Quaternary Interglacial Sediments as Possible Natural Sources of Arsenic and Molybdenum Anomalies in Stream Sediments in Lithuania

Abstract

Trinitrotoluene (TNT), a commonly used explosive for military and industrial applications, can cause serious environmental pollution. 28-day laboratory pot experiment was carried out applying bioaugmentation using laboratory selected bacterial strains as inoculum, biostimulation with molasses and cabbage leaf extract, and phytoremediation using rye and blue fenugreek to study the effect of these treatments on TNT removal and changes in soil microbial community responsible for contaminant degradation. Chemical analyses revealed significant decreases in TNT concentrations, including reduction of some of the TNT to its amino derivates during the 28-day tests. The combination of bioaugmentation-biostimulation approach coupled with rye cultivation had the most profound effect on TNT degradation. Although plants enhanced the total microbial community abundance, blue fenugreek cultivation did not significantly affect the TNT degradation rate. The results from molecular analyses suggested the survival and elevation of the introduced bacterial strains throughout the experiment. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Nõ lvak, H.; Truu, J.; Limane, B.; Truu, M.; Cepurnieks, G.; Bartkevičs, V.; Juhanson, J.; Muter, O. 2013. Microbial community changes in TNT spiked soil bioremediation trial using biostimulation, phytoremediation and bioaugmentation, Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management 21(3): 153Á162. http://dx.

Inferences from geochemical characteristics of the upper part of the Middle Pleistocene interglacial deposits in Lithuania

“…from major elements of OMHS-group it is most of all correlated with OM or total organic carbon (TOC) (Baltrūnas et al 2013b(Baltrūnas et al , 2014. From trace elements, the following were best of all correlated with OM: As, Br, Mo, Zn (Zinkutė et al 2015). The present study also shows that S, Mo, Br, As and Zn are in the same group with OM (see Fig.…”

“…The equality sign means that the differences between sections according to the contents of this element are insignificant (p>0.05). Compiled by R. Zinkutė, 2015 SB according to the NCM percentage, median NCM percentages in both sections of the Butėnai Interglacial are higher that in both sections of the Snaigupėlė Interglacial. In each interglacial the contents of Si and Na are higher in sections from boreholes than in sections of outcrops.…”

“…Due to relationship of both S and P to OM (indicator of biogenic sedimentation), the interpretation of factor analysis results is complicated. The reason is that biogenic and authigenic sedimentation processes often take place simultaneously (Zinkutė et al 2015). The statement of Garunkštis (1975) that contemporary Lithuanian lakes have a zone of intensive chemical and biological sedimentation supports possible overlap of these processes.…”

“…Percentages of sediment components: OM, of organic matter; TCR, of total carbonates; NCM, of non-carbonate minerals. Compiled by R. Zinkutė, 2015 tion pattern of several indices: (1) concentration coefficients (CC) calculated dividing element content by its median content in all four sections (Figs. 8, 9) (they were compared with relative contents of main sediment components); (2) average concentration coefficients in each group (ACC) which enabled to reveal the dominating composition of sediments, and…”

“…7. Compiled by R. Zinkutė and B. Karmaza, 2015 stable. Ca and Mg (CA-group) as well as TCR are significantly positively correlated in most sections, except SO.…”