The Magnesium Status of Some Fiji Soils

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) is an essential macronutrient element for all living organisms, but literature reports of Mg deficiency in agriculture and forestry appear regularly. In many tropical areas, Mg is added to soils by using dolomitic limestone and as minor additions through impurities in some fertilizers. Minimal information is available on the Mg status of Fiji soils, and deficiencies have been observed in some crops. This study investigated the Mg status of a range of Fiji soils and found that major agricultural soils of Fiji contain variable amounts of Mg, both in the total concentrations and in the different forms of the element present. The variations can be related to the soil parent materials, degree of weathering, clay content, and mineralogy. Low plant‐available Mg concentrations are present in many of the highly weathered soils with limited reserves present. Development of intensive agriculture should consider Mg when developing fertilizer programs.     

Long-Term Effect of Fertilizer and Rice Straw on Mineral Composition and Potassium Adsorption in a Reddish Paddy Soil

Increasing K⁺ adsorption can be an effective alternative in building an available K pool in soils to optimize crop recovery and minimize losses into the environment. We hypothesized that long-term fertilization might change K⁺ adsorption because of changes in the chemical and mineralogical properties of a rice (Oryza sativa L.). The aims of this study were (i) to determine clay minerals in paddy soil clay size fractions using X-ray diffraction methods and a numerical diagram-decomposition method; (ii) to measure K⁺ adsorption isotherms before and after H₂O₂ oxidation of organic matter, and (iii) to investigate whether K⁺ adsorption is correlated with changes in soil chemical and mineral properties. The 30-yr long-term fertilization treatments caused little change in soil organic C (SOC) but a large variation in soil mineral composition. The whole-clay fraction (<5 μm) corresponded more to the fertilization treatment than the fine-clay fraction (<1 μm) in terms of percentage of illite peak area. The total percentage of vermiculite-chlorite peak area was significantly negatively correlated with the total percentage of illite peak area in the <5 μm soil particles (R=-0.946, P<0.0006). Different fertilization treatments gave significantly different results in K⁺ adsorption. The SOC oxidation test showed positive effects of SOC on K⁺ adsorption at lower K⁺ concentration (?120 mg L^?1) and negative effects at higher K⁺ concentration (240 mg L^?1). The K⁺ adsorption by soil clay minerals after SOC oxidization accounted for 60–158% of that by unoxidized soils, suggesting a more important role of soil minerals than SOC on K⁺ adsorption. The K⁺ adsorption potential was significantly correlated to the amount of poorly crystallized illite present (R=0.879, P=0.012). The availability of adsorbed K⁺ for plant growth needs further study.     

Enhanced efficiency of electrostatically charged insecticide aerosols

The bioefficacy of a standard domestic aerosol insecticide has been compared with that of a similar spray in which the droplets were electrostatically charged. The aerosol was charged without the need for an external power supply, by enhancing natural charge separation processes that occur during atomisation. The charge-to-mass ratio achieved was 1.1 x 10(-4) C kg-1, compared with 2.2 x 10(-5) C kg-1 for the standard aerosol. Efficiency was assessed for insects in free flight. A direct space-spray application method was used to study the bioefficacy of these aerosols on houseflies, Musca domestica, and an indirect space-spray method on houseflies and mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus. Two levels of concentration of active ingredients were compared. At low concentrations of 1.57 g kg-1 of bioallethrin and 0.29 g kg-1 of bioresmethrin, the charged aerosol achieved a significant reduction in KDT50 (time at which 50% of the flies were knocked down), compared with the standard aerosol. In the direct spray application to houseflies, the KDT50 was reduced by 50%, while in the indirect spray the KDT50 was reduced by 40%. In the indirect spray of mosquitoes, the KDT50 was reduced by 22%. With higher active ingredient concentrations of 2.09 g kg-1 for bioallethrin and 0.39 g kg-1 for bioresmethrin, the charged aerosol also demonstrated faster knockdown than the standard, but the improvement was less marked. In the direct spray application to houseflies, the KDT50 was reduced by 21% compared with the standard aerosol, while in the indirect spray the KDT50 was reduced by 16%. In the indirect spray of mosquitoes, the KDT50 was reduced by 24%. The percentage mortality after 24 h was also increased with the charged aerosol. Charge carried by the droplets results in increased interception of the insecticide, as the droplets are attracted to the insects in flight and space charge effects within the aerosol could cause improved dispersion in the test chamber.     

