Analysis Of Soil Samples Research Articles

Distribution of the heavy metals in the soil and water matrix, a space-time overview from a lakes protected area

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of environmental factors of soil and water in a protected area in Romania, namely the Preajba-Facai lake system in Dolj County. Highlighting the evolutionary aspects of the analyzed quality parameters (20 physical-chemical indicators) on a spatial-temporal scale in order to establish geochemical thresholds is the final result of a larger project. The presented results were obtained through seasonal monitoring over a period of 3 years, which involves water and soil sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis. The results obtained were interpreted in relation to the legislation in force and through a more suggestive evaluation by calculating the pollution indices: the global pollution index (IPC) for water and the Nemerov synthetic soil contamination index. Following the field visits, additional information was brought, which contributed to a good knowledge of this region. Although protected, the area is influenced by anthropogenic factors, which negatively impact the environment. In some cases, non-conformities were identified and validated through the analysis performed.

Manisa İli Alaşehir İlçesi Bağ Topraklarının Fiziksel ve Kimyasal Özellikleri

Bu araştırma, Manisa ilinin en büyük bağ alanlarına sahip Alaşehir ilçesinde üzüm üretiminin yapıldığı toprakların genel özelliklerini belirlemek amacıyla, kırsal yerleşim yerlerindeki 20 bağdan 0–60 cm derinliklerden toplanan 100 toprak örneği üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu araştırma ile Manisa bağlarının toprak pH, EC, organik madde, doku sınıfları, makro ve mikro besin maddesi özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Araştırma alanıyla ilgili toprak örneklerinin analiz sonuçları sınır değerlerle karşılaştırılmış ve toprakların verimlilik durumları değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgulara göre; Manisa ili bağ toprak örneklerinin pH’ı kuvvetli alkaliden nötre doğru değişmekle birlikte örneklerin çoğu organik madde eksikliğiyle karakterize edilmiştir. Bağ topraklarının tuz değerleri sınırlayıcı bir faktör oluşturmamaktadır. Toplam azot açısından, tüm örnekleri alt azot sınıfında sınıflandırılmıştır. Bağ topraklarının yaklaşık %48’i kalkerli, mevcut fosforun %29’unun düşük ve %71’inin orta, mevcut potasyumun %97’sinin çok düşük ve %3’ünün ise düşük olduğu bulunmuştur. Mevcut magnezyumun %3’ünün çok düşük, %26’sının düşük, %27’sinin orta, %28’inin yüksek ve %16’sının çok yüksekolduğu tespit edilmiştir. Mevcut kalsiyumun %26’sının çok düşük, %27’sinin düşük, %34’ünün orta ve %13’ünün yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca bağ toprak örneklerinin %69’unda mevcut çinkonun düşük olduğu saptanmıştır. Demir, %65’inde yeterli; manganez ve bakır, tüm örneklerde yeterli bulunmuştur. Bununla birlikte, bağ toprak örneklerinin besin element içerikleri arasında önemli ilişkilerin olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır.

ЛАНДШАФТЫ ВЕРХНЕЙ ЧАСТИ СКЛОНОВ ПРАВОГО БЕРЕГА РЕКИ ТУЗЛОВ И РАВНИННОЙ ЧАСТИ ВОДОРАЗДЕЛЬНОГО ПЛАТО МЕЖДУ РЕКАМИ АКСАЙ И ТУЗЛОВ ЮЖНЕЕ СТ. ГРУШЕВСКАЯ

The paper gives characteristic of the landscapes of the upper part of right slope of Tuzlov river of north exposure and ravine part of watershed plateau between the Aksai and Tuzlov rivers, which are located south of the Grushevskaya station, east of the M 4 highway and north of the Novocherkassk ‒ Rostov highway. We have studied taxonomic levels, qualitatively differing from each other by landscape-forming factors, taking into account the degree of influence of these individual factors and their different correlations with each other on the growth of the grapevine plant, the yield of vineyards, the quality of the vineyard and vinicultural products. Landscape-forming factors at the microrelief level are geology, relief, soil and groundwater. Obtaining the necessary landscape-forming data was carried out by drilling the wells of the ground to a depth of up to 10 m with a morphological description of soil, geological and hydrogeological profile, with taking soil and groundwater samples for chemical analysis, paying special attention to landscape-forming factors that may be limiting for laying vineyards and to those that create optimal agroecological conditions for vineyards.

