Matter Exchange Research Articles

Bioenergetic traits of three keystone marine species in the food web of a pristine Patagonian fjord

The Patagonian fjords are high-latitude aquatic ecosystems, highly sensitive to climate change and play a key role in the exchange of organic matter and carbon flows between terrestrial and marine environments. The bioenergetic composition of species living in these ecosystems are fundamental to understanding the distribution, seasonal variations, and exchange of organic matter within benthic communities. This study reports on the bioenergetic characteristics (lipids, protein, glucose, and energy content) of three keystone species with different life-style and feeding habits: a benthic sea star (Ctenodiscus australis); squat lobster (Munida gregaria); and a Patagonian notothenioid (Eleginops maclovinus). Samples were obtained from the Yendegaia Fjord (54°40'S - 68°50′W) in Chilean Patagonia. Our results indicate that M. gregaria has higher concentrations of lipids, proteins, glucose, and total energy compared to either E. maclovinus or C. australis. The predominance of lipids in all species is possibly related to physiological characteristics and feeding strategies. Also, may be associated with the availability of food and environmental conditions typical of a fjord ecosystem and the reproductive stage in that they were collected. These results suggest that marine animals inhabiting glacially influenced environments with low temperature and low productivity, requires a convergent physiological strategy characterized by high levels of energy storage (i.e. lipids) for metabolism and key bioenergetic processes such as growth and reproduction.

Combining Satellite Remote Sensing and Climate Data in Species Distribution Models to Improve the Conservation of Iberian White Oaks (Quercus L.)

The Iberian Peninsula hosts a high diversity of oak species, being a hot-spot for the conservation of European White Oaks (Quercus) due to their environmental heterogeneity and its critical role as a phylogeographic refugium. Identifying and ranking the drivers that shape the distribution of White Oaks in Iberia requires that environmental variables operating at distinct scales are considered. These include climate, but also ecosystem functioning attributes (EFAs) related to energy–matter exchanges that characterize land cover types under various environmental settings, at finer scales. Here, we used satellite-based EFAs and climate variables in species distribution models (SDMs) to assess how variables related to ecosystem functioning improve our understanding of current distributions and the identification of suitable areas for White Oak species in Iberia. We developed consensus ensemble SDMs targeting a set of thirteen oaks, including both narrow endemic and widespread taxa. Models combining EFAs and climate variables obtained a higher performance and predictive ability (true-skill statistic (TSS): 0.88, sensitivity: 99.6, specificity: 96.3), in comparison to the climate-only models (TSS: 0.86, sens.: 96.1, spec.: 90.3) and EFA-only models (TSS: 0.73, sens.: 91.2, spec.: 82.1). Overall, narrow endemic species obtained higher predictive performance using combined models (TSS: 0.96, sens.: 99.6, spec.: 96.3) in comparison to widespread oaks (TSS: 0.80, sens.: 92.6, spec.: 87.7). The Iberian White Oaks show a high dependence on precipitation and the inter-quartile range of Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) (i.e., seasonal water availability) which appears to be the most important EFA variable. Spatial projections of climate–EFA combined models contribute to identify the major diversity hotspots for White Oaks in Iberia, holding higher values of cumulative habitat suitability and species richness. We discuss the implications of these findings for guiding the long-term conservation of Iberian White Oaks and provide spatially explicit geospatial information about each oak species (or set of species) relevant for developing biogeographic conservation frameworks.

Qualitative dynamics of interacting vacuum cosmologies

We present a phase-space analysis of the qualitative dynamics cosmologies where dark matter exchanges energy with the vacuum component. We find fixed points corresponding to power-law solutions where the different components remain a constant fraction of the total energy density and given an existence condition for any fixed points with nonvanishing energy transfer. For some interaction models we find novel fixed points in the presence of a third noninteracting fluid with constant equation of state, such as radiation, where the interacting vacuum+matter tracks the evolution of the third fluid, analogous to tracker solutions previously found for self-interacting scalar fields. We illustrate the phase-plane behavior, determining the equation of state and stability of the fixed points in the case of a simple linear interaction model, for interacting vacuum and dark matter, including the presence of noninteracting radiation. We give approximate solutions for the equation of state in matter- or vacuum-dominated solutions in the case of small interaction parameters.

