Soil Test

This study discusses an estimate of the risk associated with the intake of soil contaminated by lead, based on the nature of the source, through a detailed study of the parameters that can influence the bioaccessibility of the element from soil intake. Statistical variables that are related to the solubility and bioavailability of lead are used for this purpose. This includes considering the values of pH, electrical conductivity, particle size, mineralogical composition and the bioaccessibility/bioasimilability of lead. Obtaining an algorithm, represented by different probability distributions of the parameters considered, needs a thorough knowledge of the source materials, which may allow estimating/evaluating the intake health risk provided by the concentration of the metal present. The selected materials are from sites affected by mining activities in the Region of Murcia (SE of Spain) and soils in nearby areas, using a total of 186 samples. Soil samples, once screened and homogenized, were parameterized by determining pH, electrical conductivity, granulometry, both total and water-extractable Pb content. Oral bioaccessibility tests were also performed, and a detailed mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction was carried out.

Introducción: El frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) es la leguminosa más importante para consumo humano en el mundo, es una fuente importante de proteína, calorías, vitaminas del complejo B y minerales. Por lo que el objetivo del trabajo de investigación fue estudiar las propiedades fisicoquímicas y la calidad nutricional en las principales variedades de frijol consumidas y producidas en México, con el propósito de conocer  sus beneficios nutricionales para el consumidor.                       Método: En este estudio se seleccionaron seis variedades de frijol más representativas y consumidas en México: Bayo, Negro, Peruano, Flor de Mayo, Alubia y Pinto, así como, una variedad de frijol ejotero. A estas variedades se les determinaron las propiedades fisicoquímicas, C, H y N por medio del Analizador Orgánico Elemental Flash 2000. La determinación de Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Na, K, Ca y Mg se determinó por espectrofotometría de absorción atómica y el P se terminó por espectrofotometría y meta...

The study analyses the drivers of mass media utilization among rice farmers in Gassol local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. Purposive random sampling methods were used to generate data from 160 respondents. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistic and binary regression analysis. The results indicated that mean age of the respondents was 21 years,and mean household size was 8 persons and mean farming experience 12 years while mean farm size was 4 hectares. Majority (81.2%) were married with over 84.8% of the respondents were literate and well experienced in farming. Further results shows that radio (mean=2.79), television (mean=2.28) and internet ((mean=2.28)) were the most preferred mass media used by the farmers in accessing agricultural information in the study area. The st nd major mass media utilized by respondents were radio (1), television (2). The results showed that the majority of the farmers considered the agricultural information related to pest and diseases (mean=2.31), fertilizer application (mean=2.25), improved seed (mean=2.24) and credit facilities(mean=2.10) as most appropriate. The result also disclosed that the intensity of mass media utilization in the study area was very high. The farmers identified high cost of mass media facilities and lack of electricity as the major constraints in the study area. The study however suggested that the Federal Government should create an enabling environment towards improved rural infrastructure and access to internet and other mass media facilities for rural people particularly rice farmers which would improve the overall choice and usage of mass media tools in accessing appropriate agricultural information.

Despite occupying a large area of the globe and being the next agricultural frontier, sandy soils are seldom explored in scientific studies. Considering the high capacity of remote sensing in soil characterization, this work aimed to: (i) characterize sandy soils’ profiles from proximal sensing; (ii) assess the ability of visible, near, and short-wave infrared (Vis-NIR-SWIR) as well as mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to distinguish soil classes of highly sandy content; (iii) quantify physical and chemical attributes of sandy soil profiles from Vis-NIR-SWIR and MIR spectroscopy as well as X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Samples were described and collected from 29 sandy soil profiles. The 127 samples went under Vis-NIR-SWIR and MIR spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and chemical and physical analyses. The spectra were analyzed based on “Morphological Interpretation of Reflectance Spectrum” (MIRS), Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and cluster methodology to characterize soils. The integ...

Heavy metals are naturally found in soils, but their levels may increase as a result of anthropogenic actions. This study aimed at determining the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in Yellow Latosol from vegetable crops areas, as well as the influence of the cultivation and position in the landscape on the accumulation of these elements. Soil samples were collected from five farming areas and four areas with natural vegetation, which served as a reference. Soil was collected along the planting rows from three transect positions (upper, middle and lower sections of the slope), as well as from the upper portion of forest areas, at three depths (0.0-0.10 m, 0.10-0.30 m and 0.30-0.60 m). The results from the chemical analyses indicated that Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn levels in the soil increased as a result of cultivation. Only Cd and Cu concentrations were above the quality reference values for the Pernambuco State. The multivariate analysis techniques used were efficient at separ...

Soils with an A horizon formed by human activity, an anthropogenic A horizon, are found in the Amazon Region. Few studies have examined the spatial distribution of the properties of these soils. We mapped the spatial variability of some soil properties in an area of Archaeological Dark Earth (ADE) in the Brazilian Amazon. A sampling grid was defined over an area of 42 × 88 m under cacao cultivation in which sampling points were established at a spacing of 6 × 8 m, for a total of 88 points. Samples were collected from the 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20, and 0.20-0.30 m depth layers. Soil texture, aggregate stability, and organic carbon (OC) analyses were performed on disturbed soil samples. Undisturbed samples were used to determine soil macroporosity (Macro), microporosity (Micro), total porosity (TP), and soil resistance to penetration (RP). The results were analyzed by descriptive statistic, Pearson correlation (p<0.01), and geostatistics. Soil bulk density, total pore volume, and geometric mean diameter are dependent on the total amount of OC in the ADE area. Increased soil bulk density and RP are proportional to a decrease in OC content and lower Micro and TP. Moreover, soil resistance to penetration is influenced by soil water and clay content with depth.

