Cadmium in upland forests after vitality fertilization with wood ash—a summary of soil microbiological studies into the potential risk of cadmium release

The use of wood ash in forestry has been questioned because of the potential risk associated with its cadmium (Cd) content (1–30 mg kg^–1). In agriculture, wood ash is only allowed for use as a fertilizer when its Cd content is below 3 mg kg^–1. This restriction has not been applied to forest soils and there is a lack of knowledge about the potentially harmful effects of the Cd in wood ash on forest ecosystems. This paper summarizes our recent studies on the microbial communities of boreal coniferous forest humus exposed to Cd-containing wood ash treatment. The main objectives of our studies were to test if the Cd in wood ash has the potential to affect the humus layer microflora of coniferous upland forests and if it has the potential to enter the human food chain. These objectives were tested both in laboratory and field experiments with ash and ash spiked with Cd (in laboratory 400 or 1,000 mg Cd kg^–1 as CdO or CdCl₂; in field 400 mg Cd kg^–1 as CdO). In one study the dissolution of ash was accelerated by irrigating it with simulated acid rain (SAR). Wood ash increased humus layer pH and microbial activities (respiration or thymidine incorporation rates) and changed its microfloral community structure (Biolog, PLFA, 16S or 18S rDNA PCR-DGGE) in both laboratory and field experiments. Spiking ash with Cd induced no further changes in the above-mentioned variables compared to ash alone. The Cd added with wood ash did not become bioavailable as detected with a bacterial biosensor Bacillus subtilis BR151(pTOO24). The form and level of Cd added in the ash had no further effect on the microbiological variables studied. Irrigation of ash with SAR did not increase the amount of bioavailable Cd, although the dissolution rate of the ash was increased. The concentration of Cd in soil water and in the berries of Vaccinium uliginosum and V. vitis-idaea, and the amount of humus bioavailable Cd did not increase with applied ash or ash spiked with Cd although the ash spiked with Cd increased the amount of humus total and extractable Cd in the 4-year field study. Only the ash spiked with Cd and not the unspiked normal wood ash resulted in significantly higher Cd concentrations in the mushroom Lactarius rufus and a slight increase in the berries of Empetrum nigrum (first year only). In conclusion, the Cd in wood ash did not become bioavailable and harmful to forest soil microbes, or leach into the humus layer even when treated with simulated acid rain. It is thus safe to use wood ash as a fertilizer in forests. However, since wood ash adds Cd to the environment, it is recommended that the same sites should not be fertilized with wood ash more than once. The effects of wood ash (3 t ha^–1) on forest soil humus layer microbes are long-term, lasting at least 20 years, and probably longer if higher application dose and/or hardened ash is used.     

Plant Response to Copper Toxicity as Affected by Plant Species and Soil Type

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of copper (Cu) in clay loam and sandy clay loam soil. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were grown in pots for 45 d. When mature, plants were treated for 15 additional days with 0, 100, 250, 500, or 1000 mg Cu kg^?1 as CuSO₄·5H₂O. After harvest, Cu in soils and plant tissues was determined. In soils, applied Cu raised total and EDTA-extractible Cu. Results also revealed that the amounts of Cu extracted from sandy clay loam soil (80%) were higher than those extracted from clay loam soil (70%). In plants, increasing soil Cu concentration increased plant concentration of the metal. Plant species vary in their capacity for Cu accumulation: Lettuce has a relatively higher potential for Cu uptake and translocation than does spinach. Cu accumulation also differs among plant organs. In lettuce, metal accumulation is higher in roots than in shoots, where 60% to 80% of the total Cu of the plant is located in the roots. However, in spinach, there is no significant difference in Cu content between roots and shoots. The transfer of the metal from soil to plant is higher for plants grown on sandy clay loam soil. For a given rate of applied Cu, metal content in plant tissues is higher on sandy clay loam soil due to its higher transfer coefficient (C_T) from soil to plant. Nevertheless, all crops studied showed a positive linear relationship between extractible soil Cu and plant Cu.     

Pharmacokinetics of gamithromycin after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of gamithromycin in pigs after an intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) bolus injection of 6 mg/kg body weight. The plasma concentrations of gamithromycin were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method, and the pharmacokinetics were noncompartmentally analysed.     

Biological tools for the assessment of contaminated land: applied soil ecotoxicology

Abstract. Chemical analysis alone is inadequate for comprehensively assessing the impact of soil pollution on biota. The term bioavailability can only be applied in a context specific to a target biological receptor or a proven chemical surrogate. Integration of biological and chemical data can often yield significant advances in hazard assessment and act as a suitable baseline for making site-specific risk assessments. Here, the value of biological techniques is discussed and their application described. The relative merit of test selection is considered and the new direction being developed in sublethal assessments. Currently, however, one of the major limitations is the seeming lack of flexibility of many assays in that they are either applicable to agricultural systems or industrial scenarios, but rarely to both. As a consequence, few assays have internationally adopted protocols. The introduction of new methods and the continued improvement and refinement of assays make this area of soil science dynamic and responsive.