污染区千金子和酢浆草根际土壤中PAHs结合态残留的梯度分布

采集某污染区千金子(Euphorbia lathyris L.)和酢浆草(Oxalis corniculata L.)的离根表0~3、3~6、6~9 mm的根际土壤,分析了多环芳烃(PAHs)结合态残留中母体化合物(Parent compound of bound residue,PCBR)在根际土壤中的含量及梯度分布规律。供试土壤类型为黄棕壤。结果表明,在非根际和根际土壤中均可检出10种PAHs的PCBR,非根际土壤中PCBR总含量为3.31 mg kg-1,高于根际土壤(1.07~1.82mg kg-1)。根际土壤中PAHs的PCBR含量随离根表距离(0~9 mm)的增加而增大。可用根际效应(R)来衡量根际土壤中PAHs的PCBR含量与非根际土壤相比减少的比例;R值随离根表距离(0~9 mm)的增加而变小。3个连续根际区中,PAHs总PCBR的R值为45.15%~67.66%,其中2环PAH的R值最大(61.18%~93.50%),4环和5环PAHs的R值最小(2.39%~6.31%),低环PAHs的PCBR在根际土壤中更易转化。PAHs的PCBR在千金子根际土壤中R值大于酢浆草,表明前者有更利于PAHs结合态残留转化的根际环境。PAHs结合态残留的根际梯度分布与根系分泌物的梯度分布关系密切,而PAHs种类、植物根际环境对PAHs结合态残留的分布影响显著。     

Evaluation of toxicity risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in crops rhizosphere of contaminated field with sequential extraction

Purpose

The assessing bias of rhizosphere effect on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation in soils would come out from formation of nonextractable PAHs and extractability difference of various solvents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of rhizosphere effect in long-term PAHs polluted soils by using sequential extraction approach.

Material and methods

The scheme of sequential extraction included methanol/water extractable PAHs, butanol extractable PAHs, DCM extractable PAHs, humic acid-bound PAHs, crude humin-bound PAHs, and organic-C enriched humin-bound PAHs. PAHs in plant tissues were extracted by dichloromethane after saponifying. The correlations between PAHs in plant tissues and sequentially extracted fractions were generated by partial least squares regression.

Results and discussion

The profiles of sequentially extracted PAHs varied with plant species. The discrepancy of toxicity equivalency concentrations between rhizosphere and bulk soils was much more significant than that of total PAHs concentrations. In partial least squares regression models, the concentration of PAHs in plant tissues was correlated with fractions strongly associated with soil.

Conclusions

The novelty of this study is the evaluation of concentration and toxicity equivalency concentration of PAHs in rhizosphere of crops sampled in a field polluted with PAHs for long term. This study has highlighted more significant role of rhizosphere in cleanup of cancerogenic toxicity of soil than amount of PAHs in polluted soils.     

Pig manure vermicompost (PMVC) can improve phytoremediation of Cd and PAHs co-contaminated soil by Sedum alfredii

Purpose

A major challenge to phytoremediation of co-contaminated soils is developing strategies for efficient and simultaneous removal of multiple pollutants. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the potential for enhanced phytoextraction of cadmium (Cd) by Sedum alfredii and dissipation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in co-contaminated soil by application of pig manure vermicompost (PMVC).

Materials and methods

Soil contaminated by Cd (5.53?mg?kg^?1 DW) was spiked with phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene together (250?mg?kg^?1 DW for each PAH). A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with four treatments: (1) soil without plants and PMVC (Control), (2) soil planted with S. alfredii (Plant), (3) soil amended with PMVC at 5?% (w/w) (PMVC), and (4) treatment 2?+?3 (Plant?+?PMVC). After 90?days, shoot and root biomass of plants, Cd concentrations in plant and soil, and PAH concentrations in soil were determined. Abundance of PAH degraders in soil, soil bacterial community structure and diversity, and soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass carbon were measured.

