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Target lipid model (TLM) and toxic unit (TU) approaches were applied to ecotoxicity and chemistry data from low-energy WAFs (LE-WAFs) of source and weathered crude oils originating from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The weathered oils included artificially weathered oils and naturally weathered samples collected in the Gulf of Mexico after the spill. Oil weathering greatly reduced the concentrations of identified LE-WAF components, however, the mass of uncharacterized polar material (UPC) in the LE-WAFs remained largely unchanged during the weathering process. While the TLM-derived calculations displayed a significant decrease in toxicity (TUs) for the heavily weathered oils, copepod toxicity, expressed as LC10-based TUs, were comparable between LE-WAFs of fresh and weathered oils. The discrepancy between observed and predicted toxicity for the LE-WAFs of artificially weathered oils may be related to limitations by the chemical analyses or increased toxicity due to generation of new unknown compounds during the weathering process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban populations and the sprawl of urban environments are increasing in the United States as well as globally. The local hydrologic cycle is directly impacted by urban development through greater generation of surface runoff and export of water through subterranean pipes networks to surface water bodies. These pipe networks carry waters that have potentially dramatic effects on the chemistry of groundwater and surface water bodies. In this work, we sampled waters from the Olentangy River and two subterranean outfalls that flow into the river in Columbus, Ohio United States. We measured the major ion, nutrient, and dissolved silica concentrations of each water source to identify how the urban landscape impacts the chemistry of a river that travels from an agricultural landscape to an urban environment. The outfalls had elevated concentrations of all major ions (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, SO42-) and H4SiO4. However, the Olentangy river typically had greater NO3− and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations. Sources of elevated ion export include road salts and combined storm runoff (Na+, Cl−), municipal water treatment practices (K+, Na+, SO42-), and concrete pipe weathering (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, H4SiO4, SO42-). Utilizing stable isotopes of water, δ18O and δ2H, we identified that the water in the pipe networks is typically a mix of multiple precipitation events, but there is evidence of flushing following high-volume precipitation events. The contribution of high TDS waters from subterranean urban outfalls modified the ion abundance in the Olentangy river and produces a tendency towards freshwater salinization syndrome. This is particularly apparent when comparing the chemistry of the urban Olentangy to the agricultural corridor of the river and its other source waters. This research details the transformation of a river as it flows from an agricultural to urban landscape and provides data on the chemistry of source waters that facilitate the river’s chemical changes.

Weathering processes gradually alter the physical and mechanical attributes of slope materials, weakening the structural integrity and stability of slopes. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of slope stability in an open-pit mine, emphasizing the pivotal role of weathering effects in determining slope stability. To accurately capture the impact of weathering on slope stability, a comprehensive analysis model was developed, incorporating field observations, laboratory testing, and numerical simulations. The effects of weathering on the mechanical properties of black shale were studied through extensive laboratory tests. The uniaxial compressive strength, shear strength, and modulus of elasticity significantly decreased with increasing weathering, indicating a heightened vulnerability to slope failure. The correlation function between mechanical parameters and weathering time was obtained, providing the basis for evaluating the stability of mine slopes. It was found that more severe weathering conditions were strongly correlated with elevated risks of slope failure, including landslides and collapses. Based on these findings, practical recommendations are provided for slope reinforcement and management strategies, aimed at mitigating slope failure risks and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the mine. By incorporating weathering effects into slope stability analysis, mine operators can make informed decisions that account for the dynamic nature of slope materials and their susceptibility to weathering, thereby improving overall mine performance and safety.

Ancient glass artifacts were susceptible to weathering from the environment, causing changes in their chemical composition, which pose significant obstacles to the identification of glass products. Analyzing the chemical composition of ancient glass has been beneficial for evaluating their weathering status and proposing measures to reduce glass weathering. The objective of this study was to explore the optimal machine learning algorithm for glass type classification based on chemical composition. A set of glass artifact data including color, emblazonry, weathering, and chemical composition was employed and various methods including logistic regression and machine learning techniques were used. The results indicated that a significant correlation (p < 0.05) could only observed between surface weathering and the glass types (high-potassium and lead–barium). Based on the random forest and logistic regression models, the primary chemical components that signify glass types and weathering status were determined using PbO, K2O, BaO, SiO2, Al2O3, and P2O5. The random forest model presented a superior ability to identify glass types and weathering status, with a global accuracy of 96.3%. This study demonstrates the great potential of machine learning for glass chemical component estimation and glass type and weathering status identification, providing technical guidance for the appraisal of ancient glass artifacts.

