In the last few years, we have gathered experience in measurement of 222 Rn in air, water and soil-gas by absorption in polycarbonates. The method employs the remarkable absorption ability to noble gases of some polycarbonates, like Makrolon ® (the basic constructive material of CDs/DVDs). This report summarizes the key results of research and practical applications of this method. Calibration ...

A laboratory in situ composting study was conducted as a possible alternative method for the current practice of open air burning of post-harvest sugarcane residue by sugarcane farmers. In situ composting of the sugarcane residue by the indigenous bacteria and fungi was accelerated using molasses as an initial substrate. A one-time application of molasses boosted the soil microbial population. ...

Coupled heat and water transport in soils has enjoyed extensive focus in soil physics and hydrology and yet, until recently, there has never been a satisfactory comparison of water vapor ̄uxes measured in the ®eld with theory. At least two factors have led to this, ®rst, most of the experimental work has been laboratory oriented with steady state boundary conditions imposed and second, there ha...

BACKGROUND Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is Latin America's most prevalent systemic mycosis, carrying an important social burden. Its agent, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, has rarely been identified in nature. Studies characterizing acute/subacute PCM incidence and their relationship with climate variables are not available. This work analysed a series of acute/subacute cases that occurred in th...

In this study, enhance air biosparging techniques were investigated for remediating VOC-contaminated subsurface. Desired injection manners were acquired through batchand bench-scale experiments in order to reduce the operating costs, eliminate the need for off-gas treatment, and enhance the efficiency of contaminant removal. The fate of benzene in water and water-soil systems under a variety of...

We present here the 2001–2004 results of observational field studies aimed at quantifying tropical timberline climate and radial increment of Pinus hartwegii Lindl. trees on Nevado de Colima, in the middle of the North American Monsoon region. An automated weather station was installed at 3760 m a.s.l., 19834.7789N latitude, 103837.1809W longitude, within a forest where multi-century tree-ring ...

In the boreal region, soil organic carbon (OC) dynamics are strongly governed by the interaction between wildfire and permafrost. Using a combination of field measurements, numerical modeling of soil thermal dynamics, and mass-balance modeling of OC dynamics, we tested the sensitivity of soil OC storage to a suite of individual climate factors (air temperature, soil moisture, and snow depth) an...

To investigate the underlying mechanisms that control long-term recovery of tundra carbon (C) and nutrients after fire, we employed the Multiple Element Limitation (MEL) model to simulate 200-yr post-fire changes in the biogeochemistry of three sites along a burn severity gradient in response to increases in air temperature, CO2 concentration, nitrogen (N) deposition, and phosphorus (P) weather...

The biological conversion of sulfate from disposed gypsum drywall to hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) in the anaerobic environment of a landfill results in odor problems and possible health concerns at many disposal facilities. To examine the extent and magnitude of such emissions, landfill gas samples from wells, soil vapor samples from the interface of the waste and cover soil, and ambient air sample...

Nitrous oxide (NrO) production in aerobic, intact soil cores collected from two forest sites was partitioned into different sources of N,O by subjecting soils to specitlc inhibitors during short-term incubations. We used acetylene (IO Pa) to selectively inhibit N,O production by nitrifiers, 100 kPa (100% v/v) 0, to inhibit N,O production by denitrifiers, and sterilixed soil to evaluate chemical...