Fate of the herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, phenmedipham, ethofumesate and metamitron in two Finnish arable soils

The fate of five herbicides (glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, phenmedipham, ethofumesate and metamitron) was studied in two Finnish sugar beet fields for 26 months. Soil types were sandy loam and clay. Two different herbicide-tolerant sugar beet cultivars and three different herbicide application schedules were used. Meteorological data were collected throughout the study and soil properties were thoroughly analysed. An extensive data set of herbicide residue concentrations in soil was collected. Five different soil depths were sampled. The study was carried out using common Finnish agricultural practices and represents typical sugar beet cultivation conditions in Finland. The overall observed order of persistence was ethofumesate > glyphosate > phenmedipham > metamitron > glufosinate-ammonium. Only ethofumesate and glyphosate persisted until the subsequent spring. Seasonal variation in herbicide dissipation was very high and dissipation ceased almost completely during winter. During the 2 year experiment no indication of potential groundwater pollution risk was obtained, but herbicides may cause surface water pollution.     

Chlorinated and methylated dibenzothiophenes in sediment samples from a river contaminated by organochlorine wastes

Eleven sediment samples from the lower Kymijoki River were analyzed for the occurrence of polychlorinated and polymethylated dibenzothiophenes (PCDT and PMeDTs). The area was heavily polluted by wastes from a pulp chlorobleachery and by leakage from a factory producing wood preservative chlorophenol formulation Ky-5. Levels in the sediments were from <5 to 400, 200 and 50 pg g^-1 dw for tetra, penta and hexa-CDT, respectively. The concentrations of mono, di, tri and tetra-MeDTs were in the range of 1–5, 5–85, 5–500 and 15–2300 ng g^-1 dw, respectively. PCDT contents in surface sediment (0–3 cm layers) decreased by distance downstream from the bleachery and Ky-5 factory similar to those of the bound polychloroguaiacols (PCG) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF). In contrast, PMeDT contents showed a steep increase by distance with a maximum at 32 km downstream.     

Bioaccumulation of POPs from contaminated sediment to lamprey<Emphasis Type="Italic">(lampetra fluviatilis l.</Emphasis>) larva

Background  Adult sea lampreys, a delicate food species catch from Baltic Sea rivers, migrate from sea and spawn to sediments of still river water areas. Their larva live there four years before return to sea. The few published studies of toxicity of the sediment contaminants to the lamprey larva, however, do not include chlorinated persistent organic pollutants (POPs), thus far. Kymijoki River in southeast Finland is known for high polychlorinated POP contamination which has been measured to accumulate in several bottom fauna and fish species. Goal of the Study  To obtain the first screening results of the bioaccumulation power of POPs from sediment to lamprey larva during their life stage in the contaminated sediment. The accumulated dioxin-type of toxic load (TEQ) was also studied as a possible human hazard. Methods  Surface sediment and lamprey larva were sampled from four localities of the lower Kymijoki River and analysed for MeO-PBDEs, PBDEs, PCBs, PCDDs, PCDEs, PCDFs, and PCDTs by solvent extraction, column clean up and GC/MS procedures. The larva were sorted to seven composites according to locality and (for one place) size of the specimens (to classes of small, medium and large individuals). From the analysis results, TEQ values for composites and the bioaccumulation factors from dry sediment to fresh larva (BSAF), from dry sediment to larva lipid (BSAFlw) and from sediment organic carbon to larva lipid (BSAFoc) were calculated. Results and Discussion  TEQ load was highest (about 500 pg g^-1 ww) in large larva composite due to high bioaccumulation of PCB 118, 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (D66) and toxic penta- to octa-CDFs. A high positive significant correlation was found between weight and length of larva. Instead, lipid content had no significant correlations with weight and length of larva. Larva lipid or sediment organic carbon did not correlate significantly with any of the calculated BSAF, BSAFlw and BSAFoc values. Therefore, statistical comparisons between substance properties and bioaccumulation rate were possible for BSAF alone. These comparisons indicated a slightly significant increase of PCBs, but very significant decrease of PCDF bioaccumulation from sediment to larva by increase of the number of chlorine atoms (NCI) in the molecule. This property of highly chlorinated PCDFs indicates, as found earlier for local fish, a kinetic control of bioaccumulation by slow release from sediment back to water and the food chain. Recommendation and Outlook  The results obtained point out that bioaccumulation of POPs in lamprey larva is a possible source of toxic hazard to human food consumption and to development of lamprey species. Therefore, both larva and adult lampreys should be studied further for significance of their POP contamination compared with other experiences on impact of POPs to human and wildlife.     