Effects of Soil Amendment on Early Growth of Moringa Oleifera in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

In recent times, Moring aoleifera has gained a lot of popularity due to recent discovery of its usefulness to mankind resulting in rapid interest in growing of plant either for local or export purposes. It is highly nutritious and medicinal plant with great agricultural industrial and domestic uses. One factor required for optimum yield of the crop is adequate nutrient in the soil and its proper management. This can be achieved through incorporation of organic matter into the soil to improve the nutrient status in a sustainable manner. Therefore, the objective of the study is to determine the effect of combined application of Biochar and NPK 15:15:15 on growth performance of Moringa oleifera. Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using the analysis of variance. Means that were significantly different were separated using the Least Significant Difference (L.S.D. The research revealed Significant different on Leaf Number, Plant Height, Stem Girth) of Moring growth parameters. On Plant Height, T7 = (Biochar16tons/ha 6.4kg + NPK120gs + Urea: 13.5gs) (8WAP) show significant difference (0.049**) at 1% level of significant compared to T3 andT4 that received only biochar at the rate of 8tons/ha and 16tons/ha and T0 (control) which received neither biochar nor NPK 15:15:15 + Urea having the lowest Plant height. Furthermore, the study showed that application of biochar to soil increased soil pH of acidic soil and reduced leaching of Organic Carbon, Organic Matter, Nitrogen, Sodium, Potassium and Cations Exchange Capacity (C.E.C) compared to non-amended treatments. It could be recommended that biochar can be used as soil amendments to improved soil quality and crop productivity such as Moringa oleifera in a variety of soil.

Intra-Annual Patterns in the Benthic-Pelagic Fluxes of Dissolved and Particulate Matter

In coastal temperate environments, many processes known to affect the exchange of particulate and dissolved matter between the seafloor and the water column follow cyclical patterns of intra-annual variation. This study assesses the extent to which these individual short term temporal variations affect specific direct drivers of seafloor-water exchanges, how they interact with one another throughout the year, and what the resulting seasonal variation in the direction and magnitude of benthic-pelagic exchange is. Existing data from a multidisciplinary long-term time-series from the Western Channel Observatory, United Kingdom, were combined with new experimental and in situ data collected throughout a full seasonal cycle. These data, in combination with and contextualized by time-series data, were used to define an average year, split into five ‘periods’ (winter, pre-bloom, bloom, post-bloom, and autumn) based around the known importance of pelagic primary production and hydrodynamically active phases of the year. Multivariate analyses were used to identify specific sub-sets of parameters that described the various direct drivers of seafloor-water exchanges. Both dissolved and particulate exchange showed three distinct periods of significant flux during the year, although the specific timings of these periods and the cause-effect relationships to the direct and indirect drivers differed between the two types of flux. Dissolved matter exchange was dominated by an upward flux in the pre-bloom period driven by diffusion, then a biologically induced upward flux during the bloom and an autumn downward flux. The latter was attributable to the interactions of hydrodynamic and biological activity on the seafloor. Particulate matter exchanges exhibited a strongly hydrologically influenced upward flux during the winter, followed by a biologically induced downward flux during the bloom and a second period of downward flux throughout post-bloom and autumn periods. This was driven primarily through interactions between biological activity, and physical and meteorological drivers. The integrated, holistic and quantitative data-based analysis of intra-annual variability in benthic/pelagic fluxes presented in this study in a representative temperate coastal environment, demonstrates not only the various process’ inter-connectivity, but also their relative importance to each other. Future investigations or modeling efforts of similar systems will benefit greatly from the relationships and baseline rules established in this study.

