High Amounts Of Organic Matter Research Articles

Polluted Rivers—A Case Study in Porto, Portugal

River contamination by microorganisms, or another chemical source, poses a serious threat to both the environment and public health. Taking immediate and appropriate actions is essential to mitigate the contamination and prevent further spread. As such, regular monitoring of these pollution agents is essential to act in time and control its minor extension. However, there is a lack of commitment to this emergent concern and respective actions around the world. This work aims to study the contamination of a Portuguese river (Tinto River) within Porto city (a highly populated urban area) regarding the total aerobic microorganisms, coliforms, and Enterococcus (as colony-forming units (CFUs) using specific solid culture media) and total organic matter (TOC). Different locations were considered along the Tinto River course (i.e., 14 locations within 11 km) and samples were collected on distinct days throughout September 2022. The overall results showed microbial contamination of aerobic microorganisms (up to 2 × 105 CFU/100 mL), total coliforms (up to 7 × 104 CFU/100 mL), Escherichia coli (up to 9 × 103 CFU/100 mL), and Enterococcus (up to 8 × 103 CFU/100 mL). The results also surpassed the maximum recommended values (MRVs) described in Portuguese decree-law no. 236/98 for irrigation waters. Moreover, TOC was found in a range of 4.54 mg/L to 57.2 mg/L. This work highlights the dangerous microbial contamination and higher amount of organic matter than would be expected for a surface water resource.

Anaerobic digestion of vinasse improves its use as a liquid fertilizer

The global demand for exploiting the potential of renewable biofuel production is increasing. When countries with large agricultural areas produce ethanol, they also generate a harmful byproduct called vinasse. Vinasse is a dark brown effluent that contains a high amount of organic matter, has an acidic nature, and is rich in mineral salts. Managing this effluent poses a challenge due to its significant volume, which ranges from 8 to 20 liters per liter of ethanol produced. Traditionally, raw vinasse has been applied directly to the soil as a liquid fertilizer. However, this practice, without proper guidance, can lead to soil degradation, micronutrient imbalance, pH change and excessive accumulation of organic matter. To resolve these issues and still use vinasse as a fertilizer, the process of anaerobic degradation of vinasse in biodigesters was analyzed. The resulting treated effluent, known as digested vinasse, was then compared to raw vinasse in terms of pollution parameters and the balance of minerals crucial for sugarcane cultivation. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the organic load of vinasse, with a removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) ranging from 66% to 85%. After applying the digested vinasse to sugarcane like cultivation soil, a noticeable decrease in the environmental impact caused by excessive organic matter was observed. Additionally, the study found that important nutritional elements such as sodium (Na) did not have any adverse effects or accumulate excessively when compared to calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). In conclusion, the research demonstrates that the anaerobic degradation of vinasse in biodigesters can effectively reduce its organic load and mitigate the environmental impact associated with the direct application of raw vinasse to agricultural soils

Analisis Nilai Ekonomi Limbah Rumah Potong Hewan Sapi menjadi Pupuk Organik Cair (Studi Kasus pada RPH Sapi SK Kunak Kota Pontianak)

The increase in population every year has an impact on increasing food demand for beef. The place that plays a role in providing and slaughtering livestock is the slaughterhouse. Pontianak City has one official government-owned cattle slaughterhouse, namely the SK Kunak cattle slaughterhouse. Apart from producing meat, the process also produces by-products, namely waste in the form of rumen, blood, urine, faeces, meat flakes, and fat. However, this slaughterhouse does not have a wastewater treatment plant, so the waste is directly discharged into the environment without further processing. Slaughterhouse waste contains high amounts of organic matter, which can cause air pollution. Cow slaughter waste in the form of rumen and cow blood mainly contains nutrients beneficial for plants, so this waste has economic potential if managed well and appropriately. This research aims to determine the monetary value of slaughterhouse waste in liquid organic fertilizer using a quantitative descriptive approach. The data was analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis by examining the economic value based on calculating the cost of production (HPP) to determine the selling price of the product. The method used in calculating HPP is variable costing, namely, adding up the production costs of making liquid organic fertilizer in the form of raw material costs, labour, and overhead. The research results show that the production cost of organic fertilizer is IDR. 10,750/litre and the selling price with a 20% profit is Rp. 13,000/litre. As an alternative to liquid fertilizer, the price is lower than the market price, which reaches IDR 75,000/Liter. This liquid organic fertilizer can also be a solution to reduce environmental problems.