Adsorption-desorption behaviour of flufenacet in five different soils of India

Adsorption-desorption of the herbicide flufenacet (FOE 5043) has been studied in five soils from different locations in India (Delhi, Ranchi, Nagpur, Kerala and Assam) varying in their physicochemical properties. The organic matter (OM) content varied from 0.072 to 0.864%, clay content from 2.5 to 43.7% and pH from 4.45 to 8.35. The adsorption studies were carried out using a batch equilibration technique. Ten grams of soil were equilibrated with 20 ml of aqueous 0.01 M CaCl2 solution containing different concentrations (0-30 mg litre-1) of flufenacet. After equilibration, an aliquot of supernatant was taken out for analysis. During desorption, the amount withdrawn for analysis was replenished with fresh 0.01 M CaCl2 solution and further equilibrated. Desorption studies were carried out with the 30 mg litre-1 concentration of flufenacet only. The adsorption studies revealed that there was moderate to high adsorption of flufenacet considering the comparatively low organic carbon content in the five test soils. Average Kd values ranged from 0.77 to 4.52 and Freundlich KF values from 0.76 to 4.39. The highest adsorption was observed in Kerala soil (OM 0.786%; clay 25%; pH 4.45) followed by Ranchi, Nagpur and Delhi soils, and the lowest in Assam soil (OM 0.553%; clay 2.5%; pH 6.87). The trend in adsorption could be attributed to the chemical nature of flufenacet and the physicochemical properties of the soil such as pH, OM and clay contents. OM and clay contents were positively correlated whereas pH was negatively correlated. Soils having low pH, high OM and high clay contents showed higher adsorption. Desorption studies revealed that there was a hysteresis effect in all the soils. Hysteresis coefficient values (ratio of n(ad) and n(des)) varied from 0.09 to 0.45. The study implies that, because of its moderate to high adsorption, flufenacet is likely to persist in soil for some time. However, the possibility of its movement by leaching or surface run off is less.     

Variation of pesticide sorption isotherm in soil at the catchment scale

The variation of the sorption isotherm of pesticides has seldom been explored at the catchment scale. Such a study was conducted at the scale of a 187-ha agricultural catchment for three herbicides: atrazine, isoproturon and metamitron. Partition coefficient (Kd) values were measured in batch experiments on 51 topsoil samples, and showed moderate variability at the catchment scale (coefficient of variation CV approximately 30%). Values of Kd ranged from 0.47 to 1.70 litre kg(-1) for atrazine, 0.47 to 1.81 for isoproturon, and 0.55 to 2.21 for metamitron. A clustering method was used to reduce the number of samples on which to measure sorption isotherms to 14. Sorption isotherms agreed with the Freundlich rather than the linear model. Kf parameters had CV values similar to those for Kd, with values ranging from 0.78 to 2.13 mg(1 - Nf) litre(Nf) kg(-1) for atrazine, 0.61 to 1.82 for isoproturon, and 0.69 and 2.58 for metamitron. Nf exponents showed little variation (CV < 5%). Nf values were between 0.86 and 0.98 for atrazine, 0.85 and 0.90 for isoproturon, and 0.82 and 0.87 for metamitron. More than 97% of the Kf catchment-scale variations could be explained by the variations of the soil organic carbon content.     

气助式静电喷雾靶标物背部沉积特性

为了研究气助式静电喷雾中，药液雾化特性对其靶标背部沉积效果的影响，采用Ф80mm的西红柿果实作为靶标，配制1g／L的刚果红溶液模拟农药进行喷雾试验．运用OLID测试系统对不同施药条件（气体压力、静电电压、喷雾距离）下药液的雾化特性进行了测试，借助分光光度计定量分析靶标背部沉积量，结合试验结果对药液雾化特性与靶标背部沉积效果的关系进行了分析和讨论．结果表明：非静电喷雾时，雾滴不易粘附于标靶背部，与荷电喷雾时相比，背部沉积量较小可以忽略；在气动力和静电力的前后作用下，雾滴的粒径随气体压力、静电电压的增加而减小且分布愈均匀；增加气体压力、静电电压均可提高药液靶标背部的沉积量，其中静电电压影响最大；荷电啧雾时，雾滴的粒径愈小分布愈均匀有利于荷电药液在靶标物背部沉积．     