Delineation of Management Zones for Site-Specific Information about Soil Fertility Characteristics through Proximal Sensing of Potato Fields

The delineation of management zones (MZs) has been suggested as a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of soil variability on potato tuber yield. This study quantified the spatial patterns of variability in soil and crop properties to delineate MZs for site-specific soil fertility characterization of potato fields through proximal sensing of fields. Grid sampling strategy was adopted to collect soil and crop data from two potato fields in Prince Edward Island (PEI). DUALEM-2 sensor, Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR-300), GreenSeeker were used to collect soil ground conductivity parameter horizontal coplanar geometry (HCP), soil moisture content (θ), and normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), respectively. Soil organic matter (SOM), soil pH, phosphorous (P), potash (K), iron (Fe), lime index (LI), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were determined from soil samples collected from each grid. Stepwise regression shortlisted the major properties of soil and crop that explained 71 to 86% of within-field variability. The cluster analysis grouped the soil and crop data into three zones, termed as excellent, medium, and poor at a 40% similarity level. The coefficient of variation and the interpolated maps characterized least to moderate variability of soil fertility parameters, except for HCP and K that were highly variable. The results of multiple means comparison indicated that the tuber yield and HCP were significantly different in all MZs. The significant relationship between HCP and yield suggested that the ground conductivity data could be used to develop MZs for site-specific fertilization in potato fields similar to those used in this study.

Quantitative assessment of soil quality indices for urban croplands in a calcareous semi-arid ecosystem

Urbanization-induced soil quality degradation is a global challenge in both developed and developing nations which can be responsible for the reduced health and productivity of agroecosystems. However, available data are very limited as to the impacts of urbanization on different quantitative scenarios of soil quality indices (SQI). The present study determined and investigated 24 variables including a combination of fertility, salinity, and sodicity attributes and heavy elements of surface soils (0 to 50 cm depth) for 14 soil profiles of urban (10 profiles) and non-urban (4 profiles as control) fields. The quantitative SQI of the urban soils and the control field was compared using two models of the Integrated Quality Index (IQI) and Nemoro Quality Index (NQI), various indicators selecting approaches [total data set (TDS) and minimum data set (MDS)], and scoring methods (linear and non-linear) under different soil types (Calcisols, Cambisols, Fluvisols, and Regosols). The results revealed that urbanization had influenced soil quality both negatively (e.g. an increase in soil salinity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), Soil erodibility factor (K-factor), and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni)) and positively (e.g. an increase in organic matter, total N, available P, and cation exchange capacity), but the negative impacts found to outnumber the positive impacts. Comparing to the control soil, the urban soil exhibited a drop of 12.5–22% and a rise of 16–24% in all SQI scenarios and K-factor, respectively, implying that urbanization has aggravated soil quality degradation. Given both urban and control soils, the highest values of all SQI scenarios were recorded for Fluvisols, followed by Cambisols, Calcisols, and Regosols clearly reflecting the combined influence of soil type (as intrinsic factors) and agricultural management practices (as an extrinsic factor) on soil quality. All SQI scenarios were significantly and positively correlated to one another with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.80 to 0.96, suggesting that any of them could be applied to monitor soil quality. Nevertheless, the SQI determined based on IQI-MDS and the non-linear scoring method had better performance and discrimination in the assessment of soil quality than the other SQI scenarios with respect to direct comparison, Pearson correlation coefficients, sensitive index values, K-factor, time and money-saving, and the regression coefficient between SQI and maize yield.

Dynamic properties of adsorption layers of pulmonary surfactants. Influence of matter exchange with bulk phase

The dynamic surface properties of solutions of pulmonary surfactant (PS) were investigated at various temperatures and in a broad range of surface tensions. The efficient dynamic surface elasticity was determined for the first time in case when the characteristic adsorption time is comparable with the period of surface area oscillations. The mechanical relaxation in the PS adsorption layer is accelerated strongly not only in the course of compression, but also in the course of expansion due to the formation of a sublayer. The harmonic oscillations of the surface area induce stationary oscillations of the surface tension if the characteristic adsorption time does not exceed the oscillation period and the sublayer formation is sufficiently fast. The information on the dynamic properties of the PS adsorption layer allows estimation of the PS efficiency in medical applications.