Integrated Process of Immediate One-Step Lime Precipitation, Atmospheric Carbonation, Constructed Wetlands, or Adsorption for Industrial Wastewater Treatment: A Review

The transition from the linear economy paradigm to the circular economy in industrial wastewater treatment systems is on the global agenda. The search for new simple, eco-innovative, and low-cost processes for treating industrial wastewater, which can also be used by small and medium-sized industries, has been a constant challenge especially when environmental sustainability is considered. So, a new integrated industrial wastewater treatment system has been developed that includes the immediate one-step lime precipitation process (IOSLM) and atmospheric carbonation (AC), followed by constructed wetlands (CWs) or adsorption. The current review provides an overview of industrial wastewater treatment strategies for high- and low-biodegradable wastewater. A background on functionality, applicability, advantages and disadvantages, operating variables, removal mechanisms, main challenges, and recent advances are carried out for each process that makes up the IOSLM+AC+CW/adsorption integrated system. The prospects of the IOSLM+AC+CW/adsorption integrated system are also discussed. Not neglecting the improvements that still need to be made in the integrated treatment system as well as its application to various types of industrial wastewater, this review highlights that this treatment system is promising in industrial wastewater treatment and consequent by-product recovery. The IOSLM+AC integrated system showed that it can remove high amounts of organic matter, total suspended solids, oils and fats, phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen from industrial effluents. On the other hand, constructed wetlands/adsorption can be alternatives for refining effluents still containing organic matter and nitrogen that were not possible to remove in the previous steps.

Quantifying the fertility status and relationship between soil properties under major tea estates of North-western Himalaya

ABSTRACT Tea is being grown on the gentle slopes of Himachal Pradesh located in the north-western region of mighty Himalaya, since 1850s. However, degrading soil health due to rampant usage of agrochemicals, and long-run tea cultivation adversely affects the productivity potential of the region. Analyzing soil-nutrient status is of great value to meet the crop nutrient demand. The research aimed to identify the vulnerable soil properties and their assessment for soil restoration under major tea estates of the North-western Himalaya. The study examined the physico-chemical and biological properties of soils of 37 tea estates. The large variation among different sites for physical parameters signifies the textural difference between the sites under study. Meanwhile, the soil pH of tea estates varied from extremely acidic to slightly acidic reaction, with an overall pH (H2O) of 5.33 in the top soils and 5.47 in the subsoils. High OC (13.35 g kg−1) under overall soil depth of tea estates presumably correlated with higher concentration of available nutrients, i.e. N (r = 0.641), K (r = 0.492), and S (r = 0.623) alongside exchangeable Ca (r = 0.724) and Mg (r = 0.718). The substrate carbon availability due to higher amount of organic matter in the top soils (16.1 g kg−1) leads to increased biological activity (MBC and DHA) in the surface soils as compared to subsoils. The unscientific approach of fertilizer application led to huge variability in green leaf yield across different tea estates. Thus, to achieve higher yield, it should be necessary to adopt nutrient application in a judicial manner in the tea plantations.

The influence of organic–mineral fertilization system and the structure of crop rotation on the humus condition of leached chernozem

