Nitrate and nitrite reduction in flooded gamma-irradiated soil under controlled pH and redox potential conditions

Nitrate and nitrite reduction was studied in a waterlogged soil after γ-irradiation with 2.5 Mrad. Before irradiation and mineral-N addition the pH was controlled at 4.5, 6 and 8, and the redox potential controlled at 0, +200 and +400 mV Nitrate reduction rate increased with increasing pH as well as with decreasing redox potential. Nitrate reduction rate was doubled by decreasing the redox potential from +400 to 0 mV. At pH 4.5 almost no nitrite accumulated regardless of redox potential, while at pH 6 and 8 marked nitrite accumulation occurred at low redox potential. In relation to non-irradiation. γ-irradiation had a stimulating effect on nitrate reduction at pH 6 and 8 but a retarding effect at pH 4.5; nitrite reduction proceeded slower at pH 6 and 8 but at the same rate at pH 4.5. It has been demonstrated that nitrate and nitrite reduction can be carried out by radiation-resistant enzyme systems of non-proliferating cells of denitrifying organisms.     

Changes of redox and pH conditions in a flooded soil amended with glucose and manganese oxide or iron oxide under laboratory conditions

The changes of Eh and pH in soil suspension (Ah-horizon of a Mollic Gleysol) and Mn²⁺ or Fe²⁺ concentrations in the equilibrium soil solution at different levels of glucose (0%, 0.5% and 1%) and MnO₂ (0%, 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%) or Fe₂O₃ (0%, 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%) were examined. It was found that the degree of Mn- and Fe-reduction in soil depends mainly on the presence and the amount of an easily decomposable carbon source and to a minor degree on the content of native or added forms of MnO_O2 or Fe₂O₃ in the soil. Theoretical relationships between the water soluble manganese and iron and the Eh and pH values have been verified, when the observed initial drop of Eh was eliminated. It was found that the water soluble manganese content was described best by the Mn₂O₃/Mn²⁺ redox system, and that of iron by the Fe₃ (OH)₃/Fe²⁺ system.     

pH与石灰性水稻土铁氧化还原过程的关系

光照和pH是调控土壤铁氧化物厌氧生物氧化还原的关键环境因素。本文采用恒温厌氧培养试验研究了黑暗、光照条件下土壤pH的变化及pH对铁氧化还原的影响,探索了pH与Fe(II)和水溶性无机碳的关系。结果表明,光照可改变土壤厌氧培养过程中pH的变化趋势,避光培养时土壤pH呈降低趋势,光照时呈先降低后增加趋势。pH介于4~9之间均可发生铁的还原反应,pH=7时还原量最大,128.5μmol g-1,pH调至4和9均可抑制避光条件下的铁还原。光照条件下pH 6~8时可发生Fe(II)的再氧化,控制初始pH为7时可使其再氧化量增加77.13%,达49.17μmol g-1。厌氧培养过程中Fe(II)与水溶性无机碳在避光时存在显著线性正相关关系,pH与Fe(II)和水溶性无机碳之间均存在显著线性负相关关系。     

Impact of controlled redox conditions on nickel in a serpentine soil

Purpose  

Serpentine soils exist in many regions around the world; they are naturally enriched with nickel (Ni). An adequate understanding of soil processes determining Ni solubility is a special need particularly since less research has been addressed to Ni behavior under dynamic and controlled redox conditions. Our aim was (1) to characterize the properties of a serpentine soil and (2) to determine the impact of predefined redox windows on the mobility and dynamics of Ni in a serpentine soil.     

Light hydrocarbon production in freshwater marsh soil as influenced by soil redox conditions

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - The potential role of wetland soil redox condition to global atmospheric light hydrocarbon budget was evaluated. The effect of soil redox condition on gaseous...     

Fate of isoxaflutole in soil under controlled conditions

Isoxaflutole (IFT, 5-cyclopropyl-1,2-oxazol-4yl-alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoro-2-mesyl-p-tolyl ketone) is a new pre-emergence proherbicide used in maize and sugarcane. Its two main derivatives are a diketonitrile derivative, 2-cyano-3-cyclopropyl-1-(2-methanesulfonyl-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)propane-1,3-dione, called DKN, and a benzoic acid derivative, 2-methanesulfonyl-4-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid, called BA. Few data are available of the factors influencing the degradation of IFT in soil, and the purpose of the present work was to determine the relative importance of, and factors affecting, the degradation of IFT in soil. Experiments were conducted on five soils with distinct physicochemical characteristics, at different temperatures and moisture contents in biotic and abiotic conditions. The isomerization of IFT to DKN is rapid, increasing with higher moisture contents and higher temperatures. It depends strongly on pH and is governed by chemical processes. The degradation of DKN to BA appeared to be essentially due to the biological activity of the soil.     

