Search results for "soil"
showing 10 items of 3493 documents
Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to carbonaceous materials in a river floodplain soil
2007
We report on sorption isotherm of phenanthrene (Phe) for river floodplain soil associated with carbonaceous materials, with particular attention being devoted to the natural loading of Phe. Our sorption experiments with original soil samples, size, and density sub-fractions showed that the light fraction had the highest sorption capacity comparable to low rank coals. In addition, the light fraction contributed most for the sorption of Phe in total soil samples. K(oc) values for all fractions were in the same range, thus indicating that coal and coal-derived particles in all samples are responsible for the enhanced sorption for Phe. Sorption was strongly nonlinear and the combined partitioni…
Combination of geo- pedo- and technogenic magnetic and geochemical signals in soil profiles - Diversification and its interpretation: A new approach.
2016
Magnetic and geochemical parameters of soils are determined with respect to geology, pedogenesis and anthropopression. Depending on local conditions these factors affect magnetic and geochemical signals simultaneously or in various configurations. We examined four type of soils (Entic Podzol, Eutric Cambisol, Humic Cambisol and Dystric Cambisol) developed on various bedrock (the Tumlin Sandstone, basaltoid, amphibolite and serpentinite, respectively). Our primary aim was to characterize the origin and diversification of the magnetic and geochemical signal in soils in order to distinguish the most reliable methods for correct interpretation of measured parameters. Presented data include sele…
A radiometric and petrographic interpretation of discrepancies on uranium content in samples collected at Alte Madonie Mounts region (Sicily, Italy)
2013
Abstract The main goal of this work is to evaluate a correlation between anomalous Uranium (U) content and petrographic features of some soil and rock samples collected at Alte Madonie Mounts region (North-central Sicily, Italy). A total of 41 samples of selected soils and rocks were collected, powdered, dried and sealed in “Marinelli” beakers for 20 days before the measurement to ensure that radioactive equilibrium between 226 Ra and 214 Bi was reached. Gamma-ray spectrometric analysis was used to quantify radioactivity concentrations. Mineralogical and chemical features of the samples were determined by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Attenuated Total Reflection-Four…
The impact of arthropods on fungal community structure in Lascaux Cave
2009
Aims: To determine the major components of the fungal population present in Lascaux Cave, France. The ceiling, walls, sediments and soil were colonized by Fusarium solani in 2001 and later, in 2006, black stains appeared. However, the origin of the successive fungal invasions is unknown as well as the ecology of the cave. Methods and Results: The primers nu-SSU-0817F and nu-SSU-1536R were used for the direct amplification of fungal 18S-rDNA sequences from 11 samples. A total of 607 clones were retrieved. Eight out of the ten most abundant phylotypes corresponded to fungi associated with arthropods and represented about 50% of the clones. Conclusions: Entomophilous fungi play an important ro…
LONG-TERM STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES IN A MAT FOUNDATION ON CLAY SOIL
2013
A 3-story building with a mat foundation consisting of a slab on a grid of grade beams performed poorly on clay soil. Cracking of the slab became rogressively worse as a result of the incorrect esign and fluctuations in the groundwater pressure under the foundation. The cyclic presence and absence of water rusted the steel reinforcement, and the sulfates in the clay soil caused formation of ettringite in the concrete. Plastic hinges formed in the slab and settlements occurred, causing damage to the beams. The situation is still in progress and may lead to the collapse of the structure under normal service conditions. The geotechnical and structural investigations performed to survey and ass…
So close, so different: geothermal flux shapes divergent soil microbial communities at neighbouring sites
2016
This study is focused on the (micro)biogeochemical features of two close geothermal sites (FAV1 and FAV2), both selected at the main exhalative area of Pantelleria Island, Italy. A previous biogeochemical survey revealed high CH4 consumption and the presence of a diverse community of methanotrophs at FAV2 site, whereas the close site FAV1 was apparently devoid of methanotrophs and recorded no CH4 consumption. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques were applied to describe the bacterial and archaeal communities which have been linked to the physicochemical conditions and the geothermal sources of energy available at the two sites. Both sites are dominated by Bacteria and host a negligib…
Studies of technogenic soils in Poland: past, present, and future perspectives
2020
Gleby występujące na obszarach silnie przekształconych przez człowieka były przez długi czas ignorowane w dyskursie naukowym. Również gospodarcze wykorzystanie tych gleb było ogra-niczone ze względu na ich nieproduktywność. Jedynie duże tereny pogórnicze zrekultywowane w kierunku leśnym lub rolnym były bardziej interesujące zarówno z punktu widzenia badańnaukowych, jak i ich praktycznego wykorzystania. W przypadku terenów pogórniczych termin „teren bezglebowy” był używany przez długi czas, zwłaszcza w odniesieniu do terenów nie rekul-tywowanych. W artykule opisano historyczne badania gleb technogenicznych w Polsce (opubli-kowane do końca XX wieku). Gleby technogeniczne terenów miejskich i p…
Microbiological analysis and metagenomic profiling of the bacterial community of an anthropogenic soil modified from typic haploxererts
2022
This work aimed to characterize the microbial communities of an anthropogenic soil originating from application of pedotechniques to Vertisols in a Mediterranean environment. Bare soil profiles were sampled at three depths (0–10 cm, 10–30 cm, and 30–50 cm) and compared with the original soil not transformed at the same depths. The anthropogenic soils were characterized by a higher CaCO3 concentration (360–640 g/kg) than control soil (190–200 g/kg), while an opposite trend was registered for clay, where control soil showed a higher concentration (465 g/kg on average) than anthropogenic soil (355 g/kg on average). Organic carbon content was much higher in the unt…
Soil Erosion and Deposition Rate Inside an Artificial Reservoir in Central Italy: Bathymetry versus RUSLE and Morphometry
2022
This study, using different direct and indirect methodologies, evaluated the sedimentation rate in an artificial reservoir in central Italy. This reservoir is regionally representative and was built in the 1960s for hydroelectric purposes; it has experienced a strong decrease in trap efficiency and a loss of over 70% of the stored water volume. Direct measurements of the lake bottom bathymetry, carried out in 2006 and 2015, and 3D reconstructions performed in a GIS environment, made it possible to calculate the volume of filling material and to verify an increasing trend in the sedimentation rate since 2006. The sample reservoir denudation rate was compared with that obtained using the Revi…
The assessment of environmental pollution caused by mining and metallurgy wastes from highly polluted post-industrial regions in Southern Poland
2012
Stored metallurgy and mining wastes contain relatively high amounts of potentially toxic elements. To monitor the distribution of contaminants originating from dumps, the chemical and physical properties of the wastes must be characterised. In this study, the chemical properties of wastes deposited in two different locations in Southern Poland (Szklary and Zloty Stok) were evaluated. Heaps located in Zloty Stok contain wastes from gold mineralisation comprising arsenic while wastes in Szklary originate from a factory that produced an iron-nickel alloy. In Szklary the total concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Tl, Ag, Cd and Pb were determined, while in Zloty Stok also As is…