Depth-wise fractionation of sulphur in cultivated soils of low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

The current investigation was conducted to study the fractions of sulphur in nine districts of low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. For this purpose 31 representative soil sampling sites were selected from nine districts and the soil samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties and different fractions of sulphur (water soluble sulphur, exchangeable sulphur, available sulphur, non-sulphate sulphur, organic sulphur and total sulphur). The results indicated that the total sulphur in soils varied from 98.2 to 470.1 mg kg-1 in surface soil (0-15 cm) and 67.2 to 370.7 mg kg-1 in sub-surface layer (15-60 cm). The organic sulphur varied from 80.5 to 401.1 mg kg-1 in surface and 44 to 306.1 mg kg-1 in sub-surface layer. The water soluble sulphur, exchangeable sulphur, available sulphur and non-sulphate sulphur varied from 1.7 to 9.2, 2.7 to 18.4, 4.5 to 27.6 and 10.2 to 58.9 mg kg-1 respectively in surface soil and 0.5 to 5.4, 1 to 17.7, 3.7 to 23.5 and 12.5 to 50.2 mg kg-1, respectively in sub-surface soil. It was observed during course of study that with increase in the soil depth the content of different fractions of sulphur decreased. These soils had the major part of their total sulphur content in organic form followed by non-sulphate sulphur, available sulphur, exchangeable sulphur and water soluble sulphur. It can be concluded that the soil texture and organic carbon content played a major role in determining the quantity of different fractions of sulphur in these soils.

Eco-Friendly Vat Dyeing of Cotton Using Alkaline Iron (II) Salt as Reducing Agent

Sodium hydrosulphite is used commercially as the reducing agent for vat dyes in the dyeing of cotton. Large amounts of sodium sulphate, sulphur oxyanion and toxic sulphite are produced during the dyeing due to the dissociation of sodium hydrosulphite leading to severe air and water pollution. This research focuses on the use of alkaline iron (II) salt as the reducing agent for vat dyeing on cotton fabrics through a complete replace¬ment of hydrosulphite. The 34 Box-Behnken design was used to achieve optimum parameters and statistically analyse the performance of the new reducing system. The results showed that the alkaline iron (II) salt system was relatively effective in developing a comparable dyebath reduction potential, surface colour strength of cotton and colourfastness, if compared to the hydrosulphite-based reducing system. The dyebath stability in the presence and absence of the dye also showed superior results compared to that of the hydrosulphite system. Hence, it can be said that a complete substitution of sodium hydrosulphite with alkaline iron (II) salt is possible.

Sulphate contamination, pH and conductivity of forest soils in two neighbouring mountains with different pollution in Slovakia from 1989 to 2013

The Štiavnické vrchy Mts. were strongly affected by pollution mostly from an aluminium plant in 1953–1989. This paper compares contamination of soils between Štiavnické vrchy Mts. and the neighbouring little polluted Kremnické vrchy Mts. from results of a 25-year study. After a decrease of emissions in Slovakia at the beginning of the 1990s the sulphate sulphur content, acidity and conductivity of soil water have decreased only on the surface and at a depth of 0.10 m at the study site in the Štiavnické vrchy Mts. At the depth 0.25 m the increase of sulphurization (23.68 kg/ha S-SO₄^2– per year) and acidity (pH 4.92) was observed. During the research, the total sulphate sulphur influx to this soil depth was 568.3 kg/ha. The average sulphur input in the study areas of the Kremnické vrchy Mts. decreased with depth: from 18.48 kg/ha/year in the surface humus to 6.85 kg/ha/year at a depth of 0.25 m. The maximum sulphur influx at the open plot was 24.06 kg/ha/year and in total 553.34 kg S-SO₄^2–. A small increase of acidity at soil depths of 0.25 m at some sites was observed also in the Kremnické vrchy Mts. Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant influence of sulphate sulphur content in the atmospheric precipitation on the sulphur amount in the soil water. A significant correlation was also observed between the precipitation amount and the sulphur content in soil water. Data from monitoring revealed significant differences between the sulphur amounts at depths of 0.10 m and 0.25 m in these study areas.

Immission-load-related dynamics of S-SO42− in precipitation and in lysimetric solutions penetrating through beech ecosystems

The paper presents the results of a 23-year study of sulphate sulphur dynamics in beech ecosystems exposed to different immission loads. The amounts of S-SO42−in precipitation water entering the ecosystems were: the Kremnické vrchy Mts, a clear-cut area 519 kg ha−1(24.7 kg ha−1per year), a beech forest 476 kg ha−1(22.7 kg ha−1per year); the Štiavnické vrchy Mts an open place 401 kg ha−1(24.6 kg ha−1per year), a beech forest 324 kg ha−1(19.1 kg ha−1per year). The average SO42−concentrations in lysimetric solutions penetrating through surface humus to a depth of Cambisol 10 and 25 cm were increased as follows: in the Kremnické vrchy Mts from 12.71 to 16.17 mg l−1and in the Štiavnické vrchy Mts from 18.73 to 28.80 mg l−1. The S-SO4−2amounts penetrating the individual soil layers in the Kremnické vrchy Mts were as follows: in case of surface humus on clear-cut area 459 kg ha−1(20.9 kg ha−1per year), in beech forest 433 kg ha−1(19.7 kg ha−1per year); below 10 cm organo-mineral layer of the mentioned plots penetrated 169–171 kg ha−1(7.7–7.8 kg ha−1per year), and below 25 cm mineral layer 155–255 kg ha−1(7.1−11.6 kg ha−1per year) – a higher amount was found on clear-cut area with an episodic lateral flow of soil solutions. In beech forest of the Štiavnické vrchy Mts penetrated below surface humus 424 kg ha−1S-SO42−(18.9 kg ha−1per year), below 10 cm mineral layer 458 kg ha−1S-SO42−(19.9 kg ha−1per year), and below 25 cm mineral layer as much as 599 kg ha−1S-SO42−(26.0 kg ha−1per year). This fact was caused by frequent lateral flow of soil solutions. The results indicate that the assumption about lower immission load of the beech ecosystem in the Kremnické vrchy Mts is wrong, at least in the case of S-SO42−. The testing has revealed that the studied beech ecosystems differ very significantly in sulphur amounts penetrating under 0.10 m and 0.25 m. The inter-annual differences were insignificant.