Effect of redox conditions on phosphate exchangeability and iron forms in a soil amended with ferrous iron

Application of iron (Fe) -rich amendments to soils has been proposed as a means of decreasing phosphorus (P) losses from soils. However, anoxic conditions following soil saturation are known to increase Fe and P solubility in soils, thus cancelling out the potential benefits. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of continuous oxic, continuous anoxic and alternating anoxic/oxic conditions on P exchangeability and Fe forms in soil amended with Ca(OH)₂ and FeSO₄. We incubated amended and unamended soils under these conditions for 8 weeks and measured Fe forms and P exchangeability. Under oxic conditions, addition of Ca(OH)₂ and FeSO₄ resulted in a strong decrease in P exchangeability and an increase in oxalate-extractable Fe. Mössbauer analyses suggested that an unidentified Fe oxide (D1oxide) with a strong sorbing capacity for P was precipitated. Under continuously anoxic conditions, P exchangeability and oxalate-extractable Fe increased with or without the amendments. Mössbauer analyses suggested that there was a partial dissolution of the D1oxide phase, precipitation of another unidentified Fe oxide (S3) and a reduction of structural Fe³⁺ in phyllosilicate, thereby increasing soil negative charge. These transformations resulted in a strong increase in rapidly exchangeable P. Alternating anoxic and oxic periods induced the dissolution and precipitation of iron oxides and the increase and decrease in P exchangeability. Implications of the results for limiting P losses from grassland soils are discussed.     

水稻土中铁氧化还原循环的光照水分效应

水稻土中铁的氧化还原循环与CO2和CH4排放关系密切。采用恒温厌氧培养试验分别在黑暗、光照条件下研究了不同水分状况对水稻土中铁氧化还原过程、水溶性碳含量及CO2和CH4排放的影响。结果表明,水分和光照是调控土壤铁氧化还原过程及其耦合的碳转化过程的关键环境因子。避光时增加含水量缩短铁还原最大速率出现的时间,促进CH4排放。光照条件下含水量小于50%时增加含水量可促进亚铁的再氧化,大于50%时则抑制了亚铁的再氧化。避光时增加含水量可增加体系的水溶性无机碳含量(WSIC),WSIC与CH4的排放存在显著正相关关系。光照可显著降低体系的WSIC,降低幅度随含水量的增加而增大。在含水量25%～200%范围内,光照可使CO2和CH4排放量分别降低95.80%和96.08%。     

培养条件下微纳米增氧水添加对新疆砂壤土硝化作用的影响

为了提升氮素利用效率和生产能力,采用室内培养试验方法,研究不同土壤含水率（田间持水量的30%、60%、100%及175%）条件下增氧水处理对土壤硝化作用的影响,并分别利用硝化动力学方程和硝化作用强度定量评价NH4+-N和NO3--N含量的动态变化特征,比较NH4+-N初始消耗速率、NH4+-N最大消耗速率、达到最大消耗速率所用时间以及NO3--N平均生成速率的变化。结果表明：粉质砂壤土氮素转化以硝化作用为主;随着含水率的升高,土壤硝化作用强度呈现先增加后降低的趋势,并在田间持水量条件下达到最大。在不同含水率条件下增氧水处理对土壤硝化作用的影响具有显著差异（P<0.05）。与常规水处理相比,在田间持水量的60%条件下,增氧水处理对土壤硝化过程的促进作用更为明显,NH4+-N最大消耗速率提高了8.9%,最大消耗速率出现时间提前,NO3--N平均生成速率增加,硝化作用更强;而在田间持水量条件下,增氧水处理的土壤NH4+-N消耗没有显著差异,仅NO3--N平均生成速率增加;田间持水量的175%条件下,增氧水处理土壤NH4+-N最大消耗速率降低了21.5%,最大消耗速率出现时间滞后,但NO3--N平均生成速率没有显著变化。该研究提出了增氧水处理促进氮素转化作用的最适水分条件为田间持水量的60%,可为发展农业高效水肥利用技术提供理论依据。     

Iron-cyanide complexes in soil under varying redox conditions: speciation, solubility and modelling

