African Journal of Soil Science

African Journal of Soil Science Vol. 1 (2), pp. 023-027, November, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Influence of depths and soil pH on forms of magnesium in soils of four parent materials (Rhodic paleudults, Rhodic tropudalfs, Oxic tropudalfs and Aquic tropossamment)

Okpamen S. U.¹*, Ilori E. G.², Agho I.^3,4, Nkechika A.¹, Maidoh F. U.¹ and Okonjo P. N.⁴

¹Chemistry Division, NIFOR, P.M.B 1030, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

²Edo State Institute of Technology and Management, Usen, Edo State, Nigeria.

³Biochemistry Division, NIFOR, P.M.B 1030, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

⁴Analytical Laboratory Division, NIFOR, P.M.B 1030, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 3 July, 2013

Abstract

The role of depths and soil pH in the content and occurrence of the forms of magnesium in soils of the four parent materials in Edo and Delta States (Coastal plain sand, Shale, Basement complex and Alluvium) was investigated. Soils samples were collected from profiles that developed on these parent materials, with dimensions 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.5 m and demarcated according to depths ranging from 0 to 150 cm. Reagents were applied under regulated conditions and durations ranging from 10 min to 1 h. The results showed that different forms of magnesium were extracted from varying depths in each profile. In the alluvium the non available Mg content in the study ranged from 7.79 to 24.34 c mol kg^-1 and was highest in the top soils of the profile examined,. The exchange Mg was between 0.16 to 0.24 c mol (+) kg^-1 decreasing also across depths, in the coastal plain sand, the non available Mg ranged from 17.56 to 19.97 c mol kg^-1 with greater amount realized from the bottom depths. Exchange Mg pool ranged from 0.12 to 0.52 c mol kg^-1 with higher records on surface depths of 0-3, 3-15 and 15-45 cm. In the Basement complex the non available Mg ranged from 12.26 to 18.97 c mol kg^-1 with greater value recorded from 45 to 62 cm depths. While exchangeable Mg ranged from 0.22 to 0.46 c mol kg^-1 and 3.22 to 6.25 c mol kg^-1 respectively with both forms distributed oppositely across the depth. The structural Mg ranged from 6.28 to 8.84 c molkg increasing down the depths. The water sol Mg in the four parent materials were distributed in similar pattern in three out of the four parent materials, it ranged from 0.16 to 0.52 c mol kg^-1 and 0.09 to 0.19 c mol kg^-1 in coastal plain sand and alluvium. In Shale it ranged from 0.21 to 0.58 c mol kg^-1, while in the basement complex 0.25 to 0.40 c mol kg^-1 with values decreasing downs the depths across the four parent materials. The soil ph across the four parent materials ranged from 4.41 to 5.63 decreased from surface to the bottom.

Key words: Soil pH, horizon, depths, profile, available magnesium.

African Journal of Soil Science Vol. 1 (2), pp. 016-022, November, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Uptake of Pb, Zn and Cu by roots and shoots of fast growing plants grown in contaminated soil in Vietnam

Nguyen Huu Thanh¹, Tran Thi Le Ha¹, Cao Viet Ha¹, Nguyen Duc Hung¹, Phan Quoc Hung¹, Kiyoshi Kurosawa²* and Kazuhiko Egashira³

¹Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam.

²Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

³Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +81926423071. Fax: +81926423077.

Accepted June 28, 2013

Abstract

The phytoremediation of soil contaminated with lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) from industrial wastewater discharge in a farming village near Hanoi City was investigated. The first growing plant species tested were the Spanish needle, water primrose, common willow herb, and water spinach. Uptake by roots and shoots per unit land area for each species was calculated and compared. The uptake of the heavy metals per unit area was higher in shoots than in roots for each plant species and was affected by the higher biomass production of the shoots. For the roots, the uptake did not differ by species, but did differ by heavy metal. For the shoots, the uptake differed by both plant species and heavy metal with the common willow herb having higher Pb and Zn uptake compared to those of the other three species. For the common willow herb, the uptake of heavy metal was in order of Pb > Zn > Cu. The results indicate that common willow herb has a superior phytoremediation capacity among the plants tested, particularly for the uptake of Pb.

Key words: Plant biomass, farming village, industrial wastewater, phytoremediation.

African Journal of Soil Science Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-008, October, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phospholipid fatty acids analysis-fatty acid methyl ester (PLFA-FAME) changes during bioremediation of crude oil contamination soil

Esin (Eraydın) Erdoğan^1,2*, Fikrettin Şahin³ and Ayten Namlı¹

¹Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, Ankara University, 06110 Diskapi – Ankara, Turkey.

²Soil Fertilizer and Water Resources Central Research Institute, Ankara, Turkey.

³Faculty of Architecture and Engineering Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Yeditepe University, Kadıköy -

Istanbul, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +90 542517 5500. +90 312 315 65 60/207. Fax: +90 312 315 29 31.

Accepted 30 September, 2013

Abstract

This study aims to develop certain perspectives based on the principle of on-site remediation of the soil through biological means known as "bioremediation" against soil pollution issues resulting from fuel contamination in our country and to reveal the fatty acid profile in the final soils. The fatty acid profile of the soils was pointed out by testing the activity of three basic bioremediation applications (biological multiplication, biological excitation and the combined application of these two approaches) established in the laboratory condition. Under biological multiplication applications, six of the selected bacterial strains (Pseudomons aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida biotype A, Citrobacter amalonaticus-GC subgroup A, Acinetobacter genomospecies) exhibit the highest growth in crude oil environment isolated from oil-contaminated soils of Adana, Batman and Adıyaman, and they also have the highest levels of crude oil degradation. Under biological excitation applications, the organic materials being humic-fulvic acid and, in combined applications, different combinations of bacteria mixture and organic materials were examined as to the amount of crude oil they degrade in an incubation period of 120 days by qualitative hydrocarbon-type analyses. The highest level of oil degradation, being 56%, occurred under biological multiplication applications where the bacteria mixture was applied. Under biological excitation conditions where various organic materials were applied to the contaminated soil, degradation to 18% was observed. In combined applications, oil degradation was achieved to 30%. The most common fatty acids were found to be 15:0 iso, 15:0 anteiso, 16:0, 16:1 w7c, 17:0ai, 18:2w6,9 and 18:1w9c fatty acids detected in both unpolluted and oil-contaminated soils. Determination of high level 18:1w9c fatty acid in oil contaminated and clean soils may indicate the presence of Pseudomonas spp. However, fatty acid 15:0 anteiso was determined to be higher in oil-contaminated soils than in unpolluted soils. It may be explained that Gram positive bacteria were predominant in oil-contaminated environment.

Key words: Soil, crude oil, bacteria, bioremediation, phospholipid fatty acids analysis-fatty acid methyl ester (PLFA-FAME).