,α‐trifluoro‐m‐tolyloxy) nicotinanilide]. Isoproturon (IPU) and diflufenican (DFF) concentrations were very high in the first runoff (up to 60 mg L−1 for IPU and 2 mg L−1 for DFF) when simulated rainfall was applied 24 h after the treatment. The concentrations decreased very rapidly with total rainfall depth. Degradation of the structural state of the soil surface increased the ratio of pesticide loss to application rate from 0.3 to 10% for IPU and from 0.7 to 7.8% for DFF for a runoff depth of less than 1 mm. The structural state of the soil surface influences the rapidity at which runoff begins after the onset of rain, and the runoff coefficient at steady state. Furthermore, the development of a surface seal seems to limit the depth of soil–runoff interaction and thus influences the dynamics of herbicide mobilization. Concentrations of IPU in the runoff were satisfactorily described with a model incorporating a uniform mixing zone and two‐site sorption–desorption.
Distribution of Mercury in Soil and its Concentration in Runoff from a Biosolids‐Amended Agricultural Watershed
Authors: Sloan J. J. , Dowdy R. H. , Balogh S. J. , Nater E. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTBiosolids applications can significantly increase Hg concentrations in cultivated soils. The objective of this study was to quantify levels of mercury in soils and runoff from a biosolids‐amended watershed. The study site was a terraced, cultivated watershed that received cumulative biosolids loadings of 0, 87, or 224 Mg ha−1between 1974 and 1993. Snowmelt runoff samples were collected from the three treatment areas in the spring of 1995. Soils were collected along transects from the 0 and 224 Mg ha−1biosolids treatment areas at depths of 0 to 15 and 15 to 30 cm. Mercury analysis of stored, freeze‐dried biosolids samples showed that Hg concentrations during the 20‐year study ranged from 12.4 mg kg−1initially to 2.4 mg kg−1near the end. Soil Hg concentrations were elevated in the surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–30 cm) of the 224 Mg ha−1biosolids‐treated terrace relative to the control. Mercury concentrations in the 0‐ to 15‐cm soil depth ranged from 30 to 50 μg kg−1for the control terrace and 180 to 390 μg kg−1for the 224 Mg ha−1biosolids‐treated terrace. Concentrations were lower in the 15‐ to 30‐cm depth. Total Hg concentrations in snowmelt from the control terrace ranged from 9.2 to 27.9 ng L−1and 19.8 to 44.8 ng L−1for the biosolids‐treated terraces. Most Hg was associated with particulates > 0.45 μm. Mercury concentrations were elevated in grass tissue growing near the watershed's runoff lagoon.
Methane Production and Oxidation in an Anoxic Rice Soil as Influenced by Inorganic Redox Species
Authors: Kumaraswamy S. , Ramakrishnan B. , Sethunathan N. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTThe effects of addition of inorganic redox substances (species of NO−3, Mn4+, Fe3+, and SO2−4) on methane production and oxidation in anoxic rice (Oryza sativa L.) soil samples were examined. Sulfate was the most inhibitory for methane production followed by Fe3+, NO−3, and Mn4+, in that order. Addition of rice straw at a rate of 1% (w/w) as a carbon source to increase the electron donor to the electron acceptor ratio did not completely alleviate the inhibitory effects of redox species on methane production. Interestingly, laboratory incubation studies showed that addition of MnO2 and K2SO4 enhanced aerobic methane oxidation in soil samples held at 60% water holding capacity. The suspensions of pretreated soil samples with different redox species, when tested for their ability to oxidize methane in soil solution equivalent medium supplemented with respective redox species under aerobic and anaerobic conditions showed differential effects of redox species. Nitrate and Fe3+ stimulated methane oxidation under anaerobic conditions and retarded it under aerobic conditions. Manganese(IV) ion retarded methane oxidation under anaerobic conditions, but enhanced it under aerobic conditions. However, SO2−4 stimulated methane oxidation in soil solution equivalent medium under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Measuring Total Soil Carbon with Laser‐Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