O efeito do posicionamento de amostragem para a quantificação do N-NO 3 residual no solo foi determinado após o cultivo do tomateiro fertirrigado. Três experimentos foram conduzidos, em ambiente protegido, com fertirrigação por gotejamento. Em cada experimento, os tratamentos foram arranjados em parcela subdivida, com dez critérios para o manejo da adubação nitrogenada na parcela e posições de amostragem do solo na subparcela. Esses foram arranjados no delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso. Foi determinado o teor de N-NO 3 no solo de amostras retiradas no final do ciclo de cada experimento, em diferentes posições. Em todos os experimentos, o teor de N-NO 3 residual no solo foi proporcional à quantidade de N aplicada nos diferentes critérios. Em condições de ambiente protegido e fertilizante nitrogenado fertirrigado por gotejamento, a melhor estratégia de amostragem do solo para a determinação do teor de N-NO 3 residual foi obtida pela utilização de amostra composta tomada em posições distanciadas em 10 cm da planta na entre linha e sobre a linha de transplante.

Aljustrel mine is located in SW Portugal, in the western sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The Aljustrel village was developed around the exploitations of massive polymetallic sulphides that occur in the area (4 orebodies mined, 2 in exploration phase). The pyrite ore was extensively exploited from 1850 to 1993, when production was discontinued. A mining restart occurred in 2008, only during a few months. The objectives of the study were to assess the levels of soil contamination, to determine associations between the different chemical elements and their spatial distribution, as well as to identify possible sources of contamination that can explain the spatial patterns of soil pollution in the area. Principal component analysis combined with spatial interpretation successfully grouped the elements according to their sources and provided evidence about their geogenic or anthropogenic origin. From this study, it is possible to conclude that soils around Algares/Feitais tailing deposits, Este ´reis and A ´guas Claras mine dams and S. Joa ˜o mine show severe contamination. The highest concentrations of As (up to 3,936 mg kg -1 ) and certain heavy metals (up to 321.7 mg kg -1 for Bi, 5,414 mg kg -1 for Cu, 20,000 mg kg -1 for Pb, 980.6 mg kg -1 for Sb, and 22 mg kg -1 Cd) were obtained near Algares area while the highest concentration of Cd (up to 61.6 mg kg -1 ) and Zn (up to 20,000 mg kg -1 ) were registered in samples collected in the S. Joa ˜o area. The highest pollution load index ([4.0) was recorded at the Algares area where the metal concentrations exceed typical soil background levels by as much as two orders of magnitude.

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 2076, Yola, Nigeria. E-mail(s): [email protected] *Corresponding author: Telephone: +2348036902725

This research aimed to develop an automatic Oedometer which was soil testing equipment. The traditional equipment requires an operator to manually place loads and read values of a vertical displacement. The traditional Oedometer was improved in two parts namely self-adjusted loading and automatically record vertical displacement value. The applied load of the developed equipment was generated from pressure that was supplied by a pneumatic system. The pressure of an air-compressor was controlled by the electro-pneumatic regulator and changed to load via air-cylinder equipment. The load cell transducer was used to measure the applied load value of the developed equipment. The vertical displacement of soil sample was measured by linear variable displacement transformer (LVDT) transducer. This developed equipment was controlled by a particular software application that was written in Visual Basic computer program language. The controlling program was used to adjust the value of applied ...

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In an attempt to carry out the assessment of groundwater quality from hand dug wells and streams in Onibu-Eja and Aduramigba communities, suburb of Oshogbo, South Western Nigeria, with a view to determine the impact of a nearby dumpsite on the groundwater quality, twenty (20) water samples were taken randomly at varying depths within the vicinity. The cation and heavy metal analyses were done in accordance to APHA standard using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) while the anion analyses were carried out using the ion chromatography and titrimetric methods. Physical parameters were measured on the field. The results observed showed that the water in the study area contains a relatively high amount of calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate, an indication of temporary hardness. The hydro-geochemical contour maps of the ions shows that cations, anions and heavy metal content where mostly concentrated in the western and eastern parts of the study area. The analyses of the water samples and streams in the study area fall within the acceptable range of World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nigerian Standard of potable drinking water with the exception of the stream despite their proximity to the dumpsite. Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) carried out on the dumpsite showed that the study area is overlain by a 0.3 to 1.1 m thick lateritic topsoil with resistivity values between 104 ohm m and 437 ohm m which serves as a hard pan over a 7 to 13 m thick predominantly clayey / weathered layer interval with a resistivity value between 35 to 80 ohms meter. Both of these prevent the leachate from percolating into the groundwater in the study area.

Aim: To degrade the crude oil polluted soil with silver particles synthesized by some Gram negative rhizosphere bacteria of cocoa, orange and timber obtained from Idanre, Ondo State, Nigeria. Place and Duration of Study: Soil samples were obtained from Idanre, Ondo State while crude oil polluted soil samples were obtained from Zion town in Ese- Odo at Ilaje, Ondo State, between June and September 2018. Also, Bonnylight Crude oil was collected from Warri in Nigeria. This research work was carried out at the Department of Microbiology Laboratory, Federal University of Technology, Akure. Methodology: Soil samples (rhizosphere) were collected in sterile polythene bags and tightly packed and transported for analysis. The types and loads of bacteria present in the soil samples were determined. Identification and characterization of various bacterial isolates were based on Gram staining techniques and different biochemical tests. The physicochemical properties of the crude oil polluted soi...