This article presents a comprehensive vision of particularities and constraints of the Paja Formation in the Northern Andes of Colombia, supported by personal, institutional, and academic experiences, including a doctoral thesis in completion (geomorphology and risks research line). Such fine-grained marine rocks cause severe damage in diverse zones, with little spread, and are very unfavorable, especially within the Eastern Cordillera (departments of Santander and Cundinamarca), whose socio-environmental problems motivated a popular legal action in the municipality of Vélez due to the cracking and collapse of houses, damage to roads and landslides in the urban area, as well as flows, subsidence, and high hydrogeochemical dynamism or rare earths, although they also presented spontaneous ignition at the rural area. Understanding how these problems originate and interrelate is the main objective of the work. At the beginning, we include some brief definitions, terms, and key approaches to understand the consolidated geomaterials, location, and background of the problem; then, the results of meso–macro–micro studies, obtained by combining the field techniques and conventional instrumental laboratory analyses (tests on the chemistry of water and soil, description of samples with magnifying glasses, petrography with a polarized light microscope, micromorphology of regoliths–colluvions) of nanoscientists (emphasizing RXD-RXF, SEM, IR-Raman spectroscopy, TOC-TS) are presented. These characterizations and new knowledge must be socially and institutionally appropriated and applied in land use planning and risk management for the sustainability of challenging environments with the stratiforms of Lower Cretaceous rocks and associated Quaternary deposits in populated mountainous areas and contrasting intertropical hydroclimatological regimes, geologically active, so unstable and insecure.

Since the 2000s, local seismic hazard studies have shown that Mayotte Island presented superficial geological formations prone to lithological site effects. The seismic sequence initiated in May 2018 confirmed the importance of such effects, both in terms of intensity and spatial extension. The analysis of the recorded strong motions showed that weathered volcanic formations are prone to significant site effects with mean amplification factors for peak ground acceleration (PGA) between 1.4 and 4.9 and that a complex combination of lithological and topographic site effects is in action. We thus implement a regional scale map of site effects for the fast calculation of strong motion and damage maps for crisis management purposes. We also provide a first estimate of key site parameters for eight stations: surface geology, resonance frequency, an amplification factor proxy for PGA, a ${V}_{{S},30}$ value, if available, and an estimated EC8 soil class.

Zinc isotopes ratios provide qualitative and quantitative information about contributions from different Zn sources in the environment. Here we present the results of a preliminary study to identify the main sources controlling Zn isotope signatures of sediments from Lake Paranoá (Brazil), an urban water reservoir. The Zn isotope ratios were measured by MC-ICP-MS and expressed as δ66/64Zn notation relative to the JMC 3-0749-L solution. The studied sediments showed a narrow isotopic range (+0.00 to +0.13 ‰; n = 10) similar to that reported for intensely weathered soils worldwide (from -0.4 to +0.2‰). The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) also suggests low or negligible influence of Zn anthropogenic source. This research provides a baseline assessment of the Zn isotopes signatures in lake sedimentary environments under the influence of these weathered soils.

This paper presents the results of a laboratory simulation of a subarctic climate carried out in climatic chamber. Realistic daily and seasonal cycles of temperature of a regular subarctic continental climate without dry seasons (Dfc) were simulated and the physical/mechanical properties and performance of the slates were assessed. The slate was selected because of its use as cladding and roofing material in cold regions. Mechanical performances before and after Dfc climate simulation were evaluated through point load index, uniaxial compression, flexural strength and anchor rupture load. A decrease in these mechanical features between 9 and 50% with respect to the initial strengths has been registered. Other physical parameters such as apparent density, open porosity and water absorption were evaluated. The tests showed an increase in open porosity (+72%) and a decrease in bulk density (−0.7%). The results highlighted a predominantly physical decay and mechanical performance decreasing with a relevant lowering in strength without the detection of chemical–mineralogical alterations. Moreover, artificial sun exposure reproduced the weak solar radiation that characterizes the Dfc climate. This was carried out to assess the aesthetic characteristics of the slate, since discoloration under sun exposure was supposed to occur but the slates did not exhibit substantial color changes.

