Validity of estimating the organic carbon content of basin sediment using color measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Toshinori; Sugai, Toshihiko; Ogami, Takashi; Yanagida, Makoto; Yasue, Ken-ichi

2010-01-01

Psychometric lightness (L* value) measured by a colorimeter offers a rapid means of obtaining the organic carbon content of sediment. We measured peat and lacustrine sediments covering the past 300 ka - 106 samples for L* value and 197 samples for organic carbon content. L* values are highly correlated with organic carbon contents. Therefore, L* values are a convenient alternative to measuring organic carbon contents. (author)

An improved method for quantitatively measuring the sequences of total organic carbon and black carbon in marine sediment cores

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaoming; Zhu, Qing; Zhou, Qianzhi; Liu, Jinzhong; Yuan, Jianping; Wang, Jianghai

2018-01-01

Understanding global carbon cycle is critical to uncover the mechanisms of global warming and remediate its adverse effects on human activities. Organic carbon in marine sediments is an indispensable part of the global carbon reservoir in global carbon cycling. Evaluating such a reservoir calls for quantitative studies of marine carbon burial, which closely depend on quantifying total organic carbon and black carbon in marine sediment cores and subsequently on obtaining their high-resolution temporal sequences. However, the conventional methods for detecting the contents of total organic carbon or black carbon cannot resolve the following specific difficulties, i.e., (1) a very limited amount of each subsample versus the diverse analytical items, (2) a low and fluctuating recovery rate of total organic carbon or black carbon versus the reproducibility of carbon data, and (3) a large number of subsamples versus the rapid batch measurements. In this work, (i) adopting the customized disposable ceramic crucibles with the microporecontrolled ability, (ii) developing self-made or customized facilities for the procedures of acidification and chemothermal oxidization, and (iii) optimizing procedures and carbon-sulfur analyzer, we have built a novel Wang-Xu-Yuan method (the WXY method) for measuring the contents of total organic carbon or black carbon in marine sediment cores, which includes the procedures of pretreatment, weighing, acidification, chemothermal oxidation and quantification; and can fully meet the requirements of establishing their highresolution temporal sequences, whatever in the recovery, experimental efficiency, accuracy and reliability of the measurements, and homogeneity of samples. In particular, the usage of disposable ceramic crucibles leads to evidently simplify the experimental scenario, which further results in the very high recovery rates for total organic carbon and black carbon. This new technique may provide a significant support for

Carbon Isotope Systematics in Mineral-Catalyzed Hydrothermal Organic Synthesis Processes at High Temperature and Pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Qi; Socki, R. A.; Niles, Paul B.

2011-01-01

Observation of methane in the Martian atmosphere has been reported by different detection techniques. Reduction of CO2 and/or CO during serpentization by mineral surface catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch Type (FTT) synthesis may be one possible process responsible for methane generation on Mars. With the evidence a recent study has discovered for serpentinization in deeply buried carbon rich sediments, and more showing extensive water-rock interaction in Martian history, it seems likely that abiotic methane generation via serpentinization reactions may have been common on Mars. Experiments involving mineral-catalyzed hydrothermal organic synthesis processes were conducted at 750 C and 5.5 Kbars. Alkanes, alcohols and carboxylic acids were identified as organic compounds. No "isotopic reversal" of delta C-13 values was observed for alkanes or carboxylic acids, suggesting a different reaction pathway than polymerization. Alcohols were proposed as intermediaries formed on mineral surfaces at experimental conditions. Carbon isotope data were used in this study to unravel the reaction pathways of abiotic formation of organic compounds in hydrothermal systems at high temperatures and pressures. They are instrumental in constraining the origin and evolution history of organic compounds on Mars and other planets.

Organic carbon content of tropical zooplankton

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, V.R.

In the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries variations in organic carbon of zooplankton are 26.4-38.8 and 24-39.9% of dry weight respectively. Maximum carbon content of estuarine zooplankton is observed in November. Organic carbon in nearshore and oceanic...

Selection criteria for oxidation method in total organic carbon measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, GeunSeok; Park, Sang-Min; Yang, Heuiwon; Tsang, Daniel C W; Alessi, Daniel S; Baek, Kitae

2018-05-01

During the measurement of total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon is converted into CO 2 by using high temperature combustion (HTC) or wet chemical oxidation (WCO). However, the criteria for selecting the oxidation methods are not clear. In this study, the chemical structures of organic material were considered as a key factor to select the oxidation method used. Most non-degradable organic compounds showed a similar oxidation efficiency in both methods, including natural organic compounds, dyes, and pharmaceuticals, and thus both methods are appropriate to measure TOC in waters containing these compounds. However, only a fraction of the carbon in the halogenated compounds (perfluorooctanoic acid and trifluoroacetic acid) were oxidized using WCO, resulting in measured TOC values that are considerably lower than those determined by HTC. This result is likely due to the electronegativity of halogen elements which inhibits the approach of electron-rich sulfate radicals in the WCO, and the higher bond strength of carbon-halogen pairs as compared to carbon-hydrogen bonds, which results in a lower degree of oxidation of the compounds. Our results indicate that WCO could be used to oxidize most organic compounds, but may not be appropriate to quantify TOC in organic carbon pools that contain certain halogenated compounds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ceramic silicon-boron-carbon fibers from organic silicon-boron-polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Riccitiello, Salvatore R. (Inventor); Hsu, Ming-Ta S. (Inventor); Chen, Timothy S. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Novel high strength ceramic fibers derived from boron, silicon, and carbon organic precursor polymers are discussed. The ceramic fibers are thermally stable up to and beyond 1200 C in air. The method of preparation of the boron-silicon-carbon fibers from a low oxygen content organosilicon boron precursor polymer of the general formula Si(R2)BR(sup 1) includes melt-spinning, crosslinking, and pyrolysis. Specifically, the crosslinked (or cured) precursor organic polymer fibers do not melt or deform during pyrolysis to form the silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fiber. These novel silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fibers are useful in high temperature applications because they retain tensile and other properties up to 1200 C, from 1200 to 1300 C, and in some cases higher than 1300 C.

Cost effective tools for soil organic carbon monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Keith; Aynekulu, Ermias

2013-04-01

There is increasing demand for data on soil properties at fine spatial resolution to support management and planning decisions. Measurement of soil organic carbon has attracted much interest because (i) soil organic carbon is widely cited as a useful indicator of soil condition and (ii) of the importance of soil carbon in the global carbon cycle and climate mitigation strategies. However in considering soil measurement designs there has been insufficient attention given to careful analysis of the specific decisions that the measurements are meant to support and on what measurements have high information value for decision-making. As a result, much measurement effort may be wasted or focused on the wrong variables. A cost-effective measurement is one that reduces risk in decisions and does not cost more than the societal returns to additional evidence. A key uncertainty in measuring soil carbon as a soil condition indicator is what constitutes a good or bad level of carbon on a given soil. A measure of soil organic carbon concentration may have limited value for informing management decisions without the additional information required to interpret it, and so expending further efforts on improving measurements to increase precision may then have no value to improving the decision. Measuring soil carbon stock changes for carbon trading purposes requires high levels of measurement precision but there is still large uncertainty on whether the costs of measurement exceed the benefits. Since the largest cost component in soil monitoring is often travel to the field and physically sampling soils, it is generally cost-effective to meet multiple objectives by analysing a number of properties on a soil sample. Diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy is playing a key role in allowing multiple soil properties to be determined rapidly and at low cost. The method provides estimation of multiple soil properties (e.g. soil carbon, texture and mineralogy) in one measurement

Statistics provide guidance for indigenous organic carbon detection on Mars missions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sephton, Mark A; Carter, Jonathan N

2014-08-01

Data from the Viking and Mars Science Laboratory missions indicate the presence of organic compounds that are not definitively martian in origin. Both contamination and confounding mineralogies have been suggested as alternatives to indigenous organic carbon. Intuitive thought suggests that we are repeatedly obtaining data that confirms the same level of uncertainty. Bayesian statistics may suggest otherwise. If an organic detection method has a true positive to false positive ratio greater than one, then repeated organic matter detection progressively increases the probability of indigeneity. Bayesian statistics also reveal that methods with higher ratios of true positives to false positives give higher overall probabilities and that detection of organic matter in a sample with a higher prior probability of indigenous organic carbon produces greater confidence. Bayesian statistics, therefore, provide guidance for the planning and operation of organic carbon detection activities on Mars. Suggestions for future organic carbon detection missions and instruments are as follows: (i) On Earth, instruments should be tested with analog samples of known organic content to determine their true positive to false positive ratios. (ii) On the mission, for an instrument with a true positive to false positive ratio above one, it should be recognized that each positive detection of organic carbon will result in a progressive increase in the probability of indigenous organic carbon being present; repeated measurements, therefore, can overcome some of the deficiencies of a less-than-definitive test. (iii) For a fixed number of analyses, the highest true positive to false positive ratio method or instrument will provide the greatest probability that indigenous organic carbon is present. (iv) On Mars, analyses should concentrate on samples with highest prior probability of indigenous organic carbon; intuitive desires to contrast samples of high prior probability and low prior

Latest Permian carbonate carbon isotope variability traces heterogeneous organic carbon accumulation and authigenic carbonate formation

Science.gov (United States)

Schobben, Martin; van de Velde, Sebastiaan; Gliwa, Jana; Leda, Lucyna; Korn, Dieter; Struck, Ulrich; Vinzenz Ullmann, Clemens; Hairapetian, Vachik; Ghaderi, Abbas; Korte, Christoph; Newton, Robert J.; Poulton, Simon W.; Wignall, Paul B.

2017-11-01

Bulk-carbonate carbon isotope ratios are a widely applied proxy for investigating the ancient biogeochemical carbon cycle. Temporal carbon isotope trends serve as a prime stratigraphic tool, with the inherent assumption that bulk micritic carbonate rock is a faithful geochemical recorder of the isotopic composition of seawater dissolved inorganic carbon. However, bulk-carbonate rock is also prone to incorporate diagenetic signals. The aim of the present study is to disentangle primary trends from diagenetic signals in carbon isotope records which traverse the Permian-Triassic boundary in the marine carbonate-bearing sequences of Iran and South China. By pooling newly produced and published carbon isotope data, we confirm that a global first-order trend towards depleted values exists. However, a large amount of scatter is superimposed on this geochemical record. In addition, we observe a temporal trend in the amplitude of this residual δ13C variability, which is reproducible for the two studied regions. We suggest that (sub-)sea-floor microbial communities and their control on calcite nucleation and ambient porewater dissolved inorganic carbon δ13C pose a viable mechanism to induce bulk-rock δ13C variability. Numerical model calculations highlight that early diagenetic carbonate rock stabilization and linked carbon isotope alteration can be controlled by organic matter supply and subsequent microbial remineralization. A major biotic decline among Late Permian bottom-dwelling organisms facilitated a spatial increase in heterogeneous organic carbon accumulation. Combined with low marine sulfate, this resulted in varying degrees of carbon isotope overprinting. A simulated time series suggests that a 50 % increase in the spatial scatter of organic carbon relative to the average, in addition to an imposed increase in the likelihood of sampling cements formed by microbial calcite nucleation to 1 out of 10 samples, is sufficient to induce the observed signal of carbon

Latest Permian carbonate carbon isotope variability traces heterogeneous organic carbon accumulation and authigenic carbonate formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Schobben

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bulk-carbonate carbon isotope ratios are a widely applied proxy for investigating the ancient biogeochemical carbon cycle. Temporal carbon isotope trends serve as a prime stratigraphic tool, with the inherent assumption that bulk micritic carbonate rock is a faithful geochemical recorder of the isotopic composition of seawater dissolved inorganic carbon. However, bulk-carbonate rock is also prone to incorporate diagenetic signals. The aim of the present study is to disentangle primary trends from diagenetic signals in carbon isotope records which traverse the Permian–Triassic boundary in the marine carbonate-bearing sequences of Iran and South China. By pooling newly produced and published carbon isotope data, we confirm that a global first-order trend towards depleted values exists. However, a large amount of scatter is superimposed on this geochemical record. In addition, we observe a temporal trend in the amplitude of this residual δ13C variability, which is reproducible for the two studied regions. We suggest that (sub-sea-floor microbial communities and their control on calcite nucleation and ambient porewater dissolved inorganic carbon δ13C pose a viable mechanism to induce bulk-rock δ13C variability. Numerical model calculations highlight that early diagenetic carbonate rock stabilization and linked carbon isotope alteration can be controlled by organic matter supply and subsequent microbial remineralization. A major biotic decline among Late Permian bottom-dwelling organisms facilitated a spatial increase in heterogeneous organic carbon accumulation. Combined with low marine sulfate, this resulted in varying degrees of carbon isotope overprinting. A simulated time series suggests that a 50 % increase in the spatial scatter of organic carbon relative to the average, in addition to an imposed increase in the likelihood of sampling cements formed by microbial calcite nucleation to 1 out of 10 samples, is sufficient to induce the

Assimilation of aged organic carbon in a glacial river food web

Science.gov (United States)

Fellman, J.; Hood, E. W.; Raymond, P. A.; Bozeman, M.; Hudson, J.; Arimitsu, M.

2013-12-01

Identifying the key sources of organic carbon supporting fish and invertebrate consumers is fundamental to our understanding of stream ecosystems. Recent laboratory bioassays highlight that aged organic carbon from glacier environments is highly bioavailable to stream bacteria relative to carbon originating from ice-free areas. However, there is little evidence suggesting that this aged, bioavailable organic carbon is also a key basal carbon source for stream metazoa. We used natural abundance of Δ14C, δ13C, and δ15N to determine if fish and invertebrate consumers are subsidized by aged organic carbon in a glacial river in southeast Alaska. We collected biofilm, leaf litter, three different species of macroinvertebrates, and resident juvenile salmonids from a reference stream and two sites (one site is directly downstream of the glacial outflow and one site is upstream of the tidal estuary) on the heavily glaciated Herbert River. Key producers, fish, and invertebrate consumers in the reference stream had carbon isotope values that ranged from -26 to -30‰ for δ13C and from -12 to 53‰ for Δ14C, reflecting a food web sustained mainly on contemporary primary production. In contrast, biofilm in the two glacial sites was highly Δ14C depleted (-203 to -215‰) relative to the reference site. Although biofilm may consist of both bacteria and benthic algae utilizing carbon depleted in Δ14C, δ13C values for biofilm (-24.1‰), dissolved inorganic carbon (-5.9‰), and dissolved organic carbon (-24.0‰) suggest that biofilm consist of bacteria sustained in part by glacier-derived, aged organic carbon. Invertebrate consumers (mean Δ14C of -80.5, mean δ13C of -26.5) and fish (mean Δ14C of -63.3, mean δ13C of -25.7) in the two glacial sites had carbon isotope values similar to biofilm. These results similarly show that aged organic carbon is incorporated into the metazoan food web. Overall, our findings indicate that continued watershed deglaciation and

Measurement of stable isotope ratio of organic carbon in water samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, Toshihiro; Otsuki, Akira

1977-01-01

A new method for the measurement of stable isotope ratios was investigated and applied to organic carbon's isotope ratio measurements in water samples. A few river water samples from Tsuchiura city were tested. After the wet oxidation of organic carbons to carbon dioxide in a sealed ampoule, the isotope ratios were determined with the gas chromatograph-quadrupole mass spectrometer combined with a total organic carbon analyser, under the dynamic conditions. The GC-MS had been equipped with the multiple ion detector-digital integrator system. The ion intensities at m/e 44 and 45 were simultaneously measured at a switching rate of 1 ms. The measurements with carbon dioxide acquired from sodium carbonate (53 μg) gave the isotope ratios with the variation coefficient of 0.62%. However, the variation coefficients obtained from organic carbons in natural water samples were 2 to 3 times as high as that from sodium carbonate. This method is simple and rapid and may be applied to various fields especially in biology and medicine. (auth.)

[Organic carbon and carbon mineralization characteristics in nature forestry soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tian; Dai, Wei; An, Xiao-Juan; Pang, Huan; Zou, Jian-Mei; Zhang, Rui

2014-03-01

Through field investigation and indoor analysis, the organic carbon content and organic carbon mineralization characteristics of six kinds of natural forest soil were studied, including the pine forests, evergreen broad-leaved forest, deciduous broad-leaved forest, mixed needle leaf and Korean pine and Chinese pine forest. The results showed that the organic carbon content in the forest soil showed trends of gradual decrease with the increase of soil depth; Double exponential equation fitted well with the organic carbon mineralization process in natural forest soil, accurately reflecting the mineralization reaction characteristics of the natural forest soil. Natural forest soil in each layer had the same mineralization reaction trend, but different intensity. Among them, the reaction intensity in the 0-10 cm soil of the Korean pine forest was the highest, and the intensities of mineralization reaction in its lower layers were also significantly higher than those in the same layers of other natural forest soil; comparison of soil mineralization characteristics of the deciduous broad-leaved forest and coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest found that the differences of litter species had a relatively strong impact on the active organic carbon content in soil, leading to different characteristics of mineralization reaction.

Organic electrochemistry and carbon electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinberg, N.

1983-01-01

Carbons are often used in organic electrosynthesis and are critical as anodes or cathodes to certain reactions. Too often the surface properties of carbons have been left uncharacterized in relation to the reaction; however, these physical and chemical properties of carbons are important to the nature of the products, and the selectivity. Examples presented include the Kolbe reaction, the oxidation of aromatics in presence of carboxylate salts, electrofluorination of organics, acetamidation of aromatics, the hydrodimerization of formaldehyde and the oxidation of carbon fibers. These reactions apparently involve special surface characteristics: structure, surface area, stabilized surface sites, and the presence or absence of significant ''oxide'' functionality

Organic carbon organic matter and bulk density relationships in arid ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Soil organic matter (SOM) and soil organic carbon (SOC) constitute usually a small portion of soil, but they are one of the most important components of ecosystems. Bulk density (dB or BD) value is necessary to convert organic carbon (OC) content per unit area. Relationships between SOM, SOC and BD were established ...

Relationship between Organic Carbon Runoff to River and Land Cover

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, G. S.; Lee, S. G.; Lim, C. H.; Lee, W.; Yoo, S.; Kim, S. J.; Heo, S.; Lee, W. K.

2017-12-01

Carbon is an important unit in understanding the ecosystem and energy circulation. Each ecosystem, land, water, and atmosphere, is interconnected through the exchange of energy and organic carbon. In the rivers, primary producers utilize the organic carbon from the land. Understanding the organic carbon uptake into the river is important for understanding the mechanism of river ecosystems. The main organic carbon source of the river is land. However, it is difficult to observe the amount of organic carbon runoff to the river. Therefore, an indirect method should be used to estimate the amount of organic carbon runoff to the river. The organic carbon inflow is caused by the runoff of organic carbon dissolved in water or the inflow of organic carbon particles by soil loss. Therefore, the hydrological model was used to estimate organic carbon runoff through the flow of water. The land cover correlates with soil respiration, soil loss, and so on, and the organic carbon runoff coefficient will be estimated to the river by land cover. Using the organic carbon concentration from water quality data observed at each point in the river, we estimate the amount of organic carbon released from the land. The reason is that the runoff from the watershed converges into the rivers in the watershed, the watershed simulation is conducted based on the water quality data observation point. This defines a watershed that affects organic carbon observation sites. The flow rate of each watershed is calculated by the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool), and the total organic carbon runoff is calculated by using flow rate and organic carbon concentration. This is compared with the factors related to the amount of organic carbon such as land cover, soil loss, and soil organic carbon, and spatial analysis is carried out to estimate the organic carbon runoff coefficient per land cover.

Acidity controls on dissolved organic carbon mobility in organic soils

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Evans, Ch. D.; Jones, T.; Burden, A.; Ostle, N.; Zielinski, P.; Cooper, M.; Peacock, M.; Clark, J.; Oulehle, Filip; Cooper, D.; Freeman, Ch.

2012-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 11 (2012), s. 3317-3331 ISSN 1354-1013 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : acidity * dissolved organic carbon * organic soil * peat * podzol * soil carbon * sulphur Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 6.910, year: 2012

Input related microbial carbon dynamic of soil organic matter in particle size fractions

Science.gov (United States)

Gude, A.; Kandeler, E.; Gleixner, G.

2012-04-01

This paper investigated the flow of carbon into different groups of soil microorganisms isolated from different particle size fractions. Two agricultural sites of contrasting organic matter input were compared. Both soils had been submitted to vegetation change from C3 (Rye/Wheat) to C4 (Maize) plants, 25 and 45 years ago. Soil carbon was separated into one fast-degrading particulate organic matter fraction (POM) and one slow-degrading organo-mineral fraction (OMF). The structure of the soil microbial community were investigated using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), and turnover of single PLFAs was calculated from the changes in their 13C content. Soil enzyme activities involved in the degradation of carbohydrates was determined using fluorogenic MUF (methyl-umbelliferryl phosphate) substrates. We found that fresh organic matter input drives soil organic matter dynamic. Higher annual input of fresh organic matter resulted in a higher amount of fungal biomass in the POM-fraction and shorter mean residence times. Fungal activity therefore seems essential for the decomposition and incorporation of organic matter input into the soil. As a consequence, limited litter input changed especially the fungal community favouring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Altogether, supply and availability of fresh plant carbon changed the distribution of microbial biomass, the microbial community structure and enzyme activities and resulted in different priming of soil organic matter. Most interestingly we found that only at low input the OMF fraction had significantly higher calculated MRT for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria suggesting high recycling of soil carbon or the use of other carbon sources. But on average all microbial groups had nearly similar carbon uptake rates in all fractions and both soils, which contrasted the turnover times of bulk carbon. Hereby the microbial carbon turnover was always faster than the soil organic carbon turnover and higher carbon input

Organic carbon spiralling in stream ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newbold, J D; Mulholland, P J; Elwood, J W; O' Neill, R V

1982-01-01

The term spiralling has been used to describe the combined processes of cycling and longitudinal transport in streams. As a measure or organic carbon spiralling, we introduced organic carbon turnover length, S, defined as the average or expected downstream distance travelled by a carbon atom between its entry or fixation in the stream and its oxidation. Using a simple model for organic carbon dynamics in a stream, we show that S is closely related to fisher and Likens' ecosystem efficiency. Unlike efficiency, however, S is independent of the length of the study reach, and values of S determined in streams of differing lengths can be compared. Using data from three different streams, we found the relationship between S and efficiency to agree closely with the model prediction. Hypotheses of stream functioning are discussed in the context of organic carbeon spiralling theory.

State-Space Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Stock

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunwole, Joshua O.; Timm, Luis C.; Obidike-Ugwu, Evelyn O.; Gabriels, Donald M.

2014-04-01

Understanding soil spatial variability and identifying soil parameters most determinant to soil organic carbon stock is pivotal to precision in ecological modelling, prediction, estimation and management of soil within a landscape. This study investigates and describes field soil variability and its structural pattern for agricultural management decisions. The main aim was to relate variation in soil organic carbon stock to soil properties and to estimate soil organic carbon stock from the soil properties. A transect sampling of 100 points at 3 m intervals was carried out. Soils were sampled and analyzed for soil organic carbon and other selected soil properties along with determination of dry aggregate and water-stable aggregate fractions. Principal component analysis, geostatistics, and state-space analysis were conducted on the analyzed soil properties. The first three principal components explained 53.2% of the total variation; Principal Component 1 was dominated by soil exchange complex and dry sieved macroaggregates clusters. Exponential semivariogram model described the structure of soil organic carbon stock with a strong dependence indicating that soil organic carbon values were correlated up to 10.8m.Neighbouring values of soil organic carbon stock, all waterstable aggregate fractions, and dithionite and pyrophosphate iron gave reliable estimate of soil organic carbon stock by state-space.

Elevation-based upscaling of organic carbon stocks in High-Arctic permafrost terrain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weiss, Niels; Faucherre, Samuel; Lampiris, Nikos

2017-01-01

Accurate quantity and distribution estimates of permafrost soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are needed to project potential feedbacks to climate, following warming. Still, upscaling from local field observations to regional estimates to circumarctic assessments remains a challenge. Here we explore...... elevation-based upscaling techniques for High-Arctic permafrost SOC stocks. We combine two detailed, high-resolution SOC inventories on Spitsbergen (Svalbard) with regional validation data. We find a clear relationship between elevation and SOC content, and use this observed exponential correlation, as well...... as discrete elevation classes, as upscaling models for Spitsbergen. We estimate the total amount of permafrost SOC currently present in soils on Spitsbergen to be 105.36 Tg (0.11 Pg), with a mean SOC content of 2.84 ± 0.74 kg C m−2 (mean ± 95% confidence interval). Excluding glaciers and permanent snowfields...

Dynamics of Intracellular Polymers in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Processes under Different Organic Carbon Concentrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lizhen Xing

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR may deteriorate or fail during low organic carbon loading periods. Polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs in EBPR were acclimated under both high and low organic carbon conditions, and then dynamics of polymers in typical cycles, anaerobic conditions with excess organic carbons, and endogenous respiration conditions were examined. After long-term acclimation, it was found that organic loading rates did not affect the yield of PAOs and the applied low organic carbon concentrations were advantageous for the enrichment of PAOs. A low influent organic carbon concentration induced a high production of extracellular carbohydrate. During both anaerobic and aerobic endogenous respirations, when glycogen decreased to around 80 ± 10 mg C per gram of volatile suspended solids, PAOs began to utilize polyphosphate significantly. Regressed by the first-order reaction model, glycogen possessed the highest degradation rate and then was followed by polyphosphate, while biomass decay had the lowest degradation rate.

Temperature dependence of photodegradation of dissolved organic matter to dissolved inorganic carbon and particulate organic carbon

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Porcal, Petr; Dillon, P. J.; Molot, L. A.

2015-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 6 (2015), e0128884 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP503/12/0781; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-09721S Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : dissolved organic carbon * particulate organic carbon * photodegradation * temperature Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 3.057, year: 2015

The role of hydrology in annual organic carbon loads and terrestrial organic matter export from a midwestern agricultural watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Dalzell, Brent J.; Filley, Timothy R.; Harbor, Jon M.

2007-03-01

Defining the control that hydrology exerts on organic carbon (OC) export at the watershed scale is important for understanding how the source and quantity of OC in streams and rivers is influenced by climate change or by landscape drainage. To this end, molecular (lignin phenol), stable carbon isotope, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) data were collected over a range of flow conditions to examine the influence of hydrology on annual OC export from an 850 km 2 Midwestern United States agricultural watershed located in west central Indiana. In years 2002 and 2003, modeled annual DOC loads were 19.5 and 14.1 kg ha -1yr -1, while 71% and 85%, respectively, of the total annual OC was exported in flow events occurring during less than 20% of that time. These results highlight the importance of short-duration, high-discharge events (common in smaller watersheds) in controlling annual OC export. Based on reported increases in annual stream discharge coupled with current estimates of DOC export, annual DOC loads in this watershed may have increased by up to 40% over the past 50 years. Molecular (lignin phenol) characterization of quantity and relative degradation state of terrestrial OC shows as much temporal variability of lignin parameters (in high molecular weight dissolved organic carbon) in this one watershed as that demonstrated in previously published studies of dissolved organic matter in the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers. These results suggest that hydrologic variability is at least as important in determining the nature and extent of OC export as geographic variability. Moreover, molecular and bulk stable carbon isotope data from high molecular weight dissolved organic carbon and colloidal organic carbon showed that increased stream flow from the study watershed was responsible for increased export of agriculturally derived OC. When considered in the context of results from other studies that show the importance of flood events and in-stream processing of

High-Performance Supercapacitor of Functionalized Carbon Fiber Paper with High Surface Ionic and Bulk Electronic Conductivity: Effect of Organic Functional Groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suktha, Phansiri; Chiochan, Poramane; Iamprasertkun, Pawin; Wutthiprom, Juthaporn; Phattharasupakun, Nutthaphon; Suksomboon, Montakan; Kaewsongpol, Tanon; Sirisinudomkit, Pichamon; Pettong, Tanut; Sawangphruk, Montree

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A supercapacitor of organic functionalized carbon fiber paper (f-CFP) exhibits high areal and volumetric capacitances. • The performance of the supercapacitor depends on the organic functional group on the surface of the f-CFP. • Hydroxyl and carboxylic groups modified on the surface of f-CFP have higher pseudocapacitive property than amide and amine functional groups. • The f-CFP exhibits high surface ionic and bulk electrical conductivities. - Abstract: Although carbon fiber paper (CFP) or nonwovens are widely used as a non-corrosive and conductive substrate or current collector in batteries and supercapacitors as well as a gas diffusion layer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, the CFP cannot store charges due to its poor ionic conductivity and its hydrophobic surface. In this work, the chemically functionalized CFP (f-CFP) consisting of hydroxyl and carboxylic groups on its surface was produced by an oxidation reaction of CFP in a mixed concentrated acid solution of H 2 SO 4 :HNO 3 (3:1 v/v) at 60 °C for 1 h. Other amide and amine groups modified CFP were also synthesized for comparison using a dehydration reaction of carboxylic modified CFP with ethylenediamine and n-butylamine. Interestingly, it was found that hydroxyl and carboxylic groups modified CFP behave as a pseudocapacitor electrode, which can store charges via the surface redox reaction in addition to electrochemical double layer capacitance. The aqueous-based supercapacitor of f-CFP has high areal, volumetric, and specific energy (49.0 μW.h/cm 2 , 1960 mW.h/L, and 5.2 W.h/Kg) and power (3.0 mW/cm 2 , 120 W/L, and 326.2 W/Kg) based on the total geometrical surface area and volume as well as the total weight of positive and negative electrodes. High charge capacity of the f-CFP stems from high ionic charge and pseudocapacitive behavior due to hydroxyl and carboxylic groups on its surface and high bulk electronic conductivity (2.03 mS/cm) due to 1D carbon fiber paper. The

Pathways of organic carbon oxidation in three continental margin sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canfield, Donald Eugene; Jørgensen, Bo Barker; Fossing, Henrik

1993-01-01

We have combined several different methodologies to quantify rates of organic carbon mineralization by the various electron acceptors in sediments from the coast of Denmark and Norway. Rates of NH4+ and Sigma CO2 liberation sediment incubations were used with O2 penetration depths to conclude...... that O2 respiration accounted for only between 3.6-17.4% of the total organic carbon oxidation. Dentrification was limited to a narrow zone just below the depth of O2 penetration, and was not a major carbon oxidation pathway. The processes of Fe reduction, Mn reduction and sulfate reduction dominated...... organic carbon mineralization, but their relative significance varied depending on the sediment. Where high concentrations of Mn-oxide were found (3-4 wt% Mn), only Mn reduction occurred. With lower Mn oxide concentrations more typical of coastal sediments, Fe reduction and sulfate reduction were most...

Aged riverine particulate organic carbon in four UK catchments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, Jessica L.; Tipping, Edward; Bryant, Charlotte L.; Helliwell, Rachel C.; Toberman, Hannah; Quinton, John

2015-01-01

The riverine transport of particulate organic matter (POM) is a significant flux in the carbon cycle, and affects macronutrients and contaminants. We used radiocarbon to characterise POM at 9 riverine sites of four UK catchments (Avon, Conwy, Dee, Ribble) over a one-year period. High-discharge samples were collected on three or four occasions at each site. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was obtained by centrifugation, and the samples were analysed for carbon isotopes. Concentrations of SPM and SPM organic carbon (OC) contents were also determined, and were found to have a significant negative correlation. For the 7 rivers draining predominantly rural catchments, PO 14 C values, expressed as percent modern carbon absolute (pMC), varied little among samplings at each site, and there was no significant difference in the average values among the sites. The overall average PO 14 C value for the 7 sites of 91.2 pMC corresponded to an average age of 680 14 C years, but this value arises from the mixing of differently-aged components, and therefore significant amounts of organic matter older than the average value are present in the samples. Although topsoil erosion is probably the major source of the riverine POM, the average PO 14 C value is appreciably lower than topsoil values (which are typically 100 pMC). This is most likely explained by inputs of older subsoil OC from bank erosion, or the preferential loss of high- 14 C topsoil organic matter by mineralisation during riverine transport. The significantly lower average PO 14 C of samples from the River Calder (76.6 pMC), can be ascribed to components containing little or no radiocarbon, derived either from industrial sources or historical coal mining, and this effect is also seen in the River Ribble, downstream of its confluence with the Calder. At the global scale, the results significantly expand available information for PO 14 C in rivers draining catchments with low erosion rates. - Highlights: �

Fractionation between inorganic and organic carbon during the Lomagundi (2.22 2.1 Ga) carbon isotope excursion

Science.gov (United States)

Bekker, A.; Holmden, C.; Beukes, N. J.; Kenig, F.; Eglinton, B.; Patterson, W. P.

2008-07-01

The Lomagundi (2.22-2.1 Ga) positive carbon isotope excursion in shallow-marine sedimentary carbonates has been associated with the rise in atmospheric oxygen, but subsequent studies have demonstrated that the carbon isotope excursion was preceded by the rise in atmospheric oxygen. The amount of oxygen released to the exosphere during the Lomagundi excursion is constrained by the average global fractionation between inorganic and organic carbon, which is poorly characterized. Because dissolved inorganic and organic carbon reservoirs were arguably larger in the Paleoproterozoic ocean, at a time of lower solar luminosity and lower ocean redox state, decoupling between these two variables might be expected. We determined carbon isotope values of carbonate and organic matter in carbonates and shales of the Silverton Formation, South Africa and in the correlative Sengoma Argillite Formation, near the border in Botswana. These units were deposited between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga along the margin of the Kaapvaal Craton in an open-marine deltaic setting and experienced lower greenschist facies metamorphism. The prodelta to offshore marine shales are overlain by a subtidal carbonate sequence. Carbonates exhibit elevated 13C values ranging from 8.3 to 11.2‰ vs. VPDB consistent with deposition during the Lomagundi positive excursion. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents range from 0.01 to 0.6% and δ13C values range from - 24.8 to - 13.9‰. Thus, the isotopic fractionation between organic and carbonate carbon was on average 30.3 ± 2.8‰ ( n = 32) in the shallow-marine environment. The underlying Sengoma shales have highly variable TOC contents (0.14 to 21.94%) and δ13C values (- 33.7 to - 20.8‰) with an average of - 27.0 ± 3.0‰ ( n = 50). Considering that the shales were also deposited during the Lomagundi excursion, and taking δ13C values of the overlying carbonates as representative of the δ13C value of dissolved inorganic carbon during shale deposition, a carbon

Demonstration of high current carbon nanotube enabled vertical organic field effect transistors at industrially relevant voltages

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Mitchell

The display market is presently dominated by the active matrix liquid crystal display (LCD). However, the active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display is argued to become the successor to the LCD, and is already beginning its way into the market, mainly in small size displays. But, for AMOLED technology to become comparable in market share to LCD, larger size displays must become available at a competitive price with their LCD counterparts. A major issue preventing low-cost large AMOLED displays is the thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. Unlike the voltage driven LCD, the OLEDs in the AMOLED display are current driven. Because of this, the mature amorphous silicon TFT backplane technology used in the LCD must be upgraded to a material possessing a higher mobility. Polycrystalline silicon and transparent oxide TFT technologies are being considered to fill this need. But these technologies bring with them significant manufacturing complexity and cost concerns. Carbon nanotube enabled vertical organic field effect transistors (CN-VFETs) offer a unique solution to this problem (now known as the AMOLED backplane problem). The CN-VFET allows the use of organic semiconductors to be used for the semiconductor layer. Organics are known for their low-cost large area processing compatibility. Although the mobility of the best organics is only comparable to that of amorphous silicon, the CN-VFET makes up for this by orienting the channel vertically, as opposed to horizontally (like in conventional TFTs). This allows the CN-VFET to achieve sub-micron channel lengths without expensive high resolution patterning. Additionally, because the CN-VFET can be easily converted into a light emitting transistor (called the carbon nanotube enabled vertical organic light emitting transistor---CN-VOLET) by essentially stacking an OLED on top of the CN-VFET, more potential benefits can be realized. These potential benefits include, increased aperture ratio, increased OLED

Spatial Associations and Chemical Composition of Organic Carbon Sequestered in Fe, Ca, and Organic Carbon Ternary Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Sowers, Tyler D; Adhikari, Dinesh; Wang, Jian; Yang, Yu; Sparks, Donald L

2018-05-25

Organo-mineral associations of organic carbon (OC) with iron (Fe) oxides play a major role in environmental OC sequestration, a process crucial to mitigating climate change. Calcium has been found to have high coassociation with OC in soils containing high Fe content, increase OC sorption extent to poorly crystalline Fe oxides, and has long been suspected to form bridging complexes with Fe and OC. Due to the growing realization that Ca may be an important component of C cycling, we launched a scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) investigation, paired with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, in order to spatially resolve Fe, Ca, and OC relationships and probe the effect of Ca on sorbed OC speciation. We performed STXM-NEXAFS analysis on 2-line ferrihydrite reacted with leaf litter-extractable dissolved OC and citric acid in the absence and presence of Ca. Organic carbon was found to highly associate with Ca ( R 2 = 0.91). Carboxylic acid moieties were dominantly sequestered; however, Ca facilitated the additional sequestration of aromatic and phenolic moieties. Also, C NEXAFS revealed polyvalent metal ion complexation. Our results provide evidence for the presence of Fe-Ca-OC ternary complexation, which has the potential to significantly impact how organo-mineral associations are modeled.

High resolution of black carbon and organic carbon emissions in the Pearl River Delta region, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Junyu; He, Min; Shen, Xingling; Yin, Shasha; Yuan, Zibing

2012-11-01

A high-resolution regional black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) emission inventory for the year 2009 was developed for the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, China, based on the collected activity data and the latest emission factors. PM(2.5), BC and OC emissions were estimated to be 303 kt, 39 kt and 31 kt, respectively. Industrial processes were major contributing sources to PM(2.5) emissions. BC emissions were mainly from mobile sources, accounting for 65.0%, while 34.1% of OC emissions were from residential combustion. The primary OC/BC ratios for individual cities in the PRD region were dependent on the levels of economic development due to differences in source characteristics, with high ratios in the less developed cities and low ratios in the central and southern developed areas. The preliminary temporal profiles were established, showing the highest OC emissions in winter and relatively constant BC emissions throughout the year. The emissions were spatially allocated into grid cells with a resolution of 3 km × 3 km. Large amounts of BC emissions were distributed over the central-southern PRD city clusters, while OC emissions exhibited a relatively even spatial distribution due to the significant biomass burning emissions from the outlying area of the PRD region. Uncertainties in carbonaceous aerosol emissions were usually higher than in other primary pollutants like SO(2), NO(x), and PM(10). One of the key uncertainty sources was the emission factor, due to the absence of direct measurements of BC and OC emission rates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon-14 measurements and characterization of dissolved organic carbon in ground water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, E.M.

1987-01-01

Carbon-14 was measured in the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in ground water and compared with 14 C analyses of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Two field sites were used for this study; the Stripa mine in central Sweden, and the Milk River Aquifer in southern Alberta, Canada. The Stripa mine consists of a Precambrian granite dominated by fracture flow, while the Milk River Aquifer is a Cretaceous sandstone aquifer characterized by porous flow. At both field sites, 14 C analyses of the DOC provide additional information on the ground-water age. Carbon-14 was measured on both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic organic fractions of the DOC. The organic compounds in the hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions were also characterized. The DOC may originate from kerogen in the aquifer matrix, from soil organic matter in the recharge zone, of from a combination of these two sources. Carbon-14 analyses, along with characterization of the organics, were used to determine this origin. Carbon-14 analyses of the hydrophobic fraction in the Milk River Aquifer suggest a soil origin, while 14 C analyses of the hydrophilic fraction suggest an origin within the Cretaceous sediments (kerogen) or from the shale in contact with the aquifer

Distribution of organic carbon and petroleum source rock potential of Cretaceous and lower Tertiary carbonates, South Florida Basin: preliminary results

Science.gov (United States)

Palacas, James George

1978-01-01

Analyses of 134 core samples from the South Florida Basin show that the carbonates of Comanchean age are relatively richer in average organic carbon (0.41 percent) than those of Coahuilan age (0.28 percent), Gulfian age (0.18 percent) and Paleocene age (0.20 percent). They are also nearly twice as rich as the average world, wide carbonate (average 0.24 percent). The majority of carbonates have organic carbons less than 0.30 percent but the presence of many relatively organic rich beds composed of highly bituminous, argillaceous, highly stylolitic, and algal-bearing limestones and dolomites accounts for the higher percentage of organic carbon in some of the stratigraphic units. Carbonate rocks that contain greater than 0.4 percent organic carbon and that might be considered as possible petroleum sources were noted in almost each subdivision of the Coahuilan and Comanchean Series but particularly the units of Fredericksburg 'B', Trinity 'A', Trinity 'F', and Upper Sunniland. Possible source rocks have been ascribed by others to the Lower Sunniland, but lack of sufficient samples precluded any firm assessment in this initial report. In the shallower section of the basin, organic-rich carbonates containing as much as 3.2 percent organic carbon were observed in the lowermost part of the Gulfian Series and carbonate rocks with oil staining or 'dead' and 'live oil' were noted by others in the uppermost Gulfian and upper Cedar Keys Formation. It is questionable whether these shallower rocks are of sufficient thermal maturity to have generated commercial oil. The South Florida basin is still sparsely drilled and produces only from the Sunniland Limestone at an average depth of 11,500 feet (3500 m). Because the Sunniland contains good reservoir rocks and apparently adequate source rocks, and because the success rate of new oil field discoveries has increased in recent years, the chances of finding additional oil reserves in the Sunniland are promising. Furthermore, the

Aged riverine particulate organic carbon in four UK catchments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, Jessica L., E-mail: jesams@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, LA1 4AP (United Kingdom); Tipping, Edward, E-mail: et@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, LA1 4AP (United Kingdom); Bryant, Charlotte L., E-mail: charlotte.bryant@glasgow.ac.uk [NERC Radiocarbon Facility, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland (United Kingdom); Helliwell, Rachel C., E-mail: rachel.helliwell@hutton.ac.uk [The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH Scotland (United Kingdom); Toberman, Hannah, E-mail: hannahtoberman@hotmail.com [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, LA1 4AP (United Kingdom); School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP (United Kingdom); Quinton, John, E-mail: j.quinton@lancaster.ac.uk [Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom)

2015-12-01

The riverine transport of particulate organic matter (POM) is a significant flux in the carbon cycle, and affects macronutrients and contaminants. We used radiocarbon to characterise POM at 9 riverine sites of four UK catchments (Avon, Conwy, Dee, Ribble) over a one-year period. High-discharge samples were collected on three or four occasions at each site. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was obtained by centrifugation, and the samples were analysed for carbon isotopes. Concentrations of SPM and SPM organic carbon (OC) contents were also determined, and were found to have a significant negative correlation. For the 7 rivers draining predominantly rural catchments, PO{sup 14}C values, expressed as percent modern carbon absolute (pMC), varied little among samplings at each site, and there was no significant difference in the average values among the sites. The overall average PO{sup 14}C value for the 7 sites of 91.2 pMC corresponded to an average age of 680 {sup 14}C years, but this value arises from the mixing of differently-aged components, and therefore significant amounts of organic matter older than the average value are present in the samples. Although topsoil erosion is probably the major source of the riverine POM, the average PO{sup 14}C value is appreciably lower than topsoil values (which are typically 100 pMC). This is most likely explained by inputs of older subsoil OC from bank erosion, or the preferential loss of high-{sup 14}C topsoil organic matter by mineralisation during riverine transport. The significantly lower average PO{sup 14}C of samples from the River Calder (76.6 pMC), can be ascribed to components containing little or no radiocarbon, derived either from industrial sources or historical coal mining, and this effect is also seen in the River Ribble, downstream of its confluence with the Calder. At the global scale, the results significantly expand available information for PO{sup 14}C in rivers draining catchments with low erosion rates

Porous carbon derived via KOH activation of a hypercrosslinked porous organic polymer for efficient CO_2, CH_4, H_2 adsorptions and high CO_2/N_2 selectivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modak, Arindam; Bhaumik, Asim

2015-01-01

Microporous carbon having Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2186 m"2 g"−"1 and micropore volume of 0.85 cm"3 g"−"1 has been synthesized via KOH induced high temperature carbonization of a non-conjugated hypercrosslinked organic polymer. Owing to the templating and activation by KOH, we have succeeded in making a microporous carbon from this porous polymer and the resultant carbon material showed high uptake for CO_2 (7.6 mmol g"−"1) and CH_4 (2.4 mmol g"−"1) at 1 atm, 273 K together with very good selectivity for the CO_2/N_2 (30.2) separation. Furthermore, low pressure (1 atm) H_2 (2.6 wt%, 77 K) and water uptake (57.4 wt%, 298 K) ability of this polymer derived porous activated carbon is noteworthy. - Graphical abstract: Microporous carbon with BET surface area of 2186 m"2 g"−"1 has been synthesized via KOH activation of a porous organic polymer and it showed high uptake for CO_2 (7.6 mmol g"−"1), CH_4 (2.4 mmol g"−"1) and H_2 (2.6 wt%) at 1 atm together with very good selectivity for CO_2. - Highlights: • Porous carbon from hypercrosslinked organic polymer. • KOH activated carbon with BET surface area 2186 m"2 g"−"1. • High CO2 uptake (7.6 mmol g"−"1) and CO_2/N_2 selectivity (30.2). • Porous carbon also showed high H_2 (2.6 wt%) and H_2O (57.4 wt%) uptakes.

Deposition and benthic mineralization of organic carbon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordi, Gunnvor A.; Glud, Ronnie N.; Simonsen, Knud

2018-01-01

Seasonal variations in sedimentation and benthic mineralization of organic carbon (OC) were investigated in a Faroese fjord. Deposited particulate organic carbon (POC) was mainly of marine origin, with terrestrial material only accounting for b1%. On an annual basis the POC export fromthe euphotic...

Effect of organic carbon content of the domestic bentonite on the performance of buffer material in a high-level waste repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Won Jin; Lee, Jae Owan; Kang, Chul Hyung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea)

1999-12-01

The organic carbon content of the domestic bentonite have been measured, and its effects on the performance of buffer are analyzed. The total carbon content and the organic carbon content were in the range of 3160 to 3600 and 2400 to 2800 ppm, respectively. The aqueous phase equilibrium concentrations of total carbon and organic carbon in bentonite-water mixture were in the range of 25 to 50 ppm and 4 to 18 ppm, respectively. The results indicate that the effect of organic matter in the domestic bentonite on the performance of buffer material were insignificant. 33 refs., 15 figs., 10 tabs. (Author)

Storage and release of organic carbon from glaciers and ice sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Eran; Battin, Tom J.; Fellman, Jason; O'Neel, Shad; Spencer, Robert G. M.

2015-02-01

Polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers, which cover roughly 11% of the Earth's land surface, store organic carbon from local and distant sources and then release it to downstream environments. Climate-driven changes to glacier runoff are expected to be larger than climate impacts on other components of the hydrological cycle, and may represent an important flux of organic carbon. A compilation of published data on dissolved organic carbon from glaciers across five continents reveals that mountain and polar glaciers represent a quantitatively important store of organic carbon. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the repository of most of the roughly 6 petagrams (Pg) of organic carbon stored in glacier ice, but the annual release of glacier organic carbon is dominated by mountain glaciers in the case of dissolved organic carbon and the Greenland Ice Sheet in the case of particulate organic carbon. Climate change contributes to these fluxes: approximately 13% of the annual flux of glacier dissolved organic carbon is a result of glacier mass loss. These losses are expected to accelerate, leading to a cumulative loss of roughly 15 teragrams (Tg) of glacial dissolved organic carbon by 2050 due to climate change -- equivalent to about half of the annual flux of dissolved organic carbon from the Amazon River. Thus, glaciers constitute a key link between terrestrial and aquatic carbon fluxes, and will be of increasing importance in land-to-ocean fluxes of organic carbon in glacierized regions.

