Ecotoxicological assessment of the effect of some new organic-mineral fertilizers on Eisenia foetida earthworms

Ecotoxicity tests provide a direct measure of the bioavailability of toxicants and help to establish linkages between site contamination and adverse ecological effects. There are more current laboratory test methods outlined, but it is very important the major advantages/disadvantages of each of them. The present paper uses as research methodology the OECD Guideline for testing of chemicals no. 207 which meets the most criteria expected for ecotoxicological testing. Earthworms Eisenia foetida (Savigny, 1826) had been exposed for 14 days to a geometrical series range of concentrations of the test substances (organic-mineral fertilizers L-200-Hum and SH-120). The performed study showed that the fertilizer L-200-Hum determined lower earthworm mortality comparing to SH-120 for all tested concentration levels and the fertilizer L-200-Hum positively influenced the earthworm rate of biomass accumulation. DL 50 it was established to be the concentration 4 g for the SH-120 fertilizer at the end of the test (14 days)

Extracellular lipase production of zygomycetes fungi isolated from soil

Filamentous fungi are well known by their ability to secrete biotechnologically important enzymes into the environment. Lipase enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of triacylglycerols to give free fatty acids, diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols and glycerol. There is a growing interest in microbial lipase production due to its great potential for various industrial applications. Zygomycetes are good producers of lipases, however, representatives of the order Mortierellales are poorly characterized from this aspect. Our knowledge in reference to the activity and production of the enzymes by soil isolated zygomycetous fungi is also limited. The main objective of this work was the screening of 35 soil isolated strains belonging to the genera Mortierella, Dissophora and Umbelopsis with potential to produce lipases. For detection of extracellular lipase production, culturing media containing tributyrin was used and the level of the lipase production was evaluated by measuring the diameter of the halo around the colonies. The halo was formed in consequence of the lipase activity and measured daily during the incubation period. The lipase production of the tested strains showed high variability and several isolates showing high enzyme activity were detected in each genus. Among the tested isolates, the Dissophora ornata, Mortierella longicollis and Umbelopsis angularis strains proved to be outstanding in their enzyme producing ability. The M. longicollis were selected to investigate the effects of various inductor oils on the enzyme production using submerged culture fermentation systems

Methodological Approaches to Radon in Water Measurements: Comparative Experiences between Romania and Spain

The EC Directive 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 represents the first time that a radon limit for drinking water has been proposed. Transposition of this Directive into Spanish legislation was by means of the recent RD 314/2016 which sets a limit value of 500 Bq l?1 for radon (222Rn) in water for human consumption while that in Romanian legislation the Law 301/2015 provides a limit value of 100 Bq l-1 for 222Rn concentration in water for human consumption as well as a total effective dose of 0.1 mSv y-1 from all radionuclides present in water (same dose value established by Spanish law). For several years, both in Romania and in Spain, there have been campaigns to measure the concentration of 222Rn in waters of different origins in order to determine the possible exposure of the population through this irradiation path, and also to use the presence of radon dissolved in water as a source of indoor radon in thermal spa facilities, and also as a tracer of dynamic processes (C. Sainy et al., Sci. Tot. Envir. 543, 460 (2016); 1). In this article, an assessment of the results from measurement campaigns in both countries will be presented and compared. In addition, the different measurement techniques used will be described, and the description of an intercomparison exercise on radon measurement in water organized by the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the University of Cantabria (LaRUC) will be presented, in order to evaluate the quality of the performance of the techniques used.This work was partially supported by the project ID P_37_229, Contract No. 22/01.09.2016, with the title Smart Systems for Public Safety through Control and Mitigation of Residential Radon linked with Energy Efficiency Optimization of Buildings in Romanian Major Urban Agglomerations SMART-RAD-EN of the POC Programme

The Potential of Pig Sludge Fertilizer for Some Pasture Agricultural Lands’ Improvement: Case Study in Timiș County, Romania

In the context of the current energy crisis, pig sludge may be a more accessible fertilizer resource for different categories of farmers and agro-ecosystems, in order to support soil fertility and agricultural production. The present study presents results regarding the influence of pig sludge on soil quality and the spatial and temporal variability of a pasture agro-ecosystem, in the area of Ciacova locality, Timiș County, Romania. The pig sludge was fermented for a period of 6 months in fermentation tanks and was applied at a rate of 80 m3 ha−1 y−1 between 2013 and 2019, on two pasture plots (P808, P816). In the study period (2013–2019), the agrochemical indices studied presented the values: pH = 5.90 ± 0.09 (P816-6-13) and pH = 6.90 ± 0.06 (P808-7-18); P = 10.20 ± 2.26 ppm (P808-4-13) and P = 69.10 ± 3.04 ppm (P808-5-19); K = 176.00 ± 7.44 ppm (P816-4-13) and K = 429.00 ± 7.33 ppm (P816-3-19); NI = 2.45% ± 0.08% (P816-6-13) and NI = 3.87% ± 0.06% (P816-6-19). The variability of the land, i.e., the pasture category, evaluated based on the NDVI index (seven NDVI classes were generated, C1 to C7) decreased under the influence of pig sludge, the values of the variation coefficients being CVNDVI = 17.5098 in 2019 compared to CVNDVI = 41.5402 in 2013 for P808 and CVNDVI = 32.0685 in 2019, compared to CVNDVI = 52.2031 in 2013 for P816. It was found that the land area decreased (2019 compared to 2013) from classes C1 to C4 NDVI (low NDVI values, NDVI < 0.5) and the area increased within classes C6 and C7 NDVI (high NDVI values, NDVI > 0.5)

YIELD COMPONENTS AT SOME HYBRIDS OF SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS FROM SOUTH ROMANIA

Abstract Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is the most important oil crop i

Extracellular lipase production of zygomycetes fungi isolated from soil

Filamentous fungi are well known by their ability to secrete biotechnologically important enzymes into the environment. Lipase enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of triacylglycerols to give free fatty acids, diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols and glycerol. There is a growing interest in microbial lipase production due to its great potential for various industrial applications. Zygomycetes are good producers of lipases, however, representatives of the order Mortierellales are poorly characterized from this aspect. Our knowledge in reference to the activity and production of the enzymes by soil isolated zygomycetous fungi is also limited. The main objective of this work was the screening of 35 soil isolated strains belonging to the genera Mortierella, Dissophora and Umbelopsis with potential to produce lipases. For detection of extracellular lipase production, culturing media containing tributyrin was used and the level of the lipase production was evaluated by measuring the diameter of the halo around the colonies. The halo was formed in consequence of the lipase activity and measured daily during the incubation period. The lipase production of the tested strains showed high variability and several isolates showing high enzyme activity were detected in each genus. Among the tested isolates, the Dissophora ornata, Mortierella longicollis and Umbelopsis angularis strains proved to be outstanding in their enzyme producing ability. The M. longicollis were selected to investigate the effects of various inductor oils on the enzyme production using submerged culture fermentation systems