Authors: Cremers David A. , Ebinger Michael H. , Breshears David D. , Unkefer Pat J. , Kammerdiener Susan A. , Ferris Monty J. , Catlett Kathryn M. , Brown Joel R. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTImproving estimates of carbon inventories in soils is currently hindered by lack of a rapid analysis method for total soil carbon. A rapid, accurate, and precise method that could be used in the field would be a significant benefit to researchers investigating carbon cycling in soils and dynamics of soil carbon in global change processes. We tested a new analysis method for predicting total soil carbon using laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We determined appropriate spectral signatures and calibrated the method using measurements from dry combustion of a Mollisol from a cultivated plot. From this calibration curve we predicted carbon concentrations in additional samples from the same soil and from an Alfisol collected in a semiarid woodland and compared these predictions with additional dry combustion measurements. Our initial tests suggest that the LIBS method rapidly and efficiently measures soil carbon with excellent detection limits (∼300 mg/kg), precision (4–5%), and accuracy (3–14%). Initial testing shows that LIBS measurements and dry combustion analyses are highly correlated (adjustedr2= 0.96) for soils of distinct morphology, and that a sample can be analyzed by LIBS in less than one minute. The LIBS method is readily adaptable to a field‐portable instrument, and this attribute—in combination with rapid and accurate sample analysis—suggests that this new method offers promise for improving measurement of total soil carbon. Additional testing of LIBS is required to understand the effects of soil properties such as texture, moisture content, and mineralogical composition (i.e., silicon content) on LIBS measurements.
Using Zebra Mussels to Monitor Escherichia coli in Environmental Waters
Authors: Selegean J. P. W. , Kusserow R. , Patel R. , Heidtke T. M. , Ram J. L. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTUse of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) as an indicator of previously elevated bacteria concentrations in a watershed was examined. The ability of the zebra mussel to accumulate and purge Escherichia coli over several days was investigated in both laboratory and field experiments. In laboratory experiments, periodic enumeration of E. coli in mussels that had been exposed to a dilute solution of raw sewage demonstrated that (i) maximum concentrations of E. coli are reached within a few hours of exposure to sewage, (ii) the tissue concentration attained is higher than the concentration in the ambient water, and (iii) the E. coli concentrations take several days to return to preexposure concentrations when mussels are subsequently placed in sterile water. In field experiments conducted in southeast Michigan in the Clinton River watershed, brief increases in E. coli concentrations in the water were accompanied by increases in mussel concentrations of E. coli that lasted 2 or 3 d. The ability of mussels to retain and to concentrate E. coli made it possible to detect E. coli in the environment under conditions that conventional monitoring may often miss. Sampling caged mussels in a river and its tributaries may enable watershed managers to reduce the sampling frequency normally required to identify critical E. coli sources, thereby providing a more cost‐effective river monitoring strategy for bacterial contamination.
Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Stream Water Cadmium Concentration
Authors: Högbom Lars , Nohrstedt Hans‐Örjan , Nordlund Sten 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTHigh transition metal concentrations were previously unexpectedly observed in soil water extracted by suction lysimeters following forest N fertilization. This observation called for additional measurements to investigate if the finding is a general phenomenon and, if so, whether stream water concentrations of transition metals could increase as a result of N fertilization. The measured levels of Cd in the preliminary findings were well above health limits for drinking water. Hence, the problem could be of major concern. Here we report on soil water and stream water concentrations at two partly fertilized watersheds. All sites were situated in the central part of Sweden. The N application (150 kg N ha−1 in the form of calcium ammonium nitrate) resulted in increased concentrations of nitrate, and a pulse of acidity through the soil profile, which increased the solubility of transition metals (mainly Cd and Zn) and Al. Stream water concentrations of transition metals, on the other hand, were not affected during the studied period by the increased solubility of transition metals in the soil. The data imply that the solubilized transition metals probably insolubilize further down the soil profile, and that there is no risk from forest N fertilization (at normal soil pH levels) of transition metal levels increasing in nearby surface waters. To our knowledge, this is the first time this side effect of N fertilization has been considered.