Storage and release of organic carbon from glaciers and ice sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Eran; Battin, Tom J.; Fellman, Jason; O'Neel, Shad; Spencer, Robert G. M.

2015-01-01

Polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers, which cover roughly 11% of the Earth's land surface, store organic carbon from local and distant sources and then release it to downstream environments. Climate-driven changes to glacier runoff are expected to be larger than climate impacts on other components of the hydrological cycle, and may represent an important flux of organic carbon. A compilation of published data on dissolved organic carbon from glaciers across five continents reveals that mountain and polar glaciers represent a quantitatively important store of organic carbon. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the repository of most of the roughly 6 petagrams (Pg) of organic carbon stored in glacier ice, but the annual release of glacier organic carbon is dominated by mountain glaciers in the case of dissolved organic carbon and the Greenland Ice Sheet in the case of particulate organic carbon. Climate change contributes to these fluxes: approximately 13% of the annual flux of glacier dissolved organic carbon is a result of glacier mass loss. These losses are expected to accelerate, leading to a cumulative loss of roughly 15 teragrams (Tg) of glacial dissolved organic carbon by 2050 due to climate change — equivalent to about half of the annual flux of dissolved organic carbon from the Amazon River. Thus, glaciers constitute a key link between terrestrial and aquatic carbon fluxes, and will be of increasing importance in land-to-ocean fluxes of organic carbon in glacierized regions.

Chemistry of organic carbon in soil with relationship to the global carbon cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, W.M. III.

1988-01-01

Various ecosystem disturbances alter the balances between production of organic matter and its decomposition and therefore change the amount of carbon in soil. The most severe perturbation is conversion of natural vegetation to cultivated crops. Conversion of natural vegetation to cultivated crops results in a lowered input of slowly decomposing material which causes a reduction in overall carbon levels. Disruption of soil matrix structure by cultivation leads to lowered physical protection of organic matter resulting in an increased net mineralization rate of soil carbon. Climate change is another perturbation that affects the amount and composition of plant production, litter inputs, and decomposition regimes but does not affect soil structure directly. Nevertheless, large changes in soil carbon storage are probable with anticipated CO 2 induced climate change, particularly in northern latitudes where anticipated climate change will be greatest (MacCracken and Luther 1985) and large amounts of soil organic matter are found. It is impossible, given the current state of knowledge of soil organic matter processes and transformations to develop detailed process models of soil carbon dynamics. Largely phenomenological models appear to be developing into predictive tools for understanding the role of soil organic matter in the global carbon cycle. In particular, these models will be useful in quantifying soil carbon changes due to human land-use and to anticipated global climate and vegetation changes. 47 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs

Nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with a high surface area, synthesized through organic-inorganic coassembly, and its application in supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yanfang; Li, Li; Wang, Yonggang; Wang, Congxiao; Guo, Zaipin; Xia, Yongyao

2014-07-21

A new nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (N-doped OMC) is synthesized by using an organic-inorganic coassembly method, in which resol is used as the carbon precursor, dicyandiamide as the nitrogen precursor, silicate oligomers as the inorganic precursors, and F127 as the soft template. The N-doped OMC possesses a surface area as high as 1374 m(2)  g(-1) and a large pore size of 7.4 nm. As an electrode material for supercapacitors, the obtained carbon exhibits excellent cycling stability and delivers a reversible specific capacitance as high as 308 F g(-1) in 1 mol L(-1) H(2)SO(4) aqueous electrolyte, of which 58 % of the capacity is due to pseudo-capacitance. The large specific capacitance is attributed to proper pore size distributions, large surface area, and high nitrogen content. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Organic carbon isotope systematics of coastal marshes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middelburg, J.J.; Nieuwenhuize, J.; Lubberts, R.K.; Van de Plassche, O.

1997-01-01

Measurements of nitrogen, organic carbon and delta(13)C are presented for Spartina-dominated marsh sediments from a mineral marsh in SW Netherlands and from a peaty marsh in Massachusetts, U.S.A. delta(13)C Of organic carbon in the peaty marsh sediments is similar to that of Spartina material,

[Effects of Chinese prickly ash orchard on soil organic carbon mineralization and labile organic carbon in karst rocky desertification region of Guizhou province].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wen-Juan; Liao, Hong-Kai; Long, Jian; Li, Juan; Liu, Ling-Fei

2015-03-01

Taking 5-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard (PO-5), 17-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard (PO- 17), 30-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard (PO-30) and the forest land (FL, about 60 years) in typical demonstration area of desertification control test in southwestern Guizhou as our research objects, the aim of this study using a batch incubation experiment was to research the mineralization characteristics of soil organic carbon and changes of the labile soil organic carbon contents at different depths (0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, and 30-50 cm). The results showed that: the cumulative mineralization amounts of soil organic carbon were in the order of 30-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard, the forest land, 5-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard and 17-year-old Chinese prickly ash orchard at corresponding depth. Distribution ratios of CO2-C cumulative mineralization amount to SOC contents were higher in Chinese prickly ash orchards than in forest land at each depth. Cultivation of Chinese prickly ash in long-term enhanced the mineralization of soil organic carbon, and decreased the stability of soil organic carbon. Readily oxidized carbon and particulate organic carbon in forest land soils were significantly more than those in Chinese prickly ash orchards at each depth (P < 0.05). With the increasing times of cultivation of Chinese prickly ash, the contents of readily oxidized carbon and particulate organic carbon first increased and then declined at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depth, respectively, but an opposite trend was found at 30-50 cm depth. At 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm, cultivation of Chinese prickly ash could be good for improving the contents of labile soil organic carbon in short term, but it was not conducive in long-term. In this study, we found that cultivation of Chinese prickly ash was beneficial for the accumulation of labile organic carbon at the 30-50 cm depth.

Organic carbon efflux from a deciduous forest catchment in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. J. Kim

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Soil infiltration and surface discharge of precipitation are critical processes that affect the efflux of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC and Particulate Organic Carbon (POC in forested catchments. Concentrations of DOC and POC can be very high in the soil surface in most forest ecosystems and their efflux may not be negligible particularly under the monsoon climate. In East Asia, however, there are little data available to evaluate the role of such processes in forest carbon budget. In this paper, we address two basic questions: (1 how does stream discharge respond to storm events in a forest catchment? and (2 how much DOC and POC are exported from the catchment particularly during the summer monsoon period? To answer these questions, we collected hydrological data (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, runoff discharge, groundwater level and conducted hydrochemical analyses (including DOC, POC, and six tracers in a deciduous forest catchment in Gwangneung National Arboretum in west-central Korea. Based on the end-member mixing analysis of the six storm events during the summer monsoon in 2005, the surface discharge was estimated as 30 to 80% of the total runoff discharge. The stream discharge responded to precipitation within 12 h during these storm events. The annual efflux of DOC and POC from the catchment was estimated as 0.04 and 0.05 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively. Approximately 70% of the annual organic carbon efflux occurred during the summer monsoon period. Overall, the annual efflux of organic carbon was estimated to be about 10% of the Net Ecosystem carbon Exchange (NEE obtained by eddy covariance measurement at the same site. Considering the current trends of increasing intensity and amount of summer rainfall and the large interannual variability in NEE, ignoring the organic carbon efflux from forest catchments would result in an inaccurate estimation of the carbon sink strength of forest ecosystems in the monsoon

Chemical characteristics and source apportionment of fine particulate organic carbon in Hong Kong during high particulate matter episodes in winter 2003

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yun-Chun; Yu, Jian Zhen; Ho, Steven Sai Hang; Schauer, James J.; Yuan, Zibing; Lau, Alexis K. H.; Louie, Peter K. K.

2013-02-01

PM2.5 samples were collected at six general stations and one roadside station in Hong Kong in two periods of high particulate matter (PM) in 2003 (27 October-4 November and 30 November-13 December). The highest PM2.5 reached 216 μg m- 3 during the first high PM period and 113 μg m- 3 during the second high PM period. Analysis of synoptic weather conditions identified individual sampling days under dominant influence of one of three types of air masses, that is, local, regional and long-range transported (LRT) air masses. Roadside samples were discussed separately due to heavy influences from vehicular emissions. This research examines source apportionment of fine organic carbon (OC) and contribution of secondary organic aerosol on high PM days under different synoptic conditions. Six primary OC (POC) sources (vehicle exhaust, biomass burning, cooking, cigarette smoke, vegetative detritus, and coal combustion) were identified on the basis of characteristic organic tracers. Individual POC source contributions were estimated using chemical mass balance model. In the roadside and the local samples, OC was dominated by the primary sources, accounting for more than 74% of OC. In the samples influenced by regional and LRT air masses, secondary OC (SOC), which was approximated to be the difference between the total measured OC and the apportioned POC, contributed more than 54% of fine OC. SOC was highly correlated with water-soluble organic carbon and sulfate, consistent with its secondary nature.

Latitudinal gradients in degradation of marine dissolved organic carbon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnosti, Carol; Steen, Andrew; Ziervogel, Kai

2011-01-01

unknown, since the vast majority of marine bacteria have not been isolated in culture, and most measurements of DOC degradation rates have focused on uptake and metabolism of either bulk DOC or of simple model compounds (e.g. specific amino acids or sugars). Genomic investigations provide information......Heterotrophic microbial communities cycle nearly half of net primary productivity in the ocean, and play a particularly important role in transformations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The specific means by which these communities mediate the transformations of organic carbon are largely...... about the potential capabilities of organisms and communities but not the extent to which such potential is expressed. We tested directly the capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities in surface ocean waters at 32 stations spanning latitudes from 76 ºS to 79 ºN to hydrolyze a range of high...

Improved automation of dissolved organic carbon sampling for organic-rich surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Grayson, Richard P; Holden, Joseph

2016-02-01

In-situ UV-Vis spectrophotometers offer the potential for improved estimates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes for organic-rich systems such as peatlands because they are able to sample and log DOC proxies automatically through time at low cost. In turn, this could enable improved total carbon budget estimates for peatlands. The ability of such instruments to accurately measure DOC depends on a number of factors, not least of which is how absorbance measurements relate to DOC and the environmental conditions. Here we test the ability of a S::can Spectro::lyser™ for measuring DOC in peatland streams with routinely high DOC concentrations. Through analysis of the spectral response data collected by the instrument we have been able to accurately measure DOC up to 66 mg L(-1), which is more than double the original upper calibration limit for this particular instrument. A linear regression modelling approach resulted in an accuracy >95%. The greatest accuracy was achieved when absorbance values for several different wavelengths were used at the same time in the model. However, an accuracy >90% was achieved using absorbance values for a single wavelength to predict DOC concentration. Our calculations indicated that, for organic-rich systems, in-situ measurement with a scanning spectrophotometer can improve fluvial DOC flux estimates by 6 to 8% compared with traditional sampling methods. Thus, our techniques pave the way for improved long-term carbon budget calculations from organic-rich systems such as peatlands. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Volatile organic carbon/air separation test using gas membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, C.V.; Kaschemekat, J.

1993-08-01

An estimated 900 metric tons of carbon tetrachloride were discharged to soil columns during the Plutonium Finishing Plant Operations at the Hanford Site. The largest percentage of this volatile organic compound was found in the vadose region of the 200 West Area. Using a Vacuum Extraction System, the volatile organic compound was drawn from the soil in an air mixture at a concentration of about 1,000 parts per million. The volatile organic compounds were absorbed from the air stream using granulated activated carbon canisters. A gas membrane separation system, developed by Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., was tested at the Vacuum Extraction System site to determine if the volatile organic compound load on the granulated activated carbon could be reduced. The Vacuum Extraction System condensed most of the volatile organic compound into liquid carbon tetrachloride and vented the residual gas stream into the granulated activated carbon. This system reduced the cost of operation about $5/kilogram of volatile organic compound removed

Molecular characterization of organic matter mobilized from Bangladeshi aquifer sediment: tracking carbon compositional change during microbial utilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. E. Pracht

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Bioavailable organic carbon in aquifer recharge waters and sediments can fuel microbial reactions with implications for groundwater quality. A previous incubation experiment showed that sedimentary organic carbon (SOC mobilized off sandy sediment collected from an arsenic-contaminated and methanogenic aquifer in Bangladesh was bioavailable; it was transformed into methane. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to molecularly characterize this mobilized SOC, reference its composition against dissolved organic carbon (DOC in surface recharge water, track compositional changes during incubation, and advance understanding of microbial processing of organic carbon in anaerobic environments. Organic carbon mobilized off aquifer sediment was more diverse, proportionately larger, more aromatic, and more oxidized than DOC in surface recharge. Mobilized SOC was predominately composed of terrestrially derived organic matter and had characteristics signifying that it evaded microbial processing within the aquifer. Approximately 50 % of identified compounds in mobilized SOC and in DOC from surface recharge water contained sulfur. During incubation, after mobilized SOC was converted into methane, new organosulfur compounds with high S-to-C ratios and a high nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC were detected. We reason that these detected compounds formed abiotically following microbial reduction of sulfate to sulfide, which could have occurred during incubation but was not directly measured or that they were microbially synthesized. Most notably, microbes transformed all carbon types during incubation, including those currently considered thermodynamically unviable for microbes to degrade in anaerobic conditions (i.e., those with a low NOSC. In anaerobic environments, energy yields from redox reactions are small and the amount of energy required to remove electrons from highly reduced carbon substrates during oxidation decreases the thermodynamic

Molecular characterization of organic matter mobilized from Bangladeshi aquifer sediment: tracking carbon compositional change during microbial utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Pracht, Lara E.; Tfaily, Malak M.; Ardissono, Robert J.; Neumann, Rebecca B.

2018-03-01

Bioavailable organic carbon in aquifer recharge waters and sediments can fuel microbial reactions with implications for groundwater quality. A previous incubation experiment showed that sedimentary organic carbon (SOC) mobilized off sandy sediment collected from an arsenic-contaminated and methanogenic aquifer in Bangladesh was bioavailable; it was transformed into methane. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to molecularly characterize this mobilized SOC, reference its composition against dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in surface recharge water, track compositional changes during incubation, and advance understanding of microbial processing of organic carbon in anaerobic environments. Organic carbon mobilized off aquifer sediment was more diverse, proportionately larger, more aromatic, and more oxidized than DOC in surface recharge. Mobilized SOC was predominately composed of terrestrially derived organic matter and had characteristics signifying that it evaded microbial processing within the aquifer. Approximately 50 % of identified compounds in mobilized SOC and in DOC from surface recharge water contained sulfur. During incubation, after mobilized SOC was converted into methane, new organosulfur compounds with high S-to-C ratios and a high nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC) were detected. We reason that these detected compounds formed abiotically following microbial reduction of sulfate to sulfide, which could have occurred during incubation but was not directly measured or that they were microbially synthesized. Most notably, microbes transformed all carbon types during incubation, including those currently considered thermodynamically unviable for microbes to degrade in anaerobic conditions (i.e., those with a low NOSC). In anaerobic environments, energy yields from redox reactions are small and the amount of energy required to remove electrons from highly reduced carbon substrates during oxidation decreases the thermodynamic favorability of

Fate of Subducting Organic Carbon: Evidence from HP/UHP Metasedimentary Suites

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, K.; Bebout, G. E.

2017-12-01

Community interest in deep-Earth C cycling has focused attention on extents of C release from subducting oceanic lithosphere and sediment and the fate of this released C. Many have suggested that, based on isotopic and other arguments, 20% of the C subducted into the deeper mantle is in reduced form (organic); however, individual margins show large variation in carbonate to organic C ratios. Despite the size of the potentially deeply subducted organic C reservoir, its fate in subducting sections remains largely unexplored, with most attention paid to release of carbonate C. To characterize the forearc behavior of organic C, metamorphosed to P-T as high as that beneath volcanic fronts, we evaluated records of reduced C (RC) contents and isotope compositions in HP/UHP metasediments: 1) Schistes Lustres/Cignana (SLC) suite (Alps; Cook-Kollars et al., 2014, Chem Geol) with abundant carbonate and resembling sediment entering the East Sunda trench; and (2) Franciscan Complex (FC), W. Baja Terrain (WBT), Catalina Schist (CS) metasediments (Sadofsky and Bebout, 2003, G3), largely sandstone-shale sequences containing very little carbonate. In general, more Al-rich samples (shaley) in the terrigenous metasedimentary suites have higher concentrations of RC, which in low-grade units preserves δ13C of its organic protoliths. Carbonate-poor rocks in the SLC suite, and at ODP Site 765, show correlated major element (Al, Mg, Mn, Ti, P) and RC contents (up to 1.2 wt.%) reflecting sandstone-shale mixture. In the FC, WBT, and CS, the more Al-rich samples contain up to 2 wt. % RC. In high-grade Catalina Schist, RC has elevated δ13C due to C loss in CH4 and high-grade Alps rocks show reduced RC wt. % normalized to Al content. We consider processes that could alter contents and isotopic compositions of RC in sediment, e.g., devolatilization, closed-system exchange with carbonate, redox reactions, isotopic exchange with C in externally-derived fluids. It appears that, on modern Earth

Organic carbon deliveries and their flow related dynamics in the Fitzroy estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ford, Phillip; Tillman, Pei; Robson, Barbara; Webster, Ian T.

2005-01-01

The Fitzroy estuary (Queensland, Australia) receives large, but highly episodic, river flows from a catchment (144,000 km 2 ) which has undergone major land clearing. Large quantities of suspended sediments, and particulate and dissolved organic carbon are delivered. At peak flows, δ 13 C (-21.7 ± 0.8%o) and C/N (14.8 ± 1.3) of the suspended solids indicate that the particulate organic material entering the estuary is principally soil organic carbon. At the lower beginning flows the particulate organic matter comes from in-stream producers (δ 13 C = -26%o). The DOC load is about 10 times the POC load. Using the inverse method, budgets for POC and DOC were constructed for high and low flows. Under high flows, only a small portion of the POC and DOC load is lost in the estuary. Under dry season (low flow) conditions the estuary is a sink for DOC, but remains a source of POC to the coastal waters

River Export of Dissolved and Particulate Organic Carbon from Permafrost and Peat Deposits across the Siberian Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Wild, B.; Andersson, A.; Bröder, L.; Vonk, J.; Hugelius, G.; McClelland, J. W.; Raymond, P. A.; Gustafsson, O.

2017-12-01

Permafrost and peat deposits of northern high latitudes store more than 1300 Pg of organic carbon. This carbon has been preserved for thousands of years by cold and moist conditions, but is now increasingly mobilized as temperatures rise. While part will be degraded to CO2 and CH4 and amplify global warming, part will be exported by rivers to the Arctic Ocean where it can be degraded or re-buried by sedimentation. We here use the four large Siberian rivers Ob, Yenisey, Lena, and Kolyma as natural integrators of carbon mobilization in their catchments. We apply isotope based source apportionments and Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulations to quantify contributions of organic carbon from permafrost and peat deposits to organic carbon exported by these rivers. More specifically, we compare the 14C signatures of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC, POC) sampled close to the river mouths with those of five potential carbon sources; (1) recent aquatic and (2) terrestrial primary production, (3) the active layer of permafrost soils, (4) deep Holocene deposits (including thermokarst and peat deposits) and (5) Ice Complex Deposits. 14C signatures of these endmembers were constrained based on extensive literature review. We estimate that the four rivers together exported 2.4-4.5 Tg organic carbon from permafrost and peat deposits per year. While total organic carbon export was dominated by DOC (90%), the export of organic carbon from permafrost and peat deposits was more equally distributed between DOC (56%) and POC (44%). Recent models predict that ca. 200 Pg carbon will be lost as CO2 or CH4 by 2100 (RCP8.5) from the circumarctic permafrost area, of which roughly a quarter is drained by the Ob, Yenisey, Lena, and Kolyma rivers. Our comparatively low estimates of river carbon export thus suggest limited transfer of organic carbon from permafrost and peat deposits to high latitude rivers, or its rapid degradation within rivers. Our findings highlight the importance

Organic carbon dynamics in mangrove ecosystems: a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kristensen, E.; Bouillon, S.; Dittmar, T.; Marchand, C.

2008-01-01

Our current knowledge on production, composition, transport, pathways and transformations of organic carbon in tropical mangrove environments is reviewed and discussed. Organic carbon entering mangrove foodwebs is either produced autochthonously or imported by tides and/or rivers. Mangrove litter

The large variation in organic carbon consumption in spring in the East China Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.-C. Chen

2013-05-01

Full Text Available A tremendous amount of organic carbon respired by plankton communities has been found in summer in the East China Sea (ECS, and this rate has been significantly correlated with fluvial discharge from the Changjiang River. However, respiration data has rarely been collected in other seasons. To evaluate and reveal the potential controlling mechanism of organic carbon consumption in spring in the ECS, two cruises covering almost the entire ECS shelf were conducted in the spring of 2009 and 2010. These results showed that although the fluvial discharge rates were comparable to the high riverine flow in summer, the plankton community respiration (CR varied widely between the two springs. In 2009, the level of CR was double that of 2010, with mean (± SD values of 111.7 (±76.3 and 50.7 (±62.9 mg C m−3 d−1, respectively. The CR was positively correlated with concentrations of particulate organic carbon and/or chlorophyll a (Chl a in 2009 (all p 2 (fCO2 in the surface waters, even with a significant amount of inorganic carbon regenerated via CR. In 2010, even more riverine runoff nutrients were measured in the ECS than in 2009. Surprisingly, the growth of phytoplankton in 2010 was not stimulated by enriched nutrients, and its growth was likely limited by low water temperature and/or low light intensity. Low temperature might also suppress planktonic metabolism, which could explain why the CR was lower in 2010. During this period, lower surface water fCO2 may have been driven mainly by physical process(es. To conclude, these results indicate that high organic carbon consumption (i.e. CR in the spring of 2009 could be attributed to high planktonic biomasses, and the lower CR rate during the cold spring of 2010 might be likely limited by low temperature in the ECS. This further suggests that the high inter-annual variability of organic carbon consumption needs to be kept in mind when budgeting the annual carbon balance.

Carbon Bioavailability in a High Arctic Fjord Influenced by Glacial Meltwater, NE Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria L. Paulsen

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The land-to-ocean flux of organic carbon is increasing in glacierized regions in response to increasing temperatures in the Arctic (Hood et al., 2015. In order to understand the response of the coastal ecosystem metabolism to the organic carbon input it is essential to determine the bioavailability of the different carbon sources in the system. We quantified the bacterial turnover of organic carbon in a high Arctic fjord system (Young Sound, NE Greenland during the ice-free period (July-October 2014 and assessed the quality and quantity of the 3 major organic carbon sources; (1 local phytoplankton production (2 runoff from land-terminating glaciers and a lowland river and (3 inflow from the ocean shelf. We found that despite relatively low concentrations of DOC in the rivers, the bioavailability of the river–DOC was significantly higher than in the fjord, and characterized by high cell-specific bacterial production and low C:N ratios. In contrast, the DOC source entering via inflow of coastal shelf waters had high DOC concentrations with high C:N and low specific bacterial production. The phytoplankton production in the fjord could not sustain the bacterial carbon demand, but was still the major source of organic carbon for bacterial growth. We assessed the bacterial community composition and found that communities were specific for the different water types i.e., the bacterial community of the coastal inflow water could be traced mainly in the subsurface water, while the glacial river community strongly dominated the surface water in the fjord.

The soil organic carbon content of anthropogenically altered organic soils effects the dissolved organic matter quality, but not the dissolved organic carbon concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Stefan; Tiemeyer, Bärbel; Bechtold, Michel; Lücke, Andreas; Bol, Roland

2016-04-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important link between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This is especially true for peatlands which usually show high concentrations of DOC due to the high stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC). Most previous studies found that DOC concentrations in the soil solution depend on the SOC content. Thus, one would expect low DOC concentrations in peatlands which have anthropogenically been altered by mixing with sand. Here, we want to show the effect of SOC and groundwater level on the quantity and quality of the dissolved organic matter (DOM). Three sampling sites were installed in a strongly disturbed bog. Two sites differ in SOC (Site A: 48%, Site B: 9%) but show the same mean annual groundwater level of 15 and 18 cm below ground, respectively. The SOC content of site C (11%) is similar to Site B, but the groundwater level is much lower (-31 cm) than at the other two sites. All sites have a similar depth of the organic horizon (30 cm) and the same land-use (low-intensity sheep grazing). Over two years, the soil solution was sampled bi-weekly in three depths (15, 30 and 60 cm) and three replicates. All samples were analyzed for DOC and selected samples for dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and delta-13C and delta-15N. Despite differences in SOC and groundwater level, DOC concentrations did not differ significantly (A: 192 ± 62 mg/L, B: 163 ± 55 mg/L and C: 191 ± 97 mg/L). At all sites, DOC concentrations exceed typical values for peatlands by far and emphasize the relevance even of strongly disturbed organic soils for DOC losses. Individual DOC concentrations were controlled by the temperature and the groundwater level over the preceding weeks. Differences in DOM quality were clearer. At site B with a low SOC content, the DOC:DON ratio of the soil solution equals the soil's C:N ratio, but the DOC:DON ratio is much higher than the C:N ratio at site A. In all cases, the DOC:DON ratio strongly correlates with delta-13C. There is no

[Effects of different cultivation patterns on soil aggregates and organic carbon fractions].

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Xiao-Lei; Zong, Liang-Gang; Liu, Yi-Fan; Du, Xia-Fei; Luo, Min; Wang, Run-Chi

2015-03-01

Combined with the research in an organic farm in the past 10 years, differences of soil aggregates composition, distribution and organic carbon fractions between organic and conventional cultivation were studied by simultaneous sampling analysis. The results showed that the percentages of aggregates (> 1 mm, 1-0.5 mm, 0.5-0.25 mm and organic cultivation were 9.73%, 18.41%, 24.46% and 43.90%, respectively. The percentage of organic cultivation than that in conventional cultivation. Organic cultivation increased soil organic carbon (average of 17.95 g x kg(-1)) and total nitrogen contents (average of 1.51 g x kg(-1)). Among the same aggregates in organic cultivation, the average content of heavy organic carbon fraction was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation. This fraction accumulated in organic carbon. In organic cultivation, the content of labile organic carbon in > 1 mm macro-aggregates was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation, while no significant difference was found among the other aggregates, indicating that the labile organic carbon was enriched in > 1 mm macro-aggregates. Organic cultivation increased the amounts of organic carbon and its fractions, reduced tillage damage to aggregates, and enhanced the stability of organic carbon. Organic cultivation was therefore beneficial for soil carbon sequestration. The findings of this research may provide theoretical basis for further acceleration of the organic agriculture development.

Latitudinal gradients in degradation of marine dissolved organic carbon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carol Arnosti

Full Text Available Heterotrophic microbial communities cycle nearly half of net primary productivity in the ocean, and play a particularly important role in transformations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC. The specific means by which these communities mediate the transformations of organic carbon are largely unknown, since the vast majority of marine bacteria have not been isolated in culture, and most measurements of DOC degradation rates have focused on uptake and metabolism of either bulk DOC or of simple model compounds (e.g. specific amino acids or sugars. Genomic investigations provide information about the potential capabilities of organisms and communities but not the extent to which such potential is expressed. We tested directly the capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities in surface ocean waters at 32 stations spanning latitudes from 76°S to 79°N to hydrolyze a range of high molecular weight organic substrates and thereby initiate organic matter degradation. These data demonstrate the existence of a latitudinal gradient in the range of complex substrates available to heterotrophic microbial communities, paralleling the global gradient in bacterial species richness. As changing climate increasingly affects the marine environment, changes in the spectrum of substrates accessible by microbial communities may lead to shifts in the location and rate at which marine DOC is respired. Since the inventory of DOC in the ocean is comparable in magnitude to the atmospheric CO(2 reservoir, such a change could profoundly affect the global carbon cycle.

Metal-Organic-Framework-Mediated Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for CO2 Electrochemical Reduction

KAUST Repository

Wang, Riming; Sun, Xiaohui; Ould-Chikh, Samy; Osadchii, Dmitrii; Bai, Fan; Kapteijn, Freek; Gascon, Jorge

2018-01-01

A nitrogen-doped carbon was synthesized through the pyrolysis of the well-known metal-organic framework ZIF-8, followed by a subsequent acid treatment, and has been applied as a catalyst in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The resulting electrode shows Faradaic efficiencies to carbon monoxide as high as ∼78%, with hydrogen being the only byproduct. The pyrolysis temperature determines the amount and the accessibility of N species in the carbon electrode, in which pyridinic-N and quaternary-N species play key roles in the selective formation of carbon monoxide.

Metal-Organic-Framework-Mediated Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for CO2 Electrochemical Reduction

KAUST Repository

Wang, Riming

2018-04-11

A nitrogen-doped carbon was synthesized through the pyrolysis of the well-known metal-organic framework ZIF-8, followed by a subsequent acid treatment, and has been applied as a catalyst in the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The resulting electrode shows Faradaic efficiencies to carbon monoxide as high as ∼78%, with hydrogen being the only byproduct. The pyrolysis temperature determines the amount and the accessibility of N species in the carbon electrode, in which pyridinic-N and quaternary-N species play key roles in the selective formation of carbon monoxide.

Driving High-Performance n- and p-type Organic Transistors with Carbon Nanotube/Conjugated Polymer Composite Electrodes Patterned Directly from Solution

KAUST Repository

Hellstrom, Sondra L.

2010-07-12

We report patterned deposition of carbon nanotube/conjugated polymer composites from solution with high nanotube densities and excellent feature resolution. Such composites are suited for use as electrodes in high-performance transistors of pentacene and C60, with bottom-contact mobilities of ?0.5 and ?1 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively. This represents a clear step towards development of inexpensive, high-performance all-organic circuits. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Insights in groundwater organic matter from Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Rutlidge, H.; Oudone, P.; McDonough, L.; Andersen, M. S.; Baker, A.; Meredith, K.; O'Carroll, D. M.

2017-12-01

Understanding the processes that control the concentration and characteristics of organic matter in groundwater has important implications for the terrestrial global carbon budget. Liquid Chromatography - Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) is a size-exclusion based chromatography technique that separates the organic carbon into molecular weight size fractions of biopolymers, humic substances, building blocks (degradation products of humic substances), low molecular weight acids and low molecular weight neutrals. Groundwater and surface water samples were collected from a range of locations in Australia representing different surface soil, land cover, recharge type and hydrological properties. At one site hyporheic zone samples were also collected from beneath a stream. The results showed a general decrease in the aromaticity and molecular weight indices going from surface water, hyporheic downwelling and groundwater samples. The aquifer substrate also affected the organic composition. For example, groundwater samples collected from a zone of fractured rock showed a relative decrease in the proportion of humic substances, suggestive of sorption or degradation of humic substances. This work demonstrates the potential for using LC-OCD in elucidating the processes that control the concentration and characteristics of organic matter in groundwater.

Thermionic emission and tunneling at carbon nanotube-organic semiconductor interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarker, Biddut K; Khondaker, Saiful I

2012-06-26

We study the charge carrier injection mechanism across the carbon nanotube (CNT)-organic semiconductor interface using a densely aligned carbon nanotube array as electrode and pentacene as organic semiconductor. The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics measured at different temperatures show a transition from a thermal emission mechanism at high temperature (above 200 K) to a tunneling mechanism at low temperature (below 200 K). A barrier height of ∼0.16 eV is calculated from the thermal emission regime, which is much lower compared to the metal/pentacene devices. At low temperatures, the J-V curves exhibit a direct tunneling mechanism at low bias, corresponding to a trapezoidal barrier, while at high bias the mechanism is well described by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, which corresponds to a triangular barrier. A transition from direct tunneling to Fowler-Nordheim tunneling further signifies a small injection barrier at the CNT/pentacene interface. Our results presented here are the first direct experimental evidence of low charge carrier injection barrier between CNT electrodes and an organic semiconductor and are a significant step forward in realizing the overall goal of using CNT electrodes in organic electronics.

Fertilization increases paddy soil organic carbon density*

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shao-xian; Liang, Xin-qiang; Luo, Qi-xiang; Fan, Fang; Chen, Ying-xu; Li, Zu-zhang; Sun, Huo-xi; Dai, Tian-fang; Wan, Jun-nan; Li, Xiao-jun

2012-01-01

Field experiments provide an opportunity to study the effects of fertilization on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. We sampled soils from a long-term (25 years) paddy experiment in subtropical China. The experiment included eight treatments: (1) check, (2) PK, (3) NP, (4) NK, (5) NPK, (6) 7F:3M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+30% organic N), (7) 5F:5M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+50% organic N), (8) 3F:7M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+70% organic N). Fertilization increased SOC content in the plow layers compared to the non-fertilized check treatment. The SOC density in the top 100 cm of soil ranged from 73.12 to 91.36 Mg/ha. The SOC densities of all fertilizer treatments were greater than that of the check. Those treatments that combined inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments had greater SOC densities than those receiving only inorganic fertilizers. The SOC density was closely correlated to the sum of the soil carbon converted from organic amendments and rice residues. Carbon sequestration in paddy soils could be achieved by balanced and combined fertilization. Fertilization combining both inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments is an effective sustainable practice to sequestrate SOC. PMID:22467369

Fertilization increases paddy soil organic carbon density.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shao-xian; Liang, Xin-qiang; Luo, Qi-xiang; Fan, Fang; Chen, Ying-xu; Li, Zu-zhang; Sun, Huo-xi; Dai, Tian-fang; Wan, Jun-nan; Li, Xiao-jun

2012-04-01

Field experiments provide an opportunity to study the effects of fertilization on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. We sampled soils from a long-term (25 years) paddy experiment in subtropical China. The experiment included eight treatments: (1) check, (2) PK, (3) NP, (4) NK, (5) NPK, (6) 7F:3M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+30% organic N), (7) 5F:5M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+50% organic N), (8) 3F:7M (N, P, K inorganic fertilizers+70% organic N). Fertilization increased SOC content in the plow layers compared to the non-fertilized check treatment. The SOC density in the top 100 cm of soil ranged from 73.12 to 91.36 Mg/ha. The SOC densities of all fertilizer treatments were greater than that of the check. Those treatments that combined inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments had greater SOC densities than those receiving only inorganic fertilizers. The SOC density was closely correlated to the sum of the soil carbon converted from organic amendments and rice residues. Carbon sequestration in paddy soils could be achieved by balanced and combined fertilization. Fertilization combining both inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments is an effective sustainable practice to sequestrate SOC.

Control of residual carbon concentration in GaN high electron mobility transistor and realization of high-resistance GaN grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, X.G. [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 912, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhao, D.G., E-mail: dgzhao@red.semi.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 912, Beijing 100083 (China); Jiang, D.S.; Liu, Z.S.; Chen, P.; Le, L.C.; Yang, J.; Li, X.J. [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 912, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhang, S.M.; Zhu, J.J.; Wang, H.; Yang, H. [Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215125 (China)

2014-08-01

GaN films were grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) under various growth conditions. The influences of MOCVD growth parameters, i.e., growth pressure, ammonia (NH{sub 3}) flux, growth temperature, trimethyl-gallium flux and H{sub 2} flux, on residual carbon concentration ([C]) were systematically investigated. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements show that [C] can be effectively modulated by growth conditions. Especially, it can increase by reducing growth pressure up to two orders of magnitude. High-resistance (HR) GaN epilayer with a resistivity over 1.0 × 10{sup 9} Ω·cm is achieved by reducing growth pressure. The mechanism of the formation of HR GaN epilayer is discussed. An Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N/GaN high electron mobility transistor structure with a HR GaN buffer layer and an additional low-carbon GaN channel layer is presented, exhibiting a high two dimensional electron gas mobility of 1815 cm{sup 2}/Vs. - Highlights: • Influence of MOCVD parameters on residual carbon concentration in GaN is studied. • GaN layer with a resistivity over 1 × 10{sup 9} Ω·cm is achieved by reducing growth pressure. • High electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures were prepared. • Control of residual carbon content results in HEMT with high 2-D electron gas mobility.

Dissolved organic carbon in coral-reef lagoons, by high temperature catalytic oxidation and UV spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Pagès, Jean; Torréton, Jean-Pascal; Sempéré, Richard

1997-06-01

Two surveys were carried out on ten atolls in the Tuamotu archipelago (French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean). In vitro UV (250-400 nm) spectra of water samples gave absorption at 254 nm, A 254, and spectrum slope, S ⋆ (computed from In A λ versus λ).These two descriptors are negatively correlated, and data points are arrayed along a hyperbola spanned between an oceanic pole (high S ⋆, low A 254) and a confined pole (low 5 ⋆, high A 254). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, [C], as assessed by HTCO, exhibit a narrow range (0.7-1.0 mg C.L -1 for most lagoons) contrasting with the wide diversity of optical characteristics. [C] and A 254 are positively correlated, with a significant intercept (0.5 mg C.L -1) representing non-chromophoric DOC. Carbon-specific absorption, ɛ 254 increases (from 0.4 to 1.3 m 2.g -1) with increasing [C], mainly according to the literature) owing to increased average molecular weight (MW) of the chromophoric DOC fraction, which also lowers S ⋆. Our optical data thus illustrate a gradient of confinement (or residence time) that corresponds to a continuum in DOC nature, especially in MW and hence in bioavailability. Optical methods are confirmed as quick and effective means of assessing DOM distribution.

Removal of dissolved organic carbon in pilot wetlands of subsuperficial and superficial flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth M. Agudelo C

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: to compare removal of dissolved organic carbon (d o c obtained with pilot wetlands of subsuperficial flow (p h s s and superficial flow (p h s, with Phragmites australis as treatment alternatives for domestic residual waters of small communities and rural areas. Methodology: an exploratory and experimental study was carried out adding 100,12 mg/L of dissolved organic carbon to synthetic water contaminated with Chlorpyrifos in order to feed the wetlands. A total amount of 20 samples were done, 16 of them in four experiments and the other ones in the intervals with no use of pesticides. Samples were taken on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in the six wetlands, three of them subsuperficial, and three of them superficial. The main variable answer was dissolved organic carbon, measured in the organic carbon analyzer. Results: a high efficiency in the removal of d o c was obtained with the two types of wetlands: 92,3% with subsuperficial flow and 95,6% with superficial flow. Such a high removal was due to the interaction between plants, gravel and microorganisms. Conclusion: although in both types of wetlands the removal was high and similar, it is recommended to use those of subsuperficial flow because in the superficial ones algae and gelatinous bio-films are developed, which becomes favorable to the development of important epidemiologic vectors in terms of public health.

Elemental and organic carbon in aerosols over urbanized coastal region (southern Baltic Sea, Gdynia).

Science.gov (United States)

Lewandowska, Anita; Falkowska, Lucyna; Murawiec, Dominika; Pryputniewicz, Dorota; Burska, Dorota; Bełdowska, Magdalena

2010-09-15

Studies on PM 10, total particulate matter (TSP), elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) concentrations were carried out in the Polish coastal zone of the Baltic Sea, in urbanized Gdynia. The interaction between the land, the air and the sea was clearly observed. The highest concentrations of PM 10, TSP and both carbon fractions were noted in the air masses moving from southern and western Poland and Europe. The EC was generally of primary origin and its contribution to TSP and PM 10 mass was on average 2.3% and 3.7% respectively. Under low wind speed conditions local sources (traffic and industry) influenced increases in elemental carbon and PM 10 concentrations in Gdynia. Elemental carbon demonstrated a pronounced weekly cycle, yielding minimum values at the weekend and maximum values on Thursdays. The role of harbors and ship yards in creating high EC concentrations was clearly observed. Concentration of organic carbon was ten times higher than that of elemental carbon, and the average OC contribution to PM 10 mass was very high (31.6%). An inverse situation was observed when air masses were transported from over the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. These clean air masses were characterized by the lowest concentrations of all analysed compounds. Obtained results for organic and elemental carbon fluxes showed that atmospheric aerosols can be treated, along with water run-off, as a carbon source for the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. The enrichment of surface water was more effective in the case of organic carbon (0.27+/-0.19 mmol m(-2) d(-1)). Elemental carbon fluxes were one order of magnitude smaller, on average 0.03+/-0.04 mmol m(-2) d(-1). We suggest that in some situations atmospheric carbon input can explain up to 18% of total carbon fluxes into the Baltic coastal waters. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process based modelling of soil organic carbon redistribution on landscape scale

Science.gov (United States)

Schindewolf, Marcus; Seher, Wiebke; Amorim, Amorim S. S.; Maeso, Daniel L.; Jürgen, Schmidt

2014-05-01

Recent studies have pointed out the great importance of erosion processes in global carbon cycling. Continuous erosion leads to a massive loss of top soils including the loss of organic carbon accumulated over long time in the soil humus fraction. Lal (2003) estimates that 20% of the organic carbon eroded with top soils is emitted into atmosphere, due to aggregate breakdown and carbon mineralization during transport by surface runoff. Furthermore soil erosion causes a progressive decrease of natural soil fertility, since cation exchange capacity is associated with organic colloids. As a consequence the ability of soils to accumulate organic carbon is reduced proportionately to the drop in soil productivity. The colluvial organic carbon might be protected from further degradation depending on the depth of the colluvial cover and local decomposing conditions. Some colluvial sites can act as long-term sinks for organic carbon. The erosional transport of organic carbon may have an effect on the global carbon budget, however, it is uncertain, whether erosion is a sink or a source for carbon in the atmosphere. Another part of eroded soils and organic carbon will enter surface water bodies and might be transported over long distances. These sediments might be deposited in the riparian zones of river networks. Erosional losses of organic carbon will not pass over into atmosphere for the most part. But soil erosion limits substantially the potential of soils to sequester atmospheric CO2 by generating humus. The present study refers to lateral carbon flux modelling on landscape scale using the process based EROSION 3D soil loss simulation model, using existing parameter values. The selective nature of soil erosion results in a preferentially transport of fine particles while less carbonic larger particles remain on site. Consequently organic carbon is enriched in the eroded sediment compared to the origin soil. For this reason it is essential that EROSION 3D provides the

Sequestration of carbon in soil organic matter in Senegal: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Tieszen, Larry L.; Tappan, G. Gray; Toure, A.

2004-01-01

Sequestration of Carbon in Soil Organic Matter (SOCSOM) in Senegal is a multi-disciplinary development project planned and refined through two international workshops. The project was implemented by integrating a core of international experts in remote sensing, biogeochemical modeling, community socio-economic assessments, and carbon measurements in a fully collaborative manner with Senegal organizations, national scientists, and local knowledge and expertise. The study addresses the potential role developing countries in semi-arid areas can play in climate mitigation activities. Multiple benefits to smallholders could accrue as a result of management practices to re-establish soil carbon content lost because of land use changes or management practices that are not sustainable. The specific importance for the Sahel is because of the high vulnerability to climate change in already impoverished rural societies.

Development of highly microporous activated carbon from the alcoholic beverage industry organic by-products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieto-Delgado, C.; Terrones, M.; Rangel-Mendez, J.R.

2011-01-01

This work has the aim to employ the agave bagasse, a waste from Tequila and Mescal industries, to obtain a product of high commercial value such as activated carbon. The activated carbon production methodology was based on a chemical activation, by using ZnCl 2 and H 3 PO 4 as activating agent and agave bagasse as a natural source of carbon. The activation temperature (150-450 o C), activation time (0-60 min) and weight ratio of activating agent to precursor (0.2-4) were studied. The produced carbon materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen physisorption at -196 o C. In addition, the activating agent recovery was evaluated. We were able to obtain highly microporous activated carbons with micropore volumes between 0.24 and 1.20 cm 3 /g and a surface area within 300 and 2139 m 2 /g. These results demonstrated the feasibility to treat the industrial wastes of the Tequila and Mescal industries, being this wastes an excellent precursor to produce highly microporous activated carbons that can be processed at low activation temperatures in short times, with the possibility of recycling the activating agent.

Pyroclastic Eruption Boosts Organic Carbon Fluxes Into Patagonian Fjords

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, Christian H.; Korup, Oliver; Ulloa, Héctor; Iroumé, Andrés.

2017-11-01

Fjords and old-growth forests store large amounts of organic carbon. Yet the role of episodic disturbances, particularly volcanic eruptions, in mobilizing organic carbon in fjord landscapes covered by temperate rainforests remains poorly quantified. To this end, we estimated how much wood and soils were flushed to nearby fjords following the 2008 eruption of Chaitén volcano in south-central Chile, where pyroclastic sediments covered >12 km2 of pristine temperate rainforest. Field-based surveys of forest biomass, soil organic content, and dead wood transport reveal that the reworking of pyroclastic sediments delivered 66,500 + 14,600/-14,500 tC of large wood to two rivers entering the nearby Patagonian fjords in less than a decade. A similar volume of wood remains in dead tree stands and buried beneath pyroclastic deposits ( 79,900 + 21,100/-16,900 tC) or stored in active river channels (5,900-10,600 tC). We estimate that bank erosion mobilized 132,300+21,700/-30,600 tC of floodplain forest soil. Eroded and reworked forest soils have been accreting on coastal river deltas at >5 mm yr-1 since the eruption. While much of the large wood is transported out of the fjord by long-shore drift, the finer fraction from eroded forest soils is likely to be buried in the fjords. We conclude that the organic carbon fluxes boosted by rivers adjusting to high pyroclastic sediment loads may remain elevated for up to a decade and that Patagonian temperate rainforests disturbed by excessive loads of pyroclastic debris can be episodic short-lived carbon sources.

Nitrogen-modified carbon nanostructures derived from metal-organic frameworks as high performance anodes for Li-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Cai; Zhao, Chongchong; Xin, Fengxia; Cao, Can; Han, Wei-Qiang

2015-01-01

Here, we report preparation of nitrogen-modified nanostructure carbons through carbonization of Cu-based metal organic nanofibers at 700 °C under argon gas atmosphere. After removal of copper through chemical treatment with acids, pure N-modified nanostructure carbon with a nitrogen content of 8.62 wt% is obtained. When use as anodes for lithium-ion battery, the nanostructure carbon electrode has a discharge capacity of 853.1 mAh g −1 measured at a current of 500 mA g −1 after 800 cycles.

Anthropogenic Forcing of Carbonate and Organic Carbon Preservation in Marine Sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Keil, Richard

2017-01-03

Carbon preservation in marine sediments, supplemented by that in large lakes, is the primary mechanism that moves carbon from the active surficial carbon cycle to the slower geologic carbon cycle. Preservation rates are low relative to the rates at which carbon moves between surface pools, which has led to the preservation term largely being ignored when evaluating anthropogenic forcing of the global carbon cycle. However, a variety of anthropogenic drivers-including ocean warming, deoxygenation, and acidification, as well as human-induced changes in sediment delivery to the ocean and mixing and irrigation of continental margin sediments-all work to decrease the already small carbon preservation term. These drivers affect the cycling of both carbonate and organic carbon in the ocean. The overall effect of anthropogenic forcing in the modern ocean is to decrease delivery of carbon to sediments, increase sedimentary dissolution and remineralization, and subsequently decrease overall carbon preservation.