The top-geoherb “Rehe Scutellaria baicalensis” was naturally distributed on Yanshan Mountain in Chengde city, Hebei Province, China. Exploring the influences of parent materials on the quality of the top-geoherbs in terms of micronutrient elements is of great significance for the protection of origin and for optimizing replanting patterns of Scutellaria baicalensis. In this study, three habitats of Scutellaria baicalensis with contrasting geopedological conditions, i.e., naturally grown habitats (NGHs), artificial planting habitats (APHs), and biomimetic cultivation habitats (BCHs), are taken as objects to probe the influences of parent materials on the quality of Scutellaria baicalensis in terms of rare earth elements (REEs) by testing on REEs concentrations in the weathering profiles, rhizosphere soil and growing Scutellaria baicalensis, as well as their flavonoid compound contents. Hornblende-gneiss was the parent rock in NGHs, whose protolith was femic volcanic rock. Loess was the parent rock in APHs and BCHs. REEs were more abundant in hornblende-gneiss than loess, and therefore, soils developed in NGHs contained higher REE concentrations than those in APHs, which was lower than BCHs after REE-rich micro-fertilizers application. The coefficient of variation (CV) of REEs concentrations in the rhizosphere soils of hornblende-gneiss was higher than that in loess. It possibly was attributed to the complicated minerals compositions and various minerals’ grain sizes of hornblende-gneiss, resulting in the variety of weathering intensity involving eluviation, leaching, adsorption, etc., as well as weathering productions, dominated by clay minerals and Fe-(hydro)oxide, and ultimately the remarkable differences in the migrations, enrichments and fractionations within REEs. The biological absorption coefficients (BACs) of REEs for Scutellaria baicalensis decreased in the order of NGHs > APHs > BCHs. Roots of Scutellaria baicalensis contained similar ΣREE in NGHs (2.02 mg·kg−1) and BCHs (2.04 mg·kg−1), which were higher than that in APHs (1.78 mg·kg−1). Soils developed in hornblende-gneiss were characterized by lower clay fraction content and overall alkalinity with a pH value of 8.06. The absorption and utilization efficiency of REEs for Scutellaria baicalensis in NGHs was higher than in APHs and BCHs. Flavonoid compounds, effective constituents of Scutelleria baicalensis, showed more accumulations in NGHs than APHs and BCHs, implying their optimal quality of Scutellaria baicalensis in NGHs. Flavonoid compounds were remarkably correlated with REEs in the roots, suggesting the influence of REEs concentrations on the quality of Scutellaria baicalensis. It can be concluded that high REEs and micronutrient element concentrations of hornblende-gneiss favored the synthesis and accumulation of flavonoid compounds in Scutellaria baicalensis after the activation of endocytosis induced by REEs.

Geochemical lithogenes have been successfully applied as an innovative concept in the field of composition classification and source traceability of geological materials recently. This paper introduces the background of the development of geochemical genes and the construction and application of LG01 and LG03 lithogenes. Based on LG01 and LG03, the LG_CR classification and provenance are applied and verified on a weathering profile, ten gully sedimentary profiles and regional stream sediments in the Wanquan area of Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, China. The geochemical lithology of the weathering profile shows a gradual variation from basic-like in the bottom rock to acidic-like at the upper soils compositionally with heterogeneity. The classification results on 10 sedimentary gully profiles (each with five samples) indicate that soils at the bottom of the gully system are dominated with 11 types of LG_CR materials, while the top materials are made up of 21 types, reflecting the mixing of the upstream soils. The results of stream sediments from a regional geochemical survey with a scale of 1:200,000 in this area illustrate that the classification results of LG_CR on stream sediments are basically consistent with the petrological results derived from regional geological mapping. Therefore, LG_CR can be used not only as an effective tool for classification and traceability of geological materials but also has great potential in lithological mapping in petrological-overburdened areas.