Purpose. To study the influence of organic-mineral fertilization systems and the structure of crop rotation on the transformation of organic matter and the state of humus in leached chernozem.
 Меthods. Long-term field and analytical.
 Results. Research data on the amount of organic matter entering the soil, its humification, and the effect on the humus content in leached chernozem, depending on fertilization systems and the structure of crop rotation, are given. It was established that under the mineral fertilization system, the humus content in the soil was the lowest and demonstrated a negative seasonal dynamic. The stability of the humus content in the soil was ensured by traditional and alternative organic-mineral fertilization systems.
 Conclusions. The content of humus in leached chernozem mainly depended on the fertilization system and slightly depended on the crop rotation structure. Application of N90Ρ90Κ90 + straw + green manure or N48.8Ρ45Κ55 + by-products + green manure per 1 ha of crop rotation under sugar beet during 20 years provided the highest humus content in the soil. The content of humus was 4.04–4.07% in the 0–30 cm soil layer and 3.79–3.81% in the 30–50 cm layer, which was higher compared to mineral fertilizations by 0.18–0.20% and 0.06–0.08%, respectively. The alternative organic-mineral fertilization system stabilized the humus content in the soil at the level of the conventional manure-based fertilization system. In the mineral fertilization system, the humus content in the soil of the crop rotations decreased at the end of the vegetation season compared to the initial indicator by 0.02–0.03%, while in the organic-mineral fertilization system it increased by 0.02–0.04%. The humus content remained stable in the 30–50 cm soil layer. The alternative fertilization system with the application of mineral fertilizers, straw and green manure had the highest stabilization effect on the state of soil humus. The application of N90Ρ90Κ90 + straw + green manure provided the highest amounts of organic matter entering the soil in crop rotations − 3.55–3.57 t/ha accompanied by high humification coefficients: 22 % in a crop rotation with two fields of soybean, 41 % with barley and pea mix as preceding crops, and 44 % with pea, vetch and oat mix as preceding crops. The influence of the structure of crop rotation on the state of humus in leached chernozem was found insignificant.

Environmental factors modulated the fatty acid profile of the shrimp Xiphopenaeus spp. in Cananéia and Ubatuba southeast Brazilian coast.

Environmental characteristics influence the fatty acids (FAs) of aquatic organisms. Environmental factors and anthropic actions such as water pollution can impact FA composition. This directly affects the trophic network, especially when low-quality FA is provided to other trophic levels. The omnivore Penaeoidea shrimp is rich in proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), representing an important node in the trophic web. We compared the FA composition of the commercially exploited seabob shrimp Xiphopenaeus spp. in two distinct coastal sites, Cananéia and Ubatuba, on the southeast Brazilian coast. Cananéia has a low human population density and is a preserved area with nearby mangroves, while Ubatuba is highly urbanised and influenced by tourism (increasing the domestic sewage), with diverse microhabitats but without mangrove influence. We found a total of 29 different FAs in seabob shrimp samples. Saturated FAs and PUFAS were the most representatives. For sex or age (juvenile and adult), deviations were found in the monosaturated FA, ω6, and ω3/ω6. However, FA composition was significantly different between sites, with Ubatuba presenting a lower abundance of FAs than Cananéia. The fatty acid composition of Xiphopenaeus spp. was influenced by environmental quality factors such as dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, organic matter, and size gradient. The presence of high amounts of organic matter (especially sewage) during decomposition can decrease dissolved oxygen levels, reducing the quality of the first producers and limiting the availability of FAs for other trophic levels. The study suggests that water pollution and mangrove forests can impact the FAs of Xiphopenaeus spp., potentially reducing their nutritional value and causing an imbalance in the transference of FAs.

Changes in the Mineral Content of Soil following the Application of Different Organic Matter Sources

A study conducted over three consecutive years examined the effects of using biochar, organic fertilizer and microorganisms on soil pH and the concentrations of macro and microelements in the soil. A tendency to increase soil pH was seen where biochar was used. The highest concentration of phosphorus was found in the soil after the application of organic fertilizer with the addition of microorganisms. The most potassium was found in the soil treated with biochar together with organic fertilizer, while the most magnesium was in the soil fertilized with organic fertilizer alone and organic fertilizer together with microorganisms. All the fertilization combinations resulted in an increase in boron and copper levels in the soil. The accumulation of iron in the soil was promoted by organic fertilization alone and organic fertilization together with microorganisms. The highest amount of manganese in the soil was found after fertilization with biochar together with organic fertilizer. In the combination where organic fertilizer was applied, the soil contained the most sodium, while the highest zinc content was found in the soil fertilized with biochar and organic fertilizer. The greatest increase in the carbon content in the soil occurred after the use of biochar together with microorganisms and biochar with organic fertilizer. The same treatments also resulted in the highest amount of organic matter. The study shows that the use of biochar, organic fertilization and the combined use of biochar and organic fertilization improved the quality of the soil.