Results and discussion

Application of PMVC to co-contaminated soil increased the shoot and root dry biomass of S. alfredii by 2.27- and 3.93-fold, respectively, and simultaneously increased Cd phytoextraction without inhibiting soil microbial population and enzyme activities. The highest dissipation rate of PAHs was observed in Plant?+?PMVC treatment. However, neither S. alfredii nor PMVC enhanced PAH dissipation when applied separately. Abundance of PAH degraders in soil was not significantly related to PAH dissipation rate. Plant?+?PMVC treatment significantly influenced the bacterial community structure. Enhanced PAH dissipation in the Plant?+?PMVC treatment could be due to the improvement of plant root growth, which may result in increased root exudates, and subsequently change bacterial community structure to be favorable for PAH dissipation.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that remediation of Cd and PAHs co-contaminated soil by S. alfredii can be enhanced by simultaneous application of PMVC. Long-term evaluation of this strategy in co-contaminated field sites is needed.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rural soils of Dongjiang River Basin: occurrence,source apportionment,and potential human health risk

Purpose

A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Dongjiang River Basin (DRB) soils and to evaluate their sources and ecological and health risk. In addition, factors affecting the distribution and fate of PAHs in the soils such as emission density, soil organic matter, degradation, etc. were studied.

Materials and methods

Surface soil (0–20 cm) samples from 30 sampling sites in the rural areas of DRB were collected and analyzed for 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (16 EPA priority PAHs and perylene). Positive matrix factorization model was used to investigate the source apportionment of these PAHs, and an incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was used to estimate the integrated lifetime risks of exposure to soil-borne PAHs through direct ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation collectively.

Results and discussion

The total PAH concentrations in the rural soils in DRB range from 23.5 to 231 μg/kg with a mean concentration of 116 μg/kg. The predominant PAHs in the rural soils were naphthalene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and benzo(b)fluoranthene. Cluster analysis was performed to classify the soil PAHs into three clusters, which could be indicative of the soil PAHs with different origins and different properties. Source apportionment results showed that coal, biomass, oil, commercial creosotes, and vehicle contributed 24 %, 24 %, 17 %, 17 %, and 18 % of the total soil PAH burden, respectively. The ILCR results indicated that exposure to these soil-borne PAHs through direct ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation collectively produces some risk.

Conclusions

PAHs in the soils of the DRB will produce long-term influences on rivers and oceans via soil erosion and river transport. Therefore, PAHs in rural soils of DRB have potential impacts on the water supply and human health risk.     

Enhanced bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil by immobilized bacteria with plant residue and biochar as carriers

Purpose

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are largely accumulated in soils in China. The immobilized-microorganism technique (IMT) is a potential approach for abating soil contamination with PAHs. However, few studies about the application of IMT to contaminated soil remediation were reported. Due to recalcitrance to decomposition, biochar application to soil may enhance soil carbon sequestration, but few studies on the application of biochars to remediation of contaminated soil were reported. In this study, we illustrated enhanced bioremediation of soil having a long history of PAH contamination by IMT using plant residues and biochars as carriers.

Materials and methods

Two PAH-degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas putida and an unidentified indigenous bacterium, were selected for IMT. The extractability and biodegradation of 15 PAHs in solution and an actual PAH-contaminated soil amended with immobilized-bacteria materials were investigated under different incubation periods. The effects of carriers and the molecular weight of PAHs on bioremediation efficiency were determined to illustrate their different bio-dissipation mechanisms of PAHs in soil.

Results and discussion

The IMT can considerably enhance the removal of PAHs. Carriers impose different effects on PAH bio-dissipation by amended soil with immobilized-bacteria, which can directly degrade the carrier-associated PAHs. The removal of PAHs from soil depended on PAH molecular weight and carrier types. Enhanced bio-dissipation by IMT was much stronger for 4- and 5-ring PAHs than for 3- and 6-ring ones in soil. Only P400 biochar-immobilized bacteria enhanced bio-dissipation of all PAHs in contaminated soil after a 90-day incubation.

Conclusions

Biochar can promote bioremediation of contaminated soil as microbial carriers of IMT. It is vital to select an appropriate biochar as an immobilized carrier to stimulate biodegradation. It is feasible to use adsorption carriers with high sorptive capabilities to concentrate PAHs as well as microorganisms and thereby enhance dissipation of PAHs and mitigate soil pollution.     