The influence of rock weathering caused by freezing–thawing on stone cultural relics cannot be ignored. For immovable stone cultural relics, different parts under different environmental conditions will be under different freeze–thaw actions and suffer different degrees of damage. In this paper, three typical freeze–thaw cycle tests of sandstone are designed, namely immersion test, capillary action test, and periodic saturation test. The macroscopic and microscopic morphologies of rock samples under different freeze–thaw cycles were analyzed. Weathering indicators such as porosity, water content, wave velocity, and surface hardness were tested, as well as uniaxial compressive strength. The variation law of weathering index and uniaxial compressive strength under different freezing–thawing cycles was obtained, and the quantitative relationship between each index parameter was further analyzed. The results show that under different freezing–thawing conditions, the apparent morphology of rock samples is different, and the trend of weathering indexes is similar, but the rate of change is different. The water content of rock has a great influence on the test results of wave velocity but has little influence on the surface hardness. The function relationship between weathering index and compressive strength under different freezing–thawing modes is similar, but the fitting parameters are different. Finally, the strength and wave velocity damage factors were used to quantitatively evaluate the degree of rock weathering. The results show that the immersion freeze–thaw damage is the highest, the periodic saturated freeze–thaw damage is the second highest, and the capillary freeze–thaw damage is the least highest. This is consistent with the field observation results. The conclusion of this paper can provide reference for the detection of stone cultural relics and provides a scientific basis for the anti-weathering protection of stone cultural relics.

The gypsum-anhydrite rocks in the abandoned quarry at Dingwall (Nova Scotia, Canada) are subjected to physical and chemical weathering, including hydration of the anhydrite, i.e., its transformation into secondary gypsum under the influence of water. This process is known to lead to the localized volume increase of the rock and the formation of spectacular hydration landforms: domes, tepees and ridges. Cavities appearing in the interior of these domes are often unique hydration caves (Quellungshöhlen in German). For the first time, this paper gives detailed geomorphometric characteristics of the 77 dome- and tepee-like hydration landforms growing today at Dingwall based on their digital surface models and orthophotomaps, made with the method of photogrammetry integrated with direct measurements. The length of hydration landforms varies from 1.86 to 23.05 m and the relative height varies from 0.33 to 2.09 m. Their approximate shape in a plan view varies from nearly circular, through oval, to elongated with a length-to-width ratio rarely exceeding 5:2. Length, width and relative height are characterized by moderate mutual correlation with proportional relations expressed by linear equations, testifying that the hydration landforms generally preserve the same or very similar shape independent of their sizes. The averaged thickness of the detached rock layer ranges from 6 to 46 cm. The size of the forms seems to depend on this thickness—the forms larger in extent (longer) generally have a thicker detached rock layer. Master (and other) joints and, to a lesser extent, layering in the bedrock influence the development of hydration landforms, particularly by controlling the place where the entrances are open to internal cavities or caves. Three structural types of the bedrock influencing the growth of hydration forms were recognized: with master joints, with layering and with both of them. The latter type of bedrock has the most complex impact on the morphology of hydration landforms because it depends on the number of master joint sets and the mutual orientation of joints and layering, which are changeable across the quarry. The durability of the hydration forms over time depends, among others, on the density of fractures in the detached rock layer.

This work presents a methodology for the assessment of ancient plasterworks based on traditional inspection techniques, such as organoleptic tests and chemical characterization, and also on digital tools, such as photogrammetric surveys, thermography images, and measurement of ambient conditions with thermohygrometers. This method allows not only defining the alterations detected and establishing the state of conservation but also digitalizing the plasterworks to preserve the heritage and replicate the model if necessary (i.e., replacement of a detachment piece), drawing a hypothesis of the original hidden design of the plasterwork, and conducting a chronological study about the polychromies used over time. In some cases, the assessment has shown that the liming and repolychrome interventions to which plasterworks have been subjected and the powdery state of some areas do not ensure the possibility of the complete polychromy restoration, only its preservation by taking conservation and maintenance measures.

Climate change and rising energy costs have led to increasing interest in the use of tree harvest residues as feedstock for bioenergy in recent years. With an increasing use of wood biomass and harvest residues, essential nutrient elements are removed from the forest ecosystems. Hence, nutrient sustainable management is mandatory for planning of intensive forest use. We used soil nutrient balances to identify regions in Germany where the output of base cations by leaching and biomass utilization was not balanced by the input via weathering and atmospheric deposition. The effects of conventional stem harvesting, stem harvesting without bark, and whole-tree harvesting on Ca, Mg and K balances were studied. The nutrient balances were calculated using regular forest monitoring data supplemented by additional data from scientific projects. Effective mitigation management strategies and options are discussed and calculations for the compensation of the potential depletion of nutrients in the soil are presented.

