Local to regional emission sources affecting mercury fluxes to New York lakes

Lake-sediment records across the Northern Hemisphere show increases in atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) over the last 150 years. Most of the previous studies have examined remote lakes affected by the global atmospheric Hg reservoir. In this study, we present Hg flux records from lakes in an urban/suburban setting of central New York affected also by local and regional emissions. Sediment cores were collected from the Otisco and Skaneateles lakes from the Finger Lakes region, Cross Lake, a hypereutrophic lake on the Seneca River, and Glacial Lake, a small seepage lake with a watershed that corresponds with the lake area. Sediment accumulation rates and dates were established by ²¹⁰Pb. The pre-anthropogenic regional atmospheric Hg flux was estimated to be 3.0 μg m⁻² yr⁻¹ from Glacial Lake, which receives exclusively direct atmospheric deposition. Mercury fluxes peaked during 1971–2001, and were 3 to more than 30 times greater than pre-industrial deposition. Land use change and urbanization in the Otisco and Cross watersheds during the last century likely enhanced sediment loads and Hg fluxes to the lakes. Skaneateles and Glacial lakes have low sediment accumulation rates, and thus are excellent indicators for atmospheric Hg deposition. In these lakes, we found strong correlations with emission records for the Great Lakes region that markedly increased in the early 1900s, and peaked during WWII and in the early 1970s. Declines in modern Hg fluxes are generally evident in the core records. However, the decrease in sediment Hg flux at Glacial Lake was interrupted and has increased since the early 1990s probably due to the operation of new local emission sources. Assuming the global Hg reservoir tripled since the pre-industrial period, the contribution of local and regional emission sources to central New York lakes was estimated to about 80% of the total atmospheric Hg deposition.     

他念他翁山中段仁措湖地区花岗岩风化晕生长侵蚀模型研究及原地生成宇宙成因核素测年思考

通过建立他念他翁山流域仁措湖地区的花岗岩风化晕生长模型与侵蚀模型,并利用此模型定量了仁措湖地区花岗岩暴露年代。研究结果显示：该地区花岗岩风化晕平均生长速率为4.88 mm? (10 ka) ^?1;平均侵蚀速率为2.15 mm?ka^?1。通过此模型对仁措湖地区的年代进行计算,得出该地区花岗岩风化时间约为(236±88)— (19834±1560) a。结合原地生成宇宙成因核素（terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclide,TCN）测年原理,推算出青藏高原花岗岩冰川沉积物至少侵蚀速率分别为：青藏高原东北部为(2.61±0.05) mm?ka^?1、青藏高原东南部为(3.43±0.70) mm?ka^?1、青藏高原中部为(3.42±0.34) mm?ka^?1、喜马拉雅中部为(3.71±0.72) mm?ka^?1、高原西部为(3.14±0.52) mm?ka^?1、喜马拉雅山脉西部为(3.36±0.67) mm?ka^?1、帕米尔高原东部为(3.45±0.59) mm?ka^?1、帕米尔高原西部为(3.11±0.41) mm?ka^?1、天山为(3.63±0.53) mm?ka^?1,恢复后整个青藏高原的TCN测年精度提高了10%左右。     

Compromise ultrasound dating policy in maternal serum screening for Down syndrome

Routine ultrasound biometry is the method of choice for gestational dating when screening for Down syndrome. However, it is costly and an alternative policy is to restrict ultrasound to women most likely to have menstrual dating errors. This was evaluated by statistical modelling with parameters from 14 274 women screened between January 1997 and July 2001 using free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (free β-hCG), α-fetoprotein (AFP) and unconjugated estriol (uE₃). A total of 12 711 (89%) women had both ultrasound and menstrual gestations, but in 4101 (29%) women either the last menstrual period (LMP) was uncertain or a pill-withdrawal period, or there were irregular or abnormal length cycles. The LMP was not entered in the test request form for a further 1404 (9.8%) women. Routine ultrasound dating yielded a predicted detection rate higher than for menstrual dating by 3.9–7.1%, depending on the marker combination and cut-off. The false-positive rate was reduced by 0.2–1.1%. Selectively scanning the 39% with unreliable dates increased detection by 2.6–4.6%, and reduced the false-positive rate by 0.04–0.6%. Some centres only use the ultrasound estimate of gestation when it differs from the menstrual estimate by more than 7 days. Such a rule reduces the gain in detection rate to 2.5–4.6% for routine ultrasound and 1.7–3.1% with the compromise policy; the false-positive rate reductions are 0.06–0.6% and 0.0–0.3%, respectively. We conclude that if routine ultrasound is not financially and practically feasible, the compromise policy yields a clinically important improvement in screening performance compared to menstrual dating. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comprehensive evaluation of heavy metal contamination of sediment in Lake Dianchi by using modified AHP method and 137Cs dating

