Environmentally friendly slow-release nitrogen fertilizer

To sustain the further world population, more fertilizers are required, which may become an environmental hazard, unless adequate technical and socioeconomic impacts are addressed. In the current study, slow-release formulations of nitrogen fertilizer were developed on the basis of natural attapulgite (APT) clay, ethylcellulose (EC) film, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose/hydroxyethylcellulose (CMC/HEC) hydrogel. The structural and chemical characteristics of the product were examined. The release profiles of urea, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride as nitrogen fertilizer substrates were determined in soil. To further compare the release profiles of nitrogen from different fertilizer substrates, a mathematical model for nutrient release from the coated fertilizer was applied to calculate the diffusion coefficient D. The influence of the product on water-holding and water-retention capacities of soil was determined. The experimental data indicated that the product can effectively reduce nutrient loss, improve use efficiency of water, and prolong irrigation cycles in drought-prone environments.     

黄土高原与俄罗斯平原南部干旱地区人工林营造策略分析

通过对比中国黄土高原地区与俄罗斯欧洲部分东南部地区森林生长状况,分析了人工林系统的异同点,探索了可持续的人工造林策略.认为必须通过重新分配大气降水而补充林下土壤水分来改善人工林的生长状况和缓解土壤干化,在中国黄土高原地区可通过调节暴雨径流来实现,而在俄罗斯可通过集中降雪和调节融雪径流实现.     

Kinetic study of the thermal hydrolysis of Agave salmiana for mezcal production

The kinetics of the thermal hydrolysis of the fructans of Agave salmiana were determined during the cooking step of mezcal production in a pilot autoclave. Thermal hydrolysis was achieved at different temperatures and cooking times, ranging from 96 to 116 °C and from 20 to 80 h. A simple kinetic model of the depolymerization of fructans to monomers and other reducing sugars and of the degradation of reducing sugars to furans [principally 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, HMF] was developed. From this model, the rate constants of the reactions were calculated, as well as the pre-exponential factors and activation energies of the Arrhenius equation. The model was found to fit the experimental data well. The tradeoff between a maximum fructan hydrolysis and a critical furan concentration in allowing for the best ethanol yield during fermentation was investigated. The results indicated that the thermal hydrolysis of agave was optimal, from the point of view of ethanol yield in the ensuing fermentation, in the temperature range of 106-116 °C and the cooking range time of 6-14 h. The optimal conditions corresponded to a fructan hydrolysis of 80%, producing syrups with furan and reducing sugar concentrations of 1 ± 0.1 and 110 ± 10 g/L, respectively.     

Isolation, characterization and antifungal activity of major constituents of the Himalayan lichen Parmelia reticulata Tayl

Antifungal activity of hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Parmelia reticulata was evaluated against soilborne pathogenic fungi, namely, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, R. bataticola, Fusarium udum, Pythium aphanidermatum and P. debaryanum by poisoned food technique. Maximum antifungal activity was exhibited by hexane and ethyl acetate extracts against most of the test pathogens. Secondary metabolites, namely, (±)-isousnic acid, (±)-protolichesterinic acid, atranorin, evernyl, ethyl hematommate, ethyl orsellinate, methyl hematommate (3-formyl-2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid methyl ester), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid, 1-hydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-8-methyl-xanthen-9-one, baeomycesic acid and salazinic acid, were isolated from the above extracts and identified by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectroscopic methods. When these metabolites were tested for antifungal activity against test pathogens, maximum antifungal activity was exhibited by (±)-protolichesterinic acid against R. solani (ED50=23.09 μg mL(-1)) and P. debaryanum (ED50=16.07 μg mL(-1)) and by atranorin against S. rolfsii (ED50=39.70 μg mL(-1)). The antifungal activity of protolichesterinic acid was found to be comparable to that of hexaconazole, a commercial fungicide.     