Vulnerability of high-latitude soil organic carbon in North America to disturbance

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Guido; Harden, Jennifer W.; Turetsky, Merritt; McGuire, A. David; Camill, Philip; Tarnocai, Charles; Frolking, Steve; Schuur, Edward A.G.; Jorgenson, Torre; Marchenko, Sergei; Romanovsky, Vladimir; Wickland, Kimberly P.; French, Nancy; Waldrop, Mark P.; Bourgeau-Chavez, Laura L.; Striegl, Robert G.

2011-01-01

This synthesis addresses the vulnerability of the North American high-latitude soil organic carbon (SOC) pool to climate change. Disturbances caused by climate warming in arctic, subarctic, and boreal environments can result in significant redistribution of C among major reservoirs with potential global impacts. We divide the current northern high-latitude SOC pools into (1) near-surface soils where SOC is affected by seasonal freeze-thaw processes and changes in moisture status, and (2) deeper permafrost and peatland strata down to several tens of meters depth where SOC is usually not affected by short-term changes. We address key factors (permafrost, vegetation, hydrology, paleoenvironmental history) and processes (C input, storage, decomposition, and output) responsible for the formation of the large high-latitude SOC pool in North America and highlight how climate-related disturbances could alter this pool's character and size. Press disturbances of relatively slow but persistent nature such as top-down thawing of permafrost, and changes in hydrology, microbiological communities, pedological processes, and vegetation types, as well as pulse disturbances of relatively rapid and local nature such as wildfires and thermokarst, could substantially impact SOC stocks. Ongoing climate warming in the North American high-latitude region could result in crossing environmental thresholds, thereby accelerating press disturbances and increasingly triggering pulse disturbances and eventually affecting the C source/sink net character of northern high-latitude soils. Finally, we assess postdisturbance feedbacks, models, and predictions for the northern high-latitude SOC pool, and discuss data and research gaps to be addressed by future research.

Seasonal variations and sources of sedimentary organic carbon in Tokyo Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Atsushi; Kanda, Jota

2017-01-01

Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) contents, their stable C and N isotope ratio (δ 13 C and δ 15 N), and chlorophyll a ([Chl a] sed ) of surface sediments were investigated monthly to identify the seasonal variations and sources of organic matter in Tokyo Bay. The sedimentary TOC (TOC sed ) and TN (TN sed ) contents, and the sedimentary δ 13 C and δ 15 N (δ 13 C sed and δ 15 N sed ) values were higher in summer than other seasons. The seasonal variations were controlled by high primary production in the water column and hypoxic water in the bottom water during summer. The fraction of terrestrial and marine derived organic matter was estimated by Bayesian mixing model using stable isotope data and TOC/TN ratio. Surface sediments in Tokyo Bay are dominated by marine derived organic matter, which accounts for about 69 ± 5% of TOC sed . - Highlights: • High values of sedimentary organic carbon and nitrogen were observed in summer. • Surface sediments in Tokyo Bay were dominated by marine derived organic matter which was estimated by Bayesian mixing model. • The most amount of terrestrial POC was deposited and degraded in Tokyo Bay before being discharged to the open ocean.

[Roles of soil dissolved organic carbon in carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ling; Qiu, Shao-Jun; Liu, Jing-Tao; Liu, Qing; Lu, Zhao-Hua

2012-05-01

Soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an active fraction of soil organic carbon pool, playing an important role in the carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. In view of the importance of the carbon cycling, this paper summarized the roles of soil DOC in the soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases emission, and in considering of our present ecological and environmental problems such as soil acidification and climate warming, discussed the effects of soil properties, environmental factors, and human activities on the soil DOC as well as the response mechanisms of the DOC. This review could be helpful to the further understanding of the importance of soil DOC in the carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems and the reduction of greenhouse gases emission.

Ancient low-molecular-weight organic acids in permafrost fuel rapid carbon dioxide production upon thaw.

Science.gov (United States)

Drake, Travis W; Wickland, Kimberly P; Spencer, Robert G M; McKnight, Diane M; Striegl, Robert G

2015-11-10

Northern permafrost soils store a vast reservoir of carbon, nearly twice that of the present atmosphere. Current and projected climate warming threatens widespread thaw of these frozen, organic carbon (OC)-rich soils. Upon thaw, mobilized permafrost OC in dissolved and particulate forms can enter streams and rivers, which are important processors of OC and conduits for carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. Here, we demonstrate that ancient dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from 35,800 y B.P. permafrost soils is rapidly mineralized to CO2. During 200-h experiments in a novel high-temporal-resolution bioreactor, DOC concentration decreased by an average of 53%, fueling a more than sevenfold increase in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration. Eighty-seven percent of the DOC loss to microbial uptake was derived from the low-molecular-weight (LMW) organic acids acetate and butyrate. To our knowledge, our study is the first to directly quantify high CO2 production rates from permafrost-derived LMW DOC mineralization. The observed DOC loss rates are among the highest reported for permafrost carbon and demonstrate the potential importance of LMW DOC in driving the rapid metabolism of Pleistocene-age permafrost carbon upon thaw and the outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere by soils and nearby inland waters.

Stable carbon isotope composition of organic material and carbonate in sediment of a swamp and lakes in Honshu island, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizuka, Toshio

1978-01-01

Recent sediments from a swamp and lakes in Honshu were analyzed for organic carbon and carbonate contents, and stable isotope ratios of carbon in the organic materials and carbonate. delta C 13 values of the carbonate tend to be distinctly larger than those of organic carbon in reducing condition as natural gas field, whereas in oxidizing SO 4 -reducing conditions, they are slightly larger than those of organic carbon within the limited range of a few per mil. Carbon isotopic compositions of organic carbon in sediment of the swamp, Obuchi-numa, were analyzed and compared with habitat analysis of associated fossil diatoms. deltaC 13 values of organic carbon in the sediment vary in correlation with the species abundance in habitat of the associated fossil diatoms, ranging from fresh-water (-0.0282) to coastal marine (-0.0236) via brackish. (auth.)

[Soil organic carbon fractionation methods and their applications in farmland ecosystem research: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guo; Cao, Zhi-ping; Hu, Chan-juan

2011-07-01

Soil organic carbon is of heterogeneity in components. The active components are sensitive to agricultural management, while the inert components play an important role in carbon fixation. Soil organic carbon fractionation mainly includes physical, chemical, and biological fractionations. Physical fractionation is to separate the organic carbon into active and inert components based on the density, particle size, and its spatial distribution; chemical fractionation is to separate the organic carbon into various components based on the solubility, hydrolizability, and chemical reactivity of organic carbon in a variety of extracting agents. In chemical fractionation, the dissolved organic carbon is bio-available, including organic acids, phenols, and carbohydrates, and the acid-hydrolyzed organic carbon can be divided into active and inert organic carbons. Simulated enzymatic oxidation by using KMnO4 can separate organic carbon into active and non-active carbon. Biological fractionation can differentiate microbial biomass carbon and potential mineralizable carbon. Under different farmland management practices, the chemical composition and pool capacity of soil organic carbon fractions will have different variations, giving different effects on soil quality. To identify the qualitative or quantitative relationships between soil organic carbon components and carbon deposition, we should strengthen the standardization study of various fractionation methods, explore the integrated application of different fractionation methods, and sum up the most appropriate organic carbon fractionation method or the appropriate combined fractionation methods for different farmland management practices.

Biochemical indicators for the bioavailability of organic carbon in ground water

Science.gov (United States)

Chapelle, F.H.; Bradley, P.M.; Goode, D.J.; Tiedeman, C.; Lacombe, P.J.; Kaiser, K.; Benner, R.

2009-01-01

The bioavailability of total organic carbon (TOC) was examined in ground water from two hydrologically distinct aquifers using biochemical indicators widely employed in chemical oceanography. Concentrations of total hydrolyzable neutral sugars (THNS), total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), and carbon-normalized percentages of TOC present as THNS and THAA (referred to as "yields") were assessed as indicators of bioavailability. A shallow coastal plain aquifer in Kings Bay, Georgia, was characterized by relatively high concentrations (425 to 1492 ??M; 5.1 to 17.9 mg/L) of TOC but relatively low THNS and THAA yields (???0.2%-1.0%). These low yields are consistent with the highly biodegraded nature of TOC mobilized from relatively ancient (Pleistocene) sediments overlying the aquifer. In contrast, a shallow fractured rock aquifer in West Trenton, New Jersey, exhibited lower TOC concentrations (47 to 325 ??M; 0.6 to 3.9 mg/L) but higher THNS and THAA yields (???1% to 4%). These higher yields were consistent with the younger, and thus more bioavailable, TOC being mobilized from modern soils overlying the aquifer. Consistent with these apparent differences in TOC bioavailability, no significant correlation between TOC and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), a product of organic carbon mineralization, was observed at Kings Bay, whereas a strong correlation was observed at West Trenton. In contrast to TOC, THNS and THAA concentrations were observed to correlate with DIC at the Kings Bay site. These observations suggest that biochemical indicators such as THNS and THAA may provide information concerning the bioavailability of organic carbon present in ground water that is not available from TOC measurements alone.

Influence of sample composition on aerosol organic and black carbon determinations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novakov, T.; Corrigan, C.E.

1995-07-01

In this paper we present results on characterization of filter-collected redwood (Sequoia sempevirens)-needle and eucalyptus smoke particles by thermal, optical, and solvent extraction methods. Our results demonstrate that organic and black carbon concentrations determined by thermal and optical methods are not only method dependent, but also critically influenced by the overall chemical composition of the samples. These conclusions are supported by the following: (1) the organic fraction of biomass smoke particles analyzed includes a component, ranging in concentration from about 6-20% of total carbon or from 16-30% of organic carbon, that is relatively non-volatile and has a combustion temperature close to that of black carbon; (2) presence of K or Na in biomass smoke samples lowers the combustion temperatures of this organic component and of black carbon, making their combustion properties indistinguishable; (3) about 20% of total organic material is nonvolatile when heated to 550{degrees}C in an inert atmosphere. Consequently, thermal methods that rely on a specific temperature to separate organic from black carbon may either underestimate or overestimate the black and organic carbon concentrations, depending on the amounts of Na and K and on the composition and concentration of organic material present in a sample. These analytical uncertainties and, under some conditions, absorption by organic material may contribute to the variability of empirically derived proportionality between light transmission through filter deposits and black carbon concentrations.

Influence of sample composition on aerosol organic and black carbon determinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novakov, T.; Corrigan, C.E.

1995-07-01

In this paper we present results on characterization of filter-collected redwood (Sequoia sempevirens)-needle and eucalyptus smoke particles by thermal, optical, and solvent extraction methods. Our results demonstrate that organic and black carbon concentrations determined by thermal and optical methods are not only method dependent, but also critically influenced by the overall chemical composition of the samples. These conclusions are supported by the following: (1) the organic fraction of biomass smoke particles analyzed includes a component, ranging in concentration from about 6-20% of total carbon or from 16-30% of organic carbon, that is relatively non-volatile and has a combustion temperature close to that of black carbon; (2) presence of K or Na in biomass smoke samples lowers the combustion temperatures of this organic component and of black carbon, making their combustion properties indistinguishable; (3) about 20% of total organic material is nonvolatile when heated to 550 degrees C in an inert atmosphere. Consequently, thermal methods that rely on a specific temperature to separate organic from black carbon may either underestimate or overestimate the black and organic carbon concentrations, depending on the amounts of Na and K and on the composition and concentration of organic material present in a sample. These analytical uncertainties and, under some conditions, absorption by organic material may contribute to the variability of empirically derived proportionality between light transmission through filter deposits and black carbon concentrations

Comparing carbon to carbon: Organic and inorganic carbon balances across nitrogen fertilization gradients in rainfed vs. irrigated Midwest US cropland

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, S. K.; McGill, B.

2017-12-01

The top meter of the earth's soil contains about twice the amount of carbon than the atmosphere. Agricultural management practices influence whether a cropland soil is a net carbon source or sink. These practices affect both organic and inorganic carbon cycling although the vast majority of studies examine the former. We will present results from several rarely-compared carbon fluxes: carbon dioxide emissions and sequestration from lime (calcium carbonate) weathering, dissolved gases emitted from groundwater-fed irrigation, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leaching to groundwater, and soil organic matter storage. These were compared in a corn-soybean-wheat rotation under no-till management across a nitrogen fertilizer gradient where half of the replicated blocks are irrigated with groundwater. DOC and liming fluxes are also estimated from a complementary study in neighboring plots comparing a gradient of management practices from conventional to biologically-based annuals and perennials. These studies were conducted at the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research site in Michigan where previous work estimated that carbon dioxide emissions from liming accounted for about one quarter of the total global warming impact (GWI) from no-till systems—our work refines that figure. We will present a first time look at the GWI of gases dissolved in groundwater that are emitted when the water equilibrates with the atmosphere. We will explore whether nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation increase soil organic carbon sequestration by producing greater crop biomass and residues or if they enhance microbial activity, increasing decomposition of organic matter. These results are critical for more accurately estimating how intensive agricultural practices affect the carbon balance of cropping systems.

High-pressure, ambient temperature hydrogen storage in metal-organic frameworks and porous carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Beckner, Matthew; Dailly, Anne

2014-03-01

We investigated hydrogen storage in micro-porous adsorbents at ambient temperature and pressures up to 320 bar. We measured three benchmark adsorbents: two metal-organic frameworks, Cu3(1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate)2 [Cu3(btc)2; HKUST-1] and Zn4O(1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate)2 [Zn4O(btb)2; MOF-177], and the activated carbon MSC-30. In this talk, we focus on adsorption enthalpy calculations using a single adsorption isotherm. We use the differential form of the Claussius-Clapeyron equation applied to the Dubinin-Astakhov adsorption model to calculate adsorption enthalpies. Calculation of the adsorption enthalpy in this way gives a temperature independent enthalpy of 5-7 kJ/mol at the lowest coverage for the three materials investigated. Additionally, we discuss the assumptions and corrections that must be made when calculating adsorption isotherms at high-pressure and adsorption enthalpies.

Export of fine particulate organic carbon from redwood-dominated catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Madej, Mary Ann

2015-01-01

Recently, researchers have recognized the significant role of small mountainous river systems in the transport of carbon from terrestrial environments to the ocean, and the scale of such studies have ranged from channel bed units to continents. In temperate zones, these mountain river systems commonly drain catchments that are largely forested. However, the magnitude of carbon export from rivers draining old-growth redwood forests has not been evaluated to date. Old-growth redwood stands support some of the largest quantities of biomass in the world, up to 350 000 Mg of stem biomass km-2 and soil organic carbon can reach 46 800 Mg km-2. In north coastal California, suspended sediment samples were collected at three gaging stations for two to four years on streams draining old-growth redwood forests. Carbon content, determined through loss-on-ignition tests, was strongly correlated with turbidity, and continuous turbidity records from the gaging stations were used to estimate annual carbon exports of 1 · 6 to 4 · 2 Mg km-2 yr-1. These values, representing 13 to 33% of the suspended sediment load, are some of the highest percentages reported in the global literature. The fraction of organic carbon as part of the suspended sediment load decreased with discharge, but reached an asymptote of 5 to 10% at flows 10 to 20 times the mean annual flows. Although larger rivers in this region exhibit high sediment yields (up to 3600 Mg km-2 yr-1), mainly attributed to high rates of uplift, mass movement, and timber harvest, the small pristine streams in this study have sediment yields of only 8 to 100 Mg km-2 yr-1. Because the current extent of old-growth redwood stands is less than 5% of its pre-European-settlement distribution, the present organic carbon signature in suspended sediment loads in this region is likely different from that in the early 20th century. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public

Driving forces of organic carbon spatial distribution in the tropical seascape

Science.gov (United States)

Gillis, L. G.; Belshe, F. E.; Ziegler, A. D.; Bouma, T. J.

2017-02-01

An important ecosystem service of tropical coastal vegetation including seagrass beds and mangrove forests is their ability to accumulate carbon. Here we attempt to establish the driving forces for the accumulation of surface organic carbon in southern Thailand coastal systems. Across 12 sites we found that in line with expectations, seagrass beds (0.6 ± 0.09%) and mangrove forests (0.9 ± 0.3%) had higher organic carbon in the surface (top 5 cm) sediment than un-vegetated mudflats (0.4 ± 0.04%). Unexpectedly, however, mangrove forests in this region retained organic carbon, rather than outwell it, under normal tidal conditions. No relationship was found between organic carbon and substrate grain size. The most interesting finding of our study was that climax and pioneer seagrass species retained more carbon than mixed-species meadows, suggesting that plant morphology and meadow characteristics can be important factors in organic carbon accumulation. Insights such as these are important in developing carbon management strategies involving coastal ecosystems such as offsetting of carbon emissions. The ability of tropical coastal vegetation to sequester carbon is an important aspect for valuing the ecosystems. Our results provide some initial insight into the factors affecting carbon sequestration in these ecosystems, but also highlight the need for further research on a global scale.

Analytical strategy for the determination of various arsenic species in landfill leachate containing high concentrations of chlorine and organic carbon by HPLC-ICPMS

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, J.; An, J.; Kim, J.; Jung, H.; Kim, K.; Yoon, C.; Yoon, H.

2012-12-01

As a variety of wastes containing arsenic are disposed of in landfills, such facilities can play a prominent role in disseminating arsenic sources to the environment. Since it is widely recognized that arsenic toxicity is highly dependent on its species, accurate determination of various arsenic species should be considered as one of the essential goals to properly account for the potential health risk of arsenic in human and the environment. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry linked to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-ICPMS) is acknowledged as one of the most important tools for the trace analysis of metallic speciation because of its superior separation capability and detectability. However, the complexity of matrices can cause severe interferences in the analysis results, which is the problem often encountered with HPLC-ICPMS system. High concentration of organic carbon in a sample solution causes carbon build-up on the skimmer and sampling cone, which reduces analytical sensitivity and requires a high maintenance level for its cleaning. In addition, argon from the plasma and chlorine from the sample matrix may combine to form 40Ar35Cl, which has the same nominal mass to charge (m/z) ratio as arsenic. In this respect, analytical strategy for the determination of various arsenic species (e.g., inorganic arsenite and arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, dimethyldithioarsinic acid, and arsenobetaine) in landfill leachate containing high concentrations of chlorine and organic carbon was developed in the present study. Solid phase extraction disk (i.e., C18 disk), which does not significantly adsorb any target arsenic species, was used to remove organic carbon in sample solutions. In addition, helium (He) gas was injected into the collision reaction cell equipped in ICPMS to collapse 40Ar35Cl into individual 40Ar and 35Cl. Although He gas also decreased arsenic intensity by blocking 75As, its signal to noise ratio

Application of calcium carbonate slows down organic amendments mineralization in reclaimed soils

Science.gov (United States)

Zornoza, Raúl; Faz, Ángel; Acosta, José A.; Martínez-Martínez, Silvia; Ángeles Muñoz, M.

2014-05-01

A field experiment was set up in Cartagena-La Unión Mining District, SE Spain, aimed at evaluating the short-term effects of pig slurry (PS) amendment alone and together with marble waste (MW) on organic matter mineralization, microbial activity and stabilization of heavy metals in two tailing ponds. These structures pose environmental risk owing to high metals contents, low organic matter and nutrients, and null vegetation. Carbon mineralization, exchangeable metals and microbiological properties were monitored during 67 days. The application of amendments led to a rapid decrease of exchangeable metals concentrations, except for Cu, with decreases up to 98%, 75% and 97% for Cd, Pb and Zn, respectively. The combined addition of MW+PS was the treatment with greater reduction in metals concentrations. The addition of PS caused a significant increase in respiration rates, although in MW+PS plots respiration was lower than in PS plots. The mineralised C from the pig slurry was low, approximately 25-30% and 4-12% for PS and MW+PS treatments, respectively. Soluble carbon (Csol), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase activities increased after the application of the organic amendment. However, after 3 days these parameters started a decreasing trend reaching similar values than control from approximately day 25 for Csol and MBC. The PS treatment promoted highest values in enzyme activities, which remained high upon time. Arylesterase activity increased in the MW+PS treatment. Thus, the remediation techniques used improved soil microbiological status and reduced metal availability. The combined application of PS+MW reduced the degradability of the organic compounds. Keywords: organic wastes, mine soils stabilization, carbon mineralization, microbial activity.

Assessing soil constituents and labile soil organic carbon by mid-infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peltre, Clément; Bruun, Sander; Du, Changwen

2014-01-01

) degradability. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of FTIR-PAS for the characterisation of the labile fraction of SOC and more classical soil parameters, such as carbon and clay content, for a range of 36 soils collected from various field experiments in Denmark. Partial least squares (PLS...... signal. This also means that it should be advantageous for soil analysis because of its highly opaque nature. However, only a limited number of studies have so far applied FTIR-PAS to soil characterization and investigation is still required into its potential to determine soil organic carbon (SOC......) regression was used to correlate the collected FTIR-PAS spectra with the proportion of soil organic carbon mineralised after 238 days of incubation at 15°C and pF 2 (C238d) taken as an indicator of the labile fraction of SOC. Results showed that it is possible to predict total organic carbon content, total...

Mangrove litter production and organic carbon pools in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mngazana Estuary is an important source of mangrove litter and POC for the adjacent marine environment, possibly sustaining nearshore food webs. Keywords: Dissolved organic carbon, harvesting, litter production, mangroves, particulate organic carbon, Rhizophora mucronata, South Africa African Journal of Aquatic ...

Characterization of biochars and dissolved organic matter phases obtained upon hydrothermal carbonization of Elodea nuttallii.

Science.gov (United States)

Poerschmann, J; Weiner, B; Wedwitschka, H; Zehnsdorf, A; Koehler, R; Kopinke, F-D

2015-01-01

The invasive aquatic plant Elodea nuttallii was subjected to hydrothermal carbonization at 200 °C and 240 °C to produce biochar. About 58% w/w of the organic carbon of the pristine plant was translocated into the solid biochar irrespectively of the operating temperature. The process water rich in dissolved organic matter proved a good substrate for biogas production. The E. nuttallii plants showed a high capability of incorporating metals into the biomass. This large inorganic fraction which was mainly transferred into the biochar (except sodium and potassium) may hamper the prospective application of biochar as soil amendment. The high ash content in biochar (∼ 40% w/w) along with its relatively low content of organic carbon (∼ 36% w/w) is associated with low higher heating values. Fatty acids were completely hydrolyzed from lipids due to hydrothermal treatment. Low molecular-weight carboxylic acids (acetic and lactic acid), phenols and phenolic acids turned out major organic breakdown products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A linear solvation energy relationship model of organic chemical partitioning to dissolved organic carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Kipka, Undine; Di Toro, Dominic M

2011-09-01

Predicting the association of contaminants with both particulate and dissolved organic matter is critical in determining the fate and bioavailability of chemicals in environmental risk assessment. To date, the association of a contaminant to particulate organic matter is considered in many multimedia transport models, but the effect of dissolved organic matter is typically ignored due to a lack of either reliable models or experimental data. The partition coefficient to dissolved organic carbon (K(DOC)) may be used to estimate the fraction of a contaminant that is associated with dissolved organic matter. Models relating K(DOC) to the octanol-water partition coefficient (K(OW)) have not been successful for many types of dissolved organic carbon in the environment. Instead, linear solvation energy relationships are proposed to model the association of chemicals with dissolved organic matter. However, more chemically diverse K(DOC) data are needed to produce a more robust model. For humic acid dissolved organic carbon, the linear solvation energy relationship predicts log K(DOC) with a root mean square error of 0.43. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

[Effects of climate change on forest soil organic carbon storage: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiao-yu; Zhang, Cheng-yi; Guo, Guang-fen

2010-07-01

Forest soil organic carbon is an important component of global carbon cycle, and the changes of its accumulation and decomposition directly affect terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage and global carbon balance. Climate change would affect the photosynthesis of forest vegetation and the decomposition and transformation of forest soil organic carbon, and further, affect the storage and dynamics of organic carbon in forest soils. Temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and other climatic factors all have important influences on the forest soil organic carbon storage. Understanding the effects of climate change on this storage is helpful to the scientific management of forest carbon sink, and to the feasible options for climate change mitigation. This paper summarized the research progress about the distribution of organic carbon storage in forest soils, and the effects of elevated temperature, precipitation change, and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration on this storage, with the further research subjects discussed.

Relationships between organic matter, black carbon and persistent organic pollutants in European background soils: Implications for sources and environmental fate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Jae Jak [Centre for Chemicals Management and Environmental Science Department, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom); National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, RDA, 249 Sedun, Suwon 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Gustafsson, Orjan [Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Kurt-Karakus, Perihan [Centre for Chemicals Management and Environmental Science Department, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom); Breivik, Knut [Norwegian Institute for Air Research, P.O. Box 100, NO-2027 Kjeller (Norway); University of Oslo, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 1033, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway); Steinnes, Eiliv [Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Jones, Kevin C. [Centre for Chemicals Management and Environmental Science Department, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom)], E-mail: k.c.jones@lancaster.ac.uk

2008-12-15

Black carbon (BC) and total organic carbon (TOC) contents of UK and Norwegian background soils were determined and their relationships with persistent organic pollutants (HCB, PAHs, PCBs, co-planar PCBs, PBDEs and PCDD/Fs) investigated by correlation and regression analyses, to assess their roles in influencing compound partitioning/retention in soils. The 52 soils used were high in TOC (range 54-460 mg/g (mean 256)), while BC only constituted 0.24-1.8% (0.88%) of the TOC. TOC was strongly correlated (p < 0.001) with HCB, PCBs, co-PCBs and PBDEs, but less so with PCDD/Fs (p < 0.05) and PAHs. TOC explained variability in soil content, as follows: HCB, 80%; PCBs, 44%; co-PCBs, 40%; PBDEs, 27%. BC also gave statistically significant correlations with PBDEs (p < 0.001), co-PCBs (p < 0.01) and PCBs, HCB, PCDD/F (p < 0.05); TOC and BC were correlated with each other (p < 0.01). Inferences are made about possible combustion-derived sources, atmospheric transport and air-surface exchange processes for these compounds. - Total organic carbon and black carbon fractions can play an important role in the storage and cycling of persistent organic pollutants in background soils.

Relationships between organic matter, black carbon and persistent organic pollutants in European background soils: Implications for sources and environmental fate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Jae Jak; Gustafsson, Orjan; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan; Breivik, Knut; Steinnes, Eiliv; Jones, Kevin C.

2008-01-01

Black carbon (BC) and total organic carbon (TOC) contents of UK and Norwegian background soils were determined and their relationships with persistent organic pollutants (HCB, PAHs, PCBs, co-planar PCBs, PBDEs and PCDD/Fs) investigated by correlation and regression analyses, to assess their roles in influencing compound partitioning/retention in soils. The 52 soils used were high in TOC (range 54-460 mg/g (mean 256)), while BC only constituted 0.24-1.8% (0.88%) of the TOC. TOC was strongly correlated (p < 0.001) with HCB, PCBs, co-PCBs and PBDEs, but less so with PCDD/Fs (p < 0.05) and PAHs. TOC explained variability in soil content, as follows: HCB, 80%; PCBs, 44%; co-PCBs, 40%; PBDEs, 27%. BC also gave statistically significant correlations with PBDEs (p < 0.001), co-PCBs (p < 0.01) and PCBs, HCB, PCDD/F (p < 0.05); TOC and BC were correlated with each other (p < 0.01). Inferences are made about possible combustion-derived sources, atmospheric transport and air-surface exchange processes for these compounds. - Total organic carbon and black carbon fractions can play an important role in the storage and cycling of persistent organic pollutants in background soils

Radiocarbon in marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clercq, M. le; Plicht, J. van der; Meijer, H.A.J.; Baar, H.J.W. de

Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) plays an important role in the ecology and carbon cycle in the ocean. Analytical problems with concentration and isotope ratio measurements have hindered its study. We have constructed a new analytical method based on supercritical oxidation for the determination of

Deposition and Burial Efficiency of Terrestrial Organic Carbon Exported from Small Mountainous Rivers to the Continental Margin, Southwest of Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, F.; Lin, S.; Wang, C.; Huh, C.

2007-12-01

Terrestrial organic carbon exported from small mountainous river to the continental margin may play an important role in global carbon cycle and it?|s biogeochemical process. A huge amount of suspended materials from small rivers in southwestern Taiwan (104 million tons per year) could serve as major carbon source to the adjacent ocean. However, little is know concerning fate of this terrigenous organic carbon. The purpose of this study is to calculate flux of terrigenous organic carbon deposited in the continental margin, offshore southwestern Taiwan through investigating spatial variation of organic carbon content, organic carbon isotopic compositions, organic carbon deposition rate and burial efficiency. Results show that organic carbon compositions in sediment are strongly influenced by terrestrial material exported from small rivers in the region, Kaoping River, Tseng-wen River and Er-jan Rver. In addition, a major part of the terrestrial materials exported from the Kaoping River may bypass shelf region and transport directly into the deep sea (South China Sea) through the Kaoping Canyon. Organic carbon isotopic compositions with lighter carbon isotopic values are found near the Kaoping River and Tseng-wen River mouth and rapidly change from heavier to lighter values through shelf to slope. Patches of lighter organic carbon isotopic compositions with high organic carbon content are also found in areas west of Kaoping River mouth, near the Kaoshiung city. Furthermore, terrigenous organic carbons with lighter isotopic values are found in the Kaoping canyon. A total of 0.028 Mt/yr of terrestrial organic carbon was found in the study area, which represented only about 10 percent of all terrestrial organic carbon deposited in the study area. Majority (~90 percent) of the organic carbon exported from the Kaoping River maybe directly transported into the deep sea (South China Sea) and become a major source of organic carbon in the deep sea.

DEVELOP NEW TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON/SPECIFIC UV ...

Science.gov (United States)

The purpose of this project is to provide a total organic carbon (TOC)/specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) method that will be used by the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) to support monitoring requirements of the Stage 2 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-products (D/DBP) Rule. The Stage 2 Rule requires that enhanced water treatment be used if the source water is high in aquatic organic matter prior to the application of a disinfectant. Disinfectants (chlorine, ozone, etc.) are used in the production of drinking water in order to reduce the risk of microbial disease. These disinfectants react with the organic material that is naturally present in the source water to form disinfection by-products (DBPs). Exposure to some of these by-products may pose a long term health risk. The number and nature of DBPs make it impossible to fully characterize all of the by-products formed during the treatment of drinking water and it is more cost effective to reduce formation of DBPs than to remove them from the water after they are formed. Two measurements (TOC and SUVA) are believed to be predictive of the amount of by-products that can be formed during the disinfection of drinking water and are considered to be surrogates for DBP precursors. SUVA is calculated as the ultraviolet absorption at 254nm (UV254) in cm-1 divided by the mg/L dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (measured after filtration of the water through a 0.45um pore-diameter filte

Testing the ``Wildfire Hypothesis:'' Terrestrial Organic Carbon Burning as the Cause of the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary Carbon Isotope Excursion

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, E. A.; Kurtz, A. C.

2005-12-01

The 3‰ negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary has generally been attributed to dissociation of seafloor methane hydrates. We are testing the alternative hypothesis that the carbon cycle perturbation resulted from wildfires affecting the extensive peatlands and coal swamps formed in the Paleocene. Accounting for the CIE with terrestrial organic carbon rather than methane requires a significantly larger net release of fossil carbon to the ocean-atmosphere, which may be more consistent with the extreme global warming and ocean acidification characteristic of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). While other researchers have noted evidence of fires at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in individual locations, the research presented here is designed to test the "wildfire hypothesis" for the Paleocene-Eocene boundary by examining marine sediments for evidence of a global increase in wildfire activity. Such fires would produce massive amounts of soot, widely distributed by wind and well preserved in marine sediments as refractory black carbon. We expect that global wildfires occurring at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary would produce a peak in black carbon abundance at the PETM horizon. We are using the method of Gelinas et al. (2001) to produce high-resolution concentration profiles of black carbon across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary using seafloor sediments from ODP cores, beginning with the Bass River core from ODP leg 174AX and site 1209 from ODP leg 198. This method involves the chemical and thermal extraction of non-refractory carbon followed by combustion of the residual black carbon and measurement as CO2. Measurement of the δ 13C of the black carbon will put additional constraints on the source of the organic material combusted, and will allow us to determine if this organic material was formed prior to or during the CIE.

Hydrocarbon prospects of the western continental slope of India as indicatEd. by surficial enrichment of organic carbon

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paropkari, A.L.; Mascarenhas, A.; PrakashBabu, C.

The sediments from the continental mid-slope (150-1500 m depth) of the western margin are highly enriched in organic carbon (upto 16%) occurring as a long and wide band off Bombay to southern tip of India. Organic carbon is essentially of marine...

Compound-specific C- and H-isotope compositions of enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks: Implications for source identification of sedimentary organic matter and paleoenvironmental reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Yongqiang; Wang Yanmei; Wang Yongquan; Xu Shiping

2007-01-01

The Bohai Bay Basin is one of the most important oil-producing provinces in China. Molecular organic geochemical characteristics of Lower Paleozoic source rocks in this area have been investigated by analyzing chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts and acid-released organic matter from the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Jiyang Sub-basin of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks has not been recognizably altered by post-depositional processes. Two end-member compositions are suggested for early organic matter trapped in the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks: (1) a source dominated by aquatic organisms and deposited in a relatively deep marine environment and (2) a relatively high saline, evaporative marine depositional environment. In contrast, chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts from these Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks are relatively complicated, not only inheriting original characteristics of their precursors, but also overprinted by various post-depositional alterations, such as thermal maturation, biodegradation and mixing. Therefore, the integration of both organic matter characteristics can provide more useful information on the origin of organic matter present in carbonate rocks and the environments of their deposition

Compound-specific C- and H-isotope compositions of enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks: Implications for source identification of sedimentary organic matter and paleoenvironmental reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiong Yongqiang [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)], E-mail: xiongyq@gig.ac.cn; Wang Yanmei; Wang Yongquan; Xu Shiping [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2007-11-15

The Bohai Bay Basin is one of the most important oil-producing provinces in China. Molecular organic geochemical characteristics of Lower Paleozoic source rocks in this area have been investigated by analyzing chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts and acid-released organic matter from the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Jiyang Sub-basin of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks has not been recognizably altered by post-depositional processes. Two end-member compositions are suggested for early organic matter trapped in the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks: (1) a source dominated by aquatic organisms and deposited in a relatively deep marine environment and (2) a relatively high saline, evaporative marine depositional environment. In contrast, chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts from these Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks are relatively complicated, not only inheriting original characteristics of their precursors, but also overprinted by various post-depositional alterations, such as thermal maturation, biodegradation and mixing. Therefore, the integration of both organic matter characteristics can provide more useful information on the origin of organic matter present in carbonate rocks and the environments of their deposition.

Relationships between colored dissolved organic matter and dissolved organic carbon in different coastal gradients of the Baltic Sea

OpenAIRE

Harvey, E. Therese; Kratzer, Susanne; Andersson, Agneta

2015-01-01

Due to high terrestrial runoff, the Baltic Sea is rich in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the light-absorbing fraction of which is referred to as colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Inputs of DOC and CDOM are predicted to increase with climate change, affecting coastal ecosystems. We found that the relationships between DOC, CDOM, salinity, and Secchi depth all differed between the two coastal areas studied; the W Gulf of Bothnia with high terrestrial input and the NW Baltic Proper with ...

Method for obtaining more precise measures of excreted organic carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

A new method for concentrating and measuring excreted organic carbon by lyophilization and scintillation counting is efficient, improves measurable radioactivity, and increases precision for estimates of organic carbon excreted by phytoplankton and macrophytes

Aged dissolved organic carbon exported from rivers of the Tibetan Plateau.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Bin; Sillanpää, Mika; Li, Chaoliu; Kang, Shichang; Stubbins, Aron; Yan, Fangping; Aho, Kelly Sue; Zhou, Feng; Raymond, Peter A

2017-01-01

The role played by river networks in regional and global carbon cycle is receiving increasing attention. Despite the potential of radiocarbon measurements (14C) to elucidate sources and cycling of different riverine carbon pools, there remain large regions such as the climate-sensitive Tibetan Plateau for which no data are available. Here we provide new 14C data on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from three large Asian rivers (the Yellow, Yangtze and Yarlung Tsangpo Rivers) running on the Tibetan Plateau and present the carbon transportation pattern in rivers of the plateau versus other river system in the world. Despite higher discharge rates during the high flow season, the DOC yield of Tibetan Plateau rivers (0.41 gC m-2 yr-1) was lower than most other rivers due to lower concentrations. Radiocarbon ages of the DOC were older/more depleted (511±294 years before present, yr BP) in the Tibetan rivers than those in Arctic and tropical rivers. A positive correlation between radiocarbon age and permafrost watershed coverage was observed, indicating that 14C-deplted/old carbon is exported from permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau during periods of high flow. This is in sharp contrast to permafrost regions of the Arctic which export 14C-enriched carbon during high discharge periods.

Redox-controlled carbon and phosphorus burial: A mechanism for enhanced organic carbon sequestration during the PETM

Science.gov (United States)

Komar, Nemanja; Zeebe, Richard E.

2017-12-01

Geological records reveal a major perturbation in carbon cycling during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ∼56 Ma), marked by global warming of more than 5 °C and a prominent negative carbon isotope excursion of at least 2.5‰ within the marine realm. The entire event lasted about 200,000 yr and was associated with a massive release of light carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system over several thousands of years. Here we focus on the terminal stage of the PETM, during which the ocean-atmosphere system rapidly recovered from the carbon cycle perturbation. We employ a carbon-cycle box model to examine the feedbacks between surface ocean biological production, carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, and carbonate chemistry during massive CO2 release events, such as the PETM. The model results indicate that the redox-controlled carbon-phosphorus feedback is capable of producing enhanced organic carbon sequestration during large carbon emission events. The locale of carbon oxidation (ocean vs. atmosphere) does not affect the amount of carbon sequestered. However, even though the model produces trends consistent with oxygen, excess accumulation rates of organic carbon (∼1700 Pg C during the recovery stage), export production and δ13 C data, it fails to reproduce the magnitude of change of sediment carbonate content and the CCD over-deepening during the recovery stage. The CCD and sediment carbonate content overshoot during the recovery stage is muted by a predicted increase in CaCO3 rain. Nonetheless, there are indications that the CaCO3 export remained relatively constant during the PETM. If this was indeed true, then an initial pulse of 3,000 Pg C followed by an additional, slow leak of 2,500 Pg C could have triggered an accelerated nutrient supply to the surface ocean instigating enhanced organic carbon export, consequently increasing organic carbon sequestration, resulting in an accelerated restoration of ocean-atmosphere biogeochemistry during the termination

Examining organic carbon transport by the Orinoco River using SeaWiFS imagery

Science.gov (United States)

López, Ramón; Del Castillo, Carlos E.; Miller, Richard L.; Salisbury, Joseph; Wisser, Dominik

2012-09-01

The Orinoco River is the fourth largest in the world in terms of water discharge and organic carbon export to the ocean. River export of organic carbon is a key component of the carbon cycle and the global carbon budget. Here, we examined the seasonal transport of organic carbon by the Orinoco River into the eastern Caribbean using the conservative relationship of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in low salinity coastal waters influenced by river plumes. In situ measurements of CDOM absorption, DOC, and salinity were used to develop an empirical model for DOC concentration at the Orinoco River Plume. Satellite remote sensing reflectances were used with empirical models to determine DOC and Particulate organic carbon (POC) river transport. Our estimates of CDOM and DOC significantly correlated with in situ measurements and were within the expected ranges for the river. Total organic carbon transport by the Orinoco River during the period of 1998 to 2010 was 7.10 ×1012 g C y-1, from 5.29 × 1012 g C y-1 of DOC and 1.81 × 1012 g C y-1 of POC, representing ˜6% increase to previous published estimates. The variability in organic carbon transport responded to the seasonality in river flow more than to changes in organic carbon concentration in the river. Our results corroborate that is possible to estimate organic carbon transport using ocean color data at global scales. This is needed to reduce the uncertainties of land-ocean carbon fluxes.

Hydrogen storage studies on palladium-doped carbon materials (AC, CB, CNMs) @ metal-organic framework-5.

Science.gov (United States)

Viditha, V; Srilatha, K; Himabindu, V

2016-05-01

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a rapidly growing class of porous materials and are considered as best adsorbents for their high surface area and extraordinary porosity. The MOFs are synthesized by using various chemicals like triethylamine, terepthalic acid, zinc acetate dihydrate, chloroform, and dimethylformamide (DMF). Synthesized MOFs are intercalated with palladium/activated carbon, carbon black, and carbon nanomaterials by chemical reduction method for the purpose of enhancing the hydrogen adsorption capacities. We have observed that the palladium doped activated carbon on MOF-5 showed high hydrogen storage capacity. This may be due to the affinity of the palladium toward hydrogen molecule. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. We have observed a clear decrease in the BET surface area and pore volume. The obtained results show a better performance for the synthesized sample. To our best knowledge, no one has reported the work on palladium-doped carbon materials (activated carbon, carbon black, carbon nanomaterials) impregnated to the metal-organic framework-5. We have attempted to synthesize carbon nanomaterials using indigenously fabricated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) unit as a support. We have observed an increase in the hydrogen storage capacities.

Influence of Beaver-Induced Complexity on Storage of Organic Carbon and Sediment in Colorado Mountain Streams

Science.gov (United States)

Laurel, D.; Wohl, E.

2016-12-01

Beaver meadows (complexes of multiple different aged beaver dams and ponds) influence the storage of water, sediment, and nutrients. Although beaver meadows compose only a small fraction of catchment area, they provide a potentially large role in retaining these fluxes in mountain watersheds. Multiple dams and ponds in beaver meadows increase overbank flows leading to an anastomosing stream channel planform, and deposition of fine sediment along with particulate organic carbon. An earlier study estimated a range of cumulative carbon stored in 27 beaver meadows east of the continental divide in Rocky Mountain National Park. Storage ranged from 735,800 to 2.8 x 106 Mg carbon, with the high value estimating storage if all the meadows had active beaver (historic conditions pre-European settlement) and the lower value estimating current conditions where many of the meadows are abandoned. We combined geomorphic surveys, soil depth probing by rebar, and soil cores analyzed for carbon content to investigate the influence of beaver activity, meadow size, and meadow placement within the drainage on catchment-scale fluxes of fine sediment and organic carbon. We found carbon storage in floodplain soils to be highly variable across both active and abandoned meadows; however, active beaver meadows store more carbon on average than abandoned meadows. In addition, active meadows with high levels of beaver activity (multiple colonies) stored greater volumes of fine sediment behind dams and in ponds. These results have implications for the restoration potential of abandoned beaver meadows in mountain environments to store greater volumes of sediment and more organic carbon if beaver are successfully reintroduced.

Metal-electrode-free Window-like Organic Solar Cells with p-Doped Carbon Nanotube Thin-film Electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Il; Delacou, Clement; Kaskela, Antti; Kauppinen, Esko I.; Maruyama, Shigeo; Matsuo, Yutaka

2016-08-01

Organic solar cells are flexible and inexpensive, and expected to have a wide range of applications. Many transparent organic solar cells have been reported and their success hinges on full transparency and high power conversion efficiency. Recently, carbon nanotubes and graphene, which meet these criteria, have been used in transparent conductive electrodes. However, their use in top electrodes has been limited by mechanical difficulties in fabrication and doping. Here, expensive metal top electrodes were replaced with high-performance, easy-to-transfer, aerosol-synthesized carbon nanotubes to produce transparent organic solar cells. The carbon nanotubes were p-doped by two new methods: HNO3 doping via ‘sandwich transfer’, and MoOx thermal doping via ‘bridge transfer’. Although both of the doping methods improved the performance of the carbon nanotubes and the photovoltaic performance of devices, sandwich transfer, which gave a 4.1% power conversion efficiency, was slightly more effective than bridge transfer, which produced a power conversion efficiency of 3.4%. Applying a thinner carbon nanotube film with 90% transparency decreased the efficiency to 3.7%, which was still high. Overall, the transparent solar cells had an efficiency of around 50% that of non-transparent metal-based solar cells (7.8%).

Controls on organic carbon distribution in sediments from the eastern Arabian Sea margin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Thamban, M.; Rao, V.P.; Raju, S.V.

Sediment cores from the upper continental slope of the eastern Arabian Sea have high organic carbon (OC), CaCO sub(3), and sand content at the top. The values decrease with increasing depth in the Holocene and Upper Pleistocene. Topographic highs...

Distribution of organic carbon in sediments from the Arabian Sea

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paropkari, A.L.; Mascarenhas, A.; PrakashBabu, C.

Many earlier studies on the distribution of organic carbon in the Arabian Sea, sediments have projected contradictory opinions on the factors favouring accumulation and preservation of organic carbon in the Arabian Sea. An attempt is made...

Retardation of volatile organic compounds in ground water in low organic carbon sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, F.

1995-04-01

It is postulated that adsorption onto aquifer matrix surfaces is only one of the processes that retard contaminants in ground water in unconsolidated sediments; others include hydrodynamic dispersion, abiotic/biotic degradation, matrix diffusion, partitioning to organic carbon, diffusion into and retention in dead-end pores, etc. This work aims at these processes in defining the K d of VOCs in sediments with low organic carbon content. Experiments performed include an initial column experiment for VOC (TCE and perchloroethylene(PCE)) retardation tests on geological materials, PCE and TCE data from LLNL sediments, and a preliminary multilayer sampler experiment. The VOC K d s in low organic carbon permeable aquifer materials are dependent on the VOC composition and independent of aquifer grain size, indicating that sorption was not operative and that the primary retarding factors are diffusion controlled. The program of future experiments is described

Soil organic carbon assessments in cropping systems using isotopic techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Martín De Dios Herrero, Juan; Cruz Colazo, Juan; Guzman, María Laura; Saenz, Claudio; Sager, Ricardo; Sakadevan, Karuppan

2016-04-01

Introduction of improved farming practices are important to address the challenges of agricultural production, food security, climate change and resource use efficiency. The integration of livestock with crops provides many benefits including: (1) resource conservation, (2) ecosystem services, (3) soil quality improvements, and (4) risk reduction through diversification of enterprises. Integrated crop livestock systems (ICLS) with the combination of no-tillage and pastures are useful practices to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) compared with continuous cropping systems (CCS). In this study, the SOC and its fractions in two cropping systems namely (1) ICLS, and (2) CCS were evaluated in Southern Santa Fe Province in Argentina, and the use of delta carbon-13 technique and soil physical fractionation were evaluated to identify sources of SOC in these systems. Two farms inside the same soil cartographic unit and landscape position in the region were compared. The ICLS farm produces lucerne (Medicago sativa Merrill) and oat (Avena sativa L.) grazed by cattle alternatively with grain summer crops sequence of soybean (Glicine max L.) and corn (Zea mays L.), and the farm under continuous cropping system (CCS) produces soybean and corn in a continuous sequence. The soil in the area is predominantly a Typic Hapludoll. Soil samples from 0-5 and 0-20 cm depths (n=4) after the harvest of grain crops were collected in each system and analyzed for total organic carbon (SOC, 0-2000 μm), particulate organic carbon (POC, 50-100 μm) and mineral organic carbon (MOC, is probably due to the presence of deep roots under pastures in ICLS. Delta carbon-13 values for 0-5 cm were -22.9, -21.2 and -19.9 per mil for REF, ICLS and CCS, respectively (Pis explained by the presence of tree species with high lignin content in natural vegetation. Lignin has lower delta carbon-13 compared to cellulose (dominating in crops and pastures), which is present in greater proportion in plant residues of

Adsorption uptake of synthetic organic chemicals by carbon nanotubes and activated carbons

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, A. J.; Lim, Hyung-nam; Kilduff, James E.