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are one of the microbes that play an important role in soil and plant cycles. Phosphate (P) is a very important macronutrient for plants. In soil, most of the P element is found to be unavailable to plants because it is fixed by Ca, Al or Fe. This research aims to identify BPF in acid soil which has the potential to dissolve phosphate elements. The method used in this research is the isolation of BPF from acid soil using the National Botanical Research Institute&#39;s Phosphate (NBRIP) medium, phosphate dissolution index test and UV Visual. Soils from overflow type C (TLC) swamps have higher diversity compared to TLB soils. The abundance of BPF in TLC soil was higher (5,4 107 CFU per gram) compared to soil from overflow zone B (TLB) (2,9 107 CFU per gram) because TLC soil had a lower acidity level than TLB. There were 55 BPF isolates obtained from these two types of soil. Two isolates (TLB1 and TLB2) had a better phosphate solubilization index a...

The study was conducted to determine the soil fertility status and prepare the soil map of Gauradaha municipality using tools like GIS and GPS. Altogether 101 samples were collected from 9 different wards of the municipality randomly using a soil auger from a depth of 0-20 cm. The location of the samples was recorded using MWater software. Soil texture, soil pH, available nitrogen, phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) status of the samples were analyzed at the Agricultural Branch of Gauradaha municipality in coordination with the Agriculture Knowledge Center (AKC), Jhapa, following standard procedures. The soil map of observed parameters was prepared through the ArcGIS 10.8.2 software. The obtained data displayed that the maximum soil Original Research Article

Field and laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the degree of uniformity and quality that is obtained with chemical treatment of the subgrade with LKD using current construction techniques. An INDOT road project under construction was selected for the research. A 140-m long subgrade section was chemically treated with LKD with a target thickness of 16 inches, which is the current standard practice, while another 140-m long section was treated with a target thickness of 14 inches. DCP tests were done at each section to obtain the stiffness (or strength) of the chemically-treated and natural (untreated) subgrade soil layers. LWD tests were performed at the same locations where the DCP tests were done to estimate the stiffness of the treated subgrade layer. Nuclear gauge and sand cone tests were carried out to obtain the water content and dry density of the chemically treated subgrade. XRD and TGA tests were performed on soil samples collected in the field to identify and quantify the minerals contained in the soil. XRD and TGA laboratory tests show an adequate presence of lime in the subgrade, with somewhat better uniformity for the test site with 14 inches target thickness for the subgrade. Field tests, namely density, DCP and LWD, show consistently better and more uniform results for the 14 inches target thickness site than for the 16 inches target site. As a result of the research, it is recommended: (1) to increase for design the CBR of the subgrade treated with LKD by 25% over that of the natural soil; (2) to implement recommendation for a target thickness of the treated subgrade of 14 inches; (3) to introduce special, onetype project where QC/QA is done by the contractor for design and construction, where full advantage of the subgrade improvement may be taken into consideration to minimize pavement thickness.

In the Tekorsh Sub-Watershed, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, researchers investigated the impact of land use patterns and slope position on selected soil physico-chemical parameters. The study area was arbitrarily divided into three slope positions (higher, middle, and lower), two land uses types (grazing and cultivated land), and two soil depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) with three replications, based on the in situ field survey. For laboratory analysis, a total of 36 composite samples were obtained. Sand, clay, and silt fraction were highly significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the interaction effect of the three factors. Clay and clay loam were the textural classes of the soil in the study area. The interaction effects of the three factors were highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) affected bulk density (D b) , total porosity (TP), organic carbon (OC), available phosphorus (AP), exchangeable (Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , and acidity), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn). The soils were medium to high (1.22-1.44 g/cm 3 ) in D b , very high (45.66-63.13%) in TP, medium to high (15.72-19.56% v/v) in available water holding capacity, low to medium (1.37-2.91%) in OC, very low (1.65-7.68 mg/kg) in AP, high (4.62-5.36 cmol(+)/kg) in exchangeable Mg 2+ , very high in CEC (43.60-51.06 cmol(+)/kg), Fe (25.20-52.91 mg/kg), Mn (37.29-105.55 mg/kg), Cu (4.04-7.87 kg/kg), and Zn (0.83 2.53 kg/kg). In general, it was discovered that the majority of the assessed soil properties were better in grazing land than in soils utilized for cultivated land uses, and that the lower slope position was preferable to the upper and middle ones.

The paper provides comparison of field and laboratory tests of permafrost soil. Electrical resistivity and temperature piezocone penetration tests (RTCPTu) were carried out in the area of sporadic dis tribution of permafrost. RTCPTu detected islands of permafrost at depth more than 10 meters. Based on this information, undisturbed samples of warm permafrost soils with massive cryogenic structure and thick ice lenses (up to 10 cm) were collected using CPT equipment with a direct push soil sampler (MOSTAP) mounted instead of cone. The samples were kept in frozen condition and transported to the soil lab, where physical properties and triaxial compression tests were carried out. The CPT results included the characteristics of long-term frozen soil strength such as σ cthe long-term cone resistance and σ nthe net long-term cone resistance. The results of triaxial tests provided the characteristics of peak strength: σ 1the maximum vertical stress and σ 1 -σ 3deviator stress at failure. The frozen soil samples were cleared from ice lenses since it is not possible to test them with thick ice lenses. The results of CPT and triaxial testing showed fairly similar values, when the cone measured resistance in frozen soil with massive cryogenic structure. When the cone was located near ice lenses, the net long-term cone resistance appeared to be much lower compared to devi ator stress. This observation is in line with conventional theory on physics of ice which states that ice has near-zero long-term strength. The obtained results clearly show the value and advantage of CPT in permafrost (in-situ testing) compared with triaxial compression testing (laboratory). The properties of frozen soil in-situ may significantly differ from properties of frozen soil in a sample. This must be considered for designing civil structures on permafrost.