Interaction of Fire, Vegetation, and Climate in Tropical Ecosystems: A Multiproxy Study Over the Past 22,000 Years

AbstractFire causes dramatic energy and matter exchanges between biosphere and atmosphere on a regional to global scale. Predicting fires, however, is hindered by the complex interplay of fire, climate, and vegetation. Paleo‐fire records provide critical information beyond instrumental records that cover only the past few decades and may be used to assess the role of fire in large‐scale and long‐term environmental changes. Here we present a 22,000‐year multiproxy record of fire regime from a sediment core retrieved offshore South Java, Indonesia. We use microcharcoal in combination with two molecular markers of burning, levoglucosan and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, to reconstruct fire occurrence as well as fire intensity in the past. We show that fire occurrence and intensity were high during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; around 21,000 years ago) and low during the Heinrich Stadial 1 and the early Holocene. Both fire regime and vegetation in tropical regions with high annual rainfall were primarily controlled by rainfall seasonality. However, fire additionally stabilized the savannah (rainforest)‐dominated ecosystem during the LGM (early Holocene) but caused transitions between the two vegetation types during the deglaciation and the late Holocene.

A historical perspective of landscape appropriation and land use transitions in the Colombian South Pacific

Using the concept of appropriation, the initial act of social metabolism, and other land use transition perspectives, this paper examines the land use transitions and landscape appropriation in the Colombian South Pacific region (CSP) across three historical periods: the Colonial period (16th–18th centuries), the opening of the liberal economy (19th century), and globalization (20th–21st centuries). Historical information on land uses and economic exchange in the CSP were synthesized in material flow models. Landscape appropriation increased in each period due to an increase in productive and extractive practices and the exchange of matter and energy. These processes were primarily driven by i) shifting environmental ideologies associated with different political regimes, ii) shifting labor relations, iii) population growth and new settlement patterns, iv) improvements in transportation and communication technologies, and v) the increase of the number and diversity of circulated goods.

Classification and suitability evaluation of soils along a toposequence for rice production in Alabata, Southwest Nigeria

Soil classification and suitability evaluation are requirements for attaining optimum utilization of the available land resources. Detailed soil survey of a top sequence at Alabata, Southwest Nigeria was carried out using the rigid grid method. The soils were characterized, classified, and evaluated for rain-fed rice production. The results of the study showed that the soils were loamy sand to sandy clay loam texture, fine to coarse sub-angular blocky structure and loose to hard consistency. Soil reaction ranged from strongly acidic to slightly acidic (pH 4.2-6.1) with low organic carbon (5.6-19.0 g/kg) and total nitrogen (0.5-1.7 g/kg). The potassium contents were moderate while exchangeable cations and available phosphorus were very low. Pedon 1 was classified as KandicPaleustalfs, pedon 2 as TypicHaplustalfs and pedon 3 as Aeric Kandiaqualfs. The index of current productivity (IPc) by linear model ranged between 8.7 and 10.3, while by square root models ranged between 16.2 and 17.5. The values suggested that the soils were not currently suitable (N2 and N1) for rice production. The index of potential productivity (IPp) ranged from 48.5 to57.0 by linear model and from 53.9 and 58.5 for the square root model. Thus, pedons were potentially marginally (S3) and moderately (S2) suitable for the production of rice. The limiting factors were mainly low levels of macro nutrients, organic matter and cation exchange capacity.
 Key words: Classification, climate, suitability evaluation, toposequence, rice production

Investigating River Water/Groundwater Interaction along a Rivulet Section by 222Rn Mass Balancing

Investigation of river water/groundwater interaction aims generally at: (i) localizing water migration pathways; and (ii) quantifying water and associated matter exchange between the two natural water resources. Related numerical models generally rely on model-specific parameters that represent the physical conditions of the catchment and suitable aqueous tracer data. A generally applicable approach for this purpose is based on the finite element model FINIFLUX that is using the radioactive noble gas radon-222 as naturally occurring tracer. During the study discussed in this paper, radon and physical stream data were used with the aim to localize and quantify groundwater discharge into a well-defined section of a small headwater stream. Besides site-specific results of two sampling campaigns, the outcomes of the study reveal: (i) the general difficulties of conducting river water/groundwater interaction studies in small and heterogeneous headwater catchments; and (ii) the particular challenge of defining well constrained site- and campaign-specific values for both the groundwater radon endmember and the radon degassing coefficient. It was revealed that determination of both parameters should be based on as many data sources as possible and include a critical assessment of the reasonability of the gathered and used datasets. The results of our study exposed potential limitations of the approach if executed in small and turbulent headwater streams. Hence, we want to emphasize that the project was not only executed as a case study at a distinct site but rather aimed at evaluating the applicability of the chosen approach for conducting river water/groundwater interaction studies in heterogeneous headwater catchments.