2012-07-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great promise as high performance materials for adsorbing priority pollutants from water and wastewater. This study compared uptake of two contaminants of interest in drinking water treatment (atrazine and trichloroethylene) by nine different types of carbonaceous adsorbents: three different types of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), three different sized multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), two granular activated carbons (GACs) and a powdered activated carbon (PAC). On a mass basis, the activated carbons exhibited the highest uptake, followed by SWNTs and MWNTs. However, metallic impurities in SWNTs and multiple walls in MWNTs contribute to adsorbent mass but do not contribute commensurate adsorption sites. Therefore, when uptake was normalized by purity (carbon content) and surface area (instead of mass), the isotherms collapsed and much of the CNT data was comparable to the activated carbons, indicating that these two characteristics drive much of the observed differences between activated carbons and CNT materials. For the limited data set here, the Raman D:G ratio as a measure of disordered non-nanotube graphitic components was not a good predictor of adsorption from solution. Uptake of atrazine by MWNTs having a range of lengths and diameters was comparable and their Freundlich isotherms were statistically similar, and we found no impact of solution pH on the adsorption of either atrazine or trichloroethylene in the range of naturally occurring surface water (pH = 5.7-8.3). Experiments were performed using a suite of model aromatic compounds having a range of π-electron energy to investigate the role of π-π electron donor-acceptor interactions on organic compound uptake by SWNTs. For the compounds studied, hydrophobic interactions were the dominant mechanism in the uptake by both SWNTs and activated carbon. However, comparing the uptake of naphthalene and phenanthrene by activated carbon and SWNTs, size exclusion effects

Adsorption uptake of synthetic organic chemicals by carbon nanotubes and activated carbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, A J; Kilduff, James E; Lim, Hyung-nam

2012-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great promise as high performance materials for adsorbing priority pollutants from water and wastewater. This study compared uptake of two contaminants of interest in drinking water treatment (atrazine and trichloroethylene) by nine different types of carbonaceous adsorbents: three different types of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), three different sized multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), two granular activated carbons (GACs) and a powdered activated carbon (PAC). On a mass basis, the activated carbons exhibited the highest uptake, followed by SWNTs and MWNTs. However, metallic impurities in SWNTs and multiple walls in MWNTs contribute to adsorbent mass but do not contribute commensurate adsorption sites. Therefore, when uptake was normalized by purity (carbon content) and surface area (instead of mass), the isotherms collapsed and much of the CNT data was comparable to the activated carbons, indicating that these two characteristics drive much of the observed differences between activated carbons and CNT materials. For the limited data set here, the Raman D:G ratio as a measure of disordered non-nanotube graphitic components was not a good predictor of adsorption from solution. Uptake of atrazine by MWNTs having a range of lengths and diameters was comparable and their Freundlich isotherms were statistically similar, and we found no impact of solution pH on the adsorption of either atrazine or trichloroethylene in the range of naturally occurring surface water (pH = 5.7–8.3). Experiments were performed using a suite of model aromatic compounds having a range of π-electron energy to investigate the role of π–π electron donor–acceptor interactions on organic compound uptake by SWNTs. For the compounds studied, hydrophobic interactions were the dominant mechanism in the uptake by both SWNTs and activated carbon. However, comparing the uptake of naphthalene and phenanthrene by activated carbon and SWNTs, size exclusion

Hierarchical porous carbons prepared by an easy one-step carbonization and activation of phenol-formaldehyde resins with high performance for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Zhoujun [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Graduate School, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China); Gao, Qiuming [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Graduate School, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China); School of Chemistry and Environment, Beihang University, 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191 (China)

2011-02-01

Hierarchical porous carbons are prepared by an easy one-step process of carbonization and activation derived from phenol-formaldehyde resins, in which potassium hydroxide acts as both the catalyst of polymerization and the activation reagent. The simple one-step preparation saves the cost of carbons and leads to high yield. The porous carbons have high surface areas with abundant pore structures. The plenty of micropores and small mesopores increase the capacitance and make the electrolyte ions diffuse fast into the pores. These hierarchical porous carbons show high performance for supercapacitors possessing of the optimized capacitance of 234 F g{sup -1} in aqueous electrolyte and 137 F g{sup -1} in organic electrolyte with high capacitive retention. (author)

Metal–organic framework-based catalysts: Chemical fixation of CO2 with epoxides leading to cyclic organic carbonates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hassan eBeyzavi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As a C1 feedstock, CO2 has the potential to be uniquely highly economical in both a chemical and a financial sense. In particular, the highly atom-economical acid-catalyzed cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides to yield cyclic organic carbonates (OCs, a functionality having many important industrial applications, is an attractive reaction for the utilization of CO2 as a chemical feedstock. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs are promising candidates in catalysis as they are a class of crystalline, porous and functional materials with remarkable properties including great surface area, high stability, open channels and permanent porosity. MOFs structure tunability and their affinity for CO2, makes them great catalysts for the formation of OCs using CO2 and epoxides. In this review, we examine MOF-based catalytic materials for the cycloaddition of carbon dioxide to epoxides. Catalysts are grouped based on the location of catalytic sites, i.e., at the struts, nodes, defect sites, or some combination thereof. Additionally, important features of each catalyst system are critically discussed.

Analysis of Seasonal Soil Organic Carbon Content at Bukit Jeriau Forest, Fraser Hill, Pahang

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Adnan Mohamed; Ahmad Adnan Mohamed; Sahibin Abd Rahim; David Allan Aitman; Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin; Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin

2016-01-01

Soil carbon is the carbon held within the soil, primarily in association with its organic content. The total soil organic carbon study was determined in a plot at Bukit Jeriau forest in Bukit Fraser, Pahang, Malaysia. The aim of this study is to determine the changing of soil organic carbon between wet season and dry season. Soil organic carbon was fined out using titrimetric determination. The soil organic carbon content in wet season is 223.24 t/ ha while dry season is 217.90 t/ ha. The soil pH range in wet season is between 4.32 to 4.45 and in dry season in 3.95 to 4.08 which is considered acidic. Correlation analysis showed that soil organic carbon value is influenced by pH value and climate. Correlation analysis between clay and soil organic carbon with depth showed positively significant differences and clay are very much influenced soil organic carbon content. Correlation analysis between electrical conductivity and soil organic carbon content showed negative significantly difference on wet season and positively significant different in dry season. (author)

Highly porous carbon with large electrochemical ion absorption capability for high-performance supercapacitors and ion capacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shijie; Wang, Rutao; Zhang, Yabin; Zhang, Li

2017-11-03

Carbon-based supercapacitors have attracted extensive attention as the complement to batteries, owing to their durable lifespan and superiority in high-power-demand fields. However, their widespread use is limited by the low energy storage density; thus, a high-surface-area porous carbon is urgently needed. Herein, a highly porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area up to 3643 m 2 g -1 has been synthesized by chemical activation of papayas for the first time. This sp 2 -bonded porous carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form narrow mesopores of 2 ∼ 5 nm in width, which can be systematically tailored with varied activation levels. Two-electrode symmetric supercapacitors constructed by this porous carbon achieve energy density of 8.1 Wh kg -1 in aqueous electrolyte and 65.5 Wh kg -1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte. Furthermore, half-cells (versus Li or Na metal) using this porous carbon as ion sorption cathodes yield high specific capacity, e.g., 51.0 and 39.3 mAh g -1 in Li + and Na + based organic electrolyte. These results underline the possibility of obtaining the porous carbon for high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors and ion capacitors in a readily scalable and economical way.

Highly porous carbon with large electrochemical ion absorption capability for high-performance supercapacitors and ion capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shijie; Wang, Rutao; Zhang, Yabin; Zhang, Li

2017-11-01

Carbon-based supercapacitors have attracted extensive attention as the complement to batteries, owing to their durable lifespan and superiority in high-power-demand fields. However, their widespread use is limited by the low energy storage density; thus, a high-surface-area porous carbon is urgently needed. Herein, a highly porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area up to 3643 m2 g-1 has been synthesized by chemical activation of papayas for the first time. This sp2-bonded porous carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form narrow mesopores of 2 ˜ 5 nm in width, which can be systematically tailored with varied activation levels. Two-electrode symmetric supercapacitors constructed by this porous carbon achieve energy density of 8.1 Wh kg-1 in aqueous electrolyte and 65.5 Wh kg-1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte. Furthermore, half-cells (versus Li or Na metal) using this porous carbon as ion sorption cathodes yield high specific capacity, e.g., 51.0 and 39.3 mAh g-1 in Li+ and Na+ based organic electrolyte. These results underline the possibility of obtaining the porous carbon for high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors and ion capacitors in a readily scalable and economical way.

Highly stretchable carbon aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fan; Jiang, Yanqiu; Xu, Zhen; Xiao, Youhua; Fang, Bo; Liu, Yingjun; Gao, Weiwei; Zhao, Pei; Wang, Hongtao; Gao, Chao

2018-02-28

Carbon aerogels demonstrate wide applications for their ultralow density, rich porosity, and multifunctionalities. Their compressive elasticity has been achieved by different carbons. However, reversibly high stretchability of neat carbon aerogels is still a great challenge owing to their extremely dilute brittle interconnections and poorly ductile cells. Here we report highly stretchable neat carbon aerogels with a retractable 200% elongation through hierarchical synergistic assembly. The hierarchical buckled structures and synergistic reinforcement between graphene and carbon nanotubes enable a temperature-invariable, recoverable stretching elasticity with small energy dissipation (~0.1, 100% strain) and high fatigue resistance more than 10 6 cycles. The ultralight carbon aerogels with both stretchability and compressibility were designed as strain sensors for logic identification of sophisticated shape conversions. Our methodology paves the way to highly stretchable carbon and neat inorganic materials with extensive applications in aerospace, smart robots, and wearable devices.

Phytoplankton Do Not Produce Carbon-Rich Organic Matter in High CO2 Oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ja-Myung; Lee, Kitack; Suh, Young-Sang; Han, In-Seong

2018-05-01

The ocean is a substantial sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) released as a result of human activities. Over the coming decades the dissolved inorganic C concentration in the surface ocean is predicted to increase, which is expected to have a direct influence on the efficiency of C utilization (consumption and production) by phytoplankton during photosynthesis. Here we evaluated the generality of C-rich organic matter production by examining the elemental C:N ratio of organic matter produced under conditions of varying pCO2. The data used in this analysis were obtained from a series of pelagic in situ pCO2 perturbation studies that were performed in the diverse ocean regions and involved natural phytoplankton assemblages. The C:N ratio of the resulting particulate and dissolved organic matter did not differ across the range of pCO2 conditions tested. In particular, the ratio for particulate organic C and N was found to be 6.58 ± 0.05, close to the theoretical value of 6.6.

Relationship of subseafloor microbial diversity to sediment age and organic carbon content

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, E. A.; Kirkpatrick, J. B.; Sogin, M. L.; D'Hondt, S. L.

2013-12-01

Our tag pyrosequencing investigation of four globally distant sites reveals sediment age and total organic carbon content to be significant components in understanding subseafloor diversity. Our sampling locations include two sites from high-productivity regions (Indian Ocean and Bering Sea) and two from moderate-productivity (eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean). Sediment from the high-productivity sites has much higher TOC than sediment from the moderate-productivity equatorial sites. We applied a high-resolution 16S V4-V6 tag pyrosequencing approach to 24 bacterial and 17 archaeal samples, totaling 602,502 reads. We identified1,291 archaeal and 15,910 bacterial OTUs (97%) from these reads. We analyzed bacterial samples from all four sites in addition to archaeal samples from our high productivity sites. These high productivity, high TOC sites have a pronounced methane-rich sulfate-free zone at depth from which archaea have been previously considered to dominate (Biddle et al., 2006). At all four locations, microbial diversity is highest near the seafloor and drops rapidly to low but stable values with increasing sediment depth. The depth at which diversity stabilizes varies greatly from site to site, but the age at which it stabilizes is relatively constant. At all four sites, diversity reaches low stable values a few hundred thousand years after sediment deposition. The sites with high total organic carbon (high productivity sites) generally exhibit higher diversity at each sediment age than the sites with lower total organic carbon (moderate-productivity sites). Archaeal diversity is lower than bacterial diversity at every sampled depth. Biddle, J.F., Lipp, J.S., Lever, M.A., Lloyd, K.G., Sørensen, K.B., Anderson, R. et al. (2006) Heterotrophic Archaea dominate sedimentary subsurface ecosystems off Peru. PNAS 103: 3846-3851.

Carbon transfer from dissolved organic carbon to the cladoceran Bosmina: a mesocosm study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tang Yali

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A mesocosm study illuminated possible transfer pathways for dissolved organic carbon from the water column to zooplankton. Organic carbon was added as 13C enriched glucose to 15 mesocosms filled with natural lake water. Stable isotope analysis and phospholipid fatty acids-based stable isotope probing were used to trace the incorporation of 13C into the cladoceran Bosmina and its potential food items. Glucose-C was shown to be assimilated into phytoplankton (including fungi and heterotrophic protists, bacteria and Bosmina, all of which became enriched with 13C during the experiment. The study suggests that bacteria play an important role in the transfer of glucose-C to Bosmina. Furthermore, osmotic algae, fungi and heterotrophic protists might also contribute to the isotopic signature changes observed in Bosmina. These findings help to clarify the contribution of dissolved organic carbon to zooplankton and its potential pathways.

Global patterns of organic carbon export and sequestration in the ocean (Arne Richter Award for Outstanding Young Scientists)

Science.gov (United States)

Henson, S.; Sanders, R.; Madsen, E.; Le Moigne, F.; Quartly, G.

2012-04-01

A major term in the global carbon cycle is the ocean's biological carbon pump which is dominated by sinking of small organic particles from the surface ocean to its interior. Here we examine global patterns in particle export efficiency (PEeff), the proportion of primary production that is exported from the surface ocean, and transfer efficiency (Teff), the fraction of exported organic matter that reaches the deep ocean. This is achieved through extrapolating from in situ estimates of particulate organic carbon export to the global scale using satellite-derived data. Global scale estimates derived from satellite data show, in keeping with earlier studies, that PEeff is high at high latitudes and low at low latitudes, but that Teff is low at high latitudes and high at low latitudes. However, in contrast to the relationship observed for deep biomineral fluxes in previous studies, we find that Teff is strongly negatively correlated with opal export flux from the upper ocean, but uncorrelated with calcium carbonate export flux. We hypothesise that the underlying factor governing the spatial patterns observed in Teff is ecosystem function, specifically the degree of recycling occurring in the upper ocean, rather than the availability of calcium carbonate for ballasting. Finally, our estimate of global integrated carbon export is only 50% of previous estimates. The lack of consensus amongst different methodologies on the strength of the biological carbon pump emphasises that our knowledge of a major planetary carbon flux remains incomplete.

Synthesis of Metal-Oxide/Carbon-Fiber Heterostructures and Their Properties for Organic Dye Removal and High-Temperature CO2 Adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Liangzhi; Nie, Shibin; Shao, Xiankun; Zhang, LinLin; Li, Benxia

2018-03-01

One-dimensional metal-oxide/carbon-fiber (MO/CF) heterostructures were prepared by a facile two-step method using the natural cotton as a carbon source the low-cost commercial metal salts as precursors. The metal oxide nanostructures were first grown on the cotton fibers by a solution chemical deposition, and the metal-oxide/cotton heterostructures were then calcined and carbonized in nitrogen atmosphere. Three typical MO/CF heterostructures of TiO2/CF, ZnO/CF, and Fe2O3/CF were prepared and characterized. The loading amount of the metal oxide nanostructures on carbon fibers can be tuned by controlling the concentration of metal salt in the chemical deposition process. Finally, the performance of the as-obtained MO/CF heterostructures for organic dye removal from water was tested by the photocatalytic degradation under a simulated sunlight, and their properties of high-temperature CO2 adsorption were predicted by the temperature programmed desorption. The present study would provide a desirable strategy for the synthesis of MO/CF heterostructures for various applications.

Evidence for the assimilation of ancient glacier organic carbon in a proglacial stream food web

Science.gov (United States)

Fellman, Jason; Hood, Eran; Raymond, Peter A.; Hudson, J.H.; Bozeman, Maura; Arimitsu, Mayumi L.

2015-01-01

We used natural abundance δ13C, δ15N, and Δ14C to compare trophic linkages between potential carbon sources (leaf litter, epilithic biofilm, and particulate organic matter) and consumers (aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish) in a nonglacial stream and two reaches of the heavily glaciated Herbert River. We tested the hypothesis that proglacial stream food webs are sustained by organic carbon released from glacial ecosystems. Carbon sources and consumers in the nonglacial stream had carbon isotope values that ranged from -30‰ to -25‰ for δ13C and from -14‰ to 53‰ for Δ14C reflecting a food web sustained mainly on contemporary primary production. In contrast, biofilm in the two glacial stream sites was highly Δ14C-depleted (-215‰ to 175‰) relative to the nonglacial stream consistent with the assimilation of ancient glacier organic carbon. IsoSource modeling showed that in upper Herbert River, macroinvertebrates (Δ14C = -171‰ to 22‰) and juvenile salmonids (Δ14C = −102‰ to 17‰) reflected a feeding history of both biofilm (~ 56%) and leaf litter (~ 40%). We estimate that in upper Herbert River on average 36% of the carbon incorporated into consumer biomass is derived from the glacier ecosystem. Thus, 14C-depleted glacial organic carbon was likely transferred to higher trophic levels through a feeding history of bacterial uptake of dissolved organic carbon and subsequent consumption of 14C-depleted biofilm by invertebrates and ultimately fish. Our findings show that the metazoan food web is sustained in part by glacial organic carbon such that future changes in glacial runoff could influence the stability and trophic structure of proglacial aquatic ecosystems.

Chromatographic behavior of small organic compounds in low-temperature high-performance liquid chromatography using liquid carbon dioxide as the mobile phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Motono, Tomohiro; Nagai, Takashi; Kitagawa, Shinya; Ohtani, Hajime

2015-07-01

Low-temperature high-performance liquid chromatography, in which a loop injector, column, and detection cell were refrigerated at -35ºC, using liquid carbon dioxide as the mobile phase was developed. Small organic compounds (polyaromatic hydrocarbons, alkylbenzenes, and quinones) were separated by low-temperature high-performance liquid chromatography at temperatures from -35 to -5ºC. The combination of liquid carbon dioxide mobile phase with an octadecyl-silica (C18 ) column provided reversed phase mode separation, and a bare silica-gel column resulted in normal phase mode separation. In both the cases, nonlinear behavior at approximately -15ºC was found in the relationship between the temperature and the retention factors of the analytes (van't Hoff plots). In contrast to general trends in high-performance liquid chromatography, the decrease in temperature enhanced the separation efficiency of both the columns. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Worldwide organic soil carbon and nitrogen data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zinke, P.J.; Stangenberger, A.G. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Forestry and Resource Management; Post, W.M.; Emanual, W.R.; Olson, J.S. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1986-09-01

The objective of the research presented in this package was to identify data that could be used to estimate the size of the soil organic carbon pool under relatively undisturbed soil conditions. A subset of the data can be used to estimate amounts of soil carbon storage at equilibrium with natural soil-forming factors. The magnitude of soil properties so defined is a resulting nonequilibrium values for carbon storage. Variation in these values is due to differences in local and geographic soil-forming factors. Therefore, information is included on location, soil nitrogen content, climate, and vegetation along with carbon density and variation.

Soil color indicates carbon and wetlands: developing a color-proxy for soil organic carbon and wetland boundaries on sandy coastal plains in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Pretorius, M L; Van Huyssteen, C W; Brown, L R

2017-10-13

A relationship between soil organic carbon and soil color is acknowledged-albeit not a direct one. Since heightened carbon contents can be an indicator of wetlands, a quantifiable relationship between color and carbon might assist in determining wetland boundaries by rapid, field-based appraisal. The overarching aim of this initial study was to determine the potential of top soil color to indicate soil organic carbon, and by extension wetland boundaries, on a sandy coastal plain in South Africa. Data were collected from four wetland types in northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 300 mm in three transects in each wetland type and analyzed for soil organic carbon. The matrix color was described using a Munsell soil color chart. Various color indices were correlated with soil organic carbon. The relationship between color and carbon were further elucidated using segmented quantile regression. This showed that potentially maximal carbon contents will occur at values of low color indices, and predictably minimal carbon contents will occur at values of low or high color indices. Threshold values can thus be used to make deductions such as "when the sum of dry and wet Value and Chroma values is 9 or more, carbon content will be 4.79% and less." These threshold values can then be used to differentiate between wetland and non-wetland sites with a 70 to 100% certainty. This study successfully developed a quantifiable correlation between color and carbon and showed that wetland boundaries can be determined based thereon.

High-resistivity unintentionally carbon-doped GaN layers with nitrogen as nucleation layer carrier gas grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fu Chen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this letter, high-resistivity unintentionally carbon-doped GaN layers with sheet resistivity greater than 106 Ω/□ have been grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD. We have observed that the growth of GaN nucleation layers (NLs under N2 ambient leads to a large full width at half maximum (FWHM of (102 X-ray diffraction (XRD line in the rocking curve about 1576 arc sec. Unintentional carbon incorporation can be observed in the secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS measurements. The results demonstrate the self-compensation mechanism is attributed to the increased density of edge-type threading dislocations and carbon impurities. The AlGaN/GaN HEMT grown on the high-resistivity GaN template has also been fabricated, exhibiting a maximum drain current of 478 mA/mm, a peak transconductance of 60.0 mS/mm, an ON/OFF ratio of 0.96×108 and a breakdown voltage of 621 V.

High-resistivity unintentionally carbon-doped GaN layers with nitrogen as nucleation layer carrier gas grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fu; Sun, Shichuang; Deng, Xuguang; Fu, Kai; Yu, Guohao; Song, Liang; Hao, Ronghui; Fan, Yaming; Cai, Yong; Zhang, Baoshun

2017-12-01

In this letter, high-resistivity unintentionally carbon-doped GaN layers with sheet resistivity greater than 106 Ω/□ have been grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). We have observed that the growth of GaN nucleation layers (NLs) under N2 ambient leads to a large full width at half maximum (FWHM) of (102) X-ray diffraction (XRD) line in the rocking curve about 1576 arc sec. Unintentional carbon incorporation can be observed in the secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements. The results demonstrate the self-compensation mechanism is attributed to the increased density of edge-type threading dislocations and carbon impurities. The AlGaN/GaN HEMT grown on the high-resistivity GaN template has also been fabricated, exhibiting a maximum drain current of 478 mA/mm, a peak transconductance of 60.0 mS/mm, an ON/OFF ratio of 0.96×108 and a breakdown voltage of 621 V.

Direct synthesis of highly porous interconnected carbon nanosheets and their application as high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Sevilla, Marta; Fuertes, Antonio B

2014-05-27

An easy, one-step procedure is proposed for the synthesis of highly porous carbon nanosheets with an excellent performance as supercapacitor electrodes. The procedure is based on the carbonization of an organic salt, i.e., potassium citrate, at a temperature in the 750-900 °C range. In this way, carbon particles made up of interconnected carbon nanosheets with a thickness of <80 nm are obtained. The porosity of the carbon nanosheets consists essentially of micropores distributed in two pore systems of 0.7-0.85 nm and 0.95-1.6 nm. Importantly, the micropore sizes of both systems can be enlarged by simply increasing the carbonization temperature. Furthermore, the carbon nanosheets possess BET surface areas in the ∼1400-2200 m(2) g(-1) range and electronic conductivities in the range of 1.7-7.4 S cm(-1) (measured at 7.1 MPa). These materials behave as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes in organic electrolyte and exhibit an excellent power handling ability and a superb robustness over long-term cycling. Excellent results were obtained with the supercapacitor fabricated from the material synthesized at 850 °C in terms of both gravimetric and volumetric energy and power densities. This device was able to deliver ∼13 Wh kg(-1) (5.2 Wh L(-1)) at an extremely high power density of 78 kW kg(-1) (31 kW L(-1)) and ∼30 Wh kg(-1) (12 Wh L(-1)) at a power density of 13 kW kg(-1) (5.2 kW L(-1)) (voltage range of 2.7 V).

Characterization of activated carbon produced from urban organic waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Gani Haji

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The difficulties to decompose organic waste can be handled naturally by pyrolisis so it can  decomposes quickly that produces charcoal as the product. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of activated carbon from urban organic waste. Charcoal results of pyrolysis of organic waste activated with KOH 1.0 M at a temperature of 700 and 800oC for 60 to 120 minutes. Characteristics of activated carbon were identified by Furrier Transform Infra Red (FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD. However, their quality is determined yield, moisture content, ash, fly substances, fixed carbon, and the power of adsorption of iodine and benzene. The identified functional groups on activated carbon, such as OH (3448,5-3436,9 cm-1, and C=O (1639,4 cm-1. In general, the degree and distance between the layers of active carbon crystallites produced activation in all treatments showed no significant difference. The pattern of activated carbon surface topography structure shows that the greater the pore formation in accordance with the temperature increase the more activation time needed. The yield of activated carbon obtained ranged from 72.04 to 82.75%. The results of characterization properties of activated carbon was obtained from 1.11 to 5.41% water, 13.68 to 17.27% substance fly, 20.36 to 26.59% ash, and 56.14 to 62.31% of fixed carbon . Absorption of activated carbon was good enough at 800oC and 120 minutes of activation time, that was equal to 409.52 mg/g of iodine and 14.03% of benzene. Activated carbon produced has less good quality, because only the water content and flying substances that meet the standards.Doi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.89-94 [How to cite this article: Haji, A.G., Pari, G., Nazar, M., and Habibati.  (2013. Characterization of activated carbon produced from urban organic waste . International Journal of Science and Engineering, 5(2,89-94. Doi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.89-94

Ultrasmall Tin Nanodots Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbon: Metal-Organic-Framework Derivation and Electrochemical Application as Highly Stable Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Ruoling; Sun, Weiwei; Wang, Yong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Sn-based metal-organic-framework (MOF) is prepared. • Ultrasmall tin nanodots (2–3 nm) are embedded in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon. • The Sn/C composite anode shows high capacity and ultralong cycle life. - Abstract: This work reports a facile metal-organic-framework based approach to synthesize Sn/C composite, in which ultrasmall Sn nanodots with typical size of 2–3 nm are uniformly embedded in the nitrogen-doped porous carbon matrix (denoted as Sn@NPC). The effect of thermal treatment and nitrogen doping are also explored. Owing to the delicate size control and confined volume change within carbon matrix, the Sn@NPC composite can exhibit reversible capacities of 575 mAh g −1 (Sn contribution: 1091 mAh g −1 ) after 500 cycles at 0.2 A g −1 and 507 mAh g −1 (Sn contribution: 1077 mAh g −1 ) after 1500 cycles at 1 A g −1 . The excellent long-life electrochemical stability of the Sn@NPC anode has been mainly attributed to the uniform distribution of ultrasmall Sn nanodots and the highly-conductive and flexible N-doped carbon matrix, which can effectively facilitate lithium ion/electron diffusion, buffer the large volume change and improve the structure stability of the electrode during repetitive cycling with lithium ions.

Polar and non-polar organic aerosols from large-scale agricultural-waste burning emissions in Northern India: Implications to organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajput, Prashant; Sarin, M M

2014-05-01

This study focuses on characteristics of organic aerosols (polar and non-polar) and total organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio (OM/OC) from post-harvest agricultural-waste (paddy- and wheat-residue) burning emissions in Northern India. Aerosol samples from an upwind location (Patiala: 30.2°N, 76.3°E) in the Indo-Gangetic Plain were analyzed for non-polar and polar fractions of organic carbon (OC1 and OC2) and their respective mass (OM1 and OM2). On average, polar organic aerosols (OM2) contribute nearly 85% of the total organic mass (OM) from the paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. The water-soluble-OC (WSOC) to OC2 ratio, within the analytical uncertainty, is close to 1 from both paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. However, temporal variability and relatively low WSOC/OC2 ratio (Av: 0.67±0.06) is attributed to high moisture content and poor combustion efficiency during paddy-residue burning, indicating significant contribution (∼30%) of aromatic carbon to OC2. The OM/OC ratio for non-polar (OM1/OC1∼1.2) and polar organic aerosols (OM2/OC2∼2.2), hitherto unknown for open agricultural-waste burning emissions, is documented in this study. The total OM/OC ratio is nearly identical, 1.9±0.2 and 1.8±0.2, from paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hybrid metal grid-polymer-carbon nanotube electrodes for high luminance organic light emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sam, F Laurent M; Dabera, G Dinesha M R; Lai, Khue T; Mills, Christopher A; Rozanski, Lynn J; Silva, S Ravi P

2014-01-01

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) incorporating grid transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) with wide grid line spacing suffer from an inability to transfer charge carriers across the gaps in the grids to promote light emission in these areas. High luminance OLEDs fabricated using a hybrid TCE composed of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS PH1000) or regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)-wrapped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (rrP3HT-SWCNT) in combination with a nanometre thin gold grid are reported here. OLEDs fabricated using the hybrid gold grid/PH1000 TCE have a luminance of 18 000 cd m −2 at 9 V; the same as the reference indium tin oxide (ITO) OLED. The gold grid/rrP3HT-SWCNT OLEDs have a lower luminance of 8260 cd m −2 at 9 V, which is likely due to a rougher rrP3HT-SWCNT surface. These results demonstrate that the hybrid gold grid/PH1000 TCE is a promising replacement for ITO in future plastic electronics applications including OLEDs and organic photovoltaics. For applications where surface roughness is not critical, e.g. electrochromic devices or discharge of static electricity, the gold grid/rrP3HT-SWCNT hybrid TCE can be employed. (paper)

Soil Organic Carbon assessment on two different forest management

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández Minguillón, Alex; Sauras Yera, Teresa; Vallejo Calzada, Ramón

2017-04-01

Soil Organic Carbon assessment on two different forest management. A.F. Minguillón1, T. Sauras1, V.R: Vallejo1. 1 Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Barcelona, Avenida Diagonal 643, 03080 Barcelona, Spain. Soils from arid and semiarid zones are characterized by a low organic matter content from scarce plant biomass and it has been proposed that these soils have a big capacity to carbon sequestration. According to IPCC ARS WG2 (2014) report and WG3 draft, increase carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems has been identified such a potential tool for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. In ecological restoration context improve carbon sequestration is considered a management option with multiple benefits (win-win-win). Our work aims to analyze how the recently developed restoration techniques contributed to increases in terrestial ecosystem carbon storage. Two restoration techniques carried out in the last years have been evaluated. The study was carried out in 6 localities in Valencian Community (E Spain) and organic horizons of two different restoration techniques were evaluated; slash brush and thinning Aleppo pine stands. For each technique, carbon stock and its physical and chemical stability has been analysed. Preliminary results point out restoration zones acts as carbon sink due to (1) the relevant necromass input produced by slash brush increases C stock on the topsoil ;(2) Thinning increase carbon accumulation in vegetation.

High-voltage vertical GaN Schottky diode enabled by low-carbon metal-organic chemical vapor deposition growth

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Y.; Chu, R.; Li, R.; Chen, M.; Chang, R.; Hughes, B.

2016-02-01

Vertical GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) structures were grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on free-standing GaN substrates. The carbon doping effect on SBD performance was studied by adjusting the growth conditions and spanning the carbon doping concentration between ≤3 × 1015 cm-3 and 3 × 1019 cm-3. Using the optimized growth conditions that resulted in the lowest carbon incorporation, a vertical GaN SBD with a 6-μm drift layer was fabricated. A low turn-on voltage of 0.77 V with a breakdown voltage over 800 V was obtained from the device.

Comparisons of Organic Carbon Analyzers and Related Importance to Water Quality Assessments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murage Ngatia

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This study tested whether analyzers using different methods were equally capable of measuring organic carbon in diverse environmental water samples from California’s Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and its watersheds. The study also evaluated whether the different instruments might provide differing organic carbon concentration measurements, which could in turn trigger (or not a regulatory requirement for enhanced coagulation at a water treatment plant. In Phase 1, samples were collected in eight monthly events at five stations associated with California’s State Water Project and analyzed using three high temperature combustion and three chemical oxidation instruments. Significant differences between instruments occurred in only 20% of the analyses. However, 80% of the observed differences were attributed to one combustion instrument that reported higher values compared to the other instruments. In Phase 2, four certified standards were analyzed with nine instruments. Results suggested that the main contributor of the observed differences was some instruments’ inability to remove inorganic carbon, an important step in the analytical process. There were no significant differences in the frequencies at which different instruments would have prescribed enhanced coagulation at a water treatment plant. We concluded that properly operating instruments using any of the standard methods were equally capable of analyzing the diverse concentration levels of organic carbon in the Delta.

Nacre-Templated Synthesis of Highly Dispersible Carbon Nanomeshes for Layered Membranes with High-Flux Filtration and Sensing Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Meng; Li, Mingjie; Shang, Ruoxu; Wu, Jingyu; Yan, Peisong; Xu, Dongmei; Li, Chaoxu

2018-01-24

Marine shells not only represent a rapidly accumulating type of fishery wastes but also offer a unique sort of hybrid nanomaterials produced greenly and massively in nature. The elaborate "brick and mortar" structures of nacre enabled the synthesis of carbon nanomeshes with <1 nm thickness, hierarchical porosity, and high specific surface area through pyrolysis, in which two-dimensional (2D) organic layers served as the carbonaceous precursor and aragonite platelets as the hard template. Mineral bridges within 2D organic layers templated the formation of mesh pores of 20-70 nm. In contrast to other hydrophobic carbon nanomaterials, these carbon nanomeshes showed super dispersibility in diverse solvents and thus processability for membranes through filtration, patterning, spray-coating, and ink-writing. The carbon membranes with layered structures were capable of serving not only for high-flux filtration and continuous flow absorption but also for electrochemical and strain sensing with high sensitivity. Thus, utilization of marine shells, on one hand, relieves the environmental concern of shellfish waste, on the other hand, offers a facile, green, low-cost, and massive approach to synthesize unique carbon nanomeshes alternative to graphene nanomeshes and applicable in environmental adsorption, filtration, wearable sensors, and flexible microelectronics.

Bioavailable dissolved and particulate organic carbon flux from coastal temperate rainforest watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Fellman, J.; Hood, E. W.; D'Amore, D. V.; Moll, A.

2017-12-01

Coastal temperate rainforest (CTR) watersheds of southeast Alaska have dense soil carbon stocks ( 300 Mg C ha-1) and high specific discharge (1.5-7 m yr-1) driven by frontal storms from the Gulf of Alaska. As a result, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes from Alaskan CTR watersheds are estimated to exceed 2 Tg yr-1; however, little is known about the export of particulate organic carbon (POC). The magnitude and bioavailability of this land-to-ocean flux of terrigenous organic matter ultimately determines how much metabolic energy is translocated to downstream and coastal marine ecosystems in this region. We sampled streamwater weekly from May through October from four watersheds of varying landcover (gradient of wetland to glacial coverage) to investigate changes in the concentration and flux of DOC and POC exported to the coastal ocean. We also used headspace analysis of CO2 following 14 day laboratory incubations to determine the flux of bioavailable DOC and POC exported from CTR watersheds. Across all sites, bioavailable DOC concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 1.9 mg L-1 but were on average 0.6 mg L-1. For POC, bioavailable concentrations ranged from below detection to 0.3 mg L-1 but were on average 0.1 mg L-1. The concentration, flux and bioavailability of DOC was higher than for POC highlighting the potential importance of DOC as a metabolic subsidy to downstream and coastal environments. Ratios of DOC to POC decreased during high flow events because the increase in POC concentrations with discharge exceeds that for DOC. Overall, our findings suggest that projected increases in precipitation and storm intensity will drive changes in the speciation, magnitude and bioavailability of the organic carbon flux from CTR watersheds.

Three-Dimensional Water and Carbon Cycle Modeling at High Spatial-Temporal Resolutions

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, C.; Zhuang, Q.

2017-12-01

Terrestrial ecosystems in cryosphere are very sensitive to the global climate change due to the presence of snow covers, mountain glaciers and permafrost, especially when the increase in near surface air temperature is almost twice as large as the global average. However, few studies have investigated the water and carbon cycle dynamics using process-based hydrological and biogeochemistry modeling approach. In this study, we used three-dimensional modeling approach at high spatial-temporal resolutions to investigate the water and carbon cycle dynamics for the Tanana Flats Basin in interior Alaska with emphases on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics. The results have shown that: (1) lateral flow plays an important role in water and carbon cycle, especially in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics. (2) approximately 2.0 × 104 kg C yr-1 DOC is exported to the hydrological networks and it compromises 1% and 0.01% of total annual gross primary production (GPP) and total organic carbon stored in soil, respectively. This study has established an operational and flexible framework to investigate and predict the water and carbon cycle dynamics under the changing climate.

Changes of Organic Carbon Quantity and Quality in Temperate Forest Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Kühnel, Anna; Satwika Lestari, Annisa; Schubert, Alfred; Wiesmeier, Martin; Spörlein, Peter; Schilling, Bernd; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid

2017-04-01

Climate change will have profound impacts on organic matter stocks and thus on the functionality of soils. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content in soil is mainly regulated by the fluxes of organic matter which are highly associated with the aboveground and root litter production and their decompositions into CO2 by soil microorganism. The predicted rising temperatures in Bavaria might lead to an increased decomposition and release of soil carbon into the atmosphere, which would deteriorate a number of important soil functions. Here, we present an assessment of SOC stocks in three temperate forest sites over the last 30 years. Soil to a depth of 30 cm was analysed with density fractionation to evaluate SOC stocks and distribution in different pools. Additionally, tree-aboveground organic carbon (OC) stocks were measured to assess their influence on SOC. SOC stocks decreased between 1988 and 2004 and increased between 2004 and 2016. OC changes of litter + O layer and mineral soil differed. Highest changes of SOC occurred in the light fractions, followed by the mineral fractions. Tree-aboveground biomass, stand composition, and changing climate had an influence on SOC stocks. Precipitation change was correlated with the litter + O layer OC stocks. Further studies on the changes of each SOC fraction and the influence of other edaphic factors are needed to better understand the changes in SOC stocks and quality.

Evaluating the effectiveness of mulch application to store carbon belowground: Short-term effects of mulch application on soluble soil and microbial C and N in agricultural soils with low and high organic matter

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Janet; Heiling, Maria; Resch, Christian; Gruber, Roman; Dercon, Gerd

2017-04-01

Agricultural soils have the potential to contain a large pool of carbon and, depending on the farming techniques applied, can either effectively store carbon belowground, or further release carbon, in the form of CO2, into the atmosphere. Farming techniques, such as mulch application, are frequently proposed to increase carbon content belowground and improve soil quality and can be used in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas levels, such as in the "4 per 1000" Initiative. To test the effectiveness of mulch application to store carbon belowground in the short term and improve soil nutrient quality, we maintained agricultural soils with low and high organic carbon content (disturbed top soil from local Cambisols and Chernozems) in greenhouse mesocosms (70 cm deep with a radius of 25 cm) with controlled moisture for 4 years. Over the 4 years, maize and soybean were grown yearly in rotation and mulch was removed or applied to soils once plant material was harvested at 2 ton/ha dry matter. In addition, soil disturbance was kept to a minimum, with only surface disturbance of a few centimeters to keep soil free from weeds. After 4 years, we measured effects of mulch application on soluble soil and microbial carbon and nitrogen in the mesocosms and compared effects of mulch application versus no mulch on soils from 0-5 cm and 5-15 cm with low and high organic matter. We predicted that mulch would increase soil carbon and nitrogen content and mulch application would have a greater effect on soils with low organic matter than soils with high organic matter. In soils with low organic carbon content and larger predicted potential to increase soil carbon, mulch application did not increase soluble soil or microbial carbon or nitrogen compared to the treatments without mulch application. However, mulch application significantly increased the δ13C of both microbial and soluble soil carbon in these soils by 1 ‰ each, indicating a shift in belowground processes, such as increased

Time-resolved analysis of particle emissions from residential biomass combustion - Emissions of refractory black carbon, PAHs and organic tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Ingeborg E.; Eriksson, Axel C.; Lindgren, Robert; Martinsson, Johan; Nyström, Robin; Nordin, Erik Z.; Sadiktsis, Ioannis; Boman, Christoffer; Nøjgaard, Jacob K.; Pagels, Joakim

2017-09-01

Time-resolved particle emissions from a conventional wood stove were investigated with aerosol mass spectrometry to provide links between combustion conditions, emission factors, mixing state of refractory black carbon and implications for organic tracer methods. The addition of a new batch of fuel results in low temperature pyrolysis as the fuel heats up, resulting in strong, short-lived, variable emission peaks of organic aerosol-containing markers of anhydrous sugars, such as levoglucosan (fragment at m/z 60). Flaming combustion results in emissions dominated by refractory black carbon co-emitted with minor fractions of organic aerosol and markers of anhydrous sugars. Full cycle emissions are an external mixture of larger organic aerosol-dominated and smaller thinly coated refractory black carbon particles. A very high burn rate results in increased full cycle mass emission factors of 66, 2.7, 2.8 and 1.3 for particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon, total organic aerosol and m/z 60, respectively, compared to nominal burn rate. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily associated with refractory black carbon-containing particles. We hypothesize that at very high burn rates, the central parts of the combustion zone become air starved, leading to a locally reduced combustion temperature that reduces the conversion rates from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to refractory black carbon. This facilitates a strong increase of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions. At nominal burn rates, full cycle emissions based on m/z 60 correlate well with organic aerosol, refractory black carbon and particulate matter. However, at higher burn rates, m/z 60 does not correlate with increased emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon and organic aerosol in the flaming phase. The new knowledge can be used to advance source apportionment studies, reduce emissions of genotoxic compounds and model the climate impacts of

Porous carbon derived via KOH activation of a hypercrosslinked porous organic polymer for efficient CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, H{sub 2} adsorptions and high CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} selectivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Modak, Arindam; Bhaumik, Asim, E-mail: msab@iacs.res.in

2015-12-15

Microporous carbon having Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and micropore volume of 0.85 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1} has been synthesized via KOH induced high temperature carbonization of a non-conjugated hypercrosslinked organic polymer. Owing to the templating and activation by KOH, we have succeeded in making a microporous carbon from this porous polymer and the resultant carbon material showed high uptake for CO{sub 2} (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}) and CH{sub 4} (2.4 mmol g{sup −1}) at 1 atm, 273 K together with very good selectivity for the CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} (30.2) separation. Furthermore, low pressure (1 atm) H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%, 77 K) and water uptake (57.4 wt%, 298 K) ability of this polymer derived porous activated carbon is noteworthy. - Graphical abstract: Microporous carbon with BET surface area of 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} has been synthesized via KOH activation of a porous organic polymer and it showed high uptake for CO{sub 2} (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}), CH{sub 4} (2.4 mmol g{sup −1}) and H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%) at 1 atm together with very good selectivity for CO{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Porous carbon from hypercrosslinked organic polymer. • KOH activated carbon with BET surface area 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. • High CO2 uptake (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}) and CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} selectivity (30.2). • Porous carbon also showed high H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%) and H{sub 2}O (57.4 wt%) uptakes.

A Raman Study of Carbonates and Organic Contents in Five CM Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Zolensky, M. E.; Bodnar, R. J.; Farley, C.; Cheung, J. C. H.

2016-01-01

Carbonates comprise the second most abundant class of carbon-bearing phases in carbonaceous chondrites after organic matter (approximately 2 wt.%), followed by other C-bearing phases such as diamond, silicon carbide, and graphite. Therefore, understanding the abundances of carbonates and the associated organic matter provide critical insight into the genesis of major carbonaceous components in chondritic materials. Carbonates in CM chondrites mostly occur as calcite (of varying composition) and dolomite. Properly performed, Raman spectroscopy provides a non-destructive technique for characterizing meteorite mineralogy and organic chemistry. It is sensitive to many carbonaceous phases, allows the differentiation of organic from inorganic materials, and the interpretation of their spatial distribution. Here, with the use of Raman spectroscopy, we determine the structure of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) in the matrix and carbonate phases in five CM chondrites: Jbilet Winselwan, Murchison, Nogoya, Santa Cruz, and Wisconsin Range (WIS) 91600, and interpret the relative timing of carbonate precipitation and the extent of the associated alteration events.

Dilution limits dissolved organic carbon utilization in the deep ocean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arrieta, J.M.; Mayol, E.; Hansman, R.L.; Herndl, G.J.; Dittmar, T.; Duarte, C.M.

2015-01-01

Oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is the second largest reservoir of organic carbon in the biosphere. About 72% of the global DOC inventory is stored in deep oceanic layers for years to centuries, supporting the current view that it consists of materials resistant to microbial degradation. An

Made-to-order metal-organic frameworks for trace carbon dioxide removal and air capture

KAUST Repository

Shekhah, Osama

2014-06-25

Direct air capture is regarded as a plausible alternate approach that, if economically practical, can mitigate the increasing carbon dioxide emissions associated with two of the main carbon polluting sources, namely stationary power plants and transportation. Here we show that metal-organic framework crystal chemistry permits the construction of an isostructural metal-organic framework (SIFSIX-3-Cu) based on pyrazine/copper(II) two-dimensional periodic 4 4 square grids pillared by silicon hexafluoride anions and thus allows further contraction of the pore system to 3.5 versus 3.84 for the parent zinc(II) derivative. This enhances the adsorption energetics and subsequently displays carbon dioxide uptake and selectivity at very low partial pressures relevant to air capture and trace carbon dioxide removal. The resultant SIFSIX-3-Cu exhibits uniformly distributed adsorption energetics and offers enhanced carbon dioxide physical adsorption properties, uptake and selectivity in highly diluted gas streams, a performance, to the best of our knowledge, unachievable with other classes of porous materials. 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Fossil organic carbon in wastewater and its fate in treatment plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Yingyu; Jacobsen, Geraldine E; Smith, Andrew M; Yuan, Zhiguo; Lant, Paul

2013-09-15

This study reports the presence of fossil organic carbon in wastewater and its fate in wastewater treatment plants. The findings pinpoint the inaccuracy of current greenhouse gas accounting guidelines which defines all organic carbon in wastewater to be of biogenic origin. Stable and radiocarbon isotopes ((13)C and (14)C) were measured throughout the process train in four municipal wastewater treatment plants equipped with secondary activated sludge treatment. Isotopic mass balance analyses indicate that 4-14% of influent total organic carbon (TOC) is of fossil origin with concentrations between 6 and 35 mg/L; 88-98% of this is removed from the wastewater. The TOC mass balance analysis suggests that 39-65% of the fossil organic carbon from the influent is incorporated into the activated sludge through adsorption or from cell assimilation while 29-50% is likely transformed to carbon dioxide (CO2) during secondary treatment. The fossil organic carbon fraction in the sludge undergoes further biodegradation during anaerobic digestion with a 12% decrease in mass. 1.4-6.3% of the influent TOC consists of both biogenic and fossil carbon is estimated to be emitted as fossil CO2 from activated sludge treatment alone. The results suggest that current greenhouse gas accounting guidelines, which assume that all CO2 emission from wastewater is biogenic may lead to underestimation of emissions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of natural dissolved organic carbon on the bioavailability of mercury to a freshwater alga

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorski, P.R.; Armstrong, D.E.; Hurley, J.P.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.

