One of the main environmental impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations is the soil degradation in vicinity with the livestock breeding facilities due to substances such as ammonia emitted from the various stages of the process. Owing to the high temperatures of the Mediterranean ecosystems, the evolution of gasses is more extensive and the soil degradation is consequently more severe than those obtained in northern Europe. In this research, the soil degradation effects of a large meat-producing, processing, and packaging unit have been investigated. The investigated intensive hog farming operation (IHFO) is located at a limestone soil coastal area with sea to the north and hills to the south. Soil samples of the upper mineral soil were taken in various distances and directions from the IHFO boundaries. Thirteen experimental cycles were carried out in the duration of 1.5 years starting in March 2009 until October 2010. The soil samples were analyzed on pH and electrical conductivity (EC) values as well as NH4 + and NO3 − concentrations. Significantly higher concentrations of the two nitrogen forms were observed on samples at increasing proximity downwind from the farm (south). Southern soil average NH4 + and NO3 − concentrations ranged between 0.4–118 μg NH4 +-N g−1 soil and 6.1–88.4 μg NO3 −-N g−1 soil, respectively. The variation of emitted gasses depositions was clearly reflected in the average pH and EC values. Average pH and EC values downwind from IHFO boundaries varied between 7.1–8.2 and 140–268 μS/cm, respectively.

This study examined the potential for Fe mobilization and greenhouse gas (GHG, e.g. CO₂, and CH₄) evolution in SEQ soils associated with a range of plantation forestry practices and water-logged conditions. Intact, 30-cm-deep soil cores collected from representative sites were saturated and incubated for 35 days in the laboratory, with leachate and headspace gas samples periodically collected. Minimal Fe dissolution was observed in well-drained sand soils associated with mature, first-rotation Pinus and organic Fe complexation, whereas progressive Fe dissolution occurred over 14 days in clear-felled and replanted Pinus soils with low organic matter and non-crystalline Fe fractions. Both CO₂ and CH₄ effluxes were relatively lower in clear-felled and replanted soils compared with mature, first-rotation Pinus soils, despite the lack of statistically significant variations in total GHG effluxes associated with different forestry practices. Fe dissolution and GHG evolution in low-lying, water-logged soils adjacent to riparian and estuarine, native-vegetation buffer zones were impacted by mineral and physical soil properties. Highest levels of dissolved Fe and GHG effluxes resulted from saturation of riparian loam soils with high Fe and clay content, as well as abundant organic material and Fe-metabolizing bacteria. Results indicate Pinus forestry practices such as clear-felling and replanting may elevate Fe mobilization while decreasing CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from well-drained, SEQ plantation soils upon heavy flooding. Prolonged water-logging accelerates bacterially mediated Fe cycling in low-lying, clay-rich soils, leading to substantial Fe dissolution, organic matter mineralization, and CH₄ production in riparian native-vegetation buffer zones.

The adsorption of residue oil from palm oil mill effluent using natural zeolite was investigated in this study. The adsorption was performed in batch mode, and the effect of different operational parameters such as pH, dose of adsorbent, stirring rate, contact time and initial oil concentration were explored. It was found that the pH plays a major role in the adsorption process. Isotherm data best fitted with the Freundlich model, and kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results obtained demonstrated that the oil removal efficiencies by natural zeolite were up to 70 % at a pH of 3.0 and 50 min of contact time. The adsorbent material also has been characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the removal of both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals from field-contaminated sediments by activated persulfate oxidation. Various chemicals, including hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD), S,S-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS), tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na₄P₂O₇), and hydrochloric acid (HCl), were applied individually before or after activated persulfate oxidation to enhance the co-removal of both types of pollutants. It was found that the organic removal efficiency was not significantly enhanced by increasing the concentration of HPCD from 2.5 to 5.0 mM. The removal efficiency of heavy metals was not improved even at an excess amount of EDDS after activated persulfate oxidation. However, the addition of EDDS acted as the Fe²+ carrier for activated persulfate oxidation. In addition, no significant enhancement of heavy metal removal was observed by increasing the concentrations of Na₄P₂O₇ and HCl from 0.01 to 0.1 M after activated persulfate oxidation. However, comparing 0.1 M HCl with 0.1 M Na₄P₂O₇, HCl was shown to be more effective in promoting the removal of organic pollutants. With further adjustments on the experimental conditions, the highest removal amount of metals and PAHs was achieved by adding 2 M of HCl with 3 days mixing, followed by Fe²+-activated persulfate oxidation (PS/Fe²+ molar ratio at 4:1) for further 6 h mixing. The removal efficiency of low and high molecular weight PAHs was about 70 and 20 %, respectively, while the removal efficiency of metals was 70, 100, 40, 65, 65, 80, and 100 % for Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn, respectively.