Biological Degradation of Common Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Soils with High Water Content

Biological degradation rates of six pharmaceuticals and personal care products were examined in soil from a land application site and in adjacent soil with no prior history of effluent exposure. Microbial degradation rates were compared over 2 weeks under standing water or saturated conditions and draining conditions after having been saturated for 3 days. Biological degradation of 17??-estradiol exhibited rapid rates of biological degradation under both saturated and draining conditions. Half-lives for 17??-estradiol ranged from 1.5 to 4 days; 66?C97% was lost from the soils. Estriol showed a pattern of biological degradation in both saturated and draining conditions though the half-lives were longer (8.7?C25.9 days) than those observed for 17??-estradiol. Twenty-eight percent to 73% of estriol was lost over the 14 days treatment period. Estrone and 17??-ethinylestradiol exhibited slower rates of biological transformation under saturated and draining conditions. Half-lives for estrone ranged between 27.5 and 56.8 days with loss of at most 21%. 17??-ethinylestradiol exhibited half-lives of 22.6?C207 days. Half-life data for ibuprofen ranged from 30.4 to 1,706.4 days in this experiment. Losses of up to 17% were observed in draining soils. Triclosan loss was at most 10%, and half-lives were 70.9?C398.8 days. In all cases, soils that were draining from saturated conditions exhibited faster degradation rates than soils that remained saturated. Prior exposure of the soil to effluent did not always result in higher biological degradation rates.     

Special features of humus acids extraction from soils by sodium pyrophosphate solutions of different alkalinity

The regularities of extracting humus acids from soils of different types with solutions of sodium pyrophosphate at the equilibrium pH values of 5–13 were studied. The increase in the humus acids yield from the soils with the increasing alkalinity of the solution applied is directly related to the capability of acid functional groups (carboxyl and phenol hydroxyl) for dissociation at definite pH values. The regularities of the changes in the chemical nature and degree of humification of humus acids extracted from the soils related to the pH of the solution were revealed. A sodium pyrophosphate solution (pH 10) was suggested for extracting the humus acids most active in the given soil.     

Identification and quantification of cyclolinopeptides in five flaxseed cultivars

Cyclolinopeptides are a group of naturally occurring hydrophobic cyclic peptides found in flaxseed and flax oil that have immunosuppressive activity. This study describes the measurement of flaxseed cyclolinopeptide concentrations using an internal standard HPLC method. In addition, the concentration of cyclolinopeptides in the seed of Canadian flax cultivars grown at two locations over two years is reported. The data are consistent with the formation of flaxseed cyclolinopeptides from two ribosome-derived precursors. Each precursor protein includes the sequences corresponding to three cyclolinopeptides from which those cyclolinopeptides are presumably derived by precursor processing. The concentrations of cyclolinopeptides C and E, which are encoded by the same gene sequence, are highly correlated, and the concentrations of cyclolinopeptides D, F, and G, which are encoded by a second gene sequence, are also highly correlated. The strong correlation between the cyclolinopeptides arising from the same gene may prove to be important in understanding how peptide concentration is controlled. Additional research may lead to approaches to improve flax either as a platform for peptide production or as a source of oil with improved drying properties and flavor.     

三峡库区土壤侵蚀经济损失估算

运用环境经济学的理论与方法,计算了三峡库区不同时空,不同土地利用结构下的土壤侵蚀经济损失,并分析了土壤侵蚀经济损失的动态变化规律及其与土地利用结构之间的关系。结果表明:1988,2000和2007年三峡库区土壤侵蚀经济损失总量分别为98.21,99.37和87.99亿元。其中养分经济损失最大,分别占当年库区土壤侵蚀总经济损失的87.44%,88.29%,88.02%。在不同土地利用方式中,耕地经济损失最大;单位面积经济损失以灌草地最大,林地最小。土壤侵蚀经济损失存在空间差异性,云阳县和开县的土壤侵蚀经济损失最大,长寿县最小;单位面积的经济损失以云阳县、武隆县和开县最大,这些区域也是今后土壤侵蚀的重点治理的区域,而夷陵区的单位面积经济损失最小。     

Interaction of silicon,iron, and manganese in rice (oryza sativa L.) rhizosphere at low ph in relation to rice growth

Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) nutrition is influenced by the interactions of (Iron) Fe, (Manganese) Mn, and (Silicon) Si in the rhizosphere. A greenhouse experiment was carried out with rice grown in four low‐pH soils (a granitic lateritic red earth, a paddy soil from the red earth, a basaltic latosol, and a paddy soil from the latosol). Rice was grown in pots with the roots confined in rhizobags and the rhizosphere soil and nonrhizosphere soil were analyzed separately for active Si, Fe, and Mn by Tamm's solution. Silicon and Mn concentrations were lower in the rhizosphere soil indicating a depletion which was higher for the basaltic soils and for the paddy soils. Iron concentrations were higher in the rhizosphere soil indicating an accumulation that was higher for granitic soils and for the upland soils. Plant growth response was due mostly to Mn with the basaltic soils supplying toxic amounts and the granitic soils being deficient. Iron accumulation in the rhizosphere caused lower plant uptake of Si, phosphorus (P), and calcium (Ca) and higher Fe and aluminum (Al) absorption leading to the conclusion that Fe deposition on plant roots and in rhizosphere may block the uptake of other nutrients.     

Seasonal dynamics of mineral nutrients and carbohydrates by walnut tree leaves

The dry weight accumulation per leaf as well as the concentration per gram of dry weight and the accumulation of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) were determined in walnut tree leaves (Juglans regia L.) during a complete life cycle. Additionally, the dynamics of plant nutrient concentration in leaf petiole sap and carbohydrate accumulation in leaves were studied in relation to the main life cycle events of the walnut tree. Total N, P, K, Cu, and Zn concentrations decreased, whereas that of Ca, Mg, and Mn increased during the season. Iron concentration fluctuated around a mean value. Total N, P, K, Mg, and Cu concentrations detected in younger mature leaves were at the sufficient level, whereas Ca, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations were at higher levels as compared to those previously reported. All the detected nutrient accumulations increased abruptly during leaf ontogeny and leaf maturation until a maximum level was attained in the younger mature leaves. Similarly, sucrose, glucose, and fructose accumulation were observed at the same period. The rates of total N, P, Cu, and Zn accumulation were lower than the rates of the observed dry matter accumulation and nutrient concentration dilution. Potassium and Mn accumulation rates were almost equal, whereas those for Ca and Mg were higher as compared to the dry matter accumulation rate. The fast embryo growing phase resulted in a considerable decrease in dry weight, total N, P, K, Cu, Zn, and carbohydrate accumulation, and to a lesser degree in Ca, Mg, and Mn accumulation. Nutrient accumulation reduction in leaves by the influence of the growing fruits were estimated to be: total N 52%, K 48%, P 29.5%, Mg 16.3%, Ca 15%, Fe 51.2%, Cu 55.2%, Zn 37.3%, and Mn 5.4% of the maximum nutrient value of the younger mature leaves. Old leaves preserved nutrients before leaf fall as follows: total N 25.4%, P 45%, K 31%, Ca 74.8%, Mg 76.5%, Mn 89.2%, Fe and Zn 50%, and Cu 37%. Nutrient remobilization from the senescing old leaves before leaf fall were: total N 22.6%, P 25.5%, K 21%, Ca 10.2%, Mg 7%, Fe 3.2%, Mn 5.4%, Cu 8%, and Zn 13.3% of the maximum value in the younger mature leaves. In early spring, the absorption rates of N, P, and Ca were low while those of Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn were high. During the fast growing pollen phase, the N, P, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations were reduced. Calcium concentration is supposed to be more affected by the rate of transpiration rather than during the growing of embryo. Calcium and Mg concentrations in the sap were negatively correlated. The detected K concentration level in the sap was as high as 33 to 50 times that of soluble N, 12 to 21 times to that of P, 5 times to that of Ca, and 10 to 20 times to that of Mg. The first maximum of starch accumulation in mature leaves was observed during the slow growing embryo phase and a second one after fruit ripening. Old senescing leaves showed an extensive carbohydrate depletion before leaf fall.