The influence of anthropogenic human activity on the components of the environment in a rural settlement of the Khmelnytsk region

Aim. To analyze the state of the soil, natural waters and vegetable products to identify the negative impact of anthropogenic pressure on the residential area of the village. Samchyky Khmelnytsky district, Khmelnytsky region. Methods. The method of route monitoring was used for the research. Chemical-analytical studies were carried out by methods that correspond to the regulatory framework of Ukraine. Results. The analyzed soil samples had a very high content of mobile compounds of phosphorus from 1010 to 1685 mg/kg and potassium 332 mg/kg to 420 mg/kg. The content of lead in some soil samples taken at the fallow and vegetable gardens exceeded the MPC. In the water of wells, water pipes and sources, no excess of drinking and household standards was found, except for one of the wells, where the total hardness index was 11 meq/l (standard 10 meq/l) and the calcium content was 154.3 mg/l (standard 130 mg/l). In the river of Sluch, a slight excess of the reaction of the medium pH - 8.6 (standard 6.5–8.5) and the content of Р2О5 – 0.9 mg/l (standard 0.46 mg/l) was noted. In all analyzed samples of vegetable products, nitrate contamination was not found, but almost all of them did not meet sanitary and hygienic standards for the content of lead, cadmium and nickel. Conclusions. Consequently, the analysis of the state of the residential area with. Samchyky Khmelnytsky district, Khmelnytsky region showed that one of the main factors influencing its ecological safety is the anthropogenic load, which leads to the accumulation of biogenic elements and pollutants in soils, natural waters and vegetable products. Monitoring the state of residential areas and establishing the features of migration and accumulation of biogenic elements and ecotoxicants is a promising area of research for the development of measures to prevent pollution of soil, groundwater, open water bodies and crop products.

Identification of soil fertility status of subak rice fields based on soil chemical properties in Denpasar city, Bali, Indonesia

Soil functions as a storehouse of nutrients that are needed by plants for growth and production. Decreased soil fertility will cause a decrease in productivity due to reduced nutrients in the soil. To determine the state of nutrients, it is necessary to evaluate the status of soil fertility. This study was carried out in the Subak rice fields in Denpasar City, Bali Province, Indonesia. Denpasar City, is the capital of Bali Province which continues to grow, relying on the rice production from its rice fields. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the fertility status of soils in Subak rice fields in Denpasar City based soil chemical properties and to map their fertility status using Geographic Information System (GIS). The approach for this study included surveying and soil sample analysis. The parameters observed were soil chemical properties including: CEC, Base Saturation, C-Organic, P2O5, K2O and pH. The study delineated three categories of soil fertility status, namely high, moderate and low. The total area with high soil fertility was 1312.76 ha (63.77 %), while for the medium and low, the respective total areas were 560.83 ha (27.24 %) and 184.89 ha (8.98 %). The Subak condition with low soil fertility has deficiency in soil organic Carbon (C) content and low total Phosphorus (P). Recommendations for managing low soil fertility status are addition of organic matter and P fertilizer of 100 kgha-1. The spatial distribution of soil fertility status in Denpasar City was mapped using GIS. The distribution of fertility status in these rice fields shows that the majority of the fields classified as high fertility are located in East and South Denpasar. The different fertilization regimes followed between the Subaks were the cause of the observed different soil nutrient statuses. Therefore, it is necessary to give the same treatment in order to maintain soil fertility. Soil fertility and maintenance of agricultural land productivity were factors that supported food security in Denpasar City. Key words: Subak, Rice fields, Soil Fertility, Chemical Properties, Geographic Information System

Влияние растительности на микрофлору полигонов твердых промышленных отходов в период рекультивации

