Formation of secondary minerals in a lysimeter approach - A mineral-microbe interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäffner, F.; Merten, D.; De Giudici, G.; Beyer, A.; Akob, D. M.; Ricci, P. C.; Küsel, K.; Büchel, G.

2012-04-01

Heavy metal contamination of large areas due to uranium mining operations poses a serious long-term environmental problem. In the Ronneburg district (eastern Thuringia, Germany), leaching of low grade uranium bearing ores (uranium content < 300 g/t) occurred from 1972 to 1990 using acid mine drainage (AMD; pH 2.7-2.8) and diluted sulphuric acid (10 g/l). Secondary mineral phases like birnessite, todorokite and goethite occur within a natural attenuation process associated with enrichment of heavy metals, especially Cd, Ni, Co, Cu and Zn due to a residual contamination even after remediation efforts. To reveal the processes of secondary mineral precipitation in the field a laboratory lysimeter approach was set up under in situ-like conditions. Homogenized soil from the field site and pure quartz sand were used as substrates. In general, in situ measurements of redox potentials in the substrates showed highly oxidizing conditions (200-750 mV). Water was supplied to the lysimeter from below via a mariottés bottle containing contaminated groundwater from the field. Evaporation processes were allowed, providing a continuous flow of water. This led to precipitation of epsomite and probably aplowite on the top layer of substrate, similar to what is observed in field investigations. After 4 weeks, the first iron and manganese bearing secondary minerals became visible. Soil water samples were used to monitor the behaviour of metals within the lysimeter. Saturation indices (SI) for different secondary minerals were calculated with PHREEQC. The SI of goethite showed oversaturation with respect to the soil solution. SEM-EDX analyses and IR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of goethite. Geochemical data revealed that goethite formation was mainly dominated by Eh/pH processes and that heavy metals, e.g. Zn and U, could be enriched in this phase. Although Eh/pH data does not support formation of manganese minerals, Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) could be isolated from field soil samples, supporting the fact that microorganisms may influence this natural attenuation process. Laser ablation ICP-MS data reveal accumulation of manganese in MOB biomass on Mn(II)-containing agar plates. Furthermore, it was possible to show the importance of iron on this process, as some MOB isolates were able to oxidize manganese independently from the iron content, whereas some are not. The latter isolates are only able to oxidize manganese if iron is present in the media. In the lysimeter, SEM-EDX data showed microorganisms in organic rich phases together with the occurrence of manganese, oxygen, and nickel, indicating manganese oxides enriched in nickel. Although this new mineral phases could not yet be identified microprobe EDX results from polished thin sections showed needle-like mineral structures that are similar to the birnessite and todorokite samples observed from field samples. Hence, the lysimeter experiment revealed that the formation of iron and manganese minerals that are involved in heavy metal natural attenuation is result of both abiotic and biotic processes.

Mineralogy of Nicobar Fan turbidites (IODP Leg 362): Himalayan provenance and diagenetic control.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limonta, M.; Garzanti, E.; Ando, S.; Carter, A.; Milliken, K. L.; Pickering, K. T.

2017-12-01

In this study we use quantitative petrographic and heavy-mineral data on silt-sized and sand-sized sediments from the Nicobar Fan turbiditic depositional system to unravel their provenance and discriminate between pre-depositional and post-depositional processes controlling sediment mineralogy. Eighteen samples from the two drill sites U1480 e U1481, collected down to a depth of 1400 m during International Ocean Discovery Expedition 362, were selected for analysis. A complete section of the sedimentary section overlying oceanic basaltic basement was recovered at the U1480 drill site, whereas the U1481 drill site, located 35 km to the southeast, focused on the deeper interval of the sedimentary section overlying oceanic basement. Here we illustrate the compositional trends observed throughout the recovered succession, and compare heavy-mineral suites characterizing sediments drilled at the two U1480 and U1481 sites to check for potential differences in sediment provenance over a relatively short distance in trench settings. Diagenetic control with increasing burial depth was also specifically investigated. In Pleistocene sediments at depths of a few tens of meters only, rich heavy-mineral assemblages include mainly hornblende, epidote, and garnet, associated with apatite, clinopyroxene, tourmaline, sillimanite, kyanite, zircon, titanite, and rare staurolite and rutile, testifying to long-distance provenance from the Himalayan range via the Ganga-Brahmaputra fluvio-deltaic-turbiditic system. Heavy-mineral concentration shows a progressive decrease with burial depth, pointing to selective diagenetic dissolution of less durable detrital minerals. Clinopyroxene becomes rare below 400 m depth and was not recorded below 500 m depth, where amphibole decreases notably in relative abundance. More durable heavy minerals, including zircon, tourmaline, apatite, garnet and epidote, consequently tend to be relatively enriched with increasing age and burial depth. Petrographic and heavy-mineral data, combined with biostratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and geochemical evidence, allow us to unravel the sedimentary history of the Nicobar Fan as related to Himalayan uplift, erosion, and monsoon development during the last 10 Ma.

Heavy metal mining using microbes.

PubMed

Rawlings, Douglas E

2002-01-01

The use of acidiphilic, chemolithotrophic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing microbes in processes to recover metals from certain types of copper, uranium, and gold-bearing minerals or mineral concentrates is now well established. During these processes insoluble metal sulfides are oxidized to soluble metal sulfates. Mineral decomposition is believed to be mostly due to chemical attack by ferric iron, with the main role of the microorganisms being to reoxidize the resultant ferrous iron back to ferric iron. Currently operating industrial biomining processes have used bacteria that grow optimally from ambient to 50 degrees C, but thermophilic microbes have been isolated that have the potential to enable mineral biooxidation to be carried out at temperatures of 80 degrees C or higher. The development of higher-temperature processes will extend the variety of minerals that can be commercially processed.

Maps showing mineralogical data for nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrates in the Talkeetna Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tripp, R.B.; Karlson, R.C.; Curtin, G.C.

1978-01-01

Reconnaissance geochemical and mineralogical sampling was done in the Talkeetna Quadrangle during 1975 and 1976 as part of the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP). These maps show the distribution of gold, scheelite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, fluorite, cinnabar, and malachite in the nonmagnetic fraction of heavy-mineral concentrates. Heavy-mineral concentrate samples were collected at 812 sites from active stream channels. The heavy-mineral concentrates were obtained by panning stream sediment in the field to remove most of the light minerals. The panned samples were then sieved through a 20-mesh (0.8 mm) sieve in the laboratory, and the minus-20-mesh fraction was further separated with bromoform (specific gravity, 2.86) to remove any remaining light-mineral grains. Magnetite and other strongly magnetic heavy minerals were removed from the heavy-mineral fraction by use of a hand magnet. The remaining sample was passed through a Frantz Isodynamic Separator and a nonmagnetic fraction was examined for its mineralogical content with the aid of a binocular microscope and an x-ray diffractometer. The nonmagnetic concentrates primarily contain phyllite fragments, muscovite, sphene, zircon, apatite, tourmaline, rutile, and anatase. Most ore and ore-related minerals also occur in this fraction.

Origin and prospectivity of heavy mineral enriched sand deposits along the Somaliland coastal areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, M. Y.; Hibberd, P.; Stoikovich, B.

2018-04-01

Sixty-one heavy mineral enriched samples along the Somaliland coast from Eil Sheikh to Ras Khatib, a distance of about 130 km, were analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence, X-ray Diffraction and SEM-EDS techniques. This study reveals that a considerable amount of heavy minerals is present along the Somaliland coast and confirms the presence of high concentration titanium and iron bearing minerals. However, the backshore deposits in the mouths of Waaheen and Biyo Gure ephemeral rivers as well as raised paleo-beaches in the east of port city of Berbera demonstrate the highest level of titaniferous heavy minerals with most samples showing concentration greater than 50 wt %. The titanium detected in geochemical analysis occurs in the form of ilmenite, rutile, titanite and titaniferous magnetite. Also, present in minor or trace amounts, are garnet, zircon and monazite. Heavy mineral accumulations in the east and west of Berbera have different mineralogical assemblages. The east of Berbera is dominated by quartz with moderate concentration of plagioclase, K-feldspar, magnetite, hematite and titanium bearing minerals, whereas in the west of Berbera, the dominant minerals are quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase with variable proportions of ilmenite, rutile, mica, amphibole and pyroxene. These variations in mineral assemblages suggest different composition of the catchment areas that supply sediment to these deposits. The catchment area in the east of Berbera consists mainly of Proterozoic crystalline basement of the Qabri Bahar complex, Gabbro-Synenite belt and granitic intrusions that outcrop in Hudiso, Tulo Dibijo and surrounding areas. The primary sources of heavy minerals in the west of Berbera comprise of high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Mora and Qabri Bahar complexes as well as the Miocene volcanics that outcrop in Laferug and Hagabo areas. The heavy mineral sand deposits observed along the Somaliland coast have the potential to provide commercially important heavy minerals, in particular ilmenite. It appears that prospects for development of the heavy mineral sands in the east of Berbera are better than those to the west of Berbera. In general, east of Berbera has wider beaches, better heavy mineral sands in the upper horizons and dune areas with heavier mineral sands. Furthermore, a series of raised paleo-beaches with high concentrations of heavy mineral sands are observed 1-2 km behind the shoreline. However, further investigation, including drilling and laboratory analyses, still needs to be carried out, particularly close to the entrance of Waaheen and Biyo Gure ephemeral rivers to evaluate the potential quality and scale of the deposits.

The application of microtextural and heavy mineral analysis to discriminate between storm and tsunami deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Costa, Pedro J.M.; Gelfenbaum, Guy R.; Dawson, Sue; La selle, Seanpaul; Milne, F; Cascalho, J.; Ponte Lira, C.; Andrade, C.; Freitas, M. C.; Jaffe, Bruce E.

2017-01-01

Recent work has applied microtextural and heavy mineral analyses to sandy storm and tsunami deposits from Portugal, Scotland, Indonesia and the USA. We looked at the interpretation of microtextural imagery (scanning electron microscopy) of quartz grains and heavy mineral compositions. We consider inundation events of different chronologies and sources (the AD 1755 Lisbon and 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis, the Great Storm of 11 January 2005 in Scotland, and Hurricane Sandy in 2012) that affected contrasting coastal and hinterland settings with different regional oceanographic conditions. Storm and tsunami deposits were examined along with potential source sediments (alluvial, beach, dune and nearshore sediments) to determine provenance.Results suggest that tsunami deposits typically exhibit a significant spatial variation in grain sizes, microtextures and heavy minerals. Storm deposits show less variability, especially in vertical profiles. Tsunami and storm quartz grains had more percussion marks and fresh surfaces compared to potential source material. Moreover, in the studied cases, tsunami samples had fewer fresh surfaces than storm deposits.Heavy mineral assemblages are typically site-specific. The concentration of heavy minerals decreases upwards in tsunamigenic units, whereas storm sediments show cyclic concentrations of heavy minerals, reflected in the laminations observed macroscopically in the deposits.

Selected Geochemical Data for Modeling Near-Surface Processes in Mineral Systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giles, Stuart A.; Granitto, Matthew; Eppinger, Robert G.

2009-01-01

The database herein was initiated, designed, and populated to collect and integrate geochemical, geologic, and mineral deposit data in an organized manner to facilitate geoenvironmental mineral deposit modeling. The Microsoft Access database contains data on a variety of mineral deposit types that have variable environmental effects when exposed at the ground surface by mining or natural processes. The data tables describe quantitative and qualitative geochemical analyses determined by 134 analytical laboratory and field methods for over 11,000 heavy-mineral concentrate, rock, sediment, soil, vegetation, and water samples. The database also provides geographic information on geology, climate, ecoregion, and site contamination levels for over 3,000 field sites in North America.

Studies Concerning the Accumulation of Minerals and Heavy Metals in Fruiting Bodies of Wild Mushrooms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stihi, Claudia; Radulescu, Cristiana; Gheboianu, Anca

2011-10-03

The minerals and heavy metals play an important role in the metabolic processes, during the growth and development of mushrooms, when they are available in appreciable concentration. In this work the concentrations of Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd and Pb were analyzed using the Flame Atomic Absorption spectrometry (FAAS) together with Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) in 3 wild mushrooms species and their growing substrate, collected from various forestry fields in Dambovita County, Romania. The analyzed mushrooms were: Amanita phalloides, Amanita rubescens and Armillariella mellea. The accumulation coefficients were calculated to assess the mobility of mineralsmore » and heavy metals from substrate to mushrooms [1].« less

Titanium mineral resources in heavy-mineral sands in the Atlantic coastal plain of the southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Ellefsen, Karl J.

2018-04-16

This study examined titanium distribution in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States; the titanium is found in heavy-mineral sands that include the minerals ilmenite (Fe2+TiO3), rutile (TiO2), or leucoxene (an alteration product of ilmenite). Deposits of heavy-mineral sands in ancient and modern coastal plains are a significant feedstock source for the titanium dioxide pigments industry. Currently, two heavy-mineral sands mining and processing operations are active in the southeast United States producing concentrates of ilmenite-leucoxene, rutile, and zircon. The results of this study indicate the potential for similar deposits in many areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.This study used the titanium analyses of 3,457 stream sediment samples that were analyzed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Geochemical Survey program. This data set was analyzed by an integrated spatial modeling technique known as Bayesian hierarchical modeling to map the regional-scale, spatial distribution of titanium concentrations. In particular, clusters of anomalous concentrations of titanium occur: (1) along the Fall Zone, from Virginia to Alabama, where metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Piedmont region contact younger sediments of the Coastal Plain; (2) a paleovalley near the South Carolina and North Carolina border; (3) the upper and middle Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina; (4) the majority of the Atlantic Coastal Plain of Virginia; and (5) barrier islands and stretches of the modern shoreline from South Carolina to northeast Florida. The areas mapped by this study could help mining companies delimit areas for exploration.

Application of total-count aeroradiometric maps to the exploration for heavy-mineral deposits in the coastal plain of Virginia, with a section on field-spectrometer-data reduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grosz, A.E.; Kosanke, Kenneth L.

1983-01-01

Total-count contoured aeroradiometric maps for the Coastal Plain of Virginia were used in an effort to locate economic heavy-mineral placer deposits. The principle behind this approach is that heavy- mineral suites commonly contain radioactive minerals that, if the concentration of heavy minerals is exposed at or within inches of the surface, enable the deposit to be located by use of airborne instruments because of its radiometric contrast with the host sediment. Detailed and regional geologic maps, soil maps, land-use and land- cover maps, information on fertilizer use, and ground-spectrometer data were used to study aeroradiometric anomalies for efficient exploration. Aeroradiometric anomalies in the Coastal Plain of Virginia have three general causes. First, the most intense anomalies are associated with cultural features, such as roads made of granitic material. Second, most anomalies of high to intermediate intensity are associated with land used for agricultural purposes and evidently are caused by applications of radioactive fertilizer. Third, anomalies of intermediate to low intensity are associated with heavy-mineral deposits. Results of this study show that aeroradiometric anomalies associated with heavy-mineral accumulations in the Coastal Plain of Virginia have ground radiometric spectra in which thorium is the strongest component and uranium and potassium are lesser components. Heavy-mineral accumulations found in this study by use of the aeroradiometric data are not considered to be of economic importance, mostly because of the low percentage of economic minerals in the heavy-mineral suites and also because of other factors such as the very fine grained nature of the host sediments and competing land use.

Kinetic vaporization of heavy metals during fluidized bed thermal treatment of municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Yu, Jie; Sun, Lushi; Xiang, Jun; Hu, Song; Su, Sheng

2013-02-01

Heavy metals volatilization during thermal treatment of model solid waste was theoretically and experimentally investigated in a fluidized bed reactor. Lead, cadmium, zinc and copper, the most four conventional heavy metals were investigated. Particle temperature model and metal diffusion model were established to simulate the volatilization of CdCl(2) evaporation and investigate the possible influencing factors. The diffusion coefficient, porosity and particle size had significant effects on metal volatilization. The higher diffusion coefficient and porosity resulted in the higher metal evaporation. The influence of redox conditions, HCl, water and mineral matrice were also investigated experimentally. The metal volatilization can be promoted by the injection of HCl, while oxygen played a negative role. The diffusion process of heavy metals within particles also had a significant influence on kinetics of their vaporization. The interaction between heavy metals and mineral matter can decrease metal evaporation amount by forming stable metallic species. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of heavy rare earth mineralization in South China

PubMed Central

Xu, Cheng; Kynický, Jindřich; Smith, Martin P.; Kopriva, Antonin; Brtnický, Martin; Urubek, Tomas; Yang, Yueheng; Zhao, Zheng; He, Chen; Song, Wenlei

2017-01-01

Heavy rare earth elements (HREE) are dominantly mined from the weathering crusts of granites in South China. Although weathering processes occur globally, no economic HREE resources of this type have yet been found outside China. Here, we report the occurrence of unidentified REE minerals in the granites from South Chinese deposits. They contain high levels of both HREE and light REE, but are strongly depleted in Ce, implying high oxidation state. These REE minerals show higher initial Nd isotope than primary REE-rich minerals (ɛNd(t)=0.9±0.8 versus −11.5±0.5). The mineralized weathering crusts inherited REE signature of the granites, but show more Ce depletion and more overall concentration of the REE. We propose, therefore, that highly oxidized, REE-rich fluids, derived from external, isotopically depleted sources, metasomatized the granites, which resulted in Ce depletion as Ce4+ and enrichment of the remaining REE, especially the HREE, contributing to formation of a globally important REE resource. PMID:28220784

Soil Organic Carbon and Its interaction with Minerals in Two Hillslopes with Different Climates and Erosion Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Yoo, K.; Wackett, A. A.; Gutknecht, J.; Amundson, R.; Heimsath, A. M.

2017-12-01

Climate and topography have been widely recognized as important factors regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics but their interactive effects on SOC storage and its pools remain poorly constrained. Here we aimed to evaluate SOC storages and carbon-mineral interactions along two hillslope transects with moderately different climates (MAP: 549 mm vs. 816 mm) in Southeastern Australia. We sampled soil along the convex (eroding)-to-convergent (depositional) continuum at each hillslope transect and conducted size and density fractionation of these samples. In responses to the difference in climate factor, SOC inventories of eroding soils were twice as large at the wetter site compared with the drier site but showed little difference between two sites in depositional soils. These trends in SOC inventories were primarily controlled by SOC concentrations and secondarily by soil thicknesses. Similar patterns were observed for mineral associated organic carbon (MOC), and the abundances of MOC were controlled by the two independently operating processes affecting MOC concentration and fine-heavy fraction minerals. The contents and species of secondary clay and iron oxide minerals, abundances of particulate organic carbon, and bioturbation affected MOC concentrations. In contrast, the abundances of fine-heavy fraction minerals were impacted by erosion mechanisms that uniquely responded to regional- and micro- climate conditions. Consequently, topographic influences on SOC inventories and carbon-mineral interactions were more strongly pronounced in the drier climate where vegetation and erosion mechanisms were sensitive to microclimate. Our results highlight the significance of understanding topography and erosional processes in capturing climatic effects on soil carbon dynamics.

Role of light and heavy minerals on natural radioactivity level of high background radiation area, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Ramasamy, V; Sundarrajan, M; Suresh, G; Paramasivam, K; Meenakshisundaram, V

2014-02-01

Natural radionuclides ((238)U, (232)Th and (40)K) concentrations and eight different radiological parameters have been analyzed for the beach sediments of Kerala with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazards. Activity concentrations ((238)U and (232)Th) and all the radiological parameters in most of the sites have higher values than recommended values. The Kerala beach sediments pose significant radiological threat to the people living in the area and tourists going to the beaches for recreation or to the sailors and fishermen involved in their activities in the study area. In order to know the light mineral characterization of the present sediments, mineralogical analysis has been carried out using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic technique. The eight different minerals are identified and they are characterized. Among the various observed minerals, the minerals such as quartz, microcline feldspar, kaolinite and calcite are major minerals. The relative distribution of major minerals is determined by calculating extinction co-efficient and the values show that the amount of quartz is higher than calcite and much higher than microcline feldspar. Crystallinity index is calculated to know the crystalline nature of quartz present in the sediments. Heavy mineral separation analysis has been carried out to know the total heavy mineral (THM) percentage. This analysis revealed the presence of nine heavy minerals. The minerals such as monazite, zircon, magnetite and illmenite are predominant. Due to the rapid and extreme changes occur in highly dynamic environments of sandy beaches, quantities of major light and heavy minerals are widely varied from site to site. Granulometric analysis shows that the sand is major content. Multivariate statistical (Pearson correlation, cluster and factor) analysis has been carried out to know the effect of mineralogy on radionuclide concentrations. The present study concluded that heavy minerals induce the (238)U and (232)Th concentrations. Whereas, light mineral (calcite) controls the (40)K concentration. In addition to the heavy minerals, clay content also induces the important radioactive variables. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of relative sea-level variations on the genesis of palaeoplacers, the examples of Sarrabus (Sardinia, Italy) and the Armorican Massif (western France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pistis, Marco; Loi, Alfredo; Dabard, Marie-Pierre

2016-02-01

The aim of this work is to analyse the role of allocyclic processes in the genesis of marine Ordovician palaeoplacers laid down on a terrigenous shelf dominated by storm waves. Sedimentological (facies, sequence stratigraphy) and petrographic analyses combined with natural radioactivity measurement (gamma ray) are carried out. Two facies containing heavy minerals are identified: a shoreface facies and a proximal upper offshore facies. Heavy minerals (mainly titaniferous minerals, zircon and monazite) are concentrated in laminae that can amalgamate to form placers that are several decimetres thick. Their occurrence is highlighted by an increase in the total radioactivity (up to 140,000 cpm) and in the U and Th contents (up to 130 ppm and 800 ppm, respectively). The palaeoplacers are the result of a combination of autocyclic and allocyclic factors. In the stratigraphic record, the palaeoplacers are located in the retrogradation phases and express condensation processes in the nearshore environments.

A Weighty Subject: Exploration for Heavy Minerals Across the State of Mississippi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gifford, J.; Woolsey, A. I.; Yarbrough, L. D.; Platt, B. F.; Widanagamage, I. H.; Easson, G. L.

2017-12-01

Preliminary analysis has shown that an array of industrial minerals is known to occur in offshore deposits on the Gulf Coast as well as on-shore deposits in the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene-Neogene clastic units, such as the Meridian Sand Member of the Eocene Tallahatta Formation in northeastern Mississippi. Furthermore, economic deposits occur within Holocene sediments along the Pearl and Pascagoula Rivers as well as along the modern Gulf of Mexico shoreline. These industrial minerals include suites of heavy minerals (specific gravity ≥2.97) that contain oxides of titanium (ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene), oxides of zirconium (zircon), and the complex rare-earth-bearing phosphates (monazite and xenotime). These oxides are essential constituents of a wide-range of industrial materials critical to common technologies and the bulk of these mineral commodities are presently dependent on foreign supply. Current offshore deposits have been shown to be economic but are likely no longer accessible given their location within the Gulf Islands National Seashore. This comprehensive study is developing a heavy mineral occurrence dataset for the state of Mississippi including detailed analyses of the industrial mineral resources available within the state. More than 100 samples have been collected across the state from active and non-operating sand pit mining locations. The heavy mineral fraction of each sample was separated using lithium heteropolytungstates (LST) and gravity-based separation techniques. A grain mount for each sample was prepared with the heavy mineral fraction and the percentage values for each heavy mineral species were obtained from 200 grain counts per sample grain mount. Typical heavy mineral fraction for the sample set was approximately 0.9 % with an array from 0.0% to some samples ranging to a greater concentration of 7.5%. The resulting dataset will be further analyzed for geospatial similarities in trends and occurrences. Additional data collection is needed to confirm if heavy mineral enrichment is related to specific geomorphologic features, depositional features, or a combination of weathering specific source material at particular times in the geologic record.

Elevated radionuclide concentrations in heavy mineral-rich beach sands in the Cox's Bazar region, Bangladesh and related possible radiological effects.

PubMed

Zaman, Mashrur; Schubert, Michael; Antao, Sytle

2012-01-01

The study focuses on elevated levels of environmental radioactivity present in heavy mineral deposits located along a 120-km coastal section of Cox's Bazar on the eastern panhandle of Bangladesh. The deposits are situated in or at sand dunes located on the recent beach (foredune area) or in attached paleo-beach areas (backdune area). This study investigates activity concentrations in bulk beach sands (six representative samples) and in five mineral fractions separated from the beach sands in order to assess potential radio-ecological effects and the possible use of the mineral deposits as a source for uranium and thorium. The bulk beach sands and individual mineral fractions were analysed by gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of U-238, U-235, Th-232 and K-40 in the bulk beach sand samples were found to be considerably high and positively correlated to the concentration of heavy minerals in the sand. In the mineral fractions, the highest activity concentrations were found in the zircon fraction followed by garnet, rutile, ilmenite and magnetite. The determination of (i) the radium activity, (ii) several radiation hazard indices and (iii) adsorbed and effective gamma doses allowed to assess the related exposure of the environment and the local population to elevated radioactivity. It becomes evident from the present data that (1) if raw sands or mineral fractions mined in the study area are used for building purposes or industrial use, their activity concentrations have to be considered from a radio-ecological perspective and (2) if mining and processing of the minerals is being considered, uranium and thorium may become strategically significant by-products.

Heavy metals concentrations in scalp hairs of ASGM miners and inhabitants of the Gorontalo Utara regency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indriati Arifin, Yayu; Sakakibara, Masayuki; Sera, Koichiro

2017-06-01

We performed the Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis on scalp hair samples of 115 ASGM miners and inhabitants of Gorontalo Utara regency. Along with mercury (Hg), we presented other trace elements such as Copper (Cu) and Manganese (Mn). Concentrations of Cu, Mn and Hg in the scalp hairs of ASGM miners are higher non miners. Significant and positive correlations coefficients between Cu and Hg concentration with Mn concentration may indicate that there are still unknown metabolism process related with ASGM activities.

Heavy-Mineral Placer Potential Map of the U.S. Continental Shelf, Western and Northern Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shideler, Gerald L.

1988-01-01

The establishment of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 1983 by Presidential Proclamation opened for natural resource exploration a vast offshore frontier area contiguous to the United States and its territories. The EEZ extends from the seaward limit of state waters (3 nautical mi from shore) to 200 nautical mi offshore, and it includes the continental shelves. Within the context of the EEZ natural resource assessment effort, the purpose of this study is to delineate, on a regional basis, the potential for heavy-mineral placers on the U.S. Continental Shelf in the western and northern Gulf of Mexico from the United States-Mexico border to the Alabama-Florida state line. This map is intended to serve as a general guide for placer exploration. It shows favorable sea-floor areas for placer occurrence in water depths ranging from 0 to 100 fathoms (600 ft). The map can be used as a guide for focusing costly exploratory efforts, such as coring operations and geophysical surveys. The potential economic value of heavy-mineral placer concentrations on the U.S. Continental Shelf is a function of both geologic and economic variables. Geologic variables include the composition and concentration of the heavy-mineral assemblages and their environment of deposition. Economic variables include the current world market price of extracted metals, as well as the cost of mining, processing, and marketing the metals. These economic factors, in turn, are tempered by the nation1s socio-political climate, which determines its need for specific mineral resources at any given time.

Spatial patterns in heavy-mineral concentrations along the Curonian Spit coast, southeastern Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pupienis, Donatas; Buynevich, Ilya; Ryabchuk, Daria; Jarmalavičius, Darius; Žilinskas, Gintautas; Fedorovič, Julija; Kovaleva, Olga; Sergeev, Alexander; Cichoń-Pupienis, Anna

2017-08-01

The 98-km-long Curonian Spit is fronted by beaches mainly composed of quartz sand with minor high-density fractions. In this study heavy-mineral concentration (HMC) trends and grain-size statistical parameters were used to assess their role as indicators of natural processes, human activities, and patterns of longshore transport. A total of 92 surface sand samples were collected at 1 km intervals from the middle of the beach along the Baltic Sea shoreline of the spit between Klaipėda strait in Lithuania and Zelenogradsk in Russia. HMC contribution was assessed in the laboratory using bulk low-field magnetic susceptibility (MS) as a proxy for ferrimagnetic and paramagnetic mineral content. Quartz-dominated (background) sand is generally characterized by low MS values of κ < 50 μSI, whereas higher values κ > 150 μSI are typical for heavy-mineral-rich sand. The greatest MS values along the middle of the beach occur in the southern part of the spit and are 40 times higher than in the northern sector. This pattern suggests the existence of a longshore particle flux with HMC distribution having the potential as a useful tracer of longshore sediment transport. Local anomalously high MS excursions are associated with contribution of iron-rich materials from adjacent man-made structures. Therefore, temporally constrained HMC distribution along the middle of the beach reflects the cumulative effect of antecedent geologic framework, longshore sediment transfer, erosional and accretionary processes, wave and wind climate, and local coastal protective structures.

Binding of heavy metal ions in aggregates of microbial cells, EPS and biogenic iron minerals measured in-situ using metal- and glycoconjugates-specific fluorophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Likai; Guo, Yuan; Byrne, James M.; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Schmid, Gregor; Ingino, Pablo; Li, Jianli; Neu, Thomas R.; Swanner, Elizabeth D.; Kappler, Andreas; Obst, Martin

2016-05-01

Aggregates consisting of bacterial cells, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and Fe(III) minerals formed by Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria are common at bulk or microscale chemical interfaces where Fe cycling occurs. The high sorption capacity and binding capacity of cells, EPS, and minerals controls the mobility and fate of heavy metals. However, it remains unclear to which of these component(s) the metals will bind in complex aggregates. To clarify this question, the present study focuses on 3D mapping of heavy metals sorbed to cells, glycoconjugates that comprise the majority of EPS constituents, and Fe(III) mineral aggregates formed by the phototrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria Rhodobacter ferrooxidans SW2 using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in combination with metal- and glycoconjugates-specific fluorophores. The present study evaluated the influence of glycoconjugates, microbial cell surfaces, and (biogenic) Fe(III) minerals, and the availability of ferrous and ferric iron on heavy metal sorption. Analyses in this study provide detailed knowledge on the spatial distribution of metal ions in the aggregates at the sub-μm scale, which is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of microbe-mineral-metal interactions. The heavy metals (Au3+, Cd2+, Cr3+, CrO42-, Cu2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Pd2+, tributyltin (TBT) and Zn2+) were found mainly sorbed to cell surfaces, present within the glycoconjugates matrix, and bound to the mineral surfaces, but not incorporated into the biogenic Fe(III) minerals. Statistical analysis revealed that all ten heavy metals tested showed relatively similar sorption behavior that was affected by the presence of sorbed ferrous and ferric iron. Results in this study showed that in addition to the mineral surfaces, both bacterial cell surfaces and the glycoconjugates provided most of sorption sites for heavy metals. Simultaneously, ferrous and ferric iron ions competed with the heavy metals for sorption sites on the organic compounds. In summary, the information obtained by the present approach using a microbial model system provides important information to better understand the interactions between heavy metals and biofilms, and microbially formed Fe(III) minerals and heavy metals in complex natural environments.

Nb sbnd Th sbnd Zr mineralization in microgranite—microsyenite at Jabal Tawlah, Midyan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drysdall, Alan R.; Douch, Colin J.

A composite sill of mineralized and highly radioactive microgranite—microsyenite caps Jabal Tawlah, a low ridge in the extreme NW of the Arabian Shield. The leucocratic composition, distribution of quartz and low K 2O:Na 2O ratios indicate that deuteric processes, including separation of a silica-rich phase and albitization, played a major role. Mineralization is in the form of a disseminated enrichment in Nb, Ta, Sn, Th, Y, heavy REE and Zr. Four Y- and heavy REE-bearing minerals, gagarinite [NaCaY(F,Cl) 6], fergusonite [(Y,Er,Ce,Fe)(Nb,Ta,Ti)O 4], xenotime and yttrian fluorite, as well as zircon, columbite, thorite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, ilmenite, hematite, limonite, magnetite, goethite, siderite, possible chrysocolla and an MnO-bearing mineral have been identified. The geochemical signature of the mineralization is similar to that which distinguishes alkali granites from other granitic rocks. Jabal az Zuhd, a major plutonic complex consisting largely of alkali granite, crops out only 5 km NW of Jabal Tawlah. However, there is no other evidence of possible derivation from a parental alkali granite magma. Reserves indicated by outcrop dimensions and three drill-hole intersections are 6.4 million tonnes to an average depth of 65 m below wadi level, grading 0.34% Nb, 0.52% Y, 0.47% Zn and approximately 4% zircon (plus 175 ppm Ta, 380 ppm Sn, 700 ppm Th and heavy REE).

ECONOMICS AND THE SEARCH FOR OFFSHORE HEAVY MINERAL DEPOSITS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; DeYoung, J.H.

1987-01-01

This paper examines the relative importance, in terms of a deposit's commercial status, of physical characteristics of onshore titanium-bearing heavy-mineral placer deposits, and applies these findings to the search for and evaluation of offshore deposits. Results obtained by applying statistical discriminant analysis show that the characteristics most useful for predicting a deposit's commercial status are the grades of the constituent titanium minerals and the size of the deposit. Heavy-mineral grade or even the combined grades of all titanium-bearing minerals (without information and constituent mineral grades) are inferior predictors of a deposit's commercial status. When data from homogeneous regions are analyzed separately, the ability to accurately predict the deposit's commerical status improves.

Protein-assisted synthesis of double-shelled CaCO3 microcapsules and their mineralization with heavy metal ions.

PubMed

Li, Xuan Qi; Feng, Zhiwei; Xia, Yinyan; Zeng, Hua Chun

2012-02-13

Calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) is one of the most abundant and important biominerals in nature. Due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and nontoxicity, CaCO(3) has been investigated extensively in recent years for various fundamental properties and technological applications. Inspired by basic wall structures of cells, we report a protein-assisted approach to synthesize CaCO(3) into a double-shelled structural configuration. Due to varying reactivities of outer and inner shells, the CaCO(3) microcapsules exhibit different sorption capacities and various resultant structures toward different kinds of heavy metal ions, analogical to biologically controlled mineralization (BCM) processes. Surprisingly, three mineralization modes resembling those found in BCM were found with these bacterium-like "CaCO(3) cells". Our investigation of the cytotoxicity (MTT assay protocol) also indicates that the CaCO(3) microcapsules have almost no cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells, and they might be useful for future application of detoxifying heavy metal ions after further study. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Taking nature into lab: biomineralization by heavy metal resistant streptomycetes in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schütze, E.; Weist, A.; Klose, M.; Wach, T.; Schumann, M.; Nietzsche, S.; Merten, D.; Baumert, J.; Majzlan, J.; Kothe, E.

2013-02-01

Biomineralization by heavy metal resistant streptomycetes was tested to evaluate the potential influence on metal mobilities in soil. Thus, we designed an experiment adopting conditions from classical laboratory methods to natural conditions prevailing in metal-rich soils with media spiked with heavy metals, soil agar, and nutrient enriched or unamended soil incubated with the bacteria. As a result, all strains were able to form struvite minerals on tryptic soy broth (TSB) media supplemented with AlCl2, MnCl2 and CuSO4, as well as on soil agar. Some strains additionally formed struvite on nutrient enriched contaminated and control soil, as well as on metal contaminated soil without addition of media components. In contrast, switzerite was exclusively formed on minimal media spiked with MnCl2 by four heavy metal resistant strains, and on nutrient enriched control soil by one strain. Hydrated nickel hydrogen phosphate was only crystallized on complex media supplemented with NiSO4 by most strains. Thus, mineralization is a~dominant property of streptomycetes, with different processes likely to occur under laboratory conditions and sub-natural to natural conditions. This new understanding may be transferred to formation of minerals in rock and sediment evolution, to ore deposit formation, and also might have implications for our understanding of biological metal resistance mechanisms. We assume that biogeochemical cycles, nutrient storage and metal resistance might be affected by formation and re-solubilization of minerals like struvite in soil at microscale.

Evidence of Mineral Dust Altering Cloud Microphysics and Precipitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, Qilong; Li, Rui; Lin, Bing; Joseph, Everette; Wang, Shuyu; Hu, Yongxiang; Morris, Vernon; Chang, F.

2008-01-01

Multi-platform and multi-sensor observations are employed to investigate the impact of mineral dust on cloud microphysical and precipitation processes in mesoscale convective systems. It is clearly evident that for a given convection strength,small hydrometeors were more prevalent in the stratiform rain regions with dust than in those regions that were dust free. Evidence of abundant cloud ice particles in the dust sector, particularly at altitudes where heterogeneous nucleation process of mineral dust prevails, further supports the observed changes of precipitation. The consequences of the microphysical effects of the dust aerosols were to shift the precipitation size spectrum from heavy precipitation to light precipitation and ultimately suppressing precipitation.

Levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with autism in Oman: a case-control study.

PubMed

Al-Farsi, Yahya M; Waly, Mostafa I; Al-Sharbati, Marwan M; Al-Shafaee, Mohammed A; Al-Farsi, Omar A; Al-Khaduri, Maha M; Gupta, Ishita; Ouhtit, Allal; Al-Adawi, Samir; Al-Said, Mona F; Deth, Richard C

2013-02-01

Toxic levels of heavy metals and low levels of essential minerals have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study documents the levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with ASD in Muscat, the urbanized capital of Oman, Muscat. The study included 27 children with ASD and 27 matched non-ASD controls. Parental interviews were held and dietary intake questionnaires completed in conjunction with the collection of hair samples. Analysis of heavy metals and essential minerals was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Chi-square analysis and non-parametric Fisher's exact tests were used to assess statistical significance. Children with ASD had significantly higher levels of all 11 analyzed heavy metals in their hair samples (P < 0.05), ranging from 150 to 365 % of control levels. ASD children also had significantly higher levels of essential minerals sulfur, sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron, but lower levels of calcium and copper in their hair samples. This study corroborates data from previous studies in different parts of the world indicating the presence of elevated levels of heavy metals and selective depletion of essential minerals in the hair of children with ASD.

Znaczenie analizy minerałów ciężkich w badaniach osadów czwartorzędowych Polski

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racinowski, Roman

2008-01-01

In most regions of Poland the composition of heavy minerals assemblage permits to distinguish the Quaternary deposits from the older ones. The pre-Quaternary deposits are characterized by high content of glauconite, carbonate-ferruginous-manganese concretions, muscovite and chlorites. In their transparent heavy minerals spectrum the following minerals predominate: zircon, tourmaline, rutile, staurolite, disthene. However, the Tertiary deposits in the Carpathians and their foreland contain a significant amount of garnet, and sometimes also amphiboles, pyroxenes and biotite. Pyroxenes and sillimanite are found in the Sudetes foreland. In many Tertiary deposits of the northwestern and western Poland there are rather high contents of amphiboles, biotite, pyroxenes, garnets, rutile. In all Quaternary deposits in Poland the qualitative composition of heavy minerals assemblage is similar but the contents of particular minerals are different depending on the examined grain fraction. In tills (Table 1) and glaciofluvial deposits (Table 2), with the decreasing grain diameter the contents of zircon, rutile, and partly epidote increase, and those of amphiboles and garnets decrease. In rubble of coastal zone in the Polish Baltic Sea, with the decreasing grain diameter the contents of zircon, rutile and epidote increase, and those of amphibole, biotite and pyroxenes decrease (Tables 3-7). In Poland, glacial, glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits are characterized by quantitatively similar composition of heavy minerals assemblage. Amphiboles, biotite, epidotes, garnets and pyroxenes are typical transparent minerals (Tables 8 and 9). Young Pleistocene and Holocene sands of river terraces and dune fields in the upland zone of Poland differ from glacial deposits in low contents of amphiboles, biotite and pyroxenes, and higher contents of garnets and epidotes (Tables 8 and 9). Fossil river and lacustrine deposits of Polish Lowlands have very similar assemblage of heavy minerals to that found in glacial deposits. Both glacial and glaciofluvial deposits have similar composition of heavy minerals assemblage irrespective of their age (Tables 10, 11 and 12). This principle concerns also loesses (Table 13a, b) but the youngest ones are characterized by higher contents of amphiboles and epidotes. The composition of heavy minerals assemblage is useful for determining the source of material forming the Quaternary deposits. In the case of glacial deposits, the enrichment in glauconite, chlorites, and even zircon, rutile, tourmaline, staurolite indicates that material from local older substratum was supplied to the Quaternary deposits. Heavy minerals spectrum of non-glacial deposits can directly indicate the source material that formed a deposit. Conversely, it is difficult to draw the conclusions about fossil and modern weathering-soil horizons in loesses from the composition of heavy minerals assemblage (Tables 14 and 15). The results of heavy minerals analysis are useful for lithodynamic and lithofacial interpretation of flowing water environments, e.g. river (Table 16), glaciofluvial (Table 17) and sea coastal (Table 18).

Provenance of sands from the confluence of the Amazon and Madeira rivers based on detrital heavy minerals and luminescence of quartz and feldspar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

do Nascimento, Daniel R.; Sawakuchi, André O.; Guedes, Carlos C. F.; Giannini, Paulo C. F.; Grohmann, Carlos H.; Ferreira, Manuela P.

2015-03-01

Source-to-sink systems are poorly known in tropical rivers. For the Amazonian rivers, the majority of the provenance studies remain focused on the suspended load, implying a poor understanding of the processes governing production and distribution of sands. In this study, we perform heavy mineral and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analysis to cover the entire spectrum (heavy and light minerals fraction) of 29 sand samples of the Lower Madeira river region (Amazon and Madeira rivers), of which the main goal was to find provenance indicators specific to these rivers. Despite the tropical humid climate, the sands of the Amazon and Lower Madeira rivers are rich in unstable heavy minerals as augite, hypersthene, green hornblende and andalusite. The Madeira river is highlighted by its higher content of andalusite, with source attributed to the Amazon Craton (medium-to-high grade metamorphic rocks), while the Amazon river, upstream of the Madeira river mouth, has a signature of augite and hypersthene, that suggests an Andean provenance (volcanic rocks). Sands from the Madeira river can be tracked in the Amazon river by the increasing concentration in andalusite. OSL analysis of the light minerals fraction was used as an index of feldspar concentration and sedimentary history of quartz grains. Lower feldspar concentration and quartz grains with longer sedimentary history (higher OSL sensitivity) also point to a major contribution of cratonic sources for the sands in the Madeira river. While the sands from the Lower Madeira would be mainly supplied by cratonic rocks, previous work recognised that suspended sediments (silt and clay) are derived from Andean rocks. Therefore, we interpret a decoupling between the sources of sand and mud (silt and clay) under transport in the Madeira river. Andean sands (rich in augite and hypersthene) would be trapped in the foreland zones of the Beni and Mamoré tributaries. In the Amazon river sands, the low OSL sensitivity of the quartz, higher content of feldspar and unstable heavy mineral assemblage dominated by augite and hypersthene suggest both a fast transport from Andean sources with fine sediment bypass over foreland areas.

Adsorption and redox reactions of heavy metals on synthesized Mn oxide minerals.

