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Moayeri V, Miri A, Shahriari A, Rahdari V, Gill TE. A field study of the surface disturbance effects of animals and motor vehicles on aeolian sediment emission from a silty playa surface. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114606. [PMID: 36309211 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Dry playa surfaces can be extremely vulnerable to disturbance which breaks their surface crusts resulting in increased aeolian sand and dust emissions. Trampling by livestock and motor vehicles is an important source of this disturbance. The Hamoun Lakes in the Sistan region of Iran are a major source area of dust storms which are causing damage to infrastructure and communities. This study performed portable wind tunnel tests of controlled surface disturbance by animals (cow, sheep) and motor vehicles (automobile, motorcycle) on a silty playa surface of Hamoun Saberi lake. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different levels of trampling and disturbed surfaces by both vehicles and livestock on dust emission at wind speeds of 6 and 12 m s-1. A significant increase of sediment emission was found with increased number of passes of vehicles and livestock and the degree of surface disturbance, more so at the high wind speed (12 m s-1). No significant differences were observed between a 10-20% disturbance level and an undisturbed surface, but statistically significant differences became apparent when disturbances reached 50-60% to 90-100% compared to undisturbed surfaces. Greater emission rates were reached by disturbances provided by automobile and cow compared to motorcycle and sheep, indicating greater trampling effects of automobile and cow likely related to greater weight and larger footprint. The automobile was the most surface-destructive of the four anthropogenic disturbances, providing emission in a lower number of passes compared to the motorcycle, cow and sheep. Better management of vehicle and livestock allocation on playas subject to disturbance, such as the Hamoun Lakes, will be a useful strategy to reduce disturbance and the frequency and intensity of dust storms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Moayeri
- Department of Watershed and Range Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Abbas Miri
- Department of Watershed and Range Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
| | - Ali Shahriari
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Vahid Rahdari
- Department of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Thomas E Gill
- Environmental Science and Engineering Program, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA; Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
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Physical Crust Formation on Sandy Soils and Their Potential to Reduce Dust Emissions from Croplands. LAND 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/land9120503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The sandy croplands in the Free State have been identified as one of the main dust sources in South Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and strength of physical soil crusts on cropland soils in the Free State, to identify the rainfall required to form a stable crust, and to test their impact on dust emissions. Crust strength was measured using a fall cone penetrometer and a torvane, while laboratory rainfall simulations were used to form experimental crusts. Dust emissions were measured with a Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL). The laboratory rainfall simulations showed that stable crusts could be formed by 15 mm of rainfall. The PI-SWERL experiments illustrated that the PM10 emission flux of such crusts is between 0.14% and 0.26% of that of a non-crusted Luvisol and Arenosol, respectively. The presence of abraders on the crust can increase the emissions up to 4% and 8% of the non-crusted dust flux. Overall, our study shows that crusts in the field are potentially strong enough to protect the soil surfaces against wind erosion during a phase of the cropping cycle when the soil surface is not protected by plants.
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Ribeiro VS, Souza SO, Costa SSL, Almeida TS, Soares SAR, Korn MGA, Araujo RGO. Speciation analysis of inorganic As and Sb in urban dust using slurry sampling and detection by fast sequential hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2020; 42:2179-2193. [PMID: 31853769 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-019-00488-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this work, a methodology for chemical speciation analysis of inorganic As and Sb in urban dust using slurry sampling and detection by fast sequential hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. Doehlert design and desirability function were used to find the optimum conditions for hydride generation (1.0 mol L-1 HCl and 0.9% m v-1 NaBH4). The accuracy of the analytical method was evaluated by analysis of reference material fly ash (BCR 176R), addition and recovery tests for inorganic As species, and comparison of independent methods for Sb determination in urban dust samples. The determination of the total concentrations of As and Sb and their inorganic species presented good accuracy, between 80 ± 1 and 101 ± 6%. Precision was expressed as the relative standard deviation and was better than 4.7% (n = 3). The limit-of-quantification values were 0.23 and 1.03 mg kg-1 for As and Sb, respectively. The methodology was applied to eight samples of dust collected in an urban area of Salvador and Jaguaquara cities, Bahia, Northeast, Brazil, with an aerodynamic size lower than 38 μm. Concentrations of pentavalent inorganic species (iAs5+ and iSb5+) in relation to trivalent species (iAs3+ and iSb3+) were found in urban dust collected in the city of Salvador, which are regarded as more toxic for both elements. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values showed that for some samples, the concentrations of iAs and iSb presented strong enrichment and, and regarding environment, strong to moderately polluted by iAs and iSb, with an indication of anthropogenic contributions. The occurrence of these inorganic constituents in the urban area of Salvador can be related with intense industrial activities and vehicular traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaniele S Ribeiro
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano, Campus Guanambi, Guanambi, Bahia, 46430-000, Brazil
| | - Sidnei O Souza
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Campus Lagarto, Lagarto, Sergipe, 49400-000, Brazil
| | - Silvânio Silvério L Costa
- Núcleo de Petróleo e Gás, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristovão, Sergipe, 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Tarcísio S Almeida
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil
| | - Sarah Adriana R Soares
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-020, Brazil
| | - Maria Graças A Korn
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do CNPq - INCT de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil
| | - Rennan Geovanny O Araujo
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil.