The research was carried out at the stationary pilot site of LLC LUKOIL-Volgogradneftepererabotka located in the Volgograd region. Soil samples for microbiological analysis were taken from each variant of the experiment according to GOST 28168-89 from the upper root-inhabited horizon in the aisles and under shrubs Arónia melanocárpa, Rósa canína, Crataegus submollis, Hippophae rhamnoídes, Prúnus virginiána, Tamarix ramosissima. The most diverse communities of microorganisms were formed under the crowns of rosehip, hawthorn and cherry (16 generic complexes). The smallest number of genera was found under tamarix (12 genera) In soils with weakly occurring processes of mineralization of organic substances, imperfect fungi dominate, for which organic nitrogen is needed (Alternaria, Fusarium, etc.). The positive influence of shrubs on the microflora of the soil of recultivated objects was revealed. Saprophytic microflora prevails over pathogenic. In the experiment, the biological activity of soils containing oil sludge, according to the degree of decomposition of plant residues, depended on the growing shrubs and their organic matter. Under the crowns of Rósa canína, Prúnus virginiána and Arónia melanocárpa, it was 12.7-14.3 % higher than under the crowns of Tamarix ramosissima. It has been established that the microbiological activity of the soil increases, the process of restoring fertility and health accelerates. The greatest activity of microorganisms was detected under the crowns of rosehip, aronia, hawthorn and cherry. The leaves of these shrubs quickly turn into the organic matter of the soil, improving the conditions for the existence of soil microorganisms. Plantings of shrubs create phytomeliorative protection for grasses, which form a sufficiently large phytomass of leaves and stems (9.14 c/ha) at the end of the growing season. The resulting organic matter is nutrition for the microflora and contributes to the restoration of soil fertility.

A free and open-source solution for Rietveld refinement of XRD data from the CheMin instrument onboard the Mars rover Curiosity

The Rietveld refinement software Profex is an open-source and platform-independent solution for the processing of powder X-ray diffraction datasets. It is based on the BGMN refinement kernel and uses a description of the diffractometer configuration to determine the instrument-related peak profile. In this article we present a Profex configuration file for the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffractometer (XRD), which is on-board the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity . For the past decade, Curiosity has been on a mission on Mars to find out whether the planet was once habitable for microbial life. The CheMin XRD determines the mineralogical phases and abundances of Martian soil and rocks in Gale Crater, Mars. Since its arrival on Mars in 2012, Curiosity has analyzed powdered soil and rock samples with the CheMin instrument and transmitting the raw XRD data acquired back to Earth. Adaptations of Profex to work seamlessly with CheMin XRD datasets involved creating a new configuration file for the CheMin instrument, as well as adding the Mars Mineral Compendium, a compilation of structural models specifically selected for the analysis of Mars sedimentary soil and rock samples, to Profex . Using example refinements, we demonstrate that this software solution is well suited for quantitative analysis of CheMin XRD datasets. • CheMin was sent to Mars on-board the Rover Curiosity to analyze Martian rock and soil samples by XRD. • Profex is a software for the processing of XRD datasets by Rietveld refinement. • We adapted Profex for the refinement of CheMin XRD datasets. • Successful phase identification and quantification with Profex was demonstrated. • Profex is open-source software and runs on all major operating systems.

Switchable aptamer-fueled colorimetric sensing toward agricultural fipronil exposure sensitized with affiliative metal-organic framework

Persistent usage of pesticides in agriculture has posed serious damage to overall ecosystem and human health, and thereby it is imperative to develop sensitive and efficient tools to evaluate residual pesticides in food and environmental setting. Herein, we reported a switchable colorimetric probe toward fipronil residue sensitized with aptamer-fueled catalytic activity of affiliative ZIF-8. Innovatively, it was found that the attached aptamer preferred to adsorb 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) rather than 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazo-line-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), greatly promoting catalytic oxidation of ZIF-8 toward TMB for further improving sensitivity. Aiding with smartphone-based image acquisition, fipronil-responsive discoloration degree was converted into the ratio of green and blue (G/B) with limit of detection as low as 0.036 μM (0.016 μg·g−1). Moreover, it allowed for fipronil analysis in water, soil and vegetable samples with good recovery between 87 % and 110 %, verifying extension application prospect of the aptamer-fueled colorimetry for on-field pesticide evaluation in food safety supervision.

