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S R Yates

Publications and source records attributed to S R Yates.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Simulating herbicide volatilization from bare soil affected by atmospheric conditions and limited solubility in water.

A numerical model that simulates pesticide fate was developed to predictthe behavior of triallate after application to a field soil. The model has options that allow water and/ or heat transport and can limit simulated aqueous-phase concentrations to triallate solubility in water. Several methods for describing the volatilization boundary condition were tested to assess the accuracy in predicting the volatilization rate, including an approach that requires no atmospheric information and an approach that couples soil and atmospheric processes. Four scenarios were constructed and simulated, to compare with measured volatilization rates. The peak measured volatilization rate (168 g ha(-1) h(-1)) was most accurately predicted with the scenario that included the most complex model (100 g ha(-1) h(-1)). The simplest model overpredicted the peak rate (251 g ha(-1) h(-1)), and the others underpredicted the peak rate (16-67 g ha(-1) h(-1)). The simulations that limited aqueous solubility provided relatively similar values for the total emissions (21-37% of applied triallate), indicating that simplified models may compare well with measurements (31% of applied). A prospective simulation over a period of 100 days showed that applying triallate to the soil surface would ultimately lead to atmospheric emissions of 80% of the applied material with 6% remaining in soil. Incorporating triallate to a depth of 10 cm would reduce emissions to less than 5% and lead to 41% remaining in soil.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2006

Sulfadimethoxine degradation kinetics in manure as affected by initial concentration, moisture, and temperature.

Sulfadimethoxine is a widely used sulfonamide veterinary antibiotic and could be a source of agricultural contamination. Therefore, information is needed about its degradation kinetics in manure under aerobic conditions. Based on the analysis of first-order kinetics and the assumption that sulfadimethoxine availability for degradation in manure could be limiting, a new kinetic model was developed and was found to fit the degradation kinetics well. The degradation rate in sterile manure was found to be much lower than in nonsterile manure, indicating that biodegradation was significant. In biologically active manure, the degradation rate constant decreased with increasing initial concentration of sulfadimethoxine, implying that the activity of the degrading microorganisms was inhibited. Increasing moisture or temperature was found to increase sulfadimethoxine degradation in manure. Mixing manure containing high levels of sulfadimethoxine with manure containing lower levels may result in more rapid degradation, thus greatly diminishing sulfadimethoxine contamination in manure and significantly reducing sulfadimethoxine inputs into the environment. During treatment, keeping the manure moist and storing in a moderately warm place under aerobic conditions may also help to diminish sulfadimethoxine contamination.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed2006

Dehalogenation of halogenated fumigants by polysulfide salts.

Halogenated fumigants are among the most heavily used pesticides in agriculture. Because of their high mobility and toxicological characteristics, the contamination of air or groundwater by these compounds has been a great environmental concern. In this study, we investigated dehalogenation of several halogenated fumigants by polysulfides. The reaction of polysulfides and methyl iodide (MeI), 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), and chloropicrin (CP) was very rapid. When the initial fumigant and polysulfide concentrations were both 0.2 mM, the observed 50% disappearance time values (DT50) of MeI, cis-1,3-D, and trans-1,3-D were 27.2, 29.6, and 102 h, respectively. When the initial polysulfide concentration was 1.0 mM, the corresponding DT50 values were only 2.2, 1.6, and 3.8 h. Under similar conditions, the reaction with CP was even more rapid than with the other fumigants. In 0.2 mM polysulfide solution, more than 90% of the spiked CP disappeared in 1 h after the initiation of the reaction. The reaction between fumigants and polysulfides also progressed at enhanced rates when the polysulfide solution was initially purged with nitrogen. Analysis of reaction kinetics and initial products suggests that the reaction is SN2 nucleophilic substitution for MeI and 1,3-D but likely reductive dehalogenation for CP. Given the high reactivity of polysulfide salts toward halogenated fumigants, this reaction may be used as a pollution mitigation strategy, such as for disposal of fumigant wastes, treatment of fumigant-containing wastewater, and cleanup of fumigant residues in environmental media.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed2006

Measuring herbicide volatilization from bare soil.

