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The continuous release of persistent iron-cyanide (Fe-CN) complexes from various industrial sources poses a high hazard to the environment and indicates the necessity to analyze a considerable amount of samples. Conventional flow injection analysis (FIA) is a time and cost consuming method for cyanide (CN) determination. Thus, a rapid and economic alternative needs to be developed to quantify the Fe-CN complexes. 52 soil samples were collected at a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in order to determine the feasibility of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Soil analysis revealed CN concentrations in a range from 8 to 14.809 mg kg⁻¹, where 97% was in the solid form (Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃), which is characterized by a single symmetrical CN band in the range 2092-2084 cm-1. The partial least squares (PLS) calibration-validation model revealed IR response to CNtot which exceeds 2306 mg kg⁻¹(limit of detection, LOD). Leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO-CV) was performed on soil samples, which contained low CNtot (<900 mg kg⁻¹). This improved the sensitivity of the model by reducing the LOD to 154 mg kg⁻¹. Finally, the LOO-CV conducted on the samples with CNtot > 900 mg kg⁻¹ resulted in LOD equal to 3751 mg kg⁻¹. It was found that FTIR spectroscopy provides the information concerning different CN species in the soil samples. Additionally, it is suitable for quantifying Fe-CN species in matrixes with CNtot > 154 mg kg⁻¹. Thus, FTIR spectroscopy, in combination with the statistical approach applied here seems to be a feasible and quick method for screening of contaminated sites.
Beginning in 2020 the research of the MultiFruit cluster seeks to optimize food production and the provision of ecosystem services in multifunctional landscapes. Joining agricultural production with the provision of ecosystem services and the preservation of biological diversity, the outcomes of this project aim to provide comprehensive findings to farmers, and the agricultural community as a whole, that are also applicable in the face of climate change. Active apple orchards located in greater Brandenburg, Germany of both organic and conventional management practices have been selected as the sites of research. The present state of organic apple orchards in Germany can best be described as organic “conventionalization”; high yielding orchards with little to no plant diversity, with the major differences being the substitution of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides with organic alternatives certified by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit). The project implements an interdisciplinary approach, with researchers of ecology, economics, soil and microbial sciences. The ecological subproject is investigating how local management measures and the surrounding landscapes affect natural pest control by beneficial insects. The soil group are investigating the toxicological and soil health impacts of conventional and organic practices through analysis of both plant and soil material collected from the orchards. Microbial studies seek to provide information on the microorganisms that promote the growth, health, and performance of fruit trees. The economic studies aim to assess the costs and benefits of management measures and resulting pest control services for fruit growers and society as a whole. The overall expected outcome of this cluster is to maximize ecosystem services provided by the orchards while optimizing yield and maintaining soil and orchard health. Here we show the preliminary results of the 2021 field campaign related to the soil group. The processed plant and soil material was analyzed at our laboratory and total elemental concentration of all constituents was determined using Microwave assisted MP-AES for select metals and cations (Zn, Cu, Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, K). These results, in conjunction with measured soil properties (pH, EC, Scheibler carbonate measurement, Total N, Total C) aid in the effort to determine the effects of the various management practices on the soil health and the mobility and translocation of metals and cations within the plant tissues.
Agriculture is a massive production with intensive practices, like large variety of agro-chemicals, heavy machinery etc., that support food security. However, recently more and more attention is given to food safety in relation to human, environment and soil health. An alternative strategy is organic agriculture that avoids the use of synthetic chemicals and maintain the sustainable food production. But organic farming cannot completely support the worlds foods demand, so adaptation is needed to reach a sustainable productivity while protecting the environment.
Soil nitrogen (N) pool consists of inorganic and organic fractions. Inorganic and a part of labile organic N is a primary nutrient source for plants and microbes. Different nitrogen fractions play various roles in soil ecosystems and can be strongly influenced by the site management. Soil nitrogen transformations are directly relatable to plant health, thus strongly influence healthy functioning of soil ecosystem. Knowledge about the soil nitrogen pools is necessary to assess the proper and sustainable fertilization approaches under various management practices. To evaluate various N fractions, fresh soil samples were sampled (20 cm depth, row and near tree) at 8 conventional and 8 organic apple farms (Germany: states of Brandenburg, Saxsony and Saxony-Anhalt), with various age, locations and management practices. Soil samples were analyzed using CNS, Kjeldhal digestion, spectrophotometer and chloroform fumigation. The aim of this study is to compare the total and labile (particulate organic, microbial biomass and water extractable organic) N fractions in soil samples considering various site management approaches, topography and climate.