Influence of mixtures of acenaphthylene and benzo[a]anthracene on their degradation by Pleurotus ostreatus in sandy soil

Purpose

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic compounds commonly found as soil contaminants. Fungal degradation is considered as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to remove PAHs from soil. Acenaphthylene (Ace) and Benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) are two PAHs that can coexist in soils; however, the influence of the presence of each other on their biodegradation has not been studied. The biodegradation of Ace and BaA, alone and in mixtures, by the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus was studied in a sandy soil.

Materials and methods

Experimental microcosms containing soil spiked with different concentrations of Ace and BaA were inoculated with P. ostreatus. Initial (t ₀) and final (after 15 days of incubation) soil concentrations of Ace and BaA were determined after extraction of the PAHs.

Results and discussion

P. ostreatus was able to degrade 57.7% of the Ace in soil spiked at 30 mg kg^?1 dry soil and 65.8% of Ace in soil spiked at 60 mg kg^?1 dry soil. The degradation efficiency of BaA by P. ostreatus was 86.7 and 77.4% in soil spiked with Ace at 30 and 60 mg kg^?1 dry soil, respectively. After 15 days of incubation, there were no significant differences in Ace concentration between soil spiked with Ace and soil spiked with Ace + BaA, irrespective of the initial soil concentration of both PAHs. There were also no differences in BaA concentration between soil spiked with BaA and soil spiked with BaA + Ace.

Conclusions

The results indicate that the fungal degradation of Ace and BaA was not influenced by the presence of each other’s PAH in sandy soil. Bioremediation of soils contaminated with Ace and BaA using P. ostreatus is a promising approach to eliminate these PAHs from the environment.     

Effect of soil pollution with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the properties of humic acids

Purpose

Interestingly, soil is the component of the natural environment in which most hydrophobic organic pollution including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) gets accumulated. The aim of the present paper was to determine the effect of soil pollution with PAHs on the elemental composition, spectral properties, and hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of humic acids. The research was performed on different types of soil samples that were artificially polluted with selected PAHs (anthracene, pyrene, fluorene and chrysene).

Materials and methods

The soil samples were polluted with selected PAHs in an amount corresponding to 10 mg PAHs kg^?1. The PAHs-polluted soil samples were incubated for 180 and 360 days at a temperature of 20–25 °C and fixed moisture (50 % of field water capacity). Humic acids (HAs) were extracted from the soil samples prior to the incubation (additionally, soils not polluted with PAHs) and after 180 and 360 days of incubation. For isolated HAs, the following analyses were performed: elemental composition, UV–Vis and IR spectra, susceptibility to oxidation, and hydrophilic (HIL) and hydrophobic (HOB) properties were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results and discussion

The research demonstrated that introducing anthracene, fluorene, pyrene and chrysene to soil samples resulted in a change in some of the quality parameters of humic acids. However, the intensity and the direction of those changes were determined by soil properties. The changes of the parameters, once PAHs were introduced, that did not depend on the soil properties were ΔA _665u and ΔA _465u (susceptibility to oxidation at wavelengths of 465 and 665 nm) as well as HIL/ΣHOB. The same tendency in changes in the structure of humic acids, once PAHs were introduced, was also observed based on the Fourier transform infrared spectra pattern.

Conclusions

A single pollution of soils with PAHs that leads to changes in the quality parameters of humic acids shows that, as for the soils permanently exposed to pollution with those compounds, significant changes can occur in the properties of humic acids. As a result, it can lead to a change in the functions played by humic acids in the environment.     

The effect of concentrations and properties of phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene on desorption in contaminated soil aged for 1 year

Purpose

The choice and timing of microorganisms added to soils for bioremediation is affected by the dominant bioavailable contaminants in the soil. However, changes to the concentration of bioavailable PAHs in soil are not clear, especially when several PAHs coexist. This study investigated the effects of PAH concentration and chemical properties on desorption in meadow brown soil after a 1-year aging period, which could reflect changes of PAH bioavailability during bioremediation.

