Estimation of Nutrient Loads With the Use of Mass-balance and Modelling Approaches on the Wełna River Catchment Example (Central Poland)

Nitrogen and phosphorus budgeting is considered to be a useful tool for policy makers and stakeholders when dealing with nutrient contamination issues. Although a variety of budgeting approaches have been employed in countries affected by this problem, the direct comparison of possible options for the same area is quite limited. The current study offers a detailed insight into the estimations of nutrient loads and their distribution between different sources for a middle-sized agricultural catchment, with the use of two approaches: mass balance method and SWAT modelling. As a result of their comparison, both methods revealed similar contributions of analysed nutrient sources, although the absolute loads were heterogeneous, which stems from drawbacks related to the quality of the monitoring data, the performance of the model and omission of some catchment processes. However, in light of the performed comparison, we suggest a hybrid solution, combining the best features of both approaches.

Mass Balance Method for Purity Assessment for Pesticide Analytical Standards

Imazamox, a widely used herbicide, is currently managed by the Pesticide MRLs and Positive List System of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the development of reliable standard materials for analysis is urgently required. To confirm the reliability of the mass balance method, we measured the purity of the imazamox reference material (RM) certified by an RM producer accredited with ISO Guide 34 and estimated measurement uncertainty. According to this method, the content of structurally similar organic impurities was measured using high-performance liquid chromatographic coupled with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV), and the moisture, volatile impurities, and non-volatile impurities were quantitatively analyzed using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Purity and measurement uncertainty were calculated based on analysis of the HPLC-UV and TGA results obtained, and the validity of these values was confirmed by comparing with the values provided in the RM certificate.

Analisis Daya Tampung Beban Pencemaran Air Sungai Asam Kota Jambi

The Asam River is one of the rivers that crosses the sub-districts, including Kota Baru, Jelutung and Pasar Jambi. Asam River is located in Jambi City with a length of 10.68 km, and a watershed area of 2,930 Ha. The Asam River is generally polluted by waste originating from activities, office areas, hotels, trade centers, prominent figures and residential areas. To determine the quality of acid river water, it is necessary to analyze the load carrying capacity of water pollution. Methods that can be used to analyze the load carrying capacity of water pollution include the Mass Balance method and the Streeter-Phelps method. Based on the results of the calculation of the carrying capacity of the river pollution load using the mass balance method on the parameters, pH, TSS, BOD and COD. The Asam River which cannot accommodate the pollution load is found in the TSS parameter of -110.129 mg/l with a quality standard of 30 mg/l according to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Number P.68 of 2016 concerning domestic waste quality standards, while for the parameters pH, BOD, and COD still below the domestic waste quality standard. The results of the calculation of the carrying capacity of the pollution load using the streeter-phelps method show that at 4 sampling points the BOD concentration can still accommodate the pollution load in the river which does not exceed the quality standard. the effect of DO concentration on AP1 Upstream to AP4 Downstream is still available in sufficient amount of DO.

Benefits and Limitations of Methods of Measuring Food Losses and Their Economic and Non-Economic Significance – The Case of Bakery and Confectionery Industry

The urgent challenge of reaching sustainable development goals (including those pertaining to the limitation of food losses and waste) raises social awareness in this area. At the same time, a need arose to conduct studies focusing on the creation of a system of gathering and reporting data on food wastage and procedures helping to reduce its scale. The article presents and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of selected methods of data collection used for estimating of food losses in processing sectors, based on a case of the bakery and confectionery industry (the mass balance method, quantitative studies – questionnaire/survey methods, qualitative research – in-depth interviews, direct measurement). Attention was paid to the importance of methodological, technical, organisational and legal aspects. The starting points were the methods for certain links in the food chain identified in EU legal documents of 2019. Bakery and confectionery businesses make up around 40% of the number of entities operating in the agri-food sector in Poland, holding an important place in the food economy. The sector's losses are around 2.5% of the mass of the manufactured products, with the highest losses attributable to production departments in bakeries. The complexity of manufacturing processes of a wide range of bakery and confectionery products raises numerous problems with regard to measuring losses, especially in the methodological, technical, organisational and legal aspects. The mass balance method should be considered the most recommended for measuring losses in the bakery and confectionery sector. Collected knowledge can be used on a practical level, to create reporting systems about food losses in our country for selected food sectors. Such actions will allow meeting the reporting requirements of the European Commission (EC) and to monitor process of food loss reduction.