2008-01-01

Bioavailability of mercury (Hg) to Selenastrum capricornutum was assessed in bioassays containing field-collected freshwater of varying dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) was measured using stable isotopes of methylmercury (MeHg) and inorganic Hg(II). BCFs for MeHg in low-DOC lake water were significantly larger than those in mixtures of lake water and high-DOC river water. The BCF for MeHg in rainwater (lowest DOC) was the largest of any treatment. Rainwater and lake water also had larger BCFs for Hg(II) than river water. Moreover, in freshwater collected from several US and Canadian field sites, BCFs for Hg(II) and MeHg were low when DOC concentrations were >5 mg L -1 . These results suggest high concentrations of DOC inhibit bioavailability, while low concentrations may provide optimal conditions for algal uptake of Hg. However, variability of BCFs at low DOC indicates that DOC composition or other ligands may determine site-specific bioavailability of Hg. - Bioavailability of mercury to an alga was greatest at low concentrations of natural dissolved organic carbon and inhibited at high concentrations of natural dissolved organic carbon

Ancient low–molecular-weight organic acids in permafrost fuel rapid carbon dioxide production upon thaw

Science.gov (United States)

Drake, Travis W.; Wickland, Kimberly P.; Spencer, Robert G. M.; McKnight, Diane M.; Striegl, Robert G.

2015-01-01

Northern permafrost soils store a vast reservoir of carbon, nearly twice that of the present atmosphere. Current and projected climate warming threatens widespread thaw of these frozen, organic carbon (OC)-rich soils. Upon thaw, mobilized permafrost OC in dissolved and particulate forms can enter streams and rivers, which are important processors of OC and conduits for carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. Here, we demonstrate that ancient dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from 35,800 y B.P. permafrost soils is rapidly mineralized to CO2. During 200-h experiments in a novel high–temporal-resolution bioreactor, DOC concentration decreased by an average of 53%, fueling a more than sevenfold increase in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration. Eighty-seven percent of the DOC loss to microbial uptake was derived from the low–molecular-weight (LMW) organic acids acetate and butyrate. To our knowledge, our study is the first to directly quantify high CO2 production rates from permafrost-derived LMW DOC mineralization. The observed DOC loss rates are among the highest reported for permafrost carbon and demonstrate the potential importance of LMW DOC in driving the rapid metabolism of Pleistocene-age permafrost carbon upon thaw and the outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere by soils and nearby inland waters.

Extraction of semivolatile organic compounds from high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters by supercritical carbon dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, J.B.

1997-09-01

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using unmodified carbon dioxide has been explored as an alternative method for the extraction of semivolatile organic compounds from high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. HEPA filters provide the final stage of containment on many exhaust systems in US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities by preventing the escape of chemical and radioactive materials entrained in the exhausted air. The efficiency of the filters is tested by the manufacturer and DOE using dioctylphthalate (DOP), a substance regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Therefore, the filters must be analyzed for semivolatile organics before disposal. Ninety-eight acid, base, and neutral semivolatile organics were spiked onto blank HEPA material and extracted using SFE, Soxhlet, automated Soxhlet, and sonication techniques. The SFE conditions were optimized using a Dionex SFE-703 instrument. Average recoveries for the 98 semivolatile compounds are 82.7% for Soxhlet, 74.0% for sonication, 70.2% for SFE, and 62.9% for Soxtec. Supercritical fluid extraction reduces the extraction solvent volume to 10--15 mL, a factor of 20--30 less than Soxhlet and more than 5 times less than Soxtec and sonication. Extraction times of 30--45 min are used compared to 16--18 h for Soxhlet extraction

SOIL ORGANIC CARBON FRACTIONS AS INFLUENCED BY SOYBEAN CROPPING IN THE HUMID PAMPA OF ARGENTINA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta E. Conti

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The sustainability of continuous cropping systems depends heavily on the years of intensive agricultural production and the choice of crop sequence that alters the fractions of soil organic matter. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of continuous soybean cultivation on fractions of organic carbon in the vertic Argiudolls of the Argentinean Pampas. Total organic carbon (TOC, particulate organic carbon (POC , fulvic acids (FA, humic acids (HA, humin (H and carbon produced by microbial respiration (Cresp were assessed in plots with continuous production of soybean for over 15 years (SP and grassland plots that were considered the change control (GP. A significant reduction of TOC and POC variables in cultured soybean SP plots, relative to grassland GP, was observed. The POC / TOC and Cresp / TOC ratios were significantly lower in soybean plots than in grasslands used as controls. These ratios were interpreted as a preferential tendency to maintain high rates of mineralization of labile carbon forms and increased biological stability of humified forms in cultured soybean plots. The shapes of the humic fractions of less complexity, FA and HA, were significantly reduced in the latter plots compared with grasslands, while no significant changes occurred in the more stable and recalcitrant forms of carbon, such as humin, in either plot type.

High purity heavy water production: need for total organic carbon determination in process water streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayushi; Kumar, Sangita D.; Reddy, A.V.R.; Vithal, G.K.

2009-01-01

In recent times, demand for high purity heavy water (99.98% pure) in industries and laboratories has grown by manifold. Its application started in nuclear industry with the design of CANDU reactor, which uses natural uranium as fuel. In this reactor the purest grade of heavy water is used as the moderator and the primary coolant. Diverse industrial applications like fibre optics, medicine, semiconductors etc. use high purity heavy water extensively to achieve better performance of the specific material. In all these applications there is a stringent requirement that the total organic carbon content (TOC) of high purity heavy water should be very low. This is because the presence of TOC can lead to adverse interactions in different applications. To minimize the TOC content in the final product there is a need to monitor and control the TOC content at each and every stage of heavy water production. Hence a simple, rapid and accurate method was developed for the determination of TOC content in process water samples. The paper summarizes the results obtained for the TOC content in the water samples collected from process streams of heavy water production plant. (author)

Organic carbon input in shallow groundwater at Aspo, southeastern Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, B.

1993-01-01

The variation in carbon and oxygen isotopes in calcite fissure fillings and dissolved carbonate from shallow groundwaters has been examined at Aspo, southeastern Sweden. The shallow water lens is refilled by meteoric water and is considered as an open system. The σ 13 C-signatures of the dissolved carbonate fall within a narrow range of -15.8 to -17.4 per-thousand, indicative of organic an organic carbon source. The low σ 13 C-values suggest that input of soil-CO 2 is the dominating carbon source for the system. σ 13 C and σ 18 O-values in the calcite fissure fillings show a wide range in values with a possible two end-member mixing of early post glacial atmospheric CO 2 dominated system to a present day soil-CO 2 dominating carbon source

Organic-inorganic hybrid carbon dots for cell imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Huan; Zhang, Hongwen; Li, Jiayu; Tang, Yuying; Cao, Yu; Jiang, Yan

2018-04-01

In this paper, nitrogen-doped carbon dots (CDs) had been synthesized directly by one-step ultrasonic treatment under mild conditions. During the functionalization process, Octa-aminopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane hydrochloride salt (OA-POSS) was used as stabilizing and passivation agent, which lead to self-assembling of CDs in aqueous medium solution. OA-POSS was obtained via hydrolytic condensation of γ-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APTES). The average size of CDs prepared was approximately 3.3 nm with distribution between 2.5 nm and 4.5 nm. The prepared organic-inorganic hybrid carbon dots have several characteristics such as photoluminescence emission wavelength, efficient cellular uptake, and good biocompatibility. The results indicate that OA-POSS can maintain the fluorescence properties of the carbon dots effectively, and reduced cytotoxicity provides the possibility for biomedical applications. More than 89% of the Hela cells were viable when incubated with 2 mg ml‑1 or lesser organic-inorganic hybrid carbon dots. Thus, it provides a potential for multicolor imaging with HeLa cells.

Fluvial organic carbon flux from an eroding peatland catchment, southern Pennines, UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. R. Pawson

2008-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigates for the first time the relative importance of dissolved organic carbon (DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC in the fluvial carbon flux from an actively eroding peatland catchment in the southern Pennines, UK. Event scale variability in DOC and POC was examined and the annual flux of fluvial organic carbon was estimated for the catchment. At the event scale, both DOC and POC were found to increase with discharge, with event based POC export accounting for 95% of flux in only 8% of the time. On an annual cycle, exports of 35.14 t organic carbon (OC are estimated from the catchment, which represents an areal value of 92.47 g C m⁻² a⁻¹. POC was the most significant form of organic carbon export, accounting for 80% of the estimated flux. This suggests that more research is required on both the fate of POC and the rates of POC export in eroding peatland catchments.

Microbial control of soil organic matter mineralization responses to labile carbon in subarctic climate change treatments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rousk, Kathrin; Michelsen, Anders; Rousk, Johannes

2016-01-01

Half the global soil carbon (C) is held in high-latitude systems. Climate change will expose these to warming and a shift towards plant communities with more labile C input. Labile C can also increase the rate of loss of native soil organic matter (SOM); a phenomenon termed ‘priming’. We investig......Half the global soil carbon (C) is held in high-latitude systems. Climate change will expose these to warming and a shift towards plant communities with more labile C input. Labile C can also increase the rate of loss of native soil organic matter (SOM); a phenomenon termed ‘priming’. We...

Electrochemical behavior of high performance on-chip porous carbon films for micro-supercapacitors applications in organic electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Brousse, K.; Huang, P.; Pinaud, S.; Respaud, M.; Daffos, B.; Chaudret, B.; Lethien, C.; Taberna, P. L.; Simon, P.

2016-10-01

Carbide derived carbons (CDCs) are promising materials for preparing integrated micro-supercapacitors, as on-chip CDC films are prepared via a process fully compatible with current silicon-based device technology. These films show good adherence on the substrate and high capacitance thanks to their unique nanoporous structure which can be fine-tuned by adjusting the synthesis parameters during chlorination of the metallic carbide precursor. The carbon porosity is mostly related to the synthesis temperature whereas the thickness of the films depends on the chlorination duration. Increasing the pore size allows the adsorption of large solvated ions from organic electrolytes and leads to higher energy densities. Here, we investigated the electrochemical behavior and performance of on-chip TiC-CDC in ionic liquid solvent mixtures of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4) diluted in either acetonitrile or propylene carbonate via cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Thin CDC films exhibited typical capacitive signature and achieved 169 F cm-3 in both electrolytes; 65% of the capacitance was still delivered at 1 V s-1. While increasing the thickness of the films, EMI+ transport limitation was observed in more viscous PC-based electrolyte. Nevertheless, the energy density reached 90 μW h cm-2 in 2M EMIBF4/ACN, confirming the interest of these CDC films for micro-supercapacitors applications.

Isotopic fractionation between organic carbon and carbonate carbon in Precambrian banded ironstone series from Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schidlowski, M.; Eichmann, R.; Fiebiger, W.

1976-01-01

37 delta 13 Csub(org) and 9 delta 13 Csub(carb) values furnished by argillaceous and carbonate sediments from the Rio das Velhas and Minas Series (Minas Gerais, Brazil) have yielded means of -24.3 +- 3.9 promille [PDB] and -0.9 +- 1.4 promille [PDB], respectively. These results, obtained from a major sedimentary banded ironstone province with an age between 2 and 3 x 10 9 yr, support previous assumptions that isotopic fractionation between inorganic and organic carbon in Precambrian sediments is about the same as in Phanerozoic rocks. This is consistent with a theoretically expected constancy of the kinetic fractionation factor governing biological carbon fixation and, likewise, with a photosynthetic pedigree of the reduced carbon fraction of Precambrian rocks. (orig.) [de

High sensitivity of a carbon nanowall-based sensor for detection of organic vapours

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Slobodian, P.; Cvelbar, U.; Říha, Pavel; Olejník, R.; Matyáš, J.; Filipič, G.; Watanabe, H.; Tajima, S.; Kondo, H.; Sekine, M.; Hori, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 110, č. 5 (2015), s. 90515-90520 ISSN 2046-2069 Grant - others:Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy (MŠMT)(CZ) LO1504; Slovenian Research Agency(SI) L2-6769; Slovenian Research Agency(SI) Bi-JAP-2015-2017-3; JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Exploratory Research(JP) 25600123 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20600510 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : carbon nanowalls * sensing properties * volatile organic vapours Subject RIV: JB - Sensors, Measurment, Regulation Impact factor: 3.289, year: 2015

Organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents of some tea soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, M.S.; Zamir, M.R.; Sanauallah, A.F.M.

2005-01-01

Soil samples were collected from Rungicherra Tea-Estate of Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh. Organic carbon, organic matter, total nitrogen and available phosphorus content of the collected soil of different topographic positions have been determined. The experimental data have been analyzed statistically and plotted against topography and soil depth. Organic carbon and organic matter content varied from 0.79 to 1.24% and 1.37 to 2.14%. respectively. Total nitrogen and available phosphorus content of these soils varied respectively from 0.095 to 0.13% and 2.31 to 4.02 ppm. (author)

Accounting for Organic Carbon Change in Deep Soil Altered Carbon Sequestration Efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Li, J.; Liang, F.; Xu, M.; Huang, S.

2017-12-01

Study on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration under fertilization practices in croplands lacks information of soil C change at depth lower than plow layer (i.e. 20 30-cm). By synthesizing long-term datasets of fertilization experiments in four typical Chinese croplands representing black soil at Gongzhuling(GZL), aquatic Chao soil at Zhengzhou(ZZ), red soil at Qiyang(QY) and purple soil at Chongqing(CQ) city, we calculated changes in SOC storage relative to initial condition (ΔSOC) in 0-20cm and 0-60cm, organic C inputs (OC) from the stubble, roots and manure amendment, and C sequestration efficiency (CSE: the ratio of ΔSOC over OC) in 0-20cm and 0-60cm. The fertilization treatments include cropping with no fertilization (CK), chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK) and combined chemical fertilizers and manure (NPKM). Results showed SOC storage generally decreased with soil depth (i.e. 0-20 > 20-40, 40-60 cm) and increased with fertilizations (i.e. initial fertilizations, soil at depth (>20cm) can act as important soil carbon sinks in intrinsically high fertility soils (i.e. black soil) but less likely at poor fertility soil (i.e. aquatic Chao soil). It thus informs the need to account for C change in deep soils for estimating soil C sequestration capacity particularly with indigenously fertile cropland soils.

Soil organic matter dynamics and the global carbon cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, W.M.; Emanuel, W.R.; King, A.W.

1992-01-01

The large size and potentially long residence time of the soil organic matter pool make it an important component of the global carbon cycle. Net terrestrial primary production of about 60 Pg C·yr -1 is, over a several-year period of time, balanced by an equivalent flux of litter production and subsequent decomposition of detritus and soil organic matter. We will review many of the major factors that influence soil organic matter dynamics that need to be explicitly considered in development of global estimates of carbon turnover in the world's soils. We will also discuss current decomposition models that are general enough to be used to develop a representation of global soil organic matter dynamics

[Characteristics of organic carbon forms in the sediment of Wuliangsuhai and Daihai Lakes].

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Hai-Fang; He, Jiang; Lü, Chang-Wei; Liang, Ying; Liu, Hua-Lin; Wang, Feng-Jiao

2011-03-01

The characteristics and differences of organic carbon forms in the sediments of the Wuliangsuhai and the Daihai Lakes with different eutrophication types were discussed in the present study. The results showed that the range of total organic carbon content (TOC) in Wuliangsuhai Lake was 4.50-22.83 g x kg(-1) with the average of 11.80 g x kg(-1). The range of heavy-fraction organic carbon content was 3.38-21.67 g x kg(-1) with the average of 10.76 g x kg(-1). The range of light-fraction organic carbon content was 0.46-1.80 g x kg(-1) with the average of 1.04 g x kg(-1); The range of ROC content was 0.62-3.64 g x kg(-1) with the average of 2.11 g x kg(-1), while the range of total organic carbon content in Daihai lake was 6.84-23.46 g x kg(-1) with the average of 14.94 g x kg(-1). The range of heavy-fraction organic carbon content was 5.27-22.23 g x kg(-1) with the average of 13.89 g x kg(-1). The range of light-fraction organic carbon content was 0.76-1.57 g x kg(-1). The range of ROC content was 1.54-7.08 g x kg(-1) with the average of 3.62 g x kg(-1). The results indicated that the heavy-fraction organic carbon was the major component of the organic carbon and plays an important role in the accumulation of organic carbon in the sediments of two Lakes. The content of light-fraction organic carbon was similar in the sediments of two lakes, whereas, the contents of total organic carbon and heavy-fraction organic carbon in the sediment of Wuliangsuhai Lake were less than those in the sediment of Daihai Lake, and the value of LFOC/TOC in the Wuliangsuhai Lake was larger than that in the Daihai Lake. The humin was the dominant component of the sediment humus, followed by fulvic acid in the two lakes. The values of HM/HS in the sediments of Wuliangsuhai lake range from 43.06% to 77.25% with the average of 62.15% and values of HM/HS in the sediments of Dahai lake range from 49.23% to 73.85% with the average of 65.30%. The tightly combined humus was the dominant form in

Organic chemistry of Murchison meteorite: Carbon isotopic fractionation

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, G. U.; Blair, N. E.; Desmarais, D. J.; Cronin, J. R.; Chang, S.

1986-01-01

The carbon isotopic composition of individual organic compounds of meteoritic origin remains unknown, as most reported carbon isotopic ratios are for bulk carbon or solvent extractable fractions. The researchers managed to determine the carbon isotopic ratios for individual hydrocarbons and monocarboxylic acids isolated from a Murchison sample by a freeze-thaw-ultrasonication technique. The abundances of monocarboxylic acids and saturated hydrocarbons decreased with increasing carbon number and the acids are more abundant than the hydrocarbon with the same carbon number. For both classes of compounds, the C-13 to C-12 ratios decreased with increasing carbon number in a roughly parallel manner, and each carboxylic acid exhibits a higher isotopic number than the hydrocarbon containing the same number of carbon atoms. These trends are consistent with a kinetically controlled synthesis of higher homologues for lower ones.

Comparison of carbon onions and carbon blacks as conductive additives for carbon supercapacitors in organic electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Jäckel, N.; Weingarth, D.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Grobelsek, I.; Presser, V.

2014-12-01

This study investigates carbon onions (∼400 m2 g-1) as a conductive additive for supercapacitor electrodes of activated carbon and compares their performance with carbon black with high or low internal surface area. We provide a study of the electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior between 2.5 and 20 mass% addition of each of these three additives to activated carbon. Structural characterization shows that the density of the resulting film electrodes depends on the degree of agglomeration and the amount of additive. Addition of low surface area carbon black (∼80 m2 g-1) enhances the power handling of carbon electrodes but significantly lowers the specific capacitance even when adding small amounts of carbon black. A much lower decrease in specific capacitance is observed for carbon onions and the best values are seen for carbon black with a high surface area (∼1390 m2 g-1). The overall performance benefits from the addition of any of the studied additives only at either high scan rates and/or electrolytes with high ion mobility. Normalization to the volume shows a severe decrease in volumetric capacitance and only at high current densities nearing 10 A g-1 we can see an improvement of the electrode capacitance.

The Rise of Oxygen in the Earth's Atmosphere Controlled by the Efficient Subduction of Organic Carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, M. S.; Dasgupta, R.

2017-12-01

Carbon cycling between the Earth's surface environment, i.e., the ocean-atmosphere system, and the Earth's interior is critical for differentiation, redox evolution, and long-term habitability of the planet. This carbon cycle is influenced heavily by the extent of carbon subduction. While the fate of carbonates during subduction has been discussed in numerous studies [e.g., 1], little is known how organic carbon is quantitatively transferred from the Earth's surface to the interior. Efficient subduction of organic carbon would remove reduced carbon from the surface environment over the long-term (≥100s Myrs) while release at subduction zone arc volcanoes would result in degassing of CO2. Here we conducted high pressure-temperature experiments to determine the carbon carrying capacity of slab derived, rhyolitic melts under graphite-saturated conditions over a range of P (1.5-3.0 GPa) and T (1100-1400 °C) at a fixed melt H2O content (2 wt.%) [2]. Based on our experimental data, we developed a thermodynamic model of CO2 dissolution in C-saturated slab melts, that allows us to quantify the extent of organic carbon mobility as a function of slab P, T, and fO2 during subduction through time. Our experimental data and thermodynamic model suggest that the subduction of graphitized organic C, and graphite/diamond formed by reduction of carbonates with depth [e.g., 3], remained efficient even in ancient, hotter subduction zones - conditions at which subduction of carbonates likely remained limited [1]. Considering the efficiency the subduction of organic C and potential conditions for ancient subduction, we suggest that the lack of remobilization in subduction zones and deep sequestration of organic C in the mantle facilitated the rise and maintenance atmospheric oxygen in the Paleoproterozoic and is causally linked to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Our modeling shows that episodic subduction and organic C sequestration pre-GOE may also explain occasional whiffs of

Elucidating Adsorptive Fractions of Natural Organic Matter on Carbon Nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ateia, Mohamed; Apul, Onur G; Shimizu, Yuta; Muflihah, Astri; Yoshimura, Chihiro; Karanfil, Tanju

2017-06-20

Natural organic matter (NOM) is a heterogeneous mixture of organic compounds that is omnipresent in natural waters. To date, the understanding of the adsorption of NOM components by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is limited because of the limited number of comprehensive studies in the literature examining the adsorption of NOM by CNTs. In this study, 11 standard NOM samples from various sources were characterized, and their adsorption behaviors on four different CNTs were examined side-by-side using total organic carbon, fluorescence, UV-visible spectroscopy, and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) analysis. Adsorption was influenced by the chemical properties of the NOM, including aromaticity, degree of oxidation, and carboxylic acidity. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis showed preferential adsorption of decomposed and terrestrial-derived NOM compared to freshly produced and microbial-derived NOM. HPSEC analysis revealed preferential adsorption of fractions in the molecular weight range of 0.5-2 kDa for humic acids but in the molecular weight range of 1-3 kDa for all fulvic acids and reverse-osmosis isolates. However, the smallest characterized fraction (MW < 0.4 kDa) in all samples did not adsorb on the CNTs.

Micropore clogging by leachable pyrogenic organic carbon: A new perspective on sorption irreversibility and kinetics of hydrophobic organic contaminants to black carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bingyu; Zhang, Wei; Li, Hui; Fu, Heyun; Qu, Xiaolei; Zhu, Dongqiang

2017-01-01

Black carbon (BC) plays a crucial role in sequestering hydrophobic organic contaminants in the environment. This study investigated key factors and mechanisms controlling nonideal sorption (e.g., sorption irreversibility and slow kinetics) of model hydrophobic organic contaminants (nitrobenzene, naphthalene, and atrazine) by rice-straw-derived BC. After removing the fraction of leachable pyrogenic organic carbon (LPyOC) (referring to composites of dissoluble non-condensed organic carbon and associated mineral components) with deionized water or 0.5 M NaOH, sorption of these sorbates to BC was enhanced. The sorption enhancement was positively correlated with sorbate molecular size in the order of atrazine > naphthalene > nitrobenzene. The removal of LPyOC also accelerated sorption kinetics and reduced sorption irreversibility. These observations were attributed to increased accessibility of BC micropores initially clogged by the LPyOC. Comparison of BC pore size distributions before and after atrazine sorption further suggested that the sorbate molecules preferred to access the micropores that were more open, and the micropore accessibility was enhanced by the removal of LPyOC. Consistently, the sorption of nitrobenzene and atrazine to template-synthesized mesoporous carbon (CMK3), a model sorbent with homogeneous pore structures, showed decreased kinetics, but increased irreversibility by impregnating sorbent pores with surface-grafted alkylamino groups and by subsequent loading of humic acid. These findings indicated an important and previously unrecognized role of LPyOC (i.e., micropore clogging) in the nonideal sorption of organic contaminants to BC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissolved organic carbon in the precipitation of Seoul, Korea: Implications for global wet depositional flux of fossil-fuel derived organic carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Ge; Kim, Guebuem

2012-11-01

Precipitation was sampled in Seoul over a one-year period from 2009 to 2010 to investigate the sources and fluxes of atmospheric dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The concentrations of DOC varied from 15 μM to 780 μM, with a volume-weighted average of 94 μM. On the basis of correlation analysis using the commonly acknowledged tracers, such as vanadium, the combustion of fossil-fuels was recognized to be the dominant source. With the aid of air mass backward trajectory analyses, we concluded that the primary fraction of DOC in our precipitation samples originated locally in Korea, albeit the frequent long-range transport from eastern and northeastern China might contribute substantially. In light of the relatively invariant organic carbon to sulfur mass ratios in precipitation over Seoul and other urban regions around the world, the global magnitude of wet depositional DOC originating from fossil-fuels was calculated to be 36 ± 10 Tg C yr-1. Our study further underscores the potentially significant environmental impacts that might be brought about by this anthropogenically derived component of organic carbon in the atmosphere.

Effects of long-term organic material applications and green manure crop cultivation on soil organic carbon in rain fed area of Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomohide Sugino

2013-12-01

Full Text Available A long-term field experiment on organic material application and crop rotation with green manure crops has been conducted since 1976 at Lopburi Agricultural Research and Development Center, Department of Agriculture, Lop Buri Province, Thailand, to clarify the effect of organic materials and green manure crop on soil organic carbon changes. The stock change factors that stand for the relative change of soil organic carbon on the carbon stock in a reference condition (native vegetation that is not degraded or improved. Stock change factor for input of organic matter (FI, representing different levels of C input to soil such as organic material application, crop residue treatment and green manure crop cultivation, was computed with the present field experimental results. While the computed FI of "High input with manure" was within the range of IPCC default FI value, some of the computed FI of " High input without manure" was much higher than the IPCC default though it was varied due to the biomass production and nutrient contents of the green manure crops planted as the second crops after corn. Therefore, the FI computed by field experimental results can contribute to more accurate estimation of SOC changes in farm land especially in Southeast Asia because the default FI mostly depends on the experimental data in temperate zones. Moreover, the field experiment has focused the effect of reduced tillage practices on SOC changes and corn yield since 2011. The results of the experiment will be used to compute Stock change factor for management regime (FMG which represents the effects of tillage operations.

Mesoporous carbon-zirconium oxide nanocomposite derived from carbonized metal organic framework: A coating for solid-phase microextraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Saraji, Mohammad; Mehrafza, Narges

2016-08-19

In this paper, a mesoporous carbon-ZrO2 nanocomposite was fabricated on a stainless steel wire for the first time and used as the solid-phase microextraction coating. The fiber was synthesized with the direct carbonization of a Zr-based metal organic framework. With the utilization of the metal organic framework as the precursor, no additional carbon source was used for the synthesis of the mesoporous carbon-ZrO2 nanocomposite coating. The fiber was applied for the determination of BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m, p-xylenes) in different water samples prior to gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. Such important experimental factors as synthesis time and temperature, salt concentration, equilibrium and extraction time, extraction temperature, desorption time and desorption temperature were studied and optimized. Good linearity in the concentration range of 0.2-200μgL(-1) and detection limits in the range of 0.05-0.56μgL(-1) was achieved for BTEX compounds. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were in the range of 3.5-4.8% and 4.9-6.7%, respectively. The prepared fiber showed high capability for the analysis of BTEX compounds in different water and wastewater samples with good relative recoveries in the range of 93-107%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of low-temperature organic matter diagenesis in carbonate precipitation within a marine deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyakawa, Kazuya; Ishii, Eiichi; Hirota, Akinari; Komatsu, Daisuke D.; Ikeya, Kosuke; Tsunogai, Urumu

2017-01-01

Carbonate minerals in veins can record paleo-hydrogeological information that enables the reconstruction of groundwater history. This paper investigates the cause of differences in the occurrence of carbonate veins in the Koetoi and Wakkanai formations, both Neogene mudstone units in northwestern Hokkaido, from the perspective of controls on CO_2 supply from the alteration of organic matter. Carbonate veins are rare in the Koetoi Formation, but are widespread in the Wakkanai Formation. This area is a region of oil and gas accumulation where deep groundwater is saturated mainly with CH_4 and CO_2. The results show high δ"1"3C values in co-existing CH_4 (∼–32.6‰) and CO_2 (∼+31.0‰) gases. An investigation of δ"1"3C – δD systematics among these gases indicates that isotopic fractionation was caused by microbial CO_2 reduction. Although total organic carbon content in the Koetoi Formation decreases with increasing depth, total organic content in the Wakkanai Formation remains roughly constant with depth. Furthermore, although δ"1"3C values also show depth dependence, values from the Wakkanai Formation are higher than those from the Koetoi Formation. This "1"3C-enrichment could be explained by Rayleigh fractionation in a closed system. Based on these results, the processes behind the formation of the carbonate veins can be summarized as follows. Carbon dioxide behavior is thought to play an important role with respect to carbonate formation because CO_2 abundance is closely linked to pH and pressure. In shallow sedimentary rocks such as the Koetoi Formation that have started to experience diagenetic alteration of organic matter, CO_2 in groundwater is supplied by microbial decomposition of organic matter and is reduced to CH_4 by methanogens. In deep sedimentary rocks such as the Wakkanai Formation that have undergone diagenesis but have only experienced moderate temperatures so that thermal decomposition of organic matter has not yet begun, microbial

Annual benthic metabolism and organic carbon fluxes in a semi-enclosed Mediterranean bay dominated by the macroalgae Caulerpa prolifera.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio eRuiz-Halpern

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Coastal areas play an important role on carbon cycling. Elucidating the dynamics on the production, transport and fate of organic carbon is relevant to gain a better understanding of the role coastal areas play in the global carbon budget. Here, we assess the metabolic status and associated organic carbon fluxes of a semi-enclosed Mediterranean bay supporting a meadow of Caulerpa prolifera. We test whether the EDOC pool is a significant component of the organic carbon pool and associated fluxes in this ecosystem. The Bay of Portocolom was in net metabolic balance on a yearly basis, but heterotrophic during the summer months. Community respiration (CR was positively correlated to C. prolifera biomass, while net community production (NCP had a negative correlation. The benthic compartment represented, on average, 72.6 ± 5.2 % of CR and 86.8 ± 4.5 % of gross primary production (GPP. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC production peaked in summer and was always positive, with the incubations performed in the dark almost doubling the flux of those performed in the light. Exchangeable dissolved organic carbon (EDOC, however, oscillated between production and uptake, being completely recycled within the system and representing around 14% of the DOC flux. The pools of bottom and surface DOC were high for an oligotrophic environment, and were positively correlated to the pool of EDOC. Thus, despite being in metabolic balance, this ecosystem acted as a conduit for organic carbon (OC, as it is able to export OC to adjacent areas derived from allochtonous inputs during heterotrophic conditions. These inputs likely come from groundwater discharge, human activity in the watershed, delivered to the sediments through the high capacity of C. prolifera to remove particles from the water column, and from the air-water exchange of EDOC, demonstrating that these communities are a major contributor to the cycling of OC in coastal embayments.

The physiological response of two green calcifying algae from the Great Barrier Reef towards high dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC availability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer

Full Text Available Increasing dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC concentrations associated with ocean acidification can affect marine calcifiers, but local factors, such as high dissolved organic carbon (DOC concentrations through sewage and algal blooms, may interact with this global factor. For calcifying green algae of the genus Halimeda, a key tropical carbonate producer that often occurs in coral reefs, no studies on these interactions have been reported. These data are however urgently needed to understand future carbonate production. Thus, we investigated the independent and combined effects of DIC (pCO2 402 μatm/ pHtot 8.0 and 996 μatm/ pHtot 7.7 and DOC (added as glucose in 0 and 294 μmol L-1 on growth, calcification and photosynthesis of H. macroloba and H. opuntia from the Great Barrier Reef in an incubation experiment over 16 days. High DIC concentrations significantly reduced dark calcification of H. opuntia by 130 % and led to net dissolution, but did not affect H. macroloba. High DOC concentrations significantly reduced daily oxygen production of H. opuntia and H. macroloba by 78 % and 43 %, respectively, and significantly reduced dark calcification of H. opuntia by 70%. Combined high DIC and DOC did not show any interactive effects for both algae, but revealed additive effects for H. opuntia where the combination of both factors reduced dark calcification by 162 % compared to controls. Such species-specific differences in treatment responses indicate H. opuntia is more susceptible to a combination of high DIC and DOC than H. macroloba. From an ecological perspective, results further suggest a reduction of primary production for Halimeda-dominated benthic reef communities under high DOC concentrations and additional decreases of carbonate accretion under elevated DIC concentrations, where H. opuntia dominates the benthic community. This may reduce biogenic carbonate sedimentation rates and hence the buffering capacity against further ocean

The physiological response of two green calcifying algae from the Great Barrier Reef towards high dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC) availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Friedrich Wilhelm; Vogel, Nikolas; Teichberg, Mirta; Uthicke, Sven; Wild, Christian

2015-01-01

Increasing dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations associated with ocean acidification can affect marine calcifiers, but local factors, such as high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations through sewage and algal blooms, may interact with this global factor. For calcifying green algae of the genus Halimeda, a key tropical carbonate producer that often occurs in coral reefs, no studies on these interactions have been reported. These data are however urgently needed to understand future carbonate production. Thus, we investigated the independent and combined effects of DIC (pCO2 402 μatm/ pHtot 8.0 and 996 μatm/ pHtot 7.7) and DOC (added as glucose in 0 and 294 μmol L-1) on growth, calcification and photosynthesis of H. macroloba and H. opuntia from the Great Barrier Reef in an incubation experiment over 16 days. High DIC concentrations significantly reduced dark calcification of H. opuntia by 130 % and led to net dissolution, but did not affect H. macroloba. High DOC concentrations significantly reduced daily oxygen production of H. opuntia and H. macroloba by 78 % and 43 %, respectively, and significantly reduced dark calcification of H. opuntia by 70%. Combined high DIC and DOC did not show any interactive effects for both algae, but revealed additive effects for H. opuntia where the combination of both factors reduced dark calcification by 162 % compared to controls. Such species-specific differences in treatment responses indicate H. opuntia is more susceptible to a combination of high DIC and DOC than H. macroloba. From an ecological perspective, results further suggest a reduction of primary production for Halimeda-dominated benthic reef communities under high DOC concentrations and additional decreases of carbonate accretion under elevated DIC concentrations, where H. opuntia dominates the benthic community. This may reduce biogenic carbonate sedimentation rates and hence the buffering capacity against further ocean acidification.

Organic carbonates: experiment and ab initio calculations for prediction of thermochemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Verevkin, Sergey P; Emel'yanenko, Vladimir N; Kozlova, Svetlana A

2008-10-23

This work has been undertaken in order to obtain data on thermodynamic properties of organic carbonates and to revise the group-additivity values necessary for predicting their standard enthalpies of formation and enthalpies of vaporization. The standard molar enthalpies of formation of dibenzyl carbonate, tert-butyl phenyl carbonate, and diphenyl carbonate were measured using combustion calorimetry. Molar enthalpies of vaporization of these compounds were obtained from the temperature dependence of the vapor pressure measured by the transpiration method. Molar enthalpy of sublimation of diphenyl carbonate was measured in the same way. Ab initio calculations of molar enthalpies of formation of organic carbonates have been performed using the G3MP2 method, and results are in excellent agreement with the available experiment. Then the group-contribution method has been developed to predict values of the enthalpies of formation and enthalpies of vaporization of organic carbonates.

Progammed synthesis of magnetic mesoporous silica coated carbon nanotubes for organic pollutant adsorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong, Yue; Zhang, Min, E-mail: congmingyang123@163.com; Xia, Peixiong; Wang, Linlin; Zheng, Jing; Li, Weizhen; Xu, Jingli, E-mail: xujingli@sues.edu.cn

2016-05-15

Magnetic mesoporous silica coated carbon nanotubes were produced from hydrophilic monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes using well controlled programmed synthesis method and were characterized by TEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption and VSM. The well-designed mesoporous magnetic nanotubes had a large specific area, a highly open mesoporous structure and high magnetization. Firstly, SiO{sub 2}-coated maghemite/CNTs nanoparticles (CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} composites) were synthesized by the combination of high temperature decomposition process and an sol–gel method, in which the iron acetylacetonate as well as TEOS acted as the precursor for maghemite and SiO{sub 2}, respectively. The CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} composites revealed a core–shell structure, Then, CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@mSiO{sub 2} was obtained by extracting cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) via an ion-exchange procedure. The resulting composites show not only a magnetic response to an externally applied magnetic field, but also can be a good adsorbent for the organic pollutant in the ambient temperature. - Graphical abstract: Magnetic mesoporous silica coated carbon nanotubes were produced from hydrophilic monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes using well controlled programmed synthesis, which can be a good adsorbent for the organic pollutant in the ambient temperature. - Highlights: • The surface of CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} is hydrophilic, which facilitates the silica coating. • The CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@mSiO{sub 2} was synthesized by a facile method. • The CNTs/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@mSiO{sub 2} can be a good adsorbent for the organic pollutant.

Influence of marginal highs on the accumulation of organic carbon along the continental slope off western India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rao, B.R.; Veerayya, M.

and 743E (after De Sousa, unpublished data). by the gasometric method using the &karbonate-bombe’ (Muller and Gastner, 1971) and organic carbon by the wet oxidation method (El Wakeel and Riley, 1957). Some samples from the upper continental slope, marginal...

New evidence for enhanced preservation of organic carbon in contact with oxygen minimum zone on the western continental slope of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paropkari, A.L.; PrakashBabu, C.; Mascarenhas, A.

(HI) expressed as mg HC/g organic carbon. Results and discussion The organic carbon (OC) content varies between 0.14 and 6.18 wt% (Table 1). The depthwise con- centration of organic carbon (Fig. 2a) shows that significantly higher values (av. 3... the presence of lipid-rich organic matter in the sediments in con- tact with the OMZ. Two samples fringing the lower depth level of OMZ, i.e. 1500 m also regis- tered high HI values (459 and 560, respectively). These stations marginally exceeded the depth...

Speleothem records of acid sulphate deposition and organic carbon mobilisation

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Peter; Fairchild, Ian; Bourdin, Clement; Baldini, James; Muller, Wolfgang; Hartland, Adam; Bartlett, Rebecca

2017-04-01

Dramatic increases in measured surface water DOC in recent decades have been variously attributed to either temperature rise, or destabilisation of long-term soil carbon pools following sulphur peak emissions status. However, whilst both drivers of DOC dynamics are plausible, they remain difficult to test due to the restricted nature of the available records of riverine DOC flux (1978 to present), and the limited availability of SO2 emissions inventory data at the regional scale. Speleothems offer long term records of both sulphur and carbon. New techniques to extract sulphur concentrations and isotopes from speleothem calcite have enabled archives of pollution history and environmental acidification to be reconstructed. Due to the large dynamic range in sulphur isotopic values from end member sources (marine aerosol +21 ‰ to continental biogenic emissions -30 ‰) and limited environmental fractionation under oxidising conditions, sulphur isotopes form an ideal tracer of industrial pollution and environmental acidification in the palaeo-record. We couple this acidification history to the carbon record, using organic matter fluorescence and trace metals. Trace metal ratios and abundance can be used to infer the type and size of organic ligand and are therefore sensitive to changes in temperature as a driver of organic carbon processing and biodegradation. This allows fluorescent properties and ratios of trace metals in speleothem carbonate to be used to represent both the flux of organic carbon into the cave as well as the degradation pathway. Here we present some of the first results of this work, exploring sulphur acidification as a mechanistic control on carbon solubility and export throughout the twentieth century.

Do elevated nutrients and organic carbon on Philippine reefs increase the prevalence of coral disease?

Science.gov (United States)

Kaczmarsky, L.; Richardson, L. L.

2011-03-01

Characterizations of Philippine coral diseases are very limited. The two most common, ulcerative white spot disease (UWS) and massive Porites growth anomalies (MPGA), target the genus Porites, a dominant reef-building genus. This is the first investigation in the Philippines to detect positive correlations between coral disease, nutrient levels, and organic carbon. A total of 5,843 Porites colonies were examined. Water and sediment samples were collected for analyses of nutrients (total nitrogen and phosphorus) and total organic carbon at 15 sites along a 40.5 km disease gradient, which was previously shown to positively correlate with human population levels. Results suggest that outbreaks of UWS and MPGAs are driven by elevated nutrient and organic carbon levels. Although the variables analyzed could be proxies for other causative agents (e.g., high sediment levels), the results provide quantitative evidence linking relatively higher coral disease prevalence to an anthropogenically impacted environment.

Biofilms' contribution to organic carbon in salt marsh sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Valentine, K.; Quirk, T. E.; Mariotti, G.; Hotard, A.

2017-12-01

Coastal salt marshes are productive environments with high potential for carbon (C) accumulation. Organic C in salt marsh sediment is typically attributed to plant biomass. Recent field measurements, however, suggest that biofilms - mainly composed of benthic diatoms and their secretion - also contribute to basal C in these environments and can be important contributors to marsh productivity, C cycling, and potentially, C sequestration. The potential for biofilms to soil organic C and the influence of mineral sedimentation of biofilm-based C accumulation is unknown. We conducted controlled laboratory experiments to test (1) whether biofilms add measurable amounts of organic C to the sediment and (2) the effect of mineral sedimentation rate on the amount of biofilm-based C accumulation. Settled beds of pure bentonite mud were created in 10-cm-wide cylinders. Each cylinder was inoculated with biofilms collected from a marsh in Louisiana. A small amount of mud was added weekly for 11 weeks. Control experiments without biofilms were also performed. Biofilms were grown with a 12/12 hours cycle, with a gentle mixing of the water column that did not cause sediment resuspension, with a nutrient-rich medium that was exchanged weekly, and in the absence of metazoan grazing. At the end of the experiment, the sediment columns were analyzed for depth-integrated chl-a, loss on ignition (LOI), and total organic carbon (TOC). Chl-a values ranged from 26-113 mg/cm2, LOI values ranged from 86-456 g/m2/yr, and TOC values ranged from 31-211 g/m2/yr. All three of these metrics (chl-a, LOI, and TOC) increased with the rate of mineral sedimentation. These results show that biofilms, in the absence of erosion and grazing, can significantly contribute to C accumulation in salt marshes, especially with high rates of mineral sedimentation. Given the short time scale of the experiment, the increase in organic C accumulation with the rate of sedimentation is attributed to stimulated biofilm

Distribution of Organic Carbon in the Sediments of Xinxue River and the Xinxue River Constructed Wetland, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Qingqing; Wang, Renqing; Zhang, Haijie; Ge, Xiuli; Liu, Jian

2015-01-01

Wetland ecosystems are represented as a significant reservoir of organic carbon and play an important role in mitigating the greenhouse effect. In order to compare the compositions and distribution of organic carbon in constructed and natural river wetlands, sediments from the Xinxue River Constructed Wetland and the Xinxue River, China, were sampled at two depths (0-15 cm and 15-25 cm) in both upstream and downstream locations. Three types of organic carbon were determined: light fraction organic carbon, heavy fraction organic carbon, and dissolved organic carbon. The results show that variations in light fraction organic carbon are significantly larger between upstream and downstream locations than they are between the two wetland types; however, the opposite trend is observed for the dissolved organic carbon. There are no significant differences in the distribution of heavy fraction organic carbon between the discrete variables (e.g., between the two depths, the two locations, or the two wetland types). However, there are significant cross-variable differences; for example, the distribution patterns of heavy fraction organic carbon between wetland types and depths, and between wetland types and locations. Correlation analysis reveals that light fraction organic carbon is positively associated with light fraction nitrogen in both wetlands, while heavy fraction organic carbon is associated with both heavy fraction nitrogen and the moisture content in the constructed wetland. The results of this study demonstrate that the constructed wetland, which has a relatively low background value of heavy fraction organic carbon, is gradually accumulating organic carbon of different types, with the level of accumulation dependent on the balance between carbon accumulation and carbon decomposition. In contrast, the river wetland has relatively stable levels of organic carbon.

High-Melt Carbon-Carbon Coating for Nozzle Extensions

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, James

2015-01-01

Carbon-Carbon Advanced Technologies, Inc. (C-CAT), has developed a high-melt coating for use in nozzle extensions in next-generation spacecraft. The coating is composed primarily of carbon-carbon, a carbon-fiber and carbon-matrix composite material that has gained a spaceworthy reputation due to its ability to withstand ultrahigh temperatures. C-CAT's high-melt coating embeds hafnium carbide (HfC) and zirconium diboride (ZrB2) within the outer layers of a carbon-carbon structure. The coating demonstrated enhanced high-temperature durability and suffered no erosion during a test in NASA's Arc Jet Complex. (Test parameters: stagnation heat flux=198 BTD/sq ft-sec; pressure=.265 atm; temperature=3,100 F; four cycles totaling 28 minutes) In Phase I of the project, C-CAT successfully demonstrated large-scale manufacturability with a 40-inch cylinder representing the end of a nozzle extension and a 16-inch flanged cylinder representing the attach flange of a nozzle extension. These demonstrators were manufactured without spalling or delaminations. In Phase II, C-CAT worked with engine designers to develop a nozzle extension stub skirt interfaced with an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine. All objectives for Phase II were successfully met. Additional nonengine applications for the coating include thermal protection systems (TPS) for next-generation spacecraft and hypersonic aircraft.

Digital Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon Contents and Stocks in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adhikari, Kabindra; Hartemink, Alfred E.; Minasny, Budiman

2014-01-01

Estimation of carbon contents and stocks are important for carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions and national carbon balance inventories. For Denmark, we modeled the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and bulk density, and mapped its spatial distribution at five standard ...

Mini Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (miniTOCA)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The objective of this development is to create a prototype hand-held, 1 to 2 liter size battery-powered Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA). The majority of...

Organic carbon degradation in arctic marine sediments, Svalbard: A comparison of initial and terminal steps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnosti, C.; Jørgensen, BB

2006-01-01

carbohydrate concentrations were comparable to those measured in more temperate sediments, and likely comprise a considerable fraction of porewater dissolved organic carbon. A comparison of dissolved carbohydrate inventories with hydrolysis and sulfate reduction rates suggests that the turnover of carbon......Degradation of marine organic matter under anoxic conditions involves microbial communities working in concert to remineralize complex substrates to CO2. In order to investigate the coupling between the initial and terminal steps of this sequence in permanently cold sediments, rates...... of extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis and sulfate reduction were measured in parallel cores collected from 5 fjords on the west and northwest coast of Svalbard, in the high Arctic. Inventories of total dissolved carbohydrates were also measured in order to evaluate their potential role in carbon turnover...

Methods of soil organic carbon determination in Brazilian savannah soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Hiromi Sato

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Several methods exist for determining soil organic carbon, and each one has its own advantages and limitations. Consequently, a comparison of the experimental results obtained when these methods are employed is hampered, causing problems in the comparison of carbon stocks in soils. This study aimed at evaluating the analytical procedures used in the determination of carbon and their relationships with soil mineralogy and texture. Wet combustion methods, including Walkley-Black, Mebius and Colorimetric determination as well as dry combustion methods, such as Elemental and Gravimetric Analysis were used. Quantitative textural and mineralogical (kaolinite, goethite and gibbsite analyses were also carried out. The wet digestion methods underestimated the concentration of organic carbon, while the gravimetric method overestimated. Soil mineralogy interfered with the determination of carbon, with emphasis on the gravimetric method that was greatly influenced by gibbsite.

