Use and abuse of Pb-isotope fingerprinting technique and GIS mapping data to assess lead in environmental studies

The danger to health, especially of young children, from lead-bearing particulates in the surface environment is still a valid concern. Given the multifaceted uses of lead today as well as historically, the sources of lead must be investigated to distinguish the etiology of lead contamination on the environment. The lead isotope finger printing technique based on isotopic ratio analyses (IRA) is one of the methods used commonly for provenancing lead sources in environmental studies throughout the world. This technique, however, has some inherited shortcomings. Therefore, caution must be used in the interpretation of the results, as this technique can lead to overestimations as well as underestimations of the true source etiology/apportionment of lead in specific environments. This paper illustrates this with some examples. Data on geographical information systems (GIS) mapping in urban regions are also presented in this paper.     

Medical geology in tropical countries with special reference to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka provides an ideal opportunity for the study of the effect of geology on human health. The vast majority of the people of Sri Lanka still live in rural areas within areas termed geochemical provinces. Very broadly, one could say that a geochemical province has characteristic chemical composition in soil, water stream sediments and rocks, enabling their delineation from others. The chemical composition is presumed to be have an impact on the health of the inhabitants of the particular geochemical province, particularly because of the fact that their food and water are obtained mostly from the terrain itself. This leads to the concept of “diseases of geochemical origin”. Among these are dental fluorosis, iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) and selenium-based diseases. The Dry Zone of Sri Lanka has several areas rich in groundwater fluoride, the ingestion of which leads to dental fluorosis. Iodine deficiency diseases are more common in the Wet Zone, though their aetiologies are more complicated. Interestingly, it has also been observed that significant proportions of the female population of Sri Lanka are selenium-deficient, which could well be related to the geological environment. Chronic renal failure (CRF) has been observed in some areas of the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka, where there is a relationship of CRF with the mineral content of drinking water. This subject matter falls under the auspices of Medical Geology, a scientific discipline still in its infancy, and much more concerted studies are needed to attract the attention of medical research.     

BIODEGRADATION OF DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS AS A POTENTIAL REMOVAL PROCESS DURING AQUIFER STORAGE RECOVERY1

ABSTRACT: The biodegradation potential of two drinking water disinfection byproducts was investigated using aquifer materials obtained from approximately 100 and 200 meters below land surface in an aerobic aquifer system undergoing aquifer storage recovery of treated surface water. No significant biodegradation of a model trihalomethane compound, chloroform, was observed in aquifer microcosms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In contrast, between 16 and 27 percent mineralization of a radiolabeled model haloacetic acid compound, chloroacetic acid, was observed. These results indicate that although the potential for biodegradation of chloroacetic acid exists in deep aquifer systems, chloroform entrained within these aquifers or formed in situ will tend to persist. These results have important implications for water managers planning to meet anticipated lowered permissible levels of trihalomethanes in drinking water.     

铅锌矿床中镉的表生地球化学研究现状

铅锌矿床是镉主要来源,在其开采过程中,镉等重金属有毒元素会产生次生富集,同时不可避免向环境大量释放,严重影响周围环境。本文介绍了铅锌矿的表生地球化学研究现状,提出应加强镉等重金属元素在表生风化作用下活化-迁移-富集机理及影响因素,定量地描述镉等重金属元素的释放过程等地球化学研究,以揭示镉等有害元素在铅锌矿山表生风化过程中的活化、迁移、次生富集的规律及机理,探讨其通过岩(矿)石-水-土壤-植物影响环境和人类健康过程,这不仅对于铅锌矿山环境有重要意义,而且也将揭示一些矿床中镉高度富集机理,从而在理论上丰富镉的地球化学内容,对研究铅锌矿床中元素循环、矿山修复、环境评价及生态效应等具有重要意义。     

三峡库区地方性氟中毒病区与非病区土壤氟地球化学

巫山、奉节是三峡库区最典型的地方性氟中毒区（简称地氟病区）。利用多目标地球化学调查方法,通过野外实地调查,大面积系统采集土壤深层、表层土壤样品、分析测试、数理统计,探讨了三峡库区沿长江各区县土壤氟含量、典型地氟病区与非病区深层、表层土壤氟的含量特征与差异。发现三峡库区沿长江各区县深、表层土壤氟含量均表现为：巫山＞奉节＞涪陵＞丰都、万州、开县、云阳、忠县、长寿。巫山、奉节表层土壤氟含量分别为全国土壤氟含量均值的2.598倍、1.883倍,丰都等6区县深、表层土壤F含量与全国均值基本相当。各地区表层土壤明显继承了深层土壤氟的地球化学特征。地氟病最严重的巫山县表层土壤氟富集程度最高,而最轻的长寿县表层土壤则表现出明显的氟淋失。地氟病区深层、表层土壤F含量均远高于非病区,土壤F含量与地氟病发病率间具极显著正相关,土壤F含量对发病率具有明显的影响。土壤F与土壤中造岩元素具显著正相关,主要来自于成土母质。     

Salt Flushing,Salt Storage,and Controls on Selenium and Uranium: A 31‐Year Mass‐Balance Analysis of an Irrigated,Semiarid Valley