Evaluation of the Effects of Riparian Population Activities on the Physicochemical Quality of Water in a Mediterranean River: The Inaouene River (Taza, North East Morocco)

Mediterranean Rivers are often increasingly subjected to stress as a result of riparian population activities. This present study assessed the impact of human activities on the water quality of the Inaouene River in Morocco. For this purpose, water samples were collected from seven sampling stations along the River and analysed. The water of the Inaouene River is characterised by slightly alkaline water pH (7.32-7.59), electrical conductivity (1206.44-3674.14 μS cm-1), very low level of dissolved oxygen (1.98-5.55 mg L-1), BOD5 (45.42-328.7 mg L-1), COD (112.71-468.46 mg L-1). The results classify the Inaouene River’s water in the “moderate to poor” quality range based on Moroccan standards. This water, which is characterised by moderate to severe organic contamination, is also distinguished by a significant allochthone charge from the different riparian urban centres. The multivariate analysis showed a decline in water quality and high amounts of organic matter, nitrogenous and phosphorus in urban centres downstream. Waters from stations located further away from domestic discharge points are less polluted and more oxygenated. Overall, these findings confirmed that the combined effect of anthropogenic activities and the seasonality characteristic of the Inaouene watershed is the main factor that determines water quality.

Long-term conservation tillage results in a more balanced soil microbiological activity and higher nutrient supply capacity

Soil health depletion due to intensive tillage operations is a global issue in the agricultural sector. Conservation tillage (CT) which involves non-inversion tillage and leaving ∼30% of the soil surface covered with crop residues, is a strategy designed to enhance soil health. However, no comprehensive study to investigate the long-term effect of CT on soil biological activity and the soil nutrient supply has yet been widely carried out. Biological and chemical soil properties were assessed at depths 0–5, 10–15, and 20–25 cm depths after 18 years of CT and conventional tillage practice (PT). Various stages in the vegetative growth of maize were investigated in 2021 in Hungary. The findings indicated that tillage intensity, soil depth, and growth stages all significantly influenced soil enzyme activities and the concentration of soil nutrients. Less soil disturbance resulted in a significantly larger concentration of soil carbon parameters (total organic carbon and labile carbon) in CT plots, where the activity of β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase (DHA) in the upper soil layer increased significantly (0.7–2.6 and 2.6–4.7 times, respectively) compared to PT. The high amount of organic matter and the greater resistance to erosion observed in CT also contributed to the higher concentration of available nutrients (NH4, NO3, Ca, K) and total P in the surface soil layer. Phosphatase activity was highest in the mid-stage of vegetative growth and was positively correlated to the total P concentration. The alterations in soil water content were clearly negatively correlated with the change in DHA and phosphatase activity. Overall, due to the more balanced environmental conditions, the decomposition of organic substances was more balanced and slower in CT than in PT. This implied that the mobilization of nutrients in the soil was more balanced as well, and that the nutrients were released gradually. The enhancement of the soil nutrient-supplying capacity achieved by means of long-term conservation tillage provides a promising strategy for sustainable nutrient management.

Natural deep eutectic solvent-based microextraction for mercury speciation in water samples

A new natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES)-based analytical method for mercury speciation in water samples is presented. A NADES (i.e., decanoic acid:DL-menthol in a molar ratio of 1:2) is used as an environmentally friendly extractant for separation and preconcentration using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction before LC-UV–Vis. Under optimal extraction conditions (i.e., NADES volume, 50 µL; sample pH, 12; volume of the complexing agent, 100 µL; extraction time, 3 min; centrifugation speed, 3000 rpm; and centrifugation time, 3 min), the limit of detection values were 0.9 µg L−1 for the organomercurial species and 3 µg L−1 for Hg2+, which had a slightly higher value. The relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 6) has been evaluated at two concentration levels (25 and 50 µg L−1) obtaining values for all the mercury complexes within the range of 6–12% and 8–12%, respectively. The trueness of the methodology has been evaluated using five real water samples from four different sources (i.e., tap, river, lake, and wastewater). The recovery tests have been performed in triplicate obtaining relative recoveries between 75 and 118%, with RSD (n = 3) between 1 and 19%, for all the mercury complexes in surface water samples. However, wastewater sample showed a significant matrix effect (recoveries ranged between 45 and 110%), probably due to the high amount of organic matter. Finally, the greenness of the method has also been evaluated by the analytical greenness metric for sample preparation (i.e., AGREEprep).Graphical

