Low-dose acidification of cattle slurry with sulfuric acid enhances oilseed-rape yield but risks elevated sulfide formation during prolonged storage.

Slurry acidification using sulfuric acid (HSO) is an effective strategy for reducing ammonia and methane emissions during storage while providing a valuable source of sulfur (S) for crops. However, the optimal HSO dose for balancing emission mitigation, S availability, and cost-effectiveness remains unclear, particularly concerning the formation of undesirable sulfides during storage. This study investigated the effects of HSO dose on S transformations during storage of cattle slurry (CS), anaerobically digested slurry (DS), the liquid fraction of separated digested slurry (LFDS), and the subsequent S fertilizer replacement value (SFRV) for oilseed rape (OSR).

Greenhouse gas removal in agricultural peatland via raised water levels and soil amendment.

Unlabelled: Peatlands are an important natural store of carbon (C). Drainage of lowland peatlands for agriculture and the subsequent loss of anaerobic conditions had turned these C stores into major emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Practical management strategies are needed to reduce these emissions, and ideally to reverse them to achieve net GHG removal (GGR).

Assessment of Four Artificial Methods for Aging Plastic Mulch Films According to Efficiency, Rate, and Similarity to Natural Field-Aged Plastics.

Unlabelled: Artificial degradation is often used to recreate and accelerate the natural aging of plastic for small-scaled simulation experiments assessing their environmental impact. However, current artificial aging methods are rarely compared against reference materials or validated using field-aged samples, creating uncertainties when extrapolating results to naturally aged plastics, making it difficult to place findings in an environmentally applicable context. Therefore, here we compared four accessible, cost-effective, and easily replicable methods (heat, UVA, and UVC irradiance at two intensities) to produce artificially degraded materials.

Universal opt-out syphilis screening in a UK emergency department.

Objectives: The incidence of syphilis in several areas of England has risen substantially. National programmes for blood-borne viruses (BBV) screening in emergency departments (ED) have been ongoing for several years however have not included syphilis. We hypothesised that screening for syphilis in an ED in a region of high prevalence might identify significant numbers of cases.

Higher potential leaching of inorganic and organic additives from biodegradable compared to conventional agricultural plastic mulch film.

Plastic mulch films support global food security, however, their composition and the potential release rates of organic, metal and metalloid co-contaminants remains relatively unknown. This study evaluates the low molecular weight organic additives, metal and metalloid content and leaching from low density polyethylene (LDPE) and biodegradable plastic mulch films. We identified 59 organic additives, and non-intentionally added substances in the new LDPE films (39.