Hierarchical Control of Space Closed Ecosystems: Expanding Microgrid Concepts to Bioastronautics

One of the main challenges of human space exploration is the development of artificial ecosystems, which can be used as life support systems (LSSs) to enable long-duration human space missions. In an open LSS, no food generation or waste treatment is provided in space, and supplies from Earth are necessary. According to Figure 1, considering the approximate metabolic consumables and hygiene water as well as the number of crewmembers [1], a huge mass would be required to be transported from Earth, which brings the necessity of a regenerative or closed LSS [2]-[4]. Closed ecological systems (CESs) are ecosystems without any matter exchange with the outside environment [2]. The most advanced humanmade CESs include Advanced Life Support System Test Bed (ALSSTB) (the NASA Johnson Space Research Center, Houston, Texas), Biosphere 2 (Oracle, Arizona), BIOS-3 (Krasnoyarsk, Russia-no longer operative), the Closed Ecology Experiment Facility (CEEF) complex (Rokkasho, Japan), the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) Pilot Plant (MPP) (Universitat Aut?noma de Barcelona, Spain), and the Concordia Antarctica Station, which are different from one another with respect to their complexity, size, and degree of closure [2]. CESs are necessary for long-term manned space missions, which aim to minimize support from Earth. They are composed of several specific compartments that, together, reproduce the main functionalities of an ecological system in a continuous mode of operation and under controlled conditions.

Hatay İli Kırıkhan-Reyhanlı Tarım Topraklarının pH, Kireç, Organik Madde ve KDK İçeriklerinin Belirlenmesi

Bu çalışmada Hatay ili Kırıkhan-Reyhanlı tarım topraklarının pH, kireç, organik madde ve katyon değişim kapasitesi (KDK) içeriklerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç için çalışma alanı topraklarını temsil edecek şekilde iki farklı derinlikten (0-20 ve 20-40 cm) ve 30 ayrı noktadan olmak üzere toplamda 60 toprak örneği alınmıştır. Örneklerde tarım topraklarının pH, kireç, organik madde ve KDK içerikleri belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre; çalışma alanı toprakların pH içerikleri 7.57-8.36 arasında değişmekte olup toprak örneklerinin pH’larının tüm bölgede hafif alkalin özellikte olduğu görülmüştür. Kırıkhan-Reyhanlı tarım topraklarının kireç içerikleri % 5.66-51.14 olup kireç içerikleri orta kireçli ile çok fazla kireçli arasında değişmekle birlikte, toprakların % 28.33’ü orta kireçli, % 35.00’i fazla kireçli ve % 36.67’si ise çok fazla kireçli görülmüştür. Çalışma alanı tarım topraklarının organik madde içerikleri % 1.42-4.10 arasında olup toprak örneklerinin organik maddeleri az ile yüksek organik madde arasında değişmekle birlikte, toprakların % 23.33’ü az, % 48.34’ü orta, % 25.00’i iyi ve % 3.33’ü ise yüksek oranda organik madde görülmüştür. Kırıkhan-Reyhanlı tarım topraklarının KDK içerikleri 16.89-42.10 me/100 gr arasında değişmekte olduğu belirlenmiştir. Toprakların pH içeriği ile KDK içeriği arasında pozitif önemli ilişki belirlenir iken, kireç içeriği ile KDK içeriği arasında ise negatif önemli ilişkisi olduğu ortaya konulmuştur.

Effect of feather compost on soil chemical indicators in CCN-51 cocoa plantation (Theobroma cacao L.)