Provenance and sedimentary processes on Pleistocene storm deposits in Harhoura (Northern Coastal Atlantic, Morocco): New constraints from a source to sink perspective

The present work studies the Harhoura coastal deposits located immediately southwest of Rabat, Morocco. The base of this sequence has been previously dated by 14C as 9900 ± 150 BP. These deposits exhibit a thick record potentially related to the footprint of a high-energy storm. They are primarily characterized by coarse-grained dark shelly/gravelly units bearing highly fragmented shells inherited from shallow water platform. A high amount of organic matter was also observed.The provenance signature using modal analysis of detrital grains, and major and trace elements indicates two main phases. The first sedimentation is a marine within the shallow platform, followed by a coastal phase belonging to the littoral zone.The first source to sink pathway indicate that platform was supplied by sediments from felsic magmatic source, low-grade and medium metamorphic rocks belonging to the fold and thrust belt of the Sehoul Block, with a minor contribution from mafic source rocks. The second pathway indicates their subsequent remobilization and deposition on the calcarenite coastal plain by mean of high-energy storm(s). The provenance relationship of the latter phase was corroborated by the geochemical signature using major, trace and rare earth elements, assigning their latest source to a coastal-marine origin.

Are anthropogenic soils from dumpsites suitable for arable fields? Evaluation of soil fertility and transfer of potentially toxic elements to plants

Background and purposeThe fertility of anthropogenic soils developed from dumpsites used for arable fields is not well-studied. The study aimed to evaluate the fertility of anthropogenic soils from an abandoned dumpsite in Awotan, Nigeria, by measurable indicators and the bioaccessibility of elements of selected plant species.MethodsThe study adopted multi-analytical approaches to determine the signatures of the soils and further parameterized the bioaccessibility of elements to plants.ResultsThe comparatively high content of Ca and Na in the anthropogenic soil contributed to the slightly alkaline soil reaction against the slightly acidic control. The high amount of organic matter is well-indicated by the enrichment of organic C and N in the anthropogenic soil. Waste deposition significantly contributed to the high accumulation of macronutrients (P, Ca, K, S) and micronutrients (Mn, Na, Fe) sufficient for maximum plant growth and yields, with an adequate C/N ratio supporting effective mineralization. The high cation exchange capacity of the anthropogenic soil contributed to cations binding. Indiscriminate waste deposition resulted in a high accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) above permissible limits in agricultural soils following WHO limits. Potential effects on lives are evident in the high PTEs accumulation in roots and leaves of Chromolaenaodorata, Saccopetalumtectonum, Passiflorafoetida, and Sennasiamea. These plant species exhibited various PTEs accumulation, especially for Cd and Pb.ConclusionAlthough anthropogenic soils remained fertile, the bioaccessibility of PTEs by plants indicates potential threats to consumers of crops and herbs produced from such sites.

The deposition of type II-S Jordan oil shale in the context of Late Cretaceous source rock formation in the Eastern Mediterranean realm. Insights from organic and inorganic geochemistry and petrography

