The fate of arsenic in soil-plant systems

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1463-6_1Arsenic (As) is an element belonging to the group V-A, and it demonstrates characteristics of a metalloid. Because arsenic more easily forms anions, its non-metal properties dominate. When arsenic is in an oxidation state of +5, it acts similar to phosphorus, a fact that has many implications for the way in which it reacts in soil, as well as its potential toxicity in plants. The most common oxidation states of As are -3, 0, +3, and +5. Arsines and metal arsines are those in which As has an oxidation state of -3, and these forms are very unstable under oxidizing conditions. Under aerobic conditions, the oxidation state of As tends to be +5, and when this occurs at a pH between 2 and 3, arsenic acid (H3AsO4) is formed. When the pH rises to values between 3 and 11, this compound disassociates to H2AsO4 - and HAsO4 2- (Smedley and Kinninburgh 2002). Under anaerobic conditions, the predominant As species is H3AsO3This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, project CTM 2010-21922-CO2-02, and by Comunidad de Madrid, project S2009/AMB- 147

Amendment application in a multi-contaminated mine soil: Effects on soil enzymatic activities and ecotoxicological characteristics

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2412-4Several amendments were tested on soils obtained from an arsenopyrite mine, further planted with Arrhenatherum elatius and Festuca curvifolia, in order to assess their ability to improve soil's ecotoxicological characteristics. The properties used to assess the effects were: soil enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, urease, protease and cellulase), terrestrial bioassays (Eisenia fetida mortality and avoidance behaviour), and aquatic bioassays using a soil leachate (Daphnia magna immobilisation and Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition). The treatment with FeSO4 1 % w/w was able to reduce extractable As in soil, but increased the extractable Cu, Mn and Zn concentrations, as a consequence of the decrease in soil pH, in relation to the unamended soil, from 5.0 to 3.4, respectively. As a consequence, this treatment had a detrimental effect in some of the soil enzymatic activities (e.g. dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, urease and cellulase), did not allow plant growth, induced E. fetida mortality in the highest concentration tested (100 % w/w), and its soil leachate was very toxic towards D. magna and V. fischeri. The combined application of FeSO4 1 % w/w with other treatments (e.g. CaCO3 1 % w/w and paper mill 1 % w/w) allowed a decrease in extractable As and metals, and a soil pH value closer to neutrality. As a consequence, dehydrogenase activity, plant growth and some of the bioassays identified those as better soil treatments to this type of multi-contaminated soi

The potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to enhance metallic micronutrient uptake and mitigate food contamination in agriculture: prospects and challenges

Optimizing agroecosystems and crops for micronutrient uptake while reducing issues with inorganic contaminants (metal(loid)s) is a challenging task. One promising approach is to use arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and investigate the physiological, molecular and epigenetic changes that occur in their presence and that lead to changes in plant metal(loid) concentration (biofortification of micronutrients or mitigation of contaminants). Moreover, it is important to understand these mechanisms in the context of the soil microbiome, particularly those interactions of AMF with other soil microbes that can further shape crop nutrition. To address these challenges, a two-pronged approach is recommended: exploring molecular mechanisms and investigating microbiome management and engineering. Combining both approaches can lead to benefits in human health by balancing nutrition and contamination caused by metal(loid)s in the agro-ecosystemThis work was supported by grant PID2021-1255210B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and by ‘ERDF A way of making Europe’, by the ‘European Union’. NC is a University of Ottawa Research Chair in Microbial Genomics, and his research on AMF genetics and genomics is supported by the Discovery Program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (RGPIN2020-05643) and a Discovery Accelerator Supplements Program (RGPAS2020-00033

Arsenic accumulation and tolerance of Cytisus scoparius under controlled conditions

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1363-6Cytisus scoparius is a native leguminous species which grows at a derelict arsenopyrite mine in NW Madrid, Spain. Among the species found in the area surrounding the mine, this plant has shown one of the highest arsenic bioaccumulation factors. For this reason, alongside with its ability to grow in a contaminated area and its high biomass, it was selected for an arsenate dose-response assay under controlled conditions in order to evaluate its potential resistance to arsenic. C. scoparius accumulated arsenic mainly in roots, and this had a negative effect on root phosphorous concentration. Stress indicators, such as glutathione and synthesis of phytochelatins, and the lack of evidence of an increase in malondialdehyde when arsenate was supplied indicate that C. scoparius has a certain resistance to arsenic. According to our results, C. scoparius would be a good candidate to revegetate arsenic-contaminated sitesThis study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project COMFITES CTM2010-21922-C02-02; and by the Comunidad de Madrid, project EIADES S2009/AMB-147

Caracterización y percepción de carga de cuidadores familiares de personas con enfermedad crónica en Arauca

