Analysis of Attert River Basin Surface and Subsurface Soil Using a Fingerprinting Technique

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Analysis of Attert River Basin Surface and
Sub-surface Soil Using a Fingerprinting Technique

• Sebastian Ellra Andrews
• Centre de Recherche Public, Cellule de Recherche
  en Environnement et Biotechnologies (CREBS)
  facility in Luxembourg, LUX.
• Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610
• 2004

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Overview
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The Attert River Basin
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The case for the Attert River basin

• Most substances such as phosphorus throughout the
  basin are transported during storm events that
  generate overland flow.
• Soil samples to be collected from representative
  locations throughout the basin fluvial samples
  extracted from river water during storm events.
• Goal of better understanding the export of
  substances into the Attert

5
Collection of Samples
6
Surface soil and soil profile sample locations
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Land use of Surface Soil samples

• 39 surface soil samples, 18 pasture land, 8
  cultivated wheat fields, 5 cultivated corn
  fields, and 8 forestland.
• Agricultural and farmland samples emphasized due
  to low elevation and abundance.

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Bank sample locations
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Methods of analysis
Kjeldahl reagent 135 g K2SO4, 200 mL H2SO4
(97), and 800 mL of H20.
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Method of analysis aluminum and total phosphorus
Reagent for phosphorus analysis
Eriochrome cyanine R 300 mg of Eriochrome dye
dissolved in 50 mL of H20 and pH adjusted to
2.9 with 11 acetic acid, diluted to 100 mL
with H20.

• dilution of 63 mL concentrated H2SO4 with 500 mL
  water.
• 0.2743 g K(SbO)C4H4O6-0.5H2O dissolved in 200 mL
  water and filled to 250 mL.
• 10 g (NH4)6Mo7O24-4H2O dissolved in 250 mL water.
  
• 1.76 g of ascorbic acid in 100 mL water.

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Methods of analysisiron and humic acids
Analysis of sodium, magnesium, total nitrogen,
potassium (K2O ), and organic substrate were
carried out by the ASTA Administration des
services techniques de lAgriculture in
Ettelbruck, Luxembourg.
Phenanthroline a
time-dependant orange-red solution of a three
aromatic ring system that chelates Fe2.
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Aluminum in bank and surface soil samples

• Mean concentrations of aluminum for surface soil
  samples, Attert bank samples, and tributary bank
  samples were 29.9 mg/g, 30.3 mg/g, and 26.9 mg/g
  of soil respectively.
• Samples BT(7-9) and BA4 are likely to be primary
  sources of aluminum for deposition into the
  Attert River.
• Surface samples 25-27 and BT(7-9) are in close
  geographic proximity.

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Aluminum in soil profiles

• Aluminum concentrations in the forest soil
  profile were significantly lower than those
  extracted from pasture and cultivated lands.
• Aluminum concentrations of bank and surface
  samples may originate from pasture and cultivated
  lands moreso than forest.

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Total Phosphorus in bank and surface soil samples

• Mean concentrations of total phosphorus for
  surface soil samples, Attert bank samples, and
  tributary bank samples were 0.70 mg/g, 0.40 mg/g,
  and 0.48 mg/g of soil respectively.
• Tributary bank samples BT4 and BT8 may have
  larger influence on the amount of phosphorus
  present in the Attert River.
• Some of the aluminum present in the BT8 tributary
  may be ionically bound to phosphorus in the form
  of phosphate ions.

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Total Phosphorus in soil profiles

• Phosphorus concentrations remain constant in
  cultivated and forest profiles, whereas pasture
  phosphorus level drop dramatically with
  increasing depth.
• The decay of animal waste at soil surface and/or
  the presence of non-soil substances such as clay
  far below the surface.

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Iron in bank and surface soil samples

• Mean concentrations of iron for surface soil
  samples, Attert bank samples, and tributary bank
  samples were 22.2 mg/g, 21.6 mg/g, and 21.0 mg/g
  of soil respectively.
• Similar to aluminum concentrations, surface soil
  samples 25-29 and BT(7-9) are in close geographic
  proximity, indicating an area of the basin
  containing higher level of iron than the rest.
• Surface soil samples SS3, 9 have very low
  concentrations of not only iron, but aluminum and
  phosphorus.

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Iron in soil profiles

• Very similar pattern to aluminum levels in each
  profile, although at lower concentrations.
• Cultivated and pasture lands appear to contribute
  more to levels of iron in the Attert River basin.

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Magnesium, sodium, and potassium (K2O) in bank
and surface soil samples

• Concentrations of sodium and magnesium are
  consistent between all bank and surface soil
  samples.
• Potassium concentrations of several surface
  samples are significantly greater than others.

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Magnesium and potassium (K2O) in two soil profiles

• Tilling of soil may explain consistency of
  potassium concentrations in cultivated profile
  may be added in the form of a fertilizer.
• Magnesium and potassium used in many biological
  aspects of plants such as photosynthesis,
  pigments, and disease resistance.
• Potassium concentrations in pasture profile are
  very similar to that of total phosphorus.

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Nitrogen and organic substrate for bank and
surface soil samples ( by mass)

• Very similar trend between nitrogen and organic
  substrate percentages in both sample types.
• BT8 has much larger concentrations than other
  bank samples BT8 also had highest aluminum and
  total phosphorus concentrations.

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Nitrogen and organic substrate for soil profiles
( by mass)

• Highest concentrations of nitrogen and organic
  substrate found at 10-15 cm fractions.
• Presence of root systems and decaying foliage may
  explain higher organic substrate concentrations
  at shallower fractions.
• Crop tilling may also be a factor in cultivated
  profile

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Humic acid analysis for bank and surface soil
samples (relative QSUs)

• Surface soil samples with highest humic acid
  content were extracted from primarily forest
  land.
• Most samples that have high humic acid content
  are also rich in organic substrate.
• Due to high concentrations of humic acids and
  aluminum, the possibility of a ternary complex
  involving ion bridging behavior with
  pesticide/herbicide agent is significant.
• Sample BT3 appears to have very high humic acid
  concentrations but low overall organic substrate
  content.

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Humic acid analysis for soil profiles (relative
QSUs)

• Pasture and forest profiles show negative trend
  in relative humic acid concentrations with
  increasing fraction depth.
• Tilling may be responsible for consistent humic
  acid levels in the cultivated profile.

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Conclusions

• Bank sample BT8 seems to be a key depositor of
  several substances such as aluminum, phosphorus,
  and nitrogen into the Attert River.
• In general, forested surface soil samples of the
  Attert River basin appear to be minor
  contributors to deposition of metals such as
  aluminum, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
• Farmland soil tilling clearly has an affect of
  the presence of many substances at the soil
  surface.
• Root systems and decaying organic matter such as
  leaves influence levels of humic acids, and
  organic substrate.
• More solid conclusions as to the effect of
  substance concentrations in soil on deposition
  into the Attert during flooding events can be
  made with comparisons to fluvial analyses of the
  river water itself (ongoing).

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Donald J. Nelson professor, advisor, and
  sponsor.
• Uwe Gertz Director of Study Abroad Office.
• Centre de Recherche Public, Cellule de Recherche
  en Environnement et Biotechnologies (CREBS)
  facility in Luxembourg, LUX.
• ASTA Administration des services techniques de
  lAgriculture in Ettelbrück, LUX.

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