Implication of soil C sequestration on sustainable agriculture and environment.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the largest C stock of the continental biosphere with 1550Pg. The size of C reservoir in the soil and environmental concerns on climate change have recently attracted the attention of scientist and politicians on C sequestration as an effective strategy to tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It has been estimated that the potential for C storage in world cropland is relevant (about 0.6-1.2PgCy(-1)). However, there are several constraints of C sequestration that raise concern about its effectiveness as a strategy to offset climate change. C sequestration is finite in quantity and time, reversible, and can be further decreased by socio-economic restrictions. Given these limitations, C sequestration can play only a minor role in the reduction of emissions (2-5% of total GHG emission under the highest emission scenarios). Yet, C sequestration is still attractive for two main reasons: it is likely to be particularly effective in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels in the first 20-30yr of its implementation and presents ancillary benefits for environment and sustainability that make it a real win-win strategy. These beneficial implications are discussed in this paper with emphasis on the need of C sequestration not only to offset climatic changes, but also for the equilibria of the environment and for the sustainability of agriculture and of entire human society.

A risk-based methodology for deriving quality standards for organic contaminants in sewage sludge for use in agriculture--Conceptual Framework.

This paper describes a systematic methodology (Conceptual Framework) to derive quality standards for organic (anthropogenic) contaminants in sewage sludge added to agricultural land, in the context of revision of EU Sludge Directive 86/278/EEC and the broader Soil Thematic Strategy. The overall objective is to ensure, based on a risk assessment approach, a sustainable use of sludge over a long time horizon. ILSI-Europe's Conceptual Framework is in essence consistent with the EU Technical Guidance Document (TGD) for Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemicals in the soil compartment, or US-EPA's Sewage Sludge Use and Disposal Regulations, Part 503 Standards. A 'checklist' of different exposure pathways and transfer processes for organic contaminants needs to be considered, and the most sensitive relevant toxicological endpoint and its PNEC need to be identified. The additional complexity specific to deriving Sludge Quality Standards (SQS) is that the toxicity results may need-e.g., for (indirect) human toxicity-to be related back to maximum acceptable soil exposure levels (PEC(soil)). In turn, the latter need to be back-calculated to the maximum acceptable levels in sewage sludge (PEC(sludge)) at the time of application. Finally, for a sustainable sludge use, the exposure from repeated addition and potential chemical build-up over time (e.g., 100 years) needs to be assessed. The SQS may therefore vary with the (local) sludge application regime, and/or sludge pretreatment processes.

Use of biochemical indices in the mediterranean environment: comparison among soils under different forest vegetation.

In the present study, soil biomass activity, organic carbon storage, and turnover times were compared in adjacent mediterranean biotopes with different forest vegetation, to analyze the effects of litter diversity and soil management protocols on microbial decomposition rates. Samples of forest soil from four vegetation types were collected at depths of 0-20 and 20-40 cm in the 'Tenuta Presidenziale di Castelporziano' Reserve on the Tyrrhenian coast, near Rome (Italy). The samples were incubated under standard laboratory conditions (-33 kPa water tension, and 30 degrees C), in order to compare the microbial activity independently of temperature and humidity. The CO2-C accumulation curves over a 28-d incubation period showed substantially different kinetics between the samples; in particular, soils with above-ground diversity were characterised by high mineralization activity when compared with those sampled under monospecific vegetation. For all the sites, statistically significant linear correlation was observed between nitrogen concentration and potentially mineralizable carbon (r = 0.97), and microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) to total organic carbon (Corg) ratio and the microbial metabolic quotient q(CO2) (r = -0.96). The q(CO2), indicator of the stability of ecosystems, was enhanced by plant diversity, while the Cmic:Corg ratio was reduced.

Triazolo[4,5-f]quinolines. Part VI. Synthesis and evaluation of 9-aminoalkyl(aryl)-2-methyl-2H-[4,5-f]quinolines as anticancer agents. Preliminary results of in vitro screening.

9-Aminoalkyl(aryl)-2-methyl-2H-triazolo[4,5-f] quinolines were prepared in order to evaluate their in vitro antitumor activity. Some members of this series exhibited both cell selectivity and tumor growth inhibition activity at concentrations between 10(-8) and 10(-4)M. In particular, compounds Ia,c,m,o,p and q showed percent growth near zero at midpoint between 10(-5) and 10(-4)M in most cell lines.