PubMed

Feng, Xiong Han; Zhai, Li Mei; Tan, Wen Feng; Liu, Fan; He, Ji Zheng

2007-05-01

Several Mn oxide minerals commonly occurring in soils were synthesized by modified or optimized methods. The morphologies, structures, compositions and surface properties of the synthesized Mn oxide minerals were characterized. Adsorption and redox reactions of heavy metals on these minerals in relation to the mineral structures and surface properties were also investigated. The synthesized birnessite, todorokite, cryptomelane, and hausmannite were single-phased minerals and had the typical morphologies from analyses of XRD and TEM/ED. The PZCs of the synthesized birnessite, todorokite and cryptomelane were 1.75, 3.50 and 2.10, respectively. The magnitude order of their surface variable negative charge was: birnessite> or =cryptomelane>todorokite. The hausmannite had a much higher PZC than others with the least surface variable negative charge. Birnessite exhibited the largest adsorption capacity on heavy metals Pb(2+), Cu(2+), Co(2+), Cd(2+) and Zn(2+), while hausmannite the smallest one. Birnessite, cryptomelane and todorokite showed the greatest adsorption capacity on Pb(2+) among the tested heavy metals. Hydration tendency (pK(1)) of the heavy metals and the surface variable charge of the Mn minerals had significant impacts on the adsorption. The ability in Cr(III) oxidation and concomitant release of Mn(2+) varied greatly depending on the structure, composition, surface properties and crystallinity of the minerals. The maximum amounts of Cr(III) oxidized by the Mn oxide minerals in order were (mmol/kg): birnessite (1330.0)>cryptomelane (422.6)>todorokite (59.7)>hausmannite (36.6).

IMMOBILIZATION OF HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND WATER BY A MANGANESE MINERAL

EPA Science Inventory

A synthesized Mn mineral used in study on adsorption of heavy metals from water has shown a great adsorption capability for Pb, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni and Zn on this mineral over a pH range from 2 to 8. The retention of Pb on this mineral was as high as 10% of its weight. Application of ...

NONFUEL MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PACIFIC EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clague, David; Bischoff, James; Howell, David

1984-01-01

The Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone contains a variety of hard mineral resources. Sand and gravel and their associated placer deposits of heavy minerals are the most likely to be developed in the near future, but offshore and deep water deposits of phosphorite, abyssal manganese nodules, ferromanganese crusts enriched in cobalt, and massive sulfide deposits all represent future resources. The distribution, extent, and formation of these deposits are poorly understood and will be clarified only with additional exploration, framework geologic mapping, and study of the processes by which these resources form. It is pointed out that the initial discovery of most hard-mineral resources in the EEZ was made during routine scientific marine-geologic surveys aimed at understanding the framework geology and geologic processes of an offshore region.

LA-ICP-MS as Tool for Provenance Analyses in Arctic Marine Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildau, Antje; Garbe-Schönberg, Dieter

2015-04-01

The hydraulic transport of sediments is a major geological process in terrestrial and marine systems and is responsible for the loss, redistribution and accumulation of minerals. Provenance analyses are a powerful tool for assessing the origin and dispersion of material in ancient and modern fluvial and marine sediments. Provenance-specific heavy minerals (e.g., zircon, rutile, tourmaline) can therefore be used to provide valuable information on the formation of ore deposits (placer deposits), and the reconstruction of paleogeography, hydrology, climate conditions and developments. The application of provenances analyses for the latter reason is of specific interest, since there is need for research on the progressing climate change, and heavy minerals represent good proxies for the evaluation of recent and past changes in the climate. The study of these fine particles provides information about potential regional or long distance transport paths, glacial / ice drift and current flows, freezing and melting events as well as depositional centers for the released sediments. Classic methods applied for provenance analyses are mapping of the presence / absence of diagnostic minerals, their grain size distribution, modal mineralogy and the analysis of variations in ratio of two or more heavy minerals. Electron microprobe has been established to discover changes in mineral chemistry of individual mineral phases, which can indicate fluctuations or differences in the provenance. All these methods bear the potential of high errors that lower the validity of the provenance analyses. These are for example the misclassification of mineral species due to undistinguishable optical properties or the limitations in the detection / variations of trace elements using the election microprobe. For this case study, marine sediments from the Arctic Ocean have been selected to test if LA-ICP-MS can be established as a key technique for precise and reliable provenance analyses. The Laptev Sea is known to be a "sea ice formation factory" and represents a perfect source area with numerous sediment loaded rivers draining into the Arctic Ocean. Mineral grains become trapped in the sea ice, which is transported to the Fram Strait, the outflow area of the Transpolar Drift System. Thus, minerals in the Fram Strait and in the Laptev Sea should have the same provenance. In both areas zircon, garnet, ilmenite, magnetite, tourmaline, pyroxene and amphibole were identified (amongst others). The vast majority of potential source areas and the widespread occurrence of these accessory and rock forming minerals result in the absolute need for a highly sensitive and precise method such as LA-ICP-MS. We report new data on the eligibility of selected heavy minerals for provenance analyses in the Arctic Ocean. Based on the individual trace element composition, REE-pattern and isotopic ratios, reflecting the conditions during formation, we report individual fingerprints for single mineral species. This enables us to allocate specific minerals from Fram Strait and from Laptev Sea to one provenance. Furthermore we evaluate the eligibility of different heavy minerals as a geochemical proxy in Arctic sediments for provenance analyses using LA-ICP-MS.

Granulometry and mineralogy of some northeastern Florida placers: a consequence of heavy mineral concentration in nearshore bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsner, Harald

1992-03-01

Heavy mineral placer deposits of Pleistocene age in northeastern Florida were examined sedimentologically. Neither general setting, nor granulometric or mineralogic results are in agreement with a concentration of the heavy minerals in a beach, eolian or fluvial environment. Granulometric moment parameters of the ore sands seem to be distinctive. They include moderate sorting, high positive skewness, high kurtosis and a distinctive fine tail. Similarities of grain size curves of the placer sands with nearshore-offshore sands exist. Mineralogically the samples are more variable but always impoverished in epidote. This scarcity of epidote is atypical for eolian sediments in the study area, and the lack of garnet and the fineness of ore sands are uncommon for beach placers of northeast Florida. Underlain by dune ridges, which acted as obstacles on the shallow sea floor during the Penholoway transgression (1.3 ± 0.1 Ma B.P.), heavy minerals in the Boulogne and Green Cove Springs main ore body must have been concentrated in bars by the interplay of longshore and transverse bottom currents. Lighter heavy minerals were deposited in smaller nearshore bars closer to the former coast (Green Cove Springs small ore body) or in dunes of barrier islands (Green Cove Springs western ore body). As is true today, layers of noteworthy concentrations of economic minerals in the swash zone of Florida beaches were formed only rarely during storms, contrary to the coasts of Australia or India, where higher energetic conditions prevail. The proposed model of concentration of heavy minerals in certain outer nearshore bars has long been assumed but never been proven.

Sorptive fractionation of organic matter and formation of organo-hydroxy-aluminum complexes during litter biodegradation in the presence of gibbsite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckman, K.; Grandy, A. S.; Gao, X.; Keiluweit, M.; Wickings, K.; Carpenter, K.; Chorover, J.; Rasmussen, C.

2013-11-01

Solid and aqueous phase Al species are recognized to affect organic matter (OM) stabilization in forest soils. However, little is known about the dynamics of formation, composition and dissolution of organo-Al hydroxide complexes in microbially-active soil systems, where plant litter is subject to microbial decomposition in close proximity to mineral weathering reactions. We incubated gibbsite-quartz mineral mixtures in the presence of forest floor material inoculated with a native microbial consortium for periods of 5, 60 and 154 days. At each time step, samples were density separated into light (<1.6 g cm-3), intermediate (1.6-2.0 g cm-3), and heavy (>2.0 g cm-3) fractions. The light fraction was mainly comprised of particulate organic matter, while the intermediate and heavy density fractions contained moderate and large amounts of Al-minerals, respectively. Multi-method interrogation of the fractions indicated the intermediate and heavy fractions differed both in mineral structure and organic compound composition. X-ray diffraction analysis and SEM/EDS of the mineral component of the intermediate fractions indicated some alteration of the original gibbsite structure into less crystalline Al hydroxide and possibly proto-imogolite species, whereas alteration of the gibbsite structure was not evident in the heavy fraction. DRIFT, Py-GC/MS and STXM/NEXAFS results all showed that intermediate fractions were composed mostly of lignin-derived compounds, phenolics, and polysaccharides. Heavy fraction organics were dominated by polysaccharides, and were enriched in proteins, N-bearing compounds, and lipids. The source of organics appeared to differ between the intermediate and heavy fractions. Heavy fractions were enriched in 13C with lower C/N ratios relative to intermediate fractions, suggesting a microbial origin. The observed differential fractionation of organics among hydroxy-Al mineral types suggests that microbial activity superimposed with abiotic mineral-surface-mediated fractionation leads to strong density differentiation of organo-mineral complex composition even over the short time scales probed in these incubation experiments. The data highlight the strong interdependency of mineral transformation, microbial community activity, and organic matter stabilization during biodegradation.

Diagnostic heavy minerals in Plio-Pleistocene sediments of the Yangtze Coast, China with special reference to the Yangtze River connection into the sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jing; Wang, Zhanghua; Chen, Zhongyuan; Wei, Zixin; Wei, Taoyuan; Wei, Wei

2009-12-01

This present study revealed five heavy mineral zones in the Yangtze coastal borehole sediments. Ilmenite, garnet and zircon suite of Zone I of the Pliocene characterizes the derivation of basaltic bedrock and local andesitic-granitic rocks. Indicative limonite in the Zone I sediments formed as alluvial fan facies shows strong chemical weathering. The assemblage of amphibole, straurolite, kyanite and idocrase of metamorphic derivation, together with a few zircon and tourmaline of andesitic-granitic origin in Zone II, represents the extension of sediment sources to the lower and middle Yangtze basin in Early Pleistocene as the study area subsided. Also, the braided to meandering riverine facies demonstrates a longer distance sediment transport. Few heavy minerals remained in Zone III of Mid-Pleistocene, when mottled thicker stiff mud occurred as the lacustrine facies, suggesting a quasi-coastal floodplain with lower capability of sediment transport. Heavy minerals appeared significant and continuous in Zone IV of Late Pleistocene, when changing to the shallow marine facies, inferring much extended sediment sources to the upper Yangtze. Hypersthene, identified primarily in Zone IV, was closely associated with the Er-Mei Mountain tholeiite basalt of the upper Yangtze. Heavy minerals of Zone V remained almost the same as IV during Holocene, when the modern delta evolved. The heavy minerals suggested the timing of the Yangtze connection to the sea at ca 0.12 Ma BP.

AuScope research infrastructure - supporting Australian mineral discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McInnes, B.; Rawling, T.

2016-12-01

Earth and geospatial scientists are heavy users of data products. When industry geologists access spatial data from the field and the exploration office they require data products that are discoverable, searchable, interoperable and attributed with robust metadata. Over the last decade AuScope has utilised NCRIS funding to provide a variety of data products including geophysical data (reflection and passive seismic, magnetotellurics and gravity), GIS layers from state and national geological survey organisations, hyperspectral core logging (National Virtual Core Library) and time-series geospatial data from GNSS and VLBI instruments - all delivered using AuScope GRID technologies based on the Spatial Information Services Stack (SiSS). Perhaps one of the best examples of collaboration to deliver data products to industry users is the National Mineral Library. Working with researchers at Curtin Universities John de Laeter Centre and ANDS, AuScope has also supported the development of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The project has produced an entirely new workflow, based around a TESCAN TIMA field emission scanning electron microscope, that allows metadata to be collected and recorded from the sample collection and preparation right through to data delivery and publication. This process has facilitated the scanning of a large stockpile of mineral samples from across Western Australia that will produce a state-wide Mineral Library, allowing mineral explorers to better understand the composition of critical rock outcrop samples from all over the state. This new NCRIS supported initiative provides a dataset that underpins both academic and applied research programs and is important for the economic future of Australia. Mining companies do a lot of heavy mineral analysis in research and development but, because there isn't a baseline for mineralogy across each state, it is difficult to have full confidence in the heavy mineral data. This creates an issue for pinpointing where the next major mineral deposits are. Having solid baseline data will help improve targeting, which in turn reduces the costs associated with exploration and supports new discovery.

Nature and distribution of potential heavy-mineral resources offshore of the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grosz, A.E.

1987-01-01

The US is dependent on foreign imports of placer heavy minerals for a majority of its ilmenite and rutile, and virtually all of its monazite requirements. Although sand deposits in the SE US are important domestic sources of these heavy minerals (HM) and a number of other less well-known heavy-mineral species, global onshore reserves of placer minerals may fall short of demand in as few as 20 years. Insofar as they are important commodities for the future, offshore HM placers will become more important, but much research on them remains to be done. Results of recent offshore studies, based on surficial grab samples, indicate an average of about 2 weight percent HM in surficial Atlantic Continental Shelf (ACS) sediments, in strong contrast with previous estimates of an average of 0.16% HM. Although provocative, the information from these grab samples does not include the thickness of the HM deposits and thus their volume and tonnage cannot be estimated.-from Author

Landslide: Mineralogical and Physical Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudor, Viluș; Grozav, Adia; Rogobete, Gheorghe

2017-10-01

In order to construct a road bed foundation, if land has moved, on an area with old landslides, there is a high chance of it moving again. The investigation was made in a region with hilly relief, in which the parent materials of soils are argillaceous marls of Pliocene age. Because the slope is scarped and the versant has been cut, the soil mass slide favoured of the particle-size distribution dominated by heavy clay. With a reiteratedly percolative moisture regime, the soil material is saturated in water fora long period (700-800 mm precipitation/year), and that can increase the slope mass, thereby increasing the driving forces. In a soil profile situated on the top of the hill, with landslide for about 40 m length of the road, disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were analysed physic-chemical and mineralogical. For the heavy and light minerals from the sand fraction a polarized light analyser is used, and for clay minerals X-ray, differential thermal and infrared absorption method are used. The particle-size distribution in the soil profile is dominated by the clay fraction, which reached 53.2% in the ABt horizon and 63.0% in the Bt horizon (67-93 cm depth). The structure of the light minerals, consists of quartz (41-58%); feldspar (10.16-18.10%); muscovite (14.10-26.04). The heavy minerals are oxides (2.61-15.26%), hornblende (0.58-2.87%) and biotite (0.51-2.68%). It must be mentioned the presence of the metamorphic minerals, with the source of the Poiana Rusca mountains. These minerals are epidote (1.01-1.86%), disthene (0.70-1.86%), staurolite (0.73-2.46%) and sillimanite (0.35-0.45%). The clay minerals, inherited from the parent material or formed during the soil-forming process are dominated by smectite, which represent (71-85%) from the total clay minerals, illite 10-21%, and Kaolinite, 4-12%. Rheological properties, like plastic index (53.8%), activity index (1.01%) and consistency index (0.99-1.00%) show that the shrinkage - swelling processes are active, and provoke landslide. We propose some technical measures for decreasing the driving force and increasing the resisting forces on the slope, such as: drainage net with track ditch and inspection chamber, driven pile a 10 m depth, and so on.

Separation and identification of the silt-sized heavy-mineral fraction in sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Commeau, Judith A.; Poppe, Lawrence J.; Commeau, R.F.

1992-01-01

The separation of silt-sized minerals by specific gravity is made possible by using a nontoxic, heavy liquid medium of sodium polytungstate and water. Once separated, the silt-sized heavy-mineral fraction is prepared for analysis with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an automatic image analyzer and energy-dispersive spectrometer. Particles within each sample are sized and sorted according to their chemistry, and the data are tabulated in histograms and tables. Where possible, the user can define the chemical categories to simulate distinct mineral groups. Polymorphs and minerals that have overlapping compositions are combined into a group and differentiated by X-ray diffraction. Hundreds of particles can be rapidly sized and classified by chemistry. The technique can be employed on sediments from any environment.

Geochemistry and magnetic sediment distribution at the western boundary upwelling system of southwest Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, Anna P. S.; Barbosa, Catia F.; Ayres-Neto, Arthur; Munayco, Pablo; Scorzelli, Rosa B.; Amorim, Nívea Santos; Albuquerque, Ana L. S.; Seoane, José C. S.

2018-02-01

In order to investigate the chemical and magnetic characteristics of sediments of the western boundary upwelling system of Southwest Atlantic we analyzed magnetic susceptibility, grain size distribution, total organic carbon, heavy mineral abundance, Fe associated with Mössbauer spectra, and Fe and Mn of pore water to evaluate the deposition patterns of sediments. Four box-cores were collected along a cross-shelf transect. Brazil Current and coastal plume exert a primary control at the inner and outer shelf cores, which exhibited similar depositional patterns characterized by a high abundance of heavy minerals (mean 0.21% and 0.08%, respectively) and very fine sand, whereas middle shelf cores presented low abundances of heavy minerals (mean 0.03%) and medium silt. The inner shelf was dominated by sub-angular grains, while in middle and outer shelf cores well-rounded grains were found. The increasing Fe3+:Fe2+ ratio from the inner to the outer shelf reflects farther distance to the sediment source. The outer shelf presented well-rounded minerals, indicating abrasive processes as a result of transport by the Brazil Current from the source areas. In the middle shelf, cold-water intrusion of the South Atlantic Central Water contributes to the primary productivity, resulting in higher deposition of fine sediment and organic carbon accumulation. The high input of organic carbon and the decreased grain size are indicative of changes in the hydrodynamics and primary productivity fueled by the western boundary upwelling system, which promotes loss of magnetization due to the induction of diagenesis of iron oxide minerals.

Vulnerability of soils towards mining operations in gold-bearing sands in Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordán, Manuel Miguel; González, Irma; Bech, Jaume; Sanfeliu, Teófilo; Pardo, Francisco

2015-04-01

The contamination levels in handicraft mining, despite less production and processing less equipment, have high repercussions upon the environment in many cases. High-grade ore extraction, flotation, gravity concentration, acid leaching cementation and mercury amalgamation are the main metallurgical technologies employed. Gold recovery involving milling and amalgamation appears to the most contamination source of mercury. This research work is only a starting point for carrying out a risk probability mapping of pollutants of the gold bearing sands. In southern Chile, with a mild and rainy climate, high levels of pollutants have been detected in some gold placer deposits. The handicraft gold-bearing sands studied are located in X Region of "Los Lagos" in southern Chile. A great quantity of existing secondary deposits in the X Region is located in the coastal mountain range. The lithological units that are found in this range correspond with metamorphic rocks of a Paleozoic crystalline base that present an auriferous content liberated from the successive erosive processes suffered. Metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks also make up part of this range, but their auriferous load is much smaller. The methodology used in the characterization of the associated mineralization consists of testing samples with a grain size distribution, statistical parameter analysis and mineralogical analysis using a petrographic microscope, XRD and SEM/EDX. The chemical composition was determined by means of XRF and micro-chemical analysis. The major concentrations of heavy minerals are located in areas of dynamic river energy. In the studied samples, more the 75 % of the heavy minerals were distributed among grain sizes corresponding to thin sand (0.25-0.05 mm) with good grain selection. The main minerals present in the selected analysed samples were gold, zircon, olivine, ilmenite, hornblende, hematite, garnet, choromite, augite, epidote, etc. The main heavy metals found were mercury, lead, cadmium, crome, zinc, cobalt, cooper, platinum, gold, indium, tellurium, etc., and as well some traces of cerium, praseodymium, gadolinium, neodymium, samarium and lanthanum. The recurring presence of Pb, sulphur and Hg, among others, in mineral species like galena and cinnabar reveal accumulation indices, a product of the contaminating action of human beings. This is notable since no records exist of natural deposits of these minerals that can justify their presence, and records were utilized from semi-industrial exploitations for the extaction of gold where Hg is utilized in the amalgamation processes.

Heavy minerals and sedimentary organic matter in Pleistocene and Cretaceous sediments on Long Island, New York, with emphasis on pyrite and marcasite in the Magothy aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Craig J.; Rakovan, John; Schoonen, Martin A.A.

2000-01-01

Abundance and distribution of iron-bearing and other heavy minerals in sediments of Long Island, N.Y., were examined to identify sources and sinks of dissolved iron and other ground-water constituents along a deep flow path from the ground-water divide to the southern shore along the Nassau-Suffolk County border. The occurrence and reactivity of many iron-bearing minerals in the aquifer system are affected by terminal electron-accepting processes, which are a function of depth below land surface, distance from the ground-water divide, and organic-matter content of the sediment. The lateral distribution of heavy minerals within lithologic sediments is not uniform throughout Long Island, or even along the 30-kilometer study section at the Nassau-Suffolk County border. Mineralogy and mineral abundance in Pleistocene units differ from those in Cretaceous sediments, and some of the trends vary with depth as well as from north to south. Major heavy minerals in the Cretaceous sediments at the study sites include pyrite, marcasite, muscovite, leucoxene, ilmenite, rutile, staurolite, chloritoid, and aluminosilicates (Al2SiO5); those in the overlying Pleistocene deposits at one site include iron oxides, leucoxene, zircon, garnet, ilmenite, aluminosilicates, and hornblende. Pyrite, marcasite, garnet, hornblende, and tourmaline were found locally in the Cretaceous sediments. Pyrite and marcasite were detected less frequently in borehole samples from near the ground-water divide, where the ground water is generally oxic, than in those from near the southern shore of Long Island, but were found in sulfate- reducing zones throughout the Magothy aquifer. Glauconite was present in Cretaceous and Pleistocene deposits, but only in the marine or transitional units. The most abundant and potentially reactive of the iron-bearing minerals found were iron (hydr)oxides, leucoxene, glauconite, chlorite, pyrite, and marcasite. The presence and morphology of pyrite and marcasite can be indicative of the microbial and geochemical environments. Pyrite generally was found in association with lignite or as interstitial cement. Marcasite was found as interstitial cement and is associated with the oxidation of iron-sulfide minerals upgradient. Pyrite crystals were octahedral, cubic, cubo-octahedral, and framboidal, and many samples showed more than one generation of crystal growth. Marcasite cement, which consisted of platey crystals in most samples, probably forms only under nonmarine conditions.

Shipboard magnetic field "noise" reveals shallow heavy mineral sediment concentrations in Chesapeake Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Anjana K.; Vogt, Peter R.; Rosenbaum, Joseph G.; Newell, Wayne L.; Cronin, Thomas M.; Willard, Debra A.; Hagen, Rick A.; Brozena, John; Hofstra, Albert

2012-01-01

Shipboard magnetic field data collected over Chesapeake Bay exhibit low-amplitude, short-wavelength anomalies that most likely indicate shallow concentrations of heavy mineral sediments. Piston core layers and black sand beach samples exhibit enhanced magnetic susceptibilities and carry remanent magnetization, with mineralogical analyses indicating ilmenite and trace magnetite and/or maghemite and hematite. The anomalies are subtle and would be filtered as noise using traditional approaches, but can instead be highlighted using spectral methods, thus providing nearly continuous coverage along survey tracks. The distribution of the anomalies provides constraints on relevant sorting mechanisms. Comparisons to sonar data and previous grab samples show that two of three areas surveyed exhibit short-wavelength anomalies that are clustered over sand-covered areas, suggesting initial sorting through settling mechanisms. This is supported by a correlation between core magnetic susceptibility and grain size. Near the Choptank River, where sediment resuspension is wave-dominated, anomalies show a sharp decrease with seafloor depth that cannot be explained by signal attenuation alone. In Pocomoke Sound, where both tidal currents and wave-action impact sediment resuspension, anomalies show a more gradual decrease with depth. Near the mouth of the bay, where there is a higher influx of sediments from the continental shelf, short-wavelength anomalies are isolated and do not appear to represent heavy mineral sand concentrations. These combined observations suggest the importance of further sorting by erosional processes in certain parts of the bay. Additionally, comparisons of these data to cores sampling pre-Holocene sediments suggest that the sorting of heavy minerals in higher energy, shallow water environments provides a mechanism for correlations between core magnetic susceptibility and sea-level changes.

Fast formation of supergene Mn oxides/hydroxides under acidic conditions in the oxic/anoxic transition zone of a shallow aquifer.

PubMed

Schäffner, F; Merten, D; Pollok, K; Wagner, S; Knoblauch, S; Langenhorst, F; Büchel, G

2015-12-01

Extensive uranium mining in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) in eastern Thuringia and Saxony took place during the period of 1946-1990. During mining activities, pelitic sediments rich in organic carbon and uranium were processed and exposed to oxygen. Subsequent pyrite oxidation and acidic leaching lead to partial contamination of the area with heavy metals and acid mine drainage (AMD) even few years after completion of remediation. One of those areas is the former heap Gessen (Ronneburg, Germany) were the residual contamination can be found 10 m under the base of the former heap containing partly permeable drainage channels. Actually, in such a system, a rapid but locally restricted mineralization of Mn oxides takes place under acidic conditions. This formation can be classified as a natural attenuation process as certain heavy metals, e.g., Cd (up to 6 μg/g), Ni (up to 311 μg/g), Co (up to 133 μg/g), and Zn (up to 104 μg/g) are bound to this phases. The secondary minerals occur as colored layers close to the shallow aquifer in glacial sediments and could be identified as birnessite and todorokite as Mn phase. The thermodynamic model shows that even small changes in the system are sufficient to shift either the pH or the Eh in the direction of stable Mn oxide phases in this acidic system. As a consequence of 9-15-year-long formation process (or even less), the supergene mineralization provides a cost-efficient contribution for remediation (natural attenuation) strategies of residual with heavy metals (e.g., Cd, Co, Ni, Zn) contaminated substrates.

Mineral materials as feasible amendments to stabilize heavy metals in polluted urban soils.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingkui; Pu, Jincheng

2011-01-01

Four minerals, agricultural limestone (AL), rock phosphate (RP), palygorskite (PG), and calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP), were evaluated by means of chemical fractions of heavy metals in soils and concentrations of heavy metals in leachates from columns to determine their ability to stabilize heavy metals in polluted urban soils. Two urban soils (calcareous soil and acidic soil) polluted with cadmium, copper, zinc and lead were selected and amended in the laboratory with the mineral materials) for 12 months. Results indicated that application of the mineral materials reduced exchangeable metals in the sequence of Pb, Cd > Cu > Zn. The reduction of exchangeable fraction of heavy metals in the soils amended with different mineral materials followed the sequence of CMP, PG > AL > RP. Reductions of heavy metals leached were based on comparison with cumulative totals of heavy metals eluted through 12 pore volumes from an untreated soil. The reductions of the metals eluted from the calcareous soil amended with the RP, AL, PG and CMP were 1.98%, 38.89%, 64.81% and 75.93% for Cd, 8.51%, 40.42%, 60.64% and 55.32% for Cu, 1.76%, 52.94%, 70.00% and 74.12% for Pb, and 28.42%, 52.74%, 64.38% and 49.66% for Zn. Those from the acidic soil amended with the CMP, PG, AL, and RP were 25.65%, 68.06%, 78.01% and 79.06% for Cd, 26.56%, 49.64%, 43.40% and 34.68% for Cu, 44.44%, 33.32%, 61.11% and 69.44% for Pb, and 18.46%, 43.77%, 41.98% and 40.68% for Zn. The CMP and PG treatments were superior to the AL and RP for stabilizing heavy metals in the polluted urban soils.

Taking nature into lab: biomineralization by heavy metal-resistant streptomycetes in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schütze, E.; Weist, A.; Klose, M.; Wach, T.; Schumann, M.; Nietzsche, S.; Merten, D.; Baumert, J.; Majzlan, J.; Kothe, E.

2013-06-01

Biomineralization by heavy metal-resistant streptomycetes was tested to evaluate the potential influence on metal mobilities in soil. Thus, we designed an experiment adopting conditions from classical laboratory methods to natural conditions prevailing in metal-rich soils with media spiked with heavy metals, soil agar, and nutrient-enriched or unamended soil incubated with the bacteria. As a result, all strains were able to form struvite minerals (MgNH4PO4• 6H2O) on tryptic soy broth (TSB)-media supplemented with AlCl3, MnCl2 and CuSO4, as well as on soil agar. Some strains additionally formed struvite on nutrient-enriched contaminated and control soil, as well as on metal contaminated soil without addition of media components. In contrast, switzerite (Mn3(PO4)2• 7H2O) was exclusively formed on minimal media spiked with MnCl2 by four heavy metal-resistant strains, and on nutrient-enriched control soil by one strain. Hydrated nickel hydrogen phosphate was only crystallized on complex media supplemented with NiSO4 by most strains. Thus, mineralization is a dominant property of streptomycetes, with different processes likely to occur under laboratory conditions and sub-natural to natural conditions. This new understanding might have implications for our understanding of biological metal resistance mechanisms. We assume that biogeochemical cycles, nutrient storage and metal resistance might be affected by formation and re-solubilization of minerals like struvite in soil at microscale.

Concentrations and forms of heavy metals around two ore processing sites in Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mees, F.; Masalehdani, M. N. N.; De Putter, T.; D'Hollander, C.; Van Biezen, E.; Mujinya, B. B.; Potdevin, J. L.; Van Ranst, E.

2013-01-01

The concentration of heavy metals and the forms in which they occur were determined for tailings and derived deposits of two major processing sites of Cu-Co and Cu-Zn-(Pb) ores in the Katanga Copperbelt (Kipushi, Likasi). They were studied by a combination of methods, focussed on the nature of water- and EDTA-extractable compounds, the mineralogical composition of tailings and associated secondary minerals, and textural features of metal-bearing efflorescences. For the Kipushi area, sulfide minerals in tailings of decantation basins are identified as the source of extractable metals they contain, but input from an external source rather than local oxidation of substrate components is responsible for high levels of contamination in the Likasi area. Contaminated areas around Likasi are characterized by an abundance of Mg-sulfate efflorescences with high concentrations of cobalt and other metals, acting as an important vector for further dispersion of contaminants by wind and water.

Alaska, Naturally Occurring Asbestos: Experiences, Policy and 2012 Limitation of Liability Legislation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargesheimer, J.; Perkins, R.

2012-12-01

Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) occurs in mineral deposits in Alaska. There are many regions in Alaska that have minerals in surface rocks that may contain asbestos and asbestos has been discovered in many locations in Alaska. Gravel is constantly in demand for heavy construction projects, but some remote localities in Alaska do not have gravel sources that are NOA-free. Determining if NOA can be safely used in heavy construction materials and what can or should be done with NOA materials that are already in place are complex questions. Answers will depend on the amount and type of asbestos mineral, how it is handled in processing, and how it is maintained - all subject to regulation and control of operations. The State of Alaska recently enacted legislation (HB 258) providing, among other things, "… immunity for the state and for landowners, extractors, suppliers, transporters, and contractors for certain actions or claims arising in connection with the use of gravel or aggregate material containing naturally occurring asbestos in certain areas." Implementation of the law and interim regulations and guidance should enable use of NOA for heavy construction materials in Alaska, but as with any new law, it will take some time to understand its full scope and effect.

A PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER FOR TREATMENT OF HEAVY METALS

EPA Science Inventory

Historical storage of ore concentrate containing sulfide minerals at an industrial site in British Columbia, Canada has resulted in widespread contamination of the underlying soil and groundwater. The oxidation of sulfide minerals has released significant quantities of heavy met...

Proximate and mineral composition of crab meat consumed in Bahrain.

PubMed

Musaiger, Abdulrahman O; Al-Rumaidh, Mohammed J

2005-06-01

The proximate, mineral and heavy metals of raw and cooked crab meat, Portunus pelagicus, consumed in Bahrain were studied. The crab meat contains a good level of protein (17.5-18.8%), with very low proportion of fat (0.6-1.4%). The levels of sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus were found to be higher than other minerals. Traces of heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) were also reported. Traditional cooking had a considerable effect on proximate and mineral contents of crab meat.

Risk assessment of mineral and heavy metal content of selected tea products from the Ghanaian market.

PubMed

Nkansah, Marian Asantewah; Opoku, Francis; Ackumey, Abiathar Abraham

2016-06-01

Food consumption is the most likely route of human exposure to metals. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is among the most widely consumed non-alcoholic beverages. Concentrations of heavy metals and minerals in tea from 15 different brands in Kumasi, Ghana were measured to assess the health risk associated with their consumption. The mineral and metal contents (Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Cd) were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Z-8100 polarized Zeeman). The results revealed that the mean concentrations were in the order: Ca > Fe > As > Cd > Zn > Pb. The average contents of Ca, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, and As in the samples were 94.08, 6.15, 0.20, 0.16, 0.36, and 1.66 mg/kg, respectively. All the minerals and heavy metals were below the maximum permissible limits stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Pharmacopeia (USP). Metal-to-metal correlation indicated strong correlations between As/Zn, Cd/Zn, Cd/As, and Pb/As pairs. Factor analysis demonstrated a clear separation between minerals, grouped on one side, and heavy metals, clustered on another side. Both the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) levels in green tea were far below 1, suggesting that consumption of green tea should pose no potential risk to human health. However, carcinogenic risk levels for arsenic were high; R > 10(-6). The results showed that residents in Kumasi consume tea could be at risk from exposure to these heavy metals and minerals.

Microbial Impacts on Clay Mineral Transformation and Reactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, H.; Jaisi, D.; Fredrickson, J.; Plymale, A.

2006-05-01

Clays and clay minerals are ubiquitous in soils, sedimentary rocks, and pelagic oozes. They play important roles in environmental processes such as nutrient cycling, plant growth, contaminant migration, organic matter maturation, and petroleum production. Iron is a major constituent in clay minerals, and its mobility and stability in different environmental processes is, in part, controlled by the oxidation state. Recent studies have shown that biological reduction of structural Fe(III) in clay minerals can change the physical and chemical properties of clay minerals, such as swelling, cation exchange and fixation capacity, specific surface area, color, and magnetic exchange interactions. As a result of biological reduction of Fe(III), clay minerals also undergo mineral transformations, such as dissolution of smectite and precipitation of illite, siderite and vivianite. These chemical, structural and mineralogical changes of clay minerals have a profound effect on clay mineral reactivity, such as their reactivity with organic and inorganic (i.e., heavy metals and radionuclides) contaminants. Our latest data show that biologically reduced nontronite (a smectite variety) is much more effective in reducing soluble and mobile Tc(VII) to Tc(IV) than unreduced nontronite. The reduced Tc(IV) is insoluble in groundwater and soil and thus is immobile. Biologically reduced nontronite can be prepared by microbially reducing Fe(III) in nontronite by Shewanella putrefaciens in the absence of oxygen. Approximately 30% of structurally Fe(III) can be reduced in this manner. Biogenic Fe(II) can then serve as an electron donor to reduce Tc(VII). Nearly all Fe(II) is available to reduce Tc(VII), with the rate of reduction (typically within weeks) possibly depending on the speciation of Fe(II) (surface sorbed Fe(II) vs. structural Fe(II)). Further investigations are underway to further assess the reversibility of Tc reduction upon exposure to oxygen and to elucidate Tc reduction kinetics. These preliminary results have important implications for in-situ bioremediation efforts, where either chemically or biologically reduced clay minerals can be introduced into a contaminant site for removing heavy metals and radionuclides in groundwater aquifers.

Optimization of Mineral Separator for Recovery of Total Heavy Minerals of Bay of Bengal using Central Composite Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Routray, Sunita; Swain, Ranjita; Rao, Raghupatruni Bhima

2017-04-01

The present study is aimed at investigating the optimization of a mineral separator for processing of beach sand minerals of Bay of Bengal along Ganjam-Rushikulya coast. The central composite design matrix and response surface methodology were applied in designing the experiments to evaluate the interactive effects of the three most important operating variables, such as feed quantity, wash water rate and Shake amplitude of the deck. The predicted values were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values (R2 = 0.97 for grade and 0.98 for recovery). To understand the impact of each variable, three dimensional (3D) plots were also developed for the estimated responses.

Deposit model for heavy-mineral sands in coastal environments: Chapter L in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Fey, David L.; Shah, Anjana K.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Hoefen, Todd M.

2014-01-01

Regional exploration for deposits of heavy-mineral sands can utilize the analyses of stream sediment samples for Ti, Hf, the rare earth elements, Th, and U, and geophysical surveys, particularly radiometric (gamma-ray spectrometry for K, U, and Th) and magnetic methods. Geophysical anomalies may be small, and surveys are generally more successful when conducted close to sources of interest.

Late Pleistocene aeolian dust provenances and wind direction changes reconstructed by heavy mineral analysis of the sediments of the Dehner dry maar (Eifel, Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Römer, Wolfgang; Lehmkuhl, Frank; Sirocko, Frank

2016-12-01

The study presents the results of a heavy mineral analysis from a 38 m long record of lacustrine Eifel maar sediments from a core section of the Dehner dry maar. The record encompasses the period from 29,000 to about 12,500 b2k. Statistical analyses enabled the distinction of local and regional source areas of aeolian material and revealed pronounced changes in the amounts of different heavy mineral species and corresponding changes in the grain size Index (GSI and CSI). The results indicate that during the early stages of MIS2 (39 to 30 m depth) aeolian sediments were supplied mostly from local sources. This period is characterized by low GSI and CSI ratios resulting from a reduced mobility of material due to a vegetation cover. The period between 23,000 and 12,900 b2k is characterized by a higher supply of heavy minerals from regional and more distant sources. Changes in the provenance areas are indicated in inverse relationships between zircon, rutile, tourmaline (ZRT) and carbonate particles. Shifts in the wind direction are documented in pronounced peaks of carbonate particles indicating easterly winds that have crossed the limestone basins in the Eifeler North South Zone. ZRT-group minerals on the other hand suggest a westerly source area from Palaeozoic clastic sedimentary rocks. The heavy mineral assemblage of the LGM section at 23,000 to 15,000 b2k displays a close correspondence with the stratigraphic relationships that have been obtained for the Landscape Evolution Zone 4 of the ELSA-Vegetation Stack of Sirocko et al. (2016). From the Heinrich 2 event onwards the analyses indicate an increasing degree of mixing of heavy minerals from various provinces. This suggests the existence of a presumably incomplete, thin cover of deflated loess-like sediments that has been repeatedly reworked on the elevated surfaces of the Eifel.

Selenium, tellurium and precious metal mineralogy in Uchalinsk copper-zinc-pyritic district, the Urals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vikentev, I.

2016-04-01

During processing the most of Au, Ag, Se, Te, Pb, Bi, Sb, Hg as well as notable part of Cu, Zn and Cd fail for tailings and became heavy metal pollutants. Modes of occurrence of Au, Ag, Te and Se covers two giant VMS deposits: Uchaly (intensively deformed) and Uzelginsk (altered by late hydrothermal processes) as well as middle-sized Molodezn and West Ozern deposits (nondeformed) have been studied. Mineral forms of these elements as well as their presence in disperse mode in common ore minerals (pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite) have been studied using SEM, EPMA, INAA, ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS.

77 FR 38087 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-26

... protective equipment to protect miners from harmful levels of noise that can result in hearing loss. However..., relies on drills, crushers, compressors, conveyors, trucks, loaders, and other heavy-duty equipment for the excavation, haulage, and processing of material. This equipment creates high sound levels...

77 FR 16865 - Proposed Extension of Existing Information Collection; Occupational Noise Exposure

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-22

..., administrative controls, and personal protective equipment to protect miners from harmful levels of noise that..., compressors, conveyors, trucks, loaders, and other heavy-duty equipment for the excavation, haulage, and processing of material. This equipment creates high sound levels, exposing machine operators as well as...

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF SHORT-TERM LEACH TESTS FOR HEAVY METAL RELEASE FROM MINERAL PROCESSING WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluation of metal leaching using a single leach test such as the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) is often questionable. The pH, redox potential (E_h), particle size and contact time are critical variables in controlling metal stability, not accounted...

30 CFR 57.16017 - Hoisting heavy equipment or material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Hoisting heavy equipment or material. 57.16017 Section 57.16017 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Materials...

30 CFR 57.16017 - Hoisting heavy equipment or material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hoisting heavy equipment or material. 57.16017 Section 57.16017 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Materials...

30 CFR 57.16017 - Hoisting heavy equipment or material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Hoisting heavy equipment or material. 57.16017 Section 57.16017 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Materials...

30 CFR 57.16017 - Hoisting heavy equipment or material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Hoisting heavy equipment or material. 57.16017 Section 57.16017 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Materials...

Reduction of jarosite by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and secondary mineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bingjie, Ouyang; Xiancai, Lu; Huan, Liu; Juan, Li; Tingting, Zhu; Xiangyu, Zhu; Jianjun, Lu; Rucheng, Wang

2014-01-01

Jarosite is a common mineral in a variety of environments formed by the oxidation of iron sulfide normally accompanying with the generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) in mining areas or acid rock drainages (ARD) in many localities. Decomposition of jarosite by dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria (DIRB) influences the mobility of many heavy metals generally accommodated in natural jarosite. This study examined the anaerobic reduction of synthesized jarosite by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1, a typical facultative bacteria. The release of ferrous and ferric ion, as well as sulfate and potassium, in the inoculated experimental group lasting 80 days is much higher than that in abiotic control groups. The detection of bicarbonate and acetate in experimental solution further confirms the mechanism of microbial reduction of jarosite, in which lactate acts as the electron donor. The produced ferrous iron stimulates the subsequent secondary mineralization, leading to precipitation and transformation of various iron-containing minerals. Green rust and goethite are the intermediate minerals of the microbial reduction process under anoxic conditions, and the end products include magnetite and siderite. In aerobic environments, goethite, magnetite and siderite were also detected, but the contents were relatively lower. While in abiotic experiments, only goethite has been detected as a product. Thus, the microbial reduction and subsequent mineral transformation can remarkably influence the geochemical cycling of iron and sulfur in supergene environments, as well as the mobility of heavy metals commonly accommodated in jarosite.

The rare earth element compositions of the Changjiang (Yangtze) and Huanghe (Yellow) river sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shou Ye; Jung, Hoi Soo; Choi, Man Sik; Li, Cong Xian

2002-07-01

Thirty-four samples from the Changjiang and Huanghe were analyzed to characterize their rare earth element (REE) compositions. Although REE concentrations in the Changjiang sediments are higher than those of the Huanghe sediments, the former are less variable. Bulk samples and acid-leachable fractions have convex REE patterns and middle REE enrichments relative to upper continental crust, whereas flat patterns are present in the residual fractions. Source rock composition is the primary control on REE composition, and weathering processes play a minor role. Grain size exerts some influence on REE composition, as demonstrated by the higher REE contents of clay minerals in sediments from both rivers. Heavy minerals contribute about 10-20% of the total REE in the sediments. Apatite is rare in the river sediments, and contributes less than 2% of the REE content, but other heavy minerals such as sphene, allanite and zircon are important reservoirs of residual REE fractions. The Fe-Mn oxides phase accounts for about 14% of bulk REE content in the Changjiang sediments, which could be one of the more important factors controlling REE fractionation in the leachable fraction.

Physical deposit measures and commercial potential: The case of titanium-bearing heavy-mineral deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; DeYoung, J.H.