The study assessed the influence of cattle market activities on soil physicochemical properties and heavy metal accumulation in Amansea (Anambra State) and Ugwuoba (Enugu State), Southeastern Nigeria. Composite soil samples (0-30cm) were collected from cattle market sites and adjacent controls and analyzed for texture, bulk density, pH, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), exchangeable bases, available phosphorus (Av.P), and heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Pb). Results showed that cattle market soils were enriched with OC, TN, and Av.P compared to control sites. Exchangeable acidity (Al 3+ , H +) was also high in cattle market soils, with slight reduction in pH. Chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu) concentrations were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in cattle market soils, while lead (Pb) concentration were moderately higher, but not significantly difference (p ≤ 0.05) from control soils. Heavy metals were strongly correlated with OC, TN, Ca + , Mg 2+ , and Av.P, and negatively correlated with soil pH, K + , and Na +. Meanwhile, all heavy metal concentrations remained below WHO permissible limits. The study therefore, recommended lowcost interventions, including designated manure collection, liming, and community-led monitoring, to balance environmental protection in livestock markets.

Stability of man-made soil slopes is an important issue for long term performance of any bulk terminal storage facilities and it becomes more critical for very heavy material storage like iron ore, coal etc. In most of the cases, it is observed that the parent (original) in-situ sub-soil formations are not capable to support such heavy bulk storage material. Hence, ground improvement techniques are usually recommended for such soft soil sites, in addition to maintain the stability of the slope of the stack itself. Present case study describes the design of three types of stacks for a proposed bulk terminal site at Beira, Mozambique for storage of iron ore and coal. The site consists of thick soft to very soft clay layers resting on interbedding of the sandy/silty sand layers. The geotechnical characterization was carried out through drilling 16 boreholes and conducting 9 cone penetration tests. Since the subsoil stratum was not capable enough to take the expected pressure from the bulk storage, the ground improvement is proposed in form of wick drain/strip drains in order to accelerate the consolidation and gain in strength. In order to optimize the cost and construction time, staged construction method was adopted and strength gain during each construction phase was monitored. To limit the foundation settlement and to estimate the expected lateral thrust on Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. E 860 the reclaimed foundation; detailed slope stability analysis and settlement analysis are carried out at each construction stage. It was observed that under the 10m of stacking height of iron ore; the ground may settle more than 3m and the differential settlement of more than 1.5m may influence the stacker reclaimer foundations. Both the rotational slip failure mode and translational failure mode are checked to obtain the limiting displacement for foundation failure. Staged construction program along with safe heights for material handling in each construction stage are finally recommended based on the detailed slope stability and settlement analysis.

The accumulation of pollutants derived from vehicular activity, whether on paved roads or within recreational urban areas, constitutes a significant source of environmental contamination, particularly in densely trafficked zones. This study aimed to assess the levels of heavy metal contamination in sediments and road runoff collected from high-traffic neighborhoods in the city of Juliaca, Peru. Heavy metal concentrations were determined in three road sediment samples, two urban park soil samples, and three runoff samples collected during precipitation events. The results were evaluated against national and international environmental quality standards for sediments and water. Daily vehicle counts at the sampled sites ranged from 6,128 to 8,464 vehicles per day. Lead (Pb) exhibited moderate contamination levels based on the geo-accumulation index, while other analyzed metals remained within non-contaminated thresholds. In contrast, runoff samples revealed elevated concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Pb, with the descending concentration order of Zn > Cu > Pb > Co > As > Ni > Cr > Cd, surpassing national Environmental Quality standards (ECA) for surface water. These findings indicate a significant presence of heavy metals, particularly in stormwater runoff, and emphasize that sedimentary Pb levels exceed internationally accepted guidelines. The persistent presence of elevated heavy metal concentrations in urban runoff underscores the need for preventative and remedial measures in urban green spaces, transportation corridors, and stormwater infrastructure to mitigate potential environmental and public health risks.

Smallholder farmers dominate agriculture in Nepal. These farmers have poor knowledge about agriculture and lack of support for soil management and integrated plant-nutrient systems. Focusing on the importance and need for soil-fertility management, a soil-testing mobile van program has recently been introduced in Nepal by Soil Management Directorate, Hariharbhawan. With the introduction of the mobile lab, famers can get their soil tested for nutrient deficiencies and fertilizer requirements at their doorsteps. Using mobile lab, spatial distributions of chemical properties, including pH, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (as P 2 O 5 ), and available potassium (as K 2 O) were examined in soil samples taken from the 0 to 15 cm depth from selected agricultural fields in eight different districts in the mid-hills and Terai regions of Nepal. Tests conducted on 1,479 soil samples in the soil-testing mobile van revealed the following: the mean soil OM ranged from 0.01 to 1.77%; total N content ranged from 0.01 to 0.08%; mean available P 2 O 5 ranged from 16.47 to 197.82 kg ha -1 ; and mean available K 2 O digitalcommons.unl.edu ranged from 84.3 to 422.57 kg ha -1 . For each crop to be grown, farmers were provided with individual soil health reports and fertilizer recommendations (rate, amount, and type). This program not only allows scientists and farmers to work closely and share information but also serves as a model for the nation to successfully transfer technology for improving soil health and sustainability.

