Evolution of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil Polluted with Crude Oil Treated with a Natural Product

Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated/polluted soils has been recognized as an efficient, economic, versatile and environmentally good treatment. This method is limited by the microorganisms activity in degrading the spills hydrocarbons. Low solubility of the hydrocarbons involves low bioavailability to microorganisms. The main objective of this research is to increase biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by treating the crude oil polluted soil with the natural biodegradable product and bacterial inoculum. Biodegradation was quantified by total petroleum hydrocarbons （TPH） analyses. The paper presents data obtained in biodegradation process of an artificial polluted soil with 5% and 10% crude oil, treated with a natural biodegradable product and bacterial inoculum during two years of experiment. Biodegradation process takes time to rehabilitate and reuse of the soil in agricultural scopes.     

Diffuse Water Pollution by Anthraquinone and Azo Dyes in Environment Importantly Alters Foliage Volatiles,Carotenoids and Physiology in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

The use of aqueous suspension of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide for photocatalytic removal of pollutants is not suitable for industrial applications due to the inconvenient and expensive separation of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide for reuse. The nanosized titanium dioxide needs to be immobilized on the support for improving the efficiency and economics of the photocatalytic process. In the present paper, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide have been immobilized on the surface of the support using three different techniques. The immobilized films of titanium dioxide have been characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy to notice any change in the phase composition and photocatalytic properties of the titanium dioxide after immobilization on the support. A photocatalytic test has been performed under similar reaction conditions to compare the photocatalytic performance of the films of immobilized titanium dioxide prepared using different techniques.     

Dicamba resistance: enlarging and preserving biotechnology-based weed management strategies

The advent of biotechnology-derived, herbicide-resistant crops has revolutionized farming practices in many countries. Facile, highly effective, environmentally sound, and profitable weed control methods have been rapidly adopted by crop producers who value the benefits associated with biotechnology-derived weed management traits. But a rapid rise in the populations of several troublesome weeds that are tolerant or resistant to herbicides currently used in conjunction with herbicide-resistant crops may signify that the useful lifetime of these economically important weed management traits will be cut short. We describe the development of soybean and other broadleaf plant species resistant to dicamba, a widely used, inexpensive, and environmentally safe herbicide. The dicamba resistance technology will augment current herbicide resistance technologies and extend their effective lifetime. Attributes of both nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded dicamba resistance genes that affect the potency and expected durability of the herbicide resistance trait are examined.     

Lignin and polyphenols as allelochemicals

By the microbiological action, lignin from vegetal wastes is transformed at soil level in organic prebiotic products with physiological activity on plants development. On the other hand, some micromolecular compounds resulted from plant wastes decomposition, along with polyphenols coming from extraction of plant residues could play a role of allelochemicals. The understanding of the allelochemical action mechanisms allow us to use these compounds to enhance crop production and develop a more sustainable agriculture, including weed and pest control through crop rotations, residue management and a variety of approaches in biocontrol. Other goals are to adopt allelochemicals as herbicides, pesticides and growth stimulants, modify crop genomes to manipulate allelochemicals production and better elucidate chemical communications between the components of ecosystem. The result obtained in the utilization of lignins and polyphenols as allelochemicals are presented in this review.     

The Romanian scientist: Prof. Victor Babes

The author describes the contribution of the Romanian scientist Victor Babes (1845-1926) to bacteriology, parasitology and the interaction microbe-organism as well as his contribution to the hygienic organization in the educational system of his country.     

New reports of Bursaphelenchus species associated with conifer trees in Romania

The 2013 annual monitoring programme for the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, analysed a total of 267 wood samples collected from declining or symptomatic coniferous trees distributed among national forests, gardens, public parks, distribution centres, wood‐processing industries, as well as 104 samples collected from wood packing material originated from several other countries. From a total of eight species found, five have been previously reported from Romania, while three other species (Bursaphelenchus abietinus, Bursaphelenchus fraudulentus and Bursaphelenchus fuchsi) represent new findings for Romania. In addition, B. mucronatus was found in packing wood originated from Russia. Herein, we provide a morphological, morphometric and molecular characterization for the new species found for Romania. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus was not detected.     

Structural stability of two Romanian soils as influenced by management practices

The effects of non-arable vs. arable land use as well as of wheeled traffic, crop rotation, manure applications and inorganic fertiliser application on soil stability parameters were investigated. The stability of a soil's structure was assessed by the dispersibility of clay in water, by measurement of the proportions of water-stable aggregates, and by the tensile strength of dry soil aggregates. An index of soil structural stability is defined and used. In general, there were trends towards increasing soil structural stability with non-arable agriculture, less wheeled traffic, crop rotations rather than monoculture, and fertiliser application.