Biochemistry of water-logged soils. Part IV. Carbon and nitrogen transformations

1. During the fermentation of water-logged soil containing added substances with different carbon-nitrogen ratios, the reaction first turns slightly acid, but soon returns to the original hydrogen-ion concentration (pH 7·6). 2. The quantities of ammonia present in the medium increase up to a point, after which there is steady decrease. 3. There is nitrification only in the case of substances with narrow C/N ratios. The production of nitrate generally commences only after about a month, when the vigour of the initial fermentation has subsided and fairly large quantities of ammonia have accumulated in the medium. 4. The extent of mineralisation of nitrogen is determined chiefly by the C/N ratio, though in the cases of substances like mahua and lantana the presence of other constituents may also influence the processes. The quantities of mineralised nitrogen present in the soil system generally tend to decrease after about two months.

A Study of Nanostructures of Thin Films in B–C–N System Produced by Pulsed Laser Deposition and Nitrogen Ion-Beam-Assisted Pulsed Laser Deposition

We report the synthesis of thin films of B–C–N and C–N deposited by N+ ion-beam-assisted pulsed laser deposition (IBPLD) technique on glass substrates at different temperatures. We compare these films with the thin films of boron carbide synthesized by pulsed laser deposition without the assistance of ion-beam. Electron diffraction experiments in the transmission electron microscope shows that the vapor quenched regions of all films deposited at room temperature are amorphous. In addition, shown for the first time is the evidence of laser melting and subsequent rapid solidification of B4C melt in the form of micrometer- and submicrometer-size round particulates on the respective films. It is possible to amorphize B4C melt droplets of submicrometer sizes. Solidification morphologies of micrometer-size droplets show dispersion of nanocrystallites of B4C in amorphous matrix within the droplets. We were unable to synthesize cubic carbon nitride using the current technique. However, the formation of nanocrystalline turbostratic carbo- and boron carbo-nitrides were possible by IBPLD on substrate at elevated temperature and not at room temperature. Turbostraticity relaxes the lattice spacings locally in the nanometric hexagonal graphite in C–N film deposited at 600 °C leading to large broadening of diffraction rings.

Visualizing lone pairs in compounds containing heavier congeners of the carbon and nitrogen group elements

In this mini-review, I discuss some recent work on the stereochemistry and bonding of lone pairs of electrons in divalent compounds of the heavier carbon group elements (SnII, PbII) and in trivalent compounds of the heavier nitrogen group elements (BiIII). Recently developed methods that permit the real-space visualization of bonding patterns on the basis of density functional calculations of electronic structure, reveal details of the nature of s electron lone pairs in compounds of the heavier main group elements – their stereochemistry and their inertness (or lack thereof). An examination of tetragonal P4/nmm SnO, a-PbO and BiOF, and cubic Fm3m PbS provides a segue into perovskite phases of technological significance, including ferroelectric PbTiO3 and antiferroelectric/piezoelectric PbZrO3, in both of which the lone pairs on Pb atoms play a pivotal rôle.

Nitrogen and carbon flows through Belandur lake - Role of Bellandur lake as a natural wetland treating Bangalore wastewater

Much of the Bangalore sewage is treated in three streams namely Bellandur (K&C Valley),Vrishabhavati and Hebbal-Nagavara stream systems. Among these it is estimated that out of a total of about 500MLD of partially treated sewage is let into the Bellandur tank. We estimate that a total of about 77t N non-industrial anthropogenic nitrogen efflux (mainly urine and excreta) in Bangalore city. This is distributed between that handled by the three sewage streams, soak-pits and land deposition. About 17-24.5t N enters the Bellandur tank daily. This has been happening over few decades and our observations suggest that this approximately 380ha tank is functioning as a C and N removal system with reasonable efficiency. The ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen content of the water at the discharge points were estimated and found that over 80% of the nitrogen influx and over 75% of the C influx is removed by this tank system. We observed that there are three nitrogen sinks namely bacterial, micro-algal and macrophytes. The micro-algal fraction is dominated by Microcystis and Euglenophyceae members and they appear to constitute a significant fraction. Water hyacinth represents the single largest representative of the macrophytes. This tank has been functioning in this manner for over three decades. We attempt to study this phenomenon from a material balance approach and show that it is functioning with a reasonable degree of satisfaction as a natural wetland. As the population served and concomitant influx into this wetland increases, there is a potential for the system to be overloaded and to collapse. Therefore a better understanding of its function and the need for maintenance is discussed in the paper.