Salinity, selenium, and uranium pose water‐quality challenges for the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado and other rivers that support irrigation in semiarid regions. This study used 31 years of continuous discharge and specific conductance (SC) monitoring data to assess interannual patterns in water quality using mass balance on a 120‐km reach of river. Discrete sampling data were used to link the SC records to salinity, selenium, and uranium. Several important patterns emerged. Consumptive use reduced discharge by a median value of 33% and drove corresponding increases in salinity and uranium concentrations. Increased water availability for irrigation from rainfall and upstream snowpack in 1995–1999 flushed additional salinity and uranium into the river in 1996–2000; average annual total dissolved solids (salinity) concentrations increased 25%, and loads increased 131%. Smaller flushing events have occurred, sometimes lagging an increase in water availability by about one year. The pattern indicates flushing of salts temporarily stored, evaporatively concentrated, or of geologic origin. Mobilization of selenium from the reach was minor compared to salinity and uranium, and net selenium removal from the river was suggested in some years. Several processes related to irrigation could be removing selenium. The results provide context for efforts to improve water quality in the Arkansas River and rivers in other semiarid regions.     

Actinide geochemistry: From the molecular level to the real system

Geochemical processes leading to either mobilization or retention of radionuclides in an aquifer system are significantly influenced by their interaction with rock, sediment and colloid surfaces. Therefore, a sound safety assessment of nuclear waste disposal requires the elucidation and quantification of those processes. State-of-the-art analytical techniques as e.g. laser- and X-ray spectroscopy are increasingly applied to study solid–liquid interface reactions to obtain molecular level speciation insight.We have studied the sorption of trivalent lanthanides and actinides onto aluminium oxides, hydroxides and purified clay minerals by the time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray-absorption spectroscopy. Chemical constitution and structure of surface bound actinides are proposed based on spectroscopic information. Open questions still remain with regard to the exact nature of mineral surface ligands and the mineral/water interface. Similarities of spectroscopic data obtained for M(III) sorbed onto γ-alumina, and clay minerals suggest the formation of very comparable inner-sphere surface complexes such as S–O–An(III)(OH)_x^(2 − x)(H₂O)_5 − x at pH > 5. Those speciation data are found consistent with those predicted by surface complexation modelling. The applicability of data obtained for pure mineral phases to actinide sorption onto heterogeneously composed natural clay rock is examined by experiments and by geochemical modelling. Good agreement of experiment and model calculations is found for U(VI) and trivalent actinide/lanthanide sorption to natural clay rock. The agreement of spectroscopy, geochemical modelling and batch experiments with natural rock samples and purified minerals increases the reliability in model predictions.The assessment of colloid borne actinide migration observed in various laboratory and field studies calls for detailed information on actinide–colloid interaction. Kinetic stabilization of colloid bound actinides can be due to inclusion into inorganic colloid matrix or by macromolecular rearrangement in case of organic, humic/fulvic like colloids. Only a combination of spectroscopy, microscopy and classical batch sorption experiments can help to elucidate the actinide–colloid interaction mechanisms and thus contribute to the assessment of colloids for radionuclide migration.     

沉积物中不同形态磷提取方法的改进及其环境地球化学意义

本文给出了一个较为系统的沉积物中不同形态Ｐ的提取方法，将沉积物中Ｐ以吸附态磷，铝结合磷，铁结合磷，闭蓄态磷，自生钙结合磷，原生碎屑磷和有机磷等７种形态分步提取，并重点考虑了分离提取原生碎屑磷和自生钙结合磷，分离提取铝结合磷，分离提取铝结合磷，铁结合磷和闭蓄态磷。本方法具有很强的环境地球化学研究应用价值。     

新疆塔木—卡兰古铅锌矿床成矿流体地球化学特征

新疆塔木—卡兰古铅锌矿产于塔里木板块西南缘晚古生代碳酸盐岩沉积台地中 ,矿体受碳酸盐岩中的角砾岩带控制。对塔木、卡兰古、乌苏里克、卡拉牙斯卡克等矿区的流体包裹体化学成分的研究表明 ,成矿流体具有低温、中高盐度、高密度富含有机物质及硫化氢气体的特征。流体气相成分中H2 O和CO2 占主要成分 ,盐水中阳离子以Ca2 + 、Mg2 + 为主 ,含Na+ 、K+ 、Li+ ,阴离子含Cl-、HCO3-、SO4 2 -、F-等。流体的δD值于- 114‰～ - 70‰间 ,δ18O值在 - 1.7‰～ - 15 .2‰间 ,流体来源于有大气降水参与的盆地热卤水。矿床成因属密西西比河谷 (MVT)型。     

秦岭造山带碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩地球化学特征

以洛南-栾川断裂、商丹板块缝合带和勉略板块缝合带为界，从北到南将研究区依次划分为：华北板块南缘构造岩浆区（简称SC岩区）、北秦岭构造岩浆区（简称NQ岩区）、南秦岭构造岩浆区（简称SQ岩区）、西秦岭构造岩浆区（简称WQ岩区）。依据各构造岩浆区内碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩的化学成分及出露面积，估算了各构造岩浆区及整个研究区碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩的平均化学成分。研究结果表明，各构造岩浆区碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩的平均化学成分相当于花岗岩；由南向北碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩微量元素含量的变化规律类似于区域地壳元素丰度的变化规律．从早到晚．从西向东碰撞及碰撞后侵入岩岩浆朝着富硅、富碱方向演化，逐渐显示出A型花岗岩的特点。