Materials and methods

Based on the percentage of different molecular weights in a field investigation, high-level contaminated soil (HCS) and low-level contaminated soil (LCS) were prepared by adding phenanthrene (PHE), pyrene (PYR) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) to uncontaminated meadow brown soil. The concentrations of HCS and LCS were 250 mg?kg^?1 (PHE, PYR, and BaP: 100, 100, and 50 mg?kg^?1) and 50 mg?kg^?1 (PHE, PYR, and BaP: 20, 20, and 10 mg?kg^?1) respectively. The soils were aged for 1 year, after which desorption was induced by means of a XAD-2 adsorption technique over a 96-h period.

Results and discussion

The range of the rapidly desorbing fraction (F _rap) for PHE, PYR, and BaP in HCS and LCS was from 1.9 to 27.8 %. In HCS, desorption of PYR was most difficult, and the rate constant of very slow desorption (K _vs) of PYR was 8 orders of magnitude lower than that of BaP, which had similar very slow desorbing fractions (49.8 and 50.5 %, respectively). However, in LCS, desorption of PYR was the easiest; the K_vs of PYR was 8–10 orders of magnitude higher than those of PHE and BaP. In HCS, the time scale for release of 50 % of the PAHs was ranked as BaP?>?PYR?>?PHE, while in LCS this was BaP?>?PHE?>?PYR.

Conclusions

The combined effect of PAH concentrations and properties should be taken into account during desorption. The desorption of PAH did not always decrease with increasing molecular weight, and the desorption of four-ring PAHs might be special. These results are useful for screening biodegrading microbes and determining when they should be added to soils based on the dominant contaminants present during different periods, thus improving the efficiency of soil bioremediation.     

Effects of pH and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution on thaumarchaeotal community in agricultural soils

Purpose

Thaumarchaeota is an ecologically relevant archaeal phylum which may significantly contribute to global nitrogen cycling. Thaumarchaeotal abundance, composition, and activity can be changed by soil pH and pollutants such as toxic metals. This study aims to examine the responses of thaumarchaeotal community to soil pH variation and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution which may co-occur in agricultural soils.

Materials and methods

Field soil samples were collected from agricultural land impacted by both acidification and PAH contamination. Thaumarchaeotal abundance and composition were assessed using molecular approaches targeting 16S rRNA or amoA genes and were linked to environmental factors by correlation and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). To evaluate the short-term responses of Thaumarchaeota to PAHs, additional soil microcosms amended with either three selected PAHs were established. Changes in thaumarchaeotal communities during the incubation were monitored.

Results and discussion

A significant correlation between thaumarchaeotal gene abundance and soil pH was observed within field samples, with the I.1a-associated group enriched when pH <5.0. CCA suggests that the community variation was primarily related to soil pH. In contrast, the effects of PAHs were minimal. In soil microcosms, high concentrations of PAHs persisted after the 4-week incubation. Independent of the PAHs added, thaumarchaeotal amoA abundance slightly increased and the compositions were stable at the end of the incubation. This might be associated with the pollutants bioavailability and potential microbe-PAH interactions in the soil.

Conclusions

Soil pH variation strongly shapes the agricultural soil thaumarchaeotal community, whereas PAH effects appear to be marginal even in the presence of high concentrations of pollutants. The complicated interaction between soil matrix, pollutants, and Thaumarchaeota requires further study.

     

Rhizosphere effect has no effect on marker genes related to autotrophic CO2 fixation in paddy soils?

Purpose

The rhizosphere is a hotspot for microbial activities as well as microbial ecology studies. This study aimed to explore the “rhizosphere effect” on marker genes of CO₂ fixation autotrophic microorganisms.

Materials and methods

Microcosm experiments were conducted using two different types of paddy soil, planted with rice and added with urea. At tillering and ripening stages, bulk and rhizosphere soils were sampled separately for DNA extraction and quantitative PCR analyses.

Results and discussion

Six marker genes (cbbLG, cbbLR, cbbM, aclB, oorA, accA) of three autotrophic pathways (the Calvin cycle, the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the 4-hydroxybutyrate cycle) were detected, suggesting their pervasiveness in paddy soil. Redundancy analysis and variation partitioning based on partial redundancy analysis revealed higher contributions of growth stage (explaining 37 %) and soil type (explaining 19 %) on the variation of these genes, lower but significant impact of rhizosphere effect (explaining 12 %), and no significant effect of urea addition (P?>?0.05).

