Organic waste products in agriculture ‐ monitoring the waste constituents phthalate esters in soil‐crop system by gas chromatography and ion trap tandem mass spectrometry

A method is described for monitoring phthalate esters in organic waste products, agricultural soil and crops. Solvent extraction, Ultra Turrax homogenisation and sonification were used to isolate the compounds from the sample matrices. Solid phase extraction was applied for purification, and gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry – for identification. With the method, six phthalate esters were determined in different matrices. The detection limits were in the range of 1 to 10 μg kg–1 wet weight, except for DEHP, which had a detection limit approaching 100 μg kg–1 wet weight. Repeatabilities were from 5 to 20 % relative standard deviation. Recoveries were from 6 to 100 %, depending on the compound analysed. However, except for the polar phthalates DMP and DEP, the recoveries were above 70 %. The method feasibility was demonstrated in an investigation of the occurrence of phthalate esters in barley, rape, carrots, agricultural soil, aerobic and anaerobic sludge, household compost and pig manure. Organinių atliekų produktai žemės ūkyje – atliekų sudedamosios dalies phthale esterių sistemoje dirvožemis–pasėliai monitoringas chromatografijos ir jonų porų išdėstytos masės spektrometrijos būdu Santrauka Aprašytas metodas yra skirtas phthalate esterių monitoringui organinių atliekų produktuose, žemės ūkio dirvožemyje ir pasėliuose. Junginiams nuo bandinio terpės atskirti buvo taikyta tirpiklio ekstrakcija, Ultra Turrax homogenizacija ir sonifikacija. Kietosios fazės ekstrakcija buvo taikyta valymui, o identifikacijai – dujų chromatografija su išdėstytos masės spektrometru. Šiuo metodu šešių rūšių phthalate esteriai buvo nustatyti įvairiose terpėse. Identifikacijos ribos buvo 1–10 µg kg–1 šlapiosios masės, išskyrus DEHP atveju, kurio nustatymo riba artima 100 µg kg–1 šlapiosios masės. Pakartojimai skyrėsi nuo reliatyvaus standartinio 5–20 %. Atkūrimas buvo 6–100 %, atsižvelgiant į junginių suskaidymą. Tačiau, išskyrus polinių phthalate DMP ir DEP atvejus, atkūrimas buvo 70 %. Metodo pagrįstumas buvo pademonstruotas, atliekant phthalate tyrinėjimus miežiuose, rapsuose, morkose, žemės ūkio dirvožemyje, aerobiniame ir anaerobiniame dumble, namų ūkio komposte ir kiaulių mėšle. Reikšminiai žodžiai: phthalate esteriai, nutekamųjų vandenų dumblas, išdėstytos masės spektrometras, jonų poros, žemės ūkis. Продукты органических отходов в сельском хозяйстве. Мониторинг составной части отходов – эфира phthalate в системе почва–посевы способом хроматографии и спектрометрии разложенной массы пор ионов Резюме Описанный метод предназначен для мониторинга эфира Phthalate в органических отходах продуктов сельского хозяйства, почве и посевах. Для отделения соединений от опытной среды была применена экстракция растворителя, гомогенизация и сонификация Ultra Turrax. Экстракция твердой фазы была применена для очистки, а для идентификации – газовая хроматография со спектрометром разложенной массы. С помощью этого метода эфир Phthalate шести сортов был обнаружен в разных средах. Граница идентификации составляла 1–10 µг кг–1 мокрого веса, кроме случая DEHP, граница которого близка к 100 µг кг–1 мокрого веса. Повторы отклонялись от релятивного стандарта на 5–20 %. Восстановление составило 6–100 % с учетом дробления соединений. Однако, кроме случаев полярных Phthalate DMP и DEP, восстановление составляло 70 %. Обоснованность метода была продемонстрирована исследованием эфира Phthalate в ячмене, рапсе, моркови, сельскохозяйственной почве, аэробинамическом и анаэробинамическом иле, компосте из бытовых отходов и свином навозе. Ключевые слова: эфир Phthalate, ил сточных вод, спектрометр разложенной массы, поры ионов, сельское хозяйство. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

Proton binding by groundwater fulvic acids of different age, origins, and structure modeled with the model V and NICA-Donnan model

The proton binding properties of four fulvic acids from pristine groundwater and leachate-polluted groundwater were measured at four different ionic strengths (0.005−0.12 M) and modeled by the Model V and the NICA−Donnan model in order to evaluate the necessity of detailed proton binding parameters for groundwater fulvic acids. The proton binding parameters derived from the various fulvic acids were very similar, and on the basis of these parameters, it was not possible to distinguish between pristine and polluted groundwater. Normalization of the proton charge density by the proton charge density at pH 7 for each fulvic acid made all four fulvic acids regress to the same curve. The effects of varying the proton binding parameters were evaluated by simulating cadmium complexation using sets of proton binding parameters for the four fulvic acids and default sets of proton binding parameters available in the models WHAM (based on Model V) and Ecosat (based on NICA−Donnan). The Model V was rather indifferent with respect to specific characteristics of fulvic acids proton binding, and for most practical uses, the default values available in the model can be used. The NICA−Donnan model resulted in larger deviations between simulations based on default values and specific parameters. However, the NICA−Donnan database is still rather limited, and specific proton binding parameters should be used until the database providing default values has been extended

Scenarios for European agricultural policymaking in the era of digitalisation

peer-reviewedCONTEXTDigitalisation affects the agri-food sector and its governance. However, what digitalisation of the sector will imply for future agricultural policymaking remains unclear. OBJECTIVEThe objective of the study is to develop and evaluate explorative scenarios of digitalisation in the agri-food sector of Europe that are explicitly relevant to agricultural policy. The study aims to provide guidance for strategic development of agricultural policy to address the potentials, uncertainties and unknowns arising with digitalisation of the sector. METHODSWe combine a Delphi study and a participatory scenario workshop to develop and evaluate plausible explorative scenarios of digitalisation of Europe's agri-food sector. For all scenarios we identify gaps in achieving a range of important European agricultural policy goals, drawing on the Delphi study and desk-based analysis. Subsequently we deduce strategies to address these agricultural policy gaps. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSFour scenarios of digitalisation of the agri-food sector were developed for Europe in 2030. They comprise of 1) digitalisation of the sector following current directions at current rates as a baseline scenario, 2) strong digitalisation of a regulatory government, 3) use of autonomous farming technology and 4) digitalised food business. These explorative scenarios entail various gaps in achieving European agricultural policy goals. Our findings suggest that the baseline scenario needs strategies to ramp up technological and institutional infrastructure for digitalisation. The other scenarios need strategies to prevent risks, e.g., of technological failures or undesired social impacts. They also need strategies to cater for special cases and diversity, e.g., of ecosystems and farming practices. Across the scenarios, it seems useful to increase digital competencies of the stakeholders. SIGNIFICANCEThe study is the first that derives implications for policy strategies from explorative scenarios of future digitalisation of agricultural systems that target gaps in achieving agricultural policy goals. The combination of developing and analysing scenarios generated findings that are of significance to policymaking stakeholders and researchers alike, who all need to address the uncertainties arising with future digitalisation of the agri-food sector

NOWATECH - Nordic Water Technology Verification Centers (NT TECH REPORT 619)

In the NOWATECH project, co-ordinated methods for environmental technology verification (ETV) have been developed and implemented at three centers, and the centers have conducted in total 10 pilot verifications. The Project has provided a significant contribution to the plans for a European Union based ETV scheme, has contributed to international mutual recognition of ETV and has produced a proposal for a Nordic ETV scheme