Distribution of mercury in soils at a decommissioned gas plant

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-482
Author(s):  
Connie K Ohut ◽  
M. J. Dudas ◽  
G. E. Nason
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Mercury Contamination ◽  
Anthropogenic Source ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Soil Material ◽  
Sulfide Deposits ◽  
Undisturbed Soils ◽  
Monitoring Devices ◽  
Key Words Mercury

The range and distribution of mercury in soils at a decommissioned gas plant near Turner Valley, Alberta were investigated in order to facilitate risk assessment and the remediation and development of the site into a tourism area. Although high levels of Hg were thought to be present in some areas on the site, it was unclear whether the source of the Hg was industrial processes or from river deposition of HgS impurities after erosion of upstream sulfide deposits. Background Hg concentrations in undisturbed soils and surficial bedrock near the gas plant were also unknown. Mercury concentrations in surface soil material on the gas plant site were found to range up to 230 mg Hg kg−1 soil, with the highest concentrations found next to process building doorways. Investigation of Hg distribution with soil depth showed that levels were generally highest at the surface, dropping rapidly with depth to near background levels of 0.07 mg Hg kg−1 soil or lower. The highest Hg concentrations were associated with the clay fraction, which contained up to 2300 mg Hg kg−1 soil. The results are consistent with an anthropogenic source from spillage of elemental Hg contained in manometers and pressure monitoring devices used in plant buildings. Mercury concentrations at depth and in uncontaminated surface soils were similar to those reported by Dudas and Pawluk (1976) for surface soils formed in glacial and fluvial deposits elsewhere in Alberta. Key words: Mercury, contamination, soils, Turner Valley

The Sources of Lead Pollution in a Tropical Soil Chronosequence Based on Lead Isotope

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwu LI ◽  
Jinlin Yang ◽  
Ganlin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Anthropogenic Source ◽  
Anthropogenic Contamination ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Soil Chronosequence ◽  
Mass Fractions ◽  
Tropical Areas ◽  
Global Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Significant Addition

Abstract Soil is important contributor to global biogeochemical cycles and often receives anthropogenic Pb contamination. Hainan soil chronosequence developed on basalt had provided a good opportunity to identify and quantify the relative contributions of Pb sources in remote tropical areas. The results revealed that Pb concentrations and isotopic ratios of the soils were clearly affected by anthropogenic source. The Pb concentrations and percentage changes of Pb/Th ratios showed significantly Pb enrichment. The low 206Pb/207Pb values of upper soils indicated a significant addition of extraneous Pb, whereas deeper soils showed a dominantly basaltic source. The 208Pb/206Pb vs. 206Pb/207Pb diagram of soils clearly indicated inputs of parent material and anthropogenic Pb sources. We also calculated the mass fractions of anthropogenic-derived Pb (ƒPbanthropogenic) based on isotope mass balance. The ƒPbanthropogenic values showed a generally decreasing trend with soil depth, implying a significant addition of anthropogenic Pb in top soils. The contribution of anthropogenic Pb in Hainan soil chronosequence highlighted the significance of anthropogenic contamination to soils globally.

scholarly journals Characterization, agricultural potential, and perspectives for the management of light soils in Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 1003-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Kangussu Donagemma ◽  
Pedro Luiz de Freitas ◽  
Fabiano de Carvalho Balieiro ◽  
Ademir Fontana ◽  
Silvio Túlio Spera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Agricultural Frontier ◽  
Agricultural Potential

Abstract Light soils occupy 8% of the Brazilian territory and are especially expressive in the new and last agricultural frontier in Brazil: the Matopiba region - in the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia -, where they represent 20% of the area. These soils fit into the textural classes of sand and loamy sand or sandy loam, down to 0.75-m soil depth or deeper, and they are mainly represented by Neossolos Quartzarênicos (Quartzipsamments) and, partly, by Latossolos (Oxisols) and Argissolos (Ultisols). The understanding of soil functioning depends on the establishment of distinguishing criteria for: organic matter dynamics; content and mineralogy of the clay fraction; coarse sand and total sand contents, in relation to those of fine sand; mean diameter of the sand fraction; and water retention capacity. These criteria can contribute for the zoning and for the conservation and fertility management of light soils, as well as for the estimation of their agricultural potential. Integrated production systems, such as crop-livestock and crop-livestock-forestry integration, besides no-tillage with crop rotation, mixed forestry planting with legumes, and the use of green manure and cover crops are relevant for the proper management of these soils. The objective of this review was to characterize light soils and to highlight the main challenges regarding their agricultural potential and their conservation and fertility managements, in face of the expansion and consolidation of the new Brazilian agricultural frontier.