The use of activated carbons for removing organic matter from groundwater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaleta Jadwiga

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents research results of the introduction of powdery activated carbon to the existing technological system of the groundwater treatment stations in a laboratory, pilot plant and technical scale. The aim of the research was to reduce the content of organic compounds found in the treated water, which create toxic organic chlorine compounds (THM after disinfection with chlorine. Nine types of powdery active carbons were tested in laboratory scale. The top two were selected for further study. Pilot plant scale research was carried out for the filter model using CWZ-30 and Norit Sa Super carbon. Reduction of the organic matter in relation to the existing content in the treated water reached about 30%. Research in technical scale using CWZ-30 carbon showed a lesser efficiency with respect to laboratory and pilot-plant scale studies. The organic matter decreased by 15%. Since filtration is the last process before the individual disinfection, an alternative solution is proposed, i.e. the second stage of filtration with a granular activated carbon bed, operating in combined sorption and biodegradation processes. The results of tests carried out in pilot scale were fully satisfactory with the effectiveness of 70–100%.

Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: a comparative study of waste-polymer-based, coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Fei; Chang, Chun; Du, Yang; Zhu, Lingyan; Xing, Baoshan; Liu, Chang

2012-01-01

Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared. The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons, one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). The polymer-based activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR). Compared with F400 and MWNT, activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs, attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures. Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect. In contrast, due to the molecular sieving effect, their adsorption on HCH was lower. MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: A comparative study of waste-polymer-based,coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Fei Lian; Chun Chang; Yang Du; Lingyan Zhu; Baoshan Xing; Chang Liu

2012-01-01

Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE),1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB),1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared.The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons,one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT).The polymerbased activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers:polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR).Compared with F400 and MWNT,activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs,attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures.Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect.In contrast,due to the molecular sieving effect,their adsorption on HCH was lower.MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

Organic carbon production, mineralisation and preservation on the Peruvian margin

Science.gov (United States)

Dale, A. W.; Sommer, S.; Lomnitz, U.; Montes, I.; Treude, T.; Liebetrau, V.; Gier, J.; Hensen, C.; Dengler, M.; Stolpovsky, K.; Bryant, L. D.; Wallmann, K.

2015-03-01

Carbon cycling in Peruvian margin sediments (11 and 12° S) was examined at 16 stations, from 74 m water depth on the middle shelf down to 1024 m, using a combination of in situ flux measurements, sedimentary geochemistry and modelling. Bottom water oxygen was below detection limit down to ca. 400 m and increased to 53 μM at the deepest station. Sediment accumulation rates decreased sharply seaward of the middle shelf and subsequently increased at the deep stations. The organic carbon burial efficiency (CBE) was unusually low on the middle shelf (60%) at the deep oxygenated sites. In line with other studies, CBE was elevated under oxygen-deficient waters in the mid-water oxygen minimum zone. Organic carbon rain rates calculated from the benthic fluxes alluded to efficient mineralisation of organic matter in the water column compared to other oxygen-deficient environments. The observations at the Peruvian margin suggest that a lack of oxygen does not greatly affect the degradation of organic matter in the water column but promotes the preservation of organic matter in sediments.

Influence of contemporary carbon originating from the 2003 Siberian forest fire on organic carbon in PM2.5 in Nagoya, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikemori, Fumikazu; Honjyo, Koji; Yamagami, Makiko; Nakamura, Toshio

2015-10-15

In May 2003, high concentrations of organic carbon (OC) in PM2.5 were measured in Nagoya, a representative metropolitan area in Japan. To investigate the influence of possible forest fires on PM2.5 in Japan via long-range aerosol transport, the radiocarbon ((14)C) concentrations of PM2.5 samples from April 2003 to March 2004 were measured. (14)C concentrations in total carbon (TC) from May to early June showed higher values than those in other periods. The OC/elemental carbon (EC) ratios from May to early June were also significantly higher than the ones in other periods. In addition, OC concentrations from May to early June were typically high. These results indicate that the abundant OC fraction from May to early June in Nagoya consisted predominantly of contemporary carbon. Furthermore, simulations of diffusion and transport of organic matter (OM) in East Asia showed that abundant OM originating from East Siberia spread over East Asia and Japan in May and early June. Backward air mass trajectories from this time frame indicate that the air mass in Nagoya likely first passed through East Siberia where fire events were prevalent. However, the backward trajectories showed that the air mass after early June did not originate mainly from Siberia, and correspondingly, the (14)C and OC concentrations showed lower values than those from May to early June. Therefore, the authors conclude that contemporary carbon originating from the forest fire in East Siberia was transported to Nagoya, where it significantly contributed to the high observed concentrations of both OC and (14)C. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ORCHIDEE-SOM: modeling soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics along vertical soil profiles in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Camino-Serrano, Marta; Guenet, Bertrand; Luyssaert, Sebastiaan; Ciais, Philippe; Bastrikov, Vladislav; De Vos, Bruno; Gielen, Bert; Gleixner, Gerd; Jornet-Puig, Albert; Kaiser, Klaus; Kothawala, Dolly; Lauerwald, Ronny; Peñuelas, Josep; Schrumpf, Marion; Vicca, Sara; Vuichard, Nicolas; Walmsley, David; Janssens, Ivan A.

2018-03-01

Current land surface models (LSMs) typically represent soils in a very simplistic way, assuming soil organic carbon (SOC) as a bulk, and thus impeding a correct representation of deep soil carbon dynamics. Moreover, LSMs generally neglect the production and export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from soils to rivers, leading to overestimations of the potential carbon sequestration on land. This common oversimplified processing of SOC in LSMs is partly responsible for the large uncertainty in the predictions of the soil carbon response to climate change. In this study, we present a new soil carbon module called ORCHIDEE-SOM, embedded within the land surface model ORCHIDEE, which is able to reproduce the DOC and SOC dynamics in a vertically discretized soil to 2 m. The model includes processes of biological production and consumption of SOC and DOC, DOC adsorption on and desorption from soil minerals, diffusion of SOC and DOC, and DOC transport with water through and out of the soils to rivers. We evaluated ORCHIDEE-SOM against observations of DOC concentrations and SOC stocks from four European sites with different vegetation covers: a coniferous forest, a deciduous forest, a grassland, and a cropland. The model was able to reproduce the SOC stocks along their vertical profiles at the four sites and the DOC concentrations within the range of measurements, with the exception of the DOC concentrations in the upper soil horizon at the coniferous forest. However, the model was not able to fully capture the temporal dynamics of DOC concentrations. Further model improvements should focus on a plant- and depth-dependent parameterization of the new input model parameters, such as the turnover times of DOC and the microbial carbon use efficiency. We suggest that this new soil module, when parameterized for global simulations, will improve the representation of the global carbon cycle in LSMs, thus helping to constrain the predictions of the future SOC response to global

Converting biomass waste into microporous carbon with simultaneously high surface area and carbon purity as advanced electrochemical energy storage materials

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Fei; Wang, Lijie; Peng, Yiting; Gao, Jihui; Pi, Xinxin; Qu, Zhibin; Zhao, Guangbo; Qin, Yukun

2018-04-01

Developing carbon materials featuring both high accessible surface area and high structure stability are desirable to boost the performance of constructed electrochemical electrodes and devices. Herein, we report a new type of microporous carbon (MPC) derived from biomass waste based on a simple high-temperature chemical activation procedure. The optimized MPC-900 possesses microporous structure, high surface area, partially graphitic structure, and particularly low impurity content, which are critical features for enhancing carbon-based electrochemical process. The constructed MPC-900 symmetric supercapacitor exhibits high performances in commercial organic electrolyte such as widened voltage window up to 3 V and thereby high energy/power densities (50.95 Wh kg-1 at 0.44 kW kg-1; 25.3 Wh kg-1 at 21.5 kW kg-1). Furthermore, a simple melt infiltration method has been employed to enclose SnO2 nanocrystals onto the carbon matrix of MPC-900 as a high-performance lithium storage material. The obtained SnO2-MPC composite with ultrafine SnO2 nanocrystals delivers high capacities (1115 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1; 402 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1) and high-rate cycling lifespan of over 2000 cycles. This work not only develops a microporous carbon with high carbon purity and high surface area, but also provides a general platform for combining electrochemically active materials.

Contribution of deep sourced carbon from hydrocarbon seeps to sedimentary organic carbon: Evidence from Δ14C and δ13C isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, D.; Peckmann, J.; Peng, Y.; Liang, Q.; Roberts, H. H.; Chen, D.

2017-12-01

Sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) limits the release of methane from marine sediments and promotes the formation of carbonates close to the seafloor along continental margins. It has been established that hydrocarbon seeps are a source of dissolved inorganic and organic carbon to marine environments. However, questions remain about the contribution of deep sourced carbon from hydrocarbon seeps to the sedimentary organic carbon pool. For a number of hydrocarbon seeps from the South China Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the portion of modern carbon was determined based on natural radiocarbon abundances (Δ14C) and stable carbon isotope (δ13Corganic carbon) compositions of the non-carbonate fractions extracted from authigenic carbonates. Samples from both areas show a mixing trend between ideal planktonic organic carbon (δ13C = -22‰ VPDB and 90% modern carbon) and the ambient methane. The δ13Corganic carbon values of non-carbonate fractions from three ancient seep deposits (northern Italy, Miocene; western Washington State, USA, Eocene to Oligocene) confirm that the proxy can be used to constrain the record of sulfate-driven AOM through most of Earth history by measuring the δ13C values of organic carbon. This study reveals the potential of using δ13C values of organic carbon to discern seep and non-seep environments. This new approach is particularly promising when authigenic carbonate is not present in ancient sedimentary environments. Acknowledgments: The authors thank BOEM and NOAA for their years' support of the deep-sea dives. Funding was provided by the NSF of China (Grants: 41422602 and 41373085).

From carbon nanostructures to high-performance sorbents for chromatographic separation and preconcentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Postnov, V N; Rodinkov, O V; Moskvin, L N; Novikov, A G; Bugaichenko, A S; Krokhina, O A

2016-01-01

Information on carbon nanostructures (fullerenes, nanotubes, graphene, nanodiamond and nanodispersed active carbon) used to develop high-performance sorbents of organics and heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions is collected and analyzed. The advantages in the synthesis of hybrid carbon nanostructures and the possibilities of surface modification of these systems in order to carry out fast sorption pre-concentration are considered. Prospects for application of these materials in sorption technologies and analytical chemistry are discussed. The bibliography includes 364 references

Carbon transport by the Lena River from its headwaters to the Arctic Ocean, with emphasis on fluvial input of terrestrial particulate organic carbon vs. carbon transport by coastal erosion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. P. Semiletov

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The Lena River integrates biogeochemical signals from its vast drainage basin, and the integrated signal reaches far out over the Arctic Ocean. Transformation of riverine organic carbon (OC into mineral carbon, and mineral carbon into the organic form in the Lena River watershed, can be considered to be quasi-steady-state processes. An increase in Lena discharge exerts opposite effects on total organic (TOC and total inorganic (TCO₂ carbon: TOC concentration increases, while TCO₂ concentration decreases. Significant inter-annual variability in mean values of TCO₂, TOC, and their sum (total carbon, TC has been found. This variability is determined by changes in land hydrology which cause differences in the Lena River discharge. There is a negative correlation in the Lena River between TC in September and its mean discharge in August; a time shift of about one month is required for water to travel from Yakutsk to the Laptev Sea. Total carbon entering the sea with the Lena discharge is estimated to be almost 10 Tg C yr⁻¹. The annual Lena River discharge of particulate organic carbon (POC can be as high as 0.38 Tg (moderate to high estimate. If we instead accept Lisytsin's (1994 statement that 85–95 % of total particulate matter (PM (and POC precipitates on the marginal "filter", then only about 0.03–0.04 Tg of Lena River POC reaches the Laptev Sea. The Lena's POC export would then be two orders of magnitude less than the annual input of eroded terrestrial carbon onto the shelf of the Laptev and East Siberian seas, which is estimated to be about 4 Tg. Observations support the hypothesis of a dominant role for coastal erosion (Semiletov, 1999a, b in East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS sedimentation and the dynamics of the carbon/carbonate system. The Lena River is characterized by relatively high concentrations of the primary greenhouse gases, dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂ and methane (CH

Soil Organic Matter Accumulation and Carbon Fractions along a Moisture Gradient of Forest Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Błońska

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to present effects of soil properties, especially moisture, on the quantity and quality of soil organic matter. The investigation was performed in the Czarna Rózga Reserve in Central Poland. Forty circular test areas were located in a regular grid of points (100 × 300 m. Each plot was represented by one soil profile located at the plot’s center. Sample plots were located in the area with Gleysols, Cambisols and Podzols with the water table from 0 to 100 cm. In each soil sample, particle size, total carbon and nitrogen content, acidity, base cations content and fractions of soil organic matter were determined. The organic carbon stock (SOCs was calculated based on its total content at particular genetic soil horizons. A Carbon Distribution Index (CDI was calculated from the ratio of the carbon accumulation in organic horizons and the amount of organic carbon accumulation in the mineral horizons, up to 60 cm. In the soils under study, in the temperate zone, moisture is an important factor in the accumulation of organic carbon in the soil. The highest accumulation of carbon was observed in soils of swampy variant, while the lowest was in the soils of moist variant. Large accumulation of C in the soils with water table 80–100 cm results from the thick organic horizons that are characterized by lower organic matter decomposition and higher acidity. The proportion of carbon accumulation in the organic horizons to the total accumulation in the mineral horizons expresses the distribution of carbon accumulated in the soil profile, and is a measure of quality of the organic matter accumulated. Studies have confirmed the importance of moisture content in the formation of the fractional organic matter. With greater soil moisture, the ratio of humic to fulvic acids (HA/FA decreases, which may suggest an increase in carbon mobility in soils.

Organic carbon production, mineralization and preservation on the Peruvian margin

Science.gov (United States)

Dale, A. W.; Sommer, S.; Lomnitz, U.; Montes, I.; Treude, T.; Gier, J.; Hensen, C.; Dengler, M.; Stolpovsky, K.; Bryant, L. D.; Wallmann, K.

2014-09-01

Carbon cycling in Peruvian margin sediments (11° S and 12° S) was examined at 16 stations from 74 m on the inner shelf down to 1024 m water depth by means of in situ flux measurements, sedimentary geochemistry and modeling. Bottom water oxygen was below detection limit down to ca. 400 m and increased to 53 μM at the deepest station. Sediment accumulation rates and benthic dissolved inorganic carbon fluxes decreased rapidly with water depth. Particulate organic carbon (POC) content was lowest on the inner shelf and at the deep oxygenated stations (< 5%) and highest between 200 and 400 m in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ, 15-20%). The organic carbon burial efficiency (CBE) was unexpectedly low on the inner shelf (< 20%) when compared to a global database, for reasons which may be linked to the frequent ventilation of the shelf by oceanographic anomalies. CBE at the deeper oxygenated sites was much higher than expected (max. 81%). Elsewhere, CBEs were mostly above the range expected for sediments underlying normal oxic bottom waters, with an average of 51 and 58% for the 11° S and 12° S transects, respectively. Organic carbon rain rates calculated from the benthic fluxes alluded to a very efficient mineralization of organic matter in the water column, with a Martin curve exponent typical of normal oxic waters (0.88 ± 0.09). Yet, mean POC burial rates were 2-5 times higher than the global average for continental margins. The observations at the Peruvian margin suggest that a lack of oxygen does not affect the degradation of organic matter in the water column but promotes the preservation of organic matter in marine sediments.

Organic Carbon Storage in China's Urban Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Shuqing; Zhu, Chao; Zhou, Decheng; Huang, Dian; Werner, Jeremy

2013-01-01

China has been experiencing rapid urbanization in parallel with its economic boom over the past three decades. To date, the organic carbon storage in China's urban areas has not been quantified. Here, using data compiled from literature review and statistical yearbooks, we estimated that total carbon storage in China's urban areas was 577±60 Tg C (1 Tg  = 1012 g) in 2006. Soil was the largest contributor to total carbon storage (56%), followed by buildings (36%), and vegetation (7%), while carbon storage in humans was relatively small (1%). The carbon density in China's urban areas was 17.1±1.8 kg C m−2, about two times the national average of all lands. The most sensitive variable in estimating urban carbon storage was urban area. Examining urban carbon storages over a wide range of spatial extents in China and in the United States, we found a strong linear relationship between total urban carbon storage and total urban area, with a specific urban carbon storage of 16 Tg C for every 1,000 km2 urban area. This value might be useful for estimating urban carbon storage at regional to global scales. Our results also showed that the fraction of carbon storage in urban green spaces was still much lower in China relative to western countries, suggesting a great potential to mitigate climate change through urban greening and green spaces management in China. PMID:23991014

Satellite observation of particulate organic carbon dynamics in ...

Science.gov (United States)

Particulate organic carbon (POC) plays an important role in coastal carbon cycling and the formation of hypoxia. Yet, coastal POC dynamics are often poorly understood due to a lack of long-term POC observations and the complexity of coastal hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes that influence POC sources and sinks. Using field observations and satellite ocean color products, we developed a nw multiple regression algorithm to estimate POC on the Louisiana Continental Shelf (LCS) from satellite observations. The algorithm had reliable performance with mean relative error (MRE) of ?40% and root mean square error (RMSE) of ?50% for MODIS and SeaWiFS images for POC ranging between ?80 and ?1200 mg m23, and showed similar performance for a large estuary (Mobile Bay). Substantial spatiotemporal variability in the satellite-derived POC was observed on the LCS, with high POC found on the inner shelf (satellite data with carefully developed algorithms can greatly increase

Long-term Trends in Particulate Organic Carbon from a Low-Gradient Autotrophic Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, J.; Ford, W. I., III

2014-12-01

Recent insights from low-gradient streams dominated by fine surficial sediments have shown fluvial organic matter dynamics are governed by coupled hydrologic and biotic controls at event to seasonal timescales. Notwithstanding the importance of shorter timescales, quantity and quality of carbon in stream ecosystems at annual and decadal scales is of increased interest in order to understand if stream ecosystems are net stores or sinks of carbon and how stream carbon behaves under dynamic climate conditions. As part of an ongoing study in a low-gradient, agricultural watershed in the Bluegrass Region of Central Kentucky, an eight year dataset of transported particulate organic carbon (POC) was analyzed for the present study. The objective was to investigate if POC dynamics at multi-year timescales are governed by biotic or hydrologic processes. A statistical analysis using Empirical Mode Decomposition was performed on an 8 year dataset of transported sediment carbon, temperature, and log-transformed flowrates at the watershed outlet. Simulations from a previously validated, process-based, organic carbon model were utilized as further verification of drivers. Results from the analysis suggest that a 4 degree Celsius mean annual temperature shift corresponds to a 63% increase in organic carbon content at the main-stem, third order outlet and a 33% increase in organic carbon content at the main-stem inlet. Model and stable isotope results for the 8 year study support that long-term increases in organic carbon concentration are governed by biotic growth and humification of algal biomass in which increasing annual temperatures promote increased organic carbon production, relative to ecosystem respiration. This result contradicts conventional wisdom, suggesting projected warming trends will shift autotrophic freshwater systems to net heterotrophic, which has significant implications for the role of benthic stream ecosystems under changing climate conditions. Future work

Organic carbon sedimentation rates in Asian mangrove coastal ecosystems estimated by 210PB chronology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateda, Y.; Wattayakorn, G.; Nhan, D.D.; Kasuya, Y.

2004-01-01

Organic carbon balance estimation of mangrove coastal ecosystem is important for understanding of Asian coastal carbon budget/flux calculation in global carbon cycle modelling which is powerful tool for the prediction of future greenhouse gas effect and evaluation of countermeasure preference. Especially, the organic carbon accumulation rate in mangrove ecosystem was reported to be important sink of carbon as well as that in boreal peat accumulation. For the estimation of 10 3 years scale organic carbon accumulation rates in mangrove coastal ecosystems, 14 C was used as long term chronological tracer, being useful in pristine mangrove forest reserve area. While in case of mangrove plantation of in coastal area, the 210 Pb is suitable for the estimation of decades scale estimation by its half-life. Though it has possibility of bio-/physical- turbation effect in applying 210 Pb chronology that is offset in case of 10 3 years scale estimation, especially in Asian mangrove ecosystem where the anthropogenic physical turbation by coastal fishery is vigorous.In this paper, we studied the organic carbon and 210 Pb accumulation rates in subtropical mangrove coastal ecosystems in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand with 7 Be analyses to make sure the negligible effect of above turbation effects on organic carbon accumulation. We finally concluded that 210 Pb was applicable to estimate organic carbon accumulation rates in these ecosystems even though the physical-/bio-turbation is expected. The measured organic carbon accumulation rates using 210 Pb in mangrove coastal ecosystems of Japan, Vietnam and Thailand were 0.067 4.0 t-C ha -1 y -1 . (author)

Temporal Patterns in Dissolved Organic Carbon Composition in an Urban Lake

Science.gov (United States)

Hartnett, H. E.; Palta, M. M.; Grimm, N. B.; Ruhi, A.; van Shaijik, M.

2017-12-01

Tempe Town Lake (TTL) is a hydrologically-regulated reservoir in Tempe, Arizona. The lake has high primary production and receives dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from rainfall, storm flow, and upstream river discharge. We applied an ARIMA time-series model to a three-year period for which we have high-frequency chemistry, meteorology, and streamflow data and analyzed external (rainfall, stream flow) and internal (dissolved O2) drivers of DOC content and composition. DOC composition was represented by fluorescence-based indices (fluorescence index, humification index, freshness) related to DOC source (microbially- vs. terrestrially-derived) and reactivity DOC. Patterns in DOC concentration and composition suggest carbon cycling in the lake responds to both meteorological events and to anthropogenic activity. The fluorescence-derived DOC composition is consistent with seasonally-distinct inputs of algal- and terrestrially-derived carbon. For example, Tempe Town Lake is supersaturated in O2 over 70% of the time, suggesting the system is autotrophic and primary productivity (i.e., O2 saturation state) was the strongest driver of DOC concentration. In contrast, external drivers (rainfall pattern, streamflow) were the strongest determinants of DOC composition. Biological processes (e.g., algal growth) generate carbon in the lake during spring and summer, and high Fluorescence Index and Freshness values at this time are indicative of algal-derived material; these parameters generally decrease with rain or flow suggesting algal-derived carbon is diluted by external water inputs. During dry periods, carbon builds up on the land surface and subsequent rainfall events deliver terrestrial carbon to the lake. Further evidence that rain and streamflow deliver land-derived material are increases in the Humification Index (an indicator of terrestrial material) following rain/flow events. Our results indicate that Tempe Town Lake generates autochthonous carbon and has the capacity

[Spatial characteristics of soil organic carbon and nitrogen storages in Songnen Plain maize belt].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chun-Hua; Wang, Zong-Ming; Ren, Chun-Ying; Song, Kai-Shan; Zhang, Bai; Liu, Dian-Wei

2010-03-01

By using the data of 382 typical soil profiles from the second soil survey at national and county levels, and in combining with 1:500000 digital soil maps, a spatial database of soil profiles was established. Based on this, the one meter depth soil organic carbon and nitrogen storage in Songnen Plain maize belt of China was estimated, with the spatial characteristics of the soil organic carbon and nitrogen densities as well as the relationships between the soil organic carbon and nitrogen densities and the soil types and land use types analyzed. The soil organic carbon and nitrogen storage in the maize belt was (163.12 +/- 26.48) Tg and (9.53 +/- 1.75) Tg, respectively, mainly concentrated in meadow soil, chernozem, and black soil. The soil organic carbon and nitrogen densities were 5.51-25.25 and 0.37-0.80 kg x m(-2), respectively, and the C/N ratio was about 7.90 -12.67. The eastern and northern parts of the belt had much higher carbon and nitrogen densities than the other parts of the belt, and upland soils had the highest organic carbon density [(19.07 +/- 2.44) kg x m(-2)], forest soils had the highest nitrogen density [(0.82 +/- 0.25) kg x m(-2)], while lowland soils had the lower organic carbon and nitrogen densities.

Sorption of organic compounds to activated carbons. Evaluation of isotherm models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pikaar, I.; Koelmans, A.A.; Noort, van P.C.M.

2006-01-01

Sorption to 'hard carbon' (black carbon, coal, kerogen) in soils and sediments is of major importance for risk assessment of organic pollutants. We argue that activated carbon (AC) may be considered a model sorbent for hard carbon. Here, we evaluate six sorption models on a literature dataset for

Impact of biological activated carbon pre-treatment on the hydrophilic fraction of effluent organic matter for mitigating fouling in microfiltration.

Science.gov (United States)

Pramanik, Biplob Kumar; Roddick, Felicity A; Fan, Linhua

2017-07-24

The hydrophilic (HPI) fraction of effluent organic matter, which has protein and carbohydrate contents, has a high propensity to foul low-pressure membranes. Biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration was examined as a pre-treatment for reducing the fouling of a microfiltration (MF) membrane (0.1 µm PVDF) by the HPI organic fraction extracted from a biologically treated secondary effluent (BTSE). Although the BAC removed less dissolved organic carbon, carbohydrate and protein from the HPI fraction than the granular activated carbon treatment which was used for comparison, it led to better improvement in permeate flux. This was shown to be due to the removal/breakdown of the HPI fraction resulting in less deposition of these organics on the membrane, many components of which are high molecular weight biopolymers (such as protein and carbohydrate molecules) through biodegradation and adsorption of those molecules on the biofilm and activated carbon. This study established the potential of BAC pre-treatment for reducing the HPI fouling of the membrane and thus improving the performance for the MF of BTSE for water reclamation.

Seasonal and spatial variability of the organic matter-to-organic carbon mass ratios in Chinese urban organic aerosols and a first report of high correlations between aerosol oxalic acid and zinc

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, L.; Fu, T.-M.; Cao, J. J.; Lee, S. C.; Wang, G. H.; Ho, K. F.; Cheng, M.-C.; You, C.-F.; Wang, T. J.

2013-01-01

We calculated the organic matter to organic carbon mass ratios (OM/OC mass ratios) in PM2.5 collected from 14 Chinese cities during summer and winter of 2003 and analyzed the causes for their seasonal and spatial variability. The OM/OC mass ratios were calculated two ways. Using a mass balance method, the calculated OM/OC mass ratios averaged 1.92 ± 0.39 yr-round, with no significant seasonal or spatial variation. The second calculation was based on chemical species analyses of the organic compounds extracted from the PM2.5 samples using dichloromethane/methanol and water. The calculated OM/OC mass ratio in summer was relatively high (1.75 ± 0.13) and spatially-invariant, due to vigorous photochemistry and secondary OA production throughout the country. The calculated OM/OC mass ratio in winter (1.59 ± 0.18) was significantly lower than that in summer, with lower values in northern cities (1.51 ± 0.07) than in southern cities (1.65 ± 0.15). This likely reflects the wider usage of coal for heating purposes in northern China in winter, in contrast to the larger contributions from biofuel and biomass burning in southern China in winter. On average, organic matters constituted 36% and 34% of Chinese urban PM2.5 mass in summer and winter, respectively. We reported, for the first time, high correlations between Zn and oxalic acid in Chinese urban aerosols in summer. This is consistent with the formation of stable Zn oxalate complex in the aerosol phase previously proposed by Furukawa and Takahashi (2011). We found that many other dicarboxylic acids were also highly correlated with Zn in the summer Chinese urban aerosol samples, suggesting that they may also form stable organic complexes with Zn. Such formation may have profound implications for the atmospheric abundance and hygroscopic property of aerosol dicarboxylic acids.

Estimation of organic carbon loss potential in north of Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Shahriari, A.; Khormali, F.; Kehl, M.; Welp, G.; Scholz, Ch.

2009-04-01

The development of sustainable agricultural systems requires techniques that accurately monitor changes in the amount, nature and breakdown rate of soil organic matter and can compare the rate of breakdown of different plant or animal residues under different management systems. In this research, the study area includes the southern alluvial and piedmont plains of Gorgan River extended from east to west direction in Golestan province, Iran. Samples from 10 soil series and were collected from cultivation depth (0-30 cm). Permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POC) an index of soil labile carbon, was used to show soil potential loss of organic carbon. In this index shows the maximum loss of OC in a given soil. Maximum loss of OC for each soil series was estimated through POC and bulk density (BD). The potential loss of OC were estimated between 1253263 and 2410813 g/ha Carbon. Stable organic constituents in the soil include humic substances and other organic macromolecules that are intrinsically resistant against microbial attack, or that are physically protected by adsorption on mineral surfaces or entrapment within clay and mineral aggregates. However, the (Clay + Silt)/OC ratio had a negative significant (p < 0.001) correlation with POC content, confirming the preserving effect of fine particle.

Role of organic soils in the world carbon cycle: problem definition and research needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armentano, T.V. (ed.)

1979-01-01

Findings and recommendations of the workshop on organic soils are summarized. The major finding of the workshop is that organic soils are important in the overall carbon budget. Histosols and gleysols, the major organic soil deposits of the world, normally sequester organic carbon fixed by plants. They may now be releasing enough carbon to account for nearly 10% of the annual rise in atmospheric content of CO/sub 2/. Current annual release of carbon from organic soils is estimated to fall within the range of 0.03 to 0.37 x 10/sup 9/ t, a release equivalent to 1.3% to 16% of the annual increase of carbon in the atmosphere. If half of the released carbon remains airborne, organic soils contribute 0.6% to 8.0% of the annual rise in CO/sub 2/. Uncertainties in data suggest the actual release could lie outside the range. Present annual releases of carbon from the Everglades Agricultural Area in Florida and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley in California are estimated at 0.017 x 10/sup 9/ tons. When combined with additional carbon release from other known drainage programs and the possibility of major drainage activity in the tropics, this figure suggests that the lower limit of the world estimate of carbon release from organic soils is too low. Annual sequestering of carbon by undrained organic soils has been estimated at about 0.045 x 10/sup 9/ tons. This estimate is based on only a few studies, however, and precision is probably no better than an order of magnitude. Several strategies for peatland management are available, including creation, preservation, functional designation, and use of wetlands for agriculture and energy supply.

Urban tree effects on soil organic carbon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill L Edmondson

Full Text Available Urban trees sequester carbon into biomass and provide many ecosystem service benefits aboveground leading to worldwide tree planting schemes. Since soils hold ∼75% of ecosystem organic carbon, understanding the effect of urban trees on soil organic carbon (SOC and soil properties that underpin belowground ecosystem services is vital. We use an observational study to investigate effects of three important tree genera and mixed-species woodlands on soil properties (to 1 m depth compared to adjacent urban grasslands. Aboveground biomass and belowground ecosystem service provision by urban trees are found not to be directly coupled. Indeed, SOC enhancement relative to urban grasslands is genus-specific being highest under Fraxinus excelsior and Acer spp., but similar to grasslands under Quercus robur and mixed woodland. Tree cover type does not influence soil bulk density or C∶N ratio, properties which indicate the ability of soils to provide regulating ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and flood mitigation. The trends observed in this study suggest that genus selection is important to maximise long-term SOC storage under urban trees, but emerging threats from genus-specific pathogens must also be considered.

The effects of dissolved natural organic matter on the adsorption of synthetic organic chemicals by activated carbons and carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shujuan; Shao, Ting; Karanfil, Tanju

2011-01-01

Understanding the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) on synthetic organic contaminant (SOC) adsorption by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is important for assessing the environmental implications of accidental CNT release and spill to natural waters, and their potential use as adsorbents in engineered systems. In this study, adsorption of two SOCs by three single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), one multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT), a microporous activated carbon fiber (ACF) [i.e., ACF10] and a bimodal porous granular activated carbon (GAC) [i.e., HD4000] was compared in the presence and absence of NOM. The NOM effect was found to depend strongly on the pore size distribution of carbons. Minimal NOM effect occurred on the macroporous MWNT, whereas severe NOM effects were observed on the microporous HD4000 and ACF10. Although the single-solute adsorption capacities of the SWNTs were much lower than those of HD4000, in the presence of NOM the SWNTs exhibited adsorption capacities similar to those of HD4000. Therefore, if released into natural waters, SWNTs can behave like an activated carbon, and will be able to adsorb, carry, and transfer SOCs to other systems. However, from an engineering application perspective, CNTs did not exhibit a major advantage, in terms of adsorption capacities, over the GAC and ACF. The NOM effect was also found to depend on molecular properties of SOCs. NOM competition was more severe on the adsorption of 2-phenylphenol, a nonplanar and hydrophilic SOC, than phenanthrene, a planar and hydrophobic SOC, tested in this study. In terms of surface chemistry, both adsorption affinity to SOCs and NOM effect on SOC adsorption were enhanced with increasing hydrophobicity of the SWNTs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methodology guideline. Organization of conference neutral in carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

In the framework of the Climate Plan elaborated by the french government, the neutral carbon principle must be applied to conference organization and the international travels. This guide has two main functions: heighten to allow everybody to understand the climate change impacts and problems, and bring some recommendations and tools to implement a neutral carbon conference (transport, welcome, accommodation and meal). (A.L.B.)

Spatial distribution of soil organic carbon stocks in France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. P. Martin

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Soil organic carbon plays a major role in the global carbon budget, and can act as a source or a sink of atmospheric carbon, thereby possibly influencing the course of climate change. Changes in soil organic carbon (SOC stocks are now taken into account in international negotiations regarding climate change. Consequently, developing sampling schemes and models for estimating the spatial distribution of SOC stocks is a priority. The French soil monitoring network has been established on a 16 km × 16 km grid and the first sampling campaign has recently been completed, providing around 2200 measurements of stocks of soil organic carbon, obtained through an in situ composite sampling, uniformly distributed over the French territory.

We calibrated a boosted regression tree model on the observed stocks, modelling SOC stocks as a function of other variables such as climatic parameters, vegetation net primary productivity, soil properties and land use. The calibrated model was evaluated through cross-validation and eventually used for estimating SOC stocks for mainland France. Two other models were calibrated on forest and agricultural soils separately, in order to assess more precisely the influence of pedo-climatic variables on SOC for such soils.

The boosted regression tree model showed good predictive ability, and enabled quantification of relationships between SOC stocks and pedo-climatic variables (plus their interactions over the French territory. These relationships strongly depended on the land use, and more specifically, differed between forest soils and cultivated soil. The total estimate of SOC stocks in France was 3.260 ± 0.872 PgC for the first 30 cm. It was compared to another estimate, based on the previously published European soil organic carbon and bulk density maps, of 5.303 PgC. We demonstrate that the present estimate might better represent the actual SOC stock distributions of France, and consequently that the

Influence of litter diversity on dissolved organic matter release and soil carbon formation in a mixed beech forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheibe, Andrea; Gleixner, Gerd

2014-01-01

We investigated the effect of leaf litter on below ground carbon export and soil carbon formation in order to understand how litter diversity affects carbon cycling in forest ecosystems. 13C labeled and unlabeled leaf litter of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior), characterized by low and high decomposability, were used in a litter exchange experiment in the Hainich National Park (Thuringia, Germany). Litter was added in pure and mixed treatments with either beech or ash labeled with 13C. We collected soil water in 5 cm mineral soil depth below each treatment biweekly and determined dissolved organic carbon (DOC), δ13C values and anion contents. In addition, we measured carbon concentrations and δ13C values in the organic and mineral soil (collected in 1 cm increments) up to 5 cm soil depth at the end of the experiment. Litter-derived C contributes less than 1% to dissolved organic matter (DOM) collected in 5 cm mineral soil depth. Better decomposable ash litter released significantly more (0.50±0.17%) litter carbon than beech litter (0.17±0.07%). All soil layers held in total around 30% of litter-derived carbon, indicating the large retention potential of litter-derived C in the top soil. Interestingly, in mixed (ash and beech litter) treatments we did not find a higher contribution of better decomposable ash-derived carbon in DOM, O horizon or mineral soil. This suggest that the known selective decomposition of better decomposable litter by soil fauna has no or only minor effects on the release and formation of litter-derived DOM and soil organic matter. Overall our experiment showed that 1) litter-derived carbon is of low importance for dissolved organic carbon release and 2) litter of higher decomposability is faster decomposed, but litter diversity does not influence the carbon flow.

Ubiquitous presence of Fe(II) in aquatic colloids and its association with organic carbon

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

von der Heyden, BP

2014-08-01

Full Text Available and freshwater environments. We show that Fe(II)-rich phases are prevalent throughout different aquatic regimes yet exhibit a high degree of chemical heterogeneity. Furthermore, we show that Fe-rich particles show strong associations with organic carbon...

Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds from carbon disulfide under hydrothermal conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushdi, Ahmed I; Simoneit, Bernd R T

2005-12-01

Abiotic formation of organic compounds under hydrothermal conditions is of interest to bio, geo-, and cosmochemists. Oceanic sulfur-rich hydrothermal systems have been proposed as settings for the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds. Carbon disulfide is a common component of magmatic and hot spring gases, and is present in marine and terrestrial hydrothermal systems. Thus, its reactivity should be considered as another carbon source in addition to carbon dioxide in reductive aqueous thermosynthesis. We have examined the formation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions of carbon disulfide and oxalic acid at 175 degrees C for 5 and 72 h. The synthesis products from carbon disulfide in acidic aqueous solutions yielded a series of organic sulfur compounds. The major compounds after 5 h of reaction included dimethyl polysulfides (54.5%), methyl perthioacetate (27.6%), dimethyl trithiocarbonate (6.8%), trithianes (2.7%), hexathiepane (1.4%), trithiolanes (0.8%), and trithiacycloheptanes (0.3%). The main compounds after 72 h of reaction consisted of trithiacycloheptanes (39.4%), pentathiepane (11.6%), tetrathiocyclooctanes (11.5%), trithiolanes (10.6%), tetrathianes (4.4%), trithianes (1.2%), dimethyl trisulfide (1.1%), and numerous minor compounds. It is concluded that the abiotic formation of aliphatic straight-chain and cyclic polysulfides is possible under hydrothermal conditions and warrants further studies.

High-performance supercapacitors based on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Byungwoo; Kim, Woong; Chung, Haegeun

2012-01-01

We demonstrate the high performance of supercapacitors fabricated with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes such as ionic liquids and conventional organic electrolytes. Specific capacitance, maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitor measured in ionic liquid were ∼75 F g −1 , ∼987 kW kg −1 and ∼27 W h kg −1 , respectively. The high power performance was consistently indicated by a fast relaxation time constant of 0.2 s. In addition, electrochemical oxidation of the carbon nanotubes improved the specific capacitance (∼158 F g −1 ) and energy density (∼53 W h kg −1 ). Both high power and energy density could be attributed to the fast ion transport realized by the alignment of carbon nanotubes and the wide operational voltage defined by the ionic liquid. The demonstrated carbon-nanotube- and nonaqueous-electrolyte-based supercapacitors show great potential for the development of high-performance energy storage devices. (paper)

High-performance supercapacitors based on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Byungwoo; Chung, Haegeun; Kim, Woong

2012-04-20

We demonstrate the high performance of supercapacitors fabricated with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes such as ionic liquids and conventional organic electrolytes. Specific capacitance, maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitor measured in ionic liquid were ~75 F g(-1), ~987 kW kg(-1) and ~27 W h kg(-1), respectively. The high power performance was consistently indicated by a fast relaxation time constant of 0.2 s. In addition, electrochemical oxidation of the carbon nanotubes improved the specific capacitance (~158 F g(-1)) and energy density (~53 W h kg(-1)). Both high power and energy density could be attributed to the fast ion transport realized by the alignment of carbon nanotubes and the wide operational voltage defined by the ionic liquid. The demonstrated carbon-nanotube- and nonaqueous-electrolyte-based supercapacitors show great potential for the development of high-performance energy storage devices. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd

High-performance supercapacitors based on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Byungwoo; Chung, Haegeun; Kim, Woong

2012-04-01

We demonstrate the high performance of supercapacitors fabricated with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and nonaqueous electrolytes such as ionic liquids and conventional organic electrolytes. Specific capacitance, maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitor measured in ionic liquid were ˜75 F g-1, ˜987 kW kg-1 and ˜27 W h kg-1, respectively. The high power performance was consistently indicated by a fast relaxation time constant of 0.2 s. In addition, electrochemical oxidation of the carbon nanotubes improved the specific capacitance (˜158 F g-1) and energy density (˜53 W h kg-1). Both high power and energy density could be attributed to the fast ion transport realized by the alignment of carbon nanotubes and the wide operational voltage defined by the ionic liquid. The demonstrated carbon-nanotube- and nonaqueous-electrolyte-based supercapacitors show great potential for the development of high-performance energy storage devices.

Long-range transported dissolved organic matter, ions and black carbon deposited on Central Asian snow covered glaciers

Science.gov (United States)

Schmale, Julia; Kang, Shichang; Peltier, Richard

2014-05-01

Ninety percent of the Central Asian population depend on water precipitated in the mountains stored in glaciers and snow cover. Accelerated melting of the snow and ice can be induced by the deposition of airborne impurities such as mineral dust, black carbon and co-emitted species leading to significant reductions of the surface albedo. However, Central Asia is a relatively understudied region and data on the source regions, chemical and microphysical characteristics as well as modelling studies of long-range transported air pollution and dust to the Tien Shan mountains is very scarce. We studied the atmospheric aerosol deposited most likely between summer 2012 and summer 2013on three different glaciers in the Kyrgyz Republic. Samples were taken from four snow pits on the glaciers Abramov (2 pits, 39.59 °N, 71.56 °E, 4390 m elevation, 240 cm deep, and 39.62°N, 71.52 °E, 4275 m elevation, 125 cm deep), Ak-Shiirak (41.80 °N, 78.18 °E, 4325 m elevation, 75 cm deep) and Suek (41.78 °N, 77.75 °E, 4341 m elevation, 200 cm deep). The latter two glaciers are located roughly within 6 and 38 km of an operating gold mine. The snow was analyzed for black carbon, ions, metals and organic carbon. We here focus on the results of inorganic ion measurements and organic carbon speciation based on analysis with an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and potential pollution sources that can be deduced from the chemical information as well as back trajectories. Average contributions of snow impurities measured by the HR-ToF-AMS were dominated by organic carbon. Relative concentrations of organic carbon, sulfate, nitrate and ammonium in snow were 86 %, 3 %, 9 % and 2 % respectively for Abramov, 92 %, 1 %, 5 % and 1 % for Suek, and 95 %, 1 %, 3 % and 1 % for Ak-Shiirak. Generally, impurities on Suek and Ak-Shiirak were three and five times higher than on Abramov. Mass concentrations of organic carbon were on average 6 times higher in samples

Natural diet of coral-excavating sponges consists mainly of dissolved organic carbon (DOC).

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Benjamin; de Goeij, Jasper M; Vermeij, Mark J A; Mulders, Yannick; van der Ent, Esther; Ribes, Marta; van Duyl, Fleur C

2014-01-01

Coral-excavating sponges are the most important bioeroders on Caribbean reefs and increase in abundance throughout the region. This increase is commonly attributed to a concomitant increase in food availability due to eutrophication and pollution. We therefore investigated the uptake of organic matter by the two coral-excavating sponges Siphonodictyon sp. and Cliona delitrix and tested whether they are capable of consuming dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as part of their diet. A device for simultaneous sampling of water inhaled and exhaled by the sponges was used to directly measure the removal of DOC and bacteria in situ. During a single passage through their filtration system 14% and 13% respectively of the total organic carbon (TOC) in the inhaled water was removed by the sponges. 82% (Siphonodictyon sp.; mean ± SD; 13 ± 17 μmol L(-1)) and 76% (C. delitrix; 10 ± 12 μmol L(-1)) of the carbon removed was taken up in form of DOC, whereas the remainder was taken up in the form of particulate organic carbon (POC; bacteria and phytoplankton) despite high bacteria retention efficiency (72 ± 15% and 87 ± 10%). Siphonodictyon sp. and C. delitrix removed DOC at a rate of 461 ± 773 and 354 ± 562 μmol C h(-1) respectively. Bacteria removal was 1.8 ± 0.9 × 10(10) and 1.7 ± 0.6 × 10(10) cells h(-1), which equals a carbon uptake of 46.0 ± 21.2 and 42.5 ± 14.0 μmol C h(-1) respectively. Therefore, DOC represents 83 and 81% of the TOC taken up by Siphonodictyon sp. and C. delitrix per hour. These findings suggest that similar to various reef sponges coral-excavating sponges also mainly rely on DOC to meet their carbon demand. We hypothesize that excavating sponges may also benefit from an increasing production of more labile algal-derived DOC (as compared to coral-derived DOC) on reefs as a result of the ongoing coral-algal phase shift.

Natural diet of coral-excavating sponges consists mainly of dissolved organic carbon (DOC.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Mueller

Full Text Available Coral-excavating sponges are the most important bioeroders on Caribbean reefs and increase in abundance throughout the region. This increase is commonly attributed to a concomitant increase in food availability due to eutrophication and pollution. We therefore investigated the uptake of organic matter by the two coral-excavating sponges Siphonodictyon sp. and Cliona delitrix and tested whether they are capable of consuming dissolved organic carbon (DOC as part of their diet. A device for simultaneous sampling of water inhaled and exhaled by the sponges was used to directly measure the removal of DOC and bacteria in situ. During a single passage through their filtration system 14% and 13% respectively of the total organic carbon (TOC in the inhaled water was removed by the sponges. 82% (Siphonodictyon sp.; mean ± SD; 13 ± 17 μmol L(-1 and 76% (C. delitrix; 10 ± 12 μmol L(-1 of the carbon removed was taken up in form of DOC, whereas the remainder was taken up in the form of particulate organic carbon (POC; bacteria and phytoplankton despite high bacteria retention efficiency (72 ± 15% and 87 ± 10%. Siphonodictyon sp. and C. delitrix removed DOC at a rate of 461 ± 773 and 354 ± 562 μmol C h(-1 respectively. Bacteria removal was 1.8 ± 0.9 × 10(10 and 1.7 ± 0.6 × 10(10 cells h(-1, which equals a carbon uptake of 46.0 ± 21.2 and 42.5 ± 14.0 μmol C h(-1 respectively. Therefore, DOC represents 83 and 81% of the TOC taken up by Siphonodictyon sp. and C. delitrix per hour. These findings suggest that similar to various reef sponges coral-excavating sponges also mainly rely on DOC to meet their carbon demand. We hypothesize that excavating sponges may also benefit from an increasing production of more labile algal-derived DOC (as compared to coral-derived DOC on reefs as a result of the ongoing coral-algal phase shift.

[Distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon and its composition in Suaeda salsa wetland in the Yellow River delta].

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Hong-Fang; Yu, Jun-Bao; Guan, Bo

2013-01-01

Applying the method of physical fractionation, distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon and its composition in Suaeda salsa wetland in the Yellow River delta were studied. The results showed that the heavy fraction organic carbon was the dominant component of soil organic carbon in the studied region. There was a significantly positive relationship between the content of heavy fraction organic carbon, particulate organic carbon and total soil organic carbon. The ranges of soil light fraction organic carbon ratio and content were 0.008% - 0.15% and 0.10-0.40 g x kg(-1), respectively, and the range of particulate organic carbon ratio was 8.83% - 30.58%, indicating that the non-protection component of soil organic carbon was low and the carbon pool was relatively stable in Suaeda salsa wetland of the Yellow River delta.