A field experiment was conducted to measure surface dissipation and volatilization of the herbicide triallate after application to bare soil using micrometeorological, chamber, and soil-loss methods. The volatilization rate was measured continuously for 6.5 days and the range in the daily peak values for the integrated horizontal flux method was from 32.4 (day 5) to 235.2 g ha(-1) d(-1) (day 1), for the theoretical profile shape method was from 31.5 to 213.0 g ha(-1) d(-1), and for the flux chamber was from 15.7 to 47.8 g ha(-1) d(-1). Soil samples were taken within 30 min after application and the measured mass of triallate was 8.75 kg ha(-1). The measured triallate mass in the soil at the end of the experiment was approximately 6 kg ha(-1). The triallate dissipation rate, obtained by soil sampling, was approximately 334 g ha(-1) d(-1) (98 g d(-1)) and the average rate of volatilization was 361 g ha(-1) d(-1). Soil sampling at the end of the experiment showed that approximately 31% (0.803 kg/2.56 kg) of the triallate mass was lost from the soil. Significant volatilization of triallate is possible when applied directly to the soil surface without incorporation.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2002

Environmental fate of metalaxyl and chlorothalonil applied to a bentgrass putting green under southern California climatic conditions.

Putting greens usually receive high inputs of fertilizers and pesticides to meet the high demand for visual quality and to overcome the stress from close mowing and traffic. In this study, two commonly used fungicides, metalaxyl (methyl N-(methoxyacetyl)-N-(2,6-xylyl)-DL-alaninate) and chlorothalonil (2,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1,3-benzenedicarbonitrile), were evaluated for their partitioning and persistence in a bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds) putting green under southern California climatic conditions. The putting green site was constructed according to the US Golf Association (USGA) specifications. Lysimeter assemblies installed at the center of each plot were used to monitor the leachate, flux chambers were used to measure volatilization, clippings were collected to determine the residues on grass, and soil cores were sampled to determine residues in the soil profile. Results showed that cumulative volatilization loss accounted for 0.10 and 0.02%, clipping removal 0.11 and 0.13%, and cumulative leaching 0.71 and 0.002% of the applied metalaxyl and chlorothalonil, respectively. The two fungicides were mainly found in the top 10 cm of the soil profile due to the high organic carbon content in the thatch and mat layers. The dissipation half-life was 1.4 days for metalaxyl and 4.9 days for chlorothalonil on grass, shorter than those found in agricultural fields. This study showed that, under normal turf management practices, the offsite transport of the parent fungicides was minimal. Future research should focus on investigating the fate and mobility of the metabolites of the fungicides.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2001

An approach for estimating the permeability of agricultural films.

Plastic tarps currently used during soil fumigation to control emissions have been shown to be permeable to fumigant vapors, resulting in appreciable losses to the atmosphere. New low-permeability films are being developed to reduce fumigant emissions and increase efficacy. A rapid, reliable, and sensitive method is required to measure the permeability of various films that may be used in new management practices. This manuscript presents an approach for estimating the mass transfer coefficient (h) of fumigant compounds across agricultural films. The h is a measure of the resistance to diffusion which, unlike other measures of permeability, is a property of the film-chemical combination and independent of the concentration gradient across the film. This method uses static sealed cells; fumigant vapor is spiked to one side of the film and the concentrations on both sides of the film are monitored until equilibrium. An analytical model is fitted to the data to obtain h. This model relies on a mass balance approach and includes sorption to and diffusion across the film membrane. The method was tested using two polyethylene films and a very low-permeability film and showed that the method produces a sensitive and reproducible measure of film permeability.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2001

Evaluation of propargyl bromide for control of barnyardgrass and Fusarium oxysporum in three soils.