Anthracene benzene conjugate (ABC): An asymmetric Schiff base for the selective detection of Ag+ ion using fluorimetry and its applications

Anthracene based chemosensor ABC has been synthesized and characterized through 1H, 13C NMR, mass spectral studies. UV absorption and emission studies performed to identify the sensing behavior of chemosensor ABC. The probe ABC, originally bright fluorescent, selectively sense Ag+ ion by the quenching the fluorescence intensity through a “Switch On-off” process and quench the fluorescence due to the heavy atom effect interaction with the free chemosensor. The binding constant of the probe ABC with Ag+ was calculated as 5.4 × 104 M−1 and the limit of detection upto 1.4 nM level. The practical utilization of the probe ABC was demonstrated by applying to the real water and soil sample analysis, latent finger print, and the sensor as a fluorescent ink.

Detection of hydrocarbon spills by means of a coaxial impedance dielectric sensor

Leakages from storage tanks or pipes frequently produce pollution of soils and groundwater reservoirs by hydrocarbons. Common practices for monitoring and characterising site contamination involve soil drilling, sampling and chemical analysis, complemented with geophysical surveys. This study evaluates the presence of paraffin oil inside soil pores by means of dielectric permittivity measurements, using a coaxial impedance device in laboratory-scale models. The real dielectric permittivity of unsaturated sand is measured before, during and after a contamination process. Monitoring small variations in real dielectric permittivity allows detection of the partial replacement of air (κ′ = 1) by paraffin oil (κ′ ≈ 2) in soil pores. These variations in soil dielectric properties enable pollution levels to be assessed, knowing in advance the κ′ of the soil at the initial stage and measuring the influence of oil and water content on κ′. The technique proposed can also be used for monitoring the lateral extension of a contaminant plume and can be successfully applied at the laboratory scale for oil leakage detection by periodically monitoring changes in the soil dielectric permittivity.

Validation of SoilGrids 2.0 in an Arid Region of India using In Situ Measurements

As one of the Earth’s most important natural resources, soil plays a prominent role in regulating ecosystem services, human food production systems and in facilitating a region’s sustainable development. Of late, due recognition has been given to soil sciences and soil information systems as they act as a core to achieve the targets of land degradation neutrality and help in fostering soil governance. In this regard, the availability of global soil databases paves the way for implementing successful soil information systems. Currently, harmonized world soil database from the Food and Agriculture Organization and SoilGrids from International Soil References and Information Centre serve various global soil data products in a geospatial-ready format for the scientific fraternity. In this study, SoilGrids 2.0 is validated with in situ measurements in the arid region of the Thar Desert. Soil fractions and pH at the top surface (0–5 cm) and subsurface (5–15 cm) were measured through soil sample analysis collected from the study area and compared with the values retrieved from SoilGrids 2.0 for the same location. This comparison shows that the SoilGrids 2.0 has underestimated the sand fragments up to ~28% and overestimated ~14% for silt and clay fragments. Deviation of pH in SoilGrids 2.0 was also observed with the root mean square error of one unit. However, in the comparison of soil texture classes from the field and the one given by SoilGrids 2.0, a systematic shift was found, indicating the robustness of SoilGrids prediction algorithm that can be fine-tuned by incorporating additional soil profiles (from contributing agencies) as the current snapshot of the soil database lacks dense and well-distributed soil profiles in this arid region.