Conclusions

These results suggested that the composition of CO₂ fixation autotrophic microorganisms in the paddy soil was subject to combined actions of soil type and growth stage as well as rhizosphere effect.     

Influence of plant species and phosphorus amendments on metal speciation and bioavailability in a smelter impacted soil: a case study of food-chain contamination

Purpose

The present research aimed to assess the influence of two phosphorous (P) amendments on metal speciation in rhizosphere soil and the soil–plant transfer of metals.

Materials and methods

Complementary experiments were performed: field experiments on a contaminated cultivated soil and laboratory experiments on an uncultivated contaminated soil to highlight the mechanisms involved in metal-phosphorous interactions. In laboratory experiment, P amendments were added at 120 mg P/kg of soluble KH₂PO₄ amendment and 9,000 mg P/kg of solid Ca₅(PO₄)₃OH amendment.

Results and discussion

Field-culture results showed the possible food-chain contamination due to Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn phytoaccumulation by pea and mustard plants from a cultivated agricultural soil. Moreover, P-metal complexes were observed by microscopy in the rhizosphere soil. In laboratory experiments, the application of P amendments significantly increased Pb and Zn level in rhizosphere soil compared to control. Phosphate amendments significantly increased metal-P fraction and decreased “oxides” and “organic matter” fractions of Pb and Zn. Soluble-P amendment was more effective than solid P amendment in changing Pb and Zn speciation. The changes in metal speciation are higher in the rhizosphere soil of pea than tomato. Application of P amendments increased Pb and Zn TF root/soil but decreased TF shoot/root.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of in situ metal immobilization technique varies with the type and quantity of applied P amendment as well as plant and metal type.     

Impact of Al and Fe on the development of phenanthrene catabolism in soil

Purpose

Heavy metals often occur as co-contaminants with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and reportedly have adverse effects on biodegradation. In this study, the development of ¹⁴C-phenanthrene mineralisation in soil co-contaminated with aged or freshly added Al or Fe amendment was assessed.

Materials and methods

¹⁴C-phenanthrene mineralisation was assessed using respirometry; respirometers incorporated a Teflon-lined screw-capped CO₂ trap containing 1-M NaOH within a glass scintillation vial. The production of ¹⁴CO₂ was assessed by the addition of Ultima Gold liquid scintillation fluid to the CO₂ traps and subsequent liquid scintillation counting. Enumeration of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria was achieved by counting the colony forming unit count using the spread plate method.

Results and discussion

This investigation considered the effects of Al and Fe (50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) on ¹⁴C-phenanthrene biodegradation in soil over 63-day contact time. Fresh Al amendments at lower concentrations (50 and 100 mg/kg) stimulated phenanthrene catabolism (p <0.05) at t?=?21 and 42 days which may reflect an ‘Arndt–Schulz’ effect, but phenanthrene catabolism was significantly reduced (p <0.05) in 500 mg/kg aged Al this could be due to Al toxicity to phenanthrene degraders. Phenanthrene mineralisation was stimulated in the highest Fe concentration (500 mg/kg) in aged and fresh Fe amendments at t?=?21 days. This could be because Fe is an essential requirement for microbial growth.

Conclusions

The impact of Al or Fe on the catabolism of ¹⁴C-phenanthrene was dependent on incubation time and Al was more toxic than Fe to soil PAH catabolic activity. This could be because Al is a non-essential microbial requirement. Bioremediation of soils co-contaminated with PAH and heavy metal is a complex problem; therefore, studies on the impact of metals on PAHs biodegradation highlight the risks and biodegradation potential in contaminated soil.     

Effects of tillage technologies and application of biopreparations on micromycetes in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of spring wheat

The population density and structure of complexes of soil microscopic fungi in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), plant damage by root rot and leaf diseases, and crop yield were determined in a stationary field experiment on a silty loamy soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Retisol (Loamic, Aric)) in dependence on the soil tillage technique: (a) moldboard plowing to 20–22 cm and (b) non-inversive tillage to 14–16 cm. The results were treated with the two-way ANOVA method. It was shown that the number of fungal propagules in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of plants in the variant with non-inversive tillage was significantly smaller than that in the variant with plowing. Minimization of the impact on the soil during five years led to insignificant changes in the structure of micromycete complexes in the rhizosphere of wheat. The damage of the plants with root rot and leaf diseases upon non-inversive tillage did not increase in comparison with that upon plowing. Wheat yield in the variant with non-inversive tillage was insignificantly lower than that in the variant with moldboard plowing. The application of biopreparations based on the Streptomyces hygroscopicus А4 and Pseudomonas aureofaciens BS 1393 resulted in a significant decrease of plant damage with leaf rust.     