Introduction: The term marble derives from ancient Greek and has the meaning of “shining stone” [...]

Temporal changes in soil development were assessed on fluvial terraces of the Little River in the upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina. We examined five profiles from each of six surfaces spanning about 100,000 years. Soil-age relationships were evaluated with inter-surface clay mineral comparisons and regression of chemical properties versus previously reported optically-stimulated luminescence ages using the most developed subsoil horizon per profile. Bases to alumina (Bases/Al2O3) ratios have negative correlations with age, whereas dithionite-Fe (FeD) concentrations are positively correlated with time and differentiate floodplain (2O3 ratios, reflecting rapid weatherable mineral depletion and alumina enrichment during argillic horizon development in the first 13–21 kyr of pedogenesis. Increasing FeD represents transformation and illuviation of free Fe inherited from parent sediments. Within ~80–110 kyr, a mixed clay mineral assemblage becomes dominated by kaolinite and gibbsite. Argillic horizons form by illuviation, secondary mineral transformations, and potentially, a bioturbation-translocation mechanism, in which clays distributed within generally sandy deposits are transported to surface horizons by ants and termites and later illuviated to subsoils. T5b profiles have FeD concentrations similar to, and gibbsite abundances greater than, those of pedons on 0.6–1.6 Ma terraces along Coastal Plain rivers that also drain the Appalachian Piedmont. This is likely because the greater permeability and lower weatherable mineral contents of sandy, Coastal Plain-sourced Little River alluvium favor more rapid weathering, gibbsite formation, and Fe translocation than the finer-grained, mineralogically mixed sediments of Piedmont-draining rivers. Therefore, recognizing provenance-related textural and mineralogical distinctions is crucial for evaluating regional chronosequences.