This study provides a detailed geochemical and petrographic investigation of 22 Upper Cretaceous Jordan Oil Shale (JOS) samples obtained from various wells distributed across Jordan. The JOS is generally characterized by high amounts of organic matter with total organic carbon (TOC) contents of 10–29 wt%, high carbonate contents of 15–75 wt%, and variable biogenic SiO2 contents of 1–50 wt%. The organic matter is oil-prone, reflected by a clear predominance of liptinite macerals and Rock-Eval Hydrogen Index (HI) values of 608–1078 mg HC/g TOC. In terms of elemental composition, bulk and molecular organic geochemistry and petrology, the JOS is similar to other age-equivalent organic-rich rocks from the Eastern Mediterranean. Primary bioproductivity was probably controlled by a Late Cretaceous upwelling event that affected the whole region. Low Pr/Ph ratios <0.5 indicate that organic matter preservation was not only controlled by the formation of an upwelling-related oxygen minimum zone but also by further oxygen depletion in isolated sub-basins. This setting led to vulcanization of kerogen; proven by a positive correlation between calculated organic sulfur contents and the amount of thiophenes generated during Curie-point pyrolysis. Although the thermal maturity is low (Tmax values < 430°C), significant amounts of hydrocarbons (up to 30 kg HC per ton of rock) are present within these rocks. The present bitumen fraction shows high concentrations of asphaltenes (10–65%) and NSO compounds (30–85%) with higher contributions in samples with the lowest thermal maturities. The relative contributions of aliphatic and aromatic compounds are correspondingly low, but increase with higher thermal maturities. Kinetic parameters suggest that isothermal pyrolysis at 350°C might be already enough to artificially convert 80% of the reactive kerogen within about one day, making the JOS a potential target for oil shale retorting.

Lead Extraction Methods in Roadside Soils and Its Relationship with Soil Properties

Lead (Pb) is an environmental pollutant, and its concentration in the soil environment has received greater attention. Studies on the interrelation of Pb and major soil properties using different extraction methods have been poorly documented. The lead extraction method is important to be identified, which may accurately reflect Pb extractability from soils. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the Pb pollution of roadside soils. Four extractants: ammonium acetate (NH4OAc), hydrochloric acid (HCl), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Soil samples were sieved for three particle sizes: finer to coarser particles (0.5 to 2 mm). Results showed that there were substantial differences for Pb concentrations among sampling sites depending on the extracting reagents: HCl &gt; DTPA &gt; NH4OAc &gt; NaOH. The extractability of Pb from soil was apparently enhanced with the increasing strength of a reagent used for the soil solution. The NH4OAc extractable Pb concentrations in the surface soil samples from the Abbottabad area ranged from 67.9 to 246.7 mg kg−1, and in Haripur, the Pb concentrations ranged from 97.6 to 242.5 mg kg−1. At 20% HCl solution, the average Pb concentrations were 2.6 times higher than the NH4OAc solution in the topsoil of Abbottabad area. The roadside soils contained Pb concentrations higher than the permissible limits. The control soil samples (from a distance of 200 m) exhibited Pb concentrations in the relative range of 28.5 to 61.7 mg kg−1. Pb concentrations in the topsoil and subsoil were found to be apparently inconsistent. The concentration of Pb was higher in the soil containing a higher amount of organic matter and clay content. The soil pH and particle size were inversely related to extractable Pb in the soil. Higher Pb pollution in the soil could be associated with the higher traffic density.

A comprehensive study of bioremediation for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment

Quality water is used for various daily chores like drainage, drinking, sanitation, agricultural, and other industrial applications, thus being the need of the hour. Water is a dominant raw material in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and chemicals; reliable and superior water sources are needed for many processes, including cooling, refining, and material extraction. The purpose of urban and industrial wastewater treatment is to eliminate contaminants, destroy toxicants, neutralise coarse particles, and destroy bacteria to increase the consistency of the discharged water to maintain the allowable amount of water to be discharged into or for agricultural property. So, the goal of water treatment is to lower BOD, COD, eutrophication, etc., in receiving water sources and stop radioactive compounds from spreading through the food chain. Pharmaceutical wastewater has a wide range of characteristics, including a high amount of organic matter, microbial contamination, a high salt content, and the inability to biodegrade. Following secondary application, residual quantities of suspended solids and dissolved organic matter exist. Therefore, advanced treatment is necessary to increase the efficiency of pharmaceutical wastewater effluent. In the methods described in this study, Advanced Oxidation and Bioremediation—the latter emerges as the most environmentally and commercially viable option. This paper discusses the many types of bioremediations, their applications, and their limits in the treatment of industrial wastewater with the goal of reducing the ecotoxicological impacts of pharmaceutical wastewater.