The distribution of iron‐cyanide complexes between ferrocyanide, [Fe^II(CN)₆]^4–, and ferricyanide, [Fe^III(CN)₆]^3–, in soils on contaminated sites depends on the redox potential, E_H. We carried out microcosm experiments in which ferrocyanide (20 mg l^?1) was added to an uncontaminated moderately acidic subsoil (pH 5.2), and varied the E_H of the soil suspension between 200 and 700 mV over up to 109 days. Ferrocyanide and ferricyanide were analysed by capillary isotachophoresis. At redox potentials ranging from 400 to 700 mV, small amounts of iron‐cyanide complexes were adsorbed, and ferrocyanide was almost completely oxidized to ferricyanide. Decreasing E_H to 200 mV led to nearly complete removal of iron‐cyanide complexes from solution, and the complexes were not mobilized after subsequent aeration (E_H > 350 mV). Under weakly to moderately reducing conditions (E_H ≈ 200 mV), iron‐cyanide complexes were removed from solution by precipitation, which occurred, presumably in the form of e.g. Fe₂[Fe^II(CN)₆], Fe₄[Fe^II(CN)₆]₃ or Mn₂[Fe^II(CN)₆], after reductive dissolution of Mn and Fe oxides. Four different sets of geochemical model calculations were carried out. The species distribution between ferrocyanide and ferricyanide in solution was predicted reliably under varying pH and redox conditions when iron‐cyanide complex concentrations and Fe concentrations, excluding Fe bound in iron‐cyanide complexes, were used in model calculations. In model calculations on the fate of iron‐cyanide complexes in soil, adsorption reactions must be considered, especially under oxidizing conditions. Otherwise, the calculated iron‐cyanide complex concentrations are larger than those actually measured.     

Quantifying surface and subsurface cast production by earthworms under controlled laboratory conditions

Earthworm casts, formed when organic substrates and soil minerals pass through the digestive tract, may protect soil organic matter from biological degradation if they persist in the soil. Yet, the stability of casts is affected by their location in the soil profile because surface casts are exposed to more disruptive forces (wetting-drying, freezing-thawing) than subsurface casts. It is not known whether environmental conditions affect the proportions of surface and subsurface casts produced by earthworms. This study investigated how surface and subsurface cast production by juveniles of Aporrectodea spp. and Lumbricus spp. was affected by temperature. Two juveniles of Aporrectodea spp. or Lumbricus spp. were added to plexiglass chambers filled with soil, and five replicate chambers were incubated in the dark at 5°C, 10°C, 15°C or 20°C for 1 week. Most of the casts produced by Aporrectodea spp. and Lumbricus spp. were surface casts, with <10% of casts deposited below the soil surface. The earthworms studied produced more casts, and a greater proportion of surface casts, as the soil temperature increased. These results can be used to estimate the quantity of surface and subsurface casts produced by earthworm populations under field conditions and determine the susceptibility of cast-associated organic matter to decomposition in the medium- to long-term.     

Bioaugmentation and biostimulation effects on PAH dissipation and soil ecotoxicity under controlled conditions

The degradation of spiked anthracene (ANT), pyrene (PYR) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in soil (3000 mg ∑ 3 PAHs kg⁻¹ dry soil) was studied in aerobically incubated microcosms for 120 d. The applied treatments aimed at enhancing PAH removal from the heavily contaminated soils are: (i) bioaugmentation by adding aged PAH-contaminated soil (ACS) containing activated indigenous degraders; and (ii) combined bioaugmentation/biostimulation by incorporating sewage sludge compost (SSC) and decaying rice straw (DRS). The adopted treatments produced higher PAH dissipation rates than those observed in unamended PAH-spiked soils, especially for ANT and PYR in the presence of DRS or ACS (>96%). However, B[a]P was the most recalcitrant hydrocarbon to biodegradation. Extracellular enzyme investigation revealed the existence of ligninolytic activities in all soil treatments, including control but no relationship could be found with PAH dissipation. The ecotoxicological assessment indicated that regardless of applied treatment, PAH-spiked soils were chronically lethal to ostracod Heterocypris incongruens and confirmed the sensitivity of the microcrustacean to the concomitant presence of these three hydrocarbons. Lettuce root elongation inhibition was correlated with PAH level but the presence of SSC conferred a strong phytotoxic capacity to PAH-spiked soils. DRS amendment may constitute a cost-effective alternative for hydrocarbon bioremediation as it has impacted positively on soil microbial activity and enhanced PAH removal with no apparent changes in soil physico-chemical properties.     