High power density carbonate fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuh, C.; Johnsen, R.; Doyon, J.; Allen, J. [Energy Research Corp., Danbury, CT (United States)

1996-12-31

Carbonate fuel cell is a highly efficient and environmentally clean source of power generation. Many organizations worldwide are actively pursuing the development of the technology. Field demonstration of multi-MW size power plant has been initiated in 1996, a step toward commercialization before the turn of the century, Energy Research Corporation (ERC) is planning to introduce a 2.85MW commercial fuel cell power plant with an efficiency of 58%, which is quite attractive for distributed power generation. However, to further expand competitive edge over alternative systems and to achieve wider market penetration, ERC is exploring advanced carbonate fuel cells having significantly higher power densities. A more compact power plant would also stimulate interest in new markets such as ships and submarines where space limitations exist. The activities focused on reducing cell polarization and internal resistance as well as on advanced thin cell components.

Organic loss in drained wetland: managing the carbon footprint

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Durham, B.; van de Noort, R.; Martens, V.V.; Vorenhout, M.

2012-01-01

The recent installation of land drains at Star Carr, Yorkshire, UK, has been linked with loss of preservation quality in this important Mesolithic buried landscape, challenging the PARIS principle. Historically captured organic carbon, including organic artefacts, is being converted to soluble

Effect of light and nutrient availability on the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by Caribbean turf algae

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mueller, B.; den Haan, J.; Visser, P.M.; Vermeij, M.J.A.; van Duyl, F.C.

2016-01-01

Turf algae increasingly dominate benthic communities on coral reefs. Given their abundance and high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release rates, turf algae are considered important contributors to the DOC pool on modern reefs. The release of photosynthetically fixed carbon as DOC generally, but not

[Effects of different types of litters on soil organic carbon mineralization].

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Xue-Jun; Pan, Jian-Jun; Chen, Jin-Ying; Yang, Zhi-Qiang; Zhang, Li-Ming; Sun, Bo; Li, Zhong-Pei

2009-06-15

Using litter incubation experiment in laboratory, decomposition discrepancies of four typical litters from Zijin Mountain were analyzed. The results show that organic carbon mineralization rates of soil with litters all involve fast and slow decomposition stages, and the differences are that the former has shorter duration,more daily decomposition quantity while the latter is opposite. Organic carbon mineralization rates of soil with litters rapidly reached maximum in the early days of incubation, and the order is soil with Cynodon dactylon litter (CK + BMD) (23.88 +/- 0.62) mg x d(-1), soil with Pinus massoniana litter (CK+ PML) (17.93 +/- 0.99) mg x d(-1), soil with Quercus acutissima litter (CK+ QAC) (15.39 +/- 0.16) mg x d(-1) and soil with Cyclobalanopsis glauca litter (CK + CGO) (7.26 +/- 0.34) mg x d(-1), and with significant difference between each other (p litter initial chemical elements. The amount of organic carbon mineralized accumulation within three months incubation is (CK + BMD) (338.21 +/- 6.99) mg, (CK + QAC) (323.48 +/- 13.68) mg, (CK + PML) (278.34 +/- 13.91) mg and (CK + CGO) (245.21 +/- 4.58) mg. 198.17-297.18 mg CO2-C are released during litter incubation, which occupies 20.29%-31.70% of the total litter organic carbon amounts. Power curve model can describe the trends of organic carbon mineralization rate and mineralized accumulation amount,which has a good correlation with their change.

Organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents of some soils of kaliti tea-estate, Bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, M. S.; Shahin, M. M. H.; Sanaullah, A. F. M.

2005-01-01

Some soil samples were collected from Kaliti Tea-Estate of Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh. Total nitrogen, organic carbon, organic matter, carbon-nitrogen ratio and available phosphorus content of the collected soil samples of different depths and of different topographic positions have been determined. Total nitrogen was found 0.07 to 0.12 % organic carbon and organic matter content found to vary from 0.79 to 1.25 and 1.36 to 2.15 % respectively. Carbon-nitrogen ratio of these soils varied from 9.84 to 10.69, while available phosphorus content varied from 2.11 to 4.13 ppm. (author)

Dissolved Organic Carbon and Natural Terrestrial Sequestration Potential in Volcanic Terrain, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Yager, D. B.; Burchell, A.; Johnson, R. H.; Kugel, M.; Aiken, G.; Dick, R.

2009-12-01

The need to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels has stimulated studies to understand and quantify carbon sinks and sources. Soils represent a potentially significant natural terrestrial carbon sequestration (NTS) reservoir. This project is part of a collaborative effort to characterize carbon (C) stability in temperate soils. To examine the potential for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) values as a qualitative indicator of C-stability, peak-flow (1500 ft3/s) and low-flow (200 ft3/s) samples from surface and ground waters were measured for DOC. DOC concentrations are generally low. Median peak-flow values from all sample sites (mg/L) were: streams (0.9); seeps (1.2); wells (0.45). Median low-flow values were: streams (0.7); seeps (0.75); wells (0.5). Median DOC values decrease between June and September 0.45 mg/L for seeps, and 0.2 mg/L for streams. Elevated DOC in some ground waters as compared to surface waters indicates increased contact time with soil organic matter. Elevated peak-flow DOC in areas with propylitically-altered bedrocks, composed of a secondary acid neutralizing assemblage of calcite-chlorite-epidote, reflects increased microbial and vegetation activity as compared to reduced organic matter accumulation in highly-altered terrain composed of an acid generating assemblage with abundant pyrite. Waters sampled in propylitically-altered bedrock terrain exhibit the lowest values during low-flow and suggest bedrock alteration type may influence DOC. Previous studies revealed undisturbed soils sampled have 2 to 6 times greater total organic soil carbon (TOSC) than global averages. Forest soils underlain by intermediate to mafic volcanic bedrock have the highest C (34.15 wt%), C: N (43) and arylsulfatase enzyme activity (ave. 278, high 461 µg p-nitrophenol/g/h). Unreclaimed mine sites have the lowest C (0 to 0.78 wt%), and arylsulfatase enzyme activity (0 to 41). Radiocarbon dates on charcoal collected from paleo-burn horizons illustrate Rocky Mountain soils may

Evaluation of Soil Quality Using Labile Organic Carbon and Carbon Management Indices in Agricultural Lands of Neyriz, Fars Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anahid Salmanpour

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil organic matter is considered as an indicator of soil quality, because of its role on the stability of soil structure, water holding capacity, microbial activity, storage and release of nutrients. Although changes and trends of organic matter are assessed on the basis of organic carbon, it responds slowly to changes of soil management. Therefore, identifying sensitive components of organic carbon such as carbon labile lead to better understanding of the effect of land use change and soil management on soil quality. The main components of sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions are the amount of water; and soil and water salinity. Water deficit and irrigation with saline water are important limiting factors for cropping and result in adverse effects on soil properties and soil quality. Soil carbon changes is a function of addition of plant debris and removal of it from soil by its decomposition. If the amount of organic carbon significantly reduced due to the degradation of the soil physical and chemical properties and soil quality, agricultural production will face serious problems. To this end, this study was done to evaluate soil quality using soil labile carbon and soil carbon management indices in some agricultural lands of Neyriz area, Fars province, Iran. Materials and Methods: Five fields were selected in two regions, Dehfazel and Tal-e-mahtabi, consisted of irrigated wheat and barley with different amount of irrigation water and water salinity levels. Three farms were located in Dehfazel and two farms in Tal-e-Mahtabi region. In each farm, three points were randomly selected and soil samples were collected from 0-40 cm of the surface layer. Plant samples were taken from a 1x1 square meter and grain crop yield was calculated per hectare. Water samples were obtained in each region from the wells at the last irrigation. Physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and water samples were determined. Soil

Development of a Soil Organic Carbon Baseline for Otjozondjupa, Namibia

OpenAIRE

Nijbroek, R.; Kempen, B.; Mutua, J.; Soderstrom, M.; Piikki, K.; Hengari, S.; Andreas, A.

2017-01-01

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) has been piloted in 14 countries and will be scaled up to over 120 countries. As a LDN pilot country, Namibia developed sub-national LDN baselines in Otjozondjupa Region. In addition to the three LDN indicators (soil organic carbon, land productivity and land cover change), Namibia also regards bush encroachment as an important form of land degradation. We collected 219 soil profiles and used Random Forest modelling to develop the soil organic carbon stock ba...

Soil Organic Carbon in the Soil Scapes of Southeastern Tanzania

OpenAIRE

Rossi, Joni

2009-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is well known to maintain several functions. On the one hand, being the major component of soil organic matter (SOM),it is a determinant of soil physical and chemical properties, an important proxy for soil biological activity and a measure of soil productivity. Land use management that will enhance soil carbon (C) levels is therefore important for farmers and land use planners, particularly in semiarid and sub-humid Africa where severe soil degradation and desertifi...

Simulating the effects of light intensity and carbonate system composition on particulate organic and inorganic carbon production in Emiliania huxleyi.

Science.gov (United States)

Holtz, Lena-Maria; Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter; Thoms, Silke

2015-05-07

Coccolithophores play an important role in the marine carbon cycle. Variations in light intensity and external carbonate system composition alter intracellular carbon fluxes and therewith the production rates of particulate organic and inorganic carbon. Aiming to find a mechanistic explanation for the interrelation between dissolved inorganic carbon fluxes and particulate carbon production rates, we develop a numerical cell model for Emiliania huxleyi, one of the most abundant coccolithophore species. The model consists of four cellular compartments, for each of which the carbonate system is resolved dynamically. The compartments are connected to each other and to the external medium via substrate fluxes across the compartment-confining membranes. By means of the model we are able to explain several pattern observed in particulate organic and inorganic carbon production rates for different strains and under different acclimation conditions. Particulate organic and inorganic carbon production rates for instance decrease at very low external CO2 concentrations. Our model suggests that this effect is caused mainly by reduced HCO3(-) uptake rates, not by CO2 limitation. The often observed decrease in particulate inorganic carbon production rates under Ocean Acidification is explained by a downregulation of cellular HCO3(-) uptake. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evolution of organic carbon burial in the Global Ocean during the Neogene

Science.gov (United States)

LI, Z.; Zhang, Y.

2017-12-01

Although only a small fraction of the organic carbon (OC) that rains from surface waters is eventually buried in the sediments, it is a process that controls the organic sub-cycle of the long-term carbon cycle, and the key for atmospheric O2, CO2 and nutrient cycling. Here we constrain the spatiotemporal variability of OC burial by quantifying the total organic carbon (TOC) mass accumulation rate (MAR) over the Neogene (23.0-2.6 Ma) by compiling the TOC, age model and sediment density data from sites retrieved by the Deep Sea Drilling Program, Ocean Drilling Program, and Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. We screened all available sites which yielded 80 sites with adequate data quality, covering all major ocean basins and sedimentary depositional environments. All age models are updated to the GTS 2012 timescale so the TOC MAR records from different sites are comparable. Preliminary results show a clear early Miocene peak of OC burial in many sites related to high sediment flux which might reflect the orogenic uplift and/or glacier erosion. Places that receive high influx of terrigenous inputs become "hotspots" for Neogene burial of OC. At "open ocean" sites, OC burial seems to be more impacted by marine productivity changes, with a pronounced increase during the middle Miocene "Monterey Formation" and late Miocene - early Pliocene "Biogenic Bloom". Upon the completion of the data collection, we will further explore the regional and global OC burial in the context of tectonic uplift, climate change and the evolution of primary producers and consumers during the last 23 million years of Earth history.

Assessment of Soil Organic Carbon Stock of Temperate Coniferous Forests in Northern Kashmir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davood A. Dar

2015-02-01

Full Text Available  Soil organic carbon (SOC estimation in temperate forests of the Himalaya is important to estimate their contribution to regional, national and global carbon stocks. Physico chemical properties of soil were quantified to assess soil organic carbon density (SOC and SOC CO2 mitigation density at two soil depths (0-10 and 10-20 cms under temperate forest in the Northern region of Kashmir Himalayas India. The results indicate that conductance, moisture content, organic carbon and organic matter were significantly higher while as pH and bulk density were lower at Gulmarg forest site. SOC % was ranging from 2.31± 0.96 at Gulmarg meadow site to 2.31 ± 0.26 in Gulmarg forest site. SOC stocks in these temperate forests were from 36.39 ±15.40 to 50.09 ± 15.51 Mg C ha-1. The present study reveals that natural vegetation is the main contributor of soil quality as it maintained the soil organic carbon stock. In addition, organic matter is an important indicator of soil quality and environmental parameters such as soil moisture and soil biological activity change soil carbon sequestration potential in temperate forest ecosystems.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i1.12186International Journal of Environment Volume-4, Issue-1, Dec-Feb 2014/15; page: 161-178

Evaluation and control of poisoning of impregnated carbons used for organic iodide removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovach, J.L.; Rankovic, L.

1979-01-01

By the evaluation of the chemical reactions which have taken place on impregnated activated carbon surfaces exposed to nuclear reactor atmospheric environments, the role of various impregnants has been studied. The evaluation shows several different paths for the aging and posioning to take place. The four major causes were found to be: organic solvent contamination; inorganic acid gas contamination; formation of organic acids on carbon surface; and, formation of SO 2 from carbon sulfur content. Prevention of poisoning by the first two paths can be accomplished only by procedural changes within the facility. However the last three poisoning paths can be controlled to some extent by the selection of carbon pretreatment techniques and the type of impregnant used. Results were generated by evaluating used carbons from 14 nuclear power plants and by artificial poisoning of laboratory impregnated carbons. Impregnants which have antioxidant properties, besides reaction with organic iodides, can increase the life of the impregnated activated carbons

Influence of contemporary carbon originating from the 2003 Siberian forest fire on organic carbon in PM2.5 in Nagoya, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikemori, Fumikazu; Honjyo, Koji; Yamagami, Makiko; Nakamura, Toshio

2015-01-01

In May 2003, high concentrations of organic carbon (OC) in PM 2.5 were measured in Nagoya, a representative metropolitan area in Japan. To investigate the influence of possible forest fires on PM 2.5 in Japan via long-range aerosol transport, the radiocarbon ( 14 C) concentrations of PM 2.5 samples from April 2003 to March 2004 were measured. 14 C concentrations in total carbon (TC) from May to early June showed higher values than those in other periods. The OC/elemental carbon (EC) ratios from May to early June were also significantly higher than the ones in other periods. In addition, OC concentrations from May to early June were typically high. These results indicate that the abundant OC fraction from May to early June in Nagoya consisted predominantly of contemporary carbon. Furthermore, simulations of diffusion and transport of organic matter (OM) in East Asia showed that abundant OM originating from East Siberia spread over East Asia and Japan in May and early June. Backward air mass trajectories from this time frame indicate that the air mass in Nagoya likely first passed through East Siberia where fire events were prevalent. However, the backward trajectories showed that the air mass after early June did not originate mainly from Siberia, and correspondingly, the 14 C and OC concentrations showed lower values than those from May to early June. Therefore, the authors conclude that contemporary carbon originating from the forest fire in East Siberia was transported to Nagoya, where it significantly contributed to the high observed concentrations of both OC and 14 C. - Highlights: • We analyzed the radiocarbon ( 14 C) concentration of TC in PM 2.5 from Nagoya, Japan. • 14 C concentrations from May to early June in 2003 were elevated. • The air mass at this time in Nagoya likely first passed through East Siberia. • Fire location data from MODIS indicate that fire events were prevalent in East Siberia. • Contemporary carbon emitted from the Siberian

Parallel measurements of organic and elemental carbon dry (PM1, PM2.5) and wet (rain, snow, mixed) deposition into the Baltic Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Witkowska, Agnieszka; Lewandowska, Anita; Falkowska, Lucyna M

2016-03-15

Parallel studies on organic and elemental carbon in PM1 and PM2.5 aerosols and in wet deposition in various forms of its occurrence were conducted in the urbanised coastal zone of the Baltic Sea. The carbon load introduced into the sea water was mainly affected by the form of precipitation. Dry deposition load of carbon was on average a few orders of magnitude smaller than wet deposition. The suspended organic carbon was more effectively removed from the air with rain than snow, while an inverse relationship was found for elemental carbon. However the highest flux of water insoluble organic carbon was recorded in precipitation of a mixed nature. The atmospheric cleaning of highly dissolved organic carbon was observed to be the most effective on the first day of precipitation, while the hydrophobic elemental carbon was removed more efficiently when the precipitation lasted longer than a day. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of 14C age of inorganic and organic carbon in ancient Siberian permafrost

Science.gov (United States)

Onstott, T. C.; Liang, R.; Lau, M.; Vishnivetskaya, T. A.; Lloyd, K. G.; Pfiffner, S. M.; Hodgins, G.; Rivkina, E.

2017-12-01

Permafrost represents a large reservoir of ancient carbon that could have an important impact on the global carbon budget during climate warming. Due to the low turnover rate of carbon by microorganisms at subzero temperatures, the persistence of ancient carbon in younger permafrost deposits could also pose challenges for radiocarbon dating of permafrost sediment. We utilized Accelerator Mass Spectrometry to determine the 14C age of inorganic carbon, labile and recalcitrant organic carbon in Siberian permafrost sediment sampled at various depths from 2.9 to 5.6m. The fraction of inorganic carbon (CO2) was collected after acidification using phosphoric acid. The labile (younger) and recalcitrant (old) organic carbon in the subsequent residues were collected after combustion at 400 ºC and 800 ºC, respectively. The percentages of inorganic carbon increased from the youngest (2.9m) to the oldest (5.6m), whereas the fractions for organic carbon varied significantly at different depths. The 14C age determined in the inorganic fraction in the top sample (2.9 m) was 21,760 yr BP and gradually increased to 33,900 yr BP in the relative deeper sediment (3.5 and 5.6 m). Surprisingly, the fraction of "younger" carbon liberated at 400 oC was older than the more recalcitrant and presumably older organic carbon liberated at 800 oC in all cases. Moreover, the 14C age of the younger and older organic carbon fractions did not increase with depth as observed in the carbonate fraction. In particular, the 14C age of the organic carbon in the top sample (38,590-41,700 yr BP) was much older than the deeper samples at depth of 3.5m (18,228-20,158 yr BP) and 5.6m (29,040-38,020 yr BP). It should be noticed that the metabolism of ancient carbon in frozen permafrost may vary at different depths due to the different proportion of necromass and metabolically active microbes. Therefore, additional knowledge about the carbon dynamics of permafrost and more investigation would be required to

Organic carbon accumulation and reactivity in central Swedish lakes during the Holocene

Science.gov (United States)

Chmiel, H.; Kokic, J.; Niggemann, J.; Dittmar, T.; Sobek, S.

2012-04-01

Sedimentation and burial of particulate organic carbon (POC), received from terrestrial sources and from lake internal primary production, are responsible for the progressive accumulation and long-term storage of organic matter in lake basins. For lakes in the boreal zone of central Sweden it can be presumed, that the onset of POC accumulation occurred during the early Holocene (˜8000 BP.) after the retreat of the Scandinavian ice sheet. In this study we investigated carbon mass accumulation rates (CMARs), as well as sources and reactivity of deposited organic material, for seven lakes in central Sweden (60°N, 15°E), in order to obtain a detailed temporal resolution of carbon burial and preservation in boreal lakes. Sediment long-cores were sampled in March 2011 from the ice, and CMARs were calculated from water contents, dry bulk densities, carbon contents and radiocarbon (14C) ages of the depth profiles. To indicate the sources of the organic material and characterize its diagenetic state, we determined carbon-nitrogen ratios (C/N) as well as amounts and compositions of lignin phenols. The transitions from organic rich sediment layers to glacial till deposits were found to be in sediment depths of ˜3 m in each lake. POC contents were on average highest (25-34 wt. % C), in small lakes (≤ 0.07 km2) and lowest (10-18 wt. % C) in the larger lakes (≥ 165 km2). The CMARs over the Holocene showed significant variations and were on average lower in the early Holocene, compared to recent accumulation rates. C/N values and the composition of lignin phenols further provided indications of important changes in organic matter source and reactivity over the Holocene. In summary, our data suggest that boreal lake sediments were a significantly stronger sink for organic carbon during the last ~150 years than during earlier periods of the Holocene.

Short-term dissolved organic carbon dynamics reflect water management and precipitation patterns in a subtropical estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Regier

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Estuaries significantly impact the global carbon cycle by regulating the exchange of organic matter, primarily in the form of dissolved organic carbon (DOC, between terrestrial and marine carbon pools. Estuarine DOC dynamics are complex as tides and other hydrological and climatic drivers can affect carbon fluxes on short and long time scales. While estuarine and coastal DOC dynamics have been well studied, variations on short time scales are less well constrained. Recent advancements in sonde technology enable autonomous in situ collection of high frequency DOC data using fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM as a proxy, dramatically improving our capacity to characterize rapid changes in DOC, even in remote ecosystems. This study utilizes high-frequency fDOM measurements to untangle rapid and complex hydrologic drivers of DOC in the Shark River estuary, the main drainage of Everglades National Park, Florida. Non-conservative mixing of fDOM along the salinity gradient suggested mangrove inputs accounted for 6% of the total DOC pool. Average changes in fDOM concentrations through individual tidal cycles ranged from less than 10% to greater than 50% and multi-day trends greater than 100% change in fDOM concentration were observed. Salinity and water level both inversely correlated to fDOM at sub-hourly and daily resolutions, while freshwater controls via precipitation and water management were observed at diel to monthly time-scales. In particular, the role of water management in rapidly shifting estuarine salinity gradients and DOC export regimes at sub-weekly time-scales was evident. Additionally, sub-hourly spikes in ebb-tide fDOM indicated rapid exchange of DOC between mangrove sediments and the river channel. DOC fluxes calculated from high-resolution fDOM measurements were compared to monthly DOC measurements with high-resolution fluxes considerably improving accuracy of fluxes (thereby constraining carbon budgets. This study provides

Massive carbon addition to an organic-rich Andosol increased the subsoil but not the topsoil carbon stock

Science.gov (United States)

Zieger, Antonia; Kaiser, Klaus; Ríos Guayasamín, Pedro; Kaupenjohann, Martin

2018-05-01

Andosols are among the most carbon-rich soils, with an average of 254 Mg ha-1 organic carbon (OC) in the upper 100 cm. A current theory proposes an upper limit for OC stocks independent of increasing carbon input, because of finite binding capacities of the soil mineral phase. We tested the possible limits in OC stocks for Andosols with already large OC concentrations and stocks (212 g kg-1 in the first horizon, 301 Mg ha-1 in the upper 100 cm). The soils received large inputs of 1800 Mg OC ha-1 as sawdust within a time period of 20 years. Adjacent soils without sawdust application served as controls. We determined total OC stocks as well as the storage forms of organic matter (OM) of five horizons down to 100 cm depth. Storage forms considered were pyrogenic carbon, OM of 2.0 g cm-3. The two fractions > 1.6 g cm-3 were also analysed for aluminium-organic matter complexes (Al-OM complexes) and imogolite-type phases using ammonium-oxalate-oxalic-acid extraction and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Pyrogenic organic carbon represented only up to 5 wt % of OC, and thus contributed little to soil OM. In the two topsoil horizons, the fraction between 1.6 and 2.0 g cm-3 had 65-86 wt % of bulk soil OC and was dominated by Al-OM complexes. In deeper horizons, the fraction > 2.0 g cm-3 contained 80-97 wt % of the bulk soil's total OC and was characterized by a mixture of Al-OM complexes and imogolite-type phases, with proportions of imogolite-type phases increasing with depth. In response to the sawdust application, only the OC stock at 25-50 cm depth increased significantly (α = 0.05, 1 - β = 0.8). The increase was entirely due to increased OC in the two fractions > 1.6 g cm-3. However, there was no significant increase in the total OC stocks within the upper 100 cm. The results suggest that long-term large OC inputs cannot be taken up by the obviously OC-saturated topsoil but induce downward migration and gradually increasing storage of OC in subsurface soil layers. The small

Microbial Contribution to Organic Carbon Sequestration in Mineral Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Soil productivity and sustainability are dependent on soil organic matter (SOM). Our understanding on how organic inputs to soil from microbial processes become converted to SOM is still limited. This study aims to understand how microbes affect carbon (C) sequestration and the formation of recalcit...

Sources and turnover of organic carbon and methane in fjord and shelf sediments off northern Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Simone; Hong, Wei-Li; Knies, Jochen; Lepland, Aivo; Forwick, Matthias; Klug, Martin; Eichinger, Florian; Baranwal, Soma; Crémière, Antoine; Chand, Shyam; Schubert, Carsten J.

2016-10-01

To better understand the present and past carbon cycling and transformation processes in methane-influenced fjord and shelf areas of northern Norway, we compared two sediment cores from the Hola trough and from Ullsfjorden. We investigated (1) the organic matter composition and sedimentological characteristics to study the sources of organic carbon (Corg) and the factors influencing Corg burial, (2) pore water geochemistry to determine the contribution of organoclastic sulfate reduction and methanogenesis to total organic carbon turnover, and (3) the carbon isotopic signature of hydrocarbons to identify the carbon transformation processes and gas sources. High sedimentation and Corg accumulation rates in Ullsfjorden support the notion that fjords are important Corg sinks. The depth of the sulfate-methane-transition (SMT) in the fjord is controlled by the supply of predominantly marine organic matter to the sediment. Organoclastic sulfate reduction accounts for 60% of the total depth-integrated sulfate reduction in the fjord. In spite of the presence of ethane, propane, and butane, we suggest a purely microbial origin of light hydrocarbons in the sediments based on their low δ13C values. In the Hola trough, sedimentation and Corg accumulation rates changed during the deglacial-to-post-glacial transition from approximately 80 cm ka-1 to erosion at present. Thus, Corg burial in this part of the shelf is presently absent. Low organic matter content in the sediment and low rates of organoclastic sulfate reduction (only 3% of total depth-integrated sulfate reduction) entail that the shallow depth of the SMT is controlled mostly by ascending thermogenic methane from deeper sources.

Adsorption of sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine antibiotics in high organic content soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kuen-Lin; Liu, Li-Chun; Chen, Wan-Ru

2017-12-01

Many antibiotics, including sulfonamides, are being frequently detected in soil and groundwater. Livestock waste is an important source of antibiotic pollution, and sulfonamides may be present along with organic-rich substances. This study aims to investigate the sorption reaction of two sulfonamides, sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) and sulfapyridine (SPY) in two organic-rich sorbents: a commercial peat soil (38.41% carbon content) and a composted manure (24.33% carbon content). Batch reactions were conducted to evaluate the impacts of pH (4.5-9.5) and background ions (0.001 M-0.1 M CaCl 2 ) on their sorption. Both linear partitioning and Freundlich sorption isotherms fit the reaction well. The n values of Freundlich isotherm were close to 1 in most conditions suggesting that the hydrophobic partition is the major adsorption mechanism. In terms of SMZ, K d declined with increases in the pH. SPY has a pyridine group that is responsible for adsorption at high pH values, and thus, no significant trend between K d and pH was observed. At high pH ranges, SPY sorption deviated significantly from linear partitioning. The results suggested the sorption mechanism of these two sulfonamide antibiotics tended to be hydrophobic partitioning under most of the experimental conditions, especially at pH values lower than their corresponding pK a2. The fluorescence excitation emission matrix and dissolved organic carbon leaching test suggested composted manure has higher fulvic acid organics and that peat soil has higher humus-like organics. Small organic molecules showed stronger affinity toward sulfonamide antibiotics and cause the composted manure to exhibit higher sorption capacity. Overall, this study suggests that the chemical structure and properties of sulfonamides antibiotics and the type of organic matter in soils will greatly influence the fate and transport of these contaminants into the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some aspects of the development of the Vaal Reef uranium-gold carbon seams, Witwatersrand sequence: organic geochemical and microbiological considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumberge, J.E.; Nagy, B.; Nagy, L.A.

1981-01-01

The solvent-insoluble organic matter (kerogen) that is the predominant syngenetic component of the Vaal Reef carbon seams was analyzed by combined high-vacuum pyrolysis gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, combined electron microprobe-scanning electron microscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The pyrolysis results indicate that the Vaal Reef carbon is a random polymer-type matter consisting mainly of aromatic and short-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, as well as aromatic and other organic-sulfur constituents. Scanning electron microscopy revealed coccoid and filamentous microstructures in the carbonaceous seams. These structures are conceivably of biological affinity and may be fossil blue-green algae and (or) bacteria. Gold is often concentrated at the interfaces of admixed clay-carbon microenvironments. This implies physical and chemical interactions between clays and organic matter conducive to the entrapment of detrital gold during deposition and the crystallization of colloidal/dissolved gold in the carbon seams. High concentrations of organic free radicals (molecules with unpaired electrons) in the carbonaceous matter, deduced from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, suggest that radiation emitted from uranium played a unique role in the reconstitution and polymerization of the progenitor biochemicals

Effect of alkali metal content of carbon on retention of iodine at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, A.G.

1975-01-01

Activated carbon for filters in reactor confinement systems is intentionally impregnated with iodine salts to enhance the removal of radioiodine from air streams containing organic iodides. When a variety of commercial impregnated carbons were evaluated for iodine retention at elevated temperatures (4 hours at 180 0 C), wide variations in iodine penetration were observed. The alkali metal and iodine content of carbon samples was determined by neutron activation analysis, and a strong correlation was shown between the atom ratio of iodine to alkali metals in the carbons and the high-temperature retention performance. Carbons containing excess alkali (especially potassium) have iodine penetration values 10 to 100 times lower than carbons containing excess iodine. Both low I/K ratios and high pH values were shown essential to high efficiency iodine retention; therefore, conversion of elemental iodine to ionic iodine is the basic reaction mechanism. The natural high K + content and high pH coconut carbons make coconut the preferred natural base material for nuclear air cleaning applications. Studies show, however, that treatment of low potassium carbons with a mixture of KOH and I 2 may produce a product equal to or better than I 2 -impregnated coconut carbons at a lower cost. (U.S.)

An immersion calorimetric study of the interactions between some organic molecules and functionalized carbon nanotube surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillejos-López, E.; Bachiller-Baeza, B.; Guerrero-Ruiz, A.; Rodriguez-Ramos, I.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The interaction of organic chemicals with the surface of modified CNTs was studied. ► Specific π–π interactions between graphitic CNTs and toluene have been considered. ► Confinement effects in CNTs increase the adsorption strength of aromatic compounds. ► Methanol molecules form H-bonds with the oxygen functional groups on CNT surfaces. - Abstract: The interaction of organic chemicals with the surface of carbon nanotubes has been studied by immersion calorimetry revealing significant differences in the properties when these materials are modified thermally or chemically. Therefore, multiwall carbon nanotubes have been synthesized using a chemical vapour deposition procedure and subsequently aliquots were treated with HNO 3 at reflux, maintaining the reaction during different times, in order to incorporate oxygen surface groups, or were treated at 2873 K under inert atmosphere. The aim of this thermal treatment is to eliminate structural defects of the carbon nanostructures and to graphitize the amorphous carbon phases. These features were confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The immersion in organic compounds, including toluene, methanol and methylcyclohexane, of all these carbon nanotubes samples reveals that the surface properties are remarkably modified. Thus, the formation of different types of interaction, depending on the surface, gives place to changes in the immersion enthalpies

Could a secular increase in organic burial explain the rise of oxygen? Insights from a geological carbon cycle model constrained by the carbon isotope record

Science.gov (United States)

Krissansen-Totton, J.; Kipp, M.; Catling, D. C.

2017-12-01

The stable isotopes of carbon in marine sedimentary rock provide a window into the evolution of the Earth system. Conventionally, a relatively constant carbon isotope ratio in marine sedimentary rocks has been interpreted as implying constant organic carbon burial relative to total carbon burial. Because organic carbon burial corresponds to net oxygen production from photosynthesis, it follows that secular changes in the oxygen source flux cannot explain the dramatic rise of oxygen over Earth history. Instead, secular declines in oxygen sink fluxes are often invoked as causes for the rise of oxygen. However, constant fractional organic burial is difficult to reconcile with tentative evidence for low phosphate concentrations in the Archean ocean, which would imply lower marine productivity and—all else being equal—less organic carbon burial than today. The conventional interpretation of the carbon isotope record rests on the untested assumption that the isotopic ratio of carbon inputs into the ocean reflect mantle isotopic values throughout Earth history. In practice, differing rates of carbonate and organic weathering will allow for changes in isotopic inputs, as suggested by [1] and [2]. However, these inputs can not vary freely because large changes in isotopic inputs would induce secular trends in carbon reservoirs, which are not observed in the isotope record. We apply a geological carbon cycle model to all Earth history, tracking carbon isotopes in crustal, mantle, and ocean reservoirs. Our model is constrained by the carbon isotope record such that we can determine the extent to which large changes in organic burial are permitted. We find both constant organic burial and 3-5 fold increases in organic burial since 4.0 Ga can be reconciled with the carbon isotope record. Changes in the oxygen source flux thus need to be reconsidered as a possible contributor to Earth's oxygenation. [1] L. A. Derry, Organic carbon cycling and the lithosphere, in Treatise on

Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Stocks Respond to Restoration Measures in Degraded Lands by Water Erosion

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Xiaodong; Li, Zhongwu; Huang, Jinquan; Huang, Bin; Xiao, Haibing; Zeng, Guangming

2017-05-01

Assessing the degree to which degraded soils can be recovered is essential for evaluating the effects of adopted restoration measures. The objective of this study was to determine the restoration of soil organic carbon under the impact of terracing and reforestation. A small watershed with four typical restored plots (terracing and reforestation (four different local plants)) and two reference plots (slope land with natural forest (carbon-depleted) and abandoned depositional land (carbon-enriched)) in subtropical China was studied. The results showed that soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon concentrations in the surface soil (10 cm) of restored lands were close to that in abandoned depositional land and higher than that in natural forest land. There was no significant difference in soil organic carbon content among different topographic positions of the restored lands. Furthermore, the soil organic carbon stocks in the upper 60 cm soils of restored lands, which were varied between 50.08 and 62.21 Mg C ha-1, were higher than 45.90 Mg C ha-1 in natural forest land. Our results indicated that the terracing and reforestation could greatly increase carbon sequestration and accumulation and decrease carbon loss induced by water erosion. And the combination measures can accelerate the restoration of degraded soils when compared to natural forest only. Forest species almost have no impact on the total amount of soil organic carbon during restoration processes, but can significantly influence the activity and stability of soil organic carbon. Combination measures which can provide suitable topography and continuous soil organic carbon supply could be considered in treating degraded soils caused by water erosion.

Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Stocks Respond to Restoration Measures in Degraded Lands by Water Erosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Xiaodong; Li, Zhongwu; Huang, Jinquan; Huang, Bin; Xiao, Haibing; Zeng, Guangming

2017-05-01

Assessing the degree to which degraded soils can be recovered is essential for evaluating the effects of adopted restoration measures. The objective of this study was to determine the restoration of soil organic carbon under the impact of terracing and reforestation. A small watershed with four typical restored plots (terracing and reforestation (four different local plants)) and two reference plots (slope land with natural forest (carbon-depleted) and abandoned depositional land (carbon-enriched)) in subtropical China was studied. The results showed that soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon concentrations in the surface soil (10 cm) of restored lands were close to that in abandoned depositional land and higher than that in natural forest land. There was no significant difference in soil organic carbon content among different topographic positions of the restored lands. Furthermore, the soil organic carbon stocks in the upper 60 cm soils of restored lands, which were varied between 50.08 and 62.21 Mg C ha -1 , were higher than 45.90 Mg C ha -1 in natural forest land. Our results indicated that the terracing and reforestation could greatly increase carbon sequestration and accumulation and decrease carbon loss induced by water erosion. And the combination measures can accelerate the restoration of degraded soils when compared to natural forest only. Forest species almost have no impact on the total amount of soil organic carbon during restoration processes, but can significantly influence the activity and stability of soil organic carbon. Combination measures which can provide suitable topography and continuous soil organic carbon supply could be considered in treating degraded soils caused by water erosion.

Scalable Sub-micron Patterning of Organic Materials Toward High Density Soft Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jaekyun; Kim, Myung-Gil; Kim, Jaehyun; Jo, Sangho; Kang, Jingu; Jo, Jeong-Wan; Lee, Woobin; Hwang, Chahwan; Moon, Juhyuk; Yang, Lin; Kim, Yun-Hi; Noh, Yong-Young; Jaung, Jae Yun; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Park, Sung Kyu

2015-09-28

The success of silicon based high density integrated circuits ignited explosive expansion of microelectronics. Although the inorganic semiconductors have shown superior carrier mobilities for conventional high speed switching devices, the emergence of unconventional applications, such as flexible electronics, highly sensitive photosensors, large area sensor array, and tailored optoelectronics, brought intensive research on next generation electronic materials. The rationally designed multifunctional soft electronic materials, organic and carbon-based semiconductors, are demonstrated with low-cost solution process, exceptional mechanical stability, and on-demand optoelectronic properties. Unfortunately, the industrial implementation of the soft electronic materials has been hindered due to lack of scalable fine-patterning methods. In this report, we demonstrated facile general route for high throughput sub-micron patterning of soft materials, using spatially selective deep-ultraviolet irradiation. For organic and carbon-based materials, the highly energetic photons (e.g. deep-ultraviolet rays) enable direct photo-conversion from conducting/semiconducting to insulating state through molecular dissociation and disordering with spatial resolution down to a sub-μm-scale. The successful demonstration of organic semiconductor circuitry promise our result proliferate industrial adoption of soft materials for next generation electronics.

Substantial soil organic carbon retention along floodplains of mountain streams

Science.gov (United States)

Sutfin, Nicholas A.; Wohl, Ellen

2017-07-01

Small, snowmelt-dominated mountain streams have the potential to store substantial organic carbon in floodplain sediment because of high inputs of particulate organic matter, relatively lower temperatures compared with lowland regions, and potential for increased moisture conditions. This work (i) quantifies mean soil organic carbon (OC) content along 24 study reaches in the Colorado Rocky Mountains using 660 soil samples, (ii) identifies potential controls of OC content based on soil properties and spatial position with respect to the channel, and (iii) and examines soil properties and OC across various floodplain geomorphic features in the study area. Stepwise multiple linear regression (adjusted r2 = 0.48, p sample depth, percent sand, distance from the channel, and relative elevation from the channel are significant predictors of OC content in the study area. Principle component analysis indicates limited separation between geomorphic floodplain features based on predictors of OC content. A lack of significant differences among floodplain features suggests that the systematic random sampling employed in this study can capture the variability of OC across floodplains in the study area. Mean floodplain OC (6.3 ± 0.3%) is more variable but on average greater than values in uplands (1.5 ± 0.08% to 2.2 ± 0.14%) of the Colorado Front Range and higher than published values from floodplains in other regions, particularly those of larger rivers.

Extraordinary slow degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a cold marginal sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae-Hoon; Kim, Guebuem; Lee, Shin-Ah; Dittmar, Thorsten

2015-09-08

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is the largest organic carbon reservoir in the ocean, and the amount of carbon in this reservoir rivals that in atmospheric CO2. In general, DOC introduced into the deep ocean undergoes a significant degradation over a centennial time scale (i.e., ~50 μM to ~34 μM in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea). However, we here show that high concentrations of DOC (58 ± 4 μM) are maintained almost constantly over 100 years in the entire deep East/Japan Sea (EJS). The degradation rate in this sea is estimated to be 0.04 μmol C kg(-1) yr(-1), which is 2-3 times lower than that in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Since the source of DOC in the deep EJS is found to be of marine origin on the basis of δ(13)C-DOC signatures, this slow degradation rate seems to be due to low temperature (DOC in the world ocean is very sensitive to global warming and slowdown of global deep-water overturning.

Influencing factors on δ(13C) of organic matter and carbonate in labke sediments on songnen plain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ou Wenjia; Zhang Chengjun

2009-01-01

Carbon isotopic compositions of organic matter and carbonate in surface sediments from lakes in Songnen Plain, northeast of China, were carried out.n-alkanes carbon distribution characteristics of the organic matter in lake sediments were also analyzed to identify the source of organic matter and sedimentary environment in these lakes. With the limnological characteristics of water and sediment, the influencing factors on isotopic composition in sedimentary organic matter and carbonate were discussed. The results showed that types of organic matter affected the carbon isotopic composition. 13 C of carbonate depleted by input of biologic organic matter and enriched by input of oil pollution. (authors)

Performance of carbon-carbon supercapacitors based on organic, aqueous and ionic liquid electrolytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewandowski, Andrzej; Olejniczak, Angelika; Galinski, Maciej; Stepniak, Izabela [Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, ul. Piotrowo 3, PL-60 965 Poznan (Poland)

2010-09-01

Properties of capacitors working with the same carbon electrodes (activated carbon cloth) and three types of electrolytes: aqueous, organic and ionic liquids were compared. Capacitors filled with ionic liquids worked at a potential difference of 3.5 V, their solutions in AN and PC were charged up to the potential difference of 3 V, classical organic systems to 2.5 V and aqueous to 1 V. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charging/discharging and impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize these capacitors. The highest specific energy was recorded for the device working with ionic liquids, while the highest power is characteristic for the device filled with aqueous H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte. Aqueous electrolytes led to energy density an order of magnitude lower in comparison to that characteristic of ionic liquids. (author)

TiO2-Containing Carbon Derived from a Metal-Organic Framework Composite: A Highly Active Catalyst for Oxidative Desulfurization.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhadra, Biswa Nath; Song, Ji Yoon; Khan, Nazmul Abedin; Jhung, Sung Hwa

2017-09-13

A new metal-organic framework (MOF) composite consisting of Ti- and Zn-based MOFs (ZIF-8(x)@H 2 N-MIL-125; in brief, ZIF(x)@MOF) was designed and synthesized. The pristine MOF [H 2 N-MIL-125 (MOF)]- and an MOF-composite [ZIF(30)@MOF]-derived mesoporous carbons consisting of TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by pyrolysis (named MDC-P and MDC-C, respectively). MDC-C showed a higher surface area, larger pore sizes, and larger mesopore volumes than MDC-P. In addition, the TiO 2 nanoparticles on MDC-C have more uniform shapes and sizes and are smaller than those of MDC-P. The obtained MDC-C and MDC-P [together with MOF, ZIF(30)@MOF, pure/nanocrystalline TiO 2 , and activated carbon] were applied in the oxidative desulfurization reaction of dibenzothiophene in a model fuel. The MDC-C, even with a lower TiO 2 content than that of MDC-P, showed an outstanding catalytic performance, especially with a very low catalyst dose (i.e., a very high quantity of dibenzothiophene was converted per unit weight of the catalyst), fast kinetics (∼3 times faster than that for MDC-P), and a low activation energy (lower than that for any reported catalyst) for the oxidation of dibenzothiophene. The large mesopores of MDC-C and the well-dispersed/small TiO 2 might be the dominant factors for the superior catalytic conversions. The oxidative desulfurization of other sulfur-containing organic compounds with various electron densities was also studied with MDC-C to understand the mechanism of catalysis. Moreover, the MDC-C catalyst can be reused many times in the oxidative desulfurization reaction after a simple washing with acetone. Finally, composing MOFs and subsequent pyrolysis is suggested as an effective way to prepare a catalyst with well-dispersed active sites, large pores, and high mesoporosity.

Production of dissolved organic carbon in aquatic sediment suspensions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koelmans, A.A.; Prevo, L.

2003-01-01

In many water quality models production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is modelled as mineralisation from particulate organic matter (POM). In this paper it is argued that the DOC production from dessicated sediments by water turbulence may be of similar importance
In many water quality

Edge-Oriented Graphene on Carbon Nanofiber for High-Frequency Supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Nazifah; Warzywoda, Juliusz; Fan, Zhaoyang

2018-03-01

High-frequency supercapacitors are being studied with the aim to replace the bulky electrolytic capacitors for current ripple filtering and other functions used in power systems. Here, 3D edge-oriented graphene (EOG) was grown encircling carbon nanofiber (CNF) framework to form a highly conductive electrode with a large surface area. Such EOG/CNF electrodes were tested in aqueous and organic electrolytes for high-frequency supercapacitor development. For the aqueous and the organic cell, the characteristic frequency at - 45° phase angle was found to be as high as 22 and 8.5 kHz, respectively. At 120 Hz, the electrode capacitance density was 0.37 and 0.16 mF cm-2 for the two cells. In particular, the 3 V high-frequency organic cell was successfully tested as filtering capacitor used in AC/DC converter, suggesting the promising potential of this technology for compact power supply design and other applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Response of soil organic carbon fractions, microbial community composition and carbon mineralization to high-input fertilizer practices under an intensive agricultural system

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xueping; Gebremikael, Mesfin Tsegaye; Wu, Huijun; Cai, Dianxiong; Wang, Bisheng; Li, Baoguo; Zhang, Jiancheng; Li, Yongshan; Xi, Jilong

2018-01-01

Microbial mechanisms associated with soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition are poorly understood. We aim to determine the effects of inorganic and organic fertilizers on soil labile carbon (C) pools, microbial community structure and C mineralization rate under an intensive wheat-maize double cropping system in Northern China. Soil samples in 0–10 cm layer were collected from a nine-year field trial involved four treatments: no fertilizer, CK; nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers, NP; maize straw combined with NP fertilizers, NPS; and manure plus straw and NP fertilizers, NPSM. Soil samples were analyzed to determine labile C pools (including dissolved organic C, DOC; light free organic C, LFOC; and microbial biomass C, MBC), microbial community composition (using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles) and SOC mineralization rate (from a 124-day incubation experiment). This study demonstrated that the application of chemical fertilizers (NP) alone did not alter labile C fractions, soil microbial communities and SOC mineralization rate from those observed in the CK treatment. Whereas the use of straw in conjunction with chemical fertilizers (NPS) became an additional labile substrate supply that decreased C limitation, stimulated growth of all PLFA-related microbial communities, and resulted in 53% higher cumulative mineralization of C compared to that of CK. The SOC and its labile fractions explained 78.7% of the variance of microbial community structure. Further addition of manure on the top of straw in the NPSM treatment did not significantly increase microbial community abundances, but it did alter microbial community structure by increasing G+/G- ratio compared to that of NPS. The cumulative mineralization of C was 85% higher under NPSM fertilization compared to that of CK. Particularly, the NPSM treatment increased the mineralization rate of the resistant pool. This has to be carefully taken into account when setting realistic and effective goals

Nutrient and dissolved organic carbon removal from natural waters using industrial by-products.

