Speciation and Origin of Particulate Copper in Runoff Water from a Mediterranean Vineyard Catchment
Fungicide treatments have led to large copper contents of the topsoils of most vineyards. This paper examines the contamination of surface waters by copper in a Mediterranean wine-growing catchment. Its aims were to characterise the forms of copper associated
with suspended matter during a heavy autumn storm event and to identify which soils contribute the most to the copper exports.
1. Introduction
Copper has been used to protect vines against fungus disease since the end o the eighteenth century ( affor-gue,1928). Even today, a high proportion of ungicides
are in the form of copper compounds. It is known that such inputs tend to accumulate in the surface layers of the soil, and in turn the topsoils of most vineyards contain large amounts of copper (Flores Velez, 1996).
However, copper is only partially trapped in the surface horizons since many vineyards are subject to water erosion phenomena (Vogt et al., 1986; itzler et al., 1988). These can wash the copper to downstream crops or ecosystems. Depending on the speciation of copper in runoff water, the downstream physicochemical conditions (organic complexants, pH, ionic strength, etc.) are likely to favour its solubilisation (Serpaudet
al., 1994; Dawson and Macklin, 1998), and thereby its toxicity. It is therefore of interest to characterise the speciation o copper transported by runoff water leaving areas with highly contaminated soils. This is especially the case in south France which presents the largest vineyard area in the world and a Mediterranean rain all regime leading to intense sur ace runoff and erosion processes (Gomer, 1994; Albaladejo et al., 1995). Besides, it must be pointed out that copper seems to be predominantly transported by suspended matter in runoff water (e.g. Gilbin et al., 2000; Xue et al., 2000), which can be related to the affinity of copper or sorption on some components o suspended sediments like organic matter, clay minerals and hydrous metal oxides (Flemming and Trevors, 1989).
In this context, this study intends to:
1. Characterise the amounts and forms of copper transported by suspended matter during storm flow in a catchment that is representative of the soils and the agricultural practices of the Mediterranean wine-growing region; and
2. Identify which soils contribute the most to the particulate copper load of runoff water.
Total copper content is an inadequate variable to use to characterise the behavioural differences of copper in soil, suspended matter or sediment.
The essential use of irrigation in Australian Vineyards to maximize the productivity of vines has the detrimental effect on the surrounding waterways my contributing to water pollution. The use of irrigation in Australia has become a primary
Burpee, Lee, and Richard Latin. 2008. "Reassessment of Fungicide Synergism for Control of Dollar Spot." Plant Disease 92.4: 601-06.
Although the majority of the copper remained within the beaker, some of the copper went along with the supernatant liquid that was removed. Since some copper molecules were inadvertently removed from the beaker, the overall weight of the copper later measured less than what it should have been. Another laboratory error was how zinc was not fully extracted from the solution. While taking out the zinc that was used to separate the copper ion from the chlorine ion, some residue could have been left behind. As a direct result of stirring around the solid zinc to knock off the copper, some zinc from the original piece broke off. Not knowing how much zinc was left behind likely caused the weight of the later measured copper to be greater than what it should have been. Overall, the weight variation of the copper sample, after the procedure, was not 100% accurate since it gain weight from zinc and loss some weight due to
with the Cu ²+ ions, it is the dilute copper sulphate that is in an
...t inaccurately assumed that the acidity of soil in low land Cumbria compared to highland Cumbria was different.
Thinner soils that have fewer nutrients are more vulnerable to the effects of acid rain. Thicker soils are more affective at buffering acid rain. Over many years soils that aren’t the best at buffering out acid rain can become increasingly acidic. This leads to a decrease in the ability to support healthy plant life. Over time soils may become so acidic that aluminum dissolves and is carried by rain water into bodies of water. Aluminum that is dissolved is very toxic and harmful to all aquatic life.
Schumann, Gail L., and Cleora J. D'Arcy. Hungry Planet: Stories of Plant Diseases. St. Paul: American Phytopathological Society, 2012. Print.
There are many ways pollutants can enter lakes and rivers: agricultural and urban runoff, industrial outfalls, migration through groundwater, through the food chain, and many more. Many p...
Janick. J. (2011). Center for New Crops & Plant Products - Department of Horticulture and
This essay has therefore discussed the most popular classes of plant chemical defences, namely terpenes, phenolics, nitrogen-based defences and allelopathy. The effects of these defences on herbivores has also been touched on. Many of these compounds produced by plants have later been extracted by humans for use as insecticides. Compounds such as tannins are also used in the wine industry. These chemicals thus have a very strong economic influence.
However, when the pH levels reach a certain stage, the iron can then precipitate out, coating sediments with the characteristic yellow, red or orange colourings (D.E.P. 2, 2002; U.S.G.S. ; U.S.E.P.A., 2002). The rate that A.M.D. advances is also influenced by the presence of certain bacteria (Doyle; U.S.G.S). A.M.D. that has dissolved heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury can contaminate ground and surface water.
Hydrometer test is needed as more than 10 % of soil sample passes the 63 µ m sieve (BS 1377-2:1990). It covers the quantitative determination of the particle size distribution in a soil from coarse sand size to clay size. Particles settle under gravity during testing (Head, 1984). The results of hydrometer analysis can be referred to Appendix C1. The calibrations which used in the hydrometer analysis and water viscosity are shown in Appendix C2 and Appendix C3.
Agriculture also leads to soil erosion, both through rainfall and wind. This soil can damage the aquatic ecosystems it ends up in, an...
Phytoextraction is the uptake and storage of pollutants in the plants stem or leaves. Some plants, called hyperaccumulators, draw pollutants through the roots. After the pollutants accumulate in the stem and leaves the plants are harvested. Then plants can be either burned or sold. Even if the plants cannot be used, incineration and disposal of the plants is still cheaper than traditional remediation methods. As a comparison, it is estimated a site containing 5000 tons of contaminated soil will produce only 20-30 tons of ash (Black, 1995). This method is particularly useful when remediating metals. Some metals are also being recycled from the ash.
As a result of this process, the mine sites "do not develop normal soil structure or support the establishment of a plant cover". Many mine sites have...