The connection between nutrient input and algal blooms for inland water productivity is well known but not the spatial pattern of water nutrient loading and algae concentration. Remote sensing provides an effective tool to monitor nutrient abundances via the association with algae concentration. Twenty-one field campaigns have been conducted with samples collected under a diverse range of algal bloom conditions for three central Indiana drinking water bodies, e.g., Eagle Creek Reservoir (ECR), Geist Reservoir (GR), and Morse Reservoir (MR) in 2005, 2006, and 2008, which are strongly influenced anthropogenic activities. Total phosphorus (TP) was estimated through hyperspectral remote sensing due to its close association with chlorophyll a (Chl-a), total suspended matter, Secchi disk transparency (SDT), and turbidity. Correlation analysis was performed to determine sensitive spectral variables for TP, Chl-a, and SDT. A hybrid model combining genetic algorithms and partial least square (GA-PLS) was established for remote estimation of TP, Chl-a, and SDT with selected sensitive spectral variables. The result indicates that TP has close association with diagnostic spectral variables with R 2 ranging from 0.55 to 0.72. However, GA-PLS has better performance with an average R 2 of 0.87 for aggregated dataset. GA-PLS was applied to the airborne imaging data (AISA) to map spatial distribution of TP, Chl-a, and SDT for MR and GR. The eutrophic status was evaluated with Carlson trophic state index using TP, Chl-a, and SDT maps derived from AISA images. Mapping results indicated that most MR belongs to mesotrophic (48.6%) and eutrophic (32.7%), while the situation was more severe for GR with 57.8% belongs to eutrophic class, and more than 40% to hypereutrophic class due to the high turbidity resulting from dredging practices.

Lake water calcium (Ca) decline has recently been recognized as a stressor impacting softwater lake districts that have experienced long-term patterns of acid deposition and/or timber harvesting. Declining aqueous Ca levels may impact the survival of aquatic biota, particularly Ca-rich cladoceran taxa such as daphniids. Daphnia pulex are sensitive to laboratory Ca levels below 1.5 mg l−1; however, responses of cladoceran communities to Ca decline in natural environments require further study. Dickie Lake (Ontario, Canada) is the site of an inadvertent natural experiment, providing insight into the effects of changing aqueous Ca availability upon cladoceran communities, as the lake has a history of acidification, followed by recent (1990s) Ca additions to the watershed via applications of calcium-rich road dust suppressants. Paleolimnological analyses were used to examine changes in cladoceran community structure (with a focus upon Ca-rich daphniids) from pre-industrial times to present day. Three distinct temporal stages were apparent in Dickie Lake’s daphniid community: 1870–1950, 1950–1990, and 1990–present. The daphniid community of the pre-industrial assemblages was dominated by members of the Daphnia longispina species complex, but shifted in the late 1950s to more acid- and Ca-insensitive members of the D. pulex species complex. During the most recent stage, coincident with dust suppressant applications, both daphniid complexes are well represented. Observed transitions between daphniid species complexes provide further evidence of the influence of Ca availability upon cladoceran community structure, indicating the potential importance of the controlled addition of Ca to freshwater systems (i.e., liming) as a mitigation/recovery strategy as Ca declines continue.

