Geochemical characterisation of Antarctic soils and lacustrine sediments from Terra Nova Bay

In Terra Nova Bay region (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica), the interactions among soil, meltwater and lakes are poorly understood with regard to the physicochemical transformations that occur when solid materials are exchanged among them. In order to ascertain the natural dynamics of several elements, namely Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Ti and Zn, as well as the perturbations by human activities and/or global contamination, soils and sediments from four catchments (Tarn Flat, Edmonson Point, Inexpressible Island and Northern Foothills) were studied.To accomplish the above mentioned objectives, the particle-size distribution and mineralogical composition, as well as the total C, H and N contents and the total concentrations of the investigated elements were determined. Finally in order to assess metal mobility, the modified BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure was applied to the samples and the partitioning of five metals, namely Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn, into different fractions was determined.Lithology and topography are the main factors that differentiate the physicochemical characteristics of the soils and sediments investigated. The lacustrine sediments and the soils sampled around the lakes showed a similar mineralogical and chemical composition, as evidence that rock- and soil-weathering processes occur primarily during the warm summer periods, when the lakes are partially ice-free. Nevertheless the presence of chlorite in these systems indicated that chemical weathering has taken place even in these extreme conditions. In general, the geochemical composition of soils and sediments in this Antarctic area seems to be influenced mainly by the nature of the bedrock and by the input of sea-spray, and, to a lesser degree, by mechanical and chemical weathering as well as by biological processes; no evidence of a local or global anthropogenic contamination was found.     

基于CDOM光学特性的近海环境富营养化监测

富营养化是河口港湾一个重要的生态环境问题。传统的富营养化监测与评价需要依靠费时费力的人工采样、实验室分析测定,周期较长,难以实现现场实时快速监测与评价。本文依据2009年2月、5月、8月和10～11月在厦门湾海域的有色溶解有机物(CDOM)与主要环境要素的调查资料,探讨了利用CDOM的光学性质反演COD,TN,TP等富营养化参数的可行性。结果表明：(1)厦门湾表层水体CDOM存在明显的空间和季节性变化,九龙江河口区的丰度最高;(2)陆源输入及浮游植物的现场生产是水体中CDOM的主要来源,因此可建立利用盐度和叶绿素a浓度估算厦门湾CDOM丰度的经验算法,该经验算法的相关系数达0.96,经验算法估算值与实测CDOM之间的相对误差为11.1%±0.71%,精度较高;(3)厦门湾各个季节COD,TN,TP与CDOM吸收系数、荧光组分之间有很好的相关性,总体表现春夏较高、秋季次之、冬季最差;(4)结合上述研究成果,利用厦门湾已建立的水质自动监测系统实时获取的盐度、叶绿素a以及经验公式推导出的CDOM荧光资料,有望克服COD,TN和TP等富营养化指标只能通过人工采样和实验室分析获取的缺点;实现对海域富营养化程度的快速监测与评价。     

EVOLUTION OF SHORELINES ALONG THE NORTH BANK OF HANGZHOU BAY DURING THE LATE STAGE OF THE HOLOCENE TRANSGRESSION

Based upon the analyses of the sedimentary characteristics, the parallelism of longitudinal streams of the netty drainage system in Shanghai coastal plain to the ancient shorelines, the hydrodynamics in the northern bank of the Hangzhou Bay and the distribution of sites of ancient cultural remains, this paper indicates that during the period of 7000—4000 a B. P., the south spit of the Changjiang River mouth developed southward, and only stretched to the nearshore area of Jinshanwei. The southern end of the spit was a compoundrecurved one. In addition, the evolution of the shoreline west of Jinshanwei during the same period is discussed.     

Organic complexation and total dissolved trace metal analysis in estuarine waters: comparison of solvent-extraction graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric and chelating resin flow injection inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric analysis

The measured concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, and manganese in acidified (pH<2) estuarine water samples analyzed for total dissolved trace metal concentrations using on-line chelating resin column partitioning with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (CRCP-ICP-MS) were compared to those analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after liquid-liquid extraction using a combination of 1-pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate/diethyldithiocarbamate (PDC/DDC). Although there was good agreement between the two sets of analyses for cadmium, lead, manganese, and zinc concentrations, those of cobalt, copper, and nickel determined by CRCP-ICP-MS were found to be 10-20% lower than those determined by solvent-extraction GFAAS. The different yields were positively correlated (R>0.961, simple linear regression) to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of the samples. Good agreement between the two methods for cobalt and copper was achieved after ultraviolet (UV) digestion of the acidified samples. Samples collected from the South Bay of the San Francisco Estuary with high DOC showed the greatest difference for cobalt, copper, and nickel which is tentatively attributed to complexation with humic material for copper and cobalt and strong synthetic chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for nickel. This is consistent with previous studies on copper, nickel and cobalt complexation in this region. We recommend UV digestion of acidified estuarine samples prior to multi-element analysis by chelating resin flow injection ICP-MS methods.     