1988-01-01

Physical measures of mineral deposit characteristics, such as grade and tonnage, long have been used in both subjective and analytic models to predict favorability of areas for the occurrence of mineral deposits of particular types. After a deposit has been identified, however, the explorationist must decide whether to continue data collection, begin an economic feasibility study, or abandon the prospect. The decision maker can estimate the probability that a deposit will be commercial by examining physical measures. The amount of sampling data required before such a probability estimate can be considered reliable can be determined. A logit probability model estimated from onshore titanium-bearing heavy-mineral deposit data identifies and quantifies the relative influence of a deposit's physical measures on the chances of the deposit becoming commercial. A principal conclusion that can be drawn from the analysis is that, along with a measure of deposit size, the characteristics most important in predicting commercial potential are grades of the constituent minerals. Total heavy-mineral-bearing sand grade or even total titanium grade (without data on constituent mineral grades) are poor predictors of the deposit's commercial potential. ?? 1988 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

REE concentration processes in ion adsorption deposits: Evidence from Madagascar and China.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Martin; Estrade, Guillaume; Marquis, Eva; Goodenough, Kathryn; Nasun, Peter; Cheng, Xu; Kynicky, Jindrich

2017-04-01

Lateritic clay deposits, where the rare earth elements (REE) occur adsorbed to clay mineral surfaces, are the world's dominant supply of heavy REE (Gd-Lu). These deposits are currently only mined in China where there is a reported heavy REE enrichment, but other deposits are currently under exploration in Brazil, the Philippines and Madagascar. Concentration of REE within IADs has been proposed to be a dominantly supergene process, where easily degradable REE-minerals (e.g. REE-fluorcarbonates) break down and release REE that are then adsorbed to clay minerals resulting in HREE enrichment. Here we present data from the Ambohimirahavavy Complex, Madagascar, and compare them to data from mineralised profiles in China, with the aim of further constraining the formation and REE enrichment processes in ion adsorption deposits. Bulk rock total REE contents from Madagascar vary from 400-5000ppm, with the HREE varying from 10 to 20% of the TREE. Ammonium Sulphate leaches (designed to remove clay-adsorbed REE) of laterite show leachable TREE from 130-500ppm, with no preferential HREE adsorption. Within the sequential extraction procedure the reducible fraction (hydroxylammonium chloride leach) showed the highest REE, but this is largely attributable to Ce4+ in oxide layers. Analysis of laterite profiles show that the REE distribution is heterogeneous, with control from both bedrock heterogeneity, and the hydrological variation between pedolith and saprolith. Similar patterns are seen in Chinese profiles from Jiangxi province. X-ray diffraction shows the clay fraction in all sites is dominated by kaolinite and halloysite. These data are consistent with experimental data which show that kaolinite is only HREE selective in high ionic strength solutions (Coppin et al., 2002), and suggest that HREE enrichment in lateritic deposits may be a function of exceptional bed rock conditions. Petrographic investigation of the Zhaibei granite, immediately underlying HREE enriched weathering profiles in Jiangxi province has identified the presence of HREE-enriched secondary phases associated with carbonate-rich areas (Xu et al., In press). Neodymium isotope data from primary granitic minerals (ɛNd(t)=-11.5±0.5) contrasts dramatically with data from HREE-enriched minerals (ɛNd(t)=0.9±0.8) indicating that pre-weathering metasomatism from fluids derived from outside the granite system may be critical in the HREE enrichment process of mineralised laterites. This may be important in determining the viability of ion adsorption deposits as HREE resources. Coppin et al. (2002) Sorption of lanthanides on smectite and kaolinite. Chem. Geol. 182, 57-68 Xu et al., (In press) Origin of heavy rare earth mineralization in South China. Nature Comms.

Implications of modelled radioactivity measurements along coastal Odisha, Eastern India for heavy mineral resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosal, S.; Agrahari, S.; Guin, R.; Sengupta, D.

2017-01-01

A radioelemental assemblage assessment of two beaches of Odisha is performed for the first time. The radiation is measured in two ways, both on field with the help of a hand held environmental survey meter and in the laboratory, where the concentrations of radionuclide's 238U, 232Th and 4K have been determined with the help of High Purity Germanium detector (HPGe). Mineralogical analysis of selected samples has been performed with the help of X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF). A marked difference between the concentration of Uranium (274 Bq kg-1) and Thorium (2489 Bq kg-1) is observed and discussed based on the geology of the area. The placer deposits showing an enrichment of thorium can be an important source of nuclear fuel for the thorium based nuclear reactors. The ratio of thorium and uranium concentrations gives us an idea about the coastal processes associated with the beach. Statistical analysis of the data shows a positive correlation between 238U and 232Th and a strong negative correlation is indicated between 4 K and 238U, 232Th. A cross plot between the equivalent thorium and the equivalent uranium and the equivalent thorium and potassium, represents the nature of deposition and its association with the heavy mineral along with the radioactive elements. Heavy minerals exhibit an increasing trend towards Northeast-Southwest along the south eastern coast of India.

New technological methods for protecting underground waters from agricultural pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavlyanov, Gani

2015-04-01

The agricultural production on the irrigated grounds can not carry on without mineral fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Especially it is shown in Uzbekistan, in cultivation of cotton. There is an increase in mineralization, rigidity, quantity of heavy metals, phenols and other pollutions in the cotton fields. Thus there is an exhaustion of stocks of fresh underground waters. In the year 2003 we were offered to create the ecological board to prevent pollution to get up to a level of subsoil waters in the top 30 centimeter layer of the ground. We carried out an accumulation and pollution processing. This layer possesses a high adsorbing ability for heavy metals, mineral oil, mineral fertilizers remnants, defoliants and pesticides. In order to remediate a biological pollution treatment processing should be take into account. The idea is consisted in the following. The adsorption properties of coal is all well-known that the Angren coal washing factories in Tashkent area have collected more than 10 million tons of the coal dust to mix with clays. We have picked up association of anaerobic microorganisms which, using for development, destroys nutrients of coal waste pollutions to a harmless content for people. Coal waste inoculation also are scattered by these microorganisms on the field before plowing. Deep (up to 30 cm) plowing brings them on depth from 5 up to 30 cm. Is created by a plough a layer with necessary protective properties. The norm of entering depends on the structure of ground and the intensity of pollutions. Laboratory experiments have shown that 50% of pollutions can be treated by the ecological board and are processed up to safe limit.

Geochemical sampling in arid environments by the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkle, Margaret E.

1988-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for the geochemical evaluations used for mineral resource assessments of large tracts of public lands in the Western United States. Many of these lands are administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and are studied to determine their suitability or nonsuitability for wilderness designation. Much of the Western United States is arid or semiarid. This report discusses various geochemical sample media that have been used for evaluating areas in arid environments and describes case histories in BLM wilderness study areas in which stream-sediment and heavy-mineral-concentrate sample media were compared. As a result of these case history studies, the nonmagnetic fraction of panned heavy-mineral concentrates was selected as the most effective medium for reconnaissance geochemical sampling for resources other than gold, in arid areas. Nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples provide the primary analytical information currently used in geochemical interpretations of mineral resource potential assessment of BLM lands.

Separation Process of Fine Coals by Ultrasonic Vibration Gas-Solid Fluidized Bed

PubMed Central

Wei, Hua; Xie, Weining

2017-01-01

Ultrasonic vibration gas-solid fluidized bed was proposed and introduced to separate fine coals (0.5–0.125 mm fraction). Several technological methods such as XRF, XRD, XPS, and EPMA were used to study the composition of heavy products to evaluate the separation effect. Results show that the ultrasonic vibration force field strengthens the particle separation process based on density when the vibration frequency is 35 kHz and the fluidization number is 1.8. The ash difference between the light and heavy products and the recovery of combustible material obtain the maximum values of 47.30% and 89.59%, respectively. The sulfur content of the heavy product reaches the maximum value of 6.78%. Chemical state analysis of sulfur shows that organic sulfur (-C-S-), sulfate-sulfur (-SO4), and pyrite-sulfur (-S2) are confirmed in the original coal and heavy product. Organic sulfur (-C-S-) is mainly concentrated in the light product, and pyrite-sulfur (-S2) is significantly enriched in the heavy product. The element composition, phase composition, backscatter imagery, and surface distribution of elements for heavy product show concentration of high-density minerals including pyrite, quartz, and kaolinite. Some harmful elements such as F, Pb, and As are also concentrated in the heavy product. PMID:28845160

Vitrification as an alternative to landfilling of tannery sewage sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Celary, Piotr, E-mail: pcelary@is.pcz.czest.pl; Sobik-Szołtysek, Jolanta, E-mail: jszoltysek@is.pcz.czest.pl

Highlights: • The possibility of vitrification of tannery sewage sludge was investigated. • Glass cullet was substituted with different wastes of mineral character. • Component ratio in the processed mixtures was optimized. • Environmental safety of the acquired vitrificates was verified. • An alternative management approach of usually landfilled waste was presented. - Abstract: Due to high content of heavy metals such as chromium, tannery sewage sludge is a material which is difficult to be biologically treated as it is in the case of organic waste. Consequently, a common practice in managing tannery sewage sludge is landfilling. This poses amore » potential threat to both soil and water environments and it additionally generates costs of construction of landfills that meet specific environment protection requirements. Vitrification of this kind of sewage sludge with the addition of mineral wastes can represent an alternative to landfilling. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of obtaining an environmentally safe product by means of vitrification of tannery sewage sludge from a flotation wastewater treatment process and chemical precipitation in order to address the upcoming issue of dealing with sewage sludge from the tannery industry which will be prohibited to be landfilled in Poland after 2016. The focus was set on determining mixtures of tannery sewage sludge with additives which would result in the lowest possible heavy metal leaching levels and highest hardness rating of the products obtained from their vitrification. The plasma vitrification process was carried out for mixtures with various amounts of additives depending on the type of sewage sludge used. Only the materials of waste character were used as additives. One finding of the study was an optimum content of mineral additives in vitrified mixture of 30% v/v waste molding sands with 20% v/v carbonate flotation waste from the zinc and lead industry for the formulations with flotation sewage sludge, and 45% v/v and 5% v/v, respectively, for precipitation sewage sludge. These combinations allowed for obtaining products with negligible heavy metal leaching levels and hardness similar to commercial glass, which suggests they could be potentially used as construction aggregate substitutes. Incineration of sewage sludge before the vitrification process lead to increased hardness of the vitrificates and reduced leaching of some heavy metals.« less

Rare earth element compositions of core sediments from the shelf of the South Sea, Korea: Their controls and origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Hoi-Soo; Lim, Dhongil; Choi, Jin-Yong; Yoo, Hae-Soo; Rho, Kyung-Chan; Lee, Hyun-Bok

2012-10-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) of bulk sediments and heavy mineral samples of core sediments from the South Sea shelf, Korea, were analyzed to determine the constraints on REE concentrations and distribution patterns as well as to investigate their potential applicability for discriminating sediment provenance. Bulk sediment REEs showed large variation in concentrations and distribution patterns primarily due to grain size and carbonate dilution effects, as well as due to an abundance of heavy minerals. In the fine sandy sediments (cores EZ02-15 and 19), in particular, heavy minerals (primarily monazite and titanite/sphene) largely influenced REE compositions. Upper continental crust-normalized REE patterns of these sand-dominated sediments are characterized by enriched light REEs (LREEs), because of inclusion of heavy minerals with very high concentrations in LREEs. Notably, such a strong LREE enrichment is also observed in Korean river sediments. So, a great care must be taken when using the REE concentrations and distribution patterns of sandy and coarse silty shelf sediments as a proxy for discriminating sediment provenance. In the fine-grained muddy sediments with low heavy mineral abundance, in contrast, REE fractionation ratios and their UCC-normalized patterns seem to be reliable proxies for assessing sediment provenance. The resultant sediment origin suggested a long lateral transportation of some fine-grained Chinese river sediments (probably the Changjiang River) to the South Sea of Korea across the shelf of the northern East China Sea.

Expression analysis of metallothioneins and mineral contents in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) under heavy metal stress.

PubMed

Kısa, Dursun; Öztürk, Lokman; Doker, Serhat; Gökçe, İsa

2017-04-01

Heavy metals are considered to be the most important pollutants in the contamination of soils; they adversely affect plant growth and development and cause some physiological and molecular changes. The contamination of agricultural soils by heavy metals has changed the mineral element content of vegetables. Plant metallothioneins (MTs) are thought to have the functional role in heavy metal homeostasis, and they are used as the biomarkers for evaluating environmental pollution. We aimed to evaluate the expression of MT isoforms (MT1, 2, 3 and 4) and some mineral element composition of tomato roots, leaves and fruits exposed to copper and lead. Heavy metal applications increased MT1 and MT2 gene expressions compared to the control in the tissues of tomato. The highest level of MT1 and MT2 transcripts was found in roots and leaves, respectively. The expression of MT3 is induced in roots, leaves and fruits except for Pb treatment in roots. MT4 expression increased in fruits; however, other tissues did not show a clear change. Our results indicated that Cu content was higher than Pb in all tissues of tomato. The lower doses of Cu (10 ppm) increased the content of Mg, Fe, Ca and Mn in roots. Pb generally increased the level of minerals in leaves and fruits, but it decreased Mg, Mn and Fe contents in roots. Both heavy metals not only moved to aerial parts but also caused alterations to mineral element levels. These results show that MT transcripts are regulated by Cu and Pb, and expression pattern changes to MT isoforms and tissue types. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterisation of mineralogical forms of barium and trace heavy metal impurities in commercial barytes by EPMA, XRD and ICP-MS.

PubMed

Ansari, T M; Marr, I L; Coats, A M

2001-02-01

This study was carried out to characterise the mineralogical forms of barium and the trace heavy metal impurities in commercial barytes of different origins using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Qualitative EPMA results show the presence of typically eight different minerals in commercial barytes including barite (BaSO4), barium feldspar, galena (PbS), pyrite (FeS2), sphalerite (ZnS), quartz (SiO2), and silicates, etc. Quantitative EPMA confirms that the barite crystals in the barytes contain some strontium and a little calcium, whereas trace heavy metals occur in the associated minerals. Analysis of aqua regia extracts of barytes samples by ICP-MS has shown the presence of a large number of elements in the associated minerals. Arsenic, copper and zinc concentrations correlate closely in all 10 samples. The findings suggest that barytes is not, as traditionally thought, an inert mineral, but is a potentially toxic substance due to its associated heavy metal impurities, which can be determined by an aqua regia digest without the need for complete dissolution of the barite itself. X-ray powder diffraction was not informative as the complex barite pattern masks the very weak lines from the small amounts of associated minerals.

Factors influencing the composition of detrital heavy mineral suites in Holocene sands of the Apure River drainage basin, Venezuela

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morton, Andrew C.

1993-01-01

Heavy mineral assemblages in rivers in the Apure River drainage basin of Venezuela and Colombia closely reflect the nature of the source regions, which lie in the Andean orogenic terranes to the west and northwest. The Caribbean Mountains, largely composed of greenschist-facies pelites, phyllites, carbonates, and metavolcanics, supply assemblages dominated by epidote and calcic amphibole. Minor amounts of the high-pressure index minerals glaucophane and lawsonite indicate the presence of blueschistfacies rocks, reflecting the origin of the Caribbean Mountains by subduction-related tectonism. The northern Mérida Andes, which comprise basement gneisses and granites overlain by unmetamorphosed to low-grade metamorphosed clastics, supply two types of assemblage reflecting these two lithological types: garnet-sillimanite-staurolite-amphibole suites from the basement rocks, and epidote-amphibole suites from the overlying cover sequence. The southern Mérida Andes supply stable heavy mineral suites reflecting recycling from the extensive unmetamorphosed sandstones that occur at outcrop. By considering suites from different physiographical provinces, the effects of short-term alluvial storage in the Llanos on heavy mineral assemblages have been evaluated. Weathering during alluvial storage appears to be effective in modifying the apatite-tourmaline ratio, which shows a steady, marked decline with distance from the mountain front, resulting from the removal of apatite during weathering. Clinopyroxene and garnet may also show evidence of loss through weathering, although the trends are poorly constrained statistically. Epidote and amphibole proportions remain essentially constant, possibly through a balance between loss through weathering and continual resupply from the breakdown of rock fragments. In general, the heavy mineral assemblages are less affected than the bulk mineralogy by alluvial storage on the Llanos.

Publications - GMC 33 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a DGGS GMC 33 Publication Details Title: Heavy mineral analysis of the ARCO Prudhoe Bay Unit #NGI-07 well , 1982, Heavy mineral analysis of the ARCO Prudhoe Bay Unit #NGI-07 well, North Slope, Alaska: Alaska

Geochemical maps showing the distribution and abundance of selected elements in nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples from stream sediment, Solomon and Bendelehen 1 degree by 3 degree Quadrangles , Seward Peninsula, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, H.D.; Smith, S.C.; Sutley, S.J.

Geochemical maps showing the distribution and abundance of selected elements in nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples from stream sediment, Solomon and Bendelehen 1{degree} by 3{degree} Quadrangles , Seward Peninsula, Alaska is presented.

Who's on First? Part II: Bacterial and fungal colonization of fresh soil minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitman, T.; Neurath, R.; Zhang, P.; Yuan, T.; Weber, P. K.; Zhou, J.; Pett-Ridge, J.; Firestone, M. K.

2015-12-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization by soil minerals is an important mechanism influencing soil C cycling. Microbes make up only a few percent of total SOM, but have a disproportionate impact on SOM cycling. Their direct interactions with soil minerals, however, are not well characterized. We studied colonization of fresh minerals by soil microbes in an Avena barbata (wild oat) California grassland soil microcosm. Examining quartz, ferrihydrite, kaolinite, and the heavy fraction of the native soil, we asked: (1) Do different minerals select for different communities, or do random processes drive the colonization of fresh minerals? (2) What factors influence which taxa colonize fresh minerals? After incubating mesh bags (<18 μm) of minerals buried next to actively growing plant roots for 2 months, we used high-throughput sequencing of 16S and ITS2 genes to characterize the microbial communities colonizing the minerals. We found significant differences between the microbial community composition of different minerals and soil for both bacteria and fungi. We found a higher relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhial fungi with ferrihydrite and quartz, and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) imaging of these minerals suggests that some fungal hyphae are moving C directly from roots to mineral surfaces. The enriched presence of both nematode-associated fungi (Pochonia sp.) and bacteria (Candidatus Xiphinematobacter) in the minerals suggests that these minerals may be a habitat for nematodes. Bacteria of the family Chitinophagaceae and genus Janthinobacterium were significantly enriched on both ferrihydrite and quartz minerals, both of which may interact with colonizing fungi. These findings suggest that: (1) Microbial colonization of fresh minerals is not a fully passive or neutral process. (2) Mineral exploration by plant-associated fungi and soil fauna transport may be factors in determining the initial colonization of minerals and subsequent C protection.

Localization of heavy metals immobilized on specific organic and mineral parts of a wood-derived biochar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rees, Frédéric; Watteau, Françoise; Morel, Jean-Louis

2013-04-01

Biochar has been intensively investigated over recent years, not only as a promising carbon sequestration or fertilizing agent in soils but also as a possible new sorbent to remediate contaminated soils. A few studies have revealed its high potential for heavy metals immobilization depending on the nature of biochar and trace elements. The mechanisms behind this immobilization remain however unclear: some authors have hypothesized a high sorption capacity due to biochar large surface area while others have suggested that this immobilization is mainly due to soil pH increase. In particular, the distinction between heavy metals specific sorption in biochar pores and heavy metals precipitation in or outside biochar particles is often impossible to make while it is of primary importance to evaluate biochar ability to retain these pollutants on a long-time scale. In order to evaluate the main heavy metal immobilization effects on a standard biochar and to identify the most successful biochar parts of the sample, we examined biochar particles after heavy metals immobilization in batch experiments designed to mimic real chemical processes in soils. A biochar derived from hard and soft wood and pyrolyzed at about 450°C was put in contact with relatively low concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn, Ni) in an initially acidic Ca(NO3)2 solution. Following a one-week adsorption and a one-week desorption step, we recovered the biochar particles and observed them using scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, focusing especially on the changes in mineral phases and the location of each of the retained heavy metals on biochar particles. We were able to distinguish different structures in the biochar samples which were linked to the degree of pyrolysis and the exact nature of the raw wood biomass. We detected the presence of concentrated metals zones (e.g. lead) in specific locations of the organic particles depending on the original plant tissues, and enlightened metal associations with newly-formed mineral phases such as calcite present on biochar surface. These observations provide new insights in the understanding of metal immobilization mechanisms on biochar such as precipitation and co-precipitation. Our findings also underline the need to consider the heterogeneity of biochar constitution for optimizing the remediation potential of biochar on contaminated sites.

Biodegradation of CuTETA, an effluent by-product in mineral processing.

PubMed

Cushing, Alexander M L; Kelebek, Sadan; Yue, Siqing; Ramsay, Juliana A

2018-04-13

Polyamines such as triethylenetetramine (TETA) and other amine chelators are used in mineral processing applications. Formation of heavy metal complexes of these reagents as a by-product in effluent water is a recent environmental concern. In this study, Paecilomyces sp. was enriched from soil on TETA as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen and was found to degrade > 96 and 90% CuTETA complexes at initial concentrations of 0.32 and 0.79 mM respectively, following 96-h incubation. After destabilization, most of the copper (> 78%) was complexed extracellularly and the rest was associated with the cell. Mass spectroscopy results provided confirmation that copper re-complexed with small, extracellular, and organic molecules. There are no reports in the literature that Paecilomyces or any other organism can grow on TETA or CuTETA. This study is the first to show that biological destabilization of CuTETA complexes in mineral processing effluents is feasible.

Raman counting of heavy minerals in turbidites: Indus Fan, IODP Expedition 355

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andò, Sergio

2017-04-01

Raman spectroscopy is an innovative tool with tremendous potential. Thorny long-standing problems that cannot be solved confidently with a polarizing microscope alone, such as the determination of opaque heavy minerals or of detrital grains as small as a few microns, can finally be addressed. Heavy-mineral species commonly found in sediments convey specific information on the genesis of their source rocks and are therefore crucial in provenance diagnoses and palaeotectonic reconstructions. A high-resolution mineralogical study of Indus Fan turbiditic sediments cored during IODP Expedition 355 (Arabian Sea Monsoon) in the Laxmi Basin was carried out to investigate and quantify the different compositional signatures of sand and silt fractions. Silt and sand in turbidite deposits recovered at IODP Sites U1456 and U1457 were chosen as the best natural archive for this source-to-sink study. An integrated mineralogical dataset was obtained by coupling traditional and innovative single-grain heavy-mineral analyses. Reliable quantitative results even in the medium to fine silt classes, which represent the dominant sediment sizes encountered in the recovered cores, were obtained by point-counting of single grains under the microscope assisted by Micro-Raman spectroscopy. Preliminary data from the studied turbidites document rich and diverse heavy-mineral assemblages in both sand and silty-sand fractions. Multiple varietal studies of amphibole, epidote and garnet varieties, representing the dominant heavy-mineral trial in orogenic detritus derived from collided ranges such as the Himalaya, were performed to highlight the wide unexplored potential of Raman spectroscopy when applied to provenance studies. Discriminating within the isomorphous series of garnets is possible, and diverse pyralspite and ugrandite garnets are distinguished by the position of characteristic peaks found at high frequencies and caused by Si-O stretching modes (873-880 cm-1 in ugrandites, 907-926 cm-1 in pyralspites; Bersani et al., 2009; Andò et al., 2009). Raman discrimination of amphibole varieties is also possible and the diagnostic position and shape of the more intense OH stretching bands (frequencies between 3600 and 3700 cm-1) are particularly helpful (Vezzoli et al., 2016). Raman discrimination of epidote-group minerals was tackled by using a new data set of the characteristic vibrational modes in the high-frequency region to facilitate distinction from other silicates and distinguish different varieties. A protocol to separate heavy minerals from the silt fraction, starting from a few grams of sediments only, was developed at the Laboratory for Provenance Studies of Milano-Bicocca. An appropriate data base of Raman spectra of detrital minerals is essential to apply this method routinely in future provenance studies of deep-sea turbidites. Such a new methodological approach plays a potentially key role to differentiate among the diverse Himalayan versus Indian Peninsular sources of detritus and opens up a new frontier for future studies of the largely unexplored deep-marine sedimentary record. Cited references S. Andò, D. Bersani, P. Vignola, E. Garzanti, 2009. Raman spectroscopy as an effective tool for high-resolution heavy-mineral analysis: examples from major Himalayan and Alpine fluvio-deltaic systems. Spectrochimica Acta Part A 73, 3, 450-455. D. Bersani, S. Andò, P. Vignola, G. Moltifiori, I.G. Marino, P.P. Lottici, V. Diella, 2009. Micro-Raman spectroscopy as a routine tool for garnet analysis. Spectrochimica Acta Part A 73, 3, 484-491. G. Vezzoli, E. Garzanti, M. Limonta, S. Andò, S. Yang, 2016. Erosion patterns in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) catchment revealed by bulk-sample versus single-mineral provenance budgets. Geomorphology 261, 177-192.

Radionuclides and radiation doses in heavy mineral sands and other mining operations in Mozambique.

PubMed

Carvalho, Fernando P; Matine, Obete F; Taímo, Suzete; Oliveira, João M; Silva, Lídia; Malta, Margarida

2014-01-01

Sites at the littoral of Mozambique with heavy mineral sands exploited for ilmenite, rutile and zircon and inland mineral deposits exploited for tantalite, uranium and bauxite were surveyed for ambient radiation doses, and samples were collected for the determination of radionuclide concentrations. In heavy mineral sands, (238)U and (232)Th concentrations were 70±2 and 308±9 Bq kg(-1) dry weight (dw), respectively, whereas after separation of minerals, the concentrations in the ilmenite fraction were 2240±64 and 6125±485 Bq kg(-1) (dw), respectively. Tantalite displayed the highest concentrations with 44 738±2474 Bq kg(-1) of (238)U. Radiation exposure of workers in mining facilities is likely to occur at levels above the dose limit for members of the public (1 mSv y(-1)) and therefore radiation doses should be assessed as occupational exposures. Local populations living in these regions in general are not exposed to segregated minerals with high radionuclide concentrations. However, there is intensive artisanal mining and a large number of artisanal miners and their families may be exposed to radiation doses exceeding the dose limit. A radiation protection programme is therefore needed to ensure radiation protection of the public and workers of developing mining projects.

Heavy Metals in Spring and Bottled Drinking Waters of Sibylline Mountains National Park (Central Italy).

PubMed

Annibaldi, Anna; Illuminati, Silvia; Truzzi, Cristina; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2018-02-01

Heavy metal concentrations (cadmium, lead, and copper) in spring, tap, and bottled waters of the Sibylline Mountains National Park (central Italy) were investigated using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry from 2004 to 2011. The mean (±SD) concentrations detected (1.3 ± 0.4 ng L -1 cadmium, 14 ± 6 ng L -1 lead, and 0.16 ± 0.10 μg L -1 copper) were below the limits stipulated by Italian and European legislation for drinking and natural mineral water. In the three studied areas of the park (Mount Bove north, Mount Bove south, and springs of River Nera) with very few exceptions, both mineral waters bottled in the area and aqueduct waters from public fountains had approximately the same metal concentrations as did the spring waters from which they were derived. Conversely, substantially higher metal concentrations were found at some sites in private houses, which may be due to release of metals from old metal pipes. At the time of this study, waters of Sibylline Mountains National Park were of good quality, and no influence of the bottling process on heavy metal concentrations was found.

Pollution by Arsenic, Mercury and other Heavy Metals in Sunchulli mining district of Apolobamba (Bolivia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terán Mita, Tania; Faz Cano, Angel; Muñoz, Maria Angeles; Millán Gómez, Rocio; Chincheros Paniagua, Jaime

2010-05-01

In Bolivia, metal mining activities since historical times have been one of the most important sources of environmental pollution. This is the case of the National Area of Apolobamba Integrated Management (ANMIN of Apolobamba) in La Paz, Bolivia, where intense gold mining activities have been carried out from former times to the present, with very little gold extraction and very primitive mineral processing technology; in fact, mercury is still being used in the amalgam processes of the gold concentration, which is burned outdoors to recover the gold. Sunchullí is a representative mining district in ANMIN of Apolobamba where mining activity is mainly gold extraction and its water effluents go to the Amazonian basin; in this mining district the productivity of extracted mineral is very low but the processes can result in heavy-metal contamination of the air, water, soils and plants. Due to its high toxicity, the contamination by arsenic and mercury create the most critical environmental problems. In addition, some other heavy metals may also be present such as lead, copper, zinc and cadmium. These heavy metals could be incorporated in the trophic chain, through the flora and the fauna, in their bio-available and soluble forms. Inhabitants of this area consume foodcrops, fish from lakes and rivers and use the waters for the livestock, domestic use, and irrigation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the heavy metals pollution by gold mining activities in Sunchullí area. In Sunchullí two representative zones were distinguished and sampled. Zone near the mining operation site was considered as affected by mineral extraction processes, while far away zones represented the non affected ones by the mining operation. In each zone, 3 plots were established; in each plot, 3 soil sampling points were selected in a random manner and analysed separately. In each sampling point, two samples were taken, one at the surface, from 0-5 cm depth (topsoil), and the other between 5 and 15 cm (subsurface). In addition, surface soils from mercury burn areas were also taken. Arsenic, mercury, lead, copper, zinc and cadmium total, DTPA and water extractable metals were determined. In both zones, the results show that mining activities do not increase heavy metals levels except for arsenic (17.20 - 69.25 mg/kg) that presents high concentrations surpassing the Belgium reference levels (19.00 mg/kg), in some cases stands out the high mercury values in the affected zone (2.07 mg/kg, 1.18 mg/kg, 1.93 mg/kg). The most polluted soils are mercury burn areas with high levels of mercury (4.21 - 21.79 mg/kg) surpassing levels according to the Holland regulation (0.3 mg/kg). Workers and population are in close contact with these soils without any type of protection.

Gamma-ray dose rate surveys help investigating century-scale beach ridge progradation in the wave-dominated Catumbela delta (Angola)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinis, Pedro A.; Pereira, Alcides C.; Quinzeca, Domingos; Jombi, Domingos

2017-10-01

A strandplain at the downdrift side of the wave-dominated Catumbela delta (Angola) includes distinguishable deposits with very high natural radioactivity (up to 0.44 microSv/hour). In order to establish the geometry of these sedimentary units and understand their genetic processes, dose rate surveys were performed with the portable equipment Rados RDS-40WE. In addition, grain-size distribution, heavy-mineral composition and gamma-ray mass spectra of the high dose rate deposits were analysed. High dose rate values are found in ribbon units aligned parallel to the shoreline, which are a few tens of meters wide and up to approximately 3 km long. These units reflect the concentration of Th-bearing grains in coastal deposits enriched in heavy minerals. An integrated analysis of the high dose rate ribbons in GIS environment with aerial photography and topographic maps suggests that parts of the high dose rate units formed during the last two centuries may be related with the erosion of older shoreline deposits, due to updrift displacements of the Catumbela river outlet and recycling of shoreline accumulations with downdrift deposition. Simple gamma-ray surveys carried out with a portable detector can unravel depositional units characterised by significant enrichment in heavy-mineral grains that are likely to correspond to key events in the evolution of wave-dominated accumulations. The location of such deposits should be taken into account when planning future work using more expensive or time-consuming techniques.

Hazardous radioactivity levels and heavy mineral concentrations in beach sediments of Lake Peipsi, northeastern Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Järvelill, Johanna-Iisebel; Koch, Rein; Raukas, Anto; Vaasma, Tiit

2018-03-01

The present study discusses results of heavy mineral analyses and radioactivity of beach sediments of Lake Peipsi. Such analyses are commonly done globally, but had not yet been conducted for the fourth largest lake in Europe. The average heavy mineral content in Lake Peipsi beach sediments along the northern and western coast is higher than usual for Estonian coastal and Quaternary sediments. Concomitantly, elevated radioactivity levels have been measured in several places, with the highest concentrations observed at Alajõe (1885.5 Bq/kg), which is over five times more than the recommended limit. The aim of the present study is to find sites with higher radioactivity levels, because the northern coast of Lake Peipsi is a well-known recreational area.

Use of wastewater ER sludges for the immobilization of heavy metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macha, S.; Murray, D.; Urasa, I.T.

1996-10-01

The distribution, mobility, and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils, surface water, and ground water have been of major interest and concern from both environmental and geochemical standpoints. Wastewater sludges represent an important anthropogenic factor whose impact on these processes is not fully understood. In the past, incineration and landfilling were common practices for discarding wastewater sludges. However, as local and state laws governing the disposal of these materials have become more stringent, land application has been used as an alternative. Reported studies have shown that the impact of land application of sludges can vary widely and is influenced bymore » a number of factors, including the source of the sludge; the organic matter content of the sludge; the form in which the sludge is applied; and the prevailing conditions of the receiving soils. It has also been shown that sewage sludge can have solubilizing effects on solid-phase heavy metals, thereby causing geochemical shifts of the insoluble fractions of metals to the more soluble forms. The work presented in this paper utilized synthetic minerals, standard solutions, sludges, and agricultural soils obtained from different sources to determine the mechanisms involved in the mineralization of heavy metals by sludge; the influence of soil conditions; interelemental effects; the influence of natural organic matter; and possible microbial activity that may come into play. Several types of sludge were evaluated for lead binding capacity.« less

The handling, hazards, and maintenance of heavy liquids in the geologic laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hauff, Phoebe L.; Airey, Joseph

1980-01-01

In geologic laboratories the organic heavy liquids bromoform, methylene iodide, tetrabromoethane, and clerici compounds have been used for years in mineral separation processes. Because the volume of use of these compounds is low, insufficient data is available on their toxic properties. This report is an attempt to summarize the known data from published and industry sources. The physical properties, hazards of handling,proper storage facilities, and adequate protective Clothing are discussed for each compound as well as for their common and less-common solvents. Toxicity data for these materials is listed along with exposure symptoms and suggested first aid treatments. Safety for the worker is emphasized. Three reclamation methods which recover the solvent used as a dilutant and purify the heavy liquid are discussed and illustrated. These include: the water cascade, re fluxing-distillation-condensation, and flash evaporation methods. Various techniques for restoration and stabilization of these heavy liquids are also included.

30 CFR 57.16017 - Hoisting heavy equipment or material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hoisting heavy equipment or material. 57.16017... Storage and Handling § 57.16017 Hoisting heavy equipment or material. Where the stretching or contraction... conveyances at shaft landings before heavy equipment or material is loaded or unloaded. ...

Mineralization of organic-matter labile fragments in the humus-accumulative horizon of soddy-podzolic soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trofimov, S. Ya.; Lazarev, A. S.; Fokin, A. D.

2012-12-01

The mineralization rate of the 14C-labeled organic matter (OM) in the humus-accumulative AE horizon of a soddy-podzolic soil was determined in a laboratory experiment. The labeling was performed in a field experiment when microamounts of 14C-labeled glucose, glycine, and uracil were added to tree waste in sacks embedded in the upper layer of the forest litter. Samples containing 14C were taken from the AE horizon (above which the sacks with the labeled material were placed) 7 and 20 months after the beginning of the experiment. The soil samples were wetted to a water content corresponding to ˜80% of the total water capacity and placed in hermetic vessels containing vials with a periodically renewed alkali solution. The incubation was performed at room temperature for 3.5 months; the alkali solutions in the vials were replaced and titrated 12 times during this period. Mineralization curves were plotted from the amounts of carbon dioxide absorbed by a 0.3 N NaOH solution, which were calculated for each time interval; its 14C content was determined by the scintillation method. The experimental treatments also included the determination of the OM mineralization rate in material from the AE horizon pretreated with a heavy liquid or a heavy liquid and a 0.1 N NaOH solution. The differences between the mineralization rates of the labeled organic matter applied to the soil in the form of glucose, glycine, and uracil under the field conditions after the interaction for 7 and 20 months were revealed. The changes in the mineralization rate after the successive extraction of the labile organic matter with a heavy liquid and a 0.1 N NaOH solution were studied. It was shown that the transformation of the labeled low-molecular-weight organic compounds in the soil over 20 months included their strong inclusion into the humus composition, which was confirmed by the similar values of the mineralization constants of the native and 14C-labeled OM. In addition, the treatments with the heavy liquid or the heavy liquid and the NaOH solution had almost identical effects on the mineralization of the native and 14C-labeled OM. The mineralization constants of the native and 14C-labeled OM in the samples taken after 7 months of the field experiment differed significantly.

[Magnetic Response of Dust-loaded Leaves in Parks of Shanghai to Atmospheric Heavy Metal Pollution].

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Chu, Hui-min; Zheng, Xiang-min

2015-12-01

To reveal the magnetic response to the atmospheric heavy metal pollution in leaves along urban parks, Camphor leaf samples, widely distributed at urban parks, were collected along the year leading wind direction of Shanghai, by setting two vertical and horizontal sections, using rock magnetic properties and heavy metal contents analysis. The results showed that the magnetic minerals of samples were predominated by ferromagnetic minerals, and both the concentration and grain size of magnetite particles gradually decreased with the winter monsoon direction from the main industrial district. A rigorous cleaning of leaves using ultrasonic agitator washer could remove about 63%-90% of low-field susceptibility values of the leaves, and this strongly indicated that the intensity of magnetic signal was mainly controlled by the PMs accumulated on the leaves surfaces. Moreover, there was a significant linear relationship between heavy metals contents (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, V and Pb) and magnetic parameters (0.442 ≤ R ≤ 0.799, P < 0.05), which suggested that magnetic parameters of urban park leaves could be used as a proxy for atmospheric heavy metal pollution. The results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that the content of magnetic minerals and heavy metal indust-loaded tree leaves was affected by associated pollution of industry and traffic.

APPLICATION OF HEAVY MEDIA SEPARATION, FLOTATION AND CARBONATE LEACHING TO CONGO ORES. Topical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Breymann, J.B. III

1951-10-31

The possibility of separating the U minerals from the carbonate minerals in magnesitic-dolomitic U ores from Union Miniere du Haute Katanga, Belgian Congo, by heavy media separation or froth flotation was investigated. Tables are included which show conditions and reagents. Results of tests of carbonate leaching of the whole ore and of the carbonate fiotation products are also tabulated. (auth)

Kinetics of heavy metal adsorption and desorption in soil: Developing a unified model based on chemical speciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Lanfang; Liu, Paiyu; Feng, Xionghan; Wang, Zimeng; Cheng, Tao; Liang, Yuzhen; Lin, Zhang; Shi, Zhenqing

2018-03-01

Predicting the kinetics of heavy metal adsorption and desorption in soil requires consideration of multiple heterogeneous soil binding sites and variations of reaction chemistry conditions. Although chemical speciation models have been developed for predicting the equilibrium of metal adsorption on soil organic matter (SOM) and important mineral phases (e.g. Fe and Al (hydr)oxides), there is still a lack of modeling tools for predicting the kinetics of metal adsorption and desorption reactions in soil. In this study, we developed a unified model for the kinetics of heavy metal adsorption and desorption in soil based on the equilibrium models WHAM 7 and CD-MUSIC, which specifically consider metal kinetic reactions with multiple binding sites of SOM and soil minerals simultaneously. For each specific binding site, metal adsorption and desorption rate coefficients were constrained by the local equilibrium partition coefficients predicted by WHAM 7 or CD-MUSIC, and, for each metal, the desorption rate coefficients of various binding sites were constrained by their metal binding constants with those sites. The model had only one fitting parameter for each soil binding phase, and all other parameters were derived from WHAM 7 and CD-MUSIC. A stirred-flow method was used to study the kinetics of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn adsorption and desorption in multiple soils under various pH and metal concentrations, and the model successfully reproduced most of the kinetic data. We quantitatively elucidated the significance of different soil components and important soil binding sites during the adsorption and desorption kinetic processes. Our model has provided a theoretical framework to predict metal adsorption and desorption kinetics, which can be further used to predict the dynamic behavior of heavy metals in soil under various natural conditions by coupling other important soil processes.

Relationships Between Magnetic Susceptibility and Sedimentary Facies Along AL Qahmah, Southern Red Sea Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabhan, A. I.; Yang, W.

2016-12-01

Facies and magnetic parameters of an arid siliciclastic coast were investigated in Al Qahmah, Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the survey was to map and understand the distribution of magnetic minerals in the different sedimentary facies in a 20-km2 area. Four NW-SE profiles parallel to shoreline and thirty-nine roughly perpendicular NE-SW profiles were measured. Petrographic study of sediment composition and texture of 152 samples was conducted. The coast sediments contain six lithofacies: beach, washover fan, tidal channel, eolian dune, sabkha, and wadi. The high concentration of heavy minerals in beach and dune facies causes high magnetic of susceptibility. Mineral composition of the total fraction in these facies confirms the presence of magnetite and ilmenite. The high values of susceptibility in beach and dune facies are attributed to strong winnowing and wave processes that control the pattern of transport, sorting of magnetic minerals in the beach facies. These minerals are picked up and moved by wind at low tide to form extensive low dune fields near the beach. The results showed that magnetic measurements are a sensitive and fast method, which can be used for studying the distribution of magnetic minerals in the sedimentary facies and help interpret various controlling processes.

[Effects of stabilization treatment on migration and transformation of heavy metals in mineral waste residues].

PubMed

Zhao, Shu-Hua; Chen, Zhi-Liang; Zhang, Tai-Ping; Pan, Wei-Bin; Peng, Xiao-Chun; Che, Rong; Ou, Ying-Juan; Lei, Guo-Jian; Zhou, Ding

2014-04-01

Different forms of heavy metals in soil will produce different environmental effects, and will directly influence the toxicity, migration and bioavailability of heavy metals. This study used lime, fly ash, dried sludge, peanut shells as stabilizers in the treatment of heavy metals in mineral waste residues. Morphological analyses of heavy metal, leaching experiments, potted plant experiments were carried out to analyze the migration and transformation of heavy metals. The results showed that after adding stabilizers, the pH of the acidic mineral waste residues increased to more than neutral, and the organic matter content increased significantly. The main existing forms of As, Pb, and Zn in the mineral waste residues were the residual. The contents of exchangeable and organic matter-bound As decreased by 65.6% and 87.7% respectively after adding fly ash, dried sludge and peanut shells. Adding lime, fly ash and peanut shells promoted the transformation of As from the Fe-Mn oxide-bound to the carbonate-bound, and adding lime and fly ash promoted the transformation of Pb and Zn from the exchangeable, Fe-Mn oxide-bound, organic matter-bound to the residual. After the early stage of the stabilization treatment, the contents of As, Pb and Zn in the leachate had varying degrees of decline, and adding peanut shells could reduce the contents of As, Pb and Zn in the leachate further. Among them, the content of As decreased most significantly after treatment with fly ash, dried sludge and peanut shells, with a decline of 57.4%. After treatment with lime, fly ash and peanut shells, the content of Zn decreased most significantly, by 24.9%. The addition of stabilizers was advantageous to the germination and growth of plants. The combination of fly ash, dried sludge and peanut shell produced the best effect, and the Vetiveria zizanioides germination rate reached 76% in the treated wasted mineral residues.

Vitrification as an alternative to landfilling of tannery sewage sludge.

PubMed

Celary, Piotr; Sobik-Szołtysek, Jolanta

2014-12-01

Due to high content of heavy metals such as chromium, tannery sewage sludge is a material which is difficult to be biologically treated as it is in the case of organic waste. Consequently, a common practice in managing tannery sewage sludge is landfilling. This poses a potential threat to both soil and water environments and it additionally generates costs of construction of landfills that meet specific environment protection requirements. Vitrification of this kind of sewage sludge with the addition of mineral wastes can represent an alternative to landfilling. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of obtaining an environmentally safe product by means of vitrification of tannery sewage sludge from a flotation wastewater treatment process and chemical precipitation in order to address the upcoming issue of dealing with sewage sludge from the tannery industry which will be prohibited to be landfilled in Poland after 2016. The focus was set on determining mixtures of tannery sewage sludge with additives which would result in the lowest possible heavy metal leaching levels and highest hardness rating of the products obtained from their vitrification. The plasma vitrification process was carried out for mixtures with various amounts of additives depending on the type of sewage sludge used. Only the materials of waste character were used as additives. One finding of the study was an optimum content of mineral additives in vitrified mixture of 30% v/v waste molding sands with 20% v/v carbonate flotation waste from the zinc and lead industry for the formulations with flotation sewage sludge, and 45% v/v and 5% v/v, respectively, for precipitation sewage sludge. These combinations allowed for obtaining products with negligible heavy metal leaching levels and hardness similar to commercial glass, which suggests they could be potentially used as construction aggregate substitutes. Incineration of sewage sludge before the vitrification process lead to increased hardness of the vitrificates and reduced leaching of some heavy metals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemistry of bed and suspended sediment in the Mississippi river system: provenance versus weathering and winnowing.