Nitrous oxide emission from animal manures applied to soil under controlled conditions

Animal manures may differ strongly in composition and as a result may differ in the emission of N₂O following application to soil. An incubation study was carried out to assess the effects of type of mineral N fertilizer and manure, application technique and application rate on N₂O emission from a sandy soil with low organic matter content. Fluxes of N₂O were measured 30 times over a 98-day period. The total N₂O emission from mineral N fertilizer ranged from 2.1 to 4.0% of the N applied. High emissions were associated with manures with high contents of inorganic N, easily mineralizable N and easily mineralizable C, such as liquid pig manure (7.3-13.9% of the N applied). The emission from cattle slurries ranged from 1.8 to 3.0% and that of poultry manures from 0.5 to 1.9%. The total N₂O emission during the experimental period tended to increase linearly with increasing N application rate of NH₄NO₃ and liquid pig manure. The N₂O emission from surface-applied NH₄NO₃ was significantly smaller than that following the incorporation of NH₄NO₃ in the soil. The N₂O emission from pig manure placed in a row at 5 cm depth was significantly higher than from surface-application and other techniques in which manure was incorporated in the soil. The results show that modification of the composition and application technique may be tools to mitigate emission of N₂O.     

Isolating the effect of soil properties on agricultural soil greenhouse gas emissions under controlled conditions

Agricultural soils are important sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Soil properties and environmental factors have complex interactions which influence the dynamics of these GHG fluxes. Four arable and five grassland soils which represent the range of soil textures and climatic conditions of the main agricultural areas in the UK were incubated at two different moisture contents (50 or 80% water holding capacity) and with or without inorganic fertiliser application (70 kg N ha⁻¹ ammonium nitrate) over 22 days. Emissions of N₂O, CO₂ and CH₄ were measured twice per week by headspace gas sampling, and cumulative fluxes were calculated. Multiple regression modelling was carried out to determine which factors (soil mineral N, organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, C:N ratios, clay contents and pH) that best explained the variation in GHG fluxes. Clay, mineral N and soil C contents were found to be the most important explanatory variables controlling GHG fluxes in this study. However, none of the measured variables explained a significant amount of variation in CO₂ fluxes from the arable soils. The results were generally consistent with previously published work. However, N₂O emissions from the two Scottish soils were substantially more sensitive to inorganic N fertiliser application at 80% water holding capacity than the other soils, with the N₂O emissions being up to 107 times higher than the other studied soils.     

Straw management and tillage effects on soil water storage under field conditions

Abstract. A two year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of straw management and tillage on the soil profile (1.5m) water storage, nature of the moisture profile, infiltration and sorptivity as influenced by rainfall, evaporativity (E₀) and soil texture. The straw mulch treatment stored more moisture under low E₀ rainy conditions in three coarse to medium textured soils. Straw incorporation treatment was better under low E₀ rain free conditions, as well as under high E₀ rainy conditions in the two coarser textured soils. In the coarsest textured soil, tillage and straw mulching were not effective in maintaining greater soil water storage under high E₀ because of the very open nature of the soil. The soil moisture profiles showed a sharper increase in water content below the tilled layer in the tillage and straw- incorporation treatments than the untreated and straw mulch treatments. Tillage and straw incorporation treatments increased the sorptivity of the soil compared with untreated and straw mulch treatments respectively. The results of this study suggest that when selecting a suitable soil water conservation practice to increase water storage in the soil profile, information on soil texture and weather (rain and evaporativity) must be considered.     

不同氧化还原条件下土壤性质对非石灰性土壤中锌溶解动力学的影响

Zinc(Zn) deficiency in paddy soils is often a problem for rice production.Flooding can decrease metal availability in some noncalcareous soils through different mechanisms associated with soil redox status.Laboratory experiments were performed in order to better understand the processes that governed the dynamics of Zn in non-calcareous paddy soils at varying redox potentials(Eh).Airdried non-calcareous soil samples collected from four different paddy field sites in the Philippines were submerged and incubated in a reaction cell with continuous stirring and nitrogen purging for 4 weeks,and then purged with compressed air for another week to reoxidize the system.The Eh of the four soils started at 120 to 300 mV,decreased to —220 to —300 mV after 100 to 250 h of reduction,and was maintained at this low plateau for about 2 weeks before increasing again upon reoxidation.Zinc solubility showed contrasting patterns in the four soils,with two of the soils showing a decrease in soluble Zn as the Eh became low,probably due to zinc sulfide(ZnS) precipitation.In contrast,the other two soils showed that Zn solubility was maintained during the reduced phase which could be due to the competition with iron(Fe) for precipitation with sulfide.Differences in the relative amounts of S,Fe,and manganese(Mn) oxides in the four soils apparently influenced the pattern of Zn solubility after flooding.     

