Influência do substrato de pó de coco na lixiviação de água residuária / Influence of coconut powder substrate on leaching of wastewater

RESUMO Nas últimas décadas, têm-se observado o crescimento da demanda de água e o agravamento dos cenários de escassez hídrica, bem como a ampliação de alternativas de reuso de água de efluentes de qualidade inferior, em particular de esgotos domésticos tratados. Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a influência do substrato de pó de coco no controle de transporte de solutos em solos irrigados com esgoto tratado doméstico. A água residuária doméstica tratada provém da Unidade Experimental de Tratamento e Reúso Hidroagrícola, no distrito de Mutuca-PE. O delineamento experimental foi em esquema fatorial (2 × 3), cujos fatores avaliados compreenderam dois tipos de solos típicos da região (Neossolo Litólico e Argissolo Amarelo) e três tratamentos (sem pó de coco, 1 cm de pó de coco e 2 cm de pó de coco), com cinco repetições. Os parâmetros de transporte dos íons sódio e potássio foram obtidos por ajuste numérico, utilizando-se o modelo STANMOD. Constatou-se a existência de interação com soluto, sódio e potássio, em solo arenoso. O modelo STANMOD apresentou ótimo desempenho na simulação do transporte de solutos no solo. A cobertura de pó de coco mostrou-se eficiente na diminuição da lixiviação de íons em ambos os solos estudados.

ABSTRACT In the last decades, there has been an increase in the demand for water and the aggravation of water scarcity scenarios, as well as the expansion of water reuse alternatives for lower quality effluents, in particular treated domestic sewage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of coconut powder substrate on the control of solute transport in irrigated soils with treated sewage reuse. The treated domestic wastewater comes from the Experimental Unit for Treatment and Agricultural Reuse in the district of Mutuca, Pernambuco. The experimental design was in a factorial scheme (2 × 3), whose evaluated factors comprised two types of soils typical of the region (Leptosols and Yellow Argisol) and three treatments (no coconut powder, 1 cm coconut powder, and 2 cm coconut powder) with five replicates. The transport parameters of the sodium and potassium ions were obtained by numerical adjustment using the STANMOD model. It was found the existence of interaction with solute, sodium, and potassium in sandy soil. The STANMOD model presented excellent performance in the simulation of solute transport in the soil. Soil coverage with coconut powder was shown to be efficient in reducing leaching of ions in both studied soils.

Preferential flow modelling of chlorpyrifos leaching in two arid soils of irrigated agricultural production areas in Argentine Patagonia.

An analysis was made of the transport and fate of the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos in productive soils from the Alto Valle of the Río Negro in Argentine Patagonia. The climate of the region is arid, so traditional fruit production is under flood irrigation. The soils in the floodplain are predominantly Aridisols with textures ranging from sandy loam to clay loam. The calibration was performed with water table data and chlorpyrifos concentration in the soil horizons. Field experiments made with Brilliant Blue FCF at the profile scale enabled the parametrisation of the dual-permeability model MACRO. The model calibration was evaluated by a comparison of observed and simulated data and statistics. The simulation of the groundwater table depth was satisfactory and the chlorpyrifos leaching revealed a different pattern in the two soil types studied. The sandy loam texture soil produced more percolation of irrigation water, but the clay loam soil produced greater leaching of chlorpyrifos under similar application conditions, presumably due to preferential flow under non-equilibrium conditions. Productive management alternatives to reduce leaching into the underlying unconfined aquifer were simulated. Among these, the incorporation of organic matter was the best alternative.