Can root exudate components influence the availability of pyrene in soil?

Purpose

Little information is currently available regarding the influence of different root exudate components (RECs) on the availability of persistent organic pollutants in the soil environment. In this study, we investigated the impacts of different RECs including organic acids, amino acids, and fructose on the availability of pyrene as a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in soils.

Materials and methods

Citric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, serine, alanine, and fructose were used in the experiments as representative RECs. Pyrene-spiked soils (TypicPaleudalfs) with present RECs were incubated for 30 days, and the available fraction of pyrene was determined using n-butanol extraction procedure.

Results and discussion

The amount of n-butanol-extractable pyrene in soil increased with the addition of tested RECs and increased when REC concentrations are enhanced within the range of 0–21 g kg^?1. The extractability of pyrene in soil with REC treatments and the enhancement ratio (r, %) of the extractable pyrene in soil by the addition of RECs after a 30-day incubation decreased in the following order: organic acids (oxalic acid ≥ citric acid > malic acid) > amino acid (alanine > serine) > fructose. This decrease was observed irrespective of soil sterilization, although the concentrations of extractable pyrene were lower in non-sterilized soils compared to sterilized soils. The concentrations of metal cations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in solution increased when organic acids were added.

Conclusions

The tested RECs at concentrations of 0–21 g kg^?1 clearly enhanced the availability of pyrene in soils, and larger amounts of RECs resulted in higher pyrene availabilities in the tested soils. Microbial biodegradation diminished the amount of available pyrene irrespective of the presence of RECs. The mechanism of REC-influenced availability of pyrene in soil may be related to the metal dissolution and release of DOM from soil solids. The results of this study will be useful in assessing PAH-related risks to human health and the environment and will be instructive in food safety and remediation strategies at contaminated sites.     

Effect of SDBS–Tween 80 mixed surfactants on the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil–water system

Purpose

Enhancing desorption of hydrophobic organic contaminants from soils is a promising approach for the effective remediation of soils contaminated with organic compounds. The desorption efficiency of chemical reagent, such as surfactant, should be evaluated. In this study, the effect of mixed anionic–nonionic surfactants sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS)–Tween 80 on the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil–water system was evaluated.

Materials and methods

Batch desorption experiments were employed to evaluate the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and surfactants in soil–water system. PAHs and SDBS were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, Tween 80 by spectrophotometry, and total organic carbon with a carbon analyzer.

Results and discussion

Sorption of PAHs to soil was increased at low surfactant concentration due to the effective partition phase on soil formed by sorbed surfactants. The mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants decreased the sorption of surfactants to soil, increasing the effective surfactant concentration in solution and thus decreasing the sorption of PAHs on soil. Anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant showed better performance on desorption of PAHs from soil than single surfactant. The greatest desorption efficiency was achieved with low proportions of SDBS (SDBS/Tween80?=?1:9).

Conclusions

SDBS–Tween 80 mixed surfactant showed the highest desorption rate with low proportion of SDBS, which indicated that the addition of relative low amount of anionic surfactant could significantly promote the desorption efficiency of PAHs by nonionic surfactants. Results obtained from this study did provide useful information in surfactant-enhanced remediation of soil and subsurface contaminated by hydrophobic organic compounds.     

Environmental behaviors of phenolic acids dominated their rhizodeposition in boreal poplar plantation forest soils

Purpose

The deposition of phenolic acids in soils is of ecological and environmental importance for growth of trees and nutrient cycling of soil. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between environmental behaviors of phenolic acids and their rhizodeposition in forest soils. The results could provide more information regarding the ecological process of root exudates at the plant-soil interface.