Science.gov (United States)

Wendling, Laura A; Douglas, Grant B; Coleman, Shandel; Yuan, Zheng

2013-01-01

Attenuation of excess nutrients in wastewater and stormwater is required to safeguard aquatic ecosystems. The use of low-cost, mineral-based industrial by-products with high Ca, Mg, Fe or Al content as a solid phase in constructed wetlands potentially offers a cost-effective wastewater treatment option in areas without centralised water treatment facilities. Our objective was to investigate use of water treatment residuals (WTRs), coal fly ash (CFA), and granular activated carbon (GAC) from biomass combustion in in-situ water treatment schemes to manage dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrients. Both CaO- and CaCO(3)-based WTRs effectively attenuated inorganic N species but exhibited little capacity for organic N removal. The CaO-based WTR demonstrated effective attenuation of DOC and P in column trials, and a high capacity for P sorption in batch experiments. Granular activated carbon proved effective for DOC and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) removal in column trials, but was ineffective for P attenuation. Only CFA demonstrated effective removal of a broad suite of inorganic and organic nutrients and DOC; however, Se concentrations in column effluents exceeded Australian and New Zealand water quality guideline values. Water treated by filtering through the CaO-based WTR exhibited nutrient ratios characteristic of potential P-limitation with no potential N- or Si-limitation respective to growth of aquatic biota, indicating that treatment of nutrient-rich water using the CaO-based WTR may result in conditions less favourable for cyanobacterial growth and more favourable for growth of diatoms. Results show that selected industrial by-products may mitigate eutrophication through targeted use in nutrient intervention schemes. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contrasting above- and belowground organic matter decomposition and carbon and nitrogen dynamics in response to warming in High Arctic tundra.

Science.gov (United States)

Blok, Daan; Faucherre, Samuel; Banyasz, Imre; Rinnan, Riikka; Michelsen, Anders; Elberling, Bo

2017-12-13

Tundra regions are projected to warm rapidly during the coming decades. The tundra biome holds the largest terrestrial carbon pool, largely contained in frozen permafrost soils. With warming, these permafrost soils may thaw and become available for microbial decomposition, potentially providing a positive feedback to global warming. Warming may directly stimulate microbial metabolism but may also indirectly stimulate organic matter turnover through increased plant productivity by soil priming from root exudates and accelerated litter turnover rates. Here, we assess the impacts of experimental warming on turnover rates of leaf litter, active layer soil and thawed permafrost sediment in two high-arctic tundra heath sites in NE-Greenland, either dominated by evergreen or deciduous shrubs. We incubated shrub leaf litter on the surface of control and warmed plots for 1 and 2 years. Active layer soil was collected from the plots to assess the effects of 8 years of field warming on soil carbon stocks. Finally, we incubated open cores filled with newly thawed permafrost soil for 2 years in the active layer of the same plots. After field incubation, we measured basal respiration rates of recovered thawed permafrost cores in the lab. Warming significantly reduced litter mass loss by 26% after 1 year incubation, but differences in litter mass loss among treatments disappeared after 2 years incubation. Warming also reduced litter nitrogen mineralization and decreased the litter carbon to nitrogen ratio. Active layer soil carbon stocks were reduced 15% by warming, while soil dissolved nitrogen was reduced by half in warmed plots. Warming had a positive legacy effect on carbon turnover rates in thawed permafrost cores, with 10% higher respiration rates measured in cores from warmed plots. These results demonstrate that warming may have contrasting effects on above- and belowground tundra carbon turnover, possibly governed by microbial resource availability. © 2017 John

Apparent Disequilibrium of Inorganic and Organic Carbon Compounds in Serpentinizing Fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, K.; Shock, E.

2014-12-01

During serpentinization of ultramafic rocks, ferrous iron in silicates is oxidized to ferric minerals and H2O is reduced to H2. This process is accompanied by the reduction of inorganic carbon, as observed in experiments and natural systems. To test the extent to which stable and metastable equilibria are reached among aqueous organic compounds during serpentinization, we sampled water and dissolved gases from circumneutral surface pools and hyperalkaline seeps in the Samail ophiolite in the Sultanate of Oman and analyzed for various carbon constituents, including dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, methane, carbon monoxide, formate, acetate, and other small organic acid anions. Measurements of temperature, pH, dissolved H2, O2, major cations, major anions, and major and trace elements were also made. The aqueous composition of the analyzed samples was speciated based on ionic equilibrium interactions in order to obtain activities for inorganic carbon species, reduced carbon species, H2, and O2. The redox disequilibria among carbon species was then assessed using data and parameters for the revised HKF equations of state. This analysis demonstrates that the carbon species in this system are out of equilibrium with respect to one another in ways that cannot be compensated by altering the abundance of the other constituents within analytical uncertainties. Specifically, there is too much formate and too little methane relative to stable and metastable equilibria. This result implies the following: 1) Methane and formate equilibrated in separate parts of the system, given that no reasonable temperature, pressure, or composition changes satisfy equilibrium with their measured abundances. 2) Methane production is kinetically inhibited, as seen in experiments. 3) Microbial methane oxidation altered the abundance of methane and formate; methane oxidation to formate or carbonate is calculated to be extremely thermodynamically favorable in these fluids.

Large-Scale Mapping of Carbon Stocks in Riparian Forests with Self-Organizing Maps and the k-Nearest-Neighbor Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonhard Suchenwirth

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Among the machine learning tools being used in recent years for environmental applications such as forestry, self-organizing maps (SOM and the k-nearest neighbor (kNN algorithm have been used successfully. We applied both methods for the mapping of organic carbon (Corg in riparian forests due to their considerably high carbon storage capacity. Despite the importance of floodplains for carbon sequestration, a sufficient scientific foundation for creating large-scale maps showing the spatial Corg distribution is still missing. We estimated organic carbon in a test site in the Danube Floodplain based on RapidEye remote sensing data and additional geodata. Accordingly, carbon distribution maps of vegetation, soil, and total Corg stocks were derived. Results were compared and statistically evaluated with terrestrial survey data for outcomes with pure remote sensing data and for the combination with additional geodata using bias and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE. Results show that SOM and kNN approaches enable us to reproduce spatial patterns of riparian forest Corg stocks. While vegetation Corg has very high RMSEs, outcomes for soil and total Corg stocks are less biased with a lower RMSE, especially when remote sensing and additional geodata are conjointly applied. SOMs show similar percentages of RMSE to kNN estimations.

Carbon Composition of Particulate Organic Carbon in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, K.; Montoya, J. P.; Weber, S.; Bosman, S.; Chanton, J.

2016-02-01

The Deepwater Horizon blowout released 5.0x1011 g C from gaseous hydrocarbons and up to 6.0x1011g C from oil into the water column. Another carbon source, adding daily to the water column, leaks from the natural hydrocarbon seeps that pepper the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico. How much of this carbon from the DWH and natural seeps is assimilated into particulate organic carbon (POC) in the water column? We filtered seawater collected in 2010, 2012, and 2013 from seep and non-seep sites, collecting POC on 0.7µm glass microfiber filters and analyzing the POC for stable and radiocarbon isotopes. Mixing models based on carbon isotopic endmembers of methane, oil, and modern production were used to estimate the percentage of hydrocarbon incorporated into POC. Significant differences were seen between POC from shallow and deep waters and between POC collected from seep, non-seep, and blowout sites; however yearly differences were not as evident suggesting the GOM has a consistent supply of depleted carbon. Stable carbon isotopes signatures of POC in the Gulf averaged -23.7±2.5‰ for shallow samples and -26.65±2.9‰ for deep POC samples, while radiocarbon signatures averaged -100.4±146.1‰ for shallow and -394.6±197‰ for deep samples. POC in the northern Gulf are composed of 23-91% modern carbon, 2-21% methane, and 0-71% oil. Oil plays a major role in the POC composition of the GOM, especially at the natural seep GC600.

Organic carbon fluxes in the Atlantic and the Southern Ocean: relationship to primary production compiled from satellite radiometer data

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, G.; Ratmeyer, V.; Wefer, G.

Fluxes of organic carbon normalised to a depth of 1000 m from 18 sites in the Atlantic and the Southern Ocean are presented, comprising nine biogeochemical provinces as defined by Longhurst et al. (1995. Journal of Plankton Research 17, 1245-1271). For comparison with primary production, we used a recent compilation of primary production values derived from CZCS data (Antoine et al., 1996. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 10, 57-69). In most cases, the seasonal patterns stood reasonably well in accordance with the carbon fluxes. Particularly, organic carbon flux records from two coastal sites off northwest and southwest Africa displayed a more distinct correlation to the primary production in sectors (1×1°) which are situated closer to the coastal environments. This was primarily caused by large upwelling filaments streaming far offshore, resulting in a cross-shelf carbon transport. With respect to primary production, organic carbon export to a water depth of 1000 m, and the fraction of primary production exported to a depth of 1000 m (export fraction=EF 1000), we were able to distinguish between: (1) the coastal environments with highest values (EF 1000=1.75-2.0%), (2) the eastern equatorial upwelling area with moderately high values (EF 1000=0.8-1.1%), (3) and the subtropical oligotrophic gyres that yielded lowest values (EF 1000=0.6%). Carbon export in the Southern Ocean was low to moderate, and the EF 1000 value seems to be quite low in general. Annual organic carbon fluxes were proportional to primary production, and the export fraction EF 1000 increased with primary production up to 350 gC m -2 yr-1. Latitudinal variations in primary production were reflected in the carbon flux pattern. A high temporal variability of primary production rates and a pronounced seasonality of carbon export were observed in the polar environments, in particular in coastal domains, although primary production (according to Antoine et al., 1996. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 10, 57

Organic Matter Quality and its Influence on Carbon Turnover and Stabilization in Northern Peatlands

Science.gov (United States)

Turetsky, M. R.; Wieder, R. K.

2002-12-01

Peatlands cover 3-5 % of the world's ice-free land area, but store about 33 % of global terrestrial soil carbon. Peat accumulation in northern regions generally is controlled by slow decomposition, which may be limited by cold temperatures and water-logging. Poor organic matter quality also may limit decay, and microbial activity in peatlands likely is regulated by the availability of labile carbon and/or nutrients. Conversely, carbon in recalcitrant soil structures may be chemically protected from microbial decay, particularly in peatlands where carbon can be buried in anaerobic soils. Soil organic matter quality is controlled by plant litter chemical composition and the susceptibility of organic compounds to decomposition through time. There are a number of techniques available for characterizing organic quality, ranging from chemical proximate or elemental analysis to more qualitative methods such as nuclear magenetic resonance, pyrolysis/mass spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We generally have relied on proximate analysis for quantitative determination of several organic fractions (i.e., water-soluble carbohydrates, soluble nonpolars, water-soluble phenolics, holocellulose, and acid insoluble material). Our approaches to studying organic matter quality in relation to C turnover in peatlands include 1) 14C labelling of peatland vegetation along a latitudinal gradient in North America, allowing us to follow the fate of 14C tracer in belowground organic fractions under varying climates, 2) litter bag studies focusing on the role of individual moss species in litter quality and organic matter decomposition, and 3) laboratory incubations of peat to explore relationships between organic matter quality and decay. These studies suggest that proximate organic fractions vary in lability, but that turnover of organic matter is influenced both by plant species and climate. Across boreal peatlands, measures of soil recalcitrance such as acid

Secondary organic carbon quantification and source apportionment of PM10 in Kaifeng, China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WU Lin; FENG Yinchang; WU Jianhui; ZHU Tan; BI Xiaohui; HAN Bo; YANG Weihong; YANG Zhiqiang

2009-01-01

During 2005, the filter samples of ambient PM10 from five sites and the source samples of particulate matter were collected in Kaifeng, Henan province of China. Nineteen elements, water-soluble ions, total carbon (TC) and organic carbon (OC) contained in samples were analyzed. Seven contributive source types were identified and their contributions to ambient PM10 were estimated by chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. Weak associations between the concentrations of organic carbon and element carbon (EC) were observed during the sampling periods, indicating that there was secondary organic aerosol pollution in the urban atmosphere. An indirect method of "OC/EC minimum ratio" was applied to estimate the concentration of secondary organic carbon (SOC). The results showed that SOC contributed 26.2%, 32.4% and 18.0% of TC in spring, summer-fall and winter respectively, and the annual average SOC concentration was 7.07 μg/m3, accounting for 5.73% of the total mass in ambient PM10. The carbon species concentrations in ambient PM10 were recalculated by subtracting the SOC concentrations from measured concentrations of TC and OC to increase the compatibility of source and receptor measurements for CMB model.

Kirishites, a new type of natural high-carbon compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Marin, Yu. B.; Skublov, G. T.; Yushkin, N. P.

2010-01-01

On the right-hand bank of the Volkhov River, in the natural area of tektite-like glasses (Volkhovites), fragments of shungites and slags with bunches of hairlike dark brownish enclosures were found. The filament thickness ranged from 20 to 100 μm, and separate “hairlines” were 3 cm in length. The composition of shungites and “hairlines” was found to be identical, which allowed us to consider the latter as aposhungite carbon formations. The high-carbon hairline structures associated with volkhovites are called kirishites. Kirishites are a new type of high-carbon structures that formed simultaneously with volkhovites in the case of explosion-type delivery of carbon slag and shungite fragments to the daylight surface during Holocene explosive activity. Under sharply reductive conditions, the slags partially melted, the melts were segregated, and carbonaceous-silicate and carbonaceous-ferriferous glasses formed with subsequent decompression-explosive liberation of carbon-supersaturated structures, which were extruded from shungite and slag fragments in the form of a resinoid mass. The “hairlines” were found to be zonal in structure: the central axial zones are composed of high-nitrogen hydrocarbon compounds, and peripheral regions are essentially carbonaceous with a high content of organic-mineral compounds and numerous microanomalies of petrogenic, volatile, rare, and ore elements. Infrared spectroscopy identified in kirishites proteinlike compounds, diagnosed in absorption bands (in cm-1) 600-720 (Amid V), 1200-1300 (Amid III), 1480-1590 (Amid II), 1600-1700 (Amid I), 3000-3800 (vibrations in NH2 and II groups). Gas chromatography, with the possibility of differentiation of left- and right-handed forms, revealed a broad spectrum of amino acids in kirishites, with their total content found to be the absolutely highest record for natural bitumens, an order of magnitude higher than the largest amino acid concentrations ever revealed in fibrous high

How organic carbon derived from multiple sources contributes to carbon sequestration processes in a shallow coastal system?

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Kenta; Kuwae, Tomohiro

2015-04-16

Carbon captured by marine organisms helps sequester atmospheric CO 2 , especially in shallow coastal ecosystems, where rates of primary production and burial of organic carbon (OC) from multiple sources are high. However, linkages between the dynamics of OC derived from multiple sources and carbon sequestration are poorly understood. We investigated the origin (terrestrial, phytobenthos derived, and phytoplankton derived) of particulate OC (POC) and dissolved OC (DOC) in the water column and sedimentary OC using elemental, isotopic, and optical signatures in Furen Lagoon, Japan. Based on these data analysis, we explored how OC from multiple sources contributes to sequestration via storage in sediments, water column sequestration, and air-sea CO 2 exchanges, and analyzed how the contributions vary with salinity in a shallow seagrass meadow as well. The relative contribution of terrestrial POC in the water column decreased with increasing salinity, whereas autochthonous POC increased in the salinity range 10-30. Phytoplankton-derived POC dominated the water column POC (65-95%) within this salinity range; however, it was minor in the sediments (3-29%). In contrast, terrestrial and phytobenthos-derived POC were relatively minor contributors in the water column but were major contributors in the sediments (49-78% and 19-36%, respectively), indicating that terrestrial and phytobenthos-derived POC were selectively stored in the sediments. Autochthonous DOC, part of which can contribute to long-term carbon sequestration in the water column, accounted for >25% of the total water column DOC pool in the salinity range 15-30. Autochthonous OC production decreased the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon in the water column and thereby contributed to atmospheric CO 2 uptake, except in the low-salinity zone. Our results indicate that shallow coastal ecosystems function not only as transition zones between land and ocean but also as carbon sequestration filters. They

A global hotspot for dissolved organic carbon in hypermaritime watersheds of coastal British Columbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Oliver

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The perhumid region of the coastal temperate rainforest (CTR of Pacific North America is one of the wettest places on Earth and contains numerous small catchments that discharge freshwater and high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC directly to the coastal ocean. However, empirical data on the flux and composition of DOC exported from these watersheds are scarce. We established monitoring stations at the outlets of seven catchments on Calvert and Hecate islands, British Columbia, which represent the rain-dominated hypermaritime region of the perhumid CTR. Over several years, we measured stream discharge, stream water DOC concentration, and stream water dissolved organic-matter (DOM composition. Discharge and DOC concentrations were used to calculate DOC fluxes and yields, and DOM composition was characterized using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC. The areal estimate of annual DOC yield in water year 2015 was 33.3 Mg C km−2 yr−1, with individual watersheds ranging from an average of 24.1 to 37.7 Mg C km−2 yr−1. This represents some of the highest DOC yields to be measured at the coastal margin. We observed seasonality in the quantity and composition of exports, with the majority of DOC export occurring during the extended wet period (September–April. Stream flow from catchments reacted quickly to rain inputs, resulting in rapid export of relatively fresh, highly terrestrial-like DOM. DOC concentration and measures of DOM composition were related to stream discharge and stream temperature and correlated with watershed attributes, including the extent of lakes and wetlands, and the thickness of organic and mineral soil horizons. Our discovery of high DOC yields from these small catchments in the CTR is especially compelling as they deliver relatively fresh, highly terrestrial organic matter directly to the coastal ocean. Hypermaritime landscapes are common on the

A global hotspot for dissolved organic carbon in hypermaritime watersheds of coastal British Columbia

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Allison A.; Tank, Suzanne E.; Giesbrecht, Ian; Korver, Maartje C.; Floyd, William C.; Sanborn, Paul; Bulmer, Chuck; Lertzman, Ken P.

2017-08-01

The perhumid region of the coastal temperate rainforest (CTR) of Pacific North America is one of the wettest places on Earth and contains numerous small catchments that discharge freshwater and high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) directly to the coastal ocean. However, empirical data on the flux and composition of DOC exported from these watersheds are scarce. We established monitoring stations at the outlets of seven catchments on Calvert and Hecate islands, British Columbia, which represent the rain-dominated hypermaritime region of the perhumid CTR. Over several years, we measured stream discharge, stream water DOC concentration, and stream water dissolved organic-matter (DOM) composition. Discharge and DOC concentrations were used to calculate DOC fluxes and yields, and DOM composition was characterized using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The areal estimate of annual DOC yield in water year 2015 was 33.3 Mg C km-2 yr-1, with individual watersheds ranging from an average of 24.1 to 37.7 Mg C km-2 yr-1. This represents some of the highest DOC yields to be measured at the coastal margin. We observed seasonality in the quantity and composition of exports, with the majority of DOC export occurring during the extended wet period (September-April). Stream flow from catchments reacted quickly to rain inputs, resulting in rapid export of relatively fresh, highly terrestrial-like DOM. DOC concentration and measures of DOM composition were related to stream discharge and stream temperature and correlated with watershed attributes, including the extent of lakes and wetlands, and the thickness of organic and mineral soil horizons. Our discovery of high DOC yields from these small catchments in the CTR is especially compelling as they deliver relatively fresh, highly terrestrial organic matter directly to the coastal ocean. Hypermaritime landscapes are common on the British Columbia coast, suggesting that

Yucca Mountain Area Saturated Zone Dissolved Organic Carbon Isotopic Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, James; Decker, David; Patterson, Gary; Peterman, Zell; Mihevc, Todd; Larsen, Jessica; Hershey, Ronald

2007-01-01

Groundwater samples in the Yucca Mountain area were collected for chemical and isotopic analyses and measurements of water temperature, pH, specific conductivity, and alkalinity were obtained at the well or spring at the time of sampling. For this project, groundwater samples were analyzed for major-ion chemistry, deuterium, oxygen-18, and carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) performed all the fieldwork on this project including measurement of water chemistry field parameters and sample collection. The major ions dissolved in the groundwater, deuterium, oxygen-18, and carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were analyzed by the USGS. All preparation and processing of samples for DOC carbon isotopic analyses and geochemical modeling were performed by the Desert Research Institute (DRI). Analysis of the DOC carbon dioxide gas produced at DRI to obtain carbon-13 and carbon-14 values was conducted at the University of Arizona Accelerator Facility (a NSHE Yucca Mountain project QA qualified contract facility). The major-ion chemistry, deuterium, oxygen-18, and carbon isotopes of DIC were used in geochemical modeling (NETPATH) to determine groundwater sources, f ow paths, mixing, and ages. The carbon isotopes of DOC were used to calculate groundwater ages that are independent of DIC model corrected carbon-14 ages. The DIC model corrected carbon-14 calculated ages were used to evaluate groundwater travel times for mixtures of water including water beneath Yucca Mountain. When possible, groundwater travel times were calculated for groundwater flow from beneath Yucca Mountain to down gradient sample sites. DOC carbon-14 groundwater ages were also calculated for groundwaters in the Yucca Mountain area. When possible, groundwater travel times were estimated for groundwater flow from beneath Yucca Mountain to down gradient groundwater sample sites using the DOC calculated

Soil organic carbon sequestration and tillage systems in Mediterranean environments

Science.gov (United States)

Francaviglia, Rosa; Di Bene, Claudia; Marchetti, Alessandro; Farina, Roberta

2016-04-01

Soil carbon sequestration is of special interest in Mediterranean areas, where rainfed cropping systems are prevalent, inputs of organic matter to soils are low and mostly rely on crop residues, while losses are high due to climatic and anthropic factors such as intensive and non-conservative farming practices. The adoption of reduced or no tillage systems, characterized by a lower soil disturbance in comparison with conventional tillage, has proved to be positively effective on soil organic carbon (SOC) conservation and other physical and chemical processes, parameters or functions, e.g. erosion, compaction, ion retention and exchange, buffering capacity, water retention and aggregate stability. Moreover, soil biological and biochemical processes are usually improved by the reduction of tillage intensity. The work deals with some results available in the scientific literature, and related to field experiment on arable crops performed in Italy, Greece, Morocco and Spain. Data were organized in a dataset containing the main environmental parameters (altitude, temperature, rainfall), soil tillage system information (conventional, minimum and no-tillage), soil parameters (bulk density, pH, particle size distribution and texture), crop type, rotation, management and length of the experiment in years, initial SOCi and final SOCf stocks. Sampling sites are located between 33° 00' and 43° 32' latitude N, 2-860 m a.s.l., with mean annual temperature and rainfall in the range 10.9-19.6° C and 355-900 mm. SOC data, expressed in t C ha-1, have been evaluated both in terms of Carbon Sequestration Rate, given by [(SOCf-SOCi)/length in years], and as percentage change in comparison with the initial value [(SOCf-SOCi)/SOCi*100]. Data variability due to the different environmental, soil and crop management conditions that influence SOC sequestration and losses will be examined.

Modeling soil organic carbon with Quantile Regression: Dissecting predictors' effects on carbon stocks

KAUST Repository

Lombardo, Luigi; Saia, Sergio; Schillaci, Calogero; Mai, Paul Martin; Huser, Raphaë l

2017-01-01

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) estimation is crucial to manage both natural and anthropic ecosystems and has recently been put under the magnifying glass after the Paris agreement 2016 due to its relationship with greenhouse gas. Statistical applications

Effect of Three Types of Exogenous Organic Carbon on Soil Organic Matter and Physical Properties of a Sandy Technosol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Robin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Technosols made by covering agricultural soils with coastal sediments need additional organic matter (OM to be suitable for agricultural use. Climate change will likely increase the frequency and intensity of droughts in several areas. The choice of the nature and quantity of OM to add depends on dose-response curves for soil quality. This study quantifies the influence of three contrasting organic materials (vermicompost (VF, green waste compost (GWC and dairy manure (DM on four soil properties: soil organic carbon, evaporation rate, bulk density and structural stability. Soil was sampled in April and May 2014 in an artificial crop field of the vegetable production basin of Mont Saint-Michel (France made with sediments from the bay of Mont Saint-Michel in 2013. Increasing the dose of OM increased soil organic carbon from 10 to 45 g C kg−1 dry soil and increased the porosity and the structural stability, thus decreasing compaction. Increasing the dose of OM also decreased the evaporation rate. VF and DM had similar effects, while those of GWC were weaker. Compared to DM, VF had greater biological stability. Therefore, high OM inputs along with soil decompaction can increase drought resistance by increasing rooting depth and water retention.

Biomass-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbons with tailored hierarchical porosity and high specific surface area for high energy and power density supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Junting; Niu, Jin; Liu, Mengyue; Ji, Jing; Dou, Meiling; Wang, Feng

2018-01-01

Porous carbon materials with hierarchical structures attract intense interest for the development of high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and efficient strategy to synthesize nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbons with tailored porous structure combined with high specific surface area (SSA), which involves a pre-carbonization and a subsequent carbonization combined with KOH activation of silkworm cocoon precursors. Through adjusting the mass ratio of the activator (KOH) to pre-carbonized precursor in the activation process, the hierarchically porous carbon prepared at the mass ratio of 2 (referred to as NHPC-2) possesses a high defect density and a high SSA of 3386 m2 g-1 as well as the relatively high volumetric proportion of mesopores and macropores (45.5%). As a result, the energy density and power density of the symmetric supercapacitor based on NHPC-2 electrode are as high as 34.41 Wh kg-1 and 31.25 kW kg-1 in organic-solvent electrolyte, and are further improved to 112.1 Wh kg-1 and 23.91 kW kg-1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte.

Organic carbon burial in a mangrove forest, margin and intertidal mud flat

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Christian J.; Smoak, Joseph M.; Naidu, A. Sathy; Sanders, Luciana M.; Patchineelam, Sambasiva R.

2010-12-01

The flux of total organic carbon (TOC) to depositional facies (intertidal mud flat, margin and forest) was quantified for a tropical mangrove forest in Brazil. Results indicate that these mangrove margins and intertidal mudflats are sites of large TOC accumulation, almost four times greater than the global averages for mangrove forests. The TOC burial rates were determined from organic carbon content in sediment cores which were dated using 210Pb. Burial rates were calculated to be 1129, 949, and 353 (g m -2 yr -1), for the mud flat, margin and forest, respectively. Sediment accumulation rates (SAR) were estimated to be 7.3, 5.0 and 2.8 mm yr -1. Sediment characterization (δ 13C, δ 15N, TOC/TN and mud fraction) indicated a representative mangrove system with a record of consistent organic matter flux of up to 100 years. Because of substantial burial of organic carbon in mangrove ecosystems, their role in the global carbon budget must be considered. More importantly, as climate change influences temperature and sea level, mangrove ecosystems will respond to specific climatic conditions.

Stable isotope compositions of organic carbon and contents of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The stable isotope compositions of organic carbon (OC), and contents of OC and nitrogen for four sediment cores recovered from lakes Makat (located in the Ngorongoro Crater), Ndutu and Masek (located in the Serengeti Plains) are used to document sources of organic matter (OM) and climatic changes in sub-arid ...

Fluxes and burial of particulate organic carbon along the Adriatic mud-wedge (Mediterranean Sea)

Science.gov (United States)

Tesi, T.; Langone, L.; Giani, M.; Ravaioli, M.; Miserocchi, S.

2012-04-01

Clinoform-shaped deposits are ubiquitous sedimentological bodies of modern continental margins, including both carbonate and silicoclastic platforms. They formed after the attainment of the modern sea level high-stand (mid-late Holocene) when river outlets and shoreline migrated landward. As clinoform-shape deposits are essential building blocks of the infill of sedimentary basins, they are sites of intense organic carbon (OC) deposition and account for a significant fraction of OC burial in the ocean during interglacial periods. In this study, we focused on sigmoid clinoforms that are generally associated with low-energy environments. In particular, we characterized the modern accumulation and burial of OC along the late-Holocene sigmoid in the Western Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea). This sedimentary body consists of a mud wedge recognizable on seismic profiles as a progradational unit lying on top the maximum flooding surface that marks the time of maximum landward shift of the shoreline attained around 5.5 kyr cal BP. In the last two decades, several projects have investigated sediment dynamics and organic geochemistry along the Adriatic mud wedge (e.g., PRISMA, EURODELTA, EuroSTRATAFORM, PASTA, CIPE, VECTOR). All these studies increased our understanding of strata formation and organic matter cycling in this epicontinental margin. The overarching goal of this study was to combine the results gained during these projects with newly acquired data to assess fluxes to seabed and burial efficiency of organic carbon along the uppermost strata of the Adriatic mud-wedge. Our study benefited of an extensive number of radionuclide-based (Pb-210, and Cs-137) sediment accumulation rates and numerous biogeochemical data of surface sediments and sediment cores (organic carbon, total nitrogen, radiocarbon measurements, carbon stable isotopes, and biomarkers). In addition, because the accumulation of river-borne sediment may or may not be linked to a specific source, another

Controls on Soil Organic Matter in Blue Carbon Ecosystems along the South Florida Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Smoak, J. M.; Rosenheim, B. E.; Moyer, R. P.; Radabaugh, K.; Chambers, L. G.; Lagomasino, D.; Lynch, J.; Cahoon, D. R.

2017-12-01

Coastal wetlands store disproportionately large amounts of carbon due to high rates of net primary productivity and slow microbial degradation of organic matter in water-saturated soils. Wide spatial and temporal variability in plant communities and soil biogeochemistry necessitate location-specific quantification of carbon stocks to improve current wetland carbon inventories and future projections. We apply field measurements, remote sensing technology, and spatiotemporal models to quantify regional carbon storage and to model future spatial variability of carbon stocks in mangroves and coastal marshes in Southwest Florida. We examine soil carbon accumulation and accretion rates on time scales ranging from decadal to millennial to project responses to climate change, including variations in inundation and salinity. Once freshwater and oligohaline wetlands are exposed to increased duration and spatial extent of inundation and salinity from seawater, soil redox potential, soil respiration, and the intensification of osmotic stress to vegetation and the soil microbial community can affect the soil C balance potentially increasing rates of mineralization.

Infrared Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with Carbon Nanotube Emitters.

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Arko; Murawski, Caroline; Zakharko, Yuriy; Zaumseil, Jana; Gather, Malte C

2018-03-01

While organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) covering all colors of the visible spectrum are widespread, suitable organic emitter materials in the near-infrared (nIR) beyond 800 nm are still lacking. Here, the first OLED based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as the emitter is demonstrated. By using a multilayer stacked architecture with matching charge blocking and charge-transport layers, narrow-band electroluminescence at wavelengths between 1000 and 1200 nm is achieved, with spectral features characteristic of excitonic and trionic emission of the employed (6,5) SWCNTs. Here, the OLED performance is investigated in detail and it is found that local conduction hot-spots lead to pronounced trion emission. Analysis of the emissive dipole orientation shows a strong horizontal alignment of the SWCNTs with an average inclination angle of 12.9° with respect to the plane, leading to an exceptionally high outcoupling efficiency of 49%. The SWCNT-based OLEDs represent a highly attractive platform for emission across the entire nIR. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Soluble carbon in oxisol under the effect of organic residue rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Lúcia Pinheiro

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The application of organic residues to the soil can increase soluble organic carbon (SOC and affect the pH and electrolytic conductivity (EC of the soil. However, the magnitude of these changes depends on the type of residue and the applied dose. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increasing C rates contained in organic residue on the pH, EC, water-extractable total carbon (WETC, water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC, and water-extractable inorganic carbon (WEIC in soil treated with manure (chicken, swine, and quail, sawdust, coffee husk, and sewage sludge. The levels of total C (TC- KH2PO4, organic carbon (OC- KH2PO4, and inorganic C (IC- KH2PO4 extractable by a 0.1 mol L-1 KH2PO4 solution were also quantified in soil under the effect of increasing rates of chicken and quail manures. The following rates of organic residue C were applied to a dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol sample: 0, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 mg kg-1. The addition of organic residues to the soil increased pH, except in the case of sewage sludge, which acidified the soil. The acidity correction potential of chicken and quail manure was highest, dependent on the manure rate applied; regardless of the dose used, sawdust barely alters the soil pH. At all tested rates, the EC of the soil treated with swine manure, coffee husk, and sawdust remained below 2.0 dS m-1, which is a critical level for salinity-sensitive crops. However, the application of chicken or quail manure and sewage sludge at certain rates increased the EC to values above this threshold level. Highest levels of WETC, WEOC, and WEIC were obtained when chicken and quail manure and coffee husk were applied to the Oxisol. The quantities of SOC extracted by KH2PO4 were higher than the quantities extracted by water, demonstrating the ability of soil to adsorb C into its colloids.

Supercritical Water Oxidation Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

The work presented here is the evaluation of the modified wet‐oxidation method described as Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) for the analysis of total organic carbon (TOC) in very difficult oil/gas produced water sample matrices.

Transport, preservation and accumulation of organic carbon in the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, H. de

1997-01-01

This thesis contains the results of the research on the burial of organic carbon in the North Sea as it was carried out at the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research in the period 1993-1997. Carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (C02 ) is one of the major contributors to the natural greenhouse

Transport, preservation and accumulation of organic carbon in the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haas, H.

1997-01-01

This thesis contains the results of the research on the burial of organic carbon in the North Sea as it was carried out at the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research in the period 1993-1997. Carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) is one of the major contributors to the natural greenhouse

Mercury and Organic Carbon Relationships in Streams Draining Forested Upland/Peatland Watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

R. K. Kolka; D. F. Grigal; E. S. Verry; E. A. Nater

1999-01-01

We determined the fluxes of total mecury (HgT), total organic carbon (TOC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from five upland/peatland watersheds at the watershed outlet. The difference between TOC and DOC was defined as particulate OC (POC). Concentrations of HgT showed moderate to strong relationships with POC (R2 = 0.77) when all watersheds...

Organic carbon fluxes in stemflow, throughfall and rainfall in an olive orchard

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, L.; Vanwalleghem, T.; Gomez, J. A.

2012-04-01

The importance of rainfall distribution under the vegetation canopy for nutrient cycling of forest ecosystems has been widely studied (e.g. Kolkai et al., 1999, Bath et al., 2011). It has been demonstrated how throughfall and stemflow reach the soil as chemically-enriched water, by incorporating soluble organic and inorganic particles deriving from plant exudates and from atmospheric depositions (dryfall and wetfall) present on the surfaces of the plant (leaves, bark, fruits). Dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) organic carbon inputs from stem- and canopy-derived hydrologic fluxes are small but important components of the natural carbon cycle. DOC has also the capability to form complexes that control the transport and solubility of heavy metals in surface and ground waters, being composed for the most part (75-90%) of fulvic, humic or tanninic compounds, and for the resting part of molecules like carbohydrates, hydrocarbons, waxes, fatty acids, amino and hydroxy acids. However, very little data is available for agricultural tree crops, especially olive trees. In this sense, the objective of this work is to investigate the concentration and fluxes of organic carbon in rainfall, throughfall, and stemflow in a mature olive orchard located in Cordoba, in Southern Spain and to relate them to rainfall characteristics and tree physiology. The measurements started in October 2011. Four high density polyethylene bottles with 18-cm-diameter polyethylene funnels for throughfall collection were placed beneath the canopy of each of the three selected olive trees; four more collectors were placed in open spaces in the same orchard for rainfall sampling. Stemflow was collected through PVC spiral tubes wrapped around the trunks and leading into collection bins. The throughflow sampling points were chosen randomly. Total and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in unfiltered (TOC) and filtered (0.45 µm membrane filter, DOC) collected waters were measured using a TOC analyzer

Evaluation of Anaerobic Biodegradation of Organic Carbon Extracted from Aquifer Sediment

OpenAIRE

Kelly, Catherine Aileen

2006-01-01

In conjunction with ongoing studies to develop a method for quantifying potentially biodegradable organic carbon (Rectanus et al 2005), this research was conducted to evaluate the extent to which organic carbon extracted using this method will biodegrade in anaerobic environments. The ultimate goal is to use this method for the evaluation of chloroethene contaminated sites in order to estimate the long-term sustainability of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as a remediation strategy. Alt...

High-surface-area active carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Grady, T.M.; Wennerberg, A.N.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the preparation and properties of a unique active carbon having exceptionally high surface areas, over 2500 m 2 /gm, and extraordinary adsorptive capacities. The carbon is made by a direct chemical activation route in which petroleum coke or other carbonaceous sources are reacted with excess potassium hydroxide at 400 0 to 500 0 C to an intermediate product that is subsequently pyrolyzed at 800 0 to 900 0 C to active carbon containing potassium salts. These are removed by water washing and the carbon is dried to produce a powdered product. A granular carbon can also be made by further processing the powdered carbon by using specialized granulation techniques. Typical properties of the carbon include Iodine Numbers of 3000 to 3600, methylene blue adsorption of 650 to 750 mg/gm, pore volumes of 2.0 to 2.6 cc/gm and less than 3.0% ash. This carbon's high adsorption capacities make it uniquely suited for numerous demanding applications in the medical area, purifications, removal of toxic substances, as catalyst carriers, etc

Multiplying Forest Garden Systems with biochar based organic fertilization for high carbon accumulation, improved water storage, nutrient cycling, and increased food diversity and farm productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Pandit, Bishnu Hari; Lucht, Wolfgang; Gerten, Dieter; Kammann, Claudia

2017-04-01

On abandoned, erosion prone terraces in the middle hills of Nepal, 86 participating farmer families planted >25,000 mixed trees in 2015/16. Since it was convincingly demonstrated by more than 20 field trials in this region that this was the most plant-growth promoting method, all trees were planted with farmer-made organic biochar-based fertilizer. Planting pits were mulched with rice straw and were pipe irrigated from newly established water retention ponds during the 7 months of the dry season. A peer control system of farmer triads ensured an efficient maintenance of the plantations. Tree survival rate was above 80% after one year compared to below 50% on average for countrywide forestation projects over the last 30 years. In between the young Cinnamon, Moringa, Mulberry, Lemon, Michelia, Paulownia, nut and other trees, other secondary crops were cultivated such as ginger, turmeric, black beans, onions, lentils, all with organic biochar-based fertilizer and mulching. The objective of this forest garden project was to establish robust social-agronomic systems that can be multiplied from village to village for increasing soil fertility, protecting abandoned terraces from erosion, replenishing natural water resources, generating a stable income with climate-smart agriculture, as well as capturing and sequestering atmospheric carbon. The initial financing of the set-up of the forest garden systems (tree nursery, plantation, preparation of organic biochar based fertilizer, mulching materials, building of irrigation pits and pipe irrigation system, and general maintenance) was covered by carbon credits paid in advance by the international community in the form of a monthly carbon compensation subscription. All planted trees are GIS inventoried and the yearly biomass carbon uptake will be calculated as an average value of the first ten years of tree growth. The 25,000 mixed trees accumulated the equivalent of 350 t CO2 per year (10 years total C-accumulation divided by

Experimental investigation and modeling of dissolved organic carbon removal by coagulation from seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Sanghyun; Sathasivan, Arumugam; Kastl, George; Shim, Wang Geun; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu

2014-01-01

Coagulation removes colloidal matters and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) which can cause irreversible membrane fouling. However, how DOC is removed by coagulant is not well-known. Jar test was used to study the removal of hydrophobic and hydrophilic DOC fractions at various doses (0.5-8.0 mg-Fe(+3) L(-1)) of ferric chloride (FeCl3) and pH (5.0-9.0). Natural organic matter (NOM) in seawater and treated seawater were fractionated by liquid chromatography-organic carbon detector (LC-OCD). Compared to surface water, the removal of DOC in seawater by coagulation was remarkably different. Majority of DOC could be easily removed with very low coagulant dose (fraction (HB) was better removed at high pH while hydrophilic fraction (HF) was better removed at low pH. A modified model of Kastl et al. (2004) which assumed that the removal occurred by adsorption of un-dissociated compounds onto ferric hydroxide was formulated and successfully validated against the jar test data. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of straw returning combined with medium and microelements application on soil organic carbon sequestration in cropland.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Zhen Hui; Shi, Jiang Lan; Jia, Zhou; Ding, Ting Ting; Tian, Xiao Hong

2016-04-22

A 52-day incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of maize straw decomposition with combined medium element (S) and microelements (Fe and Zn) application on arable soil organic carbon sequestration. During the straw decomposition, the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content and CO 2 -C mineralization rate increased with the addition of S, Fe and Zn, respectively. Also, the cumulative CO 2 -C efflux after 52-day laboratory incubation significantly increased in the treatments with S, or Fe, or Zn addition, while there was no significant reduction of soil organic carbon content in the treatments. In addition, Fe or Zn application increased the inert C pools and their proportion, and apparent balance of soil organic carbon, indicating a promoting effect of Fe or Zn addition on soil organic carbon sequestration. In contrast, S addition decreased the proportion of inert C pools and apparent balance of soil organic carbon, indicating an adverse effect of S addition on soil organic carbon sequestration. The results suggested that when nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers were applied, inclusion of S, or Fe, or Zn in straw incorporation could promote soil organic carbon mineralization process, while organic carbon sequestration was favored by Fe or Zn addition, but not by S addition.

Fluvial organic carbon losses from oil palm plantations on tropical peat, Sarawak, Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Sarah; Page, Susan; Evans, Chris; Whelan, Mick; Gauci, Vincent; Lip Khoon, Kho

2017-04-01

Tropical peatlands are valuable stores of carbon. However, tropical peat swamp forests (TPSFs) in Southeast Asia have increasingly been converted to other land-uses. For example, more than 25% of TPSFs are now under oil palm plantations. This conversion - requiring felling and burning of trees and drainage of the peat - can enhance carbon mineralization, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) losses and can contribute significantly to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, changing these natural carbon sinks into carbon sources. At present, relatively few scientifically sound studies provide dependable estimates of gaseous and fluvial carbon losses from oil palm plantations or from drained tropical peat in general. Here we present an annual (54 week) estimate of the export of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in water draining two oil palm estates and nearby stands of TPSF in Sarawak, Malaysia, subjected to varying degrees of past anthropogenic disturbance. Spectrophotometric techniques including SUVA254 (Specific Ultra-Violet Absorption) were used to gain insight into the aromaticity and subsequent bioavailability of the exported DOC. Water draining plantation and deforested land had a higher proportion of labile carbon compared to water draining forested areas. Preliminary data suggest a total fluvial DOC flux from plantations of ca. 190 g C m-2 year-1; nearly three times estimates from intact TPSFs (63 g C m-2 year-1). DOC accounted for between 86 % - 94 % of the total organic carbon lost (most of which was bioavailable). Wit et al. (2015) estimates that an average of 53 % of peat-derived DOC is decomposed and emitted as CO2, on a monthly basis. Based on these estimates our data suggests an additional 101 g CO2 m-2 may be emitted indirectly from fluvial organic carbon in degraded TPSFs per year. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of including fluvial organic carbon fluxes when quantifying the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the

Linking aboveground net primary productivity to soil carbon and dissolved organic carbon in complex terrain

Science.gov (United States)

F.S. Peterson; K. Lajtha

2013-01-01

Factors influencing soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content in complex terrain, where vegetation, climate, and topography vary over the scale of a few meters, are not well understood. We examined the spatial correlations of lidar and geographic information system-derived landscape topography, empirically measured soil...

Dissolved organic carbon in the INDEX area of the Central Indian Basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sardessai, S.; De

-Sea Research II 48 (2001) 3353–3361 Dissolved organic carbon in the INDEX area of the Central Indian Basin Sugandha Sardessai*, S.N. de Sousa National Institute of Oceanography, Dona-Paula, Goa 403 004, India Abstract Dissolved organic carbon (DOC..., 1996). While there is substantial information available on the DOC content of sea water throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and southern oceans, there are limited reports on contents and distribution of this organic fraction in the Indian Ocean (Menzel...

13C-NMR Study on Structure Evolution Characteristics of High-Organic-Sulfur Coals from Typical Chinese Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Wei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The structure evolution characteristics of high-organic-sulfur (HOS coals with a wide range of ranks from typical Chinese areas were investigated using 13C-CP/MAS NMR. The results indicate that the structure parameters that are relevant to coal rank include CH3 carbon (fal*, quaternary carbon, CH/CH2 carbon + quaternary carbon (falH, aliphatic carbon (falC, protonated aromatic carbon (faH, protonated aromatic carbon + aromatic bridgehead carbon (faH+B, aromaticity (faCP, and aromatic carbon (farC. The coal structure changed dramatically in the first two coalification jumps, especially the first one. A large number of aromatic structures condensed, and aliphatic structures rapidly developed at the initial stage of bituminous coal accompanied by remarkable decarboxylation. Compared to ordinary coals, the structure evolution characteristics of HOS coals manifest in three ways: First, the aromatic CH3 carbon, alkylated aromatic carbon (faS, aromatic bridgehead carbon (faB, and phenolic ether (faP are barely relevant to rank, and abundant organic sulfur has an impact on the normal evolution process of coal. Second, the average aromatic cluster sizes of some super-high-organic-sulfur (SHOS coals are not large, and the extensive development of cross bonds and/or bridged bonds form closer connections among the aromatic fringes. Moreover, sulfur-containing functional groups are probably significant components in these linkages. Third, a considerable portion of “oxygen-containing functional groups” in SHOS coals determined by 13C-NMR are actually sulfur-containing groups, which results in the anomaly that the oxygen-containing structures increase with coal rank.

Nonconservative behavior of dissolved organic carbon across the Laptev and East Siberian seas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alling, Vanja; Sanchez-Garcia, Laura; Porcelli, Don; Pugach, Sveta; Vonk, Jorien E.; Van Dongen, Bart; Mörth, Carl Magnus; Anderson, Leif G.; Sokolov, Alexander; Andersson, Per; Humborg, Christoph; Semiletov, Igor P.; Gustafsson, Örjan

2010-01-01

Climate change is expected to have a strong effect on the Eastern Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) region, which includes 40% of the Arctic shelves and comprises the Laptev and East Siberian seas. The largest organic carbon pool, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), may change significantly due to

Soil organic carbon loss and selective transportation under field simulated rainfall events.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Xiaodong; Li, Zhongwu; Huang, Jinquan; Huang, Bin; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Wenming; Hu, Yanbiao; Zeng, Guangming

2014-01-01

The study on the lateral movement of soil organic carbon (SOC) during soil erosion can improve the understanding of global carbon budget. Simulated rainfall experiments on small field plots were conducted to investigate the SOC lateral movement under different rainfall intensities and tillage practices. Two rainfall intensities (High intensity (HI) and Low intensity (LI)) and two tillage practices (No tillage (NT) and Conventional tillage (CT)) were maintained on three plots (2 m width × 5 m length): HI-NT, LI-NT and LI-CT. The rainfall lasted 60 minutes after the runoff generated, the sediment yield and runoff volume were measured and sampled at 6-min intervals. SOC concentration of sediment and runoff as well as the sediment particle size distribution were measured. The results showed that most of the eroded organic carbon (OC) was lost in form of sediment-bound organic carbon in all events. The amount of lost SOC in LI-NT event was 12.76 times greater than that in LI-CT event, whereas this measure in HI-NT event was 3.25 times greater than that in LI-NT event. These results suggest that conventional tillage as well as lower rainfall intensity can reduce the amount of lost SOC during short-term soil erosion. Meanwhile, the eroded sediment in all events was enriched in OC, and higher enrichment ratio of OC (ERoc) in sediment was observed in LI events than that in HI event, whereas similar ERoc curves were found in LI-CT and LI-NT events. Furthermore, significant correlations between ERoc and different size sediment particles were only observed in HI-NT event. This indicates that the enrichment of OC is dependent on the erosion process, and the specific enrichment mechanisms with respect to different erosion processes should be studied in future.

Flexible, highly graphitized carbon aerogels based on bacterial cellulose/lignin: Catalyst-free synthesis and its application in energy storage devices

KAUST Repository

Xu, Xuezhu; Zhou, Jian; Nagaraju, Doddahalli H.; Jiang, Long; Marinov, Val R.; Lubineau, Gilles; Alshareef, Husam N.; Oh, Myungkeun