Wheat field earthworms under divergent farming systems across a European climate gradient.

Earthworms are a key faunal group in agricultural soils, but little is known on how farming systems affect their communities across wide climatic gradients and how farming system choice might mediate earthworms' exposure to climate conditions. Here, we studied arable soil earthworm communities on wheat fields across a European climatic gradient, covering nine pedo-climatic zones, from Mediterranean to Boreal (S to N) and from Lusitanian to Pannonian (W to E). In each zone, 20-25 wheat fields under conventional or organic farming were sampled.

Effectiveness of cork and pine bark powders as biosorbents for potentially toxic elements present in aqueous solution.

Cork oak and pine bark, two of the most prolific byproducts of the European forestry sector, were assessed as biosorbents for eliminating potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from water-based solutions. Our research suggests that bioadsorption stands out as a viable and environmental eco-friendly technology, presenting a sustainable method for the extraction of PTEs from polluted water sources. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficiency of cork powder and pine bark powder as biosorbents.

Cu and As(V) Adsorption and Desorption on/from Different Soils and Bio-Adsorbents.

This research is concerned with the adsorption and desorption of Cu and As(V) on/from different soils and by-products. Both contaminants may reach soils by the spreading of manure/slurries, wastewater, sewage sludge, or pesticides, and also due to pollution caused by mining and industrial activities. Different crop soils were sampled in A Limia (AL) and Sarria (S) (Galicia, NW Spain).

Ciprofloxacin and Trimethoprim Adsorption/Desorption in Agricultural Soils.

The current research focuses on the adsorption/desorption characteristics of the antibiotics ciprofloxacin (CIP) and trimethoprim (TRI) taking place in 17 agricultural soils, which are studied by means of batch-type experiments. The results show that adsorption was higher for CIP, with Freundlich K values ranging between 1150 and 5086 L µmol kg, while they were between 29 and 110 L µmol kg in the case of TRI. Other parameters, such as the Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity (q), as well as the K parameter in the linear model and also the adsorption percentages, follow the same trend as K.

Humic acids modify the pulse size distributions in the characterization of plastic microparticles by Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing.

Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing, TRPS, is an emerging technique used in quantification and measuring the size (particle-by-particle) of viruses, exosomes and engineered colloidal spheres in biological fluids. We study the features of TRPS to enhance size characterization and quantification of submicron-sized microplastics, also called plastic microparticles, MP, in freshwater environments. We report alterations on the detection of the resistive pulses in the TRPS caused by humic acids, HA, during the size measurement of polystyrene microspheres used as MP surrogate.

Modification of chemical properties, Cu fractionation and enzymatic activities in an acid vineyard soil amended with winery wastes: A field study.

The effects of adding two winery wastes, perlite waste (PW) and bentonite waste (BW), to an acid vineyard soil were assessed using some chemical and biological soil properties in a field study that lasted 18 months. The addition of PW (up to 81 Mg ha) had neither significant nor permanent effects on soil characteristics such as the pH, organic matter content or nutrient concentrations, the amounts of copper or zinc, or the electrical conductivity. Moreover, no persistent negative effects were found on the enzymatic activities after PW application.

Lithological and land-use based assessment of heavy metal pollution in soils surrounding a cement plant in SW Europe.

We study the influence of phasing out a cement plant on the heavy metal (Hg, Pb and Cr) content in the surrounding soils, taking into account factors often neglected, such as contributions due to local lithology or land use. The range of total Hg was 10-144µg kg(-1), reaching up to 41 and 145mgkg(-1) for total contents of Pb and Cr, respectively. Forest soils showed higher concentration of Hg than prairie soils, indicating the importance of land use on the accumulation of volatile heavy metals in soils.

Cu retention in an acid soil amended with perlite winery waste.

The effect of perlite waste from a winery on general soil characteristics and Cu adsorption was assessed. The studied soil was amended with different perlite waste concentrations corresponding to 10, 20, 40 and 80 Mg ha(-1). General soil characteristics and Cu adsorption and desorption curves were determined after different incubation times (from 1 day to 8 months).

Time evolution of the general characteristics and Cu retention capacity in an acid soil amended with a bentonite winery waste.

The effect of bentonite waste added to a "poor" soil on its general characteristic and copper adsorption capacity was assessed. The soil was amended with different bentonite waste concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 Mg ha(-1)) in laboratory pots, and different times of incubation of samples were tested (one day and one, four and eight months). The addition of bentonite waste increased the pH, organic matter content and phosphorus and potassium concentrations in the soil, being stable for P and K, whereas the organic matter decreased with time.

Cyprodinil retention on mixtures of soil and solid wastes from wineries. Effects of waste dose and ageing.

In spite of its wide-world economic relevance, wine production generates a huge amount of waste that threatens the environment. A batch experiment was designed to assess the effect of the amendment of an agricultural soil with two winery wastes (perlite and bentonite wastes) in the immobilization of cyprodinil. Waste addition (0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 Mg ha(-1)) and different times of incubation of soil-waste mixtures (1, 30, and 120 days) were tested.

Predicting release and transport of pesticides from a granular formulation during unsaturated diffusion in porous media.

The release and transport of active ingredients (AIs) from controlled-release formulations (CRFs) have potential to reduce groundwater pesticide pollution. These formulations have a major effect on the release rate and subsequent transport to groundwater. Therefore the influence of CRFs should be included in modeling non-point source pollution by pesticides.

Modeling the influence of raindrop size on the wash-off losses of copper-based fungicides sprayed on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) leaves.

Modeling the pesticide wash-off by raindrops is important for predicting pesticide losses and the subsequent transport of pesticides to soil and in soil run-off. Three foliar-applied copper-based fungicide formulations, specifically the Bordeaux mixture (BM), copper oxychloride (CO), and a mixture of copper oxychloride and propylene glycol (CO-PG), were tested on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) leaves using a laboratory raindrop simulator.

Influence of pore water velocity on the release of carbofuran and fenamiphos from commercial granulates embedded in a porous matrix.

Pore water flow velocity can influence the processes involved in the contaminant transport between relative stagnant zones of porous media and their adjacent mobile zones. A particular case of special interest is the occurrence of high flow rates around the controlled release granules containing pesticides buried in soil. The release of the pesticides carbofuran and fenamiphos from commercial controlled release formulations (CRFs) was studied, comparing release tests in a finite volume of water with water flow release tests in saturated packed sand at different seepage velocities.

Effect of particle size on copper oxychloride transport through saturated sand columns.

Understanding the mechanisms behind the transport of particulate contaminants in porous media is crucial with a view to evaluating their potential impact on the environment. Much of the copper used in agriculture is sprayed as colloidal copper oxychloride, and despite its potential environmentally adverse consequences, colloidal transport of particulate formulations of copper remains poorly understood. In this work, transport of copper colloids from a commercial copper oxychloride based fungicide formulation was studied by measuring its breakthrough in saturated quartz sand columns.

Simulating washoff of Cu-based fungicide sprays by using a rotating shear device.

Foliar washoff causes a loss of copper-based pesticides sprayed on crops, leading to an increase in the number of applications and contamination of the soil with Cu. In field studies, the variables that determine the amount of Cu loss are difficult to control. An experimental setup based on a rotating shear device (RSD) was used to estimate the influence of physical factors in the loss of Cu due to washoff of three copper-based fungicides: copper oxychlorhide (CO), Bordeaux mixture (BM), and a mixture of copper oxychlorhide and propylene glycol (CO-PG).