Fate of Environmental Pollutants

Abstract

This section covers studies published during the calendar year 2002 on the fate of environmental pollutants in soils, surface waters and groundwaters. Studies related to water quality and sources of pollution by environmental pollutants as well as reaction kinetics and modeling are reviewed in detail. Also included in the coverage of the present review is research on pollutants such as nutrients, xenobiotics, pathogens, metals, biomakers, and radionuclides, as well as studies related to sewage sludge disposal and mine tailing. NUTRIENTS Nitrate and NitrogenEffects of changes in agricultural management practices during the past century on nitrogen (N) contents in midwestern soils were studied by Dinnes et al. (2002).Types of research and management practices needed to reduce the potential for nonpoint nitrate (NO 3 ) leaching into water were also identified. Strategies for reducing NO 3 loss through drainage include improved timing of N application at appropriate rates, using soil tests and plant monitoring, diversifying crop rotations, using cover crops, reducing tillage, optimizing N application techniques, and using Literature Review 2003 underestimate large nitrate fluxes. It was concluded that although the (Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen Inputs) NANI approach does not address several processes that influence the N cycle, it appears to focus on the terms that can be estimated with reasonable certainty and that are correlated with riverine N flux. Paramasivam et al. (2002) evaluated the measured concentrations of NO 3 -N and Brat various depths with those predicted by the Leaching Estimation and Chemistry Model (LEACHM).Four application rates of N (28, 56, 84, and 112 kg N ha -1 ), and 80 kg Brha -1 to a sandy Entisol with 25-yr-old citrus trees were performed. The LEACHM data showed that 21 to 36% of applied fertilizer N leached below the root zone, while tree uptake accounted for 40 to 53%.Analyses of trends in flow, sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen were performed for the Maumee and Sandusky Rivers and for two tributaries to the Sandusky River, Rock and Honey Creeks, using daily average concentrations covering the period 1975-1995. Flow increased at three of the four stations. Total suspended solids decreased and ranged from 18 to 53% over the 21-year period.Soluble reactive phosphorus decreased by 72 to 88%, whereas total phosphorus decreased by 29 to 58% over the 21-year period. Nitrate showed no significant trend in the larger basins, and significant trends in opposite directions in the two smaller watersheds. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen decreased significantly at all stations; decreases ranged from 14 to 57% over the 21-year period. Comparisons using nonparametric, nonlinear trend fits (LOWESS) suggested that changes in fertilizer and manure application rates were the most important cause of trends in phosphorus and total Kjeldahl nitrogen, point sources were insufficient to account for the phosphorus trends (Richards and Baker, 2002). 5 Clark et al. (2002) tried to figure out which agricultural activities in th...

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