Several large pits were left after alum shale was mined from 1942 to 1966 in the Kvarntorp area of Sweden. Of these, the pit lakes Pölen and Norrtorpssjön are the focus of this study. They have elevated levels of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Mn, Fe, and sulphate, as well as trace elements, from weathering of the exposed shale. Both lakes had a stable pH below 4 until 1996 when the pH in Norrtorpssjön started to increase, exceeding 8 in 2010, due to inflow of leachates from alkaline waste dumped in an adjacent waste deposit, similar to a large scale anoxic limestone drain (ALD). Iron and Al concentrations decreased as the pH increased, indicating formation of particulate species which accumulate as sediments. The Co, Ni, and Zn concentrations also decreased, probably due to association with the solid phases, while Cu was less affected by the increase in pH, possibly due to formation of complexes with dissolved organic matter. Vanadium concentrations show limited solubility, while Mo concentrations increased at higher pH. Uranium concentrations decreased from above 80 μg/L to below 10 μg/L before rising to 30–35 μg/L due to the formation of soluble carbonate complexes at higher pH levels. The elevated levels of Li, Sr, and U indicate that weathering has continued despite the pH change. Both pit lakes are stratified, but no seasonal overturn has been observed. Long-term behaviour of this large-scale ALD and its implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The directions of strong winds are important for the distribution of marine salt spray, rock weathering, lake chemistry and the distribution of vegetation in Bunger Hills, a coastal ice-free oasis in East Antarctica. Present-day strong winds (> 10 m s−1) dominantly blow from 118 ± 21 degrees true (°T; ± 1 SD). Orientated tafoni (weathering pits) might form in bedrock surfaces by salt and ice crystallization, thermal stress and saltating sand particles, recording the orientation of a strongly directional wind field since the last deglaciation, which commenced > 30 000 years ago. The orientations of these tafoni, at 101 ± 18°T for 686 measurements at 28 sites, are indistinguishable from the direction of modern-day strong winds (> 10 m s−1), indicating that the orientation of the slope of the ice sheet has been stable throughout the last 10 000 years during the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater in crystalline basement is highly mineralized. The chemistry of bedrocks in crystalline basement of Ogbomosho in relation to chemical composition of groundwater in the area was, therefore, investigated employing a combined approach involving hydrogeological, geological mapping and geochemical method. A total of seventy five (75) water samples collected from wells; shallow and deep, bore within rock exposures (6) and other locations within the study area were analyzed for elemental composition using Inductive Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Physico-chemical parameters, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and acidity (pH), were measured in situ using HANNA HI9813-6 hand-held meter. Six rock samples representative of the main geological units of the study area were also collected and analyzed for major oxides and rare earth elements (REE) concentrations using ICP-MS. Thin sections of the rock samples were prepared and observed under petrological microscope for mineralogical compositions of the rocks. Acidity ions/TDS model of groundwater in the area was also established to determine the reactivity of the rock minerals and groundwater evolution pattern. The results of in-situ physico-chemical tests of the water samples indicate the temperature, EC, TDS and pH ranged within 26.6–31.7 °C, 72–1491 mS/cm, 36–747 ppm and 6.15–9.3, respectively. The petrographical analysis revealed biotite, quartz, potassic feldspar (microcline), perthite, albite, hornblende, plagioclase, myrmekite, topaz and muscovite. The major oxides, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5 and MnO, varied with median values of 72.21%, 14.99%, 1.17%, 0.375%, 2.245%, 4.215%, 3.46%, 0.16%, 0.045% and 0.015%. These indicate dorminance of SiO2 and Al2O3 suggesting acidic and metamorphic/acidic igneous rocks, respectively. The median percentage oxide compositions of the cations in rocks were, therefore, of the order: Na2O > K2O > CaO > MgO. The dissolved cations consequent upon weathering of the minerals were also of the order Na+ (26.9 mg/l) > K+ (4.69 mg/l) > Mg2+ (4.57 mg/l) > Ca2+ (4.23 mg/l) in groundwater based on their median values. These indicate solute concentration in groundwater is proportional to the reactivity of the bedrock minerals. The major anions, HCO3−, Cl− and NO3−, varied within 5.0–455 mg/l, 14.18–184.34 mg/l and 0.02–0.21 mg/l, respectively, in groundwater. The cross-plots of TDS against Ca2+, Na+, Cl− and HCO3− indicate the groundwater in the area is moderately to highly mineralized. The ionic reactivity based on pH ions/TDS plots indicated six-type models. The ionic concentration at low pH within 6.4–7.2 increases with pH for Type-1 (Ca2+), Type-5 (NO3−) and Type-6 (HCO3−,TDS), decreases for Type-2 (Mg2+, K+) but constant as pH increases for Type-4 (Cl−). At high pH, greater than 7.2 but less than 9, ionic concentration increases with pH for Type-1, Type-2 and Type-4, decreases with pH for Type-6 and constant for Type-5. However, the ionic concentration of Na+ (Type-3) momentarily increased, decreased and subsequently increased through low to high pH. These indicate varied degree of reactivity of the bedrock minerals and groundwater evolution pattern. Thus, the composition of dissolved ions in groundwater is controlled by weathering of Ca-feldspar (plagioclase), K-feldspar (orthoclase), Na-feldspar (albite) and biotite found in host rocks. The similarity in trend of cations in groundwater and their oxides in rock samples suggests the influences of local rock chemistry on the groundwater chemistry and hence, groundwater–rock interaction in the study area. The groundwater evolution pattern in the area depends on pH and reactivity of the ions produced from the weathering of the minerals. The chemical compositions of natural waters are, therefore, a direct indication of the geology of their catchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to present the influence of bio-based and anthraquinone dyes and their combinations on the optical properties of ethylene-propylene (EPM) composites after thermo-oxidative and climatic aging. Therefore, the chosen polymer was filled with a natural, plant-origin flavonoid—quercetin, and with two commercial anthraquinone dyes (C.I. Solvent Yellow 163 and C.I. Solvent Red 207). The manufactured polymer composites were subjected to accelerated aging tests: weathering and thermo-oxidation, respectively. Examination of the materials’ properties indicated that the combination of synthetic and natural dyes can result in better resistance to oxidizing agents and higher thermal stability of ethylene-propylene products. Moreover, color change of quercetin-containing samples due to exposure to simulated atmospheric conditions could be a promising solution for use as aging indicators in intelligent packaging materials that will inform about the ongoing degradation process. Another interesting finding is that these samples exhibited good fungistatic activity against Candida albicans yeast and Aspergillus niger mold. Overall, this novel solution based on hybrid polymer composites containing natural and commercial dyes is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional materials used in the plastic packaging industry with better and more desirable properties.