PubMed

Piper, D Z; Ludington, Steve; Duval, J S; Taylor, H E

2006-06-01

Stream-bed sediment for the size fraction less than 150 microm, examined in 14,000 samples collected mostly from minor tributaries to the major rivers throughout the Mississippi River drainage system, is composed of 5 mineral fractions identified by factor analysis-Al-silicate minerals, quartz, calcite and dolomite, heavy minerals, and an Fe-Mn fraction. The Al-silicate fraction parallels its distribution in the regolith, emphasizing the local sediment source as a primary control to its distribution. Quartz and the heavy-mineral fraction, and associated trace elements, exhibit a complementary distribution to that of the Al-silicate fraction, with a level of enrichment in the bed sediment that is achieved through winnowing and sorting. The carbonate fraction has a distribution suggesting its dissolution during transport. Trace elements partitioned onto the Fe-Mn, possibly amorphous oxyhydride, fraction are introduced to the streams, in part, through human activity. Except for the heavy-mineral fraction, these fractions are identified in suspended sediment from the Mississippi River itself. Although comparison of the tributary bed sediment with the riverine suspended sediment is problematic, the geochemistry of the suspended sediment seems to corroborate the interpretation of the geochemistry of the bed sediment.

Geochemistry of bed and suspended sediment in the Mississippi river system: Provenance versus weathering and winnowing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piper, D.Z.; Ludington, S.; Duval, J.S.; Taylor, Howard E.

2006-01-01

Stream-bed sediment for the size fraction less than 150 ??m, examined in 14,000 samples collected mostly from minor tributaries to the major rivers throughout the Mississippi River drainage system, is composed of 5 mineral fractions identified by factor analysis-Al-silicate minerals, quartz, calcite and dolomite, heavy minerals, and an Fe-Mn fraction. The Al-silicate fraction parallels its distribution in the regolith, emphasizing the local sediment source as a primary control to its distribution. Quartz and the heavy-mineral fraction, and associated trace elements, exhibit a complementary distribution to that of the Al-silicate fraction, with a level of enrichment in the bed sediment that is achieved through winnowing and sorting. The carbonate fraction has a distribution suggesting its dissolution during transport. Trace elements partitioned onto the Fe-Mn, possibly amorphous oxyhydride, fraction are introduced to the streams, in part, through human activity. Except for the heavy-mineral fraction, these fractions are identified in suspended sediment from the Mississippi River itself. Although comparison of the tributary bed sediment with the riverine suspended sediment is problematic, the geochemistry of the suspended sediment seems to corroborate the interpretation of the geochemistry of the bed sediment.

Removal of copper from aqueous solution using perlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaydin, Mehmet Kayra; Tanaydin, Zümra Bakici; Ince, Muharrem; Demırkiran, Nizamettin

2017-04-01

The wastewaters containing organic and inorganic pollutants after many industrial processes such as metal plating, mining, textile, alloy, battery and industrial chemicals, are often discharged to environment. Heavy metals among these pollutants have highly stable, toxic, non-degradable and carcinogenic characters. They affect not only ecological system, but also human health and many life forms. Therefore, these contaminants should be eliminated or reduced to allowable levels before releasing to environment. Most of heavy metals have toxic character even at low concentrations of about 0.1-0.3 ppm. Treatment technologies such as filtration, ion exchange, precipitation, electrodeposition, reverse osmosis, sedimentation, and adsorption have been applied for removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. Adsorption is one of the most common and widely applied methods to eliminate the metal ions from waste solutions because of its simplicity and cost effectiveness. Activated carbon, clay minerals, ion exchange resins and various agricultural residues can be used as adsorbent materials in this process [1-3].

Mineralogical characteristics of sediments and heavy metal mobilization along a river watershed affected by acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Xie, Yingying; Lu, Guining; Yang, Chengfang; Qu, Lu; Chen, Meiqin; Guo, Chuling; Dang, Zhi

2018-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in acid mine drainage (AMD) are primarily controlled by the mineralogy at the sediment-water interface. Results are presented for a combined geochemical and mineralogical survey of Dabaoshan Mine, South China. Developed sequential extraction experiments with the analysis of the main mineralogical phases by semi-quantitative XRD, differential X-ray diffraction (DXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to identify the quantitative relationship between iron minerals and heavy metals. Results showed that schwertmannite, jarosite, goethite and ferrihydrite were the dominant Fe-oxyhydroxide minerals which were detected alternately in the surface sediment with the increasing pH from 2.50 to 6.93 along the Hengshi River. Decreasing contents of schwertmannite ranging from 35 wt % to 6.5 wt % were detected along the Hengshi River, which was corresponding to the decreasing metal contents. The easily reducible fractions exert higher affinity of metals while compared with reducible and relatively stable minerals. A qualitative analysis of heavy metals extracted from the sediments indicated that the retention ability varied: Pb > Mn > Zn > As ≈ Cu > Cr > Cd ≈ Ni. Results in this study are avail for understanding the fate and transport of heavy metals associated with iron minerals and establishing the remediation strategies of AMD systems.

Mineralogical characteristics of sediments and heavy metal mobilization along a river watershed affected by acid mine drainage

PubMed Central

Xie, Yingying; Yang, Chengfang; Qu, Lu; Chen, Meiqin; Guo, Chuling; Dang, Zhi

2018-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in acid mine drainage (AMD) are primarily controlled by the mineralogy at the sediment-water interface. Results are presented for a combined geochemical and mineralogical survey of Dabaoshan Mine, South China. Developed sequential extraction experiments with the analysis of the main mineralogical phases by semi-quantitative XRD, differential X-ray diffraction (DXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to identify the quantitative relationship between iron minerals and heavy metals. Results showed that schwertmannite, jarosite, goethite and ferrihydrite were the dominant Fe-oxyhydroxide minerals which were detected alternately in the surface sediment with the increasing pH from 2.50 to 6.93 along the Hengshi River. Decreasing contents of schwertmannite ranging from 35 wt % to 6.5 wt % were detected along the Hengshi River, which was corresponding to the decreasing metal contents. The easily reducible fractions exert higher affinity of metals while compared with reducible and relatively stable minerals. A qualitative analysis of heavy metals extracted from the sediments indicated that the retention ability varied: Pb > Mn > Zn > As ≈ Cu > Cr > Cd ≈ Ni. Results in this study are avail for understanding the fate and transport of heavy metals associated with iron minerals and establishing the remediation strategies of AMD systems. PMID:29304091

Comparison of extraction phases for a two-phase culture of a recombinant E. coli producing retinoids.

PubMed

Jang, Hui-Jeong; Ha, Bo-Kyung; Kim, Jin-Woong; Jung, Kyung-Hwa; Ahn, Jiyoon; Yoon, Sang-Hwal; Kim, Seon-Won

2014-03-01

To prevent degradation of intracellular retinoids through in situ extraction from the cells, a two-phase culture system was performed. Several organic solvents, including n-alkanes, mineral oils and cosmetic raw materials, were applied as the extraction phase. Of the n-alkanes, n-decane had the highest retinoid production as 134 mg/l after 72 h. For mineral oil, light and heavy mineral oil gave retinoid productions of 158 and 174 mg/l after 96 h, respectively. Of other materials, isopropyl myristate gave the highest retinoid production of 181 mg/l. These results indicate that many types of oils can be applied for retinoid production, and optimization of the in situ extraction process will lead to further improve of economical production for the industrial purpose.

Mineral-microorganism interactions in Acid Mine Drainage environments: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbone, Cristina; Zotti, Mirca; Pozzolini, Marina; Giovine, Marco; Di Piazza, Simone; Mariotti, Mauro; Lucchetti, Gabriella

2014-05-01

Minerals play a key role in controlling the mobility and distribution of metals and metalloids of environmental concern in supergenic environments. These are involved in a variety of processes, spanning the alteration of primary minerals to the formation of secondary authigenic phases and can represent a source or a trap for Potentially Ecotoxic Elements (PTEs). Soil, sediments, and waters heavily polluted with PTEs through AMD processes are a reservoir of a unusual bacteria and fungi well adapted to these toxic environments. Classical studies of biotic weathering have mainly focused on water-mineral interaction and on the ability of microorganism to influence the soil solution chemical composition. In this work, we analyzed two different representative ochreous and greenish-blue AMD colloidal precipitates in order to i) characterize the biota population present in these colloidal minerals and ii) verify the bioaccumulation of PTEs into the fungi and the potential impact of bacteria in the geochemistry of the system. The samples are composed by nanocrystalline goethite which contains high amounts of Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Ni and woodwardite that is characterized by Cu, Zn, Ni, Y, and Ce. These precipitates were examined in order to evaluate the presence of fungal strains and to extract bacteria DNA. The preliminary results of fungi characterization show an interesting and selected mycobiota able to survive under unfavourable environmental conditions. A significant number of fungal strains was isolated in pure culture. Most of them belong to the genus Mucor and Penicillium. It is worth noting the presence of Trametes versicolor, a macrofungal lignicolous species already known for heavy metal biosorption capability from aqueous solution (Gülay et al 2003). The same colloidal precipitates have been processed to extract bacteria DNA, using a specific procedure developed for DNA extraction from sediments. The results gave a good yield of nucleic acids and the positive PCR amplification of 16S rDNA accomplished the first step for future metagenomic analysis. Gülay B., Sema B., M. Yakup A.. 2003 Biosorption of heavy metal ions on immobilized white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Journal of Hazardous Materials B101 (2003) 285-300

Leaching of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc from two slag dumps with different environmental exposure periods under dynamic acidic condition.

PubMed

Jin, Zhisheng; Liu, Taoze; Yang, Yuangen; Jackson, Daniel

2014-06-01

Over the past few decades, zinc smelting activities in Guizhou, China have produced numerous slag dumps, which are often dispersed on roadsides and hill slopes throughout the region. During periods of acid rain, these exposed slags release heavy metals into surface water bodies. A column leaching study was designed to test the potential release of the heavy metals cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) under simulated acid rain events. Two slags with varying environmental exposure periods were packed in columns and subjected to leaching solutions of pH 3.5, 5.5, or DI H2O at intervals of 1, 7, 14, 28, 56d. Pulse concentrations of Cd in leachate were found above 5μg/L, Cr, Pb, and Zn >10μg/L, whereas, Cu reached 10μg/L. After five leaching events, the leachability (percentage of cumulative heavy metal leached after five leaching events as in its respective total concentration in slags) of Cd was 0.05 percent and 0.035 percent from the old and young slag, respectively. Cr (0.035 percent and 0.05 percent) was greater than Cu (0.002 percent and 0.005 percent) and Zn (0.006 percent and 0.003 percent), while the lowest leachability was observed for Pb (0.0005 percent and 0.0002 percent) from the old and young slags, respectively. Reaction rates (release amount of heavy metals in certain period of leaching) of heavy metals in the leachates demonstrated the sequence of Zn>Cr>Cd, Cu>Pb. Leaching release of heavy metals was jointly affected by the pH of leaching solution and mineral composition of slags (including chemical forms of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn). Environmental exposure period of slags, resulting in the alteration of minerals, could affect the release process of heavy metals in leaching as well. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Desorption and mobility mechanisms of co-existing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals in clays and clay minerals.

PubMed

Saeedi, Mohsen; Li, Loretta Y; Grace, John R

2018-05-15

The effects of soil components such as clay minerals and as humic acids, as well as co-existing metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, on desorption and mobility are examined. Three types of artificially blended clay and clay mineral mixtures (pure kaolinite, kaolinite + sand and kaolinite + sand + bentonite), each with different humic acid content, were tested for desorption and mobility of acenaphthene, fluorene and fluoranthene by three extracting solutions CaCl 2 (0.01 M) and EDTA (0.01M) with non-ionic surfactants (Tween 80 and Triton X100). Heavy metals (Ni, Pb and Zn) were also studied for desorption and mobility. The influence of co-present metals on simultaneous desorption and mobility of PAHs was investigated as well. The results showed that <10% of metals in the clay mineral mixtures were mobile. Combined EDTA and non-ionic solutions can enhance the desorption and mobility of PAHs to >80% in clay mineral mixtures containing no sand, while in the same soils containing ∼40% sand, the desorption exceeded 90%. Heavy metals, as well as increasing humic acids content in the clay mineral mixtures, decreased the desorption and mobility of PAHs, especially for soils containing no sand, and for fluoranthene compared with fluorene and acenaphthene. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to diesel exhaust linked to lung cancer in miners

Cancer.gov

In a study of non-metal miners in the United States, federal government scientists reported that heavy exposure to diesel exhaust increased risk of death from lung cancer. The research, all part of the Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study, was designed to evalu

Two-way Valorization of Blast Furnace Slag: Synthesis of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Zeolitic Heavy Metal Adsorbent.

PubMed

Georgakopoulos, Evangelos; Santos, Rafael M; Chiang, Yi Wai; Manovic, Vasilije

2017-02-21

The aim of this work is to present a zero-waste process for storing CO2 in a stable and benign mineral form while producing zeolitic minerals with sufficient heavy metal adsorption capacity. To this end, blast furnace slag, a residue from iron-making, is utilized as the starting material. Calcium is selectively extracted from the slag by leaching with acetic acid (2 M CH3COOH) as the extraction agent. The filtered leachate is subsequently physico-chemically purified and then carbonated to form precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) of high purity (<2 wt% non-calcium impurities, according to ICP-MS analysis). Sodium hydroxide is added to neutralize the regenerated acetate. The morphological properties of the resulting calcitic PCC are tuned for its potential application as a filler in papermaking. In parallel, the residual solids from the extraction stage are subjected to hydrothermal conversion in a caustic solution (2 M NaOH) that leads to the predominant formation of a particular zeolitic mineral phase (detected by XRD), namely analcime (NaAlSi2O6∙H2O). Based on its ability to adsorb Ni 2+ , as reported from batch adsorption experiments and ICP-OES analysis, this product can potentially be used in wastewater treatment or for environmental remediation applications.

Two-way Valorization of Blast Furnace Slag: Synthesis of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Zeolitic Heavy Metal Adsorbent

PubMed Central

Georgakopoulos, Evangelos; Santos, Rafael M.; Chiang, Yi Wai; Manovic, Vasilije

2017-01-01

The aim of this work is to present a zero-waste process for storing CO2 in a stable and benign mineral form while producing zeolitic minerals with sufficient heavy metal adsorption capacity. To this end, blast furnace slag, a residue from iron-making, is utilized as the starting material. Calcium is selectively extracted from the slag by leaching with acetic acid (2 M CH3COOH) as the extraction agent. The filtered leachate is subsequently physico-chemically purified and then carbonated to form precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) of high purity (<2 wt% non-calcium impurities, according to ICP-MS analysis). Sodium hydroxide is added to neutralize the regenerated acetate. The morphological properties of the resulting calcitic PCC are tuned for its potential application as a filler in papermaking. In parallel, the residual solids from the extraction stage are subjected to hydrothermal conversion in a caustic solution (2 M NaOH) that leads to the predominant formation of a particular zeolitic mineral phase (detected by XRD), namely analcime (NaAlSi2O6∙H2O). Based on its ability to adsorb Ni2+, as reported from batch adsorption experiments and ICP-OES analysis, this product can potentially be used in wastewater treatment or for environmental remediation applications. PMID:28287605

Mineral absorption by albino rats as affected by some types of dietary pectins with different degrees of esterification.

PubMed

el-Zoghbi, M; Sitohy, M Z

2001-04-01

Male albino rats were fed diets contained 6.85% mineral salts for 2 weeks (adaptation condition). Then they were fed the dietary pectin administered diet for 6 weeks to evaluate the effect of administration of pectin on the absorption of some monovalent, bivalent and heavy metals in the serum of rats. The experimental parameters included, monovalent minerals (K, Na), bivalent minerals (Zn, Cu, Ca, Fe), heavy metals (Pb, Cd), serum uric acid and serum creatinine. The obtained results indicated that the serum contents of monovalent minerals were negatively affected by pectin administration. The low degree of esterification of pectin was more effective on the absorption of bivalent minerals. Also, the rat serum levels of lead and cadmium were reduced by pectin administration. Serum total proteins were reduced by pectin administration. The level of rat serum of uric acid and creatinine fed different sources of pectin were within normal levels and were insignificantly lower than that recorded for control samples.

Heavy metals concentration and availability of different soils in Sabzevar area, NE of Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazhari, Seyed Ali; Sharifiyan Attar, Reza; Haghighi, Faezeh

2017-10-01

Soils developed in the Sabzevar ophiolitic area originate from different bedrocks. All samples display similar physico-chemical properties, but heavy metal concentrations vary extremely in different soil samples. Serpentine soils have the highest total concentration of Cr, Ni and Co; while soils derived from mafic rocks (olivine basalts and hornblende gabbros) show the highest Cu (85.29-109.11 ppm) and Zn (46.88-86.60 ppm). The DTPA-extraction of soil samples indicates that the order of metal bioavailability was Cr3% of total Cr; >12% of total Co and >17% of total Zn). Oxide minerals (such as chromite and magnetite) in Sabzevar soils play as resistant minerals and impede the heavy metal availability; while forsterite, pyroxene, serpentine and talc are more labile and show higher DTPA-extractable of heavy metals.

Potential for U sequestration with select minerals and sediments via base treatment.

PubMed

Emerson, Hilary P; Di Pietro, Silvina; Katsenovich, Yelena; Szecsody, Jim

2018-06-13

Temporary base treatment is a potential remediation technique for heavy metals through adsorption, precipitation, and co-precipitation with minerals. Manipulation of pH with ammonia gas injection may be especially useful for vadose zone environments as it does not require addition of liquids that would increase the flux towards groundwater. In this research, we conducted laboratory batch experiments to evaluate the changes in uranium mobility and mineral dissolution with base treatments including sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and ammonia gas. Our data show that partitioning of uranium to the solid phase increases by several orders of magnitude following base treatment in the presence of different minerals and natural sediments from the Hanford site. The presence of dissolved calcium and carbonate play an important role in precipitation and co-precipitation of uranium at elevated pH. In addition, significant incongruent dissolution of bulk mineral phases occurs and likely leads to precipitation of secondary mineral phases. These secondary phases may remove uranium via adsorption, precipitation, and co-precipitation processes and may coat uranium phases with low solubility minerals as the pH returns to natural conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineral resources of the Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dillon, William P.

1984-01-01

Potential mineral resources of the Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (including the Gulf of Mexico and US Caribbean areas) include petroleum, sand and gravel, phosphorite, placer deposits of heavy mineral sands, ferromanganese nodules, and fresh water. Although major efforts have been made to search for petroleum, the oil and gas resources of the region are well known only in the western Gulf Shelf and more exploration is under way. Heavy-mineral placer deposits, which may be sources of titanium, gold, rare earths, etc. , have been sampled, but the extent and, therefore, economic value of the deposits have not been identified. Sand and gravel, phosphorite, and ferromanganese nodules all are represented by fairly well established deposits, and only modified market conditions would be necessary to cause detailed exploration and mining.

Submicron-Scale Heterogeneities in Nickel Sorption of Various Cell-Mineral Aggregates Formed by Fe(II)-Oxidizing Bacteria.

PubMed

Schmid, Gregor; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Hao, Likai; Ingino, Pablo; Adaktylou, Irini; Eickhoff, Merle; Obst, Martin

2016-01-05

Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria form biogenic cell-mineral aggregates (CMAs) composed of microbial cells, extracellular organic compounds, and ferric iron minerals. CMAs are capable of immobilizing large quantities of heavy metals, such as nickel, via sorption processes. CMAs play an important role for the fate of heavy metals in the environment, particularly in systems characterized by elevated concentrations of dissolved metals, such as mine drainage or contaminated sediments. We applied scanning transmission (soft) X-ray microscopy (STXM) spectrotomography for detailed 3D chemical mapping of nickel sorbed to CMAs on the submicron scale. We analyzed different CMAs produced by phototrophic or nitrate-reducing microbial Fe(II) oxidation and, in addition, a twisted stalk structure obtained from an environmental biofilm. Nickel showed a heterogeneous distribution and was found to be preferentially sorbed to biogenically precipitated iron minerals such as Fe(III)-(oxyhydr)oxides and, to a minor extent, associated with organic compounds. Some distinct nickel accumulations were identified on the surfaces of CMAs. Additional information obtained from scatter plots and angular distance maps, showing variations in the nickel-iron and nickel-organic carbon ratios, also revealed a general correlation between nickel and iron. Although a high correlation between nickel and iron was observed in 2D maps, 3D maps revealed this to be partly due to projection artifacts. In summary, by combining different approaches for data analysis, we unambiguously showed the heterogeneous sorption behavior of nickel to CMAs.

Monazite in Atlantic shore-line features

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dryden, Lincoln; Miller, Glen A.

1954-01-01

This report is a survey of present and potential production of monazite from part of the Maryland-Florida section of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The part of the Coastal Plain covered here is the outer (shore-ward) half. In this area, all the large heavy-mineral placers so far discovered occur in sand bodies that, by their shape, size, orientation, and lithology, appear to be ancient beaches, spits, bars, or dunes. Smaller placers have produced from recent shore-line features. The inner part of the Coastal Plain, to be treated in another report, is underlain generally by older rocks, ranging in age from Cretaceous to older Pleistocene. Only two large heavy-mineral placers are now in production at Trail Ridge, and near Jacksonville, both in Florida. Production is planned for the near future near Yulee, Fla.: in Folkston, Ga.: and at one or two localities in eastern North Carolina. Each of these three will produce monazite as a byproduct; the total new reserve for the three placers is about 33,000 tons of monazite. In large heavy-mineral placers of this type, monazite has not been found to run more than about 1 percent of total heavy minerals. In some large placers, notably Trail Ridge, it is almost or completely lacking. No reason for its sporadic occurrence has been found in this investigation. Two placers of potential economic value have been found by this project in Virginia, one west and one east of Chesapeake Bay. Neither is of promise for monazite production, but if they serve to open up exploration or production in the area, there is a chance for monazite as a byproduct from other placers. A discovery of considerable scientific interest has to do with the occurrence of two different suites of heavy minerals in the Coastal Plain, at least south of Virginia. One, an “older” suite, lacks epidote, hornblende, and garnet; this suite occurs in all older formations and in Pleistocene deposits lying above about 50 or 60 feet above sea level. The other, “younger” suite contains these three minerals: it is restricted to recent beaches and streams, and to Pleistocene deposits at low altitudes. Monazite may occur with either of these suites. The percentage of titania (TiO2) in illmenite is of both scientific and economic interest. Illmenite is by far the most sought-for mineral in present exploration, and whether it contains the “normal” 53 percent of titania or, as it commonly does in Florida, 60 percent, is often of decisive importance in its exploitation. The nature, time, and place of this “enrichment” in titania has not been worked out. The heavy-mineral industry of the area seems to give promise of considerable expansion in the near future, and a greater monazite production seems assured.

7 CFR 94.102 - Analyses available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., chlorinated hydrocarbon and fumigant residues, dextrin, heavy and light filth, glucose, glycerol and gums. In addition, egg products can be analyzed for high sucrose content, pH, heavy metals and minerals, monosodium...

7 CFR 94.102 - Analyses available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., chlorinated hydrocarbon and fumigant residues, dextrin, heavy and light filth, glucose, glycerol and gums. In addition, egg products can be analyzed for high sucrose content, pH, heavy metals and minerals, monosodium...

7 CFR 94.102 - Analyses available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., chlorinated hydrocarbon and fumigant residues, dextrin, heavy and light filth, glucose, glycerol and gums. In addition, egg products can be analyzed for high sucrose content, pH, heavy metals and minerals, monosodium...

7 CFR 94.102 - Analyses available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., chlorinated hydrocarbon and fumigant residues, dextrin, heavy and light filth, glucose, glycerol and gums. In addition, egg products can be analyzed for high sucrose content, pH, heavy metals and minerals, monosodium...

Removal of heavy metals from polluted soil using the citric acid fermentation broth: a promising washing agent.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongjiao; Gao, Yuntao; Xiong, Huabin

2017-04-01

The citric acid fermentation broth was prepared and it was employed to washing remediation of heavy metal-polluted soil. A well-defined washing effect was obtained, the removal percentages using citric acid fermentation broth are that 48.2% for Pb, 30.6% for Cu, 43.7% for Cr, and 58.4% for Cd and higher than that using citric acid solution. The kinetics of heavy metals desorption can be described by the double constant equation and Elovich equation and is a heterogeneous diffusion process. The speciation analysis shows that the citric acid fermentation broth can effectively reduce bioavailability and environmental risk of heavy metals. Spectroscopy characteristics analysis suggests that the washing method has only a small effect on the mineral composition and does not destroy the framework of soil system. Therefore, the citric acid fermentation broth is a promising washing agent and possesses a potential practical application value in the field of remediation of soils with a good washing performance.

Process recognition in multi-element soil and stream-sediment geochemical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grunsky, E.C.; Drew, L.J.; Sutphin, D.M.

2009-01-01

Stream-sediment and soil geochemical data from the Upper and Lower Coastal Plains of South Carolina (USA) were studied to determine relationships between soils and stream sediments. From multi-element associations, characteristic compositions were determined for both media. Primary associations of elements reflect mineralogy, including heavy minerals, carbonates and clays, and the effects of groundwater. The effects of groundwater on element concentrations are more evident in soils than stream sediments. A "winnowing index" was created using ratios of Th to Al that revealed differing erosional and depositional environments. Both soils and stream sediments from the Upper and Lower Coastal Plains show derivation from similar materials and subsequent similar multi-element relationships, but have some distinct differences. In the Lower Coastal Plain, soils have high values of elements concentrated in heavy minerals (Ce, Y, Th) that grade into high values of elements concentrated into finer-grain-size, lower-density materials, primarily comprised of carbonates and feldspar minerals (Mg, Ca, Na, K, Al). These gradational trends in mineralogy and geochemistry are inferred to reflect reworking of materials during marine transgressions and regressions. Upper Coastal Plain stream-sediment geochemistry shows a higher winnowing index relative to soil geochemistry. A comparison of the 4 media (Upper Coastal Plain soils and stream sediments and Lower Coastal Plain soils and stream sediments) shows that Upper Coastal Plain stream sediments have a higher winnowing index and a higher concentration of elements contained within heavy minerals, whereas Lower Coastal Plain stream sediments show a strong correlation between elements typically contained within clays. It is not possible to calculate a functional relationship between stream sediment-soil compositions for all elements due to the complex history of weathering, deposition, reworking and re-deposition. However, depending on the spatial separation of the stream-sediment and soil samples, some elements are more highly correlated than others. Crown Copyright ?? 2009.

Geochemical studies in the Indian Pass and Picacho Peak Bureau of Land Management Wilderness study areas, imperial county, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, D.B.; Berger, B.R.; Tosdal, R.M.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has conducted geochemical studies in the Indian Pass (CDCA-355), 124 km2, and Picacho Peak (CDCA-355A), 23 km2, Wilderness Study Areas (WSA's) as part of a program to evaluate the mineral resource potential of designated areas in the California Desert Conservation Area. These two WSA's are of particular interest because they lie within a region which has intermittently produced significant quantities of Au since the mid-1800's, and is currently the site of much exploration activity for additional Au resources. Within a 15-km radius of the WSA's, there is one actively producing gold mine, a major deposit which began production in 1986, and one recently announced discovery. In the reconnaissance geochemical surveys of the two WSA's - 177 ??m (-80 mesh) stream sediments, heavy-mineral concentrates from stream sediments, and rocks were prepared and analyzed. Four areas of possible exploration interest were identified within the WSA's. The first area is characterized by anomalous W and Bi in nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrates, and is underlain primarily by the Mesozoic Orocopia Schist which has been intruded by monzogranite of Oligocene age. Alteration and mineralization appear to be localized near the intrusive contact. The mineralized rock at the surface contains secondary Cu and Fe minerals where the monzogranite intrudes the metabasite horizons of the Orocopia Schist and scheelite where the monzogranite intrudes marble within the Orocopia Schist. The second area is characterized by anomalous As, Sb, Ba, B, and Sr in nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrates and by anomalous As in - 177 ??m stream sediments. Geologically, this area is underlain by metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of Jurassic(?) age; a biotite monzogranite of Jurassic(?) age; and Tertiary volcanic and hypabyssal rocks composed of flows, domes, and tuffs of intermediate to silicic composition. All these rock types are cut by a set of north-south-striking normal faults. The anomalies in the heavy-mineral concentrates are believed to be related to silica-clay alteration observed in the vicinity of some of these faults. ?? 1987.

Comparative evaluation of short-term leach tests for heavy metal release from mineral processing waste

USGS Publications Warehouse

Al-Abed, S. R.; Hageman, P.L.; Jegadeesan, G.; Madhavan, N.; Allen, D.

2006-01-01

Evaluation of metal leaching using a single leach test such as the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) is often questionable. The pH, redox potential (Eh), particle size and contact time are critical variables in controlling metal stability, not accounted for in the TCLP. This paper compares the leaching behavior of metals in mineral processing waste via short-term extraction tests such as TCLP, Field Leach Test (FLT) used by USGS and deionized water extraction tests. Variation in the extracted amounts was attributed to the use of different particle sizes, extraction fluid and contact time. In the controlled pH experiments, maximum metal extraction was obtained at acidic pH for cationic heavy metals such as Cu, Pb and Zn, while desorption of Se from the waste resulted in high extract concentrations in the alkaline region. Precipitation of iron, caused by a pH increase, probably resulted in co-precipitation and immobilization of Cu, Pb and Zn in the alkaline pH region. A sequential extraction procedure was performed on the original waste and the solid residue from the Eh-pH experiments to determine the chemical speciation and distribution of the heavy metals. In the as-received waste, Cu existed predominantly in water soluble or sulfidic phases, with no binding to carbonates or iron oxides. Similar characteristics were observed for Pb and Zn, while Se existed mostly associated with iron oxides or sulfides. Adsorption/co-precipitation of Cu, Se and Pb on precipitated iron hydroxides was observed in the experimental solid residues, resulting in metal immobilization above pH 7.

Flow Chart for Mineral Separation from Granitic Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mursky, Gregory

1987-01-01

Provided is a flow chart for the separation and purification of major, minor, and accessory minerals from granitic rocks. With careful use of heavy liquids, and a Franz Isodynamic Magnetic Separator, it is possible to obtain mineral concentrates with a purity of 95 percent or better. (Author/RH)

Climatic thresholds for concentrations of minerals and heavy metals in Argentinean soybeans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mineral undernourishment is of concern throughout the world, and plant-derived foods are considered a major dietary source contributing to adequate daily mineral intake. Soybeans and soy ingredients are consumed daily by humans and animals. In this study, we demonstrate the climate thresholds for op...

Provenance of sediments from Sumatra, Indonesia - Insights from detrital U-Pb zircon geochronology, heavy mineral analyses and Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebermann, C.; Hall, R.; Gough, A.

2017-12-01

The island of Sumatra is situated at the southwestern margin of the Indonesian archipelago. Although it is the sixth largest island in the world, the geology of the Sumatra sedimentary basins and their underlying basement is relatively poorly understood in terms of their provenance. This work is a multi-proxy provenance study utilizing U-Pb detrital zircon dating by LA-ICP-MS combined with optical and Raman spectroscopy-based heavy mineral analysis. It will help to unravel the stratigraphy of Sumatra, contribute to paleogeographic reconstruction of western SE Asia, and aid a wider understanding of Sumatran petroleum plays. Thin section analyses, heavy mineral assemblages, and >3500 concordant U-Pb zircon ages, from samples acquired during two fieldwork seasons indicate a mixed provenance for Cenozoic sedimentary formations, including both local igneous sources and mature basement rocks. Characteristic Precambrian zircon age spectra are found in all analysed Cenozoic sedimentary strata. These can be correlated with zircon age populations found in Sumatran basement rocks; Neoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic age groups are dominant (c. 500-600 Ma, c. 850-1000 Ma, c. 1050-1200 Ma). Paleoproterozoic to Archaean zircons occur as minor populations. The Phanerozoic age spectra of the Cenozoic formations are characterised by distinct Carboniferous, Permo-Triassic, and Jurassic-Cretaceous zircon populations. Permo-Triassic zircons are interpreted to come from granitoids in the Malay peninsula or Sumatra itself. Eocene to Lower Miocene strata are characterised by ultrastable heavy minerals such as zircon, tourmaline, and rutile, which together with garnet, suggest the principal sources were igneous and metamorphic basement rocks. Cenozoic zircons appear only from the Middle Miocene onwards. This change is interpreted to indicate a new contribution from a local volcanic arc, and is supported by the occurrence of unstable heavy minerals such as apatite and clinopyroxene, and the presence of volcanic quartz. The absence of an earlier volcanic contribution is surprising since subduction is widely considered to have been active from the Eocene.

Geochemistry and provenance of some detrital heavy minerals of alluvial sediments from Neagra Şarului River, Eastern Carpathians, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciortescu, Catalina; Iancu, Ovidiu Gabriel; Bulgariu, Dumitru; Popa, Ciprian

2014-05-01

The present work focuses on the analyses of a selection of heavy mineral assemblages sampled from the Neagra Şarului River's alluvia, in order to determine their provenance and distribution, using their geochemical and physical characteristics. The study focused on a mountain river of about 30 km long, located in the north-western part of the Eastern Carpathians, an important tributary of the Bistria River. The bedrocks in the river drainage basin are constituted mainly by igneous rocks from Călimani Volcanic Complex in the west, and secondarily by a small area of low to medium grade metamorphic rocks, part of Crystalline-Mesozoic Zone, in the east. In order to trace the source of each individual mineral species, we prepared our samples via field separation and subsequent laboratory sieving using 8 different size fractions. An electromagnetic separator (Frantz Isodynamic) was used to separate and classify each heavy minerals species, depending on their magnetic susceptibility. Thus prepared, more than 500 grains per samples (from the 0.5-1 mm size fraction) were mounted on thin sections and analyzed using a Cambridge Microscan M9 with EDS system. These analyses served for mineral identification and relative abundance determination. The classification of the minerals and the nature of their inclusions are derived from the major element compositions computed from SEM-EDX analysis. We also used a stereo microscope in order to determine complementary properties of the grains, such as: color, degree of roundness and degree of alteration. In order of abundance, the main heavy minerals are magnetite, hematite, pyroxene, pyrite, manganese oxides, garnet, apatite, titanium oxides (ilmenite, titanite and rutile/anatase), chlorite, olivine, epidote, biotite and rhodochrosite. A particularity of the studied area is the presence of an altered magnetite caused first by the hydrothermal alteration and strong weathering of the source rocks and second by the river's acid water. Manganese oxides are present only in grain fractions greater than 0.25 mm due to higher susceptibility to weathering and dissolution of the Mn aggregates in the river bed. Despite low distribution of the metamorphic units in the river's studied basin, the garnets almandine (Alm 13-88%) and spessartine (Sps 0.5-87%), specific to the medium grade metamorphic rocks, have a relative high frequency. In this study, heavy mineral assemblages generally reflect the composition of primary (augite, almandine) and accessory minerals present in source rocks. The last ones are both primary (apatite) and secondary, which are mainly derived from hydrothermal deposition (e. g. pyrite) and from supergene alterations (e. g. manganese, iron oxides/ hydroxides, and other altered product of magnetite). Therefore, the mineral analyses were not limited to only tracking the source of each mineral species, but they also revealed the characteristics of their parent rocks.

Effect of methods of preparation on distribution of heavy metals in different size fractions of municipal solid waste composts.

PubMed

Saha, J K; Panwar, N R; Coumar, M Vassanda

2013-11-01

The present study compares the distribution and nature of heavy metals in composts from 12 cities of India, prepared from different types of processed urban solid wastes, namely mixed wastes (MWC), partially segregated wastes (PSWC), and segregated bio-wastes (BWC). Compost samples were physically fractionated by wet sieving, followed by extraction of heavy metals by dilute HCl and NaOH. Bigger particles (>0.5 mm) constituted the major fraction in all three types of composts and had a relatively lower concentration of organic matter and heavy metals, the effect being more pronounced in MWC and PSWC in which a significant portion of the heavy metals was distributed in finer size fractions. Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were extracted to a greater extent by acid than by alkali, the difference being greater in MWC, which contained a higher amount of mineral matter. In contrast, Cu and Cr were extracted to a greater extent by dilute alkali, particularly from BWC containing a higher amount of organic matter. Water-soluble heavy metals were generally related to the water-soluble C or total C content as well as to pH, rather than to their total contents. This study concludes that wet sieving with dilute acid can effectively reduce heavy metal load in MWC and PSWC.

Proceedings of West Coast Regional Coastal Design Conference Held on 7-8 November 1985 at Oakland, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

Lon- don, 53 2p. Yancey, T.E. and Lee, J.W. 1972. Major heavy mineral assemblages and heavy mineral provinces of the central California Coast Region...sites have been collected. A data base and a user-friendly retrieval system have been de - veloped and are presently undergoing evaluation before they are...Continental Margin The tectonic evolution of the Oregon coastline appears to be controlled at present by the underthrusting of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath

Analytical results and sample locality maps of stream-sediment, heavy-mineral-concentrate, and rock samples from the Little Jacks Creek (ID-111-006), Big Jacks Creek (ID-111-007C), Duncan Creek (ID-111-0007B), and Upper Deep Creek (ID-111-044) Wilderness Study Areas, Owyhee County, Idaho

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erickson, M.S.; Gent, C.A.; Bradley, L.A.

1989-01-01

A U.S. Geological Survey report detailing the analytical results and sample locality maps of stream-sediment, heavy-mineral-concentrate, and rock samples from the Little Jacks Creek, Big Jacks Creek, Duncan Creek, and Upper Deep Creek Wilderness Study Areas, Owyhee County, Idaho

30 CFR 72.501 - Emission limits for nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors. 72.501 Section 72.501 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY... nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors. (a) Each piece of nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment (as defined by § 75.1908(a) of this part), generator or compressor...

30 CFR 72.501 - Emission limits for nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors. 72.501 Section 72.501 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY... nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment, generators and compressors. (a) Each piece of nonpermissible heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment (as defined by § 75.1908(a) of this part), generator or compressor...

Silicon occurrence, uptake, transport and mechanisms of heavy metals, minerals and salinity enhanced tolerance in plants with future prospects: A review.

PubMed

Imtiaz, Muhammad; Rizwan, Muhammad Shahid; Mushtaq, Muhammad Adnan; Ashraf, Muhammad; Shahzad, Sher Muhammad; Yousaf, Balal; Saeed, Dawood Anser; Rizwan, Muhammad; Nawaz, Muhammad Azher; Mehmood, Sajid; Tu, Shuxin

2016-12-01

Recently, heavy metals pollution due to industrialization and urbanization, use of untreated wastewater and unreasonable use of pesticides and fertilizers is increasing rapidly, resulting in major threat to the environment and contaminate soils. Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the earth crust after oxygen. Although it's higher accumulation in plants, yet Si has not been listed as essential nutrient however, considered as beneficial element for growth of plants particularly in stressed environment. Research to date has demonstrated that silicon helps the plants to alleviate the various biotic and abiotic stresses. This review article presents a comprehensive update about Si and heavy metals, minerals and salinity stresses, and contained the progress about Si so far done worldwide in the light of previous studies to evaluate the ecological importance of Si. Moreover, this review will also be helpful to understand the Si uptake ability and its benefits on plants grown under stressed environment. Further research needs for Si-mediated mitigation of heavy metals and mineral nutrients stresses are also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Groundwater chemistry and human health risk assessment in the mining region of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand, India.

PubMed

Singh, Umesh Kumar; Ramanathan, A L; Subramanian, V

2018-08-01

Groundwater chemistry of mining region of East Singhbhum district having complex contaminant sources were investigated based on heavy metals loads and other hydrochemical constituents. This study aimed to identify the degree of heavy metals exposure and their potential health risk to local population. The results of hydrochemical analysis showed that Na + , K + , and Ca 2+ ions are the dominant cations in the groundwater, while HCO 3 - , F - and Cl - ions dominate the anionic part of the groundwater. The weathering process was considered the dominant factor to determine the major ionic composition in the study area. Compositional analysis for heavy metal has identified that groundwater of the study area is contaminated by Cd, Pb and Cr elements. Source of these metals have been identified as an anthropogenic inputs from mining activities and mineral processing units. Health risk analysis of individual heavy metal for chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) was found in the order of Cr > As > Cd > Pb which is indicating high health risk for the population. In addition, Hazard Index (HI) analysis for heavy metals was found significantly high (>1) which is considered as a threat for human population because they have the tendency to accumulate in the body and cause variety of diseases like kidney problem, dysfunction of liver and renal cortex as well as cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variability of Fe isotope compositions of hydrothermal sulfides and oxidation products at mid-ocean ridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaohu; Wang, Jianqiang; Chu, Fengyou; Wang, Hao; Li, Zhenggang; Yu, Xing; Bi, Dongwei; He, Yongsheng

2018-04-01

Significant Fe isotopic fractionation occurs during the precipitation and oxidative weathering of modern seafloor hydrothermal sulfides, which has an important impact on the cycling of Fe isotopes in the ocean. This study reports the Fe-isotope compositions of whole-rock sulfides and single-mineral pyrite collected from hydrothermal fields at the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge (SMAR) and the East Pacific Rise (EPR) and discusses the impacts of precipitation and late-stage oxidative weathering of sulfide minerals on Fe isotopic fractionation. The results show large variation in the Fe-isotope compositions of the sulfides from the different hydrothermal fields on the mid-oceanic ridges, indicating that relatively significant isotope fractionation occurs during the sulfide precipitation and oxidative weathering processes. The Fe-isotope compositions of the sulfides from the study area at the SMAR vary across a relatively small range, with an average value of 0.01‰. This Fe-isotope composition is similar to the Fe-isotope composition of mid-oceanic ridge basalt, which suggests that Fe was mainly leached from basalt. In contrast, the Fe-isotope composition of the sulfides from the study area at the EPR are significantly enriched in light Fe isotopes (average value - 1.63‰), mainly due to the kinetic fractionation during the rapid precipitation process of hydrothermal sulfide. In addition, the pyrite from different hydrothermal fields is enriched in light Fe isotopes, which is consistent with the phenomenon in which light Fe isotopes are preferentially enriched during the precipitation of pyrite. The red oxides have the heaviest Fe-isotope compositions (up to 0.80‰), indicating that heavy Fe isotopes are preferentially enriched in the oxidation product during the late-stage oxidation process. The data obtained from this study and previous studies show a significant difference between the Fe-isotope compositions of the sulfides from the SMAR and EPR. The relatively heavy Fe isotopes compositions of the sulfides from the SMAR may suggest the equilibrium fractionation process under high temperature conditions. The red Fe oxides are enriched in heavy Fe isotopes, indicating that the oxidative weathering processes result in the occurrence of significant Fe-isotope fractionation and the preferential enrichment of heavy Fe isotopes in the oxidation product.

Short-term variability of mineral dust, metals and carbon emission from road dust resuspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amato, Fulvio; Schaap, Martijn; Denier van der Gon, Hugo A. C.; Pandolfi, Marco; Alastuey, Andrés; Keuken, Menno; Querol, Xavier

2013-08-01

Particulate matter (PM) pollution in cities has severe impact on morbidity and mortality of their population. In these cities, road dust resuspension contributes largely to PM and airborne heavy metals concentrations. However, the short-term variation of emission through resuspension is not well described in the air quality models, hampering a reliable description of air pollution and related health effects. In this study we experimentally show that the emission strength of resuspension varies widely among road dust components/sources. Our results offer the first experimental evidence of different emission rates for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon fractions due to traffic-induced resuspension. Also, the same component (or source) recovers differently in a road in Barcelona (Spain) and a road in Utrecht (The Netherlands). This finding has important implications on atmospheric pollution modelling, mostly for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon species. After rain events, recoveries were generally faster in Barcelona rather than in Utrecht. The largest difference was found for the mineral dust (Al, Si, Ca). Tyre wear particles (organic carbon and zinc) recovered faster than other road dust particles in both cities. The source apportionment of road dust mass provides useful information for air quality management.

QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS: a 'big data' generator for sedimentary provenance analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermeesch, Pieter; Rittner, Martin; Garzanti, Eduardo

2017-04-01

Sedimentary provenance may be traced by 'fingerprinting' sediments with chemical, mineralogical or isotopic means. Normally, each of these provenance proxies is characterised on a separate aliquot of the same sample. For example, the chemical composition of the bulk sample may be analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) on one aliquot, framework petrography on another, heavy mineral analysis on a density separate of a third split, and zircon U-Pb dating on a further density separate of the heavy mineral fraction. The labour intensity of this procedure holds back the widespread application of multi-method provenance studies. We here present a new method to solve this problem and avoid mineral separation by coupling a QEMSCAN electron microscope to an LA-ICP-MS instrument and thereby generate all four aforementioned provenance datasets as part of the same workflow. Given a polished hand specimen, a petrographic thin section, or a grain mount, the QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS method produces chemical and mineralogical maps from which the X-Y coordinates of the datable mineral are extracted. These coordinates are subsequently passed on to the laser ablation system for isotopic and, hence, geochronological analysis. In the process of finding all the zircons in a sediment grain mount, the QEMSCAN yields the compositional and mineralogical compositions as byproducts. We have applied the new QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS instrument suite to over 100 samples from three large sediment routing systems: (1) the Tigris-Euphrates river catchments and Rub' Al Khali desert in Arabia; (2) the Nile catchment in northeast Africa and (3) desert and beach sands between the Orange and Congo rivers in southwest Africa. These studies reveal (1) that Rub' Al Khali sand is predominantly derived from the Arabian Shield and not from Mesopotamia; (2) that the Blue Nile is the principal source of Nile sand; and (3) that Orange River sand is carried northward by longshore drift nearly 1,800km from South Africa to southern Angola. In addition to these geological findings, the first applications of QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS highlight some key advantages of the new workflow over traditional provenance analysis: (a) the new method not only increases sample throughput but also improves data quality by reducing significant biases associated with mineral separation and grain selection; (b) the three case studies highlight the importance of zircon 'fertility' for interpreting detrital zircon U-Pb datasets, and the ability of QEMSCAN to quantify this crucial parameter semi-automatically; (c) QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS provides an opportunity to add textural information to detrital geochronology and, for example, quantify possible grain-size dependence of U-Pb age distributions. But besides these advantages, the three case studies also reveal a number of limitations: (a) mineral identification by QEMSCAN is not as reliable as commonly achieved by human observers; (b) heavy mineral compositions obtained by QEMSCAN cannot easily be compared with conventional point counting data; and (c) apparent grain sizes can be greatly affected by polishing artefacts. In conclusion, QEMSCAN+LA-ICP-MS is a transformational new technique for provenance analysis but should be used with caution, in combination with conventional petrographic and heavy mineral techniques.

Reducement of cadmium adsorption on clay minerals by the presence of dissolved organic matter from animal manure.

PubMed

Zhou, Wenjun; Ren, Lingwei; Zhu, Lizhong

2017-04-01

Clay minerals are the most popular adsorbents/amendments for immobilizing heavy metals in contaminated soils, but the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil environment would potentially affect the adsorption/immobilization capacity of clay minerals for heavy metals. In this study, the effects of DOM derived from chicken manure (CM) on the adsorption of cadmium (Cd 2+ ) on two clay minerals, bentonite and zeolite, were investigated. The equilibrium data for Cd 2+ sorption in the absence or presence of CM-DOM could be well-fitted to the Langmuir equation (R 2  > 0.97). The presence of CM-DOM in the aqueous solution was found to greatly reduce the adsorption capacity of both minerals for Cd 2+ , in particular zeolite, and the percentage decreases for Cd 2+ sorption increased with increasing concentrations of Cd 2+ as well as CM-DOM in aqueous solutions. The adsorption of CM-DOM on zeolite was greater than that on bentonite in the absence of Cd 2+ , however, a sharp increase was observed for CM-DOM sorption on bentonite with increasing Cd 2+ concentrations but little change for that on zeolite, which can be attributed to the different ternary structures on mineral surface. The CM-DOM modified clay minerals were utilized to investigate the effect of mineral-adsorbed CM-DOM on Cd 2+ sorption. The adsorbed form was found to inhibit Cd 2+ sorption, and further calculation suggested it primarily responsible for the overall decrease in Cd 2+ sorption on clay minerals in the presence of CM-DOM in aqueous solutions. An investigation for the mineral surface morphology suggested that the mineral-adsorbed CM-DOM decreased Cd 2+ sorption on bentonite mainly through barrier effect, while in the case of zeolite, it was the combination of active sites occupation and barrier effect. These results can serve as a guide for evaluating the performance of clay minerals in immobilizing heavy metals when animal manure is present in contaminated soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electroflotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xueming; Chen, Guohua

Electroflotation (EF) is the flotation using electrolytically generated bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen for separating suspended substances from aqueous phases. This process was first proposed by Elmore in 1905 for flotation of valuable minerals from ores. Compared with the conventional dissolved air flotation (DAF), EF has many advantages, including high flotation efficiency, compact units, easy operation, and less maintenance. Therefore, EF is an attractive alternative to DAF. This technique has been proven very effective in treating oily wastewater or oil-water emulsion, mining wastewater, groundwater, food processing wastewater, restaurant wastewater, industrial sewage, heavy metals containing effluent, and many other water and wastewaters.

Mapping of Heavy Metal Ion Sorption to Cell-Extracellular Polymeric Substance-Mineral Aggregates by Using Metal-Selective Fluorescent Probes and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

PubMed Central

Li, Jianli; Kappler, Andreas; Obst, Martin

2013-01-01

Biofilms, organic matter, iron/aluminum oxides, and clay minerals bind toxic heavy metal ions and control their fate and bioavailability in the environment. The spatial relationship of metal ions to biomacromolecules such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms with microbial cells and biogenic minerals is complex and occurs at the micro- and submicrometer scale. Here, we review the application of highly selective and sensitive metal fluorescent probes for confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) that were originally developed for use in life sciences and propose their suitability as a powerful tool for mapping heavy metals in environmental biofilms and cell-EPS-mineral aggregates (CEMAs). The benefit of using metal fluorescent dyes in combination with CLSM imaging over other techniques such as electron microscopy is that environmental samples can be analyzed in their natural hydrated state, avoiding artifacts such as aggregation from drying that is necessary for analytical electron microscopy. In this minireview, we present data for a group of sensitive fluorescent probes highly specific for Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Hg2+, illustrating the potential of their application in environmental science. We evaluate their application in combination with other fluorescent probes that label constituents of CEMAs such as DNA or polysaccharides and provide selection guidelines for potential combinations of fluorescent probes. Correlation analysis of spatially resolved heavy metal distributions with EPS and biogenic minerals in their natural, hydrated state will further our understanding of the behavior of metals in environmental systems since it allows for identifying bonding sites in complex, heterogeneous systems. PMID:23974141

Analyses of heavy metals in mineral trioxide aggregate and Portland cement.

PubMed

Schembri, Matthew; Peplow, George; Camilleri, Josette

2010-07-01

Portland cement is used in the construction industry as a binder in concrete. It is manufactured from chalk, limestone, and clay, which are clinkered at very high temperatures and ground with gypsum to form Portland cement. The raw materials and the manufacturing process can result in the inclusion of heavy metals in Portland cement. Portland cement with a four to one addition of bismuth oxide is marketed as mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), which is used mainly as a dental material. Heavy metal inclusion can be of concern because MTA is in contact with hard and soft tissues. Measurements of arsenic, lead, and chromium in hydrated gray and white Portland cement, ProRoot MTA, and MTA Angelus were conducted with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion on the hydrated material. The leaching of the metal ions from the solid material in water and simulated body fluid (SBF) was also determined. All cement types showed high relative values of leached chromium compared with arsenic and lead in both the total metal content and leached species. The gray Portland cement showed the highest total amount of metal. The white Portland and both MTAs had lower values for all the leached metal ions. Both MTAs released more arsenic than the amount specified in ISO 9917-1 (2007). Portland cements and MTAs showed evidence of heavy metals in the acid-soluble form as well as leaching in deionized water and SBF. MTA contained levels of arsenic higher than the safe limit specified by the ISO 9917-1 (2007). Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health and Risk Assessment by ICP-OES of Heavy Metals and Trace Minerals in Commercial Mushrooms Marketed in China.

PubMed

Huang, Mengyi; Zeng, Huansong; Xu, Baojun

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate mineral profiles of 35 species of edible mushrooms collected in China; we compared nutritional values and tolerable values with the official recommended daily intakes (RDIs), maximum intake limits, and provisional tolerable weekly intakes. A total of 19 minerals were detected in edible mushrooms by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The results showed that the mushroom samples had a low percentage of RDI for the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium, and sodium and a relatively higher percentage of RDI for copper and molybdenum. The samples also had a very high percentage of RDI for chromium and selenium. The level of heavy metals in a majority of the mushrooms was above the limited level, and only concentrations of copper and zinc were safe in all mushrooms. In conclusion, the mushrooms collected in China are a good source of minerals such as molybdenum and selenium but are badly contaminated with aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead.

Proximate Composition, Amino Acid, Mineral, and Heavy Metal Content of Dried Laver

PubMed Central

Hwang, Eun-Sun; Ki, Kyung-Nam; Chung, Ha-Yull

2013-01-01

Laver, a red algae belonging to the genus Porphyra, is one of the most widely consumed edible seaweeds. The most popular commercial dried laver species, P. tenera and P. haitanensis, were collected from Korea and China, respectively, and evaluated for proximate composition, amino acids, minerals, trace heavy metals, and color. The moisture and ash contents of P. tenera and P. haitanensis ranged from 3.66~6.74% and 8.78~9.07%, respectively; crude lipid and protein contents were 1.96~2.25% and 32.16~36.88%, respectively. Dried lavers were found to be a good source of amino acids, such as asparagine, isoleucine, leucine, and taurine, and γ-aminobutyric acid. K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, I, Fe, and Se minerals were selected for analysis. A clear regional variation existed in the amino acid, mineral, and trace metal contents of lavers. Regular consumption of lavers may have heath benefits because they are relatively low in fat and high in protein, and contain functional amino acids and minerals. PMID:24471123

Proximate composition, amino Acid, mineral, and heavy metal content of dried laver.

PubMed

Hwang, Eun-Sun; Ki, Kyung-Nam; Chung, Ha-Yull

2013-06-01

Laver, a red algae belonging to the genus Porphyra, is one of the most widely consumed edible seaweeds. The most popular commercial dried laver species, P. tenera and P. haitanensis, were collected from Korea and China, respectively, and evaluated for proximate composition, amino acids, minerals, trace heavy metals, and color. The moisture and ash contents of P. tenera and P. haitanensis ranged from 3.66~6.74% and 8.78~9.07%, respectively; crude lipid and protein contents were 1.96~2.25% and 32.16~36.88%, respectively. Dried lavers were found to be a good source of amino acids, such as asparagine, isoleucine, leucine, and taurine, and γ-aminobutyric acid. K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, I, Fe, and Se minerals were selected for analysis. A clear regional variation existed in the amino acid, mineral, and trace metal contents of lavers. Regular consumption of lavers may have heath benefits because they are relatively low in fat and high in protein, and contain functional amino acids and minerals.

Geochemistry and exploration criteria for epithermal cinnabar and stibnite vein deposits in the Kuskokwim River region, southwestern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, J.E.; Goldfarb, R.J.; Detra, D.E.; Slaughter, K.E.

1991-01-01

Cinnabar- and stibnite-bearing epithermal vein deposits are found throughout the Kuskokwim River region of southwestern Alaska. A geochemical orientation survey was carried out around several of these epithermal lodes to obtain information for planning regional geochemical surveys and to develop procedures which maximize the anomaly: threshold contrast of the deposits. Stream sediment, heavy-mineral concentrate, stream water, and vegetation samples were collected in drainages surrounding the Red Devil, Cinnabar Creek, White Mountain, Rhyolite, and Mountain Top deposits. Three sediment size fractions; nonmagnetic, paramagnetic and magnetic splits of the concentrate samples; stream waters; and the vegetation samples were analyzed for multi-element suites by a number of different chemical procedures. Nonmagnetic, heavy-mineral concentrates were also examined microscopically to identify their mineralogy. Results confirm Hg, Sb and As concentrations in minus-80-mesh stream sediments as effective pathfinder elements in exploration for epithermal cinnabar and stibnite deposits. Coarser-grained sediments are much less effective in the exploration for these deposits. Concentrations greater than 3 ppm Hg, 1 ppm Sb, and 15 ppm As in the minus-80-mesh stream sediment, regardless of the host lithology, are indicative of upstream cinnabar-stibnite deposits. Gold, Ag and base metals in the stream sediments are ineffective pathfinders for this epithermal deposit type. Collection of heavy-mineral concentrates provides little advantage in the exploration for these mineral deposits. Antimony and As dispersion patterns downstream from mineralized areas are generally more restricted in the concentrates than those in the stream sediments. Anomalous placer cinnabar observed in the concentrates has a similar spatial distribution pattern as anomalous Hg and Sb in corresponding sediments. Stream waters are less effective than the stream sediments or heavy-mineral concentrates, and vegetation is an ineffective geochemical sample medium in exploration for this deposit type. ?? 1991.

Analyses of Mineral Content and Heavy Metal of Honey Samples from South and East Region of Turkey by Using ICP-MS.

PubMed

Kılıç Altun, Serap; Dinç, Hikmet; Paksoy, Nilgün; Temamoğulları, Füsun Karaçal; Savrunlu, Mehmet

2017-01-01

The substantial of mineral ingredients in honey may symbolize the existence of elements in the plants and soil of the vicinity wherein the honey was taken. The aim of this study was to detect the levels of 13 elements (Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Aluminum (Al), and Selenium (Se)) in unifloral and multifloral honey samples from south and east regions of Turkey. Survey of 71 honey samples from seven different herbal origins, picked up from the south and east region of Turkey, was carried out to determine their mineral contents during 2015-2016. The mineral contents were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The most abundant minerals were K, Na, and Ca ranging within 1.18-268 ppm, 0.57-13.1 ppm, and 0.77-4.5 ppm, respectively. Zn and Cu were the most abundant trace element while Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were the lowest heavy metals in the honey samples surveyed, with regard to the concentrations of heavy metals such as Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr suggested and influence of the botanical origin of element composition. Geochemical and geographical differences are probably related to the variations of the chemical components of honey samples.

Major inorganic elements in tap water samples in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Azrina, A; Khoo, H E; Idris, M A; Amin, I; Razman, M R

2011-08-01

Quality drinking water should be free from harmful levels of impurities such as heavy metals and other inorganic elements. Samples of tap water collected from 24 locations in Peninsular Malaysia were determined for inorganic element content. Minerals and heavy metals were analysed by spectroscopy methods, while non-metal elements were analysed using test kits. Minerals and heavy metals determined were sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and lead while the non-metal elements were fluoride, chloride, nitrate and sulphate. Most of the inorganic elements found in the samples were below the maximum permitted levels recommended by inter-national drinking water standard limits, except for iron and manganese. Iron concentration of tap water from one of the locations was higher than the standard limit. In general, tap water from different parts of Peninsular Malaysia had low concentrations of heavy metals and inorganic elements.

Linking SOM Content, Chemistry, and Decomposition: Complex Responses to Input Manipulation and Long-term Incubation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridgham, S. D.; Reynolds, L. L.; Tfaily, M.; Roscioli, K.; Lajtha, K.; Bowden, R.; Johnson, B. R.

2014-12-01

The mechanisms of soil organic matter (SOM) protection and their relationship with carbon inputs and decomposition are poorly understood. We used Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to characterize SOM in soils exposed to litter-input exclusion or addition for 20 years, and subsequently incubated for more than a year. Our aim was to describe shifts in SOM content and chemical composition due to the input manipulation and degree of decomposition, particularly in the light (i.e., free particulate, younger) versus the heavy (mineral-adsorbed, older) fractions of SOM, and to link these shifts to carbon mineralization rates. The soils were collected from a deciduous hardwood forest in Meadville, PA, one of the Detritus and Input Removal Treatment (DIRT) sites. They were subjected to either litter and root exclusion (NI), double litter (DL), or ambient inputs (CO) for 20 years and subsequently incubated at 35oC for 525 days. Soils from the beginning and end of the incubation were divided into light and heavy fractions using 1.8 g cm-3 sodium polytungstate. Bulk CO soils and heavy fractions of NI, DL, and CO soil were analyzed with FTICR-MS, while light and heavy fractions were analyzed with FTIR. Twenty years of input exclusion decreased the mineralization rate, the total carbon respired, and total carbon content, though litter addition had no significant effect (NI < CO = DL). The FTICR-MS and FTIR data reveal substantial differences in SOM chemistry among DIRT treatments, fractions, and before and after incubation. CO contained several classes of compounds, including alcohols and phenols, not detected in either DL or NI soils, and all samples showed an enrichment in aromatics between the light and heavy fractions. The heavy fraction DL soils were proportionally enriched in lipids compared to NI and CO soils, and these lipids were preferentially mineralized during incubation. Heavy fraction CO and NI soils were similar initially, though CO soil lost primarily lipids, while NI soil lost unsaturated hydrocarbons and proteins. These results indicate the complex interrelationships between litter inputs and soil carbon content, chemistry, and SOM decomposition.

Isotopic fractionation of oxygen and carbon in decomposed lower-mantle inclusions in diamond

DOE PAGES

Kaminsky, Felix; Matzel, Jennifer; Jacobsen, Ben; ...

2015-07-25

Two carbonatitic mineral assemblages, calcite + wollastonite and calcite + monticellite, which are encapsulated in two diamond grains from the Rio Soriso basin in the Juina area, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, were studied utilizing the NanoSIMS technique. The assemblages were formed as the result of the decomposition of the lower-mantle assemblage calcite + CaSi-perovskite + volatile during the course of the diamond ascent under pressure conditions from 15 to less than 0.8 GPa. The oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of the studied minerals are inhomogeneous. They fractionated during the process of the decomposition of primary minerals to very varying values:more » δ 18O from –3.3 to +15.4 ‰ SMOW and δ 13C from –2.8 to +9.3 ‰ VPDB. As a result, these values significantly extend the mantle values for these elements in both isotopically-light and isotopically-heavy areas.« less

The effects of artificial ageing on the leaching behaviour of heavy metals in stabilized/solidified industrial sludge.

PubMed

Keskes, M; Choura, M; Rouis, J

2009-12-01

The use of a hydraulic binder for the treatment of mineral-based industrial wastes, containing heavy metals, by the chemical fixation and solidification (CFS) technique has raised serious questions regarding the prediction of the behaviour of these pollutants in the obtained solid matrix. It seems necessary, for this reason, to study the behaviour of these metals in response to leaching in order to evaluate their chemical speciation within the solidified sludge over the medium and long-terms. Within the framework of the current research, we applied the CFS technique to metallic hydroxide sludge, produced by the electrotyping surface treatment industry, by using Portland artificial cement (PAC). Compaction at the paste phase of this treated sludge resulted in up to 35% enhancement of the retention of pollutants, mainly trivalent chromium, in a cementing matrix, as compared with the classical technique that uses a simple vibration of sludge at the paste phase. The implemented process led to an improvement in the compactness of the sludge, and thus assured a better retention of heavy metals in response to the leaching of this treated sludge. The evaluation of the chemical properties of the materials obtained after an artificial ageing process using humidity variation cycles and thermal chocks also revealed a significant improvement in the retention capacity of heavy metals in the solidified sludge, which was mainly favoured by the development of carbonation. In fact, the release of the heavy metals from the above mentioned treated sludge was reduced by 58% for zinc and 51% for trivalent chromium after the artificial ageing process.

Simultaneous heavy metals removal and municipal sewage sludge dewaterability improvement in bioleaching processes by various inoculums.

PubMed

Shi, Chaohong; Zhu, Nengwu; Shang, Ru; Kang, Naixin; Wu, Pingxiao

2015-11-01

The heavy metals content and dewaterability of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) are important parameters affecting its subsequent disposal and land application. Six kinds of inoculums were prepared to examine the characteristics of heavy metals removal and MSS dewaterability improvement in bioleaching processes. The results showed that Cu, Zn and Cd bioleaching efficiencies (12 days) were 81-91, 87-93 and 81-89%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of Fe-S control (P < 0.05) and blank control (P < 0.01). The bioleaching boosted by the prepared inoculums could also significantly enhance MSS dewaterability (P < 0.01). The centrifugal dehydration efficiency of MSS rose from 73.00 to 90.00% at day 12. Microscopic observations and energy dispersive spectrum analysis demonstrated that the dewaterability improvement might be attributed to the changes of sludge structure from flocculent to obvious granular and the formation of secondary minerals mainly consisting of iron, oxygen and sulfur elements. The results above demonstrated that bacterial consortium enriched from acid mine drainage (AMD) was suitable to boost sludge bioleaching for heavy metals removal and dewaterability improvement. It also suggested that the synergy of sulfur/ferrous-oxidizing bacteria (SFOB) enriched from AMD and the cooperation of exogenous and indigenous SFOB significantly promoted bioleaching efficiencies.

The origin of secondary heavy rare earth element enrichment in carbonatites: Constraints from the evolution of the Huanglongpu district, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, M.; Kynicky, J.; Xu, Cheng; Song, Wenlei; Spratt, J.; Jeffries, T.; Brtnicky, M.; Kopriva, A.; Cangelosi, D.

2018-05-01

The silico‑carbonatite dykes of the Huanglongpu area, Lesser Qinling, China, are unusual in that they are quartz-bearing, Mo-mineralised and enriched in the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) relative to typical carbonatites. The textures of REE minerals indicate crystallisation of monazite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(Ce), parisite-(Ce) and aeschynite-(Ce) as magmatic phases. Burbankite was also potentially an early crystallising phase. Monazite-(Ce) was subsequently altered to produce a second generation of apatite, which was in turn replaced and overgrown by britholite-(Ce), accompanied by the formation of allanite-(Ce). Bastnäsite and parisite where replaced by synchysite-(Ce) and röntgenite-(Ce). Aeschynite-(Ce) was altered to uranopyrochlore and then pyrochlore with uraninite inclusions. The mineralogical evolution reflects the evolution from magmatic carbonatite, to more silica-rich conditions during early hydrothermal processes, to fully hydrothermal conditions accompanied by the formation of sulphate minerals. Each alteration stage resulted in the preferential leaching of the LREE and enrichment in the HREE. Mass balance considerations indicate hydrothermal fluids must have contributed HREE to the mineralisation. The evolution of the fluorcarbonate mineral assemblage requires an increase in aCa2+ and aCO32- in the metasomatic fluid (where a is activity), and breakdown of HREE-enriched calcite may have been the HREE source. Leaching in the presence of strong, LREE-selective ligands (Cl-) may account for the depletion in late stage minerals in the LREE, but cannot account for subsequent preferential HREE addition. Fluid inclusion data indicate the presence of sulphate-rich brines during alteration, and hence sulphate complexation may have been important for preferential HREE transport. Alongside HREE-enriched magmatic sources, and enrichment during magmatic processes, late stage alteration with non-LREE-selective ligands may be critical in forming HREE-enriched carbonatites.

Assessing Heavy and Trace Metal Contamination in Surface Materials near the Ambaji and Zawar mines in Gujurat and Rajasthan, India using Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrand, W. H.

2017-12-01

An investigation has begun into effects on water quality in waters coming from a pair of mines, and their surrounding drainage basins, in western India. The study areas are the Ambaji and Zawar mines in the Indian states of, respectively, Gujurat and Rajasthan. The Ambaji mine is situated in Precambrian-aged metasediments and metavolcanics of the Delhi Supergroup. Sulfide mineralization at Ambaji is hosted by hydrothermally altered felsic metavolcanics rocks with ferric oxide and oxyhydroxide as well as copper carbonate surface indicator minerals. The Zawar zinc mine is part of the Precambrian Aravalli Supergroup and lies amidst surface exposures of dolomites and quartzites. Hyperspectral visible through short-wave infrared (VSWIR) data from the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) was collected in February 2016 over these sites as part of a joint campaign between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The AVIRIS-NG data is being used to detect, map, and characterize surface mineralogy in the area. Data discovery is being carried out using a self-organizing map (SOM) methodology with mineral endmembers being mapped initially with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier and a planned more comprehensive mapping using the USGS Material Identification and Characterization Algorithm (MICA). Results of the mineral mapping will be field checked and rock, soil, and water samples will be collected and examined for heavy and trace metal contamination. Past studies have shown changes in the shape of the 2.2 mm Al-OH vibrational overtone feature as well as in blue-red spectral ratios that were directly correlated with the concentration of heavy and trace metals that had been adsorbed into the structure of the affected minerals. Early analysis of the Zawar area scenes indicates the presence of Al-OH clay minerals which might have been affected by the adsorption of trace metals. Scenes from the Ambaji area have more extensive surface exposures of carbonate minerals. Future work will focus more closely on detailed spectral feature mapping of absorption features that have been affected by heavy and trace metal adsorption.

Surface complexation modeling of Cd(II) sorption to montmorillonite, bacteria, and their composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ning; Du, Huihui; Huang, Qiaoyun; Cai, Peng; Rong, Xingmin; Feng, Xionghan; Chen, Wenli

2016-10-01

Surface complexation modeling (SCM) has emerged as a powerful tool for simulating heavy metal adsorption processes on the surface of soil solid components under different geochemical conditions. The component additivity (CA) approach is one of the strategies that have been widely used in multicomponent systems. In this study, potentiometric titration, isothermal adsorption, zeta potential measurement, and extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectra analysis were conducted to investigate Cd adsorption on 2 : 1 clay mineral montmorillonite, on Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis, and their mineral-organic composite. We developed constant capacitance models of Cd adsorption on montmorillonite, bacterial cells, and mineral-organic composite. The adsorption behavior of Cd on the surface of the composite was well explained by CA-SCM. Some deviations were observed from the model simulations at pH < 5, where the values predicted by the model were lower than the experimental results. The Cd complexes of X2Cd, SOCd+, R-COOCd+, and R-POCd+ were the predominant species on the composite surface over the pH range of 3 to 8. The distribution ratio of the adsorbed Cd between montmorillonite and bacterial fractions in the composite as predicted by CA-SCM closely coincided with the estimated value of EXAFS at pH 6. The model could be useful for the prediction of heavy metal distribution at the interface of multicomponents and their risk evaluation in soils and associated environments.

A magnetic record of heavy metal pollution in the Yangtze River subaqueous delta.

PubMed

Dong, Chenyin; Zhang, Weiguo; Ma, Honglei; Feng, Huan; Lu, Honghua; Dong, Yan; Yu, Lizhong

2014-04-01

The rapid industrial development in the Yangtze River watershed over the last several decades has drawn great attention with respect to heavy metal pollution to the Yangtze River estuary and nearby coastal areas. In this study, a 236 cm long sediment core was retrieved from the Yangtze River subaqueous delta (122°36' E, 31°00' N) in 2008 and analyzed for magnetic properties and geochemical compositions to investigate heavy metal pollution history. The activity of (137)Cs peaked at depth 140 cm, with a broad plateau between 120 cm and 140 cm, suggesting an average sedimentation rate of 3.11 cm yr(-1) for the upper 140 cm layer. Magnetic susceptibility (χ), saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (χARM) and heavy metal enrichment factors (EF) all showed an upward increase trend above depth 140 cm, suggesting that increased ferrimagnetic mineral concentration was accompanied by heavy metal enrichment in the sediment. Geochemical and granolumetric analyses showed that sediment sources and particle sizes played minor roles in the variations of magnetic properties. The effect of diagenesis, which can lead to the selective removal of magnetic minerals, was noticeable in the lower part of the core (140-236 cm). Co-variation between magnetic properties (χ, SIRM and χARM) and EF of Cu and Pb suggests that the elevated ferrimagnetic mineral concentration can be used as an indicator of heavy metal pollution in the reconstruction of environmental changes in estuarine and coastal settings. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural land and the associated potential ecological risks in Shenzhen, China.

PubMed

Wu, Jiansheng; Song, Jing; Li, Weifeng; Zheng, Maokun

2016-01-01

Accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural land and their ecological risks are key issues in soil security studies. This study investigated the concentrations of six heavy metals--copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and chromium (Cr) in Shenzhen's agricultural lands and examined the potential hazards and possible sources of these metals. Eighty-two samples from agricultural topsoil were collected. Potential ecological risk index was used to calculate the potential risk of heavy metals. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore pollution sources of the metals. Finally, Kriging was used to predict the spatial distribution of the metals' potential ecological risks. The concentrations of the heavy metals were higher than their background values. Most of them presented little potential ecological risk, except for the heavy metal cadmium (Cd). Four districts (Longgang, Longhua, Pingshan, and Dapeng) exhibited some degree of potential risk, which tended to have more industries and road networks. Three major sources of heavy metals included geochemical processes, industrial pollutants, and traffic pollution. The heavy metal Cd was the main contributor to the pollution in agricultural land during the study period. It also poses the potential hazard for the future. High potential risk is closely related to industrial pollution and transportation. Since the 1980s, the sources of heavy metals have evolved from parent rock weathering, erosion, degradation of organics, and mineralization to human disturbances resulting in chemical changes in the soil.

Bone mineral measurement, experiment M078. [space flight effects on human bone composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rambaut, P. C.; Vogel, J. M.; Ullmann, J.; Brown, S.; Kolb, F., III

1973-01-01

Measurement tests revealed few deviations from baseline bone mineral measurements after 56 days in a Skylab-type environment. No mineral change was observed in the right radius. One individual, however, showed a possible mineral loss in the left os calcis and another gained mineral in the right ulna. The cause of the gain is unclear but may be attributable to the heavy exercise routines engaged in by the crewmember in question. Equipment problems were identified during the experiment and rectified.

Novel synthesis and applications of Thiomer solidification for heavy metals immobilization in hazardous ASR/ISW thermal residue.

PubMed

Baek, Jin Woong; Mallampati, Srinivasa Reddy; Park, Hung Suck

2016-03-01

The present paper reports the novel synthesis and application of Thiomer solidification for heavy metal immobilization in hazardous automobile shredder residues and industrial solid waste (ASR/ISW) thermal residues. The word Thiomer is a combination of the prefix of a sulfur-containing compound "Thio" and the suffix of "Polymer" meaning a large molecule compound of many repeated subunits. To immobilize heavy metals, either ASR/ISW thermal residues (including bottom and fly ash) was mixed well with Thiomer and heated at 140°C. After Thiomer solidification, approximately 91-100% heavy metal immobilization was achieved. The morphology and mineral phases of the Thiomer-solidified ASR/ISW thermal residue were characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD), which indicated that the amounts of heavy metals detectable on the ASR/ISW thermal residue surface decreased and the sulfur mass percent increased. XRD indicated that the main fraction of the enclosed/bound materials on the ASR/ISW residue contained sulfur associated crystalline complexes. The Thiomer solidified process could convert the heavy metal compounds into highly insoluble metal sulfides and simultaneously encapsulate the ASR/ISW thermal residue. These results show that the proposed method can be applied to the immobilization of ASR/ISW hazardous ash involving heavy metals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The distribution and composition of REE-bearing minerals in placers of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bern, Carleton R.; Shah, Anjana K.; Benzel, William M.; Lowers, Heather A.

2016-01-01

Rare earth element (REE) resources are currently of great interest because of their importance as raw materials for high-technology manufacturing. The REE-phosphates monazite (light REE enriched) and xenotime (heavy REE enriched) resist weathering and can accumulate in placer deposits as part of the heavy mineral assemblage. The Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the southeastern United States are known to host heavy mineral deposits with economic concentrations of zircon, ilmenite and rutile. This study provides a perspective on the distribution and composition of REE phosphate minerals in the region. The elemental chemistry and mineralogy of sands and associated heavy-mineral assemblages from new and archived sediment samples across the coastal plains are examined, along with phase-specific compositions of monazite, xenotime and zircon. Both monazite and xenotime are present across the coastal plains. The phase-specific compositions allow monazite content to be estimated using La as a geochemical proxy. Similarly, both Y and Yb are geochemical proxies for xenotime, but their additional presence in zircon and monazite require a correction to prevent overestimation of xenotime content. Applying this correction, maps of monazite and xenotime content across the coastal plains were generated using sample coverage from the National Geochemical Database (NGS) and National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE). The NGS and NURE approach of sampling stream sediments in small watersheds links samples to nearby lithologies. The results show an approximately 40 km-wide band of primarily Cretaceous, marine sediments bordering the Piedmont province from North Carolina to Alabama in which monazite and xenotime content are relatively high (up to 4.4 wt. % in < 150 μm bulk sediment). Strong correlations between concentrations of the two phases were found, with estimated monazite:xenotime ratios ranging approximately 6:1 to 12:1 depending upon the dataset analyzed. From a resource perspective, xenotime correlation with monazite indicates a heavy REE potential in coastal plain placers, and exploration may be warranted within the identified coastal plain band along the boundary of the Piedmont region.

Magnetic properties of alluvial soils contaminated with lead, zinc and cadmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrovský, E.; Kapička, A.; Jordanova, N.; Borůvka, L.

2001-09-01

Several proxy methods have been used recently to outline increased levels of pollution. One of them is based on measurements of the concentration of (ferri)magnetic minerals of anthropogenic origin. This method has been used recently in the mapping of both polluted and unpolluted areas. In order to validate this method, a more detailed study of links between magnetic parameters characterising the physical shape of magnetic minerals and concentrations of heavy metals is needed. In this study, we analysed the magnetic characteristics of alluvial soils, formed as a result of several breakdowns of wet deposit sink of ashes from a lead ore smelter. The soils were previously analysed for concentration of lead, zinc and cadmium. Our results show that in this case of a shared source of heavy metals and magnetic minerals, simple measurements of magnetic susceptibility discriminate well between polluted and clean areas. In addition, the concentration pattern agrees with the concentrations of the heavy metals studied in deeper soil layers that were not affected by post-depositional changes due to climate and remediation efforts.

Titanium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodruff, Laurel G.; Bedinger, George M.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Schulz, Klaus J.; DeYoung,, John H.; Seal, Robert R.; Bradley, Dwight C.

2017-12-19

Titanium is a mineral commodity that is essential to the smooth functioning of modern industrial economies. Most of the titanium produced is refined into titanium dioxide, which has a high refractive index and is thus able to impart a durable white color to paint, paper, plastic, rubber, and wallboard. Because of their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance, titanium metal and titanium metal alloys are used in the aerospace industry as well as for welding rod coatings, biological implants, and consumer goods.Ilmenite and rutile are currently the principal titanium-bearing ore minerals, although other minerals, including anatase, perovskite, and titanomagnetite, could have economic importance in the future. Ilmenite is currently being mined from two large magmatic deposits hosted in rocks of Proterozoic-age anorthosite plutonic suites. Most rutile and nearly one-half of the ilmenite produced are from heavy-mineral alluvial, fluvial, and eolian deposits. Titanium-bearing minerals occur in diverse geologic settings, but many of the known deposits are currently subeconomic for titanium because of complications related to the mineralogy or because of the presence of trace contaminants that can compromise the pigment production process.Global production of titanium minerals is currently dominated by Australia, Canada, Norway, and South Africa; additional amounts are produced in Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Sri Lanka. The United States accounts for about 4 percent of the total world production of titanium minerals and is heavily dependent on imports of titanium mineral concentrates to meet its domestic needs.Titanium occurs only in silicate or oxide minerals and never in sulfide minerals. Environmental considerations for titanium mining are related to waste rock disposal and the impact of trace constituents on water quality. Because titanium is generally inert in the environment, human health risks from titanium and titanium mining are minimal; however, the processes required to extract titanium from titanium feedstock can produce industrial waste.

Energy expenditure and nutritional status of coal miners: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bilici, Saniye; Saglam, Fatma; Beyhan, Yasemin; Barut-Uyar, Banugul; Dikmen, Derya; Goktas, Zeynep; Attar, A James; Mucka, Patrick; Uyar, M Fatih

2016-09-02

The objectives of this study were to assess the nutritional status, daily energy intake, and daily energy expenditure of coal miners in Turkey. A total of 135 healthy coal miners (aged 19-64 years) were evaluated. Heart rates were measured using Polar watches, and the total energy expenditure was calculated using physical activity level formula and Hiilloskorpi equation. The average body mass index of the participants was 25.7 ± 3.98 kg/m 2 , and the average energy intake was 3,973.7 ± 420.85 kcal. According to Dietary Reference Intakes, the energy and nutrient intakes of the miners were adequate, except for the intake of vitamin D. The coal miners were found to be at moderate (43.0%), heavy (41.5%), and very heavy (13.3%) activity levels. Calculations of the energy expenditure at work were found to be 2,189.8 ± 376.19 to 2,788.8 ± 359.89 kcal per day. Further studies have to be conducted for developing national standards for each occupation.

The Study of Soil Protection in the System of the Cultivated Lands of Kemerovo Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakovchenko, M. A.; Konstantinova, O. B.; Kosolapova, A. A.

2015-09-01

The heavy metal content in the surface soils is characterized with their ingress for the given period of time. The sources of heavy metals in the soil are precipitation, seeds, dust, organic and mineral fertilizers, and others. The paper studies the heavy metal content in the soils of the waste dumps of the open-pit coal mines.

The Effect of Traditional Treatments on Heavy Metal Toxicity of Armenian Bole

PubMed Central

Hosamo, Ammar; Zarshenas, Mohammad Mehdi; Mehdizadeh, Alireza; Zomorodian, Kamiar; Khani, Ayda Hossein

2016-01-01

Background: Clay has been used for its nutrition, cosmetic, and antibacterial properties for thousands of years. Its small particle size, large surface area, and high concentration of ions have made it an interesting subject for pharmaceutical research. There have been studies on scavenging foreign substances and antibacterial properties of clay minerals. The main problem with the medical use of these agents, today, is their heavy metal toxicity. This includes arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, and iron. Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) introduces different clays as medicaments. In this system, there are specific processes for these agents, which might reduce the chance of heavy metal toxicity. Armenian bole is a type of clay that has been used to treat a wound. Before in vivo studies of this clay, its safety should be confirmed. Methods: In this work, we investigated the effect of washing process as mentioned in ITM books regarding the presence of Pb, As, and Cd in 5 samples using atomic absorption spectrometry. We washed each sample (50 g) with 500 cc of distilled water. The samples were filtered and dried at room temperature for 24 hours. Results: In all studied samples, the amount of Pb and Cd was reduced after the ITM washing process. The amount of As was reduced in 3 samples and increased in 2 other samples. Conclusion: In ITM books, there are general considerations for the use of medicinal clay. These agents should not be used before special treatments such as the washing process. In this study, we observed the effect of washing process on reducing the amount of heavy metals in Armenian bole samples. In two samples, washing caused an increase in the amount of As. As these heavy metals sediment according to their density in different layers, the sample layer on which the spectrometry is performed could have an effect on the results. PMID:27840531

The Effect of Traditional Treatments on Heavy Metal Toxicity of Armenian Bole

PubMed Central

Hosamo, Ammar; Zarshenas, Mohammad Mehdi; Mehdizadeh, Alireza; Zomorodian, Kamiar; Khani, Ayda Hossein

2016-01-01

Background: Clay has been used for its nutrition, cosmetic, and antibacterial properties for thousands of years. Its small particle size, large surface area, and high concentration of ions have made it an interesting subject for pharmaceutical research. There have been studies on scavenging foreign substances and antibacterial properties of clay minerals. The main problem with the medical use of these agents, today, is their heavy metal toxicity. This includes arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, and iron. Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) introduces different clays as medicaments. In this system, there are specific processes for these agents, which might reduce the chance of heavy metal toxicity. Armenian bole is a type of clay that has been used to treat a wound. Before in vivo studies of this clay, its safety should be confirmed. Methods: In this work, we investigated the effect of washing process as mentioned in ITM books regarding the presence of Pb, As, and Cd in 5 samples using atomic absorption spectrometry. We washed each sample (50 g) with 500 cc of distilled water. The samples were filtered and dried at room temperature for 24 hours. Results: In all studied samples, the amount of Pb and Cd was reduced after the ITM washing process. The amount of As was reduced in 3 samples and increased in 2 other samples. Conclusion: In ITM books, there are general considerations for the use of medicinal clay. These agents should not be used before special treatments such as the washing process. In this study, we observed the effect of washing process on reducing the amount of heavy metals in Armenian bole samples. In two samples, washing caused an increase in the amount of As. As these heavy metals sediment according to their density in different layers, the sample layer on which the spectrometry is performed could have an effect on the results. PMID:27516695

The Effect of Traditional Treatments on Heavy Metal Toxicity of Armenian Bole.

PubMed

Hosamo, Ammar; Zarshenas, Mohammad Mehdi; Mehdizadeh, Alireza; Zomorodian, Kamiar; Khani, Ayda Hossein

2016-05-01

Clay has been used for its nutrition, cosmetic, and antibacterial properties for thousands of years. Its small particle size, large surface area, and high concentration of ions have made it an interesting subject for pharmaceutical research. There have been studies on scavenging foreign substances and antibacterial properties of clay minerals. The main problem with the medical use of these agents, today, is their heavy metal toxicity. This includes arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, and iron. Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) introduces different clays as medicaments. In this system, there are specific processes for these agents, which might reduce the chance of heavy metal toxicity. Armenian bole is a type of clay that has been used to treat a wound. Before in vivo studies of this clay, its safety should be confirmed. In this work, we investigated the effect of washing process as mentioned in ITM books regarding the presence of Pb, As, and Cd in 5 samples using atomic absorption spectrometry. We washed each sample (50 g) with 500 cc of distilled water. The samples were filtered and dried at room temperature for 24 hours. In all studied samples, the amount of Pb and Cd was reduced after the ITM washing process. The amount of As was reduced in 3 samples and increased in 2 other samples. In ITM books, there are general considerations for the use of medicinal clay. These agents should not be used before special treatments such as the washing process. In this study, we observed the effect of washing process on reducing the amount of heavy metals in Armenian bole samples. In two samples, washing caused an increase in the amount of As. As these heavy metals sediment according to their density in different layers, the sample layer on which the spectrometry is performed could have an effect on the results.

The role of minerals in the thermal alteration of organic matter. III - Generation of bitumen in laboratory experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huizinga, Bradley J.; Tannenbaum, Eli; Kaplan, I. R.

1987-01-01

A series of pyrolysis experiments, utilizing two different immature kerogens (from the Monterey and Green River Formations) mixed with common sedimentary minerals (calcite, illite, or Na-montmorillonite), was conducted to study the impact of the mineral matrix on the bitumen that was generated. Calcite has no significant influence on the thermal evolution of bitumen and also shows virtually no adsorption capacity for any of the pyrolysate. In contrast, montmorillonite (M) and illite, to a lesser extent, alter bitumen during dry pyrolysis. M and illite also display strong adsorption capacities for the polar constituents of bitumen. By this process, hydrocarbons are substantially concentrated within the pyrolysate that is not strongly adsorbed on the clay matrices. The effects of the clay minerals are significantly reduced during hydrous pyrolysis. The strong adsorption capacities of M and illite, as well as their thermocatalytic properties, may in part explain why light oils and gases are generated from certain argillaceous source-rock assemblages, whereas heavy immature oils are often derived from carbonate source rocks.