Comparison of three PET methods to assess peritoneal membrane transport

The peritoneal equilibration test (PET) is the most widespread method for assessing water and solute transport across the peritoneal membrane. This study compared three methods: traditional PET (t-PET), mini-PET, and modified PET (mod-PET). Non-diabetic adults (n=21) who had been on peritoneal dialysis (PD) for at least three months underwent t-PET (glucose 2.5%-4 h), mini-PET (glucose 3.86%-1 h), and mod-PET (glucose 3.86%-4 h) to determine dialysate-to-plasma concentration ratio (D/P) for creatinine and dialysate-to-baseline dialysate concentration ratio (D/D0) for glucose. Agreement between methods regarding D/P creatinine and D/D0 glucose was assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman analysis. D/P creatinine differed between t-PET and mini-PET (P<0.001) and between mod-PET and mini-PET (P<0.01) but not between t-PET and mod-PET (P=0.746). The correlation of D/P creatinine with t-PET vs mod-PET was significant (r=0.387, P=0.009) but not that of t-PET vs mini-PET (r=0.088, P=0.241). Estimated bias was −0.029 (P=0.201) between t-PET and mod-PET, and 0.206 (P<0.001) between t-PET and mini-PET. D/D0 glucose differed between t-PET and mod-PET (P=0.003) and between mod-PET and mini-PET (P=0.002) but not between t-PET and mini-PET (P=0.885). The correlations of D/D0 glucose in t-PET vs mod-PET (r=−0.017, P=0.421) or t-PET vs mini-PET (r=0.152, P=0.609) were not significant. Estimated bias was 0.122 (P=0.026) between t-PET and mod-PET, and 0.122 (P=0.026) between t-PET and mini-PET. The significant correlation of D/P creatinine between t-PET and mod-PET suggested that the latter is a good alternative to t-PET. There was no such correlation between t-PET and mini-PET.

Design keys for paper-based concentration gradient generators.

The generation of concentration gradients is an essential operation for several analytical processes implemented on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices. The dynamic gradient formation is based on the transverse dispersion of chemical species across co-flowing streams. In paper channels, this transverse flux of molecules is dominated by mechanical dispersion, which is substantially different than molecular diffusion, which is the mechanism acting in conventional microchannels. Therefore, the design of gradient generators on paper requires strategies different from those used in traditional microfluidics. This work considers the foundations of transverse dispersion in porous substrates to investigate the optimal design of microfluidic paper-based concentration gradient generators (µPGGs) by computer simulations. A set of novel and versatile µPGGs were designed in the format of numerical prototypes, and virtual experiments were run to explore the ranges of operation and the overall performance of such devices. Then physical prototypes were fabricated and experimentally tested in our lab. Finally, some basic rules for the design of optimized µPGGs are proposed. Apart from improving the efficiency of mixers, diluters and µPGGs, the results of this investigation are relevant to attain highly controlled concentration fields on paper-based devices.

Pollen Aquaporins: The Solute Factor.

In the recent years, the biophysical properties and presumed physiological role of aquaporins (AQPs) have been expanded to specialized cells where water and solute exchange are crucial traits. Complex but unique processes such as stomatal movement or pollen hydration and germination have been addressed not only by identifying the specific AQP involved but also by studying how these proteins integrate and coordinate cellular activities and functions. In this review, we referred specifically to pollen-specific AQPs and analyzed what has been assumed in terms of transport properties and what has been found in terms of their physiological role. Unlike that in many other cells, the AQP machinery in mature pollen lacks plasma membrane intrinsic proteins, which are extensively studied for their high water capacity exchange. Instead, a variety of TIPs and NIPs are expressed in pollen. These findings have altered the initial understanding of AQPs and water exchange to consider specific and diverse solutes that might be critical to sustaining pollen's success. The spatial and temporal distribution of the pollen AQPs also reflects a regulatory mechanism that allowing a properly adjusting water and solute exchange.

Nitrogen fertilizer leaching in an Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane

Nitrogen (N) leaching below the crop-rooting zone represents not only a valuable loss of nutrients for the plant, but also a potential pollution source of groundwater. The objective of this work was to quantify leaching losses of native N and that derived from fertilizer in an Oxisol that was cultivated with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) during the crop plant cycle. The sugarcane was planted and fertilized with urea in the planting furrow, with 120 kg ha-1 of N. In order to determine the fate of the fertilizer - N, four microplots with 15N enriched fertilizer were installed. Input and output of N at the depth of 0.9 m were quantified from the flux density of water and the N concentration in soil solution. During the evaluation period the rainfall was 141 mm less than the historical average (1,315 mm), and the climate was drier than normal in January. The average concentration of mineral N in soil solution was 1.8 mg L-1. The abundance of 15N was very high at the beginning (first week) of the assessment period and remained approximately constant (0.453 atom% of 15N) until the end of the period. The internal drainage was 91 mm of water and the N leaching loss was 1.1 kg ha-1 of N, with only 54 g ha-1 derived from fertilizer. Therefore, under high demand of N by the crop in a system without burning before planting, the leaching of N was not considerable, mainly because the surplus of water between the months of December and March was lower than expected and also because the extraction of nitrogen by the crop was high.