Evaluation of urban tree barks as bioindicators of environmental pollution using the X-ray fluorescence technique

Some chemical elements released in nature due to anthropogenic actions are harmful to living beings, and finding efficient and low-cost ways to measure their presence is a challenge. The major goal of this work was to use the barks of urban trees as bioindicators of the presence of these elements. For this purpose, tree barks of sixteen individual trees were collected, including Ipê (Bignoniaceae Family); Sibipiruna (Fabaceae Family); Pine (Pinaceae Family), in the city of Sorocaba, SP, Brazil, in three different districts. Two samples, one of Ipê and another of Sibipiruna, collected in the Mata Atlântica forest in Juquitiba, SP, Brazil, were used as control samples. They were also analyzed; six soil samples were collected in the same places as the tree barks in Sorocaba. The samples were analyzed using the Energy Dispersion X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy technique. The elements studied ranged from Al to Bi. The results were submitted to univariate and multivariate statistical analysis showing that Sibipiruna presented a high concentration of the element Ca. At the same time, Ipê and Pine showed high concentrations of K. In the identified elements, the probable sources of contamination were pointed out, such as elements from the dust of braking automobiles (Al, Si, S, Ti, Fe, Cu, and Ba), elements from the paint used to paint the asphalt (Si, Ca, Cr and Pb) and elements from the tire tread wear (Al, S, Ca and Zn). From the analysis of soil samples and trees, it was found that there was high pollution by the element Pb in the specimens collected in front of the old Saturnia battery factory, located in the district of Éden in the city of Sorocaba, SP, Brazil (Coordinates: Lat 23K253141 m E; Long 23K7405583 m S).

Novel fast pesticides extraction (FaPEx) strategy coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS for rapid monitoring of emerging pollutant fipronil and its metabolite in food and environmental samples

In this work, we demonstrated a new, environmental-friendly and effective sample preparation strategy named ‘in-syringe-assisted fast pesticides extraction (FaPEx)’ technique coupled with LC-MS/MS for the rapid identification and monitoring of emerging pollutant fipronil and its metabolite fipronil sulfone in chicken egg and environmental soil samples. FaPEx strategy comprising of two simple steps. Firstly, the sample was placed in the syringe and extracted using low-volume acetonitrile with NaCl and anhydrous MgSO4 salts. Secondly, the extractant was passed through in-syringe-based solid-phase extraction (SPE) kit containing cleanup sorbents and salt combinations (C18, primary secondary amine, and anhydrous MgSO4) for the cleanup process. Then, the obtained clean extractant was injected into LC-MS/MS for the quantification of target analytes. Various important parameters influencing the FaPEx performances, such as solvent type, salt type, salt amount, sorbent type, and amount, were examined and optimized. The method validation results showed excellent linearity with high correlation coefficients were ≥ 0.99. The estimated LODs were between 0.05–0.07 μg/kg, and LOQs ranged between 0.1–0.25 μg/kg for target analytes in both egg and soil sample matrices, and precision values were ≤7.90%. The developed method was applied to commercial chicken egg samples and environmental soil samples analysis. Spiked recoveries ranged between 88.75–110.91% for egg samples with RSDs ≤7.42% and 82.47–107.46% for soil samples with RSDs <7.37%. These results proved that the developed sample preparation method is a simple, fast, green, low-cost, and efficient method for the analysis of fipronil and its metabolites in food and environmental samples. Thus, this method can be applied as an alternative analytical methodology in routine and standard food and environmental testing laboratories.

A self-powered photoelectrochemical oxytetracycline aptasensor: An integrated heterojunction photoanode of metal-organic framework derived ZnO nanopolyhedra/graphitic carbon nitride with high carrier density

The development of effective strategies for the detection of oxytetracycline (OTC) in soil is of great importance for preserving agri-environmental safety and human health. Herein, a novel photoactive material of metal-organic framework (MOF) derived ZnO nanopolyhedra/graphitic carbon nitride (ZnO/g-C3N4) heterojunction was designed by mixing calcination of zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) and melamine. A self-powered photoelectrochemical aptasensor for the sensitive and selective detection of OTC in soil was proposed using ZnO/g-C3N4 as the photoanode. The photoactivity of the MOF derived ZnO nanopolyhedra was regulated effectively by the introduction of g-C3N4, which resulted in a 7-fold increase in the photocurrent of the ZnO nanopolyhedra at a bias potential of 0 V. It was assigned to the higher carrier density of ZnO/g-C3N4. By virtue of the amplified photocurrent of ZnO/g-C3N4, the specificity of the OTC aptamer and the anti-interference ability of the self-powered sensing method, the designed aptasensor demonstrated the advantages of a wide linear range (0.005–200 nM), low limit of detection (1.49 × 10−3 nM), good selectivity and good reproducibility. For real soil sample analysis, satisfactory recoveries were obtained and further verified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