This research analyzes the impact of the incorporation of marble filler and sugarcane ash in the stabilization of tropical soils, specifically in the Central Peruvian rainforest. These soils, characterized by their high plasticity and low bearing capacity, represent a significant challenge for civil engineering. Four proportions of marble filler (3%, 6%, 9% and 12%) and sugar cane ash (1%, 2%, 3% and 4%) are evaluated in order to determine the optimum combination to improve soil strength and stability. The tests performed included granulometric analysis, determination of the plasticity index, consistency limits and mechanical property tests, such as the modified Proctor compaction tests and the CBR index. The results reveal that the combination of 6% marble filler and 2% sugarcane ash improves the bearing capacity and reduces the plasticity of the soil, obtaining a plasticity limit of 9.44%, a modified Proctor of 2.112 kg/m³ and a CBR of 13.57%. This approach, which takes advantage of industrial and agricultural by-products, represents a sustainable and economical alternative for soil stabilization in regions with similar characteristics, providing a viable solution for infrastructure development in areas with soils of complex properties.

In the decade period 1998-2007 maize harvested area in Croatia was, depending on year, from 288380 ha to 407272 ha while annual yield variation was in range from 3.93 t/ha to 6.92 t/ha. The region eastern Croatia represents 22 % of the state territory, it participating in maize harvested area near to 50 % and maize yield in this region is near to 20% higher compared to the state level.

The study evaluates levels of metals in soils of 9 locations in Port Harcourt and its environs in Rivers State in Nigeria. Composite samples were collected by random sampling from each of the 9 test locations, 3 control samples were also collected from each of the study areas. Concentration levels of (Lead) Pb, (Copper) Cu, (Cadmium) Cd, (Zinc) Zn, (Calcium) Ca, (Nickel) Ni, (Sodium) Na, (Potassium) K, (Chromium) Cr, (Magnesium) Mg, (Manganese) Mn, and (Sulphur) S in soil were measured using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The obtained mean levels of

Tropical soils are soils that exhibit physical, chemical, mineralogical and mechanical characteristics that differ from those of temperate zone soils as a result of factors such as weather, humidity and other conditions of the tropics. These characteristics and the anthropogenic contamination of the environment are the subject of the present study, which aims to analyze a soil of tropical residual origin located in the municipality of Guarne -Antioquia (Colombia). Laboratory tests, some of which are more adequate to characterize this type of soil than classical methods (miniature compacted tropical classification, suction, the pinhole test, breakdown, the collapse index, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy) are performed on samples in their natural state and samples contaminated with a soap solution to establish the differences between the geotechnical characteristics of this soil under both conditions. Subsequently, the influence of the contaminant on the soil's properties is discussed.

The rare earth element (REE) concentration in tomato plants and soils of three agricultural farms in the Province of Piacenza, Italy, was evaluated. The REE distribution in the different parts of the plant follows the order: root &gt; leaf &gt; stem &gt; edible part; the concentrations reflect those observed in the soil. The most reliable REE concentrations are obtained from soil having the lowest pH and organic matter. The analytical procedure, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), proved to be suitable for the determination of REEs in plants and soil, and was validated using certified samples. The precision of the method resulted in better than 10-15% for all REEs, with recoveries ranging from 70-150%. The method detection limit was 10 ng/g for soil and 1 ng/g for plant material. This technique seems to be promising for its application in tracing REE concentrations in tomato plants and its use in ensuring high quality of typical food products.

Soil acidification is caused by natural paedogenetic processes and anthropogenic impacts but can be counteracted by regular lime application. Although sensors and applicators for variable-rate liming (VRL) exist, there are no established strategies for using these tools or helping to implement VRL in practice. Therefore, this study aimed to provide guidelines for site-specific liming based on proximal soil sensing. First, high-resolution soil maps of the liming-relevant indicators (pH, soil texture and soil organic matter content) were generated using on-the-go sensors. The soil acidity was predicted by two ion-selective antimony electrodes (RMSEpH: 0.37); the soil texture was predicted by a combination of apparent electrical resistivity measurements and natural soil-borne gamma emissions (RMSEclay: 0.046 kg kg−1); and the soil organic matter (SOM) status was predicted by a combination of red (660 nm) and near-infrared (NIR, 970 nm) optical reflection measurements (RMSESOM: 6.4 g kg...

Uranium, radium concentration and radon exhalation rate in twenty one building material samples collected from markets of Iraq were measured using the sealed-can technique based on the CR-39 SSNTD S . The values of effective radium content were found to vary from (0.037 to 4.986) Bq/kg with a mean value of 0.745Bq/kg. The values of mass exhalation rates of radon vary from (0.688 ×10 -8 to 46.910×10 -8 )𝐵𝐵𝑞𝑞/kg.𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎𝑦𝑦with a mean value 7.012×10 -8 𝐵𝐵𝑞𝑞/kg.𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎𝑦𝑦, while the surface exhalation rates of radon vary from (0.344×10 -6 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜23.472×10 -6 ) 𝐵𝐵𝑞𝑞 /𝑚𝑚 2 .𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎𝑦𝑦with a mean value of 3.508×10 -6 𝐵𝐵𝑞𝑞/𝑚𝑚 2 .𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎𝑦𝑦. Uranium content in these samples has been found, it is varying from 0.074 to 5.055 ppm with a mean value of 0.755ppm. The mean values of radon exhalation rate, radium content and uranium concentration in building material samples of study area were found well below the values of 57.600 mBq/m 2 .h , 370 Bq/kg and 3ppm, respectively.