Through the use of general sampling and measurement by ¹³⁷ Cs dating, problems regarding the absence of monitoring data can easily be resolved. Further, weighted values need to be determined while Environment Quality Comprehensive Index (EQCI) is commonly used as applied in environmental quality comprehensive evaluation. In order to overcome the subjectivity in determining weights, the modified Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was designed. The modified AHP method involved the following key procedures: First, the parameters y _i1 and y _i2 were calculated based on the monitoring data; second, the factors were put in order according to the symbol and value of y _i1 and y _i2; third, the continuous odd integers, which represented the importance of factors, were given to factors according to their seating order; and, fourth, the factor weights were determined from the pair-wise comparison matrix calculated by the ratio of the given odd integers. Therefore, the weights were completely based on the monitoring data. In the present study, the comprehensive quality of sediments in five sections of Lake Dianchi were evaluated and the results indicated that the current contamination of sediments in each lake section is much more serious than at any other time in history. __________ Translated from Environmental Science, 2006, 27(8): 1531–1536 [译自: 环境科学]     

Life in extreme environments: survival strategy of the endolithic desert lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta

Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is an endolithic lichen that inhabits caliche plates exposed on the surface of the Sonoran Desert. Caliche surface temperatures are regularly in excess of 60 degrees C during the summer and approach 0 degrees C in the winter. Incident light intensities are high, with photosynthetically active radiation levels typically to 2,600 micromol/m(2) s(-1) during the summer. A cross-section of rock inhabited by V. rubrocincta shows an anatomical zonation comprising an upper micrite layer, a photobiont layer containing clusters of algal cells, and a pseudomedulla embedded in the caliche. Hyphae of the pseudomedulla become less numerous with depth below the rock surface. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopic data for the caliche and micrite fall into two sloping, well-separated arrays on a delta(13)C-delta(18)O plot. The delta(13)C(PDB) of the micrite ranges from 2.1 to 8.1 and delta(18)O(SMOW) from 25.4 to 28.9, whereas delta(13)C(PDB) of the caliche ranges from -4.7 to 0.7 and delta(18)O(SMOW) from 23.7 to 29.2. The isotopic data of the micrite can be explained by preferential fixing of (12)C into the alga, leaving local (13)C enrichment and evaporative enrichment of (18)O in the water. The (14)C dates of the micrite range from recent to 884 years b.p., indicating that "dead" carbon from the caliche is not a significant source for the lichen-precipitated micrite. The endolithic growth is an adaptation to the environmental extremes of exposed rock surfaces in the hot desert. The micrite layer is highly reflective and reduces light intensity to the algae below and acts as an efficient sunscreen that blocks harmful UV radiation. The micrite also acts as a cap to the lichen and helps trap moisture. The lichen survives by the combined effects of biodeterioration and biomineralization. Biodeterioration of the caliche concomitant with biomineralization of a protective surface coating of micrite results in the distinctive anatomy of V. rubrocincta.     

Assessment of indoor radiation level in the environs of the uranium deposit area of West Khasi Hills District,Meghalaya, India

An estimation of the indoor background radiation dose distribution was carried out in dwellings of eleven villages located within and around the uranium mineralization area of Kylleng-Pyndensohiong, Mawthabah in West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, India. The ambient indoor gamma radiation level was monitored using Thermo Luminescence Dosimeters (TLDs) while the indoor radon and thoron concentration was measured using twin-cup dosimeters employing Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs). Results obtained from the study reveals that the local inhabitants of villages located close to the mining site receive higher doses than those inhabitants of villages located at a much farther distance from the mining site. The average total annual effective dose was found to be varying from 1.2 mSv y⁻¹ in the village of Langpa to 3.4 mSv y⁻¹ in the village of Nongbah Jynrin. The data obtained will serve as a reference in documenting changes to environmental radioactivity if mining is to be carried out in the future.     

