To better understand interaction mechanisms of pine needles with persistent organic pollutants, single-solute and bi-solute sorption of phenanthrene and pyrene onto isolated cuticular fractions of pine needle were investigated. The structures of cuticular fractions were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid-state 13C NMR. Polymeric lipids (cutin and cutan) exhibited notably higher sorption capabilities than the soluble lipids (waxes), while cellulose showed little affinity with sorbates. With the coexistence of the amorphous cellulose, the sorption of cutan (aromatic core) was completely inhibited, so the cutin components (nonpolar aliphatic moieties) dominated the sorption of bulk needle cuticle. By the consumption of the amorphous cellulose under acid hydrolysis, sorption capacities of the de-sugared fractions were dramatically enhanced, which controlled by the exposed aromatic cores and the aliphatic moieties. Furthermore, the de-sugared fractions demonstrated nonlinear and competitive sorption due to the specific interaction between aromatic cores and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.

We tested the efficacy of matrix-based fertilizers (MBFs) to improve Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) growth while reducing NH, NO3, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), and total phosphorus (TP) compared to commercial slow-release fertilizer (SRF) Polyon®, ESN®, and Avail® in greenhouse column studies. The MBFs covered a range of inorganic N and P in compounds that are relatively loosely bound (MBF6) and more tightly bound compounds (MBF7) with Al(SO4)318H2O and/or Fe2(SO4)33H2O and with high ionic exchange compounds starch, cellulose, and lignin. The total amount of NO3 and NH4 leached was greater from columns receiving Polyon® and ESN® fertilizers than all other treatments. The MBF6+Avail® or MBF7+Avail® fertilizers leached 64–68% less NO3 than Polyon® (43-0-0) and ESN® (46-0-0), and 73–76% less TDP and TP than Avail® (10-34-0). A greater amount of NO3 was leached from the MBF6+Avail® and the MBF7+Avail® treatments than the other MBF fertilizer treatments. Shoot and root biomass were greater when plants received the Avail®, MBF6+Avail®, and MBF7+Avail® fertilizer treatments than the other fertilizer treatments. When combined with small quantities of commercial SRFs, these new MBFs were able to maintain plant growth while reducing N and P leaching. These new MBF formulations do not depend on organic or inorganic coatings to reduce N and P leaching and with further testing and development could be effective commercial fertilizers.