Materials and methods

The amounts of four types of phenolic acids (i.e., p-hydroxybenzoic acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, and vanillin acid) in the rhizosphere and bulk soils of two plantation forests were measured and compared using HPLC (Thermo Electron Corp., USA). The root exudates of poplar saplings under three nutrient conditions (normal (CK), nitrogen stress (low-N), and phosphorus stress (low-P)) were collected via adsorption resins (Amberlite XAD-16, USA). The phenolic acids in root exudates were then quantified by external standards. The adsorption and degradation dynamics of the phenolic acids in soils were monitored by exogenous application in the lab. Several models were employed to reveal the environmental behavior properties of phenolic acids after they entered into soils. Meanwhile, the enumeration of the culturable bacteria and fungi was conducted using soil dilution plate method to measure the abundance variation of the microbial community along with the degradation of the phenolic acids.

Results and discussion

More phenolic acids deposited in the rhizosphere soils than in the bulk soils of the poplar plantations. The difference was significant (p?<?0.05). Under normal nutrient conditions, poplar roots could secrete phenolic acids. However, in low-N and low-P conditions, poplar roots would significantly increase the secretion (p?<?0.05). Phenolic acids were quickly adsorbed by the soil within 24 h. These four phenolic acids showed varied adsorption capacities by soil, but they are generally more than 1500 μg g soil^?1. Phenolic acids were degraded over time with half-lives around 1.29–4.24 days. Among them, p-hydroxybenzoic acid showed the highest secretion capability and the longest persistence, indicating that p-hydroxybenzoic acid had higher deposition potential in soils. Environmental behaviors should be responsible for the rhizodepostion of phenolic acids in poplar plantations.

Conclusions

Roots could release a certain amount of phenolic acids into the rhizosphere soil, especially under nutrient stress. Phenolic acids could be easily adsorbed onto soil colloids. However, the degradation amount of phenolic acids was positively related with the abundance of the fungi community. Thus, the rhizodeposited phenolic acids were the trade-off between those produced by root exudation and those consumed by microbial degradation.

     

Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to soils enhanced by heavy metals: perspective of molecular interactions

Purpose

Combined pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals are commonly found in industrial soils. This study aims to investigate the effect of the coexistence of heavy metals on the sorption of PAHs to soils. We focused specifically on the relationship of the sorption capacity with the estimation of the binding energy between PAHs and heavy metals.

Materials and methods

The sorption of typical PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) to soils coexisting with heavy metals (Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cr(III)) was characterized in batch sorption experiments. The binding energy between PAHs and heavy metals in aqueous solution was estimated by quantum mechanical (QM) method using density functional theory (DFT) at the M06-2x/def2svp level of theory.

Results and discussion

Sorption capacity and nonlinearity of the PAHs to the soils were enhanced by the coexisting heavy metals. The extent of increment was positively associated with the hydrophobicity of the PAHs and the electronegativity and radius of the metal cations: Cr(III)?>?Pb(II)?>?Cu(II). The cation-π interaction was revealed as an important noncovalent binding force. There was a high correlation between the binding energies of the PAHs and K _f ′ (K _f adjusted after normalizing the equilibrium concentration (C _e) by the aqueous solubility (C _s)) (R ²?>?0.906), indicating the significant role of the cation-π interactions to the improved PAH sorption to soils.

Conclusions

In the presence of heavy metals, the sorption capacities of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene to soils were enhanced by 21.1–107 %. The improved sorption capacity was largely contributed from the potent interactions between PAHs and heavy metals.

     

Rhizosphere effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus euramericana</Emphasis> Dorskamp on the mobility of Zn,Pb and Cd in contaminated technosols

Purpose

This study aimed at investigating the rhizosphere effects of Populus euramericana Dorskamp on the mobility of Zn, Pb and Cd in contaminated technosols from a former smelting site.

Materials and methods

A rhizobox experiment was conducted with poplars, where the plant stem cuttings were grown in contaminated technosols for 2 months under glasshouse conditions. After plant growth, rhizosphere and bulk soil pore water (SPW) were sampled together. SPW properties such as pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd were determined. The concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd in plant organs were also determined.