Comparison of Xrf and Faas Methods in Analysing Cca Contaminated Soils

Soil contamination by hazardous heavy metals from various sources is a great concern nowadays. The need for studying contaminated sites has led to an increasing use of various analytical techniques in the laboratory or in the field, for investigation or control of the restoration operations ofpolluted sites. In this study, results using portable field x-ray fluorescence (XRF)-analyzer X-MET 2000 and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) are compared to analyze As, Cu and Cr in soil polluted by chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-wood preservatives. Analyses with XRF were done in situ, in difficult, wet conditions, as well as in the laboratory. For the XRF-analysis, two calibrations were available; an empirical calibration, and recently published fundamental parameter calibrations. Comparative analyses were obtained by extracting As, Cr and Cu with aqua regia and analyzing the samples with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The results indicated that in situ analyses with XRF showed more variation in respect to all three elements than measurements made in the laboratory of dried and sieved (mesh size < 125 μm) samples. XRF's empirical calibration turned out to be more consistent with the FAAS analyses than fundamental parameter calibration, and is therefore recommended. Intrusive laboratory analyses with XRF and FAAS in turn showed good correlation with As and Cu results. FAAS also demonstrated high accuracy and precision as did XRF with As and Cu. On the other hand, Cr results showed more variation, and correlation between the different methods was poorer. To increase the reliability of analysis with both methods, careful drying and sieving the samples is recommended. Therefore we conclude that XRF can be used in field analysis, but laboratory analyses are needed to confirm the results.     

Wood properties of trembling aspen and paper birch after 5 years of exposure to elevated concentrations of CO(2) and O(3)

We investigated the interactive effects of elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide ([CO(2)]) and ozone ([O(3)]) on radial growth, wood chemistry and structure of five 5-year-old trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones and the wood chemistry of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.). Material for the study was collected from the Aspen FACE (free-air CO(2) enrichment) experiment in Rhinelander, WI, where the saplings had been exposed to four treatments: control, elevated [CO(2)] (560 ppm), elevated [O(3)] (1.5 x ambient) and their combination for five growing seasons. Wood properties of both species were altered in response to exposure to the treatments. In aspen, elevated [CO(2)] decreased uronic acids (constituents of, e.g., hemicellulose) and tended to increase stem diameter. In response to elevated [O(3)] exposure, acid-soluble lignin concentration decreased and vessel lumen diameter tended to decrease. Elevated [O(3)] increased the concentration of acetone-soluble extractives in paper birch, but tended to decrease the concentration of these compounds in aspen. In paper birch, elevated [CO(2)] decreased and elevated [O(3)] increased starch concentration. The responses of wood properties to 5 years of fumigation differed from those previously reported after 3 years of fumigation.     

Growth, allocation and tissue chemistry of Picea abies seedlings affected by nutrient supply during the second growing season

One-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were grown hydroponically in a growth chamber to investigate the effects of low and high nutrient availability (LN; 0.25 mM N and HN; 2.50 mM N) on growth, biomass allocation and chemical composition of needles, stem and roots during the second growing season. Climatic conditions in the growth chamber simulated the mean growing season from May to early October in Flakaliden, northern Sweden. In the latter half of the growing season, biomass allocation changed in response to nutrient availability: increased root growth and decreased shoot growth led to higher root/shoot ratios in LN seedlings than in HN seedlings. At high nutrient availability, total biomass, especially stem biomass, increased, as did total nonstructural carbohydrate and nitrogen contents per seedling. Responses of stem chemistry to nutrient addition differed from those of adult trees of the same provenance. In HN seedlings, concentrations of alpha-cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin decreased in the secondary xylem. Our results illustrate the significance of retranslocation of stored nutrients to support new growth early in the season when root growth and nutrient uptake are still low. We conclude that nutrient availability alters allocation patterns, thereby influencing the success of 2-year-old Norway spruce seedlings at forest planting sites.