A group of family caregivers caring for people suffering from non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCD) attending the San Vicente Hospital in Arauca was characterised and their perception regarding the level of care burden was determined by using a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive study involving intentional, non-probabilistic sampling of 42 family caregivers of people suffering NTCD, capturing spatial data concerning them between August and October 2012. This study forms part of the Reducing Chronic Disease Burden Programme in Colombia. The description of the socio-demographic characteristics and health data regarding the family caregivers of people suffering NTCD and those receiving their care attending San Vicente Hospital in Arauca led to an approach being made to assessing their care conditions. Regarding perception of care burden level, 83% of the family caregivers considered that they were not overburdened, 7% were slightly overburdened and 10% were intensely overburdened.Foi caracterizado um grupo de cuidadores familiares de pessoas com doença crônica (ECNT) atendidos no Hospital San Vicente de Arauca e determinar a sua percepção do nível de carga com o cuidado, através de um estudo descritivo, quantitativo transversal, feito com amostragem intencional não probabilística de 42 pacientes com doenças crônicas e seus respectivos cuidadores entre os meses de agosto a outubro de 2012. Este estudo faz parte do programa de diminuir a carga de doenças crônicas na Colômbia. A descrição das características sociodemográficas e da saúde dos cuidadores familiares de pessoas com ECNT e seus beneficiários dos seus cuidados que frequentam o Hospital San Vicente de Arauca, permitem aproximar as suas condições de cuidados. No que diz respeito ao nível de carga com o atendimento o 83% do, que nao tem sobrecarga, o 7% com sobrecarga ligeira e 10% de sobrecarga intensa.Se caracterizó un grupo de cuidadores familiares de personas con enfermedad crónica (ECNT) que asisten al Hospital San Vicente de Arauca y determinar su percepción del nivel de carga con el cuidado, a través de un estudio de tipo descriptivo, cuantitativo de corte transversal, realizado con un muestreo no probabilístico intencional de 42 cuidadores familiares de personas captados entre los meses de agosto a octubre del año 2012. Este estudio hace parte del Programa Disminución de la carga de la Enfermedad Crónica en Colombia. La descripción de las características socio demográficas y de salud de los cuidadores familiares de personas con ECNT y de los receptores de sus cuidados que asisten al Hospital San Vicente de Arauca, permiten aproximarse a sus condiciones de cuidado. Con respecto a la percepción del nivel de carga con el cuidado, el 83% de los cuidadores familiares considera que no tiene sobrecarga, el 7% una sobrecarga leve y el 10% una sobrecarga intensa

Characterising and the perception of the burden of family caregivers for people suffering chronic disease in Arauca

Se caracterizó un grupo de cuidadores familiares de personas con enfermedad crónica (ECNT) que asisten al Hospital San Vicente de Arauca y determinar su percepción del nivel de carga con el cuidado, a través de un estudio de tipo descriptivo, cuantitativo de corte transversal, realizado con un muestreo no probabilístico intencional de 42 cuidadores familiares de personas captados entre los meses de agosto a octubre del año 2012. Este estudio hace parte del Programa Disminución de la carga de la Enfermedad Crónica en Colombia.La descripción de las características socio demográficas y de salud de los cuidadores familiares de personas con ECNT y de los receptores de sus cuidados que asisten al Hospital San Vicente de Arauca, permiten aproximarse a sus condiciones de cuidado. Con respecto a la percepción del nivel de carga con el cuidado, el 83% de los cuidadores familiares considera que no tiene sobrecarga, el 7% una sobrecarga leve y el 10% una sobrecarga intensa.Palabras clave: Cuidadores; Costos de la enfermedad; Enfermedad Crónica (Decs).A group of family caregivers caring for people suffering from non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCD) attending the San Vicente Hospital in Arauca was characterised and their perception regarding the level of care burden was determined by using a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive study involving intentional, non-probabilistic sampling of 42 family caregivers of people suffering NTCD, capturing spatial data concerning them between August and October 2012. This study forms part of the Reducing Chronic Disease Burden Programme in Colombia.The description of the socio-demographic characteristics and health data regarding the family caregivers of people suffering NTCD and those receiving their care attending San Vicente Hospital in Arauca led to an approach being made to assessing their care conditions. Regarding perception of care burden level, 83% of the family caregivers considered that they were not overburdened, 7% were slightly overburdened and 10% were intensely overburdened.Key words: Caregiver;  disease cost; chronic disease (Decs)

Complementary assessment of As, Cu and Zn environmental availability in a stabilised contaminated soil using large-bore column leaching, automatic microcolumn extraction and DGT analysis

