Application of high resolution ICP-spectrometry to the determination of B,Be, Co,Mo and Sn in soils and similar matrices

The most sensitive emission lines for the elements B, Be, Co and Mo are strongly influenced by disturbing emission lines of Fe using normal optical resolution. The advantages of high resolution, applying the new ICP-spectrometer JY 38 Plus (Jobin-Yvon, France) with the 2400 lines/mm grating measuring in the 1st and 2nd order will be discussed. Beside the concentrations in soils, sediments and sludges, applying aqua regia and HF decomposition methods, the detection limits in these matrices will be given. The possibilities of ICP-spectrometry for the determination of the above-mentioned elements are shown at the examples of SRMs (standard reference materials). The materials used here were three soils and three sludges from the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference, European Communities) and one sediment from NBS (National Bureau of Standards, USA). For example, the most sensitive and normally used line for the determination of boron at 249.7733 nm cannot be used in case of this type of matrix due to normally high Fe-concentrations and due to a strong Fe-interference. Therefore, it is necessary to use the line at 249.6778 nm, where an interference-free measurement can be achieved in case of high optical resolution. The measured B-contents in these samples are in the range of 20 to 60 g/g, for Co in the 10 g/g region, for Be well below 1 g/g, for Sn between 3 and 400 g/g. Mo was only detectable in the sludge samples (limit of determination 0.5 g/g).Presented in part at the 1989 European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, Reutte, Austria     

Bench Scale Studies of the Soil Aeration Process for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

An alternative to traditional hydrocarbon bioremediation is to pump air through unsaturated soils to create aerobic conditions and induce biodegradation. This study examines the effects of moisture and nutrient augmentation on biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in aerated soils. Findings indicate that forced aeration, coupled with additions of nutrients and moisture, stimulate hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms and present a feasible approach to bioremediation management.     

Detection of NAD+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase activities in YR-1 strain of Mucor circinelloides, a potential bioremediator of petroleum contaminated soils

Different soluble NAD⁺-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes were detected in cell-free homogenates from aerobically grown mycelia of YR-1 strain of Mucor circinelloides isolated from petroleumcontaminated soil samples. Depending on the carbon source present in the growth media, multiple NAD⁺-dependent ADHs were detected when hexadecane or decane was used as the sole carbon source in the culture media. ADH activities from aerobically or anaerobically grown mycelium or yeast cells, respectively, were detected when growth medium with glucose added was the sole carbon source; the enzyme activity exhibited optimum pH for the oxidation of different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and hexadecanol) similar to that of the corresponding aldehyde (≈7.0). Zymogram analysis conducted with partially purified fractions of extracts from aerobic mycelium or anaerobic yeast cells of the YR-1 strain grown in glucose as the sole carbon source indicated the presence of a single NAD⁺-dependent ADH enzyme in each case, and the activity level was higher in the yeast cells. ADH enzyme from mycelium grown in different carbon sources showed high activity using ethanol as substrate, although higher activity was displayed when the cells were grown in hexadecane as the sole carbon source. Zymogram analysis with these extracts showed that this particular strain of M. circinelloides has four different isozymes with ADH activity and, interestingly, one of them, ADH4, was identified also as phenanthrene-diol-dehydrogenase, an enzyme that possibly participates in the aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation pathway.     

红树林湿地土壤矿物的分析

以湛江湾南海堤典型红树林湿地土壤为研究对象,采用X射线衍射(XRD)和傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)快速批量鉴定土壤中矿物成分,利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察土壤颗粒形貌特征并获得化学成分组成信息;同时采集附近光滩土壤样品进行对比研究,以揭示红树林湿地土壤特殊的生态环境特征。结果表明,红树林湿地土壤矿物主要由高岭石、石英、白云母、埃洛石、地开石和蛇纹石等组成;与光滩土壤相比,红树林湿地土壤矿物类型多样,而光滩土壤矿物相对单一,主要为石英和高岭石;红树林湿地土壤颗粒以片状聚合体为主,主要元素组成为C、O、S、Al、Si、Mg、Fe等,常见含有Cu、Zn、Mo等重金属元素。同时发现红树林湿地土壤颗粒含有较丰富的硫化物;而光滩土壤未发现上述特征,表明红树林湿地处于一个特殊的生态环境,土壤沉积物中富含有机质、Fe、S等,比一般潮滩更易于富集硫化物或重金属。     

A Sensitive Spectrophotometric Determination of Nitrite in Water and Soil

A highly sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of nitrite in water and soil has been developed. The reaction of nitrite with acidified potassium iodide to liberate iodine which oxidizes leuco‐crystal violet (LCV) to form crystal violet having absorption maxima at 590 nm forms the bases of this method. In aqueous medium the system obeys Beer's law in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 μg per 25 mL (0.004–0.04 ppm), while in an extractive system the range is 0.025–0.25 μg in 100 mL (0.00025–0.0025 ppm). The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity were found to be 1.54 × 10⁶ 1 mol^?1 cm^?1 and 44 pg cm^?2, respectively.     

