Riverine transfer of heavy metals from Patagonia to the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

The occurrence and geochemical behaviour of Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn and Co are studied in riverine detrital materials transported by Patagonian rivers. Their riverine inputs have been estimated and the nature of these inputs to the Atlantic Ocean is discussed. Most of the metals are transported to the ocean via the suspended load; there is evidence that Fe oxides and organic matter are important phases controlling their distribution in the detrital non-residual fraction. Most heavy metal concentrations found in bed sediments, in suspended matter, and in the dissolved load of Patagonian rivers were comparable to those reported for non-polluted rivers. There is indication that human activity is altering riverine metal inputs to the ocean. In the northern basins – and indicating anthropogenic effects – heavy metals distribution in the suspended load is very different from that found in bed sediments. The use of pesticides in the Negro River valley seems correlated with increased riverine input of Cu, mostly bound to the suspended load. The Deseado and Chico Rivers exhibit increased specific yield of metals as a consequence of extended erosion within their respective basins. The Santa Cruz is the drainage basin least affected by human activity and its metal-exporting capacity should be taken as an example of a relatively unaffected large hydrological system. In contrast, coal mining modifies the transport pattern of heavy metals in the Gallegos River, inasmuch as they are exported to the coastal zone mainly as dissolved load. Electronic Publication     

Vertical Distribution and Inventories of 239,240Pu in Deep Sea Sediments of the Mediterranean Sea (Algerian Basin, Ionian Sea)

Deep-sea sediments collected in two areas of the Mediterranean Sea having different sedimentological characteristics have been analyzed to determine present concentrations and inventories of ^239,240Pu and to study the main mechanisms controlling them. Plutonium distribution in the deepest part of a submarine canyon (Taranto Valley, Ionian Sea) is compared to that obtained in an abyssal plain (north Algerian Plain). in the latter case, sedimentation is mainly due to the sinking of biogenic particles, while in the former lateral transport of terrigenous material along the slope of the canyon can significantly contribute to sediment accumulation on the bottom.

^239,240Pu surface concentration in the canyon ranged from 0.2 to 1 Bq kg^-1 (dry weight) and this was lower in the abyssal plain. in this area, plutonium was detectable only in the first 4 cm, while in the canyon it was present down to 11-15 cm. ^239,240Pu inventories are 3 Bq m^-2 in the plain and 45-60 Bq m^-2 in the canyon, indicating considerable input of terrigenous material towards the final part of the Taranto Valley.     

Gas and Organic Matter in Last Glacial and Holocenic Sediments of Venice Lagoon

Two drills (MBM1* and MBM2) provided at “Bocca di Malamocco” gave environmental and palaeo-environmental information on sedimentation for the last 50,000 years. the MBM2 supplies textural, gas and organic matter studies of sediment and principal ion content of pore water. Two main palaeo-environments, divided in six cycles, are recognized. Marine environment characterizes the sediment above 12.80 metres below sea level (mbsl) and continental environment dominates the sediments below.

The concentration/depth profiles of dissolved ammonia, phosphates and gases are related to the occurrence of a relatively high organic content in the sediment core. Carbon dioxide to methane ratio shows a constant value below 20 mbsl, while above that level only carbon dioxide was detected. A sulphate gradient in the transition zone between the marine to fresh water interval suggests a methane oxidation. These findings indicate that diffusive transport of methane from marine sediments to the atmosphere may be considered minimal. the sedimentary cycles are related to the oxygen isotopic stages. They suggest a variable hydraulic regime occurred during the last Glacial time in the palaeo-plain corresponding to the present Venice lagoon.     

Phosphorus in Sediments of Lake Edku, Egypt. The Influence of Chemical and Grain Size Parameters

Lake Edku is one of the Nile Delta shallow brackish water coastal lagoons with communications with the southeastern Mediterranean.

Sediment samples were recovered from the top 10 cm of the lake bottom to study principally their total, inorganic and organic phosphorus. Related sediment parameters such as particle size, organic carbon, carbonate and iron contents were also studied in detail.

It is shown that the lake sediments are generally a sand-silt-clay mud enriched with carbonate (11.4-42%), organic carbon (0.9-11.4%) and iron (1.6-5.6%).

The total phosphorus content in these sediments is 503-1329 μg/g, inorganic phosphorus, 468-954 μg/g and organic phosphorus, 35-526 μg/g.     

Differential fate of erythromycin and beta-lactam resistance genes from swine lagoon waste under different aquatic conditions

The attenuation and fate of erythromycin-resistance-methylase (erm) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamse (bla) genes were quantified over time in aquatic systems by adding 20-L swine waste to 11,300-L outdoor mesocosms that simulated receiving water conditions below intensive agricultural operations. The units were prepared with two different light-exposure scenarios and included artificial substrates to assess gene movement into biofilms. Of eleven genes tested, only erm(B), erm(F), bla_SHV and bla_TEM were found in sufficient quantity for monitoring. The genes disappeared rapidly from the water column and first-order water-column disappearance coefficients were calculated. However, detected gene levels became elevated in the biofilms within 2 days, but then disappeared over time. Differences were observed between sunlight and dark treatments and among individual genes, suggesting that ecological and gene-specific factors play roles in the fate of these genes after release into the environment. Ultimately, this information will aid in generating better predictive models for gene fate.     