Impact of Nanoscale Zinc Oxide Particle on the Growth, Yield and Soil Properties under Agency Area of Andhra Pradesh

Field experiment was carried out on silt clay loam soils at Regional Agricultural Research station, Chintapalle, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh during 2018-2020 to study the yield of response of rainfed groundnut with different levels of Nano particulate zinc oxide application along with NPK Fertilizers. The experiment consisting of eight treatments, three replications with RDF design. Results of nano particulate zinc oxide on pod yield showed that (24.36 Q/ha) in the RDF+ nano scale zinc oxide level @ 200 ppm at 25 and 45 DAS was increased over to that of normal recommended dose of N,P,K fertilizers (100% RDF) which recorded pod yield of 17.14 Q/ha only. Application of ZnSO4 through soil along with RDF showed good results (17.24 Q/ha) than RDF + Foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 2g/lit at 25 and 45 DAS (20.66 Q/ha). Application of micronutrient (ZnO) had helped in further increase in grain yields at both levels of ZnO (150% and 200% ZnO at 25 and 45 DAS). Among different treatments, significantly higher yield (24.36 Q/ha) was recorded with application of RDF + Foliar application of ZnO @ 200 ppm at 25 and 45 DAS than the only with RDF (17.4 Q/ha). With respect to method of application of ZnSO4 through soil and foliar application ZnSo4 @ 2g/lit at 25 and 45 DAS was found to be higher both levels of RDF (Pod yield of 14.6 Q/ha at RDF + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1 and 17.24 Q/ha at RDF+ foliar application of ZnSO4@ 2g/lit at 25 and 45 DAS). With respect to other plant characteristics, comparatively more plant height (43.53 cm) at RDF + foliar application of ZnO @ 200 ppm at 25 and 45 DAS. Regarding yield attributes significantly higher test weight (30.9 g) were recorded at RDF + 200 ppm ZnO at 25 and 45 DAS. Post –harvest soil sample analysis showed highest availability of nutrients in respect of soil, the results revealed that there was no significance difference among the treatments regarding Avail. N, Available K and pH. The lowest Phosphorus (17.20 kg ha-1) was recorded with RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 200 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS and highest (24.46 kg ha-1) was recorded in T9 (RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 100 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS). &#x0D; An investigation was initiated at Department of Soil science, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Chintapalle to examine the effects of nano zinc oxide on Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) growth, yield and Zn content in Leaves, stem and roots. A field experiment consisted of nine treatments comprised of T1: control, T2: RDF, T3: RDF+ Soil application ZnSO4@ 50 Kg/ha, T4: RDF+ Foliar application ZnSO4 2 g/L at 25 &amp; 45DAS, T5: RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 150 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS, T6: RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 200 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS, T7: RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 400 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS, T8: RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 50 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS, T9: RDF+ Foliar application of nanoscale ZnO 100 ppm at 25 &amp; 45 DAS.

Effects of Tebuconazole Application on Soil Microbiota and Enzymes.

Identification of pesticide impact on the soil microbiome is of the utmost significance today. Diagnosing the response of bacteria to tebuconazole, used for plant protection, may help isolate the most active bacteria applicable in the bioaugmentation of soils contaminated with this preparation. Bearing in mind the above, a study was undertaken to test the effect of tebuconazole on the diversity of bacteria at all taxonomic levels and on the activity of soil enzymes. It was conducted by means of standard and metagenomic methods. Its results showed that tebuconazole applied in doses falling within the ranges of good agricultural practice did not significantly disturb the biological homeostasis of soil and did not diminish its fertility. Tebuconazole was found to stimulate the proliferation of organotrophic bacteria and fungi, and also the activities of soil enzymes responsible for phosphorus, sulfur, and carbon metabolism. It did not impair the activity of urease responsible for urea hydrolysis, or cause any significant changes in the structure of bacterial communities. All analyzed soil samples were mainly populated by bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Chloroflexi. Bacteria from the genera Kaistobacter, Arthrobacter, and Streptomyces predominated in the soils contaminated with tebuconazole, whereas these from the Gemmata genus were inactivated by this preparation.

