Use of two-surfactants mixtures to attain specific HLB values for assisted TPH-diesel biodegradation

In a surfactant assisted biodegradation process, the choice of surfactant(s) is of crucial importance. The question is: does the type of surfactant(i.e. chemical family) affect the biodegradation process at fixed hidrophillic-lypofillic balance(HLB) values? Microcosm assessments were developed using contaminated soil, with around of 5000 mg/kg of hydrocarbons as TPH-diesel. Mixtures of three nonionic surfactants were employed to get a wide range of specific HLB values. Tween20 and Span20 were mixed in the appropriate proportions to get HLB values between 8.6 and 16.7. Tween/Span60 mixtures reached HLB values between 4.7 and 14.9. Finally, Tween/Span80 combinations yielded HLB values between 4.3 and 15. TPH-diesel biodegradation was measured at the beginning, and after 8 weeks, as well as the FCU/gr soil, as a measure of microorganisms′ development during the biodegradation period. A second aim of this work was to assess the use of guar gum as a biodegradation enhancer instead of synthetic products. The conclusions of this work are that surfactant chemical family, and not only the HLB value clearly affects the assisted biodegradation rate. Surfactant's synergism was clearly observed. Regarding the use of guar gum, no biodegradation enhancement was observed for the three assessed concentrations, i.e., 2, 20, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. On the contrary, TPH-diesel removal was lower as the gum concentration increased. It is quite possible that guar gum was used as a microbial substrate.

Age and Some Genetic Characteristics of Vertisols in China

The ages of organic matter of some dark-colored horizons and calcareous concretions in some Vertisols from tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate zones of China were studied using radiocarb on dating method. The relationship between soil age and genesis of Vertisols was also expounded based on the study of their genetic charactens-tics and micromorphological features. The results show that although Vertisols have developed for a relatively long time, their weathering and soil forming process are weak and young with little horizonation. This is closely related to their special geochemical soil forming environment. Low-lying terrain, heavy texture, clay minerals dominated by montmorillonites and alternative drying- wetting climate give rise to the vertic features expressed in intense swelling-shrinking and cracking-closing in soils. As a result, the soil development and soil leaching process are resisted, and the climatic effect on the horizonation is impeded. Moreover, pedoturbation eliminates the horizonation in the upper part of soil profile, and postpones their evolution into zonal soils. So Vertisols show certain pedogenic inertia and stay at relatively young developmental stage. Therefore, Vertisols are intrazonal soils dominated by local soil forming factors such as the relief and parent materials.

Radiocarbon Dating of Vertisols in China

Vertisols,which are mainly developed on fiuvial and lacustrine deposits and basalt,are extensively distributed in China. 66 samples of them for radiocarbon dating were collected across 5 provinces and 1 autonomous region, ranging from warm-temperate to subtropical and tropical zones in China.The soil organic matter was dated via surfaCe horizon, black soil horizon and dark-colour horizon of the vertisols,whereas carbonate through calcareous concretions and dispersed carbonate in soil profile using radiocarbon method. The present article elucidates the dates of genetic horizons,and of surfaCe and buried vertisols as well. 14C dating indicates that the surface vertisols were formed during the end of the late Pleistocene,ca.15600 years ago.Correlation between depth of sampling and measured 14C age shows that age characteristics of the vertisols of China are close to those of West Germany,Italy,Turnisia,Australia and Argeentia. However, two buried vertisols developed on fluvial and lacustrine deposits were formed during different geological periods.The buried soils in warm-temperate zone were formed in the mid Holocene, while those in subtropics were buried at 12930 years B.P.,and formed in the end of the late Pleistocene.

Lowland pasture in Himalayan highland: edaphic properties and species composition

This study was carried out to investigate if on-farm cut vs. grazed pastures differed in soil fertility and species density in the temperate Himalayan highlands. Soil fertility and species relative density were measured from 30 cut and 30 grazed dairy pastures. In both types of pasture, soil pH, available phosphorus(P) and exchangeable potassium(K) were negatively correlated with pasture age and slope. In cut pasture, cocksfoot(Dactylis glomerata) and pasture age were positively correlated,whereas in grazed pasture, they were negatively correlated. In grazed pasture, unsown species and pasture age were positively correlated. Soil available P was significantly greater in cut pastures whereas soil exchangeable K was significantly greater in grazed pastures. In terms of species density, cut pasture had greater densities of cocksfoot and Italian ryegrass(Lolium multiflorum), whereas grazed pasture showed greater densities of white clover, sedge and local grass. Our study suggests that, if there are no improvements in the current method of pasture management, the cut pastures in the future are likely to have a simple pasture mixture constituting only cocksfoot and white clover(Trifolium repens).Whereas in grazed pasture, the pasture mixture is likely to be comprised of white clover and unsown species such as sedge, local grass and broadleaf weeds.

Changes in profile distribution and chemical properties of natural nanoparticles in paddy soils as affected by long-term rice cultivation

Systematic studies on the genesis,properties,and distribution of natural nanoparticles(NNPs)in soil remain scarce.This study examined a soil chronosequence of continuous paddy field land use for periods ranging from 0 to 1000 years to determine how NNPs in soil changed at the early stages of soil genesis in eastern China.Soil samples were collected from coastal reclaimed paddy fields that were cultivated for 0,50,100,300,700,and 1000 years.Natural nanoparticles were isolated and characterized along with bulk soil samples(<2-mm fraction)for selected physical and chemical properties.The NNP content increased with increasing soil cultivation age at 60 g m^(-2) year-1,which was related to decreasing soil electrical conductivity(172-1297μS cm^(-1))and NNP zeta potentials(from -22 to -36 mV)with increasing soil cultivation age.Changes in several NNP properties,such as pedogenic iron oxide and total organic carbon contents,were consistent with those of the bulk soils across the soil chronosequence.Notably,changes in NNP iron oxide content were obvious and illustrated active chemical weathering,pedogenesis,and potential impacts on the microbial community.Redundancy analysis demonstrated that the soil cultivation age was the most important factor affecting NNP properties,contributing 60.7% of the total variation.Cluster and principal component analysis(PCA)revealed splitting of NNP samples into age groups of 50-300 and 700-1000 years,indicating rapid evolution of NNP properties,after an initial period of desalinization(approximately 50 years).Overall,this study provides new insights into NNP evolution in soil during pedogenesis and predicting their influences on agriculture and ecological risks over millennial-scale rice cultivation.