The effect of wetting pre-treatment on the desorption moisture characteristic of vertisols

Soil Research ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Thorburn ◽  
EA Gardner ◽  
AF Geritz ◽  
KJ Coughlan
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Small Water ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Additional Water ◽  
Moisture Characteristic ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Reduced Rate ◽  
Maximum Field

Four experiments were conducted by using individual aggregates and ground samples of different soils and a range of wetting pre-treatments to investigate the effect of wetting on the desorption moisture characteristic of Vertisols. Wetting rate was varied by manipulating the energy of the water used to wet up the soil. Fast wetting was found to increase moisture uptake in Vertisols over a wide range of matric potentials (to -38 MPa in one soil). At high matric potentials, additional water uptake ranged up to 0.26 g g-l. These results were attributed to the creation of planar voids within soils between small water-stable aggregates on fast wetting. These voids retained water at matric potentials as low as -90 kPa. At this potential, 40% of additional water taken up on fast wetting was still retained in one soil. At -1500 kPa, fast wet soils retained up to 1.2 times more moisture relative to slow wet soils. The effect of wetting at potentials of -1500 kPa and less appeared to be related to the smectite content of the soil clay fraction and the degree of order of clay quasi-crystals. The soil which showed the greatest effect of fast wetting at these potentials had a less well ordered clay micro-structure. These findings have relevance to field studies, as variations in maximum field soil moisture content, with depth, could be reproduced by tension wetting pre-treatments. This result indicates that reduced rate of subsoil wetting may be responsible for the decrease in maximum field water contents with increasing soil depth, which has been observed in Vertisols. Such profiles have previously been attributed to the effect of overburden and stress potentials alone.

scholarly journals Land Use Changes Affecting Soil Organic Matter Accumulation in Topsoil and Subsoil in Northeast Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Benjapon Kunlanit ◽  
Laksanara Khwanchum ◽  
Patma Vityakon
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Soil Profiles ◽  
Land Uses

The objectives of this study were to investigate effects of land use on accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM) in the soil profile (0–100 cm) and to determine pattern of SOM stock distribution in soil profiles. Soil samples were collected from five soil depths at 20 cm intervals from 0 to 100 cm under four adjacent land uses including forest, cassava, sugarcane, and paddy lands located in six districts of Maha Sarakham province in the Northeast of Thailand. When considering SOM stock among different land uses in all locations, forest soils had significantly higher total SOM stocks in 0–100 cm (193 Mg·C·ha−1) than those in cassava, sugarcane, and paddy soils in all locations. Leaf litter and remaining rice stover on soil surfaces resulted in a higher amount of SOM stocks in topsoil (0–20 cm) than subsoil (20–100 cm) in some forest and paddy land uses. General pattern of SOM stock distribution in soil profiles was such that the SOM stock declined with soil depth. Although SOM stocks decreased with depth, the subsoil stock contributes to longer term storage of C than topsoils as they are more stabilized through adsorption onto clay fraction in finer textured subsoil than those of the topsoils. Agricultural practices, notably applications of organic materials, such as cattle manure, could increase subsoil SOM stock as found in some agricultural land uses (cassava and sugarcane) in some location in our study. Upland agricultural land uses, notably cassava, caused high rate of soil degradation. To restore soil fertility of these agricultural lands, appropriate agronomic practices including application of organic soil amendments, return of crop residues, and reduction of soil disturbance to increase and maintain SOM stock, should be practiced.

scholarly journals Ocena zawartości rtęci w poziomach powierzchniowych i podpowierzchniowych intensywnie użytkowanych rolniczo gleb aluwialnych / Assessment of total mercury content in the surface and subsurface horizons in intensively used agricultural alluvial soils

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-53
Author(s):  
Agata Bartkowiak ◽  
Hanna Jaworska ◽  
Szymon Różański
Keyword(s):  
Total Mercury ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Background Level ◽  
Mercury Content ◽  
Mercury Contamination ◽  
Alluvial Soils ◽  
Geochemical Background ◽  
Dominant Component ◽  
Soil Components ◽  
Major Factors

Abstract One of the major factors determining hazard for humans, animals and plants is the increased content of trace elements in the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of mercury in surface and subsurface horizons of alluvial soils intensively used for agriculture in aspect of relationship between soil components and Hg amount bound by the soil. The results showed that there was no mercury contamination and dominant component binding this element in analyzed soils was clay fraction. The determined concentrations of mercury were close to the geochemical background level.