Introduction. Organic management of cocoa accounts for 60% of production in Peru and large amounts of compost prepared with different inputs are used, in order to improve the quality of the soil and cocoa yields. Objective. Evaluated the effect of the application of chicken feather compost on the main soil chemical indicators in a cocoa plantation CCN-51 un the Town of Nuevo Progreso, province of Padre Abad in the Ucayali-Peru region was evaluated. Materials and methods. A randomized complete block design was used, with four treatments and four repetitions where: FC1 was an absolute witness, FC2 feather compost at a rate of 2,000 kg. ha-1, FC3 feather compost at a rate of 4,000 kg. ha-1 and FC4 feather compost at a rate of 6 000 kg. ha-1. The main chemical indicators of soil quality were evaluated: hydrogen potential (pH), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) , aluminum (Al3+), available cadmium (Cd2+), changeable acids (AC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Results. The results showed a decrease in exchangeable aluminum and changeable acidity and increases in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, depending on the proportion of compost applied, these indicators presented significant differences (p <0.05); The pH, calcium and cadmium available did not show significant differences (p <0.05). Conclusion. Feather compost (FC) significantly improved the levels of OM, N, P and K+, indicators that define soil quality and reduce aluminum levels, the latter of utmost importance in acidic soils.

Exogenous ethanol induces a metabolic switch that prolongs the survival of Caenorhabditis elegans dauer larva and enhances its resistance to desiccation.

The dauer larva of Caenorhabditis elegans, destined to survive long periods of food scarcity and harsh environment, does not feed and has a very limited exchange of matter with the exterior. It was assumed that the survival time is determined by internal energy stores. Here, we show that ethanol can provide a potentially unlimited energy source for dauers by inducing a controlled metabolic shift that allows it to be metabolized into carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. Dauer larvae provided with ethanol survive much longer and have greater desiccation tolerance. On the cellular level, ethanol prevents the deterioration of mitochondria caused by energy depletion. By modeling the metabolism of dauers of wild‐type and mutant strains with and without ethanol, we suggest that the mitochondrial health and survival of an organism provided with an unlimited source of carbon depends on the balance between energy production and toxic product(s) of lipid metabolism.

Grazing Effects on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties

Uncontrolled grazing can have deteriorative effects on soil properties. This paper studied the effect of different grazing intensities on soil physicochemical and hydraulic properties at Al-Khanasry Agricultural Station, Al-Mafraq, Jordan. In summer 2016. Treatments were (1) no-grazing (NG), (2) controlled grazing (CG), and (3) uncontrolled grazing (UnG) sites. Soil samples were collected from each site to determine bulk density (BD), aggregate stability (AS), soil organic matter (SOM), electrical conductivity (EC), soil acidity (pH), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Infiltration (F (t)) and hydraulic conductivity (HC) were measured in the field. Results showed that UnG significantly increased BD, Controlled and un-controlled grazing sites showed similar BD (P=< 0.05), the highest was in controlled grazing (1.47 g cm-3). Aggregate stability also increased under grazing condition (P=< 0.05) only in the surface layer (AS), The lowest AS in surface layer was observed in no-grazed plot (17.4%), while no significant difference (P=< 0.05) were observed between controlled and un-controlled grazing plots (24.6 and 24.8%), respectively. In significant (P=< 0.05) Grazing increased soil OM in surface layers. Un-controlled grazing area had significantly (P=< 0.05) higher OM content (3.5%) compared to the no-grazed, but not significant (P=< 0.05) from the controlled grazing area (3%). Grazing significantly decreased F(t) and HC when compared to NG. Grazing significantly (P=< 0.05) reduced cumulative infiltration. The highest cumulative infiltration was observed in no-grazed area while the lowest was in un-controlled grazing area. Also, significant results showed that Grazing reduced (HC), however no significant (P=< 0.05) differences were observed between controlled and un-controlled grazing areas (P=< 0.05). The higher HC was in no-grazed site (0.172*103 cm s-1) while the lowest was in un-controlled grazing area (0.034*103 cm s-1). Therefore, controlling grazing intensity is recommended in these dry areas.