This study aims to determine the soil quality of selected soybean producing farms in the Caraga region using soil quality index (SQI) measurements. Five sites were selected in the municipalities of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur and Trento, Agusan del Sur. Three 10×10 m soil monitoring plots were established within soybean fields in each site. Within each monitoring plot, three composite samples were collected coming from 10 subsamples using a soil probe. SQI was calculated following three general steps, (1) selection of minimum data set (MDS) via Principal Components Analysis (PCA), (2) Scoring of MDS via linear method, and (3) Calculation of weighted overall SQI. Out of the 16-soil property indicator, a total of five soil properties (exchangeable Ca, % sand, electrical conductivity, available P, and soil respiration) were extracted and used as the MDS for the calculation of SQI in each site. The main indicator properties for determining the quality of the soils in the area were Exchangeable Ca and % Sand contents offering a 68% and 26% weights over other soil properties, respectively. High SQI classification was found on four out of five sites evaluated, these were the two sites in the Municipality of Trento (Cebolin.M (61%) & Cebolin.T (54%)) and two sites in the Municipality of San Miguel (Libas-gua (68%) & Upper Carromata (93%)). One site in San Miguel revealed a low SQI (Lower Carromata (41%)). These SQI values indicate that in these areas, soils with very high Exchangeable Ca and Sand content could have a low-quality condition, and sites with optimal Exchangeable Ca (400 -600 ppm) contents and loamy to sandy loam texture could be classified as high quality soils. Proper drainage system could be best done to manage the very high exchangeable Ca content in these soil and thus, could improve its quality.

Spatial variability of selected soil attributes were investigated in the Kgalagadi region. Soil samples were collected along transects at Hukuntsi, Tshane, Lokgwabe and Lehututu at 50 m, 200 m, 500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m and 5000 m from water sources located in areas of different land use types. Sampling depth was 0 -10 cm, 50 -70 cm and 100 -120 cm. Samples were analysed for pH, EC, SOC, and P. Soil pH and EC were relatively high around CGA Pans, while SOC and P were generally low in the whole study area. It was concluded that the assumptions that different land use types existed under various soil environments with different soil properties, and that different land use types influence soil characteristics in various ways in the study area were not true.

Measurements of the radium content in soil samples and adjacent indoor radon activity measurement from sites located in Kohima town of Nagaland is reported. Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (LR-115 Type2 films) was used and the radium content are found to vary from 14.56 to 27.29 Bq.kg -1 with an arithmetic mean value of 18.98 ± 2.89 Bq.kg -1 and a geometric mean value of 18.78 ± 1.15 Bq.kg -1 inthe studied soil samples. The indoor radon activity concentrations measured are found to range between 25.9 to 75.5 Bq.m -3 with an arithmetic mean value of 49.2 ± 14.7 Bq.m -3 and a geometric mean value of 47.13 ± 1.35 Bq.m -3 . A weak positive linear correlation is observed between radium content of the soil samples and indoor radon activity concentration at the study sites.

Most cases involving soil in criminal investigations in Brazil have focused on the chemical and mineralogical analyses of soil fractions without including the organic matter. The organic fraction contains plant-wax markers which may be useful to “fingerprint” forensic soils due to their chemical diversity, relative longevity and resistant nature. The aim of this study was to test the long- (kilometre), medium- (metre) and short- (centimetre) scale variability of plant-wax biomarkers in a forensic context in anthropised urban soils and soils developed under subtropical conditions. Two areas from the Curitiba municipality and two areas from the Colombo municipality, Paraná State, South Brazil, were selected. Soil colour analysis was carried out to obtain reflectance data over the 360–740 nm wavelength range. Furthermore, plant-wax marker compounds (n-alkanes and fatty-alcohols) were assessed by extraction and separation into different classes and an analysis of the compounds by gas ch...

Extensive pastures are commonly converted to sugarcane areas in Brazil. In soils cultivated with sugarcane, tillage and fertilization are management practices commonly carried out. Soil management practices alter the physical and chemical properties increasing or decreasing metal availability. The purpose of this study was to quantify soil metal concentrations during pasture-to-sugarcane conversion correlating these changes with physical and chemical properties. The results showed that the concentration of metals in soil samples occurred according to the following order Fe > Mn > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Significant increases in soil metal concentrations due the sugarcane cultivation were observed to Cd and Cu. The soil physical and chemical properties presented correlations with soil metal concentrations. There was a strong relationship on inorganic fertilization to change in soil metal concentrations. The principal component analysis (PCA) explained 55.4% of the total data variance, separating factors in two groups that pointed to an influence of fertilization on metal grouping. Inorganic fertilizer application may input 1.06 g•ha -1 •year -1 Cd. The Cd concentration ranged from 0.15 to 1.07 mg•kg -1 , representing addictions of 9.54 mg•ha -1 •year -1 Cd in soil. The metal concentrations observed after five years of pasture-to-sugarcane conversion did not represent environmental risks since the concentrations remained below the Brazilian official determinations.

Koting A in Sikka is one of the most popular and productive agricultural cacao areas in Nusa Tenggara Timur. The area was selected in this study with the aim of understanding the soil magnetic properties that is suitable for cocoa farming. This study assessed the magnetic susceptibility and chemical element content of cocoa farms soils. Magnetic susceptibility was measured by Bartington MS2B on 72 samples taken from 8000 m2 farming area, whereas the determination of chemical elements was done by XRF test on 3 representative samples. The results showed that the magnetic susceptibility of low frequency χlf has a range between (12-20) × 10−6m3kg−1 and the soils contains some dominant elements of Fe about 37%, Al 7 – 8%, Ca 11 -12%, Si 29-32%, Ti of about 2% and nickel 3 - 4%.