The elemental sulfur ore deposit of Salmerón: Las Minas de Hellín basin (Late Miocene, SE Spain)

Strata-bound elemental sulfur deposits occur in different circum-Mediterranean Miocene sedimentary successions containing evaporites and high amounts of organic matter. It is widely known that bacterial sulfate reduction processes are the triggering mechanisms involved in the origin of hydrogen sulfide and the subsequent native sulfur. However, in most of these sedimentary successions, there is controversy over whether elemental sulfur formed in the basin floor, as the same time as the sediments (biosyngenetic), or later, during diagenesis (bioepigenetic). Las Minas de Hellín basin, in the SE Spain, contains one of the largest elemental sulfur deposits in Europe. Based on data recovered from mining company (1903 -1960) and a borehole campaign performed by MINERSA between 1987 and 1988, two native sulfur ore bodies are recognized. The upper sulfur body is hosted by carbonates and diatom-rich levels, whereas the lower sulfur body, only exploited in underground mines now closed, is hosted by gypsum. This work shows a petrological and geochemical study of core samples from the upper sulfur body in the Salmerón area (Murcia), 500 m west of the widely exploited area of Las Minas de Hellín (Albacete). In Salmerón, elemental sulfur occurs as pseudomorphs after primary sedimentary gypsum as well as filling fractures and bed joints. The elemental sulfur replacement is also related to calcification and silicification of the sedimentary biomediated dolomite. The mineralization is considered bioepigenetic formed during early diagenesis. Contribution from hydrothermal waters circulating through adjacent faults are not ruled out.

Benthic Biofilm Potential for Organic Carbon Accumulation in Salt Marsh Sediments

Coastal salt marshes are productive environments with high potential for carbon accumulation and storage. Even though organic carbon in salt marsh sediment is typically attributed to plant biomass, it can also be produced by benthic photosynthetic biofilms. These biofilms, generally composed of diatoms and their secretions, are known for their high primary productivity and contribution to the basal food web. The growth of biofilms and the preservation of carbon produced by biofilms depends on the amount of sedimentation; low sedimentation rates will favor decomposition, while high sedimentation rates could decrease biofilm productivity. In this study, we conducted laboratory experiments to test (1) if biofilms can potentially accumulate carbon in marsh soil and (2) how different sedimentation rates affect the amount of carbon accumulation. Containers filled with a settled mud bed were inoculated with natural biofilms collected from a marsh surface and allowed to grow with favorable light exposure, nutrient supply, and absence of grazing. Mud was added weekly in different amounts, resulting in an equivalent sedimentation rate from 12 to 189 mm/yr. After 11 weeks, the sediment columns were sampled and analyzed for chl a, organic matter via loss on ignition (LOI), and total organic carbon (TOC). Chl a accumulation rates ranged from 123 to 534 mg/cm2/yr, organic matter accumulation ranged from 86 to 456 g/m2/yr, and TOC accumulation rates ranged from 31 to 211 g/m2/yr. These values are on the same order of magnitude of marsh carbon accumulation rates measured in the field. All three metrics (chl a, organic matter, and TOC) increased with increased sedimentation rate. These results show that biofilms can potentially contribute to carbon accumulation in salt marsh soils. Furthermore, areas with high sedimentation rates have the potential for higher amounts of organic matter from biofilms in the sediment.

