Unravelling the metal uptake process in mosses: Comparison of aquatic and terrestrial species as air pollution biomonitors.

Transplanted mosses have been widely shown to be excellent tools for biomonitoring air pollution; however, it is not clear how the functional groups present on their surfaces affect the uptake of metal cations. In the present study, we examined differences in trace metal accumulation in two terrestrial and one aquatic moss species, and investigated whether the differences depended on their physico-chemical characteristics. In the laboratory, we determined C, N and H contents in their tissues and obtained the ATR-FTIR spectra (to identify the presence of functional groups).

Developing a Compost Quality Index (CQI) Based on the Electrochemical Quantification of Cd (HA) Reactivity.

The present work demonstrates the use of Cd as a reactivity probe of the fulvic acids (FAs), humic acids (HAs) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) compost extracts. Significant differences were observed between the extracts, with the HA extract showing the highest reactivity. Comparing the different composts, the largest reactivity variation was again observed for HA then FA and finally DOM extracts.

Estimation of phosphate extractability in flooded soils: Effect of solid-solution ratio and bicarbonate concentration.

The Olsen method is widely used to determine bioavailable phosphate (P) in upland soils. It is also used in flooded soils, although different estimates of extractable-P are obtained under anoxic and oxic conditions. In this study, variations in extractable-P in three soils under different redox conditions were evaluated as a function of solid to solution ratio (SSR) (1:5-1:200) and bicarbonate concentration (0.