Remote-sensing-based analysis of landscape change in the desiccated seabed of the Aral Sea--a potential tool for assessing the hazard degree of dust and salt storms.

With the recession of the Aral Sea in Central Asia, once the world's fourth largest lake, a huge new saline desert emerged which is nowadays called the Aralkum. Saline soils in the Aralkum are a major source for dust and salt storms in the region. The aim of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal land cover change dynamics in the Aralkum and discuss potential implications for the recent and future dust and salt storm activity in the region. MODIS satellite time series were classified from 2000-2008 and change of land cover was quantified. The Aral Sea desiccation accelerated between 2004 and 2008. The area of sandy surfaces and salt soils, which bear the greatest dust and salt storm generation potential increased by more than 36 %. In parts of the Aralkum desalinization of soils was found to take place within 4-8 years. The implication of the ongoing regression of the Aral Sea is that the expansion of saline surfaces will continue. Knowing the spatio-temporal dynamics of both the location and the surface characteristics of the source areas for dust and salt storms allows drawing conclusions about the potential hazard degree of the dust load. The remote-sensing-based land cover assessment presented in this study could be coupled with existing knowledge on the location of source areas for an early estimation of trends in shifting dust composition. Opportunities, limits, and requirements of satellite-based land cover classification and change detection in the Aralkum are discussed.

Natural abiotic formation of trihalomethanes in soil: results from laboratory studies and field samples.

Trihalomethanes (THM), especially trichloromethane, play an important role in photochemical processes of the lower atmosphere, but the current knowledge of the known sources and sinks of trichloromethane is still incomplete. The trichloromethane flux through the environment is estimated at approximately 660 kt year(-1) and 90% of the emissions are of natural origin. Next to offshore seawater contributing approximately 360 kt year(-1) unknown soil processes are the most prominent source (approximately 220 kt year(-1)). This paper describes a new abiotic source of trichloromethane from the terrestrial environment induced by the oxidation of organic matter by iron(III) and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of chloride. Different organic-rich soils and a series of organic substances regarded as monomeric constituents of humus were investigated for their release of trichloromethene. The influence of iron(III), hydrogen peroxide, halide, and pH on its formation was assayed. The optimal reaction turn over for the representative compound catechol was 58.4 ng of CHCl3 from 1.8 mg of carbon applying chloride and 1.55 microg of CHBr3 from 1.8 mg of carbon applying bromide; resorcin and hydroquinone displayed similar numbers. Results presented in this paper pinpoint 1,2,4,5-tetrahydroxybenzene as playing a key role as intermediate in the formation pathway of the trihalomethanes. The highest THM yields were obtained when applying the oxidized form of 1,2,4,5-tetrahydroxybenzene as THM precursor. These findings are consistent with the well-known degradation pathway starting from resorcin-like dihydroxylated compounds proceeding via further hydroxylation and after halogenation finally ending up in trihalomethanes. In conclusion, Fenton-like reaction conditions (iron(III) and hydrogen peroxide), elevated halide content and an extended reaction time can be seen as the most important parameters required for an optimal THM formation.