Parasitic Nematodes of Plant Persimmon (Diospyros Kaki, l.) Rhizosphere in District Swat, Kp Pakistan

Purpose: Different species of plant parasitic nematodes of persimmon (Diospyros kaki, L.) were identified from various localities of District Swat KPK Pakistan namely Chail, Madyan, Piya, Jare, Chikrai, Thesil, Fateh pur, Baghdheri, Naway kalay, Shin, Pirpatay, Sambat and Gurra. Methods: Soil samples were collected from the bases of persimmon trees along with rhizospheres that show stunted growth. The collected samples were then processed by using modified Bearmann funnel technique. Nematode specimens isolated in cavity block were killed by heat and treated with TAF (Triethylamine formaldehyde) solution. Findings and Practical implication: After 24 hours, the specimens were transferred to 1.25 % glycerin with trace amount of picric acid for staining of nematodes. Nine different species of nematodes were reported from these localities were Tylenchus spp, Psilenchus spp, Meloidogyne larvae, Aphelenchus spp, Tylenchus juveniles, Filenchus spp, Pratylenchus spp, Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus and Helicotylenchus dihystera. Helicotylenchus species were more common in the collected samples. Conclusion: It is concluded from analysis of soil samples that plant parasitic nematodes associated with persimmon cause economic loss in district swat. Persimmon plants show stunted and retarded growth in soil which has high nematode population density. Keywords: Nematodes, Persimmon, Swat, Diospyros kaki, Triethylamine formaldehyde.

Determining mitigation on landslide prone level in watershed area: analysis of study on Samin Hulu Karanganyar District of Indonesia and its economic consequences

Landslides in Indonesia have caused much damage and claimed lives inland, environment, people, and property. This study aims to identify and analyze the types of landslides, the factors causing landslides, and the impacts of landslide-prone impacts in determining food security and agricultural economics. The research method used was survey and laboratory analysis. The research was conducted in the Samin Hulu Tengah River Basin (Matesih and Karangpandan Districts) Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The research data were obtained using field surveys and literature studies. The research data is in the form of thematic maps of the area, data on landslides in the watershed, soil samples analysis, and survey results. The results showed that the level of landslide-prone in Karangpandan District was higher than in Matesih District. The causes of landslides were triggered by higher rainfall, higher slopes, more dominant andesite rocks. In Karangpandan, there are five types of landslides, namely Landslides, Rocks, Subsidence, Landslides, and Soilcreep. Regarding the methods of land management and food security, the analysis of the findings showed that the cultivation pattern, increasing soil fertility, landslide and water resources management had the greatest relationship with agricultural economy. Farmers who used the methods regarding landslide and water resources management had more safe and healthy access to food due to increased land quality and productivity. Therefore, it can be said that in order to increase the yield of agricultural products, increase food security and invest in this field, more support services should be provided to farmers and necessary measures should be taken for more participation and cooperation of farmers in the field of sustainable land management.

Investigating survival/growth ratio of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) afforestation efforts and effects of BUROR terracing operations on some soil properties in the lands susceptive to soil erosion in Erzincan