4种海藻膳食纤维对Cd2+、Pb2+、Hg2+的吸附作用

采用模拟胃和小肠环境进行体外实验,同时对大白鼠进行体内实验,研究了4种海藻膳食纤维对Cd2 、Pb2 、Hg2 的体内、体外清除效果,并与麦麸(Wheat bran)膳食纤维进行了比较研究。结果表明:(1)在体外模拟实验中,4种海藻和麦麸膳食纤维对Cd2 、Pb2 、Hg2 的吸附效果与pH、纤维种类有关。在小肠环境下较胃环境吸附强烈,海带(Lamiraria japonica)吸附最强,其次为麒麟菜(Eucheuma)、麦麸和江蓠(Gracilaria),马尾藻(Sargassum)最差。各种膳食纤维对Pb2 吸附最强,对Hg2 最弱。(2)在动物体内实验中,各膳食纤维对大鼠体内重金属排出量(率)均显著大于空白对照组(P<0.05),各膳食纤维对重金属的排出能力由大到小依次为:麒麟菜、海带、麦麸、江蓠、马尾藻。结论认为,海藻膳食纤维具有清除重金属的效果,因此在降低重金属对人体蓄积毒性方面具有应用价值。[中国水产科学,2007,14(1):132-138]     

天然膨润土吸附Cu~(2+)的动力学、等温线及热力学研究

文章讨论了不同影响因素如接触时间、振荡速度、膨润土用量、初始离子浓度、初始pH、温度等对膨润土吸附性能的影响,研究了Cu2+在天然膨润土上吸附的动力学、等温线和热力学理论。动力学研究数据表明,吸附满足准二级动力学模型,吸附初始阶段受界面扩散控制,45 min后受粒子内扩散控制;吸附满足Freundlich等温线模型;吸附是一个自发的、吸热的过程,而且反应不可逆。     

自由基化学改性氧化石墨烯对亚甲基蓝的吸附性能

氧化石墨烯（Graphene Oxide,GO）拥有较大的比表面积和较高的稳定性，可用来吸附水体中的多种污染物，其潜在功能稳定性具有规模化应用前景。考虑到GO在高级氧化体系中结构和形貌会发生改变，探究了经UV/H2O2和UV/过硫酸盐(Persulfate, PS)产生强氧化性自由基的体系处理后所得GOs对亚甲基蓝(Methylene Blue, MB)的吸附性能。氧化性自由基体系光源为300 W中压汞灯，30 mL GO储备液(1 mg/mL)在2种氧化体系下反应1、2、4 h后制得GOs。实验考察了不同反应条件对GOs吸附动力学的影响，傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)研究了GOs氧化前后表面官能团的变化。结果显示，经UV/H2O2, UV/PS氧化1 h后，GOs表面的含氧官能团数量开始明显减少；吸附动力学过程更符合准二级动力学模型（R2>0.999）；吸附热力学过程更符合Langmuir模型，MB饱和吸附量(经UV/H2O2和UV/PS氧化1、2、4 h后分别记G1-1, G1-2, G1-3, G2-1, G2-2, G2-3)依次为580.26, 591.80, 598.63, 521.77, 554.91, 568.00 mg/g。研究表明，GO可以快速吸附较大浓度范围内的MB，且对低浓度染料表现出更好的去除效果；GO对MB的吸附量随着pH值的增加逐渐增大，且在碱性条件下的增加得更明显；经氧化处理后，GOs的吸附性能随着氧化时间的增长，性能减弱，尤其在UV/PS体系中更为显著。     

高压静电场分离油菜,芝麻及湿地松种子对萌发期电导率的影响

种子在萌发期的电导率值是用来间接说明其膜系统完整程度的一项重要指标，也是衡量种子活力强度的性能指标之一，研究结果证实，采用高压静电场场效应分离芝麻、油菜及湿地松种子，落入理想分离区的种子其电导率改善值在６％～２３％，且种子的电导率值与沿电场方向的位移存在着贴切的相关规律。