墨水湖上覆水与沉积物间隙水中重金属的分布特征

武汉市墨水湖重金属污染严重，在我国内陆城市受污染湖泊中具代表性。应用 ICP MS对墨水湖上覆水和沉积物间隙水中的主要重金属元素进行了定量测试，并分析了其空间分布特征和变化规律。在此基础上，结合微量重金属界面扩散通量的计算，定量评估了其对上覆湖水水质的影响，以期为浅水湖泊的重金属污染防治提供科学依据。研究结果表明，墨水湖沉积物间隙水中重金属的浓度由高到低依次为：Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb；上覆水和沉积物间隙水中微量重金属浓度剖面均表现出明显相似的峰形分布特征，指示了湖泊沉积物中普遍存在微量重金属的沉积后再迁移现象；Fe和Mn在间隙水中的浓度远大于它们在上覆水中的浓度，其剖面分布特征主要是参与氧化还原反应的结果，Cu、Cr、Pb和Zn等的浓度也因受氧化还原过程及矿物平衡作用的影响而波动；微量重金属元素按照浓度梯度经孔隙水从沉积物向上覆水中扩散，并最终影响上覆水.     

Geochemical modeling of cadmium sorption to soil as a function of soil properties

Cadmium sorption experiments were conducted to infer Cd sorption mechanisms to a reference smectite and three fractions of a Vertisol soil. Untreated Vertisol has a higher adsorption capacity for Cd than that of reference smectite. Surface complex modeling was used to calculate the potential contributions of Cd complexation reactions with permanent charge sites and pH-dependent charge sites over ranges in pH, for soils with given surface areas, and sorption site densities. The Langmuir model produced relatively good predictions of Cd sorption on reference smectite and Vertisol. However, the results of the triple-layer model (TLM) were inadequate to describe Cd adsorption on fixed-charge sites because the model could not account for the ion-exchange reaction on the basal plane. Based upon the two geochemical models of Cd adsorption to the reference smectite and Vertisol, it appears that the basal plane siloxane cavities are the most important sites for Cd complexation at pH < 6.5. For the pH-dependent sites, the edge-site aluminol appears to be the dominant surface functional group responsible for Cd adsorption at pH > 6.5.     

关于水体沉积物质量基准问题

本文综述了沉积物质量基准的最新进展。从底栖生物对沉积物中结合的污染物的敏感性讨论了沉积物质量基准的意义、数值型和响应型基准,以及建立沉积物质量基准的可能途径。重点讨论了沉积物/间隙水平衡分配法,并引入了基于该法建立的沉积物质量基准的初步值。     

湖泊沉积物中微生物群落对天然有机质输入的响应

全球气候变化和蓝藻水华暴发造成湖泊生源、陆源天然有机质（NOM）输入显著增加,以太湖藻型湖湾为例,考察沉积物中微生物群落的活性、组成及功能对不同浓度藻源有机质（POM）和陆源腐殖酸（HA）的响应特征.三维荧光分析显示POM化学多样性较高,包含易降解的类蛋白（50%）和难降解的类腐殖质组分（50%）,而类腐殖质占HA荧光组分的97%.两个月的微宇宙实验表明,对于同种NOM,沉积物中微生物矿化作用随NOM浓度升高而增强;但POM组中有机碳去除量显著高于同等浓度的HA组.胞外聚合物分析显示NOM输入有利于微生物分泌蛋白质和多糖,提高了微生物群落的聚集度和稳定性;酶活分析表明POM对脲酶、脱氢酶等有机物代谢酶的激发效应强于HA,形成了代谢更活跃的微生物群落.同时,NOM输入（尤其是POM）提高了微生物群落的物种多样性,增加了Proteobacteria和Bacteroidetes等参与有机物分解的菌群丰度,上调了与代谢相关的KEGG功能基因丰度.以上结果表明湖泊沉积物中微生物群落的活性和功能与NOM的来源和浓度有关.     

骆马湖现代沉积物137Cs和210Pbex的测定分析与环境指示意义

选取骆马湖进湖口、湖中心和出湖口3个位置的沉积物柱芯样品,采用放射性核素137Cs、210Pbex纪年技术定年,对其垂向分布特征及沉积速率指标变化对比分析,并测定沉积物中重金属垂直剖面分布。结果表明：137Cs数值较低,不足以建立137Cs计年时标;210Pbex比活度随深度增加大致呈指数降低,采用210Pbex CIC模式计算获得3个采样点的平均沉积速率及对应的沉积年代区间,进湖口相比湖中心和出湖口沉积速率较低,这与人为活动和水流因素有关;近50年来,骆马湖重金属污染物蓄积峰值总体出现在1975—1977年及1989—1994年两个时期,在2008年之后重金属的蓄积特征呈现逐渐增加趋势