Revision of the total nitrogen and phosphorus content in a cattle manure-based organic fertiliser in North-West Russia

This study aimed to verify the applicability of a mass balance method for estimating nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content in the solid organic fertiliser produced from cattle manure in North-West Russia. The study compared the relevant established norms in Russia, the data calculated by the mass balance method, and the average experimental data on N and P content in cattle manure (ex-housing) and the organic fertilizer ready to use from the selected cattle-breeding complex with 1250 heads and a manure output of 70 t day-1. Three animal categories were considered. The difference between the calculated and experimental data was 10% maximum but the experimental data and the established norms differed by above 15%. This proves the demand to revise the norms in the Russian regulatory documents to improve the accuracy of fertiliser application rates and the estimation of agricultural land required. Even an increase of 10% in the nutrient content of the organic fertiliser results in an increase in the required agricultural land from 451 to 526 ha for spreading the organic fertiliser from the 1250 heads of cattle at the selected farm.

Carbon and nitrogen budgets of a winter rapeseed field in Estonia: a methodology for the quantification of all relevant pools and fluxes

<p>Agricultural activities can have several adverse impacts on the environment; such as important greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To implement effective mitigation measures and create effective policies, it is necessary to know the full carbon and nitrogen budgets of agro-ecosystems. However, very often, information regarding the pools or fluxes involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycles is limited, and essential complementary data needed for a proper interpretation is lacking.</p><p>This study aimed to quantify all the relevant pools and fluxes of a winter rapeseed, a widely spread crop in the Europe and Baltic regions. The N<sub>2</sub>O and CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes were measured weekly using the closed static chamber method from August 2016 to August 2017 in a winter rapeseed field in Central Estonia. Additionally, nutrient leaching and soil chemical parameters, as well as environmental parameters like soil moisture, electrical conductivity and temperature were monitored. At the end of the season, the rapeseed and weed biomasses were collected, weighed and analyzed. The remaining relevant fluxes in the N cycle were calculated using various non-empirical methods: NH<sub>3</sub> volatilization was estimated from slurry and environmental parameters, N deposition and NO<sub>x</sub> emissions were obtained from national reports, and N<sub>2</sub> emissions were calculated with the mass balance method. Regarding the C cycle, gross primary production (GPP) of the rapeseed field was also calculated by the mass balance method. Simultaneously, for comparison and validation purposes, GPP was estimated from the data provided by MOD17A2H v006 series from NASA, and N<sub>2</sub> was estimated from the measured emissions of N<sub>2</sub>O using the N<sub>2</sub>:N<sub>2</sub>O ratio calculated from the DAYCENT model equations.</p><p>N<sub>2</sub> emissions and GPP were the biggest fluxes in the N and C cycles, respectively. N<sub>2</sub> emissions were followed by N extracted with plant biomass in the N cycle, while in the carbon cycle soil and plant respiration and NPP were the highest fluxes after GPP. The carbon balance was positive at the soil level, with a net increase in soil carbon during the period, mainly due to GPP carbon capture. Contrarily, the nitrogen balance resulted in a net loss of N due to the losses related to gaseous emissions (N<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O) and leaching.</p><p>To conclude, it was possible to close the C and N budgets, despite the inherent difficulties of estimating the different C and N environmental pools and fluxes, and the uncertainties deriving from some of the fluxes estimations.</p>