Temperature-dependent oxide removal from manganese- and iron oxide-coated soil redox bars

Purpose

Soil temperature is a fundamental parameter affecting not only microbial activity but also manganese (Mn^III,IV) and iron (Fe^III) oxide reduction rates. The relationship between Mn^III,IV oxide removal from oxide-coated redox bars is missing at present. This study investigated the effect of variable soil temperatures on oxide removal by Mn^III,IV and Fe^III oxide-coated redox bars in water-saturated soil columns in the laboratory.

Materials and methods

The Mn coatings contained the mineral birnessite, whereas the Fe coatings contained a mixture of ferrihydrite and goethite. Additionally, platinum (Pt) electrodes designed to measure the redox potential (E_H) were installed in the soil columns, which were filled with either a humic topsoil with an organic carbon (C_org) content of 85 g kg^?1 (pH 5.8) or a subsoil containing 2 g C_org kg^?1 (pH 7.5). Experiments were performed at 5, 15, and 25 °C.

Results and discussion

Although elevated soil temperatures accelerated the decrease in E_H after water saturation in the topsoil, no E_H decreases regardless of soil temperature occurred in the subsoil. Besides soil temperature, the importance of soil organic matter as an electron donor is highlighted in this case. Complete removal of the Mn^III,IV oxide coating was observed after 28, 14, and 7 days in the soil columns filled with topsoil at 5, 15, and 25 °C, respectively. Along the Fe redox bars, Fe^III reducing conditions first appeared at 15 °C and oxide removal was enhanced at 25 °C because of lower E_H, with the preferential dissolution of ferrihydrite over goethite as revealed by visual differences in the Fe^III oxide coating. Oxide removal along redox bars followed the thermodynamics of the applied minerals in the order birnessite > ferrihydrite > goethite.

Conclusions

In line with Van’t Hoff’s rule, turnover rates of Mn^III,IV and Fe^III oxide reduction increased as a result of increased soil temperatures. Taking into account the stability lines of the designated minerals, E_H-pH conditions were in accordance with oxide removal. Soil temperature must therefore be considered a master variable when evaluating the oxide removal of redox bars employed for the monitoring of soil redox status.

     

Nitrogen fixation by Azospirillium brasilense in soil and the rhizosphere under controlled environmental conditions

Summary Acetylene reduction activity by Azospirillum brasilense, either free-living in soils or associated with wheat roots, was determined in a sterilised root environment at controlled levels of O₂ tension and with different concentrations of mineral N. In an unplanted, inoculated soil nitrogenase activity remained low, at approximately 40 nmol C₂H₄ h^-1 per 2kg fresh soil, increasing to 300 nmol C₂H₄ h^-1 when malic acid was added as a C source via a dialyse tubing system. The N₂ fixation by A. brasilense in the rhizosphere of an actively growing plant was much less sensitive to the repressing influence of free O₂ than the free-living bacteria were. An optimum nitrogenase activity was observed at 10 kPa O₂, with a relatively high level of activity remaining even at an O₂ concentration of 20 kPa. Both NO _inf3 ^sup- and NH _inf4 ^sup+ repressed nitrogenase activity, which was less pronounced in the presence than in the absence of plants. The highest survival rates of inoculated A. brasilense and the highest rates of acetylene reduction were found in plants treated with azospirilli immediately after seedling emergence. Plants inoculated at a later stage of growth showed a lower bacterial density in the rhizosphere and, as a consequence, a lower N₂-fixing potential. Subsequent inoculations with A. brasilense during plant development did not increase root colonisation and did not stimulate the associated acetylene reduction. By using the ¹⁵N dilution method, the affect of inoculation with A. brasilense in terms of plant N was calculated as 0.067 mg N₂ fixed per plant, i.e., 3.3% of the N in the root and 1.6% in the plant shoot were of atmospheric origin. This ¹⁵N dilution was comparable to that seen in plants inoculated with non-N₂-fixing Psudomonas fluorescens.