With the scheduled phasing out of methyl bromide, there is an urgent need for alternatives. We evaluated the efficacy of propargyl bromide as a potential replacement for methyl bromide for the control of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) and Fusarium oxysporum in an Arlington sandy loam, a Carsitas loamy sand and a Florida muck soil. Soil was mixed with barnyardgrass seeds or F oxysporum colonized on millet seeds, and treated with propargyl bromide at a range of concentrations. The mortality of the fungi and weed seeds was determined after 24 h of exposure at 30 degrees C. The concentrations required to inhibit 50% barnyard seed germination (LC50) were 2.8, 2.4 and 48.5 micrograms g-1 in the sandy loam, loamy sand and muck soil, respectively. In contrast, the LC50 values for F oxysporum were 11.2, 10.8 and 182.1 micrograms g-1 in the sandy loam, loamy sand and muck soil, respectively. The low efficacy of propargyl bromide in the muck soil was a result of the rapid degradation and high adsorption of the compound in the soil. The degradation half-life (t1/2) was only 7 h in the muck soil at an initial concentration of 6.8 micrograms g-1, compared to 60 and 67 h in the sandy loam and loamy sand, respectively. The adsorption coefficients (Kd) were 0.96, 0.87 and 5.6 cm3 g-1 in the sandy loam, loamy sand and muck soil, respectively. These results suggest that registration agencies should consider site-specific properties in recommending application rates for propargyl bromide.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2001

Effect of temperature, organic amendment rate and moisture content on the degradation of 1,3-dichloropropene in soil.

1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D), which consists of two isomers, (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D, is considered to be a viable alternative to methyl bromide, but atmospheric emission of 1,3-D is often associated with deterioration of air quality. To minimize environmental impacts of 1,3-D, emission control strategies are in need of investigation. One approach to reduce 1,3-D emissions is to accelerate its degradation by incorporating organic amendments into the soil surface. In this study, we investigated the ability of four organic amendments to enhance the rate of degradation of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D in a sandy loam soil. Degradation of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D was well described by first-order kinetics, and rates of degradation for the two isomers were similar. Composted steer manure (SM) was the most reactive of the organic amendments tested. The half-life of both the (Z)- and (E)-isomers in unamended soil at 20 degrees C was 6.3 days; those in 5% SM-amended soil were 1.8 and 1.9 days, respectively. At 40 degrees C, the half-life of both isomers in 5% SM-amended soil was 0.5 day. Activation energy values for amended soil at 2, 5 and 10% SM were 56.5, 53.4 and 64.5 kJ mol-1, respectively. At 20 degrees C, the contribution of degradation from biological mechanisms was largest in soil amended with SM, but chemical mechanisms still accounted for more than 58% of the (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D degradation. The effect of temperature and amendment rate upon degradation should be considered when describing the fate and transport of 1,3-D isomers in soil. Use of organic soil amendments appears to be a promising method to enhance fumigant degradation and reduce volatile emissions.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Microcosm enrichment of 1,3-dichloropropene-degrading soil microbial communities in a compost-amended soil.

AIMS: A microcosm-enrichment approach was used to investigate bacterial populations that may represent 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D)-degrading micro-organisms in compost-amended soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: After 8 weeks of incubation, with repeated application of 1,3-D, volatilization fluxes were much lower for compost-amended soil (CM) than with the unamended soils, indicating accelerated degradation due to addition of compost, or development of new microbial populations with enhanced degradation capacity. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles of the PCR-amplified region of 16S rDNA genes were used to identify dominant bacterial populations in the fumigant-degrading soil. The DGGE results indicated that specific bacterial types had been enriched, and a more diverse fingerprint was observed in the community derived from the compost-amended soil compared with the unamended soil. Fragments from 16 different DGGE bands were cloned, sequenced and compared with published 16S rDNA sequences. Two clones, designated E1 and E4, were unique to all soils to which compost was added, and corresponded to strains of Pseudomonas and Actinomadura, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the addition of compost to soil increases specific microbial populations and results in the accelerated degradation of fumigants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Application of compost manure to soil can help degrade soil fumigants at a faster rate.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed2001

Theory and laboratory study of a tall passive chamber for measuring gas fluxes at soil surface.