Sedimentological, petrophysical, and geochemical controls on deep marine unconventional tight limestone and dolostone reservoir: Insights from the Cenomanian/Turonian oceanic anoxic event 2 organic-rich sediments, southeast Constantine Basin, Algeria

The Cenomanian/Turonian period is characterized by the deposition of organic-rich and fine-grained sediments that form important source rocks and unconventional reservoir units in North Africa and other parts of the world. The Lower Turonian deposits of the Djebel Darmoun Field, southeast Constantine Basin, Algeria, comprise a thick carbonate succession that has potential as an unconventional reservoir unit. This research aims to investigate the Lower Turonian succession in terms of microfacies, diagenesis, petrophysical, and geochemical characteristics, which were previously unknown. Sedimentological and diagenesis analyses were performed based on the core and thin section observations. Furthermore, geochemical and petrophysical analysis methods were carried out to assess the resource potential based on geochemical measurements, core measurements, and well logging evaluation in an arrangement. Based on sedimentological investigation, the Lower Turonian carbonate section is composed of tight limestone and dolostone rocks characterized by four bioclastic limestones and two dolomicrite microfacies, while paleontological investigation indicates that the faunal content is dominated by planktonic assemblages, revealing a pelagic deep marine setting environment. The primary pores of the Lower Turonian carbonate rocks are seldom preserved due to multi-stage diagenetic alteration (i.e., cementation, compaction, fracturing, dolomitization, dissolution, asphaltene), while dominant secondary pores are represented by dissolution-enlarged and open fractures/fissures, while intercrystal pores might be added in dolostone intervals. Dissolution and fracturing diagenetic events play a major role in enhancing the pore network, while compaction, cementation, and asphaltene diagenesis processes share in the obliteration of the petrophysical properties. Dolomitization played a dual role in the dolostone intervals, where it tended to develop the porosity at the early stages of diagenesis, while it tended to decrease the porosity at the latest diagenesis stages. The geochemical analysis indicated high amounts of organic matter in these intervals, where the higher estimated organic richness reaches a maximum TOC of 7.8% at the lowermost part. The petrophysical analysis inferred that the Lower Turonian carbonate sediments are characterized by low porosity (avg. 4%), very low permeability (<0.01mD), with dominant micro and meso porosities, and therefore they can be classified as tight carbonate unconventional resources. This study provides an insight into factors controlling the pore system network (microporosity) of fine-grained carbonate rocks as an excellent analog of the deep marine unconventional tight limestone and dolostone reservoirs and improves the knowledge and modeling of these unconventional resources. The study sheds light on the organic-rich sediments that are associated with oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) across the North African region and other parts elsewhere, forming high quality source rocks that might be neglected as excellent unconventional resources.

Resistance and Resilience of Soil Nitrogen Cycling to Drought and Heat Stress in Rehabilitated Urban Soils.

In the context of climate change and biodiversity loss, rehabilitation of degraded urban soils is a means of limiting artificialization of terrestrial ecosystems and preventing further degradation of soils. Ecological rehabilitation approaches are available to reinitiate soil functions and enhance plant development. However, little is known about the long-term stability of rehabilitated soils in terms of soil functions when further natural or anthropogenic perturbations occur. Based on rehabilitated urban soils, the present study sought to evaluate the resistance and resilience of soil functions linked to carbon cycling and phosphate dynamics in addition to nitrogen cycling and related microbial communities after a heat and drought stress. A laboratory experiment was conducted in microcosms under controlled temperature conditions, with four contrasted soils collected from a rehabilitated urban brownfield; an initial, non-rehabilitated soil (IS), a technosol with a high organic matter level (HO), and two technosols with less organic matter (LO1 and LO2), together with their respective controls (no stress). Changes in potential denitrification (PDR), nitrification (PNR) rates, and their interactive relationships with soil microbial activities and soil physicochemical properties were determined following a combined heat (40°C) and drought stress period of 21 days. Measurements were carried out immediately after the stress (resistance), and then also 5, 30, and 92 days after soil rewetting at 60% water holding capacity (resilience). Microbial activities involved in soil functions such as carbon cycling and phosphate dynamics proved to be of low resistance in all soils except for IS; however, they were resilient and recovered rapidly after rewetting. On the other hand, the microbial activities and gene abundances that were measured in relation to nitrogen cycling processes showed that for denitrification, activities were more rapidly resilient than gene abundances whereas for nitrification the activities and gene abundances were resilient in the same way. Results suggest that, unless the soils contain high amounts of organic matter, microbial communities in imported soils can be more vulnerable to environmental pressures such as drought and heat than communities already present. This should be considered when rehabilitating degraded soils.