The contemporary sea walls built in the pedestrian seashore zone in the City of Acre, Israel, were sided with porous calcarenite sandstone, so-called ‘kurkar’. Kurkar stone has been broadly used as a durable building material in Acre and Jaffa, the Eastern Mediterranean offshore cities, since ancient times. Therefore, the contemporary urban architectural plans obligate kurkar siding in the modern structures erected beside the Old City of Acre. However, a rapid deterioration of kurkar siding had occurred in the contemporary sea walls during only a few years. In contrast, the Historic walls built of kurkar dimensional stone have been still sound. The current study has evaluated the factors and causes of kurkar deterioration in the modern seawalls. It was revealed that the main reason for deterioration was adhering the kurkar siding with cement mortar and the next exposure of adhered siding to the humid and salt-enriched offshore environment with high air pollution.

Over the past 25 years, cannabis plants have gained major popularity in the research community. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and stabilization efficiency of cannabidiol (CBD) extract in two different polymers: polylactide (PLA) and ethylene–norbornene copolymer (Topas) that are used in packaging materials more often. The research technology included weathering in a special chamber, surface free energy and color change measurements, surface morphology and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, thermogravimetry, and determination of the oxidation induction time or temperature (OIT) values, based on which the effectiveness of the cannabidiol extract could be estimated. Obtained results showed that the addition of CBD to polymer mixtures significantly increased their resistance to oxidation, and it can be used as a natural stabilizer for polymeric products. Moreover, samples with cannabidiol changed their coloration as a result of weathering. Therefore, this natural additive can also be considered as a colorimetric indicator of aging that informs about the changes in polymeric materials during their lifetime. On the other hand, surface properties of samples with cannabidiol content did not alter much compared to pure Topas and PLA.

Photolytic and hydrolytic degradation of poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (PET) polymers with different stabilizers were performed under multiple accelerated weathering exposures and changes in the polymers were monitored by various evaluation techniques. Yellowing was caused by photolytic degradation and haze formation was induced by combined effects of photolytic and hydrolytic degradation. The formation of light absorbing chromophores and bleaching of the UV stabilizer additive were recorded through optical spectroscopy. Chain scission and crystallization were found to be common mechanisms under both photolytic and hydrolytic conditions, based on the infrared absorption of the carbonyl (C = O) band and the trans ethylene glycol unit, respectively. The degradation mechanisms determined from these evaluations were then used to construct a set of degradation pathway network models using the network structural equation modeling (netSEM) approach. This method captured the temporal evolution of degradation by assessing statistically significant relationships between applied stressors, mechanistic variables, and performance level responses. Quantitative pathway equations provided the contributions from mechanistic variables to the response changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential limiting nutrient in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding the natural and anthropogenic influence on P concentration in soils is critical for predicting how its distribution in soils may shift as climate changes. While it is known that P is sourced from bedrock weathering, relationships between weathering, P, and other soil-forming factors have not been quantified at continental scales, limiting our ability to predict large-scale changes in P concentrations. Additionally, while we know that Fe oxide-associated P is an important P phase in terrestrial environments, the range in and controls on soil Fe concentrations and species (e.g., Fe in oxides, labile Fe) are poorly constrained. Here, we explore the relationships between soil P and Fe concentrations, soil order, climate, and vegetation in over 5000 soils, and Fe speciation in ca. 400 soils. Weathering intensity has a nuanced control on P concentrations in soils, with P concentrations peaking at intermediate weathering intensities (Chemical Index of Alteration, CIA~60). The presence of vegetation (but not plant functional types) affected soils’ ability to accumulate P. Contrary to expectations, P was not more strongly associated with Fe in oxides than other Fe phases. These results are useful both for predicting changes in potential P fluxes from soils to rivers under climate change and for reconstructing changes in terrestrial nutrient limitations in Earth’s past. In particular, soils’ tendency to accumulate more P with the presence of vegetation suggests that biogeochemical models invoking the evolution and spread of land plants as a driver for increased P fluxes in the geological record may need to be revisited.