Fluvial mine tailing deposition has caused extensive riparian damage throughout the western USA. Willows are often used for fluvial mine tailing revegetation, but some accumulate excessive metal concentrations potentially detrimental to browsers. This greenhouse experiment evaluated growth and metal accumulation of Geyer willow (Salix geyeriana Andersson), Drummond’s willow (Salix drummondiana Barratt ex Hook.), diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia Pursh), Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana Sarg.), thinleaf alder [Alnus incana (L.) Moench spp. tenuifolia (Nutt.) Breitung], water birch (Betula occidentalis Hook.), red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L. spp. sericea), and shrubby cinquefoil [(Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. ssp. floribunda (Pursh) Kartesz)]. Bare-root shrubs were grown in tailings collected from three acidic, metal-contaminated (i.e., Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) fluvial deposits near Leadville, Colorado, USA. Tailings were amended with only lime to raise the soil pH to 7 s.u., or with lime and composted biosolids (224 Mg ha−1). All shrubs survived in the amended tailings; composted biosolids had little effect on plant biomass. Aboveground and belowground biomass increased during the 2-month greenhouse study by 3–9 and 1.5–5 times initial values, respectively. Most shrubs accumulated Pb and Cu in roots, and belowground Pb concentrations in all shrubs were significantly reduced by the addition of composted biosolids. Compared to other species, alder and cinquefoil accumulated Pb in aboveground growth, and concentrations exceeded animal toxicity thresholds, but these shrubs normally comprise a small proportion of animal diets. Dogwood, alder, and cinquefoil contained low Cd concentrations in aboveground new growth, whereas Bebb and Geyer willow contained zootoxic concentrations. Dogwood, alder, and cinquefoil are three good candidates for mine tailing revegetation, especially in fluvial deposits with elevated Cd concentrations.

The adsorption of methylene blue cationic dye by water hyacinth root was studied in a batch system. The experimental data isotherms were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The monolayer adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye was found as 0.187 kg kg−1. Three kinetic models (the pseudo-first order, the pseudo-second order, and the unified approach) were used to calculate the adsorption rate constants. The kinetic data along with equilibrium constants (maximum monolayer capacity and Langmuir constant) fitted well with unified approach model for different initial concentrations, and the rate constants were determined. Laboratory column experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of water hyacinth root for methylene blue sorption under dynamic flow conditions. Breakthrough curves were plotted for the methylene blue adsorption on the adsorbent using continuous flow column operation by varying the bed height (0.06–0.12 m) and the feed concentrations (0.1–0.2 kg m−3). Different column design parameters, such as depth of exchange zone, adsorption rate, and adsorption capacity, were calculated. At the end, an attempt has also been made to model the data generated from column studies using the empirical relationship based on Bohart–Adams model.

Explosive compounds, including known toxicants 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), are loaded to soils during military training. Their fate in soils is ultimately controlled by soil mineralogical and biogeochemical processes. We detonated pure mineral phases with Composition B, a mixture of TNT and RDX, and investigated the fate of detonation residues in aqueous slurries constructed from the detonated minerals. The pure minerals included Ottawa sand (quartz and calcite), microcline feldspar, phlogopite mica, muscovite mica, vermiculite clay, beidellite (a representative of the smectite clay group), and nontronite clay. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and gas adsorption surface area measurements were made of the pristine and detonated minerals. Batch slurries of detonated minerals and deionized water were sampled for 141 days and TNT, RDX, and TNT transformation products were measured from the aqueous samples and from the mineral substrates at day 141. Detonated samples generally exhibited lower gas adsorption surface areas than pristine ones, likely from residue coating, shock-induced compaction, sintering, and/or partial fusion. TNT and RDX exhibited analyte loss in almost all batch solutions over time but loss was greater in vermiculite, beidellite, and phlogopite than in muscovite and quartz. This suggests common phyllosilicate mineral substrates could be used on military training ranges to minimize off-site migration of explosive residues. We present a conceptual model to represent the physical and chemical processes that occurred in our aqueous batches over time.

After the accident in Fukushima reactors, a daily monitoring programme was initiated in two laboratories in Belgrade, one at the Vinčа Institute for Nuclear Sciences and the other at Institute for Occupational Health Karajovic. Samples of aerosol and fallout, as well as the random samples of food and water, were collected and analysed, using gross alpha/beta and gamma spectrometry, in order to establish the presence of traces of isotopes indicating Fukushima fallout. Gamma spectrometry measurement of these samples showed clear evidence of fission products ¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs wtihin 2 weeks after the accident. The activity diminished with time due to dispersion in air and, in case of ¹³¹I, short half-life.