A lixiviação de nitrogênio (N) abaixo da zona radicular representa uma valiosa perda do nutriente para as plantas e uma fonte potencial de poluição do lençol freático. Quantificaram-se as perdas de N por lixiviação num Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo cultivado com cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum) durante o ciclo agrícola de cana-planta. A cultura foi implantada e fertilizada no sulco com 120 kg ha-1 de N-uréia. Para conhecer o destino do fertilizante, foram instaladas quatro microparcelas onde o fertilizante era marcado com o isótopo 15N. As entradas e saídas de N a 0,9 m de profundidade foram quantificadas diariamente pela densidade de fluxo de água e a concentração de N da solução no solo. No período de avaliação, a precipitação pluvial foi 141 mm menor que a média histórica (1.315 mm) sendo janeiro mais seco que o normal. A concentração de N mineral média foi 1,8 mg L-1. A abundância de 15N foi superior à abundância natural do isótopo, especialmente no início do período de avaliação, permanecendo logo constante (0,453% de 15N). A drenagem interna foi de 91 mm de água e a perda por lixiviação foi 1,1 kg ha-1 de N com apenas 54 g ha-1 derivados do fertilizante. Portanto, com elevada demanda de nutrientes e elevada incorporação de restos culturais, não foram registradas perdas apreciáveis de N por lixiviação devido ao fato de o excedente de água entre os meses de dezembro e março ter sido menor que o esperado e pela elevada extração de N pela cana-de-açúcar.

Nitrogen fertilizer leaching in an Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane

Nitrogen (N) leaching below the crop-rooting zone represents not only a valuable loss of nutrients for the plant, but also a potential pollution source of groundwater. The objective of this work was to quantify leaching losses of native N and that derived from fertilizer in an Oxisol that was cultivated with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) during the crop plant cycle. The sugarcane was planted and fertilized with urea in the planting furrow, with 120 kg ha-1 of N. In order to determine the fate of the fertilizer - N, four microplots with 15N enriched fertilizer were installed. Input and output of N at the depth of 0.9 m were quantified from the flux density of water and the N concentration in soil solution. During the evaluation period the rainfall was 141 mm less than the historical average (1,315 mm), and the climate was drier than normal in January. The average concentration of mineral N in soil solution was 1.8 mg L-1. The abundance of 15N was very high at the beginning (first week) of the assessment period and remained approximately constant (0.453 atom% of 15N) until the end of the period. The internal drainage was 91 mm of water and the N leaching loss was 1.1 kg ha-1 of N, with only 54 g ha-1 derived from fertilizer. Therefore, under high demand of N by the crop in a system without burning before planting, the leaching of N was not considerable, mainly because the surplus of water between the months of December and March was lower than expected and also because the extraction of nitrogen by the crop was high.

A lixiviação de nitrogênio (N) abaixo da zona radicular representa uma valiosa perda do nutriente para as plantas e uma fonte potencial de poluição do lençol freático. Quantificaram-se as perdas de N por lixiviação num Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo cultivado com cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum) durante o ciclo agrícola de cana-planta. A cultura foi implantada e fertilizada no sulco com 120 kg ha-1 de N-uréia. Para conhecer o destino do fertilizante, foram instaladas quatro microparcelas onde o fertilizante era marcado com o isótopo 15N. As entradas e saídas de N a 0,9 m de profundidade foram quantificadas diariamente pela densidade de fluxo de água e a concentração de N da solução no solo. No período de avaliação, a precipitação pluvial foi 141 mm menor que a média histórica (1.315 mm) sendo janeiro mais seco que o normal. A concentração de N mineral média foi 1,8 mg L-1. A abundância de 15N foi superior à abundância natural do isótopo, especialmente no início do período de avaliação, permanecendo logo constante (0,453% de 15N). A drenagem interna foi de 91 mm de água e a perda por lixiviação foi 1,1 kg ha-1 de N com apenas 54 g ha-1 derivados do fertilizante. Portanto, com elevada demanda de nutrientes e elevada incorporação de restos culturais, não foram registradas perdas apreciáveis de N por lixiviação devido ao fato de o excedente de água entre os meses de dezembro e março ter sido menor que o esperado e pela elevada extração de N pela cana-de-açúcar.