发光细菌法测定钻井液综合生物毒性

针对发光杆菌的发光度随着污染物浓度增高而呈线性降低的相关性,采用发光杆菌的相对发光度来表示污染物毒性,试验探讨了该方法的可行性,并采用发光细菌相对发光度为５０％时毒物浓度（即半数有效浓度ＥＣ５０）来表示钻井液的综合生物毒性。实验结果表明：ＨｇＣｌ２的半数有效浓度为０．１２６ｍｇ／Ｌ,此时的钻井液泥水比为１∶１０４。     

末次冰期以来青州黄土光释光测年及其对古气候的指示

黄河下游湿润-半湿润地区的鲁中黄土-古土壤沉积,是记录东亚季风气候变化的良好载体。山东青州邵庄黄土剖面粗颗粒石英(63—90 μm)光释光年代和磁化率、粒度、色度以及主量元素测试结果表明：(1)邵庄黄土末次冰期以来((51.3±2.5)—(8.1±1.1) ka)沉积连续;(2)与粒度、磁化率和色度指标相比,化学蚀变指数能够更灵敏地反映冰期-间冰期沉积旋回;(3)粒度结果表明“古土壤”层中值粒径(16.9—24.6 μm)明显高于下伏黄土层中值粒径(11.8—22.7 μm),主要是因为近源沉积在总的沉积通量中所占比例在冰期-间冰期尺度上的变化;(4)灰黑色“古土壤”层底界年龄为(19.1±1.6) ka,明显老于黄土高原全新世古土壤层底界年代(约10—11 ka),其既包含全新世沉积的加积型土壤,也包含下伏末次冰期黄土层基础上受风化、淋溶形成的非加积型土壤。虽然研究区的“古土壤”包含非加积型土壤,记录了间冰期风化成壤过程,但依然能够反映冰期-间冰期气候旋回,是东亚乃至全球气候变化的产物。     

大渡河石广东古滑坡堰塞湖沉积物光释光年代研究

堰塞是重要的极端地表过程之一,往往会造成灾难性的后果,对古堰塞湖的研究有助于对区域堰塞风险的认识。本文以青藏高原东缘大渡河上游石广东古滑坡堰塞湖为研究对象,地质证据显示该古堰塞湖的堵江高坝高约23 m,堵江滑坡的体积约1.6×10~7 m~3,堰塞湖的最小蓄水量为2.0×10~7 m~3。并选取两个湖相沉积剖面,采用单片再生法(single aliquot regeneration,SAR)与标准生长曲线法(standard growth curve,SGC)相结合的方法,测定了7个样品的光释光(optically stimulated luminescence,OSL)年龄,测年结果表明堰塞湖形成于距今约3.0 ka,结束于1.6 ka,即全新世晚期。初步推测堵江的古滑坡体可能由于地震诱发。     

西沙赵述岛和北岛海鸟遗迹14C年代模型及意义

对采自西沙赵述岛和北岛的沉积剖面ZS2、BD1进行分析,两个剖面具有十分相似的物源组成和岩性变化。通过测定剖面中海鸟残体的~(14)C年龄,运用传统方法以及Clam和Bacon程序建立了ZS2和BD1沉积剖面的年龄-深度模型。对比年龄-深度模型发现,Bacon程序运用MCMC作为迭代算法,排除异常数据影响,拟合得到的曲线单调相比较于Clam年龄模型显得更为合理。所建立的年代学模型为后期的气候环境演变研究提供了基础。根据Bacon程序所构建的年龄-深度模型结果,我们发现近千年来ZS2和BD1剖面处的平均沉积速率分别为0.86 mm?a~(-1)和1.26 mm?a~(-1)。采样点的沉积速率在一定程度上代表了岛屿的垂向生长速率,均低于当前海平面的平均上升速率。同时,鸟骨的~(14)C年龄也揭示了赵述岛海鸟活动时间应不晚于AD 1172—1290,而海鸟开始在北岛活动的时间则不晚于AD 984—1140。