The adsorption characteristics of arsenic on laterite soil, a low-cost natural adsorbent, were studied in the laboratory scale using real-life sample. The studies were conducted by both batch and continuous mode. Laterite soil was found to be an efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal from the groundwater collected from arsenic affected area. The initial concentration of arsenic in the sample w...

Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (Map), the causative agent of Johne's disease, has a robust ability to survive in the environment. However, the ability of Map to migrate through soil to drainage tiles or ground water, leave the farm, and leak into local watersheds is inadequately documented. In order to assess the ability of Map to leach through soil, two laboratory experiments were ...

Biosolids from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have a high content of nutrients and organic matter and are used as a land fertilizer constituent. However, biosolids can contain many toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and synthetic organic chemicals. Thus, land application of biosolids may introduce these toxicants to water resources through runoff or soil leachate. The objective of thi...

The introduction of earthworms into soils contaminated with metals and metalloids has been suggested to aid restoration practices. Eisenia veneta (epigeic), Lumbricus terrestris (anecic) and Allolobophora chlorotica (endogeic) earthworms were cultivated in columns containing 900 g soil with 1130, 345, 113 and 131 mg kg(-1) of As, Cu, Pb and Zn, respectively, for up to 112 days, in parallel with...

Land application is a cost-effective way of disposing of wood ash. However, high volume wood ash application tends to increase soil pH, solubilizing soil organic matter (SOM), and enhancing metal mobility. Column studies (1.5 20 cm) were conducted to determine the leachability of Cu and Ni in an ash-amended soil. In the first study, deionized water was used to leach three columns: ash, ash mixe...

Earthworms affect soil structure and the movement of agrochemicals. Yet, there have been few field-scale studies that quantify the effect of earthworms on dissolved nitrogen fluxes in agroecosystems. We investigated the influence of semi-annual earthworm additions on leachate production and quality in different row crop agroecosystems. Chisel-till corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Me...

Using two biological characteristics of the land snail (subspecies Helix aspersa aspersa and Helix aspersa maxima), i.e., soil eating and crawling on wet surfaces, methods were developed to assess the bioavailability of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn) from soil and aqueous leachates of soil. Measurement of heavy-metal concentrations in soil, leachates, and soft tissues of snails showed that c...

abstract population increase, limitation of water resources, and increasing volume of municipal wastewater, has caused the necessity of wastewater reuse. application of wastewater on soils seems to be the most economical method of its disposal and by percolating wastewater through the soil, its chemical quality is improved. for this purpose, a greenhouse experiment was carried out with polyethy...