Characterization of Buriram volcanic clay for use in cosmetics

This research aims to analyze volcanic clays from four different Buriram sources before and after decontamination to compare their cosmetic grades, as these clays are used as cosmetic ingredients. The volcanic clays were characterized both before and after decontamination using various techniques, namely, x-ray diffraction (XRD), flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (F-AAS), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. Further, the pH levels were measured using electrical conductivity measurements. Physicochemical characterization was performed by determining the percentage of organic matter and cation exchange capacity. The decontaminated clay showed the lowest percentage of organic matter and a high cation exchange capacity. After the removal of contaminants, the clay exhibited an amorphous structure. In addition, the analyses before and after contaminant removal revealed a decrease in the content of lead, nickel, selenium and copper, which were the heavy metals prohibited in cosmetics. The primary components were SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, K2O, MgO, TiO2, and MnO2 considering the component for cosmetics. Microbiological tests revealed an absence of Escherichia coli, fecal coliforms, and total coliforms. These characteristics theoretically indicate that the samples are suitable for use in cosmetics. Moreover, Buriram volcanic clays show low levels of contaminants and can be used as cosmetic ingredients.

Field‐scale apparent soil electrical conductivity

AbstractSoils are notoriously spatially heterogeneous and many soil properties are temporally variable. Spatial variability of soil properties has a profound influence on agricultural and environmental processes, such as plant–water–soil interactions, water flow, and solute transport, resulting in within‐field plant yield variation and degradation of soil quality, to mention only a few. Field‐scale mapping of spatial variability and monitoring of temporally dynamic soil properties is necessary for a variety of edaphic activities, such as soil surveys, reclamation, crop selection, sitespecific management, and soil quality assessment. There are various approaches for characterizing soil spatial variability, but none of these has been as extensively investigated and is as reliable and cost effective as apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) directed soil sampling. Geospatial measurements of ECa are well suited for characterizing the spatial distribution of soil properties because they are reliable, quick, and easy to take with GPS‐based mobilized ECa measurement equipment. Directed soil sampling based on geo‐referenced measurements of ECa is a proven and robust means of characterizing the spatial variability of any soil property that influences ECa, including sol salinity, water content, texture, bulk density, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity. It is the goal of this methodology paper to provide an overview of the characterization of soil spatial variability across multiple scales using ECa–directed soil sampling with a focus on the field scale. Mobile ECa equipment, protocols, guidelines, special considerations, data reliability tests, and strengths and limitations are presented for characterizing spatial and temporal variation in soil properties using ECa–directed soil sampling.

Tumor microenvironment-activated self-charge-generable metallosupramolecular polymer nanocapsules for photoacoustic imaging-guided targeted synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy

An integrated nanosystem of target, visualization, high circulation stability, and multi-therapy effects represents the leading direction of next generation anti-cancer strategy. Nevertheless, this normally requires elegant multi-component and hierarchical structure design of nanomaterials, or even a complicated post-treatment procedure, to combine different functions together. Herein, we show that hollow metallosupramolecular polymer nanoparticles (HMPNs) derived from a selective-etching approach based on Kirkendall effect have combined capabilities of (i) facile in-situ guest cargo encapsulation, (ii) reversible surface charge evolution, (iii) excellent photoacoustic property and (vi) highly synergistic photothermal-chemo therapeutic effect. Using DOX as a model drug, we can easily fabricate DOX-HMPNs because the etching process is accompanied with effective matter exchange between outer environment and inner particle, while significantly avoiding the premature drug leakage. Notably, synergistic effect between reversible phenolic hydroxyl ionization and dynamic catechol-FeIII coordination endows DOX-HMPNs with dramatic self-charge generation ability, thus achieving weakly acidic tumor microenvironment-activated reversible surface charge evolution. We have found that DOX-HMPNs with this self-charge generation feature can effectively achieve prolonged circulation and tumor recognition. Moreover, the cleavage of imine bond can induce the disassembly of hollow particles in strongly acidic lysosomes, and thus accelerate the release of DOX. This chemotherapy, in combination with the cascade-responsive behavior and photothermal/photoacoustic properties of HMPNs, makes our DOX-HMPNs exhibit synergistic antitumor efficiency and provide promising potential for cancer theranostic application.