Soil pollution with trace elements is a concerning issue worldwide. Monitoring of soil pollution and remediation protocols need still from valid complementary analytical approaches able to detect changes in speciation and lability of metals in soils (e.g. stabilization or mobility). In this work, we compare three different analytical approaches to assess potential changes in environmental availability of Cu, As and Zn in a Mediterranean polluted soil that was amended with different combinations of iron sulphate and alkaline paper sludge waste. The studied methods were: (i) a standard large-bore flow-through column system (macrocolumn), (ii) an automatic dynamic flow-through microcolumn extraction system, and (iii) the diffusive gradients in thin gels technique (DGT). The three analytical approaches tested showed immobilization of Zn and Cu in contaminated mine soils after co-application of paper sludge and iron sulphate, but they differ quantitatively in terms of As mobility. Interconversion between oxidation states of inorganic As is observed to occur to a larger extent in macrocolumn. Because this may only occur in very specific Mediterranean scenarios (i.e. organic matter application to intermittently flooded mine soils), macrocolumn extraction procedures might not appropriately mimic the environmental availability of As in soils with organic amendments (e.g., paper sludge waste). Microcolumn leaching is the fastest screening tool to ascertain the efficiency of chemical amendments, but DGT is a good alternative with less technical demands

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 43 Número 7-8

Suelos. Edafoclinas de la vertiente sur-suroeste de la Sierra Nevada, por R. Delgado Calvo-Flores y E. Ortega Bernaldo de Quiros.-- Estudio sobre muestras de suelo humectadas por imbibición. l. Evaporación y movimiento del agua, por F. lngelmo Sánchez y S. Cuadrado Sánchez.-- Estudios sobre muestras de suelos humectadas por imbibición. II. Evaporación y redistribución del agua, por F. Ingelmo Sanchez y S. Cuadrado Sánchez.-- Suelos de la zona húmeda española X. Suelos sobre sepertinas. X. Mineralogía, por M. l. López,F. Macías, C. Garcia Paz y F. Guitián Ojea.-- Aplicación del sistema Riquier-Fao a la cartografía de suelos de la zona de Linares (Hoja topográfica a escala 1 50000, 905), por G. Delgado CalvoFlores y J. Aguilar Ruiz.-- Aplicación de métodos paramétricos a la evaluación dé la aptitud para uso agrícola de los suelos, de la zona de Linares (Hoja topográfica a escala 1 50000, 905), por G. Delgado Calvo-Flores y J. Aguilar Ruiz.-- Características físico-Químicas de la turbera de Vivero (Lugo), por A. Molinero, A. Polo y E. Dorado.-- Nutrición y Fisiología Vegetal. Determinación de Boro en jugos de tejidos conductores, por A. Gárate, R. O. Carpena Ruiz y A. M. Ramón.-- Evaluación de calcio, magnesio, potasio y sodio en disoluciones nutritivas y plantas mediante electrodos selectivos de iones, por M. J. Sarro, C. Cadahia, A. Masaguer y J. Peñalosa,.--Aplicaciones de los electrodos sensibles a F-y Pb2+ en análisis agrícolas. Determinaciones directas e indirectas (Sulfatos y fosfatos), por M. J. Sarro; O. Carpena; C. Cadahia y M. L. García.-- Aceites esenciales en hojas de variedades de limonero (Citrus limon L. Burm. f.), por Melendreras, F. A., Laencina, J., Flores, J. y Guzman, G.-- Efecto de la interacción salinidad de sulfatos-fertilización nitrogenada en el cultivo de tomate (Lycopersicum Esculentum Mili), por Martínez, V.; A. Cerdá; F. G. Fernández y M. Caro.-- Efectividad de complejos orgánicos de hierro en la corrección de la clorosis férrica del limonero, por E. Hellín, R. Ureña, F. Sevilla y S. Llorente.-- Control fitosanitario de las poblaciones del acaro de las maravillas (Aceria sheldoni Ewing), por Ortuño, A., Abrisqueta, J. Mª; Gómez, J. y Hernánsaez, A.-- Efecto de la interacción salinidad del sulfato-fertilidad fosfarada en el cultivo de tomate (Lycopersicum Esculetum, Mili), por Martínez, V., Caro, M.; Cerdá, A. y Fernández, F. G. Fertilidad del Suelo. Characterization of the organic fraction of cattle slurry. II. Fundamental carbon-bearing compounds and distribution of nitrogen, by González Prieto, S. J., Carballas, M. and Carballas, T.-- Nota previa. First results on the effect of the number of stages on the hydrolytic analysis, of the distribution of nitrogenated organic compounds in cattle slurry, by González-Prieto, S. J.; Carballas, M. and Carballas, T.-- Bibliografía.-- NotasPeer reviewe