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do CNPq - INCT de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil.
- Grupo de Pesquisa para Estudos em Química Analítica e Ambiental (GPEQA2), Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil.
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Nottebaum V, Walk J, Knippertz M, Karthe D, Batbayar G, Pötter S, Lehmkuhl F. Arsenic distribution and pathway scenarios for sediments and water in a peri-urban Mongolian small-scale coal mining area (Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:5845-5863. [PMID: 31853856 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07271-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The distribution of arsenic (As) in environmental compartments is investigated in the Nalaikh Depression of N-Mongolia. In Nalaikh, lignite coal is mined by artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) approaches. Because As is often associated with sulfuric minerals in coal, it was hypothesized that enrichment of As is related to coal ASM. A second hypothesis considered coal combustion in power plants, and stoves are a key source of As in the local environment. Three mobilization and distribution scenarios were developed for potential As pathways in this semiarid environment. About 43 soil and 14 water sites were analyzed for As concentrations and meaningful parameters in soil and water. About 28 topsoil samples were analyzed in surface-subsurface pairs in order to identify potential eolian surface enrichment. Additionally, fluvial-alluvial sediments and geogenic and anthropogenic deposits were sampled. Water was sampled as surface water, groundwater, precipitation, and industrial water. Results show that As does not pose a ubiquitous risk in the Nalaikh Depression. However, locally and specifically in water, As concentrations may exceed the WHO guideline value for drinking water by up to a factor of 10. A carefully selected sampling strategy allows the evaluation of the distribution scenarios, which reveals a combination of (a) geogenic As in groundwater and distribution via surface water with (b) anthropogenic As redistribution via eolian pathways. An immediate linkage between As redistribution and coal mining is not evident. However, As distribution in fly ash from coal combustion in the local power plant and yurt settlements is the most likely As pathway. Hence, the results indicate the potential influence of diffuse, low-altitude sources on As emission to the environment. As such, this study provides a good example for As distribution under semiarid climate conditions influenced by geogenic and anthropogenic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veit Nottebaum
- Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Janek Walk
- Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062, Aachen, Germany
| | - Martin Knippertz
- Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062, Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniel Karthe
- German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology, Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gunsmaa Batbayar
- German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology, Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Stephan Pötter
- Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Lehmkuhl
- Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062, Aachen, Germany
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Duniway MC, Pfennigwerth AA, Fick SE, Nauman TW, Belnap J, Barger NN. Wind erosion and dust from
US
drylands: a review of causes, consequences, and solutions in a changing world. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Duniway
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Alix A. Pfennigwerth
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Stephen E. Fick
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Travis W. Nauman
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Jayne Belnap
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Nichole N. Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
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Keil DE, Buck B, Goossens D, McLaurin B, Murphy L, Leetham-Spencer M, Teng Y, Pollard J, Gerads R, DeWitt JC. Nevada desert dust with heavy metals suppresses IgM antibody production. Toxicol Rep 2018; 5:258-269. [PMID: 29854597 PMCID: PMC5978016 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
NDRA emits geogenic dusts that are comprised of a mineral-metal mixture. Exposure to NDRA geogenic dusts suppressed immune function in a mouse model. Similar desert surfaces emit dust in southern Nevada and elsewhere in the world. This study represents a desert environment; dust composition may vary by source.