A brief review of soil water, solute transport and regionalized variable analysis

We initially review basic concepts of the forces acting on soil water, soil water potential and soil water retention, and equations to describe soil water movement under water-saturated and unsaturated conditions. Processes of infiltration, evaporation and redistribution of water will be presented for simple initial and boundary conditions occurring within homogeneous soil columns. Next we consider the physical, chemical and biological processes within a soil profile that distribute, dilute or concentrate solute species within the liquid phase of a soil The relative concentration of solutes in the liquid phase governs not only the retention and transport of water within soils but also contributes to our understanding of managing the quality of water within soils and that moving below the recall of plant roots deeper into the vadose zone. A complete set of references about this subject is available in Kutílek & Nielsen (1994). In the last section we recall the differences between classical statistical concepts and those that utilize the coordinates of space and time at which state variables across the landscape are observed. Our presentation win cover the basic ideas about autocorrelation, crosscorrelation, applied time series analyses, state space analyses and similar techniques currently being used to enhance field research and investigations of land and water management.

Inicialmente foram revisados os conceitos básicos das forcas que atuam sobre a água no solo, potencial e retenção de água no solo, e as equações que descrevem o movimento de água sob condições de solos saturados e não saturados. Os processos de infiltração, evaporação e redistribuição de água foram apresentados para condições inicial e de contorno que ocorrem dentro de colunas de solo homogêneo. Posteriormente, foram considerados os processos físicos, químicos e biológicos dentro de um perfil do solo que distribuem, diluem ou concentram espécies de solutos na fase liquida do solo. A concentração relativa de solutos na fase líquida não governa somente a retenção e o transporte da água no solo, mas também contribui para a nossa compreensão para o manejo da qualidade da água no solo e daquela que se move abaixo das zonas radiculares. Um conjunto completo de referencia concernente a esse assunto está disponível em Kutílek & Nielsen (1994). No final do presente trabalho, foram recodadas as diferenças entre os conceitos da estatística clássica e aqueles que utilizam as coordenadas de espaço e de tempo nas quais as variabilidades de espaço foram observadas ao longo da paisagem. A apresentação cobre as idéias básicas sobre autocorrelação, crosscorrelação, análise de série temporal aplicada, análise de state-space e técnicas atualmente utilizadas para subsidiar a pesquisa de campo, investigações sobre o solo e manejo de água.

A brief review of soil water, solute transport and regionalized variable analysis

We initially review basic concepts of the forces acting on soil water, soil water potential and soil water retention, and equations to describe soil water movement under water-saturated and unsaturated conditions. Processes of infiltration, evaporation and redistribution of water will be presented for simple initial and boundary conditions occurring within homogeneous soil columns. Next we consider the physical, chemical and biological processes within a soil profile that distribute, dilute or concentrate solute species within the liquid phase of a soil The relative concentration of solutes in the liquid phase governs not only the retention and transport of water within soils but also contributes to our understanding of managing the quality of water within soils and that moving below the recall of plant roots deeper into the vadose zone. A complete set of references about this subject is available in Kutílek & Nielsen (1994). In the last section we recall the differences between classical statistical concepts and those that utilize the coordinates of space and time at which state variables across the landscape are observed. Our presentation win cover the basic ideas about autocorrelation, crosscorrelation, applied time series analyses, state space analyses and similar techniques currently being used to enhance field research and investigations of land and water management.

Inicialmente foram revisados os conceitos básicos das forcas que atuam sobre a água no solo, potencial e retenção de água no solo, e as equações que descrevem o movimento de água sob condições de solos saturados e não saturados. Os processos de infiltração, evaporação e redistribuição de água foram apresentados para condições inicial e de contorno que ocorrem dentro de colunas de solo homogêneo. Posteriormente, foram considerados os processos físicos, químicos e biológicos dentro de um perfil do solo que distribuem, diluem ou concentram espécies de solutos na fase liquida do solo. A concentração relativa de solutos na fase líquida não governa somente a retenção e o transporte da água no solo, mas também contribui para a nossa compreensão para o manejo da qualidade da água no solo e daquela que se move abaixo das zonas radiculares. Um conjunto completo de referencia concernente a esse assunto está disponível em Kutílek & Nielsen (1994). No final do presente trabalho, foram recodadas as diferenças entre os conceitos da estatística clássica e aqueles que utilizam as coordenadas de espaço e de tempo nas quais as variabilidades de espaço foram observadas ao longo da paisagem. A apresentação cobre as idéias básicas sobre autocorrelação, crosscorrelação, análise de série temporal aplicada, análise de state-space e técnicas atualmente utilizadas para subsidiar a pesquisa de campo, investigações sobre o solo e manejo de água.