Potassium supplying power of a Typic Ustochrept profile using quantity/intensity technique in a long-term fertilized plot

2001 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. RUPA ◽  
S. SRIVASTAVA ◽  
A. SWARUP ◽  
D. SINGH
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Exchangeable K ◽  
K Fertilizer ◽  
Phosphorus And Potassium

The effect of 27 years of continuous cropping, fertilization and manuring on potassium (K) supplying capacity of a Typic Ustochrept soil profile from Delhi, India under a maize–wheat–cowpea (fodder) cropping system was investigated by employing the quantity/intensity (Q/I) approach. The predominant mineral suite of the <2 μm clay fraction was illite. The values of equilibrium activity ratio of K in solution in equilibrium with the soil (ARKE), labile pools of K (KL), immediately available K (ΔK0), K available with difficulty (KX) and water soluble+exchangeable K (1 M NH4OAc K) in different soil layers (0 to 105 cm) under different treatments were in the following order: 100% nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK)+farmyard manure (FYM) > 100% NPK > control (no fertilizer) > 100% N >100% NP. The ARKE value, a measure of availability or intensity of labile K in soil decreased with profile depth due to greater K fixation by specific sites in the lower layers. The quantity of specifically sorbed K (KX) and the potential buffering capacity of soil (PBCK) showed a increasing trend with soil depth. In soil without K fertilizer treatments (control, 100% N and 100% NP) about 100% of the total K uptake by crops was from non-exchangeable soil K reserve as compared to 49·5 and 32·2% when annually 84 kg K/ha and 84 kg K/ha+FYM at the rate of 15 t/ha were applied. The results showed the greatest depletion of non-exchangeable K reserves in the plots which did not receive K fertilization. To ensure sustained crop production under intensive cropping, application of recommended dose of NPK plus FYM is required.

ASSOCIATION OF TOTAL CaCO3 AND ACTIVE CaCO3 WITH GROWTH OF FIVE TREE SPECIES ON CHERNOZEMIC SOILS

1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. CARTER
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Fine Silt ◽  
Stunted Growth ◽  
Effective Site

In Chernozemic soils, active CaCO3, an estimate of the CaCO3 in the clay and fine silt particles, proved to be a more effective site index for several tree species than total CaCO3. In general, active CaCO3 exceeding 7–9% caused incidences of stunted growth and chlorosis. High levels of active CaCO3 within the 0–30 cm soil depth were related to enrichment of CaCO3 in the clay fraction.

scholarly journals Characterization and Classification of Soils of Jalingo Metropolis, North-east, Nigeria

2018 ◽  
pp. 72-80
Author(s):  
Osujieke D.N ◽  
Obasi N.S. ◽  
Imadojemu P.E ◽  
Ekawa M. ◽  
Angyu M.D.
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Soil Taxonomy ◽  
Sand Fraction ◽  
Reference Base ◽  
North East ◽  
World Reference Base

The study was aimed at the characterizing and the classifying of soils of Jalingo metropo- lis in Taraba State, North-East Nigeria. Profile pit was dug on each of the three different sites of the study area as identified using free survey. The profile pits were described and sampled bases on horizon differentiation for laboratory analyses. A total of 10 samples were collected. Data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine their coefficient of variation. The result indicated that the horizons were mostly reddish when moist at different contrasting level. The textural classes were mostly loamy sand while the sub-angular blocky structure was observed in the entire subsurface horizons. The horizons of the pedons were well drained. Sand fraction had means of 826.80 g/kg, 816.80 g/kg and 766.8 g/kg for pedons 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Clay fraction increased in an in- creasing soil depth which formed an argillic horizon. Sand fraction, bulk density and parti- cle density recorded low variation (≥0 % ≤5.22 %) in among the pedons. Soil pH(H2O) had a mean of 6.40 in pedon 1, 6.43 in pedon 2 and 6.41 in pedon 3. Organic carbon ranged from ≥2.0 g/kg ≤0.43 g/kg while cation exchange capacity ranged from ≥4.58 cmol/kg ≤5.01 cmol/kg among the pedons. The percent base saturation had a mean of 66.6 %, 65.1 % and 66 % in pedon 1, 2 and 3. Hence, pedons 1 and 2 were classified as Grossarenic Kandiustalfs (Arenic Lixisols), while pedon 3 was classified as Arenic Kandi- ustalfs (Loamic Lixisols) according to USDA soil taxonomy and correlated with world reference base.

scholarly journals Ecological and genomic attributes of novel bacterial taxa that thrive in subsurface soil horizons

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess E. Brewer ◽  
Emma L. Aronson ◽  
Keshav Arogyaswamy ◽  
Sharon A. Billings ◽  
Jon K. Botthoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Soil Profiles ◽  
Growth Strategies ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bacterial And Archaeal Communities ◽  
Archaeal Communities ◽  
The U.S