Systemic health effects from exposure to a complex natural dust containing heavy metals from the Nellis Dunes Recreation Area (NDRA) near Las Vegas, NV, were evaluated. Several toxicological parameters were examined following lung exposure to emissive dust from three geologic sediment types heavily used for recreational off-road activities: yellow sand very rich in arsenic (termed CBN 5); a shallow cover of loose dune sand overlying a gravelly subsoil bordering dune fields (termed CBN 6); and brown claystone and siltstone (termed CBN 7). Adult female B6C3F1 mice were exposed by oropharyngeal administration to these three types of geogenic dusts at 0.01–100 mg of dust/kg of body weight, once per week for four weeks. The median grain sizes were 4.6, 3.1, and 4.4 μm, for CBN 5, 6, and 7, respectively. Each type of dust contained quantifiable amounts of aluminum, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, arsenic, strontium, cesium, lead, uranium, and others. Descriptive markers of immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hematology, and clinical chemistry parameters were assessed. Notable among all three CBN units was a systemic, dose-responsive decrease in antigen-specific IgM antibody responses. Geogenic dust from CBN 5 produced more than a 70% suppression in IgM responses, establishing a lowest adverse effect level (LOAEL) of 0.01 mg/kg. A suppression in IgM responses and a corresponding increase in serum creatinine determined a LOAEL of 0.01 mg/kg for CBN 6. The LOAEL for CBN 7 was 0.1 mg/kg and also was identified from suppression in IgM responses. These results are of concern given the frequent off-road vehicle traffic and high visitor rates at the NDRA, estimated at 300,000 each year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah E Keil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, PO Box 173520, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Brenda Buck
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Dirk Goossens
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Brett McLaurin
- Department of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, PA, 17815, USA
| | - Lacey Murphy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, PO Box 173520, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Mallory Leetham-Spencer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, PO Box 173520, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Yuanxin Teng
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - James Pollard
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Russell Gerads
- Brooks Applied Labs, 18804 North Creek Parkway, Bothell, WA, 98011, USA
| | - Jamie C DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Blvd., Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
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7
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Exposure to naturally occurring mineral fibers due to off-road vehicle use: A review. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2017; 220:1230-1241. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Effects of Different Land-Use Systems on Soil Aggregates: A Case Study of the Loess Plateau (Northern China). SUSTAINABILITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/su9081349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Larson D, Powers A, Ambrosi JP, Tanji M, Napolitano A, Flores EG, Baumann F, Pellegrini L, Jennings CJ, Buck BJ, McLaurin BT, Merkler D, Robinson C, Morris P, Dogan M, Dogan AU, Pass HI, Pastorino S, Carbone M, Yang H. Investigating palygorskite's role in the development of mesothelioma in southern Nevada: Insights into fiber-induced carcinogenicity. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2016; 19:213-230. [PMID: 27705545 PMCID: PMC5062041 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2016.1195321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Similar to asbestos fibers, nonregulated mineral fibers can cause malignant mesothelioma (MM). Recently, increased proportions of women and young individuals with MM were identified in southern Nevada, suggesting that environmental exposure to carcinogenic fibers was causing the development of MM. Palygorskite, a fibrous silicate mineral with a history of possible carcinogenicity, is abundant in southern Nevada. In this study, our aim was to determine whether palygorskite was contributing to the development of MM in southern Nevada. While palygorskite, in vitro, displayed some cytotoxicity toward primary human mesothelial (HM) cells and reduced their viability, the effects were roughly half of those observed when using similar amounts of crocidolite asbestos. No Balb/c (0/19) or MexTAg (0/18) mice injected with palygorskite developed MM, while 3/16 Balb/c and 13/14 MexTAg mice injected with crocidolite did. Lack of MM development was associated with a decreased acute inflammatory response, as injection of palygorskite resulted in lower percentages of macrophages (p = .006) and neutrophils (p = .02) in the peritoneal cavity 3 d after exposure compared to injection of crocidolite. Additionally, compared to mice injected with crocidolite, palygorskite-injected mice had lower percentages of M2 (tumor-promoting) macrophages (p = .008) in their peritoneal cavities when exposed to fiber for several weeks. Our study indicates that palygorskite found in the environment in southern Nevada does not cause MM in mice, seemingly because palygorskite, in vivo, fails to elicit inflammation that is associated with MM development. Therefore, palygorskite is not a likely contributor to the MM cases observed in southern Nevada.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Larson
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Amy Powers
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Jean-Paul Ambrosi
- CNRS, IRD, CEREGE UM34, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix en Provence, France
| | - Mika Tanji
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Andrea Napolitano
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Erin G. Flores
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Francine Baumann
- ERIM, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Laura Pellegrini
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Cormac J. Jennings
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Brenda J. Buck
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Brett T. McLaurin
- Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Doug Merkler
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Cleo Robinson
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research, Nedlands, Perth, WesternAustralia
| | - Paul Morris
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Meral Dogan
- Geological Engineering Department, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey
| | - A. Umran Dogan
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department & Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Harvey I. Pass
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sandra Pastorino
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Michele Carbone
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
| | - Haining Yang
- University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA
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Goossens D, Buck BJ, Teng Y, McLaurin BT. Surface and Airborne Arsenic Concentrations in a Recreational Site near Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124271. [PMID: 25897667 PMCID: PMC4405587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated concentrations of arsenic, up to 7058 μg g(-1) in topsoil and bedrock, and more than 0.03 μg m(-3) in air on a 2-week basis, were measured in the Nellis Dunes Recreation Area (NDRA), a very popular off-road area near Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The elevated arsenic concentrations in the topsoil and bedrock are correlated to outcrops of yellow sandstone belonging to the Muddy Creek Formation (≈ 10 to 4 Ma) and to faults crossing the area. Mineralized fluids moved to the surface through the faults and deposited the arsenic. A technique was developed to calculate airborne arsenic concentrations from the arsenic content in the topsoil. The technique was tested by comparing calculated with measured concentrations at 34 locations in the NDRA, for 3 periods of 2 weeks each. We then applied it to calculate airborne arsenic concentrations for more than 500 locations all over the NDRA. The highest airborne arsenic concentrations occur over sand dunes and other zones with a surficial layer of aeolian sand. Ironically these areas show the lowest levels of arsenic in the topsoil. However, they are highly susceptible to wind erosion and emit very large amounts of sand and dust during episodes of strong winds, thereby also emitting much arsenic. Elsewhere in the NDRA, in areas not or only very slightly affected by wind erosion, airborne arsenic levels equal the background level for airborne arsenic in the USA, approximately 0.0004 μg m(-3). The results of this study are important because the NDRA is visited by more than 300,000 people annually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Goossens
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
- Geography Research Group, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Brenda J. Buck
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Yuanxin Teng
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Brett T. McLaurin
- Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Webb NP, Herrick JE, Duniway MC. Ecological site‐based assessments of wind and water erosion: informing accelerated soil erosion management in rangelands. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 24:1405-1420. [PMID: 29160663 DOI: 10.1890/13-1175.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Accelerated soil erosion occurs when anthropogenic processes modify soil, vegetation, or climatic conditions causing erosion rates at a location to exceed their natural variability. Identifying where and when accelerated erosion occurs is a critical first step toward its effective management. Here we explored how erosion assessments structured in the context of ecological sites (a land classification based on soils, landscape setting, and ecological potential) and their vegetation states (plant assemblages that may change due to management) can inform systems for reducing accelerated soil erosion in rangelands. We evaluated aeolian horizontal sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion rates for five ecological sites in southern New Mexico, USA, using monitoring data and rangeland-specific wind and water erosion models. Across the ecological sites, plots in shrub-encroached and shrub-dominated vegetation states were consistently susceptible to aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion. Both processes were found to be highly variable for grassland and grass–succulent states across the ecological sites at the plot scale (0.25 ha). We identified vegetation thresholds that define cover levels below which rapid (exponential) increases in aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion occur across the ecological sites and vegetation states. Aeolian sediment flux and fluvial erosion in the study area could be effectively controlled when bare ground cover was <20% of a site or the cover of canopy interspaces >100 cm in length was less than ∼35%. Land use and management activities that alter cover levels such that they cross thresholds, and/or drive vegetation state changes, may increase the susceptibility of areas to erosion. Land use impacts that are constrained within the range of natural variability should not result in accelerated soil erosion. Evaluating land condition against the erosion thresholds identified here will enable identification of areas susceptible to accelerated soil erosion and the development of practical management solutions.
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12
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Colonization and expansion of grassland species after abandonment of dirt roads in the Mongolian steppe. LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11355-013-0230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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13
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Fu M, Ge Y, Tan J, Zeng T, Liang B. Characteristics of typical non-road machinery emissions in China by using portable emission measurement system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 437:255-261. [PMID: 22944217 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.07.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2011] [Revised: 07/17/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Non-road machinery, especially construction equipment could be an important pollutant source of the deterioration in air quality in Chinese urban areas due to its large quantity and to the absence of stringent emission requirements. In this study, emission tests were performed on 12 excavators and 8 wheel loaders by using portable emission measurement system (PEMS) to determine their emission characteristics. The typical operating modes were categorized as idling mode, moving mode and working mode. Compared with those during idling and moving modes, the average time-based emission factors during working mode of HC were 2.61 and 1.27 times higher, NO(x) were 3.66 and 1.36 times higher, and PM were 4.05 and 1.95 times higher, respectively. Under all conditions, categories of the measured emissions increased with the rise in engine power. Compared with those of Stage I emission standard equipment, gaseous emissions and PM emitted from Stage II emission standard equipment were lower. The results indicated that, from Stage I to Stage II, the average reductions of HC, NO(x) and PM were 56%, 37% and 29% for the working mode, respectively. Those results also demonstrated the effectiveness of emission control regulation and the improvement of emission control technology. The data and tests show that the longer the accumulated working hours, the higher HC and NO(x) average fuel-based emission factors are. The emissions measured from the construction vehicles employed in this study were higher than the data collected in previous studies, which shows that it is critical for the government to put into effect more stringent emission regulations to further improve the air quality in Chinese urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Fu
- National Lab of Auto Performance and Emission Test, School of Mechanical and Vehicular Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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Bacon SN, McDonald EV, Amit R, Enzel Y, Crouvi O. Total suspended particulate matter emissions at high friction velocities from desert landforms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2011jf001965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Pesticide sorption in typical Central European soils evaluated using a photometric microplate assay based on acetylcholinesterase inhibition. J Appl Biomed 2010. [DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0006-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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