A tall passive flux chamber with a height significantly greater than its horizontal dimensions is proposed for measuring fluxes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the soil surface. The main feature of this tall chamber is the presence of a vertical concentration gradient of the target gas in the chamber. The emission and transport behavior of the target gas in the soil-chamber system are analyzed using the diffusion theory. A mathematical model is developed to estimate the flux from the soil into the tall chamber, providing the target gas establishes a detectable vertical concentration gradient in the chamber. To obtain the data required for calculating flux, only two gas concentrations (C1 and C2) at two heights (h1 and h2) within the chamber need to be measured at the end of a short chamber placement time (tp). To evaluate the applicability of the tall chamber for measuring flux, several laboratory tests have been conducted, using CH2Cl2 and CH3Br as the target gases. The results indicate that the proposed tall chamber has promising potential as a method for measuring fluxes of VOCs at the soil surface.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Impact of fumigants on soil microbial communities.

Agricultural soils are typically fumigated to provide effective control of nematodes, soilborne pathogens, and weeds in preparation for planting of high-value cash crops. The ability of soil microbial communities to recover after treatment with fumigants was examined using culture-dependent (Biolog) and culture-independent (phospholipid fatty acid [PLFA] analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis [DGGE] of 16S ribosomal DNA [rDNA] fragments amplified directly from soil DNA) approaches. Changes in soil microbial community structure were examined in a microcosm experiment following the application of methyl bromide (MeBr), methyl isothiocyanate, 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), and chloropicrin. Variations among Biolog fingerprints showed that the effect of MeBr on heterotrophic microbial activities was most severe in the first week and that thereafter the effects of MeBr and the other fumigants were expressed at much lower levels. The results of PLFA analysis demonstrated a community shift in all treatments to a community dominated by gram-positive bacterial biomass. Different 16S rDNA profiles from fumigated soils were quantified by analyzing the DGGE band patterns. The Shannon-Weaver index of diversity, H, was calculated for each fumigated soil sample. High diversity indices were maintained between the control soil and the fumigant-treated soils, except for MeBr (H decreased from 1.14 to 0.13). After 12 weeks of incubation, H increased to 0.73 in the MeBr-treated samples. Sequence analysis of clones generated from unique bands showed the presence of taxonomically unique clones that had emerged from the MeBr-treated samples and were dominated by clones closely related to Bacillus spp. and Heliothrix oregonensis. Variations in the data were much higher in the Biolog assay than in the PLFA and DGGE assays, suggesting a high sensitivity of PLFA analysis and DGGE in monitoring the effects of fumigants on soil community composition and structure. Our results indicate that MeBr has the greatest impact on soil microbial communities and that 1,3-D has the least impact.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed2001

Isomeric effects on thiosulfate transformation and detoxification of 1,3-dichloropropene.

The fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) is one of the most heavily used pesticides but also a suspected carcinogen. Previous research has shown that 1,3-D was rapidly transformed and detoxified by ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), a sulfur and nitrogen fertilizer. As common formulations contain cis and trans isomers at roughly equivalent ratios, this study was conducted to understand isomeric differences in thiosulfate transformation and detoxification of 1,3-D. Under the same conditions, reaction of cis-1,3-D with thiosulfate was more than three times faster than trans-1,3-D, which was correlated with a lower reaction activation energy for the cis isomer. The trans isomer was considerably more toxic to the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fisheri than the cis isomer, but the toxicity was reduced by 14 times after thiosulfate transformation. Mutagenic activity to strains of Salmonella typhimurium was observed for trans-1,3-D but was not detected after thiosulfate transformation. These results suggest that thiosulfate transformation detoxifies 1,3-D primarily by deactivating the trans isomer, and the reaction is toxicologically beneficial, as it negates the potential harmful effects of 1,3-D to the environment and human health.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed2000

Sorption and catalytic hydrolysis of diethatyl-ethyl on homoionic clays.