AbstractWhile most bacterial and archaeal taxa living in surface soils remain undescribed, this problem is exacerbated in deeper soils owing to the unique oligotrophic conditions found in the subsurface. Additionally, previous studies of soil microbiomes have focused almost exclusively on surface soils, even though the microbes living in deeper soils also play critical roles in a wide range of biogeochemical processes. We examined soils collected from 20 distinct profiles across the U.S. to characterize the bacterial and archaeal communities that live in subsurface soils and to determine whether there are consistent changes in soil microbial communities with depth across a wide range of soil and environmental conditions. We found that bacterial and archaeal diversity generally decreased with depth, as did the degree of similarity of microbial communities to those found in surface horizons. We observed five phyla that consistently increased in relative abundance with depth across our soil profiles: Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Euryarchaeota, and candidate phyla GAL15 and Dormibacteraeota (formerly AD3). Leveraging the unusually high abundance of Dormibacteraeota at depth, we assembled genomes representative of this candidate phylum and identified traits that are likely to be beneficial in low nutrient environments, including the synthesis and storage of carbohydrates, the potential to use carbon monoxide (CO) as a supplemental energy source, and the ability to form spores. Together these attributes likely allow members of the candidate phylum Dormibacteraeota to flourish in deeper soils and provide insight into the survival and growth strategies employed by the microbes that thrive in oligotrophic soil environments.ImportanceSoil profiles are rarely homogeneous. Resource availability and microbial abundances typically decrease with soil depth, but microbes found in deeper horizons are still important components of terrestrial ecosystems. By studying 20 soil profiles across the U.S., we documented consistent changes in soil bacterial and archaeal communities with depth. Deeper soils harbored distinct communities compared to the more commonly studied surface horizons. Most notably, we found that the candidate phylum Dormibacteraeota (formerly AD3) was often dominant in subsurface soils, and we used genomes from uncultivated members of this group to identify why these taxa are able to thrive in such resource-limited environments. Simply digging deeper into soil can reveal a surprising amount of novel microbes with unique adaptations to oligotrophic subsurface conditions.

Potassium adsorption characteristics and potassium forms in some New South Wales soils in relation to early senescence in cotton

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevag Bedrossian ◽  
Balwant Singh
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Premature Senescence ◽  
Exchangeable K ◽  
Adsorption Characteristics ◽  
Surface Samples ◽  
South Wales

The occurrence of premature senescence (PS) in cotton in Australia has been related to decreased potassium (K) concentration in the affected plants. Soil samples (0–120 cm) were taken from paired cotton fields, i.e. PS fields and similar soils not affected by PS (Non-PS fields), in northern New South Wales. The samples were analysed for different forms of K in soil, mineralogy of various size fractions, and K adsorption characteristics to evaluate differences in their K availability. Smectite was the dominant clay mineral in the studied soils. The K-bearing mineral illite was present in the clay fraction of all samples and its content was generally higher in soils from the Non-PS sites than the PS sites from Moree, Pilliga, and Warren. Water-soluble K (H2O-K) ranged from 0.03 to 2.64 mg/kg (median 0.35 mg/kg), exchangeable K (Exch-K) from 43 to 687 mg/kg (median 107 mg/kg), non-exchangeable K (Nonexch-K) from 164 to 1981 mg/kg (median 819 mg/kg), and total K (Total-K) from 16 811 to 23 207 mg/kg (median 14 740 mg/kg). The values of various K forms were generally higher in samples from the Non-PS fields than the PS fields from Pilliga and Warren sites and the reverse trend occurred for the samples from Trangie. Similar H2O-K and Exch-K values were found for the PS and Non-PS samples from Moree, whereas Nonexch-K and Total-K contents were higher in the top 60 cm soil depth from the Non-PS field than the PS field. The equilibrium activity ratio (ARKe) values were significantly higher for surface samples from the Non-PS sites than the PS sites from Pilliga and Warren and the reverse was true for the Trangie site. There was a sharp decrease in ARKe with depth for the studied samples. The potential buffering capacity (PBCK) for both surface and subsurface samples from the Non-PS site (mean 31.5 (mmol/kg)/(mol/L)1/2) from Trangie was substantially higher than the corresponding samples from the PS sites (mean 14.7 (mmol/kg)/(mol/L)1/2). There was a significant increase in K adsorption for the subsurface samples than the surface samples for all sites, as indicated by the higher values of Freundlich adsorption coefficient, k. At the Pilliga and Warren sites, the occurrence of premature senescence in cotton plants can be explained on the basis of differences in the levels of different forms of K, mineralogy, and K adsorption characteristics of soils from the PS and Non-PS fields. At the Moree site, higher illite content in the Non-PS than the PS soil may explain the difference in their K availability. For the paired Trangie samples, greater PBCK of the Non-PS soil than the PS soil may be responsible for increased K availability in the Non-PS soil. The occurrence of PS symptoms in cotton at Narrabri site cannot be directly contributed to K supplying parameters analysed in the study. The results also show that Exch-K alone may not be adequate to measure K availability to cotton in these soils.

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