Erzincan-Keklik kayası mevkiinde yürütülen bu çalışmada, 2012 yılında, BUROR mini-ekskavatörle teraslama sonrası uygulanan ağaçlandırma ve erozyon kontrol faaliyetlerinde dikilen sarıçam fidanlarının 2018 yılı vejetasyon dönemi sonundaki (6 yıllık) gelişim durumlarının değerlendirmesi yapılmıştır. Bu amaçla, dikimlerin yapıldığı alandan 20 m x 20 m büyüklüğünde (yaklaşık 400 m2) toplam 7 deneme parseli seçilmiş ve her bir parselde rasgele tespit edilen 30 (toplamda 210 adet) fidanın boyu, kök boğazı çapları ve dikimden bu yana geçen her bir vejetasyon dönemine ait yıllık boy artımları ölçülmüştür. Ayrıca, söz konusu bu ağaçlandırma ve erozyon kontrol faaliyetlerinin toprakta neden olduğu olası bazı fiziksel ve kimyasal değişimleri tespit etmek üzere de 42 tanesi dikim yapılan terasların içinden (fidan dibinden), 29 tanesi ise terasların aralarından (doğal/kontrol alan) olmak üzere toplamda 71 bozulmuş toprak örneği alınarak pH, organik madde (OM), elektriksel iletkenlik (Eİ), agregat stabilitesi ve tekstür değerleri için analize tabi tutulmuşlardır. Araştırma sonucunda, altı yıllık büyüme dönemi sonunda, dikilen sarıçam fidanlarında %88’lik bir başarı oranı yakalandığı, ortalama kök boğaz çaplarının ise 47.3 mm’ye ulaştığı belirlenmiştir. Bununla beraber, güney bakıdaki yamaçlarda dikilen sarıçam fidanlarının ulaştıkları ortalama 130.3 cm’lik boy ile kuzey bakıdakilerden (120.9 cm) istatiksel olarak daha uzun oldukları tespit edilmiştir. Toprak analiz verileri üzerindeki değerlendirmelerde ise mini ekskavatörle yapılan BUROR terasların bazı toprak özellikleri üzerinde negatif etkiler yarattığı ve kısmen bozulan bu özelliklerin doğal değerlerine ulaşmasının zaman alacağı sonucuna varılmıştır. Son olarak, bu araştırmanın önemli sonuçlarından birinin de 2013 ile 2018 büyüme dönemlerindeki sarıçam boy artımlarıyla hem bir önceki yıl yağan toplam yağış miktarları (R2 = 0.77) hem de vejetasyon dönemindeki yağış miktarları arasında (R2 = 0.85) yüksek bir ilişki olduğunun tespit edilmesi olmuştur.

2D inversion of in situ gamma-ray spectrometric measurements of 137Cs for site characterization

Environmental contamination by radioactive materials can be characterized by in situ gamma surface measurements. During such measurements, the field of view of a gamma detector can be tens of meters wide, resulting in a count rate that integrates the signal over a large measurement support volume/area. The contribution of a specific point to the signal depends on various parameters, such as the height of the detector above the ground surface, the gamma energy and the detector properties, etc. To improve the spatial resolution of the activity concentration, contributions of a radionuclide from nearby areas to the count rate of a single measurement should be disentangled. The experiments described in this paper, deployed 2D inversion of in situ gamma spectrometric measurements using a non-negative least squares-based Tikhonov regularization method. Data were acquired using a portable LaBr3 gamma detector. The detector response as a function of the distance of the radioactive source, required for the inversion process, was simulated using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) transport code. The uncertainty on activity concentration was calculated using the Monte Carlo error propagation method. The 2D inversion methodology was first satisfactorily assessed for 133Ba and 137Cs source activity distributions using reference pads. Secondly, this method was applied on a 137Cs contaminated site, making use of above-ground in-situ gamma spectrometry measurements, conducted on a regular grid. The inversion process results were compared with the results from in-situ borehole measurements and laboratory analyses of soil samples. The calculated 137Cs activity concentration levels were compared against the activity concentration value for exemption or clearance of materials which can be applied by default to any amount and any type of solid material. Using the 2D inversion and the Monte Carlo error propagation method, a high spatial resolution classification of the site, in terms of exceeding the exemption limit, could be made. The 137Cs activity concentrations obtained using the inversion process agreed well with the results from the in-situ borehole measurements and those from the soil samples, showing that the 2D inversion is a convenient approach to deconvolute the contribution of radioactive sources from nearby areas within a detector's field of view, and increases the resolution of spatial contamination mapping.