Monitoring the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a co-contaminated soil using stable isotope labeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wawra, Anna; Friesl-Hanl, Wolfgang; Watzinger, Andrea; Soja, Gerhard; Puschenreiter, Markus

2016-04-01

Conventional remediation techniques like "dig and dump" are costly and limited in scale. Plant- and microbe-based alternatives, e.g. phytoremediation options, offer a cheap and environmentally friendly approach that can be applied on larger areas. However, the application of phytoremediation techniques to co-contaminated sites may be hindered due to a potential inhibition of biodegradation processes by the presence of heavy metals in soil. Therefore, the objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that the degradation of organic pollutants can be enhanced by immobilising potentially toxic heavy metals. This study aims to identify the influence of heavy metal immobilisation on the degradation of organic pollutants, and to determine chemical, physical and biological measures further accelerating these processes. The influence of heavy metals on organic pollutant degradation dynamics is assessed using 13C-phospholipid fatty acid analysis (13C-PLFA). Application of 13C-labeled phenanthrene allows the identification of microbial groups responsible for the degradation process. For metal immobilisation and enhanced biodegradation, distinct mineral and organic soil amendments (iron oxides, gravel sludge, biochar) are deployed, partly in combination with fast-growing and pollution-tolerant woody plants (willow, black locust and alder). Results of an incubation batch experiment show a fast degradation of the phenanthrene label within the first two weeks by various microbial groups (gram negative bacteria as indicated by the cy17:0 peak) resulting in a decrease by up to 80% of the total PAH concentration (Σ 16 EPA PAHs) measured in soil. A similar trend was observed in the greenhouse pot experiment, whereby heavy metal accumulation in the woody plants growing on the co-contaminated soil significantly varied with plant species (willow > black locust, alder).

Changes in the physical status of the typical and leached chernozems of Kursk oblast within 40 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsova, I. V.

2013-04-01

The changes in the physical properties of the chernozems in the Central Russian province of the forest-steppe zone (Kursk oblast) that took place from 1964 to 2002 are analyzed in relation to the corresponding changes in the agrotechnology, agroeconomy, and agroecology. Three periods of the soil transformation are distinguished. The first period was characterized by the use of machines with relatively small pressure on the soil and by the dynamic equilibrium between the physical state of the soils and the processes of the humification-mineralization of the soil organic matter. The use of power-intensive machines in the next period resulted in greater soil compaction with negative changes in the soil physical properties. At the same time, the physical properties of the chernozems remained close to optimum on the fields where heavy machines were not used. The third period was characterized by the use of heavy machines and by the decrease in the rates of the organic and mineral fertilizers and certain disturbances in the crop rotation systems because of the economic difficulties. The negative tendencies of the changes in the soil physical properties observed during the preceding period continued.

Complete genome sequence of Acidihalobacter prosperus strain F5, an extremely acidophilic, iron- and sulfur-oxidizing halophile with potential industrial applicability in saline water bioleaching of chalcopyrite.

PubMed

Khaleque, Himel N; Corbett, Melissa K; Ramsay, Joshua P; Kaksonen, Anna H; Boxall, Naomi J; Watkin, Elizabeth L J

2017-11-20

Successful process development for the bioleaching of mineral ores, particularly the refractory copper sulfide ore chalcopyrite, remains a challenge in regions where freshwater is scarce and source water contains high concentrations of chloride ion. In this study, a pure isolate of Acidihalobacter prosperus strain F5 was characterized for its ability to leach base metals from sulfide ores (pyrite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite) at increasing chloride ion concentrations. F5 successfully released base metals from ores including pyrite and pentlandite at up to 30gL -1 chloride ion and chalcopyrite up to 18gL -1 chloride ion. In order to understand the genetic mechanisms of tolerance to high acid, saline and heavy metal stress the genome of F5 was sequenced and analysed. As well as being the first strain of Ac. prosperus to be isolated from Australia it is also the first complete genome of the Ac. prosperus species to be sequenced. The F5 genome contains genes involved in the biosynthesis of compatible solutes and genes encoding monovalent cation/proton antiporters and heavy metal transporters which could explain its abilities to tolerate high salinity, acidity and heavy metal stress. Genome analysis also confirmed the presence of genes involved in copper tolerance. The study demonstrates the potential biotechnological applicability of Ac. prosperus strain F5 for saline water bioleaching of mineral ores. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil magnetic susceptibility mapping as a pollution and provenance tool: an example from southern New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, A. P.; Ohneiser, C.; Turnbull, R. E.; Strong, D. T.; Demler, S.

2018-02-01

The presence or absence, degree and variation of heavy metal contamination in New Zealand soils is a matter of ongoing debate as it affects soil quality, agriculture and human health. In many instances, however, the soil heavy metal concentration data do not exist to answer these questions and the debate is ongoing. To address this, magnetic susceptibility (a common proxy for heavy metal contamination) values were measured in topsoil (0-30 cm) and subsoil (50-70 cm) at grid sites spaced at 8 km intervals across ca. 20 000 km2 of southern New Zealand. Samples were measured for both mass- and volume-specific magnetic susceptibility, with results being strongly, positively correlated. Three different methods of determining anomalies were applied to the data including the topsoil-subsoil difference method, Tukey boxplot method and geoaccumulation index method, with each method filtering out progressively more anomalies. Additional soil magnetic (hysteresis, isothermal remanence and thermomagnetic) measurements were made on a select subset of samples from anomalous sites. Magnetite is the dominant remanence carrying mineral, and magnetic susceptibility is governed by that minerals concentration in soils, rather than mineral type. All except two anomalous sites have a dominant geogenic source (cf. anthropogenic). By proxy, heavy metal contamination in southern New Zealand soils is minimal, making them relatively pristine. The provenance of the magnetic minerals in the anomalous sites can be traced back to likely sources in outcrops of igneous rocks within the same catchment, terrane or rock type: a distance of <100 km but frequently <1 km. Soil provenance is a key step when mapping element or isotopic distribution, vectoring to mineralization or studying soil for agricultural suitability, water quality or environmental regulation. Measuring soil magnetic susceptibility is a useful, quick and inexpensive tool that usefully supplements soil geochemical data.

Steric hindrance and the enhanced stability of light rare-earth elements in hydrothermal fluids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mayanovic, Robert A.; Anderson, Alan J.; Bassett, William A.; Chou, I.-Ming

2009-01-01

A series of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) experiments were made to determine the structure and stability of aqueous REE (La, Nd, Gd, and Yb) chloride complexes to 500 ??C and 520 MPa. The REE3+ ions exhibit inner-sphere chloroaqua complexation with a steady increase of chloride coordination with increasing temperature in the 150 to 500 ??C range. Furthermore, the degree of chloride coordination of REE3+ inner-sphere chloroaqua complexes decreases significantly from light to heavy REE. These results indicate that steric hindrance drives the reduction of chloride coordination of REE3+ inner-sphere chloroaqua complexes from light to heavy REE. This results in greater stability and preferential transport of light REE3+ over heavy REE3+ ions in saline hydrothermal fluids. Accordingly, the preferential mobility of light REE directly influences the relative abundance of REE in rocks and minerals and thus needs to be considered in geochemical modeling of petrogenetic and ore-forming processes affected by chloride-bearing hydrothermal fluids.

An open-water electrical geophysical tool for mapping sub-seafloor heavy placer minerals in 3D and migrating hydrocarbon plumes in 4D

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wynn, J.; Williamson, M.; Urquhart, S.; Fleming, J.

2011-01-01

A towed-streamer technology has been developed for mapping placer heavy minerals and dispersed hydrocarbon plumes in the open ocean. The approach uses induced polarization (IP), an electrical measurement that encompasses several different surface-reactive capacitive and electrochemical phenomena, and thus is ideally suited for mapping dispersed or disseminated targets. The application is operated at sea by towing active electrical geophysical streamers behind a ship; a wide area can be covered in three dimensions by folding tow-paths over each other in lawn-mower fashion. This technology has already been proven in laboratory and ocean settings to detect IP-reactive titanium-and rare-earth (REE) minerals such as ilmenite and monazite. By extension, minerals that weather and accumulate/concentrate by a similar mechanism, including gold, platinum, and diamonds, may be rapidly detected and mapped indirectly even when dispersed and covered with thick, inert sediment. IP is also highly reactive to metal structures such as pipelines and cables. ?? 2011 MTS.

Mineralogical maps showing distribution of selected ore-related minerals in the nonmagnetic, heavy-mineral-concentrate fraction of stream sediment from the Mount Hayes 1 degree by 3 degrees Quadrangle, eastern Alaska Range, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tripp, Richard B.; Curtin, Gary C.; Nokleberg, Warren J.; Huston, David L.; Hampton, James R.

1993-01-01

Exploratory geochemical sampling was done in 1979, 1980, and 1981. The collection of composite samples of stream sediment or glacial debris was emphasized the first 2 years; the last year was spent collecting mineralized stream pebbles, float, and outcrop samples. The stream-sediment and heavy- mineral-concentrate samples were collected at 795 sites on tributary streams having drainage basins ranging from 1 to 5 mi 2 in area. The glacial debris samples were collected at 116 sites on tributary glaciers also having drainage basins ranging from 1 to 5 mi2 in area. All of these samples were analyzed for 31 elements by six-step semiquantitative emission spectrography (Grimes and Marranzino, 1968). In addition, all samples were analyzed for zinc by an atomic absorption method (Ward and others, 1969). The spectrographic and chemical results are available in O'Leary and others (1982).

Value added phytoremediation of metal stressed soils using phosphate solubilizing microbial consortium.

PubMed

Gupta, Pratishtha; Kumar, Vipin

2017-01-01

The presence of heavy metals in the soil is a matter of growing concern due to their toxic and non-biodegradable nature. Lack of effectiveness of various conventional methods due to economic and technical constraints resulted in the search for an eco-friendly and cost-effective biological techniques for heavy metal removal from the environment. Until now, phytoremediation has emerged as an innovative technique to address the problem. However, the efficiency of phytoremediation process is hindered under the high metal concentration conditions. Hence, phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSM) assisted phytoremediation technique is gaining more insight as it can reduce the contamination load even under elevated metal stressed conditions. These microbes convert heavy metals into soluble and bioavailable forms, which consequently facilitate phytoremediation. Several studies have reported that the use of microbial consortium for remediation is considered more effective as compared to single strain pure culture. Therefore, this review paper focuses on the current trends in research related to PSM mediated uptake of heavy metal by plants. The efficiency of PSM consortia in enhancing the phytoremediation process has also been reviewed. Moreover, the role of phosphatase enzymes in the mineralization of organic forms of phosphate in soil is further discussed. Biosurfactant mediated bioremediation of metal polluted soils is a matter of extensive research nowadays. Hence, the recent advancement of using biosurfactants in enhanced phytoremediation of metal stressed soils is also described.

Ionomics: Genes and QTLs controlling heavy metal uptake in perennial grasses grown on phytoxic soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perennial grasses occupy diverse soils throughout the world, including many sites contaminated with heavy metals. Uncovering the genetic architecture of QTLs controlling mineral homoeostasis is critical for understanding the biochemical pathways that determine the elemental profiles of perennial pl...

Impact of tsunami on texture and mineralogy of a major placer deposit in southwest coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, N.; Babu, D. S. Suresh; Das, P. N. Mohan

2007-03-01

The great Indonesian earth quake (26 December 2004) triggered a tsunami wave across the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean basins and has brought a major havoc in several countries including India. The coastal segment between Thotapalli and Valiazhikal in Kerala state of southwest India, where considerably rich beach placer deposit with ilmenite percentage of more than 70% is concentrated, has been investigated to understand the impact of tsunami on coastal sediments. The grain size analysis flashes out the significant differences between the pre- and post-tsunami littoral environments. While the mineral grains collected during pre-tsunami period show well-sorted nature, the post-tsunami samples represent moderately to poorly sorted nature. Similarly, unimodal and bimodal distributions of the sediments have been recorded for pre- and post-tsunami sediments, respectively. Further, mineral assemblages corresponding to before and after this major wave activity clearly indicate the large-scale redistribution of sediments. The post-tsunami sediments register increasing trends of garnet, sillimanite and rutile. The total heavy mineral percentage of the post-tsunami sediment also shows an improved concentration, perhaps due to the large-scale transport of lighter fraction. Magnetite percentage of post-tsunami samples reflects higher concentration compared to the pre-tsunami samples, indicating the intensity of reworking process. X-ray diffraction patterns of ilmenite grains have confirmed the increased presence of pseduorutile, and pseudobrookite in post-tsunami samples, which could be due to the mixing of more altered grains. SEM examination of grains also confirms the significant alteration patterns on the ubiquitous mineral of placer body, the ilmenite. The reason for these textural, mineralogical and micromorphological changes in heavy minerals particularly in ilmenite, could be due to the churning action on the deeper sediments of onshore region or on the sediments entrapped in the near shelf region of the area, by the ˜ 6 m high tsunami waves.

Effect of HCl/SO₂₃/NH₃/O₂₃and mineral sorbents on the partitioning behaviour of heavy metals during the thermal treatment of solid wastes.

PubMed

Huang, Qunxing; Cai, Xu; Alhadj Mallah, Moussa Mallaye; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jianhua

2015-01-01

The high concentration of heavy metals in solid wastes may cause serious pollution during thermal treatment. We have investigated, theoretically and experimentally, the effects of several important flue gas species and mineral sorbents on the partitioning behaviour of four major heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc and copper) which are often present in municipal solid waste (MSW). Their concentrations in bottom ash, fly ash and flue gas were quantified when model MSW samples were treated thermally under different conditions. The evaporation ratio of the four metals, excluding Cu, increased with decreasing oxygen concentration. The presence of HCl promotes heavy metal evaporation by preventing the formation of stable metallic species, especially for Zn (evaporation of more than 20%). An increase in oxygen concentration has a negative influence on the effect of HCl. In the presence of SO₂, Cd and Pb exhibited a higher evaporation ratio, while Zn and Cu were insensitive to the change. SO₂also inhibits Cd vaporization in an oxidative atmosphere. The effect of NH3 on reducing the metal volatilization rate was established indirectly. Calcium oxide addition enhances metal evaporation except for that of Zn (which shows a decrease of 38%). Although desulphurization by calcium injection decreases the volume of acid gas, calcium affects heavy metal pollution control adversely. The presence or addition of SiO₂- or Al₂O₃-containing minerals can lead to the formation of stable metallic salts. This may favour the control of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu volatilization up to 13%, 50%, 17.5% and 19%, respectively.

[Levels of heavy metals in the environment and population exposure after five years of mineral exploration in the Las Bambas project, Peru 2010].

PubMed

Astete, Jonh; Gastañaga, María del Carmen; Pérez, Doris

2014-01-01

Determine particulate matter (PM10) and heavy metals concentrations in the environment, as well as in surrounding communities of the Las Bambas project after five years of mineral exploration. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in the area of influence of the Las Bambas project in Apurimac, Peru. Samples of water, air and soil were obtained to determine the concentrations of PM10 and heavy metals. Blood and urine samples were taken from 310 villagers to evaluate levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury. Results were compared with those obtained in 2005. Environmental concentrations of PM10 and heavy metals did not exceed the established reference values. The quality of drinking water and soil was not altered. Compared to the values found in 2005, the 2010 average levels of cadmium and mercury in urine increased significantly in the population of the districts of Chalhuahuacho (2.4 + 0.8 and 2.6 + 0.4), El Progreso (2.6 + 1.1 and 2.9 + 1.3) and Haquira (3.2 + 1.2 and 2.6 + 0.9). Cadmium values exceeded permissible limits. After five years of mineral exploration activity, environmental characteristics of the areas of influence of the Las Bambas mining project, have not been affected. However, changes are observed in the levels and percentage of people with cadmium in their urine.

The Crystal-Chemical Effect of REE Separation in Minerals: Causes and Practical Values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinokurov, S. F.

2018-03-01

Contrast variations in the type of REE distribution from a distinctly negative mode to a positive mode is revealed in zonal fluorites of Eastern Transbaikal, with a pronounced decrease in the Ce/Y ratios in successive zones of increasing Y accompanied by a gradual decrease in the temperature and salinity of fluid inclusions in the fluorites. It is assumed that these facts are caused by the appearance of nm-size phases of REE minerals characterized by various crystalline structures and demonstrating selective concentrations of lanthanides, i.e., exhibiting a crystal-chemical differentiation of REEs that is widespread in the processes of mineral formation. Based on this natural mechanism, the development of a procedure of selective REE extraction from the concentrates is proposed. The primary laboratory experiments resulted in the discovery of the difference in REE concentrations in the sediment and filtrate with the separation coefficient varying by a factor of 76. The results obtained allow one to expect a true separation possibility for Nd along with the medium and heavy REEs. In view of the data obtained, the crystalline-chemical separation of REEs has some advantages compared to the processes currently used, especially extraction.

Characterisation of heavy metal-bearing phases in stream sediments of the Meža River Valley, Slovenia, by means of SEM/EDS analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miler, M.; Gosar, M.

2010-02-01

Stream sediment reflects the rock structure of the catchment area, its geochemical characteristics and possible recent contamination upstream of the sampling point and thus, it is most frequently used in geochemical researches of heavy metal pollution. Stream sediment samples were collected along the Meža River and its tributaries and the Drava River, located in the NNE part of Slovenia. Previous geochemical studies have shown that these sediments are heavily polluted with heavy metals as a consequence of past mining of Pb-Zn ore and steelworks activities. Conventional geochemical analyses (ICP-MS, AAS, etc.) provided limited information on mineralogy, morphology and sources of heavy metal-bearing phases therefore SEM/EDS was utilized. Several problems were confronted with during EDS analysis, which are related to identification and quantification of light elements, identification of elements due to peak overlaps and quantification of spectra from unpolished samples. These problems were successfully dealt with. SEM/EDS enabled successful identification of heavy metal-bearing phases in stream sediments. Ore mineral phases, such as cerussite, sphalerite, smithsonite and galena, different heavy metal-bearing Fe-alloys, Fe-oxides and spherical particles and common rock-forming and accessory mineral phases, such as barite, rutile, ilmenite, zircon and monazite, were identified using solely SEM/EDS. These results were used for subsequent geochemical interpretation and source apportionment of heavy metals, according to associations of different heavy metal-bearing phases. Heavy metal-bearing phases were arranged by their source and genesis into three groups, denoted as geogenic/technogenic, technogenic and geogenic.

MECHANISMS OF HEAVY METAL REMOVAL FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGE USING CHITIN

EPA Science Inventory

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) emanating from inactive or active mine sites contains elevated levels of toxic heavy metals, which can have an adverse impact to the surrounding environment. The major pathway involved in generation of AMD is weathering of pyritic mineral ores, where in s...

Long-term controls on continental-scale bedrock river terrace deposition from integrated clast and heavy mineral assemblage analysis: An example from the lower Orange River, Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashole, Albertina N.; Hodgson, David M.; Chapman, Robert J.; Morgan, Dan J.; Jacob, Roger J.

2018-02-01

Establishing relationships between the long-term landscape evolution of drainage basins and the fill of sedimentary basins benefits from analysis of bedrock river terrace deposits. These fragmented detrital archives help to constrain changes in river system character and provenance during sediment transfer from continents (source) to oceans (sink). Thick diamondiferous gravel terrace deposits along the lower Orange River, southern Namibia, provide a rare opportunity to investigate controls on the incision history of a continental-scale bedrock river. Clast assemblage and heavy mineral data from seven localities permit detailed characterisation of the lower Orange River gravel terrace deposits. Two distinct fining-upward gravel terrace deposits are recognised, primarily based on mapped stratigraphic relationships (cross-cutting relationships) and strath and terrace top elevations, and secondarily on the proportion of exotic clasts, referred to as Proto Orange River deposits and Meso Orange River deposits. The older early to middle Miocene Proto Orange River gravels are thick (up to 50 m) and characterised by a dominance of Karoo Supergroup shale and sandstone clasts, whereas the younger Plio-Pleistocene Meso Orange River gravels (6-23 m thick) are characterised by more banded iron formation clasts. Mapping of the downstepping terraces indicates that the Proto gravels were deposited by a higher sinuosity river, and are strongly discordant to the modern Orange River course, whereas the Meso deposits were deposited by a lower sinuosity river. The heavy minerals present in both units comprise magnetite, garnet, amphibole, epidote and ilmenite, with rare titanite and zircon grains. The concentration of amphibole-epidote in the heavy minerals fraction increases from the Proto to the Meso deposits. The decrease in incision depths, recorded by deposit thicknesses above strath terraces, and the differences in clast character (size and roundness) and type between the two units, are ascribed to a more powerful river system during Proto-Orange River time, rather than reworking of older deposits, changes in provenance or climatic variations. In addition, from Proto- to Meso-Orange River times there was an increase in the proportion of sediments supplied from local bedrock sources, including amphibole-epidote in the heavy mineral assemblages derived from the Namaqua Metamorphic Complex. This integrated study demonstrates that clast assemblages are not a proxy for the character of the matrix, and vice versa, because they are influenced by the interplay of different controls. Therefore, an integrated approach is needed to improve prediction of placer mineral deposits in river gravels, and their distribution in coeval deposits downstream.

Occurrence, spatial distribution, sources, and risks of polychlorinated biphenyls and heavy metals in surface sediments from a large eutrophic Chinese lake (Lake Chaohu).

PubMed

He, Wei; Bai, Ze-Lin; Liu, Wen-Xiu; Kong, Xiang-Zhen; Yang, Bin; Yang, Chen; Jørgensen, Sven Erik; Xu, Fu-Liu

2016-06-01

Surface sediment from large and eutrophic Lake Chaohu was investigated to determine the occurrence, spatial distribution, sources, and risks of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals in one of the five biggest freshwater lakes in China. Total concentration of PCBs (Σ34PCBs) in Lake Chaohu was 672 pg g(-1) dry weight (dw), with a range of 7 to 3999 pg g(-1) dw, which was lower than other water bodies worldwide. The majority of heavy metals were detected at all sampling locations, except for Sr, B, and In. Concentrations of Al, Fe, Ca, Mn, Sr, Co, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Hg were similar to that reported for other lakes globally. Concentrations of K, Mg, Na, Li, Ga, and Ag were greater than the average, whereas those of Cr, Ni, and Cu were lower. Cluster analysis (CA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) yielded accordant results for the source apportionment of PCBs. The technical PCBs and microbial degradation accounted for 34.2 % and 65.8 % of total PCBs using PMF, and PMF revealed that natural and anthropogenic sources of heavy metals accounted for 38.1 % and 61.8 %, respectively. CA indicated that some toxic heavy metals (e.g., Cd, In, Tl, and Hg) were associated with Ca-Na-Mg minerals rather than Fe-Mn minerals. The uncorrelated results between organic matter revealed by pyrolysis technology and heavy metals might be caused by the existence of competitive adsorption between organic matter and minerals. PCBs and heavy metals were coupling discharge without organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), but with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). No sediment sample exceeded the toxic threshold for dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) set at 20 pg toxicity equivalency quantity (TEQ) g(-1), (max dl-PCBs, 10.9 pg TEQ g(-1)). However, concentrations of Ag, Cd, and Hg were at levels of environmental concern. The sediment in the drinking water source area (DWSA) was threatened by heavy metals from other areas, and some fundamental solutions were proposed to protect the DWSA.

Real-time observational evidence of changing Asian dust morphology with the mixing of heavy anthropogenic pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, X.; Uno, I.; Wang, Z.; Nishizawa, T.; Sugimoto, N.; Yamamoto, S.; Kobayashi, H.; Sun, Y.; Fu, P.; Tang, X.; Wang, Z.

2017-12-01

Natural mineral dust and heavy anthropogenic pollution and its complex interactions cause significant environmental problems in East Asia. Due to restrictions of observing technique, real-time morphological change in Asian dust particles owing to coating process of anthropogenic pollutants is still statistically unclear. Here, we first used a newly developed, single-particle polarization detector and quantitatively investigate the evolution of the polarization property of backscattering light reflected from dust particle as they were mixing with anthropogenic pollutants in North China. The decrease in observed depolarization ratio is mainly attributed to the decrease of aspect ratio of the dust particles as a result of continuous coating processes. Hygroscopic growth of Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) on the surface of the dust particles played a vital role, particularly when they are stagnant in the polluted region with high RH conditions. Reliable statistics highlight the significant importance of internally mixed, `quasi-spherical' Asian dust particles, which markedly act as cloud condensation nuclei and exert regional climate change.

Real-time observational evidence of changing Asian dust morphology with the mixing of heavy anthropogenic pollution.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaole; Uno, Itsushi; Wang, Zhe; Nishizawa, Tomoaki; Sugimoto, Nobuo; Yamamoto, Shigekazu; Kobayashi, Hiroshi; Sun, Yele; Fu, Pingqing; Tang, Xiao; Wang, Zifa

2017-03-23

Natural mineral dust and heavy anthropogenic pollution and its complex interactions cause significant environmental problems in East Asia. Due to restrictions of observing technique, real-time morphological change in Asian dust particles owing to coating process of anthropogenic pollutants is still statistically unclear. Here, we first used a newly developed, single-particle polarization detector and quantitatively investigate the evolution of the polarization property of backscattering light reflected from dust particle as they were mixing with anthropogenic pollutants in North China. The decrease in observed depolarization ratio is mainly attributed to the decrease of aspect ratio of the dust particles as a result of continuous coating processes. Hygroscopic growth of Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ) on the surface of the dust particles played a vital role, particularly when they are stagnant in the polluted region with high RH conditions. Reliable statistics highlight the significant importance of internally mixed, 'quasi-spherical' Asian dust particles, which markedly act as cloud condensation nuclei and exert regional climate change.

Selective Separation and Determination of Heavy Metals (Cd, Pb, Cr) Speciation Forms from Hortic Antrosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgariu, D.; Bulgariu, L.

2009-04-01

The speciation, inter-phases distribution and biodisponibility of heavy metals in soils represent one of main problem of environmental geochemistry and agro-chemistry. This problem is very important in case of hortic antrosols (soils from glasshouses) for the elimination of agricultural products (fruits, vegetables) contamination with heavy metals. In soils from glass houses, the speciation and inter-phases distribution processes of heavy metals have a particular dynamic, different in comparison with those from non-protected soils. The predominant distribution forms of heavy metals in such soils types are: complexes with low mass organic molecules, organic-mineral complexes, complexes with inorganic ligands (hydroxide-complexes, carbonate-complexes, sulphate-complexes, etc.) and basic salts. All of these have high stabilities in conditions of soils from glass houses, and in consequence, the separation and determination of speciation forms (which is directly connected with biodisponibility of heavy metals) by usual methods id very difficult and has a high uncertain degree. In this study is presented an original method for the selective separation and differentiation of speciation forms of heavy metals from glass houses soils, which is based by the combination of solid-liquid sequential extraction (SPE) with the extraction in aqueous polymer-inorganic salt two-phase systems (ABS). The soil samples used for this study have been sampled from three different locations (glass houses from Iasi, Barlad and Bacau - Romania) where the vegetables cultivation have bee performed by three different technologies. In this way was estimated the applicability and the analytical limits of method proposed by as, in function of the chemical-mineralogical and physical-chemical characteristics of soils. As heavy metals have been studied cadmium, lead and chromium, all being known for their high toxicity. The procedure used for the selective separation and differentiation of speciation forms of heavy metals from glass houses soils has two main steps: (i) non-destructive separation of chemical-mineralogical associations and aggregates from soils samples - for this the separation method with heavy liquids (bromophorme) and isodynamic magnetic method have been used; (ii) sequential extraction of heavy metals from soil fractions separated in the first step, by using combined SPE-ABS procedure. For the preparation of combined extraction systems was used polyethylene glycol (with different molecular mass: 2000, 4000 and 8000). As phase-forming inorganic salts and as selective extracting agents we have used different usual inorganic reagents. The type and concentration of phase-forming salts have been selected in function of, both nature of extracted heavy metals and chemical-mineralogical characteristics of soil samples. The experimental parameters investigated in this study are: molecular mass of polyethylene glycol and the concentration of polymeric solutions, nature and concentration of phase-forming salts, nature and concentration of extracting agents, pH in extraction system phase, type of extracted heavy metals, type of speciation forms of heavy metals and their concentrations. All these factors can influence significantly the efficiency and the selectivity of separation process. The experimental results have indicate that the combined SPE-ABS extraction systems have better separation efficiency, in comparison with traditional SPE systems and ca realized a accurate discrimination between speciation forms of heavy metals from soils. Under these conditions, the estimation of inter-phases distribution and biodisponibility of heavy metals has a high precision. On the other hand, when the combined SPE-ABS systems are used, the concomitant extraction of the elements from the same geochemical association with studied heavy metals (inevitable phenomena in case of separation by SPE procedures) is significant diminished. This increases the separation selectivity and facilitated the more accurate determination of speciation forms concentration. By adequate selection of extraction conditions can be realized the selective separation of organic-mineral complexes, which will permit to perform detailed studies about the structure and chemical composition of these. Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from Romanian Ministry of Education and Research (Project PNCDI 2-D5 no. 51045/07).

Fractionation and leachability of heavy metals from aged and recent Zn metallurgical leach residues from the Três Marias zinc plant (Minas Gerais, Brazil).

PubMed

Sethurajan, Manivannan; Huguenot, David; Lens, Piet N L; Horn, Heinrich A; Figueiredo, Luiz H A; van Hullebusch, Eric D

2016-04-01

Various mineral processing operations to produce pure metals from mineral ores generate sludges, residues, and other unwanted by-products/wastes. As a general practice, these wastes are either stored in a reservoir or disposed in the surrounding of mining/smelting areas, which might cause adverse environmental impacts. Therefore, it is important to understand the various characteristics like heavy metal leaching features and potential toxicity of these metallurgical wastes. In this study, zinc plant leach residues (ZLRs) were collected from a currently operating Zn metallurgical industry located in Minas Gerais (Brazil) and investigated for their potential toxicity, fractionation, and leachability. Three different ZLR samples (ZLR1, ZLR2, and ZLR3) were collected, based on their age of production and deposition. They mainly consisted of Fe (6-11.5 %), Zn (2.5 to 5.0 %), and Pb (1.5 to 2.5 %) and minor concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, and Mn, depending on the sample age. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) results revealed that these wastes are hazardous for the environment. Accelerated Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction clearly showed that potentially toxic heavy metals such as Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn can be released into the environment in high quantities under mild acidic conditions. The results of the liquid-solid partitioning as a function of pH showed that pH plays an important role in the leachability of metals from these residues. At low pH (pH 2.5), high concentrations of metals can be leached: 67, 25, and 7 % of Zn can be leached from leach residues ZLR1, ZLR2, and ZLR3, respectively. The release of metals decreased with increasing pH. Geochemical modeling of the pH-dependent leaching was also performed to determine which geochemical process controls the leachability/solubility of the heavy metals. This study showed that the studied ZLRs contain significant concentrations of non-residual extractable fractions of Zn and can be seen as a potential secondary resource for Zn.

Summary geochemical maps for samples of rock, stream sediment, and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate, Pyramid Roadless Area, El Dorado County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, M.A.

1986-01-01

Geochemical sampling was conducted during 1982. This report summarizes the results of that investigation and provides details of the geochemical evaluation used in producing the final mineral resource assessment of the study area (Armstrong and others, 1983).

Sediment transport mechanisms inferred from heavy mineral assemblages on the 2010 Chilean tsunami deposit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cascalho, João; Costa, Pedro; Lario, Javier

2017-04-01

Characterization of heavy mineral (HM) assemblages in tsunami deposits has been applied to infer inundation and backwash phases and to establish sediment sources. In ideal conditions and due to their specific density (>2.9 g/cm3), heavy minerals are the most suitable component of a sediment assemblage that can provide information regarding flow competence. Having these features in consideration, sandy tsunamigenic samples from Arauco and Mataquito areas (central Chile) were retrieved after the 27th of February 2010 tsunami that affected the Chilean coastline. Twenty seven samples (a total of 54 thin sections) tsunamigenic and beach samples were prepared to observe HM under the petrographic microscope. After dividing the samples in 4 fractions (<63 µm, 63- 125 µm, 125-500µm and >500 µm), HM were separated using bromoform and two fractions (63- 125 µm and 125-500µm) were individually mounted using Canada balsam resin on glass slides. About 300 heavy minerals per slide were identified and counted. Both assemblages were mainly composed of magnetite, pyrrhotite, amphiboles, pyroxenes, olivine, micas and zircon (this specie particularly abundant in the finer fraction analyzed). In Arauco (Ar), average HM percentages in the 125-500 µm fraction was 17.9% while in Mataquito (Ma) it was 25.7%. In the 63-125 µm fraction HM average percentages were 36.9% and 56.1%, for Ar and Ma respectively. In the 125-500 µm fraction the percentage of magnetic minerals (the densest of the denser HM) correspond to 13.2% in Ar and 2.7% in Ma. While in the finer fraction these percentages are of 0.24% and 0.1% In Ar it was possible to perceive that the highest concentration in HM and magnetic minerals was observed in the NE sector (Llico) of the embayment, where the highest run-up was observed. In this specific sector an inland decrease of HM and magnetic minerals was detected along a 300m profile, with HM percentages varying from 27% to 9% and magnetic minerals from 16% to 5%, thus suggesting a progressive energy decrease with inundation extent. In Ma only an inland decrease in magnetic minerals was observed (in Lloca sector) with values decreasing from 4.9% to 2.5% with 175m. This also indicates a decrease in sediment transport competence by the incoming tsunami waves. Here, the potential of HM is confirmed as a useful sedimentological tool to better understand tsunami events retrieving relevant information regarding to infer energy of tsunami waves. This work was supported by the Spanish Government Project CGL2013-42847-R. and through FCT- Instituto Dom Luiz UID/GEO/50019/2013. This is a contribution to the UNESCO IGCP Project 639 "Sea Level Change from Minutes to Millennia".

Treatment of heavy metals by iron oxide coated and natural gravel media in Sustainable urban Drainage Systems.

PubMed

Norris, M J; Pulford, I D; Haynes, H; Dorea, C C; Phoenix, V R

2013-01-01

Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) filter drains are simple, low-cost systems utilized as a first defence to treat road runoff by employing biogeochemical processes to reduce pollutants. However, the mechanisms involved in pollution attenuation are poorly understood. This work aims to develop a better understanding of these mechanisms to facilitate improved SuDS design. Since heavy metals are a large fraction of pollution in road runoff, this study aimed to enhance heavy metal removal of filter drain gravel with an iron oxide mineral amendment to increase surface area for heavy metal scavenging. Experiments showed that amendment-coated and uncoated (control) gravel removed similar quantities of heavy metals. Moreover, when normalized to surface area, iron oxide coated gravels (IOCGs) showed poorer metal removal capacities than uncoated gravel. Inspection of the uncoated microgabbro gravel indicated that clay particulates on the surface (a natural product of weathering of this material) augmented heavy metal removal, generating metal sequestration capacities that were competitive compared with IOCGs. Furthermore, when the weathered surface was scrubbed and removed, metal removal capacities were reduced by 20%. When compared with other lithologies, adsorption of heavy metals by microgabbro was 10-70% higher, indicating that both the lithology of the gravel, and the presence of a weathered surface, considerably influence its ability to immobilize heavy metals. These results contradict previous assumptions which suggest that gravel lithology is not a significant factor in SuDS design. Based upon these results, weathered microgabbro is suggested to be an ideal lithology for use in SuDS.

Provenance and recycling of Arabian desert sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzanti, Eduardo; Vermeesch, Pieter; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Valagussa, Manuel; Allen, Kate; Kadi, Khalid; Al-Juboury, Ali

2013-04-01

This study seeks to determine the ultimate origin of aeolian sand in Arabian deserts by high-resolution petrographic and heavy-mineral techniques combined with zircon U-Pb geochronology. Point-counting is used here as the sole method by which unbiased volume percentages of heavy minerals can be obtained. A comprehensive analysis of river and wadi sands from the Red Sea to the Bitlis-Zagros orogen allowed us to characterize all potential sediment sources, and thus to quantitatively constrain provenance of Arabian dune fields. Two main types of aeolian sand can be distinguished. Quartzose sands with very poor heavy-mineral suites including zircon occupy most of the region comprising the Great Nafud and Rub' al-Khali Sand Seas, and are largely recycled from thick Lower Palaeozoic quartzarenites with very minor first-cycle contributions from Precambrian basement, Mesozoic carbonate rocks, or Neogene basalts. Instead, carbonaticlastic sands with richer lithic and heavy-mineral populations characterize coastal dunes bordering the Arabian Gulf from the Jafurah Sand Sea of Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. The similarity with detritus carried by the axial Tigris-Euphrates system and by transverse rivers draining carbonate rocks of the Zagros indicates that Arabian coastal dunes largely consist of far-travelled sand, deposited on the exposed floor of the Gulf during Pleistocene lowstands and blown inland by dominant Shamal northerly winds. A dataset of detrital zircon U-Pb ages measured on twelve dune samples and two Lower Palaeozoic sandstones yielded fourteen identical age spectra. The age distributions all show a major Neoproterozoic peak corresponding to the Pan-African magmatic and tectonic events by which the Arabian Shield was assembled, with minor late Palaeoproterozoic and Neoarchean peaks. A similar U-Pb signature characterizes also Jafurah dune sands, suggesting that zircons are dominantly derived from interior Arabia, possibly deflated from the Wadi al-Batin fossil alluvial fan or even from Mesozoic sandstones of the Arabian margin accreted to the Cenozoic Zagros orogen. Due to extensive recycling and the fact that zircon is so resistant to weathering and erosion, the U-Pb age signatures are much less powerful a tracer of sedimentary provenance than framework petrography and heavy minerals. Actualistic provenance studies of dune fields at subcontinental scale shed light on the generation and homogenization of aeolian sand, and allow us to trace complex pathways of multistep sediment transport, thus providing crucial independent information for accurate palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions.

Provenance and recycling of Arabian desert sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzanti, Eduardo; Vermeesch, Pieter; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Valagussa, Manuel; Allen, Kate; Kadi, Khalid A.; Al-Juboury, Ali I. A.

2013-05-01

This study seeks to determine the ultimate origin of aeolian sand in Arabian deserts by high-resolution petrographic and heavy-mineral techniques combined with zircon U-Pb geochronology. Point-counting is used here as the sole method by which unbiased volume percentages of heavy minerals can be obtained. A comprehensive analysis of river and wadi sands from the Red Sea to the Bitlis-Zagros orogen allowed us to characterize all potential sediment sources, and thus to quantitatively constrain provenance of Arabian dune fields. Two main types of aeolian sand can be distinguished. Quartzose sands with very poor heavy-mineral suites including zircon occupy most of the region comprising the Great Nafud and Rub' al-Khali Sand Seas, and are largely recycled from thick Lower Palaeozoic quartzarenites with very minor first-cycle contributions from Precambrian basement, Mesozoic carbonate rocks, or Neogene basalts. Instead, carbonaticlastic sands with richer lithic and heavy-mineral populations characterize coastal dunes bordering the Arabian Gulf from the Jafurah Sand Sea of Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. The similarity with detritus carried by the axial Tigris-Euphrates system and by transverse rivers draining carbonate rocks of the Zagros indicates that Arabian coastal dunes largely consist of far-travelled sand, deposited on the exposed floor of the Gulf during Pleistocene lowstands and blown inland by dominant Shamal northerly winds. A dataset of detrital zircon U-Pb ages measured on twelve dune samples and two Lower Palaeozoic sandstones yielded fourteen identical age spectra. The age distributions all show a major Neoproterozoic peak corresponding to the Pan-African magmatic and tectonic events by which the Arabian Shield was assembled, with minor late Palaeoproterozoic and Neoarchean peaks. A similar U-Pb signature characterizes also Jafurah dune sands, suggesting that zircons are dominantly derived from interior Arabia, possibly deflated from the Wadi al-Batin fossil alluvial fan or even from Mesozoic sandstones of the Arabian margin accreted to the Cenozoic Zagros orogen. Due to extensive recycling and the fact that zircon is so resistant to weathering and erosion, the U-Pb age signatures are much less powerful a tracer of sedimentary provenance than framework petrography and heavy minerals. Actualistic provenance studies of dune fields at subcontinental scale shed light on the generation and homogenization of aeolian sand, and allow us to trace complex pathways of multistep sediment transport, thus providing crucial independent information for accurate palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions.

Selective zircon accumulation in a new benthic foraminifer, Psammophaga zirconia, sp. nov.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabbatini, Anna; Negri, Alessandra; Bartolini, Annachiara; Morigi, Caterina; Boudouma, Omar; Dinelli, Enrico; Florindo, Fabio; Galeazzi, Roberta; Holzmann, Maria; Lurcock, Pontus C.; Massaccesi, Luca; Pawlowski, Jan W.; Rocchi, Sergio

2017-04-01

Benthic foraminifera are single-celled eukaryotes that make a protective organic, agglutinated or calcareous test. Some agglutinated, single-chambered taxa, including Psammophaga Arnold, 1982, retain mineral particles in their cytoplasm, but the selective mechanism of accumulation is not clear. Here, we report the ability of a foraminiferal species to select and accumulate zircons and other heavy minerals in their cytoplasm. In particular, the use of Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with an Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (SEM-EDS) enabled a representative overview of the mineral diversity and showed that the analysed Psammophaga zirconia sp. nov. individuals contained dominantly crystals of zircon (51%), titanium oxides (27%), and ilmenite (11%) along with minor magnetite and other minerals. The studied specimens occur in the shallow central Adriatic Sea where the sediment has a content of zircon below 1% and of other heavy minerals below 4%. For that reason, we suggest that: (i) P. zirconia may be able to chemically select minerals, specifically zircon and rutile; (ii) the chemical mechanism allowing the selection is based on electrostatic interaction, and it could work also for agglutinated foraminifera. In particular, this aptitude for high preferential uptake and differential ingestion or retention of zircon is reported here for the first time, together with the selection of other heavy minerals already described in members of the genus Psammophaga. They are generally counted among early foraminifera, constructing a morphologically simple test with a single chamber. Our molecular phylogenetic study confirms that P. zirconia is a new species, genetically distinctive from other Psammophaga, and occurs in the Adriatic as well as in the Black Sea. Finally, the presence of eukaryotic soft-walled monothalamous microfossils, capable of building a fine aluminosilicate case, in the Precambrian geological record, makes them useful as a valuable record of the early evolution of foraminifera, suggesting that biological agglutination was already present in this group. P. zirconia is a new documented example among foraminifera capable of highly intriguing preferential mineral uptake, showing that this behavior could have emerged very early in their evolution.

Remediation of biochar on heavy metal polluted soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuguang; Xu, Yan; Norbu, Namkha; Wang, Zhan

2018-01-01

Unreasonable mining and smelting of mineral resources, solid waste disposal, sewage irrigation, utilization of pesticides and fertilizers would result in a large number of heavy metal pollutants into the water and soil environment, causing serious damage to public health and ecological safety. In recent years, a majority of scholars tried to use biochar to absorb heavy metal pollutants, which has some advantages of extensive raw material sources, low-cost and high environmental stability. This paper reviewed the definition, properties of biochar, the mechanism of heavy metal sorption by biochar and some related problems and prospects, to provide some technical support for the application of biochar into heavy metal polluted soils.

Transformation of corn plant residues in loamy and sandy substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mal'tseva, A. N.; Zolotareva, B. N.; Pinskii, D. L.

