Deuterium and Oxygen-18 in Surface Waters of GDR draining to the Baltic Sea

A general view is presented of deuterium and ¹⁸O measurements of water samples collected at running and standing surface waters in German Democratic Republic. The values confirm earlier observations that the surface waters are influenced by evaporation with respect to the isotopic composition of groundwater. Nevertheless, stronger evaporation effects are restricted to larger lakes. The amount of surface water discharge from GDR to the Baltic Sea and the δD and δ¹⁸O values are discussed. The river Oder provides about 90% of the whole surface run-off. The other watercourses to the coast are unimportand. The mean heavy isotope content of surface run-off was calculated to be ?8.3‰ for δ¹⁸O and ?61‰ for δD (vs. SMOW), respectively.     

Human Respiration Under the Condition of Severe Anemia Investigated with the Aid of Fractionation Effects of Oxygen Isotopes

Abstract

The dependence of overall fractionation effect of respiration between ¹⁶O₂ and ¹⁶O¹⁸O (δ_IU) on varying levels of hemoglobin concentration within blood is investigated. Experiments are carried out on 6 healthy humans and 6 patients suffering from various degrees of chronic anemia.

δ_IU-values of anemic patients are decreased towards 0‰ meaning that within anemia rates of ¹⁶O_2? and ¹⁶O¹⁸O-transport are aligned together more than they are under healthy conditions.

On the basis of a resistance model of respiration, it is concluded that within anemia the entire oxygen transport system is more limited by blood flow than it is in healthy humans. This limitation starts to influence respiration far above a hemoglobin concentration of 8 g/100 ml.     

There is no Temperature Dependence of Net Biochemical Fractionation of Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes in Tree-Ring Cellulose

Abstract

The isotopic composition of tree-ring cellulose was obtained over a two-year period from small diameter, riparian zone trees along an elevational transect in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, USA to test for a possible temperature dependence of net biological fractionation during cellulose synthesis. The isotope ratios of stream water varied by only 3.6‰ and 0.2‰ in δD and δ¹⁸O, respectively, over an elevation change of 810m. The similarity in stream water and macroenvironment over the short (13km) transect produced nearly constant stem and leaf water δD and δ¹⁸O values. In addition, what few seasonal variations observed in the isotopic composition of source water and atmospheric water vapor or in leaf water evaporative enrichment were experienced equally by all sites along the elevational transect. The temperature at each site along the transect spanned a range of ≥ 5°C as calculated using the adiabatic lapse rate. Since the δD and δ¹⁸O values of stem and leaf water varied little for these trees over this elevation/ temperature transect, any differences in tree-ring cellulose δD and δ¹⁸O values should have been associated with temperature effects on net biological fractionation. However, the slopes of the regressions of elevation versus the δD and δ¹⁸O values of tree-ring cellulose were not significantly different from zero indicating little or no temperature dependence of net biological fractionation. Therefore, cross-site climatic reconstruction studies using the isotope ratios of cellulose need not be concerned that temperatures during the growing season have influenced results.     

Reactivation of Promoted Nickel Catalysts for Deuterium Exchange between Hydrogen and Water in the Vapour Phase

Binary promoted nickel – chromium oxide and ternary promoted nickel – chromium oxide – aluminium oxide mixed catalysts were prepared for use in the present study. The catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of the corresponding metal nitrates as carbonates followed by calcination in nitrogen atmosphere at 350 °C and reduction in hydrogen atmosphere at 320 °C. To prevent spontaneous oxidation of the catalysts, bidistilled water was added followed by heating of the catalyst mixtures at about 110 °C in hydrogen atmosphere for few hours. Deactivation of catalysts was studied by measurements of the variation of their activities with the time of contact of the reacting gas mixtures with the catalyst surface in the reaction chamber. It was found that while the catalytic activity of ternary catalysts for the isotopic exchange of deuterium between hydrogen and water vapour was higher than that of the binary one, the loss in activity of the former teas faster than the latter. Reactivation of the catalysts were carried out at different temperatures between 110–160°C in hydrogen atmosphere. Catalytic activity measurements indicated that higher temperatures are better for the reactivation process.     

Sulphur and Oxygen Isotopes in Sulphates in Natural Waters: (1) Surface Waters of Relatively Unpolluted Terrains

Abstract

The paper presents a whole-year study (1990) of an unique area in S-E Poland with numerous small rivers and streams carrying clean waters. We report the results of δ¹⁸O of waters and δ³⁴S of the sulphates sampled 4 times in 1990 from 20 rivers of the study area. The observations clearly show the impact of biological activity on the oxygen and sulphur isotopic compositions in sulphates. Attempts have been made to interpret the correlation between δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O in sulphates. The highest correlation coefficient has been noticed for samples collected in April, whereas the lowest in August. The conclusion of this study is that the river sulphates are predominantly produced outside the river environment. We have distinguished three major sources of sulphates: (1) ones produced in the aquifer from which waters are discharged, (2) those produced in soils and marshes of forest environment, and (3) ones on anthropogenic origin.     

Deuterium,Oxygen-18 and Salt Content of Drinking Water Sources in Cairo

The contineous increase of population in Cairo exceeding 10 millions inhabitants lead to the search for supplementary potable water resources in addition to the Nile River which is the principle drinking water source. Groundwater represents the main supplementary source. Evaluation of the groundwater feeding the so-called El-America Water Treatment Station which is one of the biggest potable water supplies at the northern of Cairo was carried out. Chemical and isotopic techniques were applied to estimate the suitability of this groundwater for drinking purposes. The chemical analysis includes the determination of sodium, potasium, calcium and magnesium concentrations in addition to those of chlorides, sulphates, bicarbonates and silicates, while the isotopic analysis includes oxygen-18 and deuterium. The overall chemical- and isotopic investigations determined the conditions at which the examined groundwater is suitable for drinking purposes.