Phosphorus Accumulation in Cultivated Soils from Long‐Term Annual Applications of Cattle Feedlot Manure
Authors: Whalen Joann K. , Chang Chi 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTHistorically, manure has been recognized as an excellent soil amendment that can improve soil quality and provide nutrients for crop production. In areas of high animal density, however, the potential for water pollution resulting from improper storage or disposal of manure may be significant. The objective of this study was to determine the P balance of cultivated soils under barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production that have received long‐term annual manure amendments. Nonirrigated soils at the study site in Lethbridge, AB, Canada, have received 0, 30, 60, or 90 Mg manure ha−1 (wet wt. basis) while irrigated plots received 0, 60, 120, and 180 Mg ha−1 annually for 16 yr. The amount of P removed in barley grain and straw during the 16‐yr period was between 5 and 18% of the cumulative manure P applied. There was a balance between P applied in manure and P recovered in crops and soils (to the 150‐cm depth) of nonirrigated plots during the 16‐yr study. In irrigated plots, as much as 1.4 Mg P ha−1 added (180 Mg ha−1 yr−1 treatment) was not recovered over 16 yr, and was probably lost through leaching. The risk of ground water contamination with P from manure was greater in irrigated than nonirrigated plots that have received long‐term annual manure amendments. Manure application rates should be reduced in nonirrigated and irrigated plots to more closely match manure P inputs to crop P requirements.
Chemical Characterization of Synthetic Soil from Composting Coal Combustion and Pharmaceutical By‐Products
Authors: Guest Christopher A. , Johnston Cliff T. , King James J. , Alleman James E. , Tishmack Jody K. , Norton L. Darrell 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTLand application of coal combustion by‐products (CCBs) mixed with solid organic wastes (SOWs), such as municipal sewage sludge, has become increasingly popular as a means of productively using what were once considered waste products. Although bulk chemical and physical properties of several of these CCB–SOW materials have been reported, detailed information about their synthesis and mineralogy of the CCB–SOW materials has not been reported. In this paper, chemical and mineralogical properties of a soil‐like material obtained from composting a mixture of CCBs with a pharmaceutical fermentation by‐product (FB) were investigated at the laboratory and field scale. All starting materials and products were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. The results showed that the FB was strongly bound to the CCBs and could not be removed by washing. Within 2 wk of the start of a composting study, there was a rapid drop in pH from 12 to 8, an increase in temperature to 70°C, and a reduction in the dissolved oxygen content, attributed to the rapid establishment of a highly active microbial population. Composting produced a soil‐like material with high levels of plant nutrients, a high nutrient retention capacity, and metal contents similar to median levels of those metals reported for soils. The levels of boron and soluble salts are such that sensitive plants may initially show toxicity symptoms. However, with adequate rainfall, leaching should rapidly remove most of the B and soluble salts. With care, the material produced is safe for use as a synthetic topsoil.
Nitrate Removal in a Riparian Wetland of the Appalachian Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province
Authors: Flite Oscar P. , Shannon Robert D. , Schnabel Ronald R. , Parizek Richard R. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTRiparian zones within the Appalachian Valley and Ridge physiographic province are often characterized by localized variability in soil moisture and organic carbon content, as well as variability in the distribution of soils formed from alluvial and colluvial processes. These sources of variability may significantly influence denitrification rates. This investigation studied the attenuation of nitrate (NO−3–N) as wastewater effluent flowed through the shallow ground water of a forested headwater riparian zone within the Appalachian Valley and Ridge physiographic province. Ground water flow and NO−3–N measurements indicated that NO−3–N discharged to the riparian zone preferentially flowed through the A and B horizons of depressional wetlands located in relic meander scars, with NO−3–N decreasing from >12 to <0.5 mg L−1. Denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) attributable to riparian zone location, soil horizon, and NO−3–N amendments was also determined. Mean DEA in saturated soils attained values as high as 210 μg N kg−1 h−1, and was significantly higher than in unsaturated soils, regardless of horizon (p < 0.001). Denitrification enzyme activity in the shallow A horizon of wetland soils was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in deeper soils. Significant stimulation of DEA (p = 0.027) by NO−3–N amendments occurred only in the meander scar soils receiving low NO−3–N (<3.6 mg L−1) concentrations. Significant denitrification of high NO−3–N ground water can occur in riparian wetland soils, but DEA is dependent upon localized differences in the degree of soil saturation and organic carbon content.