2014-05-01

The mineralization and humification dynamics of corn plant residues in loamy and sandy substrates have been studied under laboratory conditions. It has been shown that the dynamics are determined by the undulating development laws of the microbial community under constant temperature and moisture conditions. At the same time, the intensity and final results of the processes significantly differ depending on the composition and properties of the mineral substrate. The loss of Corg during the mineralization and the content of newly formed humic substances reached the maximum values a month after the beginning of the experiment. The mineralization is more intensive in sand at the early stages, and the humification is more active in loam throughout the incubation period. The loamy substrate has better protective properties compared to the sand; therefore, it favors the accumulation of significant amounts of fulvic acids (FAs), along with humic acids (HAs), and causes the relative fulvatization of the humic substances. It has been found using densimetric fractionation and Fourier IR spectroscopy that the different mineralogy of the fractions results in differences in the chemical composition of the formed mineral-organic compounds of newly formed humic substances, mainly due to carboxyl and nitrogen-containing groups. The similarity of the humification products in the heavy fractions of the loamy and sandy substrates has been revealed.

Genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling trace element concentrations in perennial grasses grown on phytotoxic soil contaminated with heavy metals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perennial grasses cover diverse soils throughout the world, including sites contaminated with heavy metals, producing forages that must be safe for livestock and wildlife. Chromosome regions known as quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling forage mineral concentrations were mapped in a populatio...

BLANCO MOUNTAIN AND BLACK CANYON ROADLESS AREAS, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diggles, Michael F.; Rains, Richard L.

1984-01-01

The mineral survey of the Blanco Mountain and Black Canyon Roadless Areas, California indicated that areas of probable and substantiated mineral-resource potential exist only in the Black Canyon Roadless Area. Gold with moderate amounts of lead, silver, zinc, and tungsten, occurs in vein deposits and in tactite. The nature of the geological terrain indicates little likelihood for the occurrence of energy resources in the roadless areas. Detailed geologic mapping might better define the extent of gold mineralization. Detailed stream-sediment sampling and analysis of heavy-mineral concentrations could better define tungsten resource potential.

[Magnetic Responses of Heavy Metals in Street Dust of Typical Mine-Based City, Northwest China].

PubMed

Nie, Yan; Wang, Xin; Wang, Bo; Xu, Shu-jing; Gao, Fu-yuan; Yu, Ye; Xia, Dun-sheng; Xia, Xin-ming

2015-09-01

Magnetic characteristics and heavy metal properties of 43 street dust samples collected from Baiyin City, northwest of China were systematically analyzed. The results revealed that the main magnetic minerals were low-coercivity magnetite and maghemite with coarse pseudo single domain (PSD) and multi-domain (MD) in magnetic grain size. Compared with the domestic comprehensive cities, low frequency magnetic susceptibility(χlf) value of street dust samples in Binyin varied from 43. 75 x 10(-8) m3.kg-1 to 1 340. 08 x 10(-8) m3.kg-1 with the average value of 245. 98 x 10(-8) m3.kg-1, the magnetic mineral content in street dust samples of Binyin was low relatively, hut it varied among distinct districts with industrial district was the highest and the stripe traffic area was more higher than those of other regions(commercial district, new district). Different functional zones of Baiyin had a single pollution source relatively. Additionally, the contribution to strong magnetic minerals was predominated by industrial pollution and the distribution of pollution degrees in Bainyin showed a significant spatial difference. Concentrations of heavy metals(Cu, Pb, Zn) were generally high in Baiyin street dust. The significantly positive correlation between magnetic parameters(χlf, χARM, SIRM, SOFT) and pollution load index(PLI) and their consistent spatial characteristics confirm that magnetic concentration parameters can effectively monitor urban heavy metals pollution and determine the bounds and areas of pollution, providing a valuable tool for further urban pollution control.

Remote mineral mapping using AVIRIS data at Summitville, Colorado and the adjacent San Juan Mountains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Trude V. V.; Clark, Roger N.; Ager, Cathy; Swayze, Gregg A.

1995-01-01

We have demonstrated the unique utility of imaging spectroscopy in mapping mineral distribution. In the Summitville mining region we have shown that the mine site does not contribute clay minerals to the Alamosa River, but does contribute Fe-bearing minerals. Such minerals have the potential to carry heavy metals. This application illustrates only one specific environmental application of imaging spectroscopy data. For instance, the types of minerals we can map with confidence are those frequently associated with environmental problems related to active and abandoned mine lands. Thus, the potential utility of this technology to the field of environmental science has yet to be fully explored.

Dredging Operations Technical Support Program. Comparison of the Heavy-Metal Uptake of Cyperus esculentus and of Agronomic Plants Grown on Contaminated Dutch Sediments.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

and have similar properties and texture. Differences exist in the macro- and micronutrient status. The common origin and corresponding properties of...Mineral Nutrition, The Hague, 1973. Tracing and treating mineral disorders in dairy cattle. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation

ACID-BASE ACCOUNT EFFECTIVENESS FOR DETERMINATION OF MINE WASTE POTENTIAL ACIDITY. (R825549C048)

EPA Science Inventory

The oxidation of sulfide minerals in mine waste is a widespread source of resource degradation, often resulting in the generation of acidic water and mobilization of heavy metals. The quantity of acid forming minerals present in mine waste, dominantly as pyrite (FeS₂

Estimating soil zinc concentrations using reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Weichao; Zhang, Xia

2017-06-01

Soil contamination by heavy metals has been an increasingly severe threat to nature environment and human health. Efficiently investigation of contamination status is essential to soil protection and remediation. Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIRS) has been regarded as an alternative for monitoring soil contamination by heavy metals. Generally, the entire VNIR spectral bands are employed to estimate heavy metal concentration, which lacks interpretability and requires much calculation. In this study, 74 soil samples were collected from Hunan Province, China and their reflectance spectra were used to estimate zinc (Zn) concentration in soil. Organic matter and clay minerals have strong adsorption for Zn in soil. Spectral bands associated with organic matter and clay minerals were used for estimation with genetic algorithm based partial least square regression (GA-PLSR). The entire VNIR spectral bands, the bands associated with organic matter and the bands associated with clay minerals were incorporated as comparisons. Root mean square error of prediction, residual prediction deviation, and coefficient of determination (R2) for the model developed using combined bands of organic matter and clay minerals were 329.65 mg kg-1, 1.96 and 0.73, which is better than 341.88 mg kg-1, 1.89 and 0.71 for the entire VNIR spectral bands, 492.65 mg kg-1, 1.31 and 0.40 for the organic matter, and 430.26 mg kg-1, 1.50 and 0.54 for the clay minerals. Additionally, in consideration of atmospheric water vapor absorption in field spectra measurement, combined bands of organic matter and absorption around 2200 nm were used for estimation and achieved high prediction accuracy with R2 reached 0.640. The results indicate huge potential of soil reflectance spectroscopy in estimating Zn concentrations in soil.

Health risk assessment and soil and plant heavy metal and bromine contents in field plots after ten years of organic and mineral fertilization.

PubMed

da Rosa Couto, Rafael; Faversani, Jéssica; Ceretta, Carlos Alberto; Ferreira, Paulo Ademar Avelar; Marchezan, Carina; Basso Facco, Daniela; Garlet, Luana Paula; Silva, Jussiane Souza; Comin, Jucinei José; Bizzi, Cezar Augusto; Flores, Erico Marlon Moraes; Brunetto, Gustavo

2018-05-30

Heavy metals and bromine (Br) derived from organic and industrialized fertilizers can be absorbed, transported and accumulated into parts of plants ingested by humans. This study aimed to evaluate in an experiment conducted under no-tillage for 10 years, totaling 14 applications of pig slurry manure (PS), pig deep-litter (PL), dairy slurry (DS) and mineral fertilizer (MF), the heavy metal and Br contents in soil and in whether the grains produced by corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under these conditions could result in risk to human health. The total contents of As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Br were analyzed in samples of fertilizers, waste, soil, shoots and grains of corn and wheat. Afterwards, enrichment factor (EF), accumulation factor (AF), health risk index (HRI), target hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk (TCR) were determined. Mineral fertilizer exhibited the highest As and Cr content, while the highest levels of Cu and Zn were found in animal waste. The contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in soil were below the limits established by environmental regulatory agencies. However, a significant enrichment factor was found for Cu in soil with a history of PL application. Furthermore, high Zn contents were found in shoots and grains of corn and wheat, especially when the plants were grown in soil with organic waste application. Applications of organic waste and mineral fertilizer provided high HRI and THQ for Br and Zn, posing risks to human health. The intake of corn and wheat fertilized with pig slurry manure, swine deep bed, liquid cattle manure and industrialized mineral fertilizer did not present TCR. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Predicting Flood in Perlis Using Ant Colony Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadia Sabri, Syaidatul; Saian, Rizauddin

2017-06-01

Flood forecasting is widely being studied in order to reduce the effect of flood such as loss of property, loss of life and contamination of water supply. Usually flood occurs due to continuous heavy rainfall. This study used a variant of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm named the Ant-Miner to develop the classification prediction model to predict flood. However, since Ant-Miner only accept discrete data, while rainfall data is a time series data, a pre-processing steps is needed to discretize the rainfall data initially. This study used a technique called the Symbolic Aggregate Approximation (SAX) to convert the rainfall time series data into discrete data. As an addition, Simple K-Means algorithm was used to cluster the data produced by SAX. The findings show that the predictive accuracy of the classification prediction model is more than 80%.

Selective determination of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr) speciation forms from hortic anthrosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgariu, Dumitru; Bulgariu, Laura; Filipov, Feodor; Astefanei, Dan; Stoleru, Vasile

2010-05-01

In soils from glass houses, the speciation and inter-phases distribution processes of heavy metals have a particular dynamic, different in comparison with those from non-protected soils. The predominant distribution forms of heavy metals in such soils types are: complexes with low mass organic molecules, organic-mineral complexes, complexes with inorganic ligands (hydroxide-complexes, carbonate-complexes, sulphate-complexes, etc.) and basic salts. All of these have high stabilities in conditions of soils from glass houses, and in consequence, the separation and determination of speciation forms (which is directly connected with biodisponibility of heavy metals) by usual methods id very difficult and has a high uncertain degree. In this study is presented an original method for the selective separation and differentiation of speciation forms of heavy metals from glass houses soils, which is based by the combination of solid-liquid sequential extraction (SPE) with the extraction in aqueous polymer-inorganic salt two-phase systems (ABS). The soil samples used for this study have been sampled from three different locations (glass houses from Iasi, Barlad and Bacau - Romania) where the vegetables cultivation have been performed by three different technologies. In this way was estimated the applicability and the analytical limits of method proposed by as, in function of the chemical-mineralogical and physical-chemical characteristics of soils. As heavy metals have been studied cadmium, lead and chromium, all being known for their high toxicity. The procedure used for the selective separation and differentiation of speciation forms of heavy metals from glass houses soils has two main steps: (i) non-destructive separation of chemical-mineralogical associations and aggregates from soils samples - for this the separation method with heavy liquids (bromophorme) and isodynamic magnetic method have been used; (ii) sequential extraction of heavy metals from soil fractions separated in the first step, by using combined SPE-ABS procedure. For the preparation of combined extraction systems was used polyethylene glycol (with different molecular mass: 2000, 4000 and 8000). As phase-forming inorganic salts and as selective extracting agents we have used different usual inorganic reagents. The type and concentration of phase-forming salts have been selected in function of, both nature of extracted heavy metals and chemical-mineralogical characteristics of soil samples. The experimental parameters investigated in this study are: molecular mass of polyethylene glycol and the concentration of polymeric solutions, nature and concentration of phase-forming salts, nature and concentration of extracting agents, pH in extraction system phase, type of extracted heavy metals, type of speciation forms of heavy metals and their concentrations. All these factors can influence significantly the efficiency and the selectivity of separation process. The experimental results have indicate that the combined SPE-ABS extraction systems have better separation efficiency, in comparison with traditional SPE systems and ca realized a accurate discrimination between speciation forms of heavy metals from soils. Under these conditions, the estimation of inter-phases distribution and biodisponibility of heavy metals has a high precision. On the other hand, when the combined SPE-ABS systems are used, the concomitant extraction of the elements from the same geochemical association with studied heavy metals (inevitable phenomena in case of separation by SPE procedures) is significant diminished. This increases the separation selectivity and facilitated the more accurate determination of speciation forms concentration. By adequate selection of extraction conditions can be realized the selective separation of organic-mineral complexes, which will permit to perform detailed studies about the structure and chemical composition of these. Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from Romanian Ministry of Education and Research (Project PNCDI 2-D5 no. 51045/07 and project PNCDI 2 - D5 no. 52-141 / 2008).

Zirconium and hafnium in the southeastern Atlantic States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mertie, J.B.

1958-01-01

The principal source of zirconium and hafnium is zircon, though a minor source is baddeleyite, mined only in Brazil. Zircon is an accessory mineral in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, but rarely occurs in hardrock in minable quantities. The principal sources of zircon are therefore alluvial deposits, which are mined in many countries of five continents. The principal commercial deposits in the United States are in Florida, though others exist elsewhere in the southeastern Coastal Plain. The evidence indicates that conditions for the accumulation of workable deposits of heavy minerals were more favorable during the interglacial stages of the Pleistocene epoch than during Recent time. Therefore detrital ores of large volume and high tenor are more likely to be found in the terrace deposits than along the present beaches. Other concentrations of heavy minerals, however, are possible at favored sites close to the Fall Line where the Tuscaloosa formation rests upon the crystalline rocks of the Piedmont province. A score of heavy and semiheavy minerals occur in the detrital deposits of Florida, but the principal salable minerals are ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, and zircon, though monazite and staurolite are saved at some mining plants. Commercial deposits of heavy minerals are generally required to have a tenor of 4 percent, though ores with a lower tenor can be mined at a profit if the content of monazite is notably high. The percentages of zircon in the concentrates ranges from 10 to 16 percent, and in eastern Florida from 13 to 15 percent. Thus the tenor in zircon of the ore-bearing sands ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 percent. The content of hafnium in zircon is immaterial for many uses, but for some purposes very high or very low tenors in hafnium are required. Alluvial zircon cannot be separated into such varieties, which, if needed, must be obtained from sources in bedrock. It thus becomes necessary to determine the Hf : Zr ratios in zircon from many kinds of bedrock.Granitic rocks are the principal sources of zircon, though not the best sources of zircon with a high tenor in hafnium. A general study by the Geological Survey of the granitic rocks of the Southeastern Atlantic States has been in progress for 10 years, and hundreds of samples of granitic accessory minerals have been acquired. Thirty samples of zircon from these collections were selected for spectrographic and X-ray determinations of their tenors in hafnium. Nine other samples of alluvial zircon were included, of which three are from Florida and six from foreign countries. No domestic zircon was discovered with very high or very low tenors in hafnium.The volume of zircon in the southeastern Coastal Plain is enormous, but most of it is not recoverable. The minable reserves of heavy minerals, however, are very large, and from these it is estimated conservatively that 10 million short tons of zircon can be obtained. The corresponding amounts of zirconium and hafnium, using the mean Hf:Zr ratio of the deposits in Florida, are 4,868,000 and 112,000 tons, respectively. These reserves could be delivered, if needed, at the rate of 100,000 tons a year.

Leaching characteristics of encapsulated controlled low-strength materials containing arsenic-bearing waste precipitates from refractory gold bioleaching.

PubMed

Bouzalakos, S; Dudeney, A W L; Chan, B K C

2016-07-01

We report on the leaching of heavy elements from cemented waste flowable fill, known as controlled low-strength materials (CLSM), for potential mine backfill application. Semi-dynamic tank leaching tests were carried out on laboratory-scale monoliths cured for 28 days and tested over 64 days of leaching with pure de-ionised water as leachant. Mineral processing waste include flotation tailings from a Spanish nickel-copper sulphide concentrate, and two bioleach neutralisation precipitates (from processing at 35°C and 70°C) from a South African arsenopyrite concentrate. Encapsulated CLSM formulations were evaluated to assess the reduction in leaching by encapsulating a 'hazardous' CLSM core within a layer of relatively 'inert' CLSM. The effect of each bioleach waste in CLSM core and tailings in CLSM encapsulating medium, are assessed in combination and in addition to CLSM with ordinary silica sand. Results show that replacing silica sand with tailings, both as core and encapsulating matrix, significantly reduced leachability of heavy elements, particularly As (from 0.008-0.190 mg/l to 0.008-0.060 mg/l), Ba (from 0.435-1.540 mg/l to 0.050-0.565 mg/l), and Cr (from 0.006-0.458 mg/l to 0.004-0.229 mg/l), to below the 'Dutch List' of groundwater contamination intervention values. Arsenic leaching was inherently high from both bioleach precipitates but was significantly reduced to below guideline values with encapsulation and replacing silica sand with tailings. Tailings proved to be a valuable encapsulating matrix largely owing to small particle size and lower hydraulic conductivity reducing diffusion transport of heavy elements. Field-scale trials would be necessary to prove this concept of encapsulation in terms of scale and construction practicalities, and further geochemical investigation to optimise leaching performance. Nevertheless, this work substantiates the need for alternative backfill techniques for sustainable management of hazardous finely-sized bulk mineral residues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of faecal coliforms and selected heavy metals in ice cubes from food outlets in Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

PubMed

Mahat, N A; Meor Ahmad, Z; Abdul Wahab, R

2015-09-01

Consumption of iced beverages is common in Malaysia although specific research focusing on its safety parameters such as presence of faecal coliforms and heavy metal elements remains scarce. A study conducted in Kelantan indicated that faecal coliforms were detected in the majority of the ice cube samples analyzed, largely attributable to improper handling. Hence, it was found pertinent to conduct similar study in other parts of the country such as Johor Bahru if the similar pattern prevailed. Therefore, this present cross sectional study which randomly sampled ice cubes from 30 permanent food outlets in Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru for detecting contamination by faecal coliforms and selected heavy metal elements (lead, copper, manganese and zinc) acquires significance. Faecal coliforms were detected in 11 (36.67%) of the samples, ranging between 1 CFU/100 mL to > 50 CFU/100 mL; two of the samples were grossly contaminated (>50 CFU/100 mL). Interestingly, while positive detection of lead was observed in 29 of the 30 ice cube samples (mean: 0.511±0.105 ppm; range: 0.489-0.674 ppm), copper, manganese and zinc were not detected. In addition, analysis on commercially bottled mineral water as well as in tap water samples did not detect such contaminations. Therefore, it appears that (1) contamination of faecal coliforms in ice cubes in food outlets in Malaysia may not be sporadic in pattern but rather prevalent and (2) the source of water used for manufacturing the ice cubes that contained significant amount of lead would suggest that (3) it was neither originated from the treated tap water supply nor bottled mineral water or (4) perhaps contaminated during manufacturing process. Further studies exploring the source of water used for manufacturing these ice cubes as well as the handling process among food operators deserve consideration.

Protective effect of Aronia melanocarpa polyphenols against cadmium-induced disorders in bone metabolism: a study in a rat model of lifetime human exposure to this heavy metal.

PubMed

Brzóska, Malgorzata M; Rogalska, Joanna; Galazyn-Sidorczuk, Malgorzata; Jurczuk, Maria; Roszczenko, Alicja; Tomczyk, Michal

2015-03-05

It was investigated, in a female rat model of low and moderate lifetime human exposure to cadmium (Cd), whether polyphenols from Aronia melanocarpa berries (chokeberry; AMP) may offer protection from this heavy metal-induced disorders in bone metabolism. For this purpose, numerous indices of bone formation (osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, osteoprotegerin) and resorption (carboxy-terminal cross-linking telopeptides of type I collagen, soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand) in the serum and/or distal femur epiphysis (trabecular bone region), as well as bone mineral status (volumetric bone mineral density of the femur and content of mineral components, including calcium, in the bone tissue at the distal femur epiphysis) were evaluated in female Wistar rats that received a 0.1% aqueous extract of AMP, as the only drinking fluid (prepared from lyophilized extract by Adamed Consumer Healthcare), and/or Cd in diet (1 and 5mg/kg) for 3, 10, 17, and 24 months. Examination of the phytochemical profile of the aronia extract revealed high content of polyphenols (612.40 ± 3.33 mg/g), including anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Among detected compounds anthocyanins were identified as dominating. The exposure to Cd, dose- and duration-dependently, enhanced resorption and inhibited formation of the bone tissue resulting in its decreased mineralization. The administration of AMP under the exposure to 1 and 5 mgCd/kg diet provided important protection from this heavy metal-induced disturbances in the bone turnover and changes in the bone mineral status, and the beneficial impact of polyphenols resulted from their independent action and interaction with Cd. These findings suggest that consumption of Aronia melanocarpa polyphenols may play a role in prevention against female skeleton damage due to chronic exposure to Cd and that chokeberry represents the good natural plant candidate for further investigations of its prophylactic use under environmental exposure to this heavy metal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy Minerals in Palaeotsunami Deposits: Assemblages, Spatial Distribution and Microtextural Imprints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, P. J.; Andrade, C.; Cascalho, J.; Dawson, A. G.; Freitas, M. C.; Dawson, S.; Mahaney, W. C.

2013-12-01

The sedimentological record provides a database useful to characterize and evaluate recurrence of tsunamis, which contributes to assessing the vulnerability of any coastal area to this natural hazard. Thus, the enhancement of our ability to recognize signatures specific of tsunami activity imprinted in coastal sediments is of unquestionable interest. The aim of this study is to discuss and further contribute to the improvement of the characterization of (palaeo)tsunami deposits, and of their source materials. With that purpose the vertical and horizontal distribution of heavy mineral (HM) assemblages in sand-sized tsunamigenic deposits from six locations exhibiting a varied suite of coastal contexts and corresponding to three inundation events -(8200yrs BP - Scotland, 1500yrs BP - Scotland, AD 1755 - Portugal) were studied. In general, results from paleotsunami sediments show that site-specific effects prevent 'blind' extrapolations; instead, the bulk of the HM assemblages reflect local specificities related with the regional geology. In the Portuguese sediments (Martinhal, Boca do Rio and Salgados) ca. 90% of the non-opaque HM population consists of tourmaline, andalusite and staurolite, whereas amphiboles are dominant (> 90% of the assemblage) in the Scottish sediments (Scasta Voe, Basta Voe and Whale Firth). Principal Components Analyses revealed that the first 2 components explain more than 2/3 of the total variance found in each site. Horizontal and vertical variations in the HM were observed and especially in the heavier mineral species. Although, in some of the studied cases, the deposit was macroscopically massive, data on HM allowed the distinction of backwash layer(s), related with incorporation of inland materials. In what concerns sources, results indicate that palaeotsunami sediments share fewer compositional similarities with present-day inshore and offshore materials and more resemblances with dune and beach sediment, thus indicating these as the more likely source areas. In addition, preliminary results of SEM analysis of microtextural features imprinted in the surface of heavy minerals indicate an increase in the number of mechanical marks in the surface of palaeotsunami grains when compared with potential source materials (beach, dune, inshore and offshore samples). This work further reveals the potential to use heavy minerals as a complementary sedimentological tool in the study of palaeotsunami deposits.

Magnetic Measurements and Heavy Metal Concentrations at Formosa Mine Superfund Site, Douglas County, OR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upton, T. L.

2015-12-01

Advances in the field of environmental magnetism have led to exciting new applications for this field. Magnetic minerals are ubiquitous in the environment and tend to have an affinity for heavy metals. It has been demonstrated that magnetic properties are often significantly related to concentrations of heavy metals and/or pollution loading index (PLI). As a result, magnetic techniques have been used as proxy for determining hot spots of several types of pollution produced from a diversity of anthropogenic sources. Magnetic measurements are non-destructive and relatively inexpensive compared to geochemical analyses. The utility of environmental magnetic methods varies widely depending on biological, chemical and physical processes that create and transform soils and sediments. Applications in the direction of mapping heavy metals have been studied and shown to be quite useful in countries such as China and India but to date, little research has been done in the US. As such, there is need to expand the scope of research to a wider range of soil types and land uses, especially within the US. This study investigates the application of environmental magnetic techniques to mapping of heavy metal concentrations and PLI at the Formosa Mine Superfund Site, an abandoned mine about 25 miles southwest of Roseburg, OR. Using hotspot analysis, correlation and cluster analyses, interactions between metals and magnetic parameters are examined in relation to environmental factors such as proximity to seeps and adits. Preliminary results suggest significant correlation of magnetic susceptibility with certain heavy metals, signifying that magnetic methods may be useful in mapping heavy metal hotspots at this site.

Leaching behavior of rare earth elements in fort union lignite coals of North America

DOE PAGES

Laudal, Daniel A.; Benson, Steven A.; Addleman, Raymond Shane; ...

2018-03-30

Fort Union lignite coal samples were subjected to a series of aqueous leaching experiments to understand the extraction behavior of the rare earth elements (REE). This testing was aimed at understanding the modes of occurrence of the REE in the lignite coals, as well as to provide foundational data for development of rare earth extraction processes. In a first series of tests, a sequential leaching process was used to investigate modes of occurrence of the REE of select lignite coals. The tests involved sequential exposure to solvents consisting of water, ammonium acetate and dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl). The results indicatedmore » that water and ammonium acetate extracted very little of the REE, indicating the REE are not present as water soluble or ion-exchangeable forms. However, the data shows that a large percentage of the REE were extracted with the hydrochloric acid (80–95 wt%), suggesting presence in HCl-soluble mineral forms such as carbonates, and/or presence as organic complexes. A second series of tests was performed involving single-step leaching with dilute acids and various operating parameters, including acid type, acid concentration, acid/coal contact time and coal particle size. For select samples, additional tests were performed to understand the results of leaching, including float-sink density separations and humic acid extraction. The results have shown that the majority of REE in Fort Union lignites appear to be associated weakly with the organic matrix of the coals, most likely as coordination complexes of carboxylic acid groups. The light REE and heavy REE exhibit different behaviors, however. The extractable light REE appear to have association both in acid-soluble mineral forms and as organic complexes, whereas the extractable heavy REE appear to be almost solely associated with the organics. In conclusion, scandium behavior was notably different than yttrium and the lanthanides, and the data suggests the extractable content is primarily associated as acid-soluble mineral forms.« less

Leaching behavior of rare earth elements in fort union lignite coals of North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laudal, Daniel A.; Benson, Steven A.; Addleman, Raymond Shane

Fort Union lignite coal samples were subjected to a series of aqueous leaching experiments to understand the extraction behavior of the rare earth elements (REE). This testing was aimed at understanding the modes of occurrence of the REE in the lignite coals, as well as to provide foundational data for development of rare earth extraction processes. In a first series of tests, a sequential leaching process was used to investigate modes of occurrence of the REE of select lignite coals. The tests involved sequential exposure to solvents consisting of water, ammonium acetate and dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl). The results indicatedmore » that water and ammonium acetate extracted very little of the REE, indicating the REE are not present as water soluble or ion-exchangeable forms. However, the data shows that a large percentage of the REE were extracted with the hydrochloric acid (80–95 wt%), suggesting presence in HCl-soluble mineral forms such as carbonates, and/or presence as organic complexes. A second series of tests was performed involving single-step leaching with dilute acids and various operating parameters, including acid type, acid concentration, acid/coal contact time and coal particle size. For select samples, additional tests were performed to understand the results of leaching, including float-sink density separations and humic acid extraction. The results have shown that the majority of REE in Fort Union lignites appear to be associated weakly with the organic matrix of the coals, most likely as coordination complexes of carboxylic acid groups. The light REE and heavy REE exhibit different behaviors, however. The extractable light REE appear to have association both in acid-soluble mineral forms and as organic complexes, whereas the extractable heavy REE appear to be almost solely associated with the organics. In conclusion, scandium behavior was notably different than yttrium and the lanthanides, and the data suggests the extractable content is primarily associated as acid-soluble mineral forms.« less

Fractionation of heavy metals and assessment of contamination of the sediments of Lake Titicaca.

PubMed

Cáceres Choque, Luis Fernando; Ramos Ramos, Oswaldo E; Valdez Castro, Sulema N; Choque Aspiazu, Rigoberto R; Choque Mamani, Rocío G; Fernández Alcazar, Samuel G; Sracek, Ondra; Bhattacharya, Prosun

2013-12-01

Chemical weathering is one of the major geochemical processes that control the mobilization of heavy metals. The present study provides the first report on heavy metal fractionation in sediments (8-156 m) of Lake Titicaca (3,820 m a.s.l.), which is shared by the Republic of Peru and the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Both contents of total Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cd, Pb, and Zn and also the fractionation of these heavy metals associated with four different fractions have been determined following the BCR scheme. The principal component analysis suggests that Co, Ni, and Cd can be attributed to natural sources related to the mineralized geological formations. Moreover, the sources of Cu, Fe, and Mn are effluents and wastes generated from mining activities, while Pb and Zn also suggest that their common source is associated to mining activities. According to the Risk Assessment Code, there is a moderate to high risk related to Zn, Pb, Cd, Mn, Co, and Ni mobilization and/or remobilization from the bottom sediment to the water column. Furthermore, the Geoaccumulation Index and the Enrichment Factor reveal that Zn, Pb, and Cd are enriched in the sediments. The results suggest that the effluents from various traditional mining waste sites in both countries are the main source of heavy metal contamination in the sediments of Lake Titicaca.

Heavy metals contamination and their risk assessment around the abandoned base metals and Au-Ag mines in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chon, Hyo-Taek

2017-04-01

Heavy metals contamination in the areas of abandoned Au-Ag and base metal mines in Korea was investigated in order to assess the level of metal pollution, and to draw general summaries about the fate of toxic heavy metals in different environments. Efforts have been made to compare the level of heavy metals, chemical forms, and plant uptake of heavy metals in each mine site. In the base-metals mine areas, significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in mine dump soils developed over mine waste materials and tailings. Leafy vegetables tend to accumulate heavy metals(in particular, Cd and Zn) higher than other crop plants, and high metal concentrations in rice crops may affect the local residents' health. In the Au-Ag mining areas, arsenic would be the most characteristic contaminant in the nearby environment. Arsenic and heavy metals were found to be mainly associated with sulfide gangue minerals, and the mobility of these metals would be enhanced by the effect of continuing weathering and oxidation. According to the sequential extraction of metals in soils, most heavy metals were identified as non-residual chemical forms, and those are very susceptible to the change of ambient conditions of a nearby environment. The concept of pollution index(PI) of soils gives important information on the extent and degree of multi-element contamination, and can be applied to the evaluation of mine soils before their agricultural use and remediation. The risk assessment process comprising exposure assessment, dose-response assessment, and risk characterization was discussed, and the results of non-cancer risk of As, Cd, and Zn, and those of cancer risk of As were suggested.

Competitive and Cooperative Effects during Nickel Adsorption to Iron Oxides in the Presence of Oxalate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flynn, Elaine D.; Catalano, Jeffrey G.

Iron oxides are ubiquitous in soils and sediments and play a critical role in the geochemical distribution of trace elements and heavy metals via adsorption and coprecipitation. The presence of organic acids may potentially alter how metals associate with iron oxide minerals through a series of cooperative or competitive processes: solution complexation, ternary surface complexation, and surface site competition. The macroscopic and molecular-scale effects of these processes were investigated for Ni adsorption to hematite and goethite at pH 7 in the presence of oxalate. The addition of this organic acid suppresses Ni uptake on both minerals. Aqueous speciation suggests thatmore » this is dominantly the result of oxalate complexing and solubilizing Ni. Comparison of the Ni surface coverage to the concentration of free (uncomplexed) Ni 2+ in solution suggests that the oxalate also alters Ni adsorption affinity. EXAFS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopies indicate that these changes in binding affinity are due to the formation of Ni–oxalate ternary surface complexes. These observations demonstrate that competition between dissolved oxalate and the mineral surface for Ni overwhelms the enhancement in adsorption associated with ternary complexation. Oxalate thus largely enhances Ni mobility, thereby increasing micronutrient bioavailability and inhibiting contaminant sequestration.« less

Laboratory Enrichment of Radioactive Assemblages and Estimation of Thorium and Uranium Radioactivity in Fractions Separated from Placer Sands in Southeast Bangladesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sasaki, Takayuki, E-mail: sasaki@nucleng.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Rajib, Mohammad; Akiyoshi, Masafumi

2015-06-15

The present study reports the likely first attempt of separating radioactive minerals for estimation of activity concentration in the beach placer sands of Bangladesh. Several sand samples from heavy mineral deposits located at the south-eastern coastal belt of Bangladesh were processed to physically upgrade their radioactivity concentrations using plant and laboratory equipment. Following some modified flow procedure, individual fractions were separated and investigated using gamma-ray spectrometry and powder-XRD analysis. The radioactivity measurements indicated contributions of the thorium and uranium radioactive series and of {sup 40}K. The maximum values of {sup 232}Th and {sup 238}U, estimated from the radioactivity of {supmore » 208}Tl and {sup 234}Th in secular equilibrium, were found to be 152,000 and 63,300 Bq/kg, respectively. The fraction of the moderately conductive part in electric separation contained thorium predominantly, while that of the non-conductive part was found to be uranium rich. The present arrangement of the pilot plant cascade and the fine tuning of setting parameters were found to be effective and economic separation process of the radioactive minerals from placer sands in Bangladesh. Probable radiological impacts and extraction potentiality of such radioactive materials are also discussed.« less

Mercury distribution in ancient and modern sediment of northeastern Bering Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, C.H.; Pierce, D.E.; Leong, K.W.; Wang, F.F.H.

1975-01-01

Reconnaissance sampling of surface and subsurface sediment to a maximum depth of 80 m below the sea floor shows that typical values of 0.03 p.p.m. and anomalies of 0.2-1.3 p.p.m. mercury have been present in northeastern Bering Sea since Early Pliocene time. Values are highest in modern beach (maximum 1.3 and mean 0.22 p.p.m. Hg) and nearshore subsurface gravels (maximum 0.6 and mean 0.06 p.p.m. Hg) along the highly mineralized Seward Peninsula and in clayey silt rich in organic matter (maximum 0.16 and mean 0.10 p.p.m. Hg) throughout the region. Although gold mining may be partly responsible for high mercury levels in the modern beach near Nome, Alaska (maximum 0.45 p.p.m.), equally high or greater concentrations of mercury occur in buried Pleistocene sediments immediately offshore (maximum 0.6 p.p.m.) and in modern unpolluted beach sediments at Bluff (maximum 1.3 p.p.m.); this suggests that the contamination effects of mining may be no greater than natural concentration processes in the Seward Peninsula region. The mercury content of offshore surface sediment, even adjacent to mercury-rich beaches, corresponds to that of unpolluted marine and fresh-water sediment elsewhere. The normal values that prevail offshore may be attributable to entrapment of mercury-bearing heavy minerals on beaches near sources and/or dilution effects of offshore sedimentation. The few minor anomalies offshore occur in glacial drift derived from mercury source regions of Chukotka (Siberia) and Seward Peninsula; Pleistocene shoreline processes have reworked the drift to concentrate the heavy metals. The distribution pattern of mercury indicates that particulate mercury-bearing minerals have not been widely dispersed from onland deposits in quantities sufficient to increase mercury levels above normal in offshore sediments of Bering Sea; however, it shows that natural sedimentary processes can concentrate this mercury in beaches of the coastal zone where there already is concern because of potential pollution from man's activities.

Reactive Transport Modeling of Microbe-mediated Fe (II) Oxidation for Enhanced Oil Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surasani, V.; Li, L.

2011-12-01

Microbially Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) aims to improve the recovery of entrapped heavy oil in depleted reservoirs using microbe-based technology. Reservoir ecosystems often contain diverse microbial communities those can interact with subsurface fluids and minerals through a network of nutrients and energy fluxes. Microbe-mediated reactions products include gases, biosurfactants, biopolymers those can alter the properties of oil and interfacial interactions between oil, brine, and rocks. In addition, the produced biomass and mineral precipitates can change the reservoir permeability profile and increase sweeping efficiency. Under subsurface conditions, the injection of nitrate and Fe (II) as the electron acceptor and donor allows bacteria to grow. The reaction products include minerals such as Fe(OH)3 and nitrogen containing gases. These reaction products can have large impact on oil and reservoir properties and can enhance the recovery of trapped oil. This work aims to understand the Fe(II) oxidation by nitrate under conditions relevant to MEOR. Reactive transport modeling is used to simulate the fluid flow, transport, and reactions involved in this process. Here we developed a complex reactive network for microbial mediated nitrate-dependent Fe (II) oxidation that involves both thermodynamic controlled aqueous reactions and kinetic controlled Fe (II) mineral reaction. Reactive transport modeling is used to understand and quantify the coupling between flow, transport, and reaction processes. Our results identify key parameter controls those are important for the alteration of permeability profile under field conditions.

Alteration geochemistry of the volcanic-hosted Dedeninyurdu, Yergen and Fındıklıyar Cu-Fe mineralization, Northern part of Gökçedoǧan Village, Çorum-Kargi Region, Turkey: Implications for the rare earth elements geochemical characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozturk, Sercan; Gumus, Lokman; Abdelnasser, Amr; Yalçin, Cihan; Kumral, Mustafa; Hanilçi, Nurullah

2016-04-01

This study deals with the rare earth element (REE) geochemical behavior the alteration zonesassociated with the volcanic-hosted Cu-Femineralization at the northern part of Gökçedoǧan village, Çorum-Kargi region (N Turkey) which are Dedeninyurdu, Yergen and Fındıklıyar mineralization. The study areacomprises Bekirli Formation, Saraycık Formation, Beşpınar Formation, and Ilgaz Formation. Saraycık Formation consists ofUpper Cretaceous KargıOphiolites, pelagic limestone, siltstone, chert and spilitic volcanic rocks. Fe-Cu mineralization occurred in the spiliticvolcanic rocks of Saraycık Formation representing the host rockand is related with the silicification and sericitizationalteration zones. Dedeninyurdu and Yergen mineralization zone directed nearly N75-80oEis following structural a line but Fındıklıyar mineralization zone has nearly NW direction. The ore mineralogy in these zonesinclude pyrite, chalcopyrite, covellite, hematite with malachite, goethite and a limonite as a result of oxidation. The geochemical characteristics of REE of the least altered spiliticbasalt show flat light and heavy REE with slight positive Eu- and Sr-anomalies according to their chondrite-, N-type MORB, and primitive mantle-normalized REE patterns. While the REE geochemical features of the altered rocks collected from the different alteration zones show that there are negative Eu and Sr anomalies as a result of leaching during the alteration processes.There are positive and negative correlations between K2O index with LREE and HREE, respectively. This is due to the additions of K and La during the alteration processes referring to the pervasive sericitization alteration is the responsible for the Cu-Fe mineralization at the study area. Keywords: Cu-Fe mineralization, Spilitic volcanic rocks, alteration, Rare earth elements (REE) geochemistry.

Direct observation of heavy metal-mineral association from the Clark Fork River Superfund Complex: Implications for metal transport and bioavailability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hochella, M.F.; Moore, J.N.; Putnis, C.V.; Putnis, A.; Kasama, T.; Eberl, D.D.

2005-01-01

Two sets of samples from riverbeds and adjacent floodplains, separated by 80 river kilometers, were collected from the Clark Fork River Superfund Complex, Montana, (the largest Superfund site in the United States), and studied primarily with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with several supporting techniques to determine heavy metal-mineral association. Seven of the eight samples studied were strongly influenced by material that once resided in mining and smelting dumps and impoundments; this material was transported downstream sometime during the last century and a half from the Butte/Anaconda areas. The eighth sample was from a deeper floodplain level and dates to premining days. The TEM observations afford a direct look, down to the nanometer level, at secondary mineral formation as a result of the breakdown of sulfides and silicates in the acid environment of this massive mine-drainage system. In the shallow, oxic floodplain sediments, heavy metals of concern in this system (As, Cu, Pb, and Zn) are taken up by the formation of sulfates (particularly Pb in jarosite), as well as hydrous metal oxides (As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in and on ferrihydrite, and a possibly new vernadite-like mineral). The oxides are long-lived in these systems, as they were also found in the anoxic riverbeds. Metals are also taken up by the formation of sulfides in sulfate-reducing environments as observed in the formation of nanoclusters of chalcopyrite and sphalerite. In all samples, clays make up between 5 and 20% of the sediment and carry significant amounts of Cu and Zn. The hydrous oxides, secondary sulfides, and clays provide several routes for metal transport downstream over long distances. Besides the potential bioavailability of heavy metals exchanged on and off the hydrous metal oxides and clays, nanometer-sized sulfides may also be highly reactive in the presence of biologic systems. Copyright ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd.

Ion microprobe mass analysis of lunar samples. Lunar sample program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, C. A.; Hinthorne, J. R.

1971-01-01

Mass analyses of selected minerals, glasses and soil particles of lunar, meteoritic and terrestrial rocks have been made with the ion microprobe mass analyzer. Major, minor and trace element concentrations have been determined in situ in major and accessory mineral phases in polished rock thin sections. The Pb isotope ratios have been measured in U and Th bearing accessory minerals to yield radiometric age dates and heavy volatile elements have been sought on the surfaces of free particles from Apollo soil samples.

Mortality of iron miners in Lorraine (France): relations between lung function and respiratory symptoms and subsequent mortality.

PubMed Central

Chau, N; Benamghar, L; Pham, Q T; Teculescu, D; Rebstock, E; Mur, J M

1993-01-01

An increased mortality from lung and stomach cancer was found in previous studies on Lorraine iron miners. A detailed analysis, however, was not possible due to the lack of data for survivors. In this study the cohort included 1178 workers selected at random from all the 5300 working miners aged between 35 and 55 at the start of the follow up period, which ranged from 1975 to 1985. Occupational exposures and tobacco consumption, lung function tests, and respiratory symptoms were assessed for each subject in 1975, 1980, and 1985. This study confirmed the excess of lung cancer (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) = 389, p < 0.001) and of stomach cancer (SMR = 273, p < 0.05). There was no excess of lung cancer in non-smokers and moderate smokers (< 20 pack-years) or the miners who worked only at the surface or underground for less than 20 years. A significant excess (SMR = 349, p < 0.001) was found in moderate smokers when they worked underground for between 20 and 29 years. Heavy smokers (over 30 pack-years) or subjects who worked underground for more than 30 years experienced a high risk: SMR = 478 (p < 0.001) for moderate smokers who worked underground for over 30 years; 588 (p < 0.001) for heavy smokers who worked underground for between 20 and 29 years; and 877 (p < 0.001) for heavy smokers who worked underground for over 30 years. This showed an interaction between smoking and occupational exposure. The excess mortality from lung cancer was because there were some subjects who died young (from 45 years old). Comparison with the results of a previous study showed that additional hazards produced by diesel engines and explosives increased the mortality from lung cancer. The SMR was higher than 400 (p < 0.001) from 45 years old instead of from 56 years. A relation was found between a decrease in vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and of FEV1/VC and mortality from all causes and from lung cancer in heavy smokers or men who had worked underground for more than 20 years. Respiratory symptoms were related to mortality from lung cancer among smokers (moderate and heavy) who worked underground for more than 20 years. It is considered that the risk of lung cancer in the Lorraine iron miners was mainly due to dust, diesel engines, and explosives although the role of low exposure to radon daughters could not be totally excluded. PMID:8280627

Antimicrobial resistance and its association with tolerance to heavy metals in agriculture production.