The adverse effects of heavy metal contamination on rice fields posing a significant threat to food safety. This study, conducted from May to July 2023 in Samarinda East Kalimantan, Indonesia, aims to determine the distribution of active rice fields and heavy metal contamination through Kriging's interpolation method. Aerial photographic interpretations, facilitated by ArcGIS 10.4, were performed with 144 sample points within 4 Districts. The content of heavy metals was assessed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy at specific wavelengths: 248.3 nm for

The fertilizer practice among smallholder farmers in Zambia is to apply the same amount of fertilizers to crops regardless of soil type and climatic conditions. The blanket fertilizer application across soil types and agroecological regions (AERs) is not efficient. In this study we evaluate the influence of soil type and climate on selected soil fertility parameters that are used to determine fertilizer recommendations. Samples of three different soil types were obtained from AER I and IIa and analyzed for selected soil fertility parameters using standard laboratory methods. Individual parameters were subjected to a two-way ANOVA to determine any differences among soil types and across AERs using the general linear model procedure. The soil variables showed that significant differences in soil fertility status exist among soil types and across AERs at various p values. The differences associated with soil types are more pronounced in soil chemical fertility parameters (p &lt; 0.01 a...

Ensuring the safety of commonly sold food items is essential for food regulation and consumer protection. This study investigated the levels of potentially toxic metals contamination in local and Thai-imported rice samples sold in the Nigerian market for safety assessment. Rice samples obtained from Oja Oba market, Ile-Ife, SouthWest Nigeria were digested and analysed for Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn) and Cadmium (Cd) using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The results showed that metal concentrations in local rice is in the order: Cu (5.31 mg/kg) > Zn (2.32 mg/kg) > Pb (1.19 mg/kg) > Cd (0.69 mg/ kg) ≈ Co (0.69 mg/kg) > Mn (0.38 mg/kg). The imported rice samples followed a similar trend: Cu (3.13 mg/kg) > Zn (1.88 mg/kg) > Pb (1.02 mg/kg) > Cd (0.60 mg/kg) > Co (0.53 mg/kg) > Mn (0.25 mg/ kg). Notably, Pb and Cd concentrations in both rice types exceeded Codex Alimentarius Commission permissible limits (0.2 mg/kg for Pb and 0.4 mg/kg for Cd). The Hazard Index (HI) values of the local and Thai-imported samples at 1.769 and 1.471 exceeded the safety threshold of 1, with Cd and Pb in both samples contributing significantly. The Cancer Risk (CR) values of Cd (1.04E-6) and Pb (1.48E-5) in the local samples as well as 9.06E-7 and 1.27E-5 respectively in the Thai-imported sample were below critical limit, raising no carcinogenic concern. However, the overall health risk assessment for the samples suggests potential non-carcinogenic health risk over prolonged consumption.

Concentration of magnetic particulate matter (PM) on leaf surface (an indicator of current pollution) and topsoil (an indicator of magnetic PM which have geogenic or historical pollution origin) were assessed in agricultural areas (conventional and organic vineyards). Main aim of this study was to explore whether magnetic parameters (saturation isothermal remanent magnetization, SIRM, and magnetic susceptibility, χ) can be a proxy for magnetic PM pollution and associated PTEs in agricultural areas. Besides, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WD-XRF) was investigated as screening method for total PTE content in soil and leaf samples. Both magnetic parameters (SIRM and χ) pinpoint soil pollution, while SIRM was more suitable for evaluating magnetic PM accumulated on leaves. The values of both magnetic parameters were significantly (p &lt; 0.01) correlated within same type of sample (soil-soil or leaf-leaf), but not between different matrixes (soil-leaf). Difference...

Soil management using organic materials is one of the strategies of soil conservation and nutrients enhancement. This work evaluated the effect of organic materials (poultry manure and millet-chaff) on physio-chemical properties of soil at Agricultural Engineering Departmental farm, Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria. Three different points were randomly selected and the soil samples were collected at 0-20 cm, 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm depths making a total of nine samples. The physiochemical properties of the soil samples were determined in the laboratory and t-test was also conducted to analyse the effect of these organic materials on soil physiochemical properties before and after application. Based on the results obtained, it was discovered that some of the physiochemical properties were responsive to the organic materials. Moreover, the findings revealed that poultry manure and millet chaff improved some of the properties such as moisture content by 23.9% (from 13.4% to 16.6%) and 43....

Soil salinity is a pressing issue for sustainable food security in coastal regions. However, the coupling of machine learning and remote sensing was seldom employed for soil salinity mapping in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. The research aims to estimate the soil salinity level in a southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh. Using the Landsat OLI images, 13 soil salinity indicators were calculated, and 241 samples of soil salinity data were collected from a secondary source. This study applied three distinct machine learning models (namely, random forest, bagging with random forest, and artificial neural network) to estimate soil salinity. The best model was subsequently used to categorize soil salinity zones into five distinct groups. According to the findings, the artificial neural network model has the highest area under the curve (0.921), indicating that it has the most potential to predict and detect soil salinity zones. The high soil salinity zone covers an area of 977.94 km...

