Remediation of a mine soil with insoluble polyacrylate polymers enhances soil quality and plant growth

We investigated the effects of different application rates of insoluble hydrophilic polyacrylate polymers on plant growth and soil quality from a Pb-contaminated mine soil. The polymer increased the waterholding capacity of the soil from about 250 g ⁄ kg in unamended soil to almost 1000 g ⁄ kg in soil with 0.6% polymer. However, the capacity of the polymer to retain water decreased progressively, presumably as the polymer sorbed Pb. Growth of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L. cv. Amba) was stimulated in the polymer-amended soil. The greatest accumulated biomass over four cuts was obtained in soil amended with 0.4% of polymer. After orchardgrass had been growing for 101 days, the amounts of CaCl2-extractable Pb present in the polymer-amended soil were 15–66% of those in the unamended soil, depending on polymer application rate. The number of bacteria culturable on agar enriched with ‘Nutrient’ and yeast extract, and the activities of dehydrogenase, phosphatase, b-glucosidase, protease and cellulase increased following polymer application. In contrast, urease activity was impaired by polymer application, presumably due to the presence of ammonium as a counter ion. Principal component analysis was used to compare the effects of the different rates of polymer application. Overall, the application of 0.2 or 0.4% polymer resulted in closer values for the indicators of soil quality used than the treatment with 0.6% polymer

Project Proof: Internet Enabled Process Reengineering at J.D. Edwards & Company

J.D. Edwards is a provider of the new generation of ERP and collaborative commerce solutions. This case study describes the challenges faced internally by the company to upgrade to the latest enterprise software it would sell to the world. Dubbed Project PROOF, the project started in June 2001 and was completed in November 2002. The perspectives of the CIO, the program manager, and other key personnel are presented. The case study highlights the issues that arise in an enterprise software implementation project. In addition, the case touches upon issues of project management, process redesign, and marketing. The case study uses a multimedia format to add richness and detail. Although J.D. Edwards was acquired in 2003, the issues discussed are relevant to current business practices