Results and discussion

Rhizosphere SPW pH increased for all studied soils by 0.3 to 0.6 units compared to bulk soils. A significant increase was also observed for DOC concentrations regardless of the soil type or total metal concentrations, which might be attributed to the plant root activity. For all studied soils, the rhizosphere SPW metal concentrations decreased significantly after plant growth compared to bulk soils which might be attributed to the increase in pH and effects of root exudates. Zn, Pb and Cd accumulated in plant organs and the higher metal concentrations were found in plant roots compared to plant shoots.

Conclusions

The restricted transfer of the studied metals to the plant shoots confirms the potential role of this species in the immobilization of these metals. Thus, P. euramericana Dorskamp can be used for phytostabilization of technosols.

     

Evolution and phosphorus fractionation in saline Spolic Technosols flooded with eutrophic water

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of P in saline Spolic Technosols flooded with eutrophic water, with and without plant rhizosphere, in order to assess the role of these soils as sinks or sources of this nutrient.

Materials and methods

Samples were taken from basic (pH?~7.8), carbonated and acidic (pH?~6.2), de-carbonated soils of salt marshes polluted by mine wastes. Three treatments were assayed: pots with Sarcocornia fruticosa, pots with Phragmites australis and pots without plants (bare soil). The pots were flooded for 15?weeks with eutrophic water (PO ₄ ^3? ~6.92?mg?L^?1) and pH, Eh and water-soluble organic carbon and PO ₄ ^3? concentrations were monitored in the soil solution. A soil P fractionation was applied before and after the flooding period.

Results and discussion

The PO ₄ ^3? concentration in the soil solution decreased rapidly in both soils, with and without plant, being diminished by 80?C90?% after 3?h of flooding. The Fe/Mn/Al oxides and the Ca/Mg compounds played an important role in soil P retention. In pots with S. fruticosa, the reductive conditions due to flooding induced P release from metal oxides and P retention to Ca/Mg compounds. In turn, P. australis may have favoured the release of P from carbonates, which was transferred to Fe/Mn/Al compounds.

Conclusions

The retention of P by the soil was the main mechanism involved in the removal of PO ₄ ^3? from the eutrophic flooding water but to evaluate the capacity of these systems as long-term P sinks, the combined effect of metals, Ca/Mg compounds and specific plant species should be considered.     

Soil microbial community responses to Bt transgenic rice residue decomposition in a paddy field

Purpose

Genetic modifications (GM) of commercial crops offer many benefits. However, microbial-mediated decomposition might be affected by GM crop residues in agricultural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to assess the possible impacts of cry1Ab gene transformation of rice on soil microbial community composition associated with residue decomposition in the paddy field under intensive rice cultivation.

Materials and methods

A 276-day field trial was set up as a completely randomized design for two types of rice residues, KMD (Bt) and Xiushui 11 (non-Bt parental variety) in triplicate by conventional intensive rice cropping system. The litterbag method was used in the rice residue decomposition and a total of 120 straw and root litterbags were either placed on the soil surface or buried at 10 cm depth in the field on Dec. 24, 2005. The litterbags were sampled periodically and their soil bacterial and fungal communities were determined by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). The additive main effects with multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model were performed for the analysis of T-RFLP on binary variables of peak presence (presence/absence). The analysis of variance and linear regressions were performed for analysis of AMMI data.

Results and discussion

Total AMMI model analysis revealed that microbial community composition in the litterbags was affected by temporal and spatial factors. Compared with the non-Bt rice residue treatment, Bt rice straw had no significant effects on the soil bacterial and fungal community composition during the study period, regardless of the litterbags being placed on the surface or buried in the soil. There were no significant differences in the bacterial community composition profiles in root decomposition between Bt transgenic and non-Bt varieties. However, significant differences in soil fungal community composition between the buried Bt and non-Bt rice roots were observed in soils sampled on days 31, 68, and 137, indicating that Bt roots incorporated into paddy soil may affect soil fungal community during the initial stage of their decomposition.

Conclusions

There were some significant differences in fungal community composition between Bt rice root and non-Bt root treatments at the early stage of root decomposition in the paddy field. It is important that, before Bt rice is released for commercial production, more research should be conducted to evaluate the ecological effects of the Bt rice residues returned to paddy field upon grain harvesting.