Dynamics in imidacloprid sorption related to changes of soil organic matter content and quality along a 20-year cultivation chronosequence of citrus orchards.

The on-going and extensive use of neonicotinoids occur in orchards. However, it is still unknown whether and how orchard management affects soil properties, especially the contents and structure of soil organic matter during orchard development, and their further influences on neonicotinoid persistence. Here, surface soil samples were collected from the citrus orchards with different cultivation ages (1, 10, 14, and 20 years), and their physicochemical properties were determined. Changes in the chemical structure of soil organic matter (SOM) were furtherly examined using solid-state CP/TOSS 13C NMR. Then, the sorption isotherms of imidacloprid in these soils were investigated. The sorption coefficient (Kd) of imidacloprid at Ce of 0.05 mg/L in the orchard soils increased by 19.4-23.3%, along a 20-year chronosequence of cultivation, which should be mainly ascribed to the increase of SOM. However, the organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficient (Koc, sorption per unit mass of OM) of imidacloprid declined with increasing cultivation ages. Moreover, the polar and aliphatic domains of SOM had a significantly positive relation to the Koc of imidacloprid, suggesting its key role in governing imidacloprid sorption. The results highlighted that reasonable management measures could be adopted to control the occurrence and fate of neonicotinoids in soils, mainly by affecting the content and quality of SOM.

Physicochemical characterization of felodipine-kollidon VA64 amorphous solid dispersions prepared by hot-melt extrusion.

To improve the dissolution and hence the oral bioavailability, amorphous felodipine (FEL) solid dispersions (SDs) with Kollidon® VA 64 (PVP/VA) were prepared. Hot-melt extrusion was employed with an extruding temperature below the melting point (Tm ) of FEL. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and (13) C CP/MAS nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements show that the extrudates are amorphous. The intermolecular interaction between FEL and PVP/VA in SDs was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (15) N CP/MAS NMR, and (1) H high-resolution MAS NMR. Furthermore, a single glass transition temperature (Tg ) was detected by differential scanning calorimetry in addition to a single (1) H T1 or T1rho relaxation time detected by (13) C NMR signals. These results confirm that the extrudates contain FEL dispersed into the polymer matrix at a molecular level with no detectable phase separation. This molecular-scale mixing results in a significantly faster dissolution rate compared with the pure crystalline FEL. Additionally, the molecular-scale mixing prevents the amorphous drug from recrystallizing even after being stored at 40°C/75% Relative Humidity for 2 months.

[Eco-hydrological characteristics and soil and water conservation effect of citrus plantation on slope red soil of Jiangxi Province, China].

A 9-year observation was conducted at the experimental plots in the Citrus reticulata plantation in Jiangxi Provincial Eco-Technology Park to study the eco-hydrological characteristics and soil conservation benefits of the plantation on slope red soil. Seven treatments were designed and monitored over nine years. The average flow and the rate of sediment for the seven treatments were reduced by 78.5% and 77.2%, respectively. The reduction rates were the highest in treatments band coverage of Paspalum natatu, whole coverage of P. natatu, and level terrace with grass on ridge, with the values of 94.8%, 94.3% and 92.5%, respectively, followed by in treatment intercropping Glycine max (66.0%) and Raphanus sativus (77.5%), with horizontal planting being better than vertical planting, and the lowest in treatment without understory vegetation (33.1%). The observations on the precipitation redistribution of 43 rainfall events with a mean precipitation of 20.07 mm in 2009-2010 showed that the throughfall, stemflow, and canopy interception were 9.15, 4.72 and 6.20 mm, accounting for 44.7%, 25.7% and 29.6% of the precipitation, respectively. The throughfall and stemflow tended to increase with increasing precipitation. There was a significant liner negative correlation between the canopy interception rate and the precipitation when the rainfall was less than 10 mm, but no significant correlation when the rainfall was greater than 10 mm. The water holding rate of C. reticulata litters was logarithmically correlated with water soaking time, and the maximum water holding rate was 326%. It was considered that rational allocation of understory vegetation played an important role in the soil and water conservation of citrus orchard on slope red soil.