还原气化-原子荧光光谱法快速测定绿色食品基地土壤中的砷与汞

应用还原气化-原子荧光光谱法，使待测元素与基体自动分离、富集，测定绿色食品基地土壤中的AS、HG。经对国家经土壤标准物质进行分析证明，该方法具有快速、准确、灵敏度高等优点，用于绿色食品基地的审评检测，结果令人满意。     

Element determination in medieval soil samples by total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

An aqua regia extraction procedure for heavy metals in soils optimised for total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis is presented. The procedure is applied to 92 soil samples of medieval layers from the city area of Dortmund. Sixteen elements (P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ag, Sn, and Pb) were used to characterise 17 sample sites. The results are projected onto the medieval urban structure of Dortmund. Two sites loaded with non-ferrous heavy metal could be detected and correlated with archaeological data. The efficiency and repeatability of the proposed extraction procedure is discussed.     

Dissipation,residue, and distribution of pyraclostrobin in banana and soil under field conditions in South China

Two independent field trials were conducted in Guangdong and Guangxi, South China, in 2013, to study the dissipation, residue levels, and distribution of pyraclostrobin in banana and soil under field conditions. Pyraclostrobin residues were determined through a quick and effective method of high-performance liquid chromatography. Results showed that the average recoveries ranged from 80.55% to 98.08%, with relative standard deviations of 3.18–7.81% at three different spiking levels for each different matrix. The quantification limit of the proposed method was 0.006 mg/kg for both banana and soil. The half-lives of pyraclostrobin in bananas were 9.09 days in Guangdong and 8.26 days in Guangxi, and both bananas exhibited a dissipation rate of 90% after 28 days. The half-lives of pyraclostrobin in soil were 11.61 days in Guangdong and 10.60 days in Guangxi, with a dissipation rate of 90% after 35 days. Although several positive banana samples (i.e., pyraclostrobin exceeding the maximum residue limits (MRL) were found, the terminal residues in banana pulp were not detectable. All the terminal residues in banana pulp were below the MRL of 0.02 mg/kg, set by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, indicating a negligible risk associated with the exposure to pyraclostrobin via the consumption of banana. The distribution of pyraclostrobin in soil was also investigated in two experimental sites. The pyraclostrobin in different layer soil was time dependent and did not vary between the two sites. The result also showed that pyraclostrobin could be easily transported from the top soil to the subsoil. However, the highest quantity ratio did not exceed 10% in the bottom layer (20–30 cm). The distribution assessment also revealed that no significant potential environment risk was induced by pyraclostrobin in bananas.     

Evaluation of the Fate of Aldicarb and Its Metabolites in Oranges

Abstract

The accumulation, persistence and fate of systemic pesticide aldicarb was melencholy evaluated in orange crops. The concentration of this pesticide and its two toxic metabolites, aldicarb sulfoxide and aldicarb sulfone was determined in leaves, rind and pulp of three orange varieties (Satsuma, Navelina and Clemetina de Nules) and in the top soil of the orange groves. The groves were located in two different places in the Valencia Community (Spain). The analysis showed that the aldicarb concentration was lower than those of aldicarb sulfoxide and aldicarb sulfone. In all cases, the residues persisted at least 160 days in vegetable samples and between 157 and 227 days in soil samples. Residue concentrations measured in the soil samples were highly variable but a relation with the organic matter content can be observed. The residue levels found in vegetal products were higher in leaves than in rind, and in rind than in pulp. The maximum residue values were obtained between 47 and 70 days after the application. One hundred days after treatment (Security period) the residue levels of total fruit were lower than the maximum residue level of 0.2 mg/kg established by law.     

Anaerobic Degradation of PCB in Soils

Abstract

The anaerobic degradation of PCB in loamy and clayey soils containing indigeneous microflora was studied. The anaerobic conditions were created by an argon atmosphere in the flasks containing soil flooded by a liquid medium with glucose. GC-ECD analysis of soil extracts after 40 day incubation showed, in addition to the concentration changes of the less chlorinated PCB congeners, a significant decrease in the concentration of highly chlorinated congeners in both soils. The results indicate that in both soil types reductive dehalogenation of PCB congeners was encountered.