Sorption and catalytic hydrolysis of the herbicide diethatyl-ethyl [N-chloroacetyl-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)glycine ethyl ester] on homoionic Na(+)-, K(+)-, Ca(2+)-, and Mg(2+)-montmorillonite clays were studied in aqueous media. The Freundlich sorption coefficient, K(f), measured from isotherms on clay followed the order of Na(+) approximately K(+) > Mg(2+) approximately Ca (2+). Analysis of FT-IR spectra of diethatyl-ethyl sorbed on clay suggests probable bonding at the carboxyl and amide carbonyl groups of the herbicide. The rate of herbicide hydrolysis in homoionic clay suspensions followed the same order as that for sorption, indicating that sorption may have preceded and thus caused hydrolysis. Preliminary product identification showed that hydrolysis occurred via nucleophilic substitution at the carboxyl carbon, causing cleavage of the ester bond and formation of diethatyl and its dechlorinated derivative, and at the amide carbon, yielding an ethyl ester derivative and its acid. These pathways also suggest that hydrolysis of diethatyl-ethyl was catalyzed by sorption on the clay surface.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2000

Structural influences in relative sorptivity of chloroacetanilide herbicides on soil.

Adsorption of the chloroacetanilide herbicides acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor, and propachlor was determined on soils and soil components, and their structural differences were used to explain their sorptivity orders. On all soils and soil humic acids, adsorption decreased in the order: metolachlor > acetochlor > propachlor > alachlor. On Ca(2+)-saturated montmorillonite, the order changed to metolachlor > acetochlor > alachlor > propachlor. FT-IR differential spectra of herbicide-clay or herbicide-humic acid-clay showed possible formation of hydrogen bonds and charge-transfer bonds between herbicides and adsorbents. The different substitutions and their spatial arrangement in the herbicide molecule were found to affect the relative sorptivity of these herbicides by influencing the reactivity of functional groups participating in these bond interactions. It was further suggested that structural characteristics of pesticides from the same class could be used to improve prediction of pesticide adsorption on soil.

Acetamides↗
PubMed1992

The school nurse's role: early intervention with preschool children.

With the advent of PL99-457, preschoolers are increasingly appearing in the educational system. The school nurse must have an understanding of the basis for early entrance of these children and methods by which they obtain entry. This article focuses on the diagnosis of developmental delay in preschool children and identifies some of the specific roles and functions involving the school nurse.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1986

Use of geostatistics to predict virus decay rates for determination of septic tank setback distances.

Water samples were collected from 71 public drinking-water supply wells in the Tucson, Ariz., basin. Virus decay rates in the water samples were determined with MS-2 coliphage as a model virus. The correlations between the virus decay rates and the sample locations were shown by fitting a spherical model to the experimental semivariogram. Kriging, a geostatistical technique, was used to calculate virus decay rates at unsampled locations by using the known values at nearby wells. Based on the regional characteristics of groundwater flow and the kriged estimates of virus decay rates, a contour map of the area was constructed. The map shows the variation in separation distances that would have to be maintained between wells and sources of contamination to afford similar degrees of protection from viral contamination of the drinking water in wells throughout the basin.

Coliphages↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Degradation of soil fumigants as affected by initial concentration and temperature.

Soil fumigation using shank injection creates high fumigant concentration gradients in soil from the injection point to the soil surface. A temperature gradient also exists along the soil profile. We studied the degradation of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) in an Arlington sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic Haplic Durixeralf) at four temperatures and four initial concentrations. We then tested the applicability of first-order, half-order, and second-order kinetics, and the Michaelis-Menten model for describing fumigant degradation as affected by temperature and initial concentration. Overall, none of the models adequately described the degradation of MITC and 1,3-D isomers over the range of the initial concentrations. First-order and half-order kinetics adequately described the degradation of MITC and 1,3-D isomers at each initial concentration, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.78 (r2> 0.78). However, the derived rate constant was dependent on the initial concentration. The first-order rate constants varied between 6 and 10x for MITC for the concentration range of 3 to 140 mg kg(-1), and between 1.5 and 4x for 1,3-D isomers for the concentration range of 0.6 to 60 mg kg(-1), depending on temperature. For the same initial concentration range, the variation in the half-order rate constants was between 1.4 and 1.7x for MITC and between 3.1 and 6.1x for 1,3-D isomers, depending on temperature. Second-order kinetics and the Michaelis-Menten model did not satisfactorily describe the degradation at all initial concentrations. The degradation of MITC and 1,3-D was primarily biodegradation, which was affected by temperature between 20 and 40 degrees C, following the Arrhenius equation (r2 > 0.74).

Allyl Compounds↗