Methane Oxidation in Two Swedish Landfill Covers Measured with Carbon‐13 to Carbon‐12 Isotope Ratios
Authors: Börjesson Gunnar , Chanton Jeffrey , Svensson Bo H. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTThe release of methane (CH4) from landfills to the atmosphere and the oxidation of CH4 in the cover soils were quantified with static chambers and a 13C‐isotope technique on two landfills in Sweden. One of the landfills had been closed and covered 17 years before this investigation while the other was recently covered. On both landfills, the tops of the landfills were compared with the sloping parts in the summer and winter. Emitted CH4, captured in chambers, was significantly enriched in 13C during summer compared with winter (P < 0.0001), and was enriched relative to anaerobic‐zone methane. The difference between emitted and anaerobic zone δ13C–CH4 was used to estimate soil methane oxidation. In summer, these differences ranged from 9 to 26‰, and CH4 oxidation was estimated to be between 41 and 50% of the produced CH4 in the new landfill, and between 60 and 94% in the old landfill. In winter, when soil temperature was below 0°C, no difference in δ13C was observed between emitted and anaerobic‐zone CH4, suggesting that there was no soil oxidation. The temperature effect shown in this experiment suggests that there may be both seasonal and latitudinal differences in the importance of landfill CH4 oxidation. Finally the isotopic fractionation factor (α) varied from 1.023 to 1.038 and was temperature dependent, increasing at colder temperatures. Methanotrophic bacteria appeared to have high growth efficiencies and the majority of the methane consumed in incubations did not result in immediate CO2 production.
Bermudagrass Fertilized with Slow‐Release Nitrogen Sources. I. Nitrogen Uptake and Potential Leaching Losses
Authors: Quiroga‐Garza Héctor Mario , Picchioni Geno A. , Remmenga Marta D. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTWith the objectives of analyzing N recovery and potential N losses in the warm‐season hybrid bermudagrass ‘Tifgreen’ [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt‐Davy], two greenhouse studies were conducted. Plugs were planted in PVC cylinders filled with a modified sandy growing medium. Urea (URE), sulfur‐coated urea (SCU), and Hydroform (HYD) (Hydro Agri San Francisco, Redwood City, CA) were broadcast at rates of 100 and 200 kg N ha−1 every 20 and 40 d. The grass was clipped three times every 10 d and analyzed for N concentration and N yield. In addition, leachates were analyzed for NO3–N. Use of the least soluble source, HYD, resulted in the lowest average clipping N concentration and N yield, as compared with SCU and URE. Clipping N concentration and N yield showed a cyclic pattern through time, particularly under long‐day (>12 h) conditions. When the photoperiod decreased below 12 h, leachate NO3–N concentration exceeded the standard limit for drinking water (10 mg L−1) by 10 to 19 times with the high SCU and URE application rate and frequency. However, leaching N losses represented a minimal fraction (<1%) of the total applied N. More applied N was recovered in plant tissues using SCU and URE (89.5%) than using HYD (64.1%), with more than 52% of applied N accumulating in clippings. Highly insoluble N sources such as HYD decrease N leaching losses but may limit bermudagrass growth and quality. Risks of NO3–N losses in bermudagrass can be avoided by proper fertilization and irrigation programs, even when a highly soluble N source is used.