To investigate the effects of plant species in grassland on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes from soil, fluxes from an orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) grassland, white clover (Trifolium repens L.) grassland and orchardgrass/white clover mixed grassland were measured weekly from April 2001 to March 2002 using a vented closed chamber method. Related environmental parameters (soil inorganic N content, soil pH (H2O) value, soil moisture content, soil temperature, grass yield, and the number of soil microorganisms) were also regularly monitored. On an annual basis, CH4 consumption in the soil of the orchardgrass grassland, white clover grassland and orchardgrass/white clover mixed grassland was 1.8, 2.4, and 1.8 kg C ha−1 year−1, respectively. The soil bulk density of the white clover grassland was lower than that of the other grasslands. Fluxes of CH4 were positively correlated with the soil moisture content. White clover increased the CH4 consumption by improving soil aeration. Nitrogen supply to the soil by white clover did not decrease the CH4 consumption in the soil of our grasslands. On the other hand, annual N2O emissions from the orchardgrass grassland, white clover grassland, and orchardgrass/white clover mixed grassland were 0.39, 1.59, and 0.67 kg N ha−1 year−1, respectively. Fluxes of N2O were correlated with the NO3− content in soil and soil temperature. White clover increased the N2O emissions by increasing the inorganic N content derived from degrading white clover in soil in summer.

A rapid simultaneous multi-element analysis method for soils and environmental samples has been established using polarizing energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry. The pressed powder pellet technique was adopted because it is simple and requires no specialized skills for sample preparation. The analytes examined were: . Twenty-six reference samples were used for the calibrations. Compton scatter radiation was used as an internal standard to compensate for variations in the sample matrix, particle size, packing density and operating characteristics of the instrument. The correlation coefficients of the linear regression lines were >0.98, with the exception of Na 2 O, MgO, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , P 2 O 5 , Co, Pr and Nd. The values obtained using the proposed EDXRF spectrometry were compared with the values obtained using other methods. Out of the 31 analytes examined, the results for 12 compounds (CaO, K 2 O, TiO 2 , MnO, Fe 2 O 3 , Ni, Zn, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba and Ce) obtained by the proposed EDXRF spectrometry compared favorably with those determined through conventional wet chemical methods. In contrast, the results for eight compounds (Na 2 O, MgO, Cr, Co, Zr, Sn, Sb and Pr) obtained by the proposed EDXRF spectrometry exhibited poor agreements with those obtained using chemical methods. Among these analytes, the poor agreements of Cr, Zr and Sn were attributable to incomplete dissolution and ⁄ or volatilization losses during the chemical treatments based on an acid attack. It can be concluded, therefore, that there is a high possibility of underestimating the concentrations of these elements if wet chemical methods are used. Although the results of the other 11 analytes were not as good as those of the first group, they still appeared to be of practical use, considering the time consuming and potentially hazardous wet chemical pretreatment.

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This paper describes a rapid quantification method for radioactive strontium ( 90 Sr) in fresh foods (perishable foods) and has been comparatively evaluated with the common classical radiometric quantification method. Inductively coupled plasma–dynamic reaction cell-mass spectrometry with online solid-phase extraction (cascade-ICP–MS) rapidly determines 90 Sr in a pure water-based sample. Despite its advantages, its application to fresh foods (perishable foods) has not yet been reported; however, the analytical potential of this method for fresh foods must be evaluated. In this study, 90 Sr was determined in 12 fresh foods via improved cascade-ICP–MS (Icas-ICP–MS). Addition and recovery tests were demonstrated using real samples of grape, apple, peach, Japanese pear, rice, buckwheat, soybean, spinach, shiitake mushroom, grass, sea squirt, and flounder. With a decomposed solution of Japanese pear, the measurement value coincided with the amount of spiked 90 Sr. The reproducibility of the measurements was represented by relative standard deviations of 14.2 and 5.0% for spiked amounts of 20 and 200 Bq/kg, respectively ( n = 10), and the recovery rates were 93.7 ± 7.1%. In this case, the limit of detection (LOD) was 2.2 Bq/kg (=0.43 pg/kg). These results were compared with the data obtained using a common classical radiometric quantification method (nitrate precipitation-low background gas flow counter (LBC) method) in the same samples. Both the methods showed equivalent performances with regard to reproducibility, precision, and LODs but different analysis times. Icas-ICP–MS required ∼22 min for analysis, whereas the nitrate precipitation-LBC method required 20 days, confirming that Icas-ICP–MS is the suitable method for analyzing 90 Sr in fresh foods.