The Content of Sulphur in the Soil and Plant from Park Areas Exposed to Traffic Pollution

<p>Sulphur occurs in many environmental compounds. Source of this element may be natural as also anthropogenic origin, for example related with the development of road traffic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of traffic on the content of total and sulphate sulphur in forest soils and plant material. The selected physicochemical properties of soils were determined: soil texture by laser diffraction method, soil pH by potentiometric method, total organic carbon (TOC) by Tiurin method. The content of total and sulphate sulphur in research material was determined by Bardsley-Lancaster method modified by COMN-IUNG. All analyses were performed in three replicates and the verification of the results was based on the certified material Till-3. Statistical analysis of the results were performed in Statistica 12.0 for Windows Pl software. Examined research material was characterized by medium, high and anthropogenic origin content of total and sulphate sulphur. Undertaken studies showed that the traffic could have an adverse influence on the content of sulphur in soils and plant material.</p>

Arylsulphatase activity and sulphate content in relation to crop rotation and fertilization of soil

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of varying rates of FYM (0, 20, 40, 60 Mg ha−1) and nitrogen N0, N1, N2, and N3 on the content of sulphate sulphur (VI) and the activity of arylsulphatase, which participates in the transformations of this element in Haplic Luvisol. The study report is based on a long-term field experiment with two different crop rotations: A – recognized as exhausting the humus from soil and B – recognized as enriching the soil with humus. During the cultivation of the plants, the soil was sampled four times from corn and a red clover cultivar and grass. The FYM fertilization rate for which the highest arylsulphatase activity and the content of sulphates were identified was 60 Mg ha−1. An inhibitory effect of high rates (90 and 135 kg N ha−1) of ammonium nitrate on the arylsulphatase activity was also observed. A significant correlation between the content of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphates and the arylsulphatase activity was recorded. The investigation on the effect of combined application of farmyard manure and mineral nitrogen fertilization on the activity of arylsulphatase participating in the sulphur cycling was launched to examine the problem in detail.

Questioning a widespread euxinia for the Furongian (Late Cambrian) SPICE event: indications from δ13C, δ18O, δ34S and biostratigraphic constraints

Results from a high-resolution study of δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, δ34SCAS, δ34SCRSand elemental concentrations (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and Sr) in the Furongian Kyrshabakty section, southern Kazakhstan, are reported here. The investigated interval covers the Drumian to Jiangshanian stages of the Cambrian Period, respectively the regionalPtychagnostus atavustoIvshinagnostus ivshini-Irvingella majortrilobite zones. δ13Ccarbdata include the Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion (SPICE) with a local peak value of +5‰. The onset of SPICE corresponds to theKormagnostus simplex–Glyptagnostus stolidotuszones and pre-dates the base of the Paibian Stage/Furongian Series. δ34SCASdata already increase during theLejopyge armatabiozone culminating in three positive excursions prior and after the SPICE maximum. Differences in onset, peak values and shape of the δ13Ccarband/or δ34SCASexcursions at Kyrshabakty, but also in almost all sections characterized by the SPICE, are pointing towards Furongian seawater that was low in sulphate concentration and heterogeneous in its carbonate carbon and sulphate sulphur isotopic composition. The occurrence of benthic faunal elements in almost all SPICE-related sections strongly supports oxygenated conditions at the seafloor, therefore excluding widespread anoxia or euxinia. Regional anoxic conditions are most probable. A positive δ18Ocarbexcursion parallel to the SPICE could probably be explained by a decline in seawater pH associated with a sea-level rise. Again, no euxinic conditions would be mandatory for explaining the SPICE event.

The SO42- concentration and sulphur content in lysimetric water and throughfall in beech forest stands in the Štiavnické vrchy Mts. Ekológia

This paper examines results of the sulphate sulphur content and its concentration in soil water from the beech forests situated in the Štiavnicke vrchy Mts in Slovakia. The S

The impact of the form and frequency of sulphur on pasture yield and composition in South Island high country

Sulphur trials were carried out in the hill and high country of the South Island from 1986/87 to 2000/01. Initial trials showed that sulphur fortified superphosphate fertilisers are more effective products than fine elemental sulphur and sulphur bentonite prills, both in terms of dry matter production and cost effectiveness. This is because Sulphur Super products contain sulphate sulphur and finer elemental sulphur. Sulphur Super Extra (28% S) was more effective in the short to medium term than Maxi Sulphur Super (50% S) largely because it contained more sulphate sulphur. It would be a more preferable option for development, particularly when used at above maintenance rates. It is preferable to apply these products on a biennial rather than a triennial basis to maximise dry matter, maintain better sward composition and to improve the chances of coinciding application with better growth conditions, most notably summer rainfall. Residual elemental sulphur oxidises with time, reducing the dependence on biennial application, although there is still a risk of temporary sulphur deficiency and a delay in response of clover to follow up topdressing if topdressing is left beyond 2 years. Herbage sulphur levels, in conjunction with observation of pasture composition and vigour are useful to indicate when sulphur fertiliser needs to be reapplied. Keywords: sulphate sulphur, elemental sulphur, sulphur bentonite prills, wet mix Sulphur Super, Maxi Sulphur Super, anaerobic nitrogen