Introduction
Soil organic matter is one of the main indicators of soil quality and soil production capacity. It provides some nutrients for plant growth and improves the physical conditions of the soil. In addition to the importance of soil organic matter from an agricultural point of view, there is a deep and close relationship between the amount of soil organic matter and the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, global warming, and desertification. In addition, due to the lack of organic matter in the soils of arid and semi-arid regions, the use of organic compounds such as animal manures is considered an important and effective management factor on soil quality and improving the physical, chemical, and fertility properties of the soil. The supply sources of organic fertilizers in Iran are very diverse, which include animal manure, green manure, and all kinds of composts including urban waste composts and sewage sludge. Different sources of organic matter and their effect on plant growth have been investigated by various researchers. One of the effective ways to produce and increase crop yield is the combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers. The use of chemical fertilizers is the fastest and most reliable way to ensure soil fertility. Still, the high costs of these fertilizers, pollution, and destruction of the environment and soil are the defects of these fertilizers. Using organic fertilizers reduces the consumption of chemical fertilizers and increases the production of crops and garden crops. According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture to use fewer chemical fertilizers and to encourage farmers to use more organic fertilizers, and considering that a major part of the nitrogen in animal manure is wasted before consumption, investigating the effect of organic fertilizers on plant growth is a special priority. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the optimal levels of organic fertilizer and nitrogen for wheat cultivation in the Khorramabad region.

Materials and Methods
A split plot experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was implemented in the agricultural research station of Sarab Chengai Khorramabad during the crop year 2018-2019. This station has a moderate climate, an altitude of 1171 m asl, and an average annual rainfall of 516 mm. This station has a xeric humidity regime and a thermic temperature regime. Experimental treatments were: A- Organic fertilizer as the main treatment: M1 (control), M2 (10 tons of manure ha-1), M3 (20 tons of manure ha-1), M4 (10 tons of compost ha -1), and M5 (20 tons of compost ha -1). B- Consumption of urea fertilizer based on soil test as a sub-treatment: N1 (control), N2 (100% of fertilizer recommended based on soil test), N3 (75% of fertilizer recommended based on soil test), and N4 (50% of fertilizer recommended based on soil test). The type of crops and their rotations were wheat and corn according to common rotation in the region. Chamran variety wheat was planted on 2 November and wheat was harvested on 25 June with the amount of seed used 150 kg ha-1, single grass 704 corn variety was planted on 1 July and corn was harvested on 26 October with the amount of seed used 30 kg ha-1. It was done manually. All operations, such as the method and amount of irrigation water, fighting against pests and weeds, were carried out according to the advice of agricultural experts. This experiment was carried out in the form of alternating wheat and corn.

Results and Discussion
The results showed that in wheat, the highest straw yield in N3M2 treatment increased by 57.2% compared to control, the highest grain yield in N3M1 treatment increased by 33.6% compared to control, the highest total yield in N3M2 treatment increased by 39.8% compared to control. The highest harvest index related to the N4M4 treatment is an increase of 11.3% compared to the control, the highest number of seeds in the bunch related to the N3M2 treatment is a 50% increase compared to the control, and the highest thousand seed weight is related to the N3M4 treatment, which is a 16.6% increase compared to the control and has no significant difference with N3M3 treatment. In corn, the highest fresh weight of aerial organs related to N3M1 treatment is a 34.3% increase compared to the control, the highest nitrogen concentration of N2M2 is a 16.7% increase compared to the control, the highest seed protein is related to the N2M2 treatment is 15.8% increase compared to the control. Therefore, the use of 75% nitrogen of the soil test for wheat (187.5 kg.ha-1 urea) and 100% of the soil test (200 kg ha-1 urea) for corn, as well as the use of 10 t ha-1 manure have a beneficial effect on the growth characteristics of wheat and corn. In general, for wheat, among the treatments of combined use of organic fertilizer and chemical nitrogen fertilizer, the use of 20 t.ha-1 compost fertilizer along with 50% of recommended urea fertilizer based on the soil test (M5N4 treatment) showed the greatest effect on grain yield. In the case of corn, treatment M4N4 (use of 10 t.ha-1 compost fertilizer along with 50% of recommended urea fertilizer based on soil test) had the greatest effect on fresh weight.

Conclusion
The results of this research showed that in wheat cultivation, the consumption of 75% nitrogen recommended in the soil test can increase yield and yield components compared to control. Combined use of organic fertilizer and nitrogen can significantly increase grain yield, straw, biological yield, the weight of 1000 seeds, harvest index, and the number of seeds in the cluster. The results regarding corn cultivation also showed that the use of 100% nitrogen according to the soil test has a higher efficiency than other treatments. Among the organic fertilizer treatments, 10 t ha-1 animal manure is recommended. Therefore, to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and increase the quality of soil properties, to prevent the reduction of soil organic matter and the destruction of the environment, the combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers is recommended.

Soil pollution and accumulation of heavy metals in soils and crops are the most important bioenvironmental problems that threaten the life of plants, animals and humans. This study was conducted to explore contamination of heavy metals in soils of Hamadan province. A total of 286 composite surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected thoroughout the province. After preparation of the samples, the total contents of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Ni in soil samples were extracted using HNO 3 . Total contents of heavy metals were measured by ICP. Contamination factor results showed that most samples were moderately polluted and contamination factor for lead was highly polluted. Interpolated distribution map of contamination factors (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) of the heavy metals were prepared using GIS. The overlap of CF and PLI maps with geology and land use maps indicated that the concentrations of Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cu have been controlled by natural factors such as parent material, but agricultural activities according to excessive consumption of animal manure and chemical fertilizers can increase most of these elements in soil.

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