Determination of plutonium and its isotopic ratio in marine sediment samples using quadrupole ICP-MS with the shield torch system under normal plasma conditions

An analytical method for determining ²³⁹Pu and ²⁴⁰Pu in marine sediment samples, which uses quadrupole ICP-MS, was developed in this work. A simple anion-exchange chromatography system was employed for the separation and purification of Pu from the sample matrix. A sufficient decontamination factor of 1.4×10⁴ for U, which interferes with the determination of ²³⁹Pu, was achieved. High sensitivity Pu determination was obtained, which led to an extremely low concentration detection limit of ~8 fg/ml (0.019 mBq/ml for ²³⁹Pu; 0.071 mBq/ml for ²⁴⁰Pu) in a sample solution, or an absolute detection limit of 42 fg in a 5 ml sample solution, by using the shield torch technique. Analytical results for the determination of the ^239+240Pu and the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratio in IAEA 368 (ocean sediment) reference material indicated that the accuracy of the method was satisfactory. The method developed was successfully applied to a study of Pu behavior in the sediments from Sagami Bay, Japan. The observed high ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratio in the sediment core indicated that there was additional Pu input derived from close-in fallout in addition to the global fallout.     

SmartChem140全自动化学分析仪测定土壤全氮全磷的研究

本文以胶州湾湿地土壤为样品,建立了基于SmartChem140全自动化学分析仪,同时测定土壤全氮和全磷的方法。利用全自动化学分析仪可以同时快速、准确测定土壤中的全氮和全磷,全氮和全磷分别在0~6.0mg·L-1和0~5.0mg·L-1范围内线性良好,相关系数(R2)分别为0.9994、0.9995;测定结果与凯氏定氮法、磷钼蓝比色法对比无显著差异,相对误差均小于4%,相对标准偏差分别为1.39%和1.07%,样品的加标回收率分别在97.68%~102.12%和97.35%~101.88%之间。研究结果表明,该方法准确度高、稳定性好,回收率高,操作简便,测定结果能满足对土壤全氮、全磷的监测要求。     

杭州湾混浊水体表面光谱测量及光谱特征分析

悬浮泥沙是近海水体的主要光学活性物质之一,了解其光谱特征是建立准确遥感反演算法的基础。在我国典型高含沙海域——杭州湾的南北岸分别布设连续监测站位,采用水面之上光谱观测方法,利用美国ASD便携式地物光谱仪测量混浊水体的反射光谱,并且同步采集表层水样获取含沙量数据。研究结果表明：杭州湾水体表层含沙量较高,且随潮汐发生显著变化;水体反射率光谱曲线随含沙量浓度增大也相应升高,不同波长处升高幅度不同;通过光谱微分的方法分析水体反射率光谱特征,发现第一个反射峰出现“红移现象”;表层含沙量和对应MODIS各光谱通道的遥感反射率有不同的相关性,大于650 nm的长波通道的相关系数较大,400～550 nm短波通道的则较低;选取MODIS第2通道对应的遥感反射率利用最小二乘法进行回归分析取得了较好的拟合效果,可以作为杭州湾水体含沙量遥感反演的主要波段。     

Level of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Marine Environment of Algiers Bay,Algeria

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants with significant bioaccumulation in the global environment. Owing to their high toxicity and lipophilic property, PCBs are potential threat to the human and ecological system.

The objective of this work was to investigate the polychlorinated biphenyls in seawater and blue mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in the eastern coastal side of the Algiers bay. Surface and bottom water samples were collected at six different periods from July to October 2002 in the port of Tamentfoust and four locations around the port. Mussel samples were collected from Tamentfoust port and Surcouf beach. After extraction, the PCBs levels were determined in marine water and biological samples by gas chromatography with electron capture detector. Total polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations varied from 4.0 to 18.8 ng · L^?1 in surface and from 4.4 to 16.6 ng · L^?1 in bottom seawater and were relatively high in August (30th and 45th days).

In mussels that concentrate the organochlorinated compounds in their tissues, the sum of ICES 7 PCBs concentrations was relatively high. It ranged from 64.2 to 185.8 ng · g^?1 dw (average 125.8 ng · g^?1 dw) in samples collected from Surcouf. The level of contamination in Tamentfoust port mussels was about twice higher (225.2 ng · g^?1 dw).

The observed PCBs distribution was close to that of common commercial mixture and suggests an industrial origin of this pollution emitted from a continental source in addition to the port activities. Although the use of target compounds has been banned for more than three decades, they are still persistent in Algiers Bay.     

Simple methodology coupling microwave-assisted extraction to SPE/GC/MS for the analysis of natural steroids in biological tissues: Application to the monitoring of endogenous steroids in marine mussels Mytilus sp.

A simple analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of eight endogenous steroids (testosterone, androstenedione, 17β-estradiol, estrone, pregnenolone, progesterone, dihydroandrostenedione, and dihydrotestosterone) in aquatic molluscs by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been developed. After a microwave-assisted extraction, samples were further extracted and purified using two successive SPE (EnviChrom-P and NH₂) cartridges. Steroids were derivatized with a mixture of N-methyl-N(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA)/mercaptoethanol/ammonium iodide (NH₄I) and determined by GC-MS in selective ion monitoring mode. Recoveries were in the range 85-114%, although slightly lower for dihydrotestosterone, and the repeatability of the procedure, expressed as the coefficient of variation, was lower than 16%. The limits of detection determined in digestive glands of mussels were in the range 0.1-0.4 ng g⁻¹ wet weight for all the steroids. The developed procedure was then applied to the monitoring of steroid profiles in the digestive glands of mussels from the Arcachon Bay (France) during two reproductive cycles. In parallel, two physiological parameters (lipid content and the condition index of mussels) were also monitored, as well as the seawater temperature and salinity. Only progesterone and pregnenolone were detected in the digestive glands of mussels, and the seasonal variations of progesterone levels seemed to be related to the spawning periods of Mytilus sp. in the Bay. The current challenge for the determination of natural steroids in aquatic invertebrates is also briefly discussed.