PubMed

Yu, Zhongyi; Gunn, Lynda; Wall, Patrick; Fanning, Séamus

2017-06-01

Antimicrobial resistance is a recognized public health challenge that since its emergence limits the therapeutic options available to veterinarians and clinicians alike, when treatment is warranted. This development is further compounded by the paucity of new antibiotics. The agri-food industry benefits from the availability of antimicrobial compounds for food-animal production and crop protection. Nonetheless, their improper use can result in the selection for bacteria that are phenotypically resistant to these compounds. Another class of agents used in agriculture includes various cationic metals that can be included in animal diets as nutritional supplements or spread on pastures to support crop growth and protection. Heavy metals, in particular, are giving rise to concerns among public health professionals, as they can persist in the environment remaining stable for prolonged periods. Moreover, bacteria can also exhibit resistance to these chemical elements and the genes encoding this phenotype can be physically localized to plasmids that may also contain one or more antimicrobial resistance-encoding gene(s). This paper reviews our current understanding of the role that bacteria play in expressing resistance to heavy metals. It will describe how heavy metals are used in agri-food production, and explore evidence available to link resistance to heavy metals and antimicrobial compounds. In addition, possible solutions to reduce the impact of heavy metal resistance are also discussed, including using organic minerals and reducing the level of trace minerals in animal feed rations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CO2 Mineralization and Utilization using Steel Slag for Establishing a Waste-to-Resource Supply Chain.

PubMed

Pan, Shu-Yuan; Chung, Tai-Chun; Ho, Chang-Ching; Hou, Chin-Jen; Chen, Yi-Hung; Chiang, Pen-Chi

2017-12-08

Both steelmaking via an electric arc furnace and manufacturing of portland cement are energy-intensive and resource-exploiting processes, with great amounts of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission and alkaline solid waste generation. In fact, most CO 2 capture and storage technologies are currently too expensive to be widely applied in industries. Moreover, proper stabilization prior to utilization of electric arc furnace slag are still challenging due to its high alkalinity, heavy metal leaching potentials and volume instability. Here we deploy an integrated approach to mineralizing flue gas CO 2 using electric arc furnace slag while utilizing the reacted product as supplementary cementitious materials to establish a waste-to-resource supply chain toward a circular economy. We found that the flue gas CO 2 was rapidly mineralized into calcite precipitates using electric arc furnace slag. The carbonated slag can be successfully utilized as green construction materials in blended cement mortar. By this modulus, the global CO 2 reduction potential using iron and steel slags was estimated to be ~138 million tons per year.

Critical Zone Weathering and Your Smartphone: Understanding How Mineral Decomposition and Colloid Redistribution Can Generate Rare Earth Element Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bern, C.; Foley, N.

2014-12-01

Rare earth elements (REE's) are crucial in the manufacture of smartphones and many other high tech devices. Increasing global demand and relatively narrow geographic sourcing have promoted interest in understanding REE deposit genesis and distribution. Highly weathered, clay-hosted, ion-exchange type deposits in southern China are the source of much of the world's production of the more valuable heavy REEs. Such deposits form as REE-bearing minerals weather and REEs released to solution in ionic form are retained by negatively charged exchange sites on clay minerals. We are investigating the potential for ion-exchange REE deposits in the Piedmont of the southeastern United States, where slow erosion rates have preserved thick (up to 20 m) regolith, as required for such deposits. The Liberty Hill pluton outcrops as coarse-grained biotite-amphibole granite and quartz monzonite over nearly 400 km2 in South Carolina, and has an age of 305 Ma (new SHRIMP ion microprobe zircon age). In weathered profiles over the pluton, ion-exchangeable REE content ranges from 8 to 580 ppm and accounts for 2 to 80% of bulk REE content. Elemental and heavy mineral distributions suggest the wide ranging differences in leachability may be attributable to the amount and distribution of resistant REE-bearing phases (e.g., monazite) relative to more easily weathered phases (e.g., allanite) in the parent granite. The REEs show little mobility within the regolith, indicating the effectiveness of the ion-exchange retention mechanism. In contrast, vertical redistribution of colloidal material shows maximum accumulations at ~1 m depth, as traced by the newly developed dual-phase (colloids vs. solution) mass balance model. The contrast suggests redistributed colloidal material has minimal influence on REE mobilization or retention. Conditions and processes necessary for ion-exchange REE deposit development exist in the Piedmont, but their presence will depend upon favorable parent rock mineralogy.

A Critical Study on the Underground Environment of Coal Mines in India-an Ergonomic Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Netai Chandra; Sharma, Gourab Dhara

2013-04-01

Ergonomics application on underground miner's health plays a great role in controlling the efficiency of miners. The job stress in underground mine is still physically demanding and continuous stress due to certain posture or movement of miners during work leads to localized muscle fatigue creating musculo-skeletal disorders. A good working environment can change the degree of job heaviness and thermal stress (WBGT values) can directly have the effect on stretch of work of miners. Out of many unit operations in underground mine, roof bolting keeps an important contribution with regard to safety of the mine and miners. Occupational stress of roof bolters from ergonomic consideration has been discussed in the paper.

Competitive adsorption of dyes and heavy metals on zeolitic structures.

PubMed

Hernández-Montoya, V; Pérez-Cruz, M A; Mendoza-Castillo, D I; Moreno-Virgen, M R; Bonilla-Petriciolet, A

2013-02-15

The adsorption of Acid blue 25, basic blue 9, basic violet 3, Pb(2+), Ni(2+), Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) ions has been studied in single and dye-metal binary solutions using two mineral materials: Clinoptilolite (CL) and ER (Erionite). These zeolites were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy; potentiometric titration and nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K to obtain their textural parameters. Results indicated that ER has an acidic character and a high specific surface (401 m(2) g(-1)) in contrast with the zeolite CL (21 m(2) g(-1)). Surprisingly, the removal of dyes was very similar for the two zeolites and they showed a considerable selectivity by the basic dyes in comparison with the acid dyes. In the case of heavy metals, ER was more effective in the adsorption process showing a selectivity of: Pb(2+) > Ni(2+) > Zn(2+) > Cd(2+). In the multicomponent adsorption experiments an antagonistic effect was observed in the removal of basic dyes and heavy metals. Particularly, the adsorbed amount of basic violet 3 decreased more significantly when the heavy metals are presents in contrast with the basic blue 9. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multielemental analysis of Migori (Southwest, Kenya) artisanal gold mine ores and sediments by EDX-ray fluorescence technique: implications of occupational exposure and environmental impact.

PubMed

Odumo, O B; Mustapha, A O; Patel, J P; Angeyo, H K

2011-05-01

The results of heavy element profiling of the gold ores and sediments associated with the artisanal gold mining activities of the Migori gold belt of Southwestern Nyanza, Kenya, were reported in this paper. The analysis was made to assess the occupational exposure of the miners as well as to investigate the environmental impact of toxic heavy metals. Gold ores and sediments from the artisanal gold processing were sampled in four artisanal gold mining areas: Osiri A, Osiri B, Mikei and Macalder (Makalda) and analyzed for heavy elemental content using (109)Cd radioisotope excited EDXRF spectrometry technique. Analysis consisted of direct irradiating of sample pellets. The concentrations of major elements detected were: titanium (711.41-10,766.67 mg/kg); cobalt (82.65-1,010.00 mg/kg); zinc (29.90-63,210 mg/kg); arsenic (29.30-8,246.59 mg/kg); gold (14.07-73.48 mg/kg); lead (16.31-14,999.40 mg/kg) and mercury (16.10-149.93 mg/kg). The average concentration of the heavy toxic metals i.e. arsenic, lead, titanium and zinc were found to be above 50 mg/Kg as recommended by World Health Organization. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Improvement in grade of minerals using simultaneous Bio-oxidation of invisible gold concentrate and deep-sea manganese crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myung, EunJi; Cho, Kang Hee; Kim, Hyun Soo; Park, Cheon Young

2016-04-01

Many sulfides of metal such as galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite, are semiconductors. When two kinds of such minerals contact each other in an electrolyte, a galvanic couple, where the mineral of lower rest potential as anode, and that of higher rest potential as cathode forms. Manganese dioxide is also a semiconductor with much higher rest potential than all sulfides mentioned above, so that a galvanic couple in which both the minerals would dissolve simultaneously can form, when it contacts with any of the sulfides. The aim of this study was to investigate the improvement in grade of minerals using the simultaneous bio-oxidation of deep-sea manganese crust and invisible gold concentrate. The samples(deep-sea manganese crust and invisible gold concentrate) were characterized by chemical and XRD analysis. The primary components of the invisible gold concentrate was pyrite and quartz and the deep-sea manganese crust was amorphous material, as detected using XRD. The result of chemical analysis showed that Au, Ag, Te contents in the invisible gold concentrate 130.2, 954.1 and 1,043.6 mg/kg, respectively. and that Mn, Ni, Co contents in the deep-sea manganese crust 19,501.5, 151.9, 400.4 mg/kg, respectively. In order to increase the bacteria's tolerance of heavy metals, the bacteria using bio-oxidation experiments were repeatedly subcultured in an Cu adaptation-medium containing of 382.98 mg/l for 20 periods of 21 days. The improvement in grade of samples of in present adapted bacteria condition was greater than another conditions(control and in present non-adapted bacteria). The Au-Ag-Te contents in the invisible gold concentrate was enhanced in the order of physical oxidation, simultaneous/non-adaptive bio-oxidation, adaptive/bio-oxidation, simultaneous/adaptive bio-oxidation. If the bacteria is adapted to heavy metal ions and an optimization of conditions is found in future bio-oxidation-leaching processes. Acknowledgment : "This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education(NRF-2013R1A1A2004898)"

Iron isotope fractionation among magnetite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, rhyolite melt and aqueous fluid at magmatic-hydrothermal conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilenker, L. D.; Simon, A.; Lundstrom, C.; Gajos, N.

2012-12-01

Fractionation of non-traditional stable isotopes (NTSI) such as Fe in magmatic systems is a relatively understudied subject. The fractionation of Fe stable isotopes has been quantified in some natural igneous samples, but there is a paucity of experimental data that could provide further insight into the causative processes of the observed fractionation. Substantial experimental work has been performed at higher temperatures pertaining to the formation of chondrites and the Earth's core, but only a handful of studies have addressed crustal rocks. To fill this knowledge gap, we performed isothermal, isobaric experiments containing mineral (e.g., magnetite, Fe-sulfides) and fluid, or mineral, rhyolite melt, and fluid assemblages to quantify equilibrium fractionation factors (α). These data, to our knowledge, are the first data that quantify the effect of a fluid phase on iron isotope fractionation at conditions appropriate for evolving magmatic systems. Charges were run inside gold capsules held in a René-41 cold seal vessel, and heated to 400, 600, or 800°C at 150 MPa for mineral-fluid, and 800°C and 100 MPa for mineral-melt-fluid runs. Use of the René vessel fixed the fO2 at the NNO buffer, an oxidation state consistent with arc magmas. The isotopic compositions of the starting and quenched phases were obtained by using a Multi-Collector Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS). Equilibrium was assessed by performing time-series runs and the three-isotope method, used only once before in a similar Fe isotope study. Correlation between Fe isotope mass and oxidation state is also being explored. Magnetite-fluid results indicate enrichment of heavy Fe isotopes in the mineral relative to the fluid, consistent with measurements of felsic igneous rocks. Magnetite-melt-fluid relationships are also consistent with measurements of natural samples. In the latter assemblage, over the course of the run, the rhyolite melt becomes heavy relative to the fluid while magnetite takes on a heavier Fe isotope signature than the starting value. These data corroborate the hypothesis that fluid exsolution caused the isotopic patterns observed in highly-differentiated igneous rocks. Further, owing to the ubiquitous importance of melt degassing as a critical process for the formation of magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits, these data may be potentially serve as an exploration tool. This work contributes to our overall understanding of igneous processes by elucidating the Fe isotope fingerprints observed in the field as well as develop the laboratory techniques needed to study NTSI fractionation in magmatic systems and build a reliable dataset for interpretation of natural systems.

Greenhouse evaluation and environmental impact assessment of different urine-derived struvite fertilizers as phosphorus sources for plants.

PubMed

Antonini, Samantha; Arias, Maria Alejandra; Eichert, Thomas; Clemens, Joachim

2012-11-01

A selection of six urine-derived struvite fertilizers generated by innovative precipitation technologies was assessed for their quality and their effectiveness as phosphorus sources for crops. Struvite purity was influenced by drying techniques and magnesium dosage. In a greenhouse experiment, the urine fertilizers led to biomass yields and phosphorus uptakes comparable to or higher than those induced by a commercial mineral fertilizer. Heavy metal concentrations of the different struvite fertilizers were below the threshold limits specified by the German Fertilizer and Sewage Sludge Regulations. The computed loading rates of heavy metals to agricultural land were also below the threshold limits decreed by the Federal Soil Protection Act. Urine-derived struvite contributed less to heavy metal inputs to farmland than other recycling products or commercial mineral and organic fertilizers. When combined with other soil conditioners, urine-derived struvite is an efficient fertilizer which covers the magnesium and more than half of the phosphorus demand of crops. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition studies of soybean (Glycine max) urease with heavy metals, sodium salts of mineral acids, boric acid, and boronic acids.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Kayastha, Arvind M

2010-10-01

Various inhibitors were tested for their inhibitory effects on soybean urease. The K(i) values for boric acid, 4-bromophenylboronic acid, butylboronic acid, and phenylboronic acid were 0.20 +/- 0.05 mM, 0.22 +/- 0.04 mM, 1.50 +/- 0.10 mM, and 2.00 +/- 0.11 mM, respectively. The inhibition was competitive type with boric acid and boronic acids. Heavy metal ions including Ag(+), Hg(2+), and Cu(2+) showed strong inhibition on soybean urease, with the silver ion being a potent inhibitor (IC(50) = 2.3 x 10(-8) mM). Time-dependent inhibition studies exhibited biphasic kinetics with all heavy metal ions. Furthermore, inhibition studies with sodium salts of mineral acids (NaF, NaCl, NaNO(3), and Na(2)SO(4)) showed that only F(-) inhibited soybean urease significantly (IC(50) = 2.9 mM). Competitive type of inhibition was observed for this anion with a K(i) value of 1.30 mM.

Provenance analysis of the Voirons Flysch (Gurnigel nappe, Haute-Savoie, France): stratigraphic and palaeogeographic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragusa, Jérémy; Kindler, Pascal; Segvic, Branimir; Ospina-Ostios, Lina Maria

2017-04-01

The Chablais Prealps (Haute-Savoie, France) represent a well-preserved accretionary wedge of the Western Alpine Tethys. They comprise a stack of sedimentary nappes related to palaeogeographic realms ranging from the Ultrahelvetic to the Southern Penninic. The provenance analysis is based on the Gazzi-Dickinson method and on QEMSCAN® for heavy-minerals. The Quartzose petrofacies is the most important of the two sources, and supplied three of the four formations of the Voirons Flysch. It is similar to the sources that fed the other flyschs from the Gurnigel nappe. It is characterised by a mature, quartz-rich assemblage and a heavy-mineral population dominated by apatite and the zircon-tourmaline-rutile mineral group. These observations suggest a Clastic wedge provenance. The Feldspathic petrofacies is derived from a feldspar-rich source associated with metamorphic clasts and a heavy-mineral population dominated by garnet. This provenance characterises only one formation of the Voirons Flysch, and is related to the axial belt provenance. This provenance analysis shows that the Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene Voirons Flysch was fed by two sources, in contrast to the other flyschs of the Gurnigel nappe, and further suggests that this flysch was not deposited in the Piemont Ocean but in the Valais domain. Based on the results and comparative provenance analysis with the other flyschs of the Gurnigel nappe, we propose a generic feeding model which involves the Sesia-Dent Blanche nappe, the sedimentary nappes incorporated in the accretionary prism, and probably the Briançonnais basement.

Determination of the Content of Heavy Metals in Pyrite Contaminated Soil and Plants

PubMed Central

Antonijević, Milan M.; Marić, Miroslava

2008-01-01

Determination of a pyrite contaminated soil texture, content of heavy metals in the soil and soil pH, was the aim in the investigation. Acidification of damaged soil was corrected by calcium carbonate. Mineral nutrients and organic matter (NPK, dung, earthworm cast, straw and coal dust) were added to damaged soil. Afterwards, the soil was used for oat production. Determination of total heavy metal contents (Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe) in soil was performed by atomic absorption spectrofotometry. Plant material (stems, seeds) was analysed, too. Total concentration of the heavy metals in the plant material were greater than in crop obtained in unaffected soil. PMID:27873845

Blackberry wines mineral and heavy metal content determination after dry ashing: multivariate data analysis as a tool for fruit wine quality control.

PubMed

Amidžić Klarić, Daniela; Klarić, Ilija; Mornar, Ana; Velić, Darko; Velić, Natalija

2015-08-01

This study brings out the data on the content of 21 mineral and heavy metal in 15 blackberry wines made of conventionally and organically grown blackberries. The objective of this study was to classify the blackberry wine samples based on their mineral composition and the applied cultivation method of the starting raw material by using chemometric analysis. The metal content of Croatian blackberry wine samples was determined by AAS after dry ashing. The comparison between an organic and conventional group of investigated blackberry wines showed statistically significant difference in concentrations of Si and Li, where the organic group contained higher concentrations of these compounds. According to multivariate data analysis, the model based on the original metal content data set finally included seven original variables (K, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ba, Cd and Cr) and gave a satisfactory separation of two applied cultivation methods of the starting raw material.

A heavy metal P-type ATPase OsHMA4 prevents copper accumulation in rice grain

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As one of the most important staple crops, rice not only provides more than one fifth of daily calories for half of the world’s human population but is also a major source of mineral nutrients. However, little is known about the genetic basis of mineral nutrient accumulation in rice grain such as co...

Flotation of Mineral and Dyes: A Laboratory Experiment for Separation Method Molecular Hitchhikers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rappon, Tim; Sylvestre, Jarrett A.; Rappon, Manit

2016-01-01

Flotation as a method of separation is widely researched and is applied in many industries. It has been used to address a wide range of environmental issues including treatment of wastewater, recovery of heavy metals for recycling, extraction of minerals in mining, and so forth. This laboratory attempts to show how such a simple method can be used…

Summary geochemical map for samples of rock, stream sediment, and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate, Freel and Dardanelles Roadless Areas, Alpine and El Dorado Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, M.A.

1985-01-01

Geochemical sampling was conducted during 1978 and 1979.  This report summarizes the reults of that investigation and provides details of the geochemical evaluation used in producing the final mineral resource assessment of the study area (John, Armin, Plouff, Chaffee, Peters, and others, 1983).

Review of heavy metal bio-remediation in contaminated freeway facilitated by adsorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Chaocheng

2017-08-01

Toxicity around biological systems is a significant issue for environmental health in a long term. Recent biotechnological approaches for bio-remediation of heavy metals in freeway frequently include mineralization, bio-adsorption or even remediation. Thus, adequate restoration in freeway requiring cooperation, integration and assimilation of such biotechnological advances along with traditional and ethical wisdom to unravel the mystery of nature in the emerging field of bio-remediation was reviewed with highlights to better understand problems associated with toxicity of heavy metals and eco-friendly technologies.

Fate of Cd in Agricultural Soils: A Stable Isotope Approach to Anthropogenic Impact, Soil Formation, and Soil-Plant Cycling.

PubMed

Imseng, Martin; Wiggenhauser, Matthias; Keller, Armin; Müller, Michael; Rehkämper, Mark; Murphy, Katy; Kreissig, Katharina; Frossard, Emmanuel; Wilcke, Wolfgang; Bigalke, Moritz

2018-02-20

The application of mineral phosphate (P) fertilizers leads to an unintended Cd input into agricultural systems, which might affect soil fertility and quality of crops. The Cd fluxes at three arable sites in Switzerland were determined by a detailed analysis of all inputs (atmospheric deposition, mineral P fertilizers, manure, and weathering) and outputs (seepage water, wheat and barley harvest) during one hydrological year. The most important inputs were mineral P fertilizers (0.49 to 0.57 g Cd ha -1 yr -1 ) and manure (0.20 to 0.91 g Cd ha -1 yr -1 ). Mass balances revealed net Cd losses for cultivation of wheat (-0.01 to -0.49 g Cd ha -1 yr -1 ) but net accumulations for that of barley (+0.18 to +0.71 g Cd ha -1 yr -1 ). To trace Cd sources and redistribution processes in the soils, we used natural variations in the Cd stable isotope compositions. Cadmium in seepage water (δ 114/110 Cd = 0.39 to 0.79‰) and plant harvest (0.27 to 0.94‰) was isotopically heavier than in soil (-0.21 to 0.14‰). Consequently, parent material weathering shifted bulk soil isotope compositions to lighter signals following a Rayleigh fractionation process (ε ≈ 0.16). Furthermore, soil-plant cycling extracted isotopically heavy Cd from the subsoil and moved it to the topsoil. These long-term processes and not anthropogenic inputs determined the Cd distribution in our soils.

Axial Belt Provenance: modern river sands from the core of collision orogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resentini, A.; Vezzoli, G.; Paparella, P.; Padoan, M.; Andò, S.; Malusà, M.; Garzanti, E.

2009-04-01

Collision orogens have a complex structure, including diverse rock units assembled in various ways by geodynamic processes. Consequently, orogenic detritus embraces a varied range of signatures, and unravelling provenance of clastic wedges accumulated in adjacent foreland basins, foredeeps, or remnant-ocean basins is an arduous task. Dickinson and Suczek (1979) and Dickinson (1985) recognized the intrinsically composite nature of orogenic detritus, but did not attempt to establish clear conceptual and operational distinctions within their broad "Recycled Orogenic Provenance". In the Alpine and Himalayan belts, the bulk of the detritus is produced by focused erosion of the central backbone of the orogen, characterized by high topography and exhumation rates (Garzanti et al., 2004; Najman, 2006). Detritus derived from such axial nappe pile, including slivers of thinned continental-margin lithosphere metamorphosed at depth during early collisional stages, has diagnostic general features, which allows us to define an "Axial Belt Provenance" (Garzanti et al., 2007). In detail, "Axial Belt" detrital signatures are influenced by metamorphic grade of source rocks and relative abundance of continental versus oceanic protoliths, typifying distinct subprovenances. Metasedimentary cover nappes shed lithic to quartzolithic detritus, including metapelite, metapsammite, and metacarbonate grains of various ranks; only amphibolite-facies metasediments supply abundant heavy minerals (e.g., almandine garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite, diopsidic clinopyroxene). Continental-basement nappes shed hornblende-rich quartzofeldspathic detritus. Largely retrogressed blueschist to eclogite-facies metaophiolites supply albite, metabasite and foliated antigorite-serpentinite grains, along with abundant heavy minerals (epidote, zoisite, clinozoisite, lawsonite, actinolitic to barroisitic amphiboles, glaucophane, omphacitic clinopyroxene). Increasing metamorphic grade and deeper tectonostratigraphic level of source rocks are reflected by: a) increasing rank of metamorphic rock fragments (as indicated by progressive development of schistosity and growth of micas and other index minerals; MI index of Garzanti and Vezzoli, 2003); b) increasing feldspars; c) increasing heavy-mineral concentration (HMC index); d) increasing hornblende, changing progressively in color from blue/green to green/brown (HCI index); e) successive appearance of chloritoid, staurolite, kyanite, fibrolitic and prismatic sillimanite (MMI index; Garzanti and Andò, 2007). Dickinson W.R. 1985. Interpreting provenance relations from detrital modes of sandstones. In: Zuffa G.G. (ed.), Reidel, NATO ASI Series 148: 333-361. Dickinson W.R. and C.A. Suczek. 1979. Plate tectonics and sandstone composition. Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull. 63: 2164-2172. Garzanti E. and S. Andò. 2007, Plate tectonics and heavy-mineral suites of modern sands. In: Mange M. and D. Wright (eds.), Elsevier, Developments in Sedimentology Series 58: 741-763. Garzanti E. and G. Vezzoli. 2003. A classification of metamorphic grains in sands based on their composition and grade. J. Sedimentary Res. 73: 830-837. Garzanti E., C. Doglioni, G. Vezzoli and S. Andò. 2007. Orogenic Belts and Orogenic Sediment Provenances. J. Geology 115: 315-334. Garzanti E., G. Vezzoli, S. Andó, C. France-Lanord, S.K. Singh and G. Foster. 2004. Sediment composition and focused erosion in collision orogens: the Brahmaputra case. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 220: 157-174. Najman Y. 2006. The detrital record of orogenesis: a review of approaches and techniques used in the Himalayan sedimentary basins. Earth Sci. Rev. 74: 1-72.

Origin of sulfide and phosphate deposits in Upper Proterozoic carbonate strata, Irece basin, Bahia, Brazil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kyle, J.R.; Misi, A.

1991-03-01

Carbonate strata of the Una Group represent late Proterozoic platform sedimentation in the Irece basin of north-central Brazil. Stratabound sulfide- and phosphate-rich units occur within a 50-m thick tidal flat sequence of dolomitic limestone and cherty dolomite. Three types of primary phosphate concentrations are present: columnar stromatolitic, laminar stromatolitic, and intraclastic. Resedimented phosphate clasts and phosphatic units interbedded with non phosphatic dolomites suggest early diagenetic replacement of algal carbonate units. Local stratabound Zn-Pb-Ag sulfide concentrations at the Tres Irmas prospect occur within silty dolomite with shallow water sedimentary structures and local disturbed laminae, synsedimentary faults, and breccias. Sulfide minerals includemore » pyrite, sphalerite, galena, marcasite, jordanite, tetrahedrite, and covellite. Pyrite crystal aggregates commonly show bladed forms. Nodular aggregates of length-slow quartz are locally associated with sulfides. Sulfur isotope analyses indicate relatively uniform heavy {delta}{sup 34}S values. Barite shows a {delta}{sup 34}S range from +25.2 to +29.6{per thousand}, CDT. Pyrite and sphalerite representative of a variety of textural types have a {delta}{sup 34}S range of +20.2 to +22.6{per thousand}. Late Proterozoic evaporite sulfates show a wide range of {delta}{sup 34} S values from about +10 to +28{per thousand}. Thus, the {delta}{sup 34}S values for Irece barite could reflect original seawater sulfate values. However, the relatively heavy {delta}{sup 34}S values of the associated sulfides suggests that the original seawater sulfate was modified by bacterial sulfate reduction processes in shallow sea floor sediments. Textural and {delta}{sup 34}S evidence suggests that a later stage of metallic mineralization scavenged sulfur from preexisting sulfides or from direct reduction of evaporitic sulfate minerals.« less

Uniform Distribution of Yttrium and Heavy Rare Earth Elements in Round Top Mountain Rhyolite Deposit , Sierra Blanca Texas, USA: Data, Significance, and Origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pingitore, N. E., Jr.; Clague, J. W.; Gorski, D.

2014-12-01

The Round Top Mountain peraluminous rhyolite, exposed at the surface in Sierra Blanca, Hudspeth County, west Texas, USA, is enriched in yttrium and heavy rare earth elements (YHREEs). Other potentially valuable elements in the deposit include Be, Li, U, Th, Sn, F, Nb, and Ta. Texas Rare Earth Resources Corp. proposes to extract the YHREEs from the host mineral variety yttrofluorite by inexpensive heap leaching with dilute sulfuric acid, which also releases some of the Be, Li, U, F, and Th from other soluble minor minerals. Data: Feldspars and quartz comprise 90-95% of the rhyolite, with pheonocrysts of up to 250 microns set in an aphanitic matrix that hosts the typically sub-micron target yttrofluorite. Reverse circulation cuttings from some 100 drill holes, two drill cores, and outcrop and trench observations suggest striking physical homogeneity through this billion-plus ton surface-exposed laccolith, about 1200 feet high and a mile in diameter (375 x 1600 m). Gray to pink, and other minor hues, color variation derives from magnetite—hematite redox reaction. Plots of Y, 13 REEs, U, Th, and Nb analyses from over 1500 samples collected from 64 drill holes (color codes in figure) exhibit remarkably little variation in the concentration of these elements with geographic position or depth within the laccolith. Importance: Uniform mineralization grades help insure against the mining production surprises often associated with vein deposits and heterogeneous open pit deposits. At Round Top, mine feedstock can be relatively constant over the life of the mine (multiple decades), so the mechanical mining process can be optimized early on and not need expensive alterations later. Likewise, the chemical and physical parameters of the heap leach can be perfected. The sensitive and expensive process of extraction of elements and element groups from the pregnant leach solution and purification also can be optimized. Origin: The remarkable homogeneity of the YHREE distribution through the laccolith suggest YHREE and associated mineralization from a late-stage fluorine vapor generated within the magma in situ, rather than from injection of a F-rich fluid from an external source. The micron-scale cavities that produce up to 5% original porosity in the rhyolite may be nano-analogues of the cavities associated with granite pegmatites.

Heavy mineral analysis for assessing the provenance of sandy sediment in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wong, Florence L.; Woodrow, Donald L.; McGann, Mary

2013-01-01

Heavy or high-specific gravity minerals make up a small but diagnostic component of sediment that is well suited for determining the provenance and distribution of sediment transported through estuarine and coastal systems worldwide. By this means, we see that surficial sand-sized sediment in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System comes primarily from the Sierra Nevada and associated terranes by way of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and is transported with little dilution through the San Francisco Bay and out the Golden Gate. Heavy minerals document a slight change from the strictly Sierran-Sacramento mineralogy at the confluence of the two rivers to a composition that includes minor amounts of chert and other Franciscan Complex components west of Carquinez Strait. Between Carquinez Strait and the San Francisco Bar, Sierran sediment is intermingled with Franciscan-modified Sierran sediment. The latter continues out the Gate and turns southward towards beaches of the San Francisco Peninsula. The Sierran sediment also fans out from the San Francisco Bar to merge with a Sierran province on the shelf in the Gulf of the Farallones. Beach-sand sized sediment from the Russian River is transported southward to Point Reyes where it spreads out to define a Franciscan sediment province on the shelf, but does not continue southward to contribute to the sediment in the Golden Gate area.

Gaultheria trichophylla (Royle): a source of minerals and biologically active molecules, its antioxidant and anti-lipoxygenase activities.

PubMed

Alam, Fiaz; Saqib, Qazi Najam Us; Ashraf, Mohammad

2017-01-03

Gaultheria trichophylla (Royle) is used as food and for treating many ailments in folk medicine especially against inflammation. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the ability of extracts of G. trichophylla as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and for its mineral contents. Powdered plant material (100 g) was extracted with 100 ml each of methanol, chloroform, and n-hexane using soxhlet extractor. Antioxidant activity of methanol extract was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP assays. Determination of enzyme inhibition activity was determined using 5-LOX inhibitory activity. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents were measured by Folin-Chicalteu and colorimeteric methods respectively. Minerals and heavy metals contents were determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Qualitative HPLC analysis were performed using some standard phenolic compounds. The highest phenolic (17.5 ± 2.5 mg GA equivalent/g) and flavonoids (41.3 ± 0.1 mg QE equivalent/g) concentrations were found in methanol extract, which also showed more scavenging activity of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferrous reducing power with IC 50  = 81.2 ± 0.2 and IC 50  = 11.2 ± 0.1 μg/ml, respectively. The methanol and chloroform extracts showed best inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase enzyme with 90.5 ± 0.7% and 66.9 ± 0.1% at 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. G. trichophylla extract was also evaluated for mineral contents (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Cu), and for chemical profiling of heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Cd, Co, Zn, Ni and Hg). Our current findings suggest that this plant is good source of minerals and concentration of all heavy metals were within permissible limits. The results revealed that this ignored plant has great pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential.

Transect studies on pine litter organic matter: decomposition and chemical properties of upper soil layers in Polish forests

Treesearch

Alicja Breymeyer; Marek Degorski; David Reed

1998-01-01

The relationship between litter decomposition rate, some chemical properties of upper soil layers (iron, manganese, zinc, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, chrome in humus-mineral horizon-A), and litter (the same eight elements in needle litter fraction) in pine forests of Poland was studied. Heavy metal content in organic-mineral horizon of soils was highly correlated...

Monitoring transport and equilibrium of heavy metals in soil using induced polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalem, T.; Huisman, J. A.; Zimmermann, E.; Furman, A.

2017-12-01

Soil and groundwater pollution in general, and by heavy metals in particular, is a major threat to human health, and especially in rapidly developing regions, such as China. Fast, accurate and low-cost measurement of heavy metal contamination is of high desire. Spectral induced polarization (SIP) may be an alternative to the tedious sampling techniques typically used. In the SIP method, an alternating current at a range of low frequencies is injected into the soil and the resultant potential is measured along the current's path. SIP is a promising method for monitoring heavy metals, because it is sensitive to the chemical composition of both the absorbed ions on the soil minerals and the pore fluid and to the interface between the two. The high sorption affinity of heavy metals suggests that their electrical signature may be significant, even at relatively low concentrations. The goal of this research is to examine the electrical signature of soil contaminated by heavy metals and of the pollution transport and remediation processes, in a non-tomographic fashion. Specifically, we are looking at the SIP response of various heavy metals in several settings: 1) at equilibrium state in batch experiments; 2) following the progress of a pollution front along a soil column through flow experiments and 3) monitoring the extraction of the contaminant by a chelating agent. Using the results, we develop and calibrate a multi-Cole-Cole model to separate the electrochemical and the interfacial components of the polarization. Last, we compare our results to the electrical signature of contaminated soil from southern China. Results of single metals from both batch and flow experiments display a shift of the relaxation time and a decrease in the phase response of the soil with increase of the metal concentration, suggesting strong sorption of the metals on the stern layer. Preliminary results also show evidence of electrodic polarization, assuming to be related to the formation of metal oxides in the soil. We present both raw data and fitting of the results to models, to explain the behavior of our system and the dynamics of and transport processes of the metals in the soil.

Short-term usage of sewage sludge as organic fertilizer to sugarcane in a tropical soil bears little threat of heavy metal contamination.

PubMed

Nogueira, Thiago Assis Rodrigues; Franco, Ademir; He, Zhenli; Braga, Vivian Santoro; Firme, Lucia Pittol; Abreu, Cassio Hamilton

2013-01-15

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of application rates of sewage sludge and mineral nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers on As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn concentration in soil, cane plant, and first ratoon (residual effect) in a Typic Hapludult soil. To allow an analysis by means of response surface modeling, four rates of sewage sludge (0, 3.6, 7.2 and 10.8 t ha(-1), dry base), of N (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha(-1)) and of P(2)O(5) (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha(-1)) were applied in randomized block design, in a 4 × 4 × 4 factorial scheme, with confounded degrees of freedom for triple interaction, with two replications. To evaluate the residual effect of the sludge applied to cane plant on the cane ratoon growth, mineral NK fertilizers were applied at the rates of 120 kg ha(-1) N and 140 kg ha(-1) of K(2)O, on all treatments. The application rates of mineral nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers did not affect statistically the heavy metal concentration in the soil and in the sugarcane plants. Sewage sludge application increased As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in soil, but values did not exceed the quality standard established by legislation for agricultural soils. Although the concentrations of metals in the plants were very low, the uptake of heavy metal by sugarcane plants was generally increased by sewage sludge doses. The use of sewage sludge based on N criteria introduces a small amount of heavy metal into the agricultural system, however it poses no hazard to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnesium isotopic evidence for chemical disequilibrium among cumulus minerals in layered mafic intrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lie-Meng; Teng, Fang-Zhen; Song, Xie-Yan; Hu, Rui-Zhong; Yu, Song-Yue; Zhu, Dan; Kang, Jian

2018-04-01

Magnesium isotopic compositions of olivine, clinopyroxene, and ilmenite from the Baima intrusion, SW China, for the first time, are investigated to constrain the magnitude and mechanisms of Mg isotope fractionation among cumulus minerals in layered mafic intrusions and to evaluate their geological implications. Olivine and clinopyroxene have limited Mg isotope variations, with δ26Mg ranging from -0.33 to +0.05‰ and from -0.29 to -0.13‰, respectively, similar to those of mantle xenolithic peridotites. By contrast, ilmenites display extremely large Mg isotopic variation, with δ26Mg ranging from -0.50 to +1.90‰. The large inter-mineral fractionations of Mg isotopes between ilmenite and silicates may reflect both equilibrium and kinetic processes. A few ilmenites have lighter Mg isotopic compositions than coexisting silicates and contain high MgO contents without compositional zoning, indicating equilibrium fractionation. The implication is that the light Mg isotopic compositions of lunar high-Ti basalts may result from an isotopically light source enriched in cumulate ilmenites. On the other hand, most ilmenites have heavy Mg isotopic compositions, coupled with high MgO concentration and chemical zoning, which can be quantitatively modeled by kinetic Mg isotope fractionations induced by subsolidus Mg-Fe exchange between ilmenite and ferromagnesian silicates during the cooling of the Baima intrusion. The extensive occurrence of kinetic Mg isotope fractionation in ilmenites implies the possibility of widespread compositional disequilibrium among igneous minerals in magma chambers. Consequently, disequilibrium effects need to be considered in studies of basaltic magma evolution, magma chamber processes, and magmatic Fe-Ti oxide ore genesis.

Direct Observation of Asphaltene Nanoparticles on Model Mineral Substrates.

PubMed

Raj, Gijo; Lesimple, Alain; Whelan, Jamie; Naumov, Panče

2017-06-27

The propensity for adherence to solid surfaces of asphaltenes, a complex solubility class of heteropolycyclic aromatic compounds from the heavy fraction of crude oil, has long been the root cause of scale deposition and remains an intractable problem in the petroleum industry. Although the adhesion is essential to understanding the process of asphaltene deposition, the relationship between the conformation of asphaltene molecules on mineral substrates and its impact on adhesion and mechanical properties of the deposits is not completely understood. To rationalize the primary processes in the process of organic scale deposition, here we use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize the morphology of petroleum asphaltenes deposited on model mineral substrates. High imaging contrast was achieved by the differential adhesion of the tip between asphaltenes and the mineral substrate. While asphaltenes form smooth continuous films on all substrates at higher concentrations, they deposit as individual nanoparticles at lower concentrations. The size, shape, and spatial distribution of the nanoaggregates are strongly affected by the nature of the substrate; while uniformly distributed spherical particles are formed on highly polar and hydrophilic substrates (mica), irregular islands and thicker patches are observed with substrates of lower polarity (silica and calcite). Asphaltene nanoparticles flatten when adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite due to π-π interactions with the polycyclic core. Force-distance profiles provide direct evidence of the conformational changes of asphaltene molecules on hydrophilic/hydrophobic substrates that result in dramatic changes in adhesion and mechanical properties of asphaltene deposits. Such an understanding of the nature of adhesion and mechanical properties tuned by surface properties, on the level of asphaltene nanoaggregates, would contribute to the design of efficient asphaltene inhibitors for preventing asphaltene fouling on targeted surfaces. Unlike flat surfaces, the AFM phase contrast images of defected calcite surfaces show that asphaltenes form continuous deposits to fill the recesses, and this process could trigger the onset for asphaltene deposition.

Low back pain among mineworkers in relation to driving, cold environment and ergonomics.

PubMed

Skandfer, Morten; Talykova, Ljudmila; Brenn, Tormod; Nilsson, Tohr; Vaktskjold, Arild

2014-01-01

We aimed to study the association between low back pain (LBP) and exposure to low temperature, wet clothes, heavy lifting and jobs that involve whole body vibration (WBV) in a population of miners. Health and personal data were collected in a population study by a questionnaire. A total of 3530 workers from four mines participated in the study. 51% of the workers reported LBP within the last 12 months. The adjusted odds ratio for LBP was above unity for working with wet clothes (1.82), working in cold conditions (1.52), lifting heavy (1.54), having worked as a driver previously (1.79) and driving Toro400 (2.61) or train (1.69). Wet clothing, cold working conditions, heavy lifting, previous work as a driver and driving certain vehicles were associated with LBP, but vehicles with WBV levels above action value were not. For better prevention of LBP, improved cabin conditions and clothing should be emphasised. To address risk factors for low back pain (LBP) in miners, a population study measured exposures and LBP. Cold work conditions, wet clothes and awkward postures appeared to be more strongly associated with LBP than exposure to whole body vibration from driving heavy vehicles. Prevention strategies must focus more on clothing and ergonomics.

Heavy metal analysis in commercial Spirulina products for human consumption

PubMed Central

Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah

2013-01-01

For consumption of health foods of Spirulina, by the general public, health food stores are increasingly offering more exotic products. Though Spirulina consumption is growing worldwide, relatively few studies have reported on the quantities of heavy metals/minerals they contain and/or their potential effects on the population’s health. This study reveals the concentrations of six typical heavy metals/minerals (Ni, Zn, Hg, Pt, Mg, and Mn) in 25 Spirulina products commercialized worldwide for direct human consumption. Samples were ground, digested and quantified by Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP–MS). The concentrations (mg/kg d.w.) were range from 0.001 to 0.012 (Pt) followed by 0.002–0.028 (Hg), 0.002–0.042 (Mg), 0.005–2.248 (Mn), 0.211–4.672 (Ni) and 0.533–6.225 (Zn). The inorganic elements of the present study were significantly lower than the recommended daily intake (RDI) level of heavy metal elements (mg/daily) Ni (0.4), Zn (13), Hg (0.01), Pt (0.002), Mg (400) and Mn (4). Based on this study the concentration of inorganic elements was not found to exceed the present regulation levels, and they can be considered as safe food. PMID:24235875

Enhanced phytoextraction: II. Effect of EDTA and citric acid on heavy metal uptake by Helianthus annuus from a calcareous soil.

PubMed

Lesage, E; Meers, E; Vervaeke, P; Lamsal, S; Hopgood, M; Tack, F M G; Verloo, M G

2005-01-01

High biomass producing plant species, such as Helianthus annuus, have potential for removing large amounts of trace metals by harvesting the aboveground biomass if sufficient metal concentrations in their biomass can be achieved However, the low bioavailability of heavy metals in soils and the limited translocation of heavy metals to the shoots by most high biomass producing plant species limit the efficiency of the phytoextraction process. Amendment of a contaminated soil with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or citric acid increases soluble heavy metal concentrations, potentially rendering them more available for plant uptake. This article discusses the effects of EDTA and citric acid on the uptake of heavy metals and translocation to aboveground harvestable plant parts in Helianthus annuus. EDTA was included in the research for comparison purposes in our quest for less persistent alternatives, suitable for enhanced phytoextraction. Plants were grown in a calcareous soil moderately contaminated with Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd and treated with increasing concentrations of EDTA (0.1, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mmol kg(-1) soil) or citric acid (0.01, 0.05, 0.25, 0.442, and 0.5 mol kg(-1) soil). Heavy metal concentrations in harvested shoots increased with EDTA concentration but the actual amount of phytoextracted heavy metals decreased at high EDTA concentrations, due to severe growth depression. Helianthus annuus suffered heavy metal stress due to the significantly increased bioavailable metal fraction in the soil. The rapid mineralization of citric acid and the high buffering capacity of the soil made citric acid inefficient in increasing the phytoextracted amounts of heavy metals. Treatments that did not exceed the buffering capacity of the soil (< 0.442 mol kg(-1) soil) did not result in any significant increase in shoot heavy metal concentrations. Treatments with high concentrations resulted in a dissolution of the carbonates and compaction of the soil. These physicochemical changes caused growth depression of Helianthus annuus. EDTA and citric acid added before sowing of Helianthus annuus did not appear to be efficient amendments when phytoextraction of heavy metals from calcareous soils is considered.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Tartai massif, East Siberian metallogenic province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podlipsky, M. Yu.; Mekhonoshin, A. S.; Tolstykh, N. D.; Vishnevskiy, A. V.; Polyakov, G. V.

2015-05-01

The Tartai ultramafic-mafic massif is located in the central part of the East Siberian metallogenic (PGE-Cu-Ni) province (728-712 Ma), which constitutes part of the southern margin of the Siberian craton. This dunite-peridotite-pyroxenite-gabbro massif is the host to low-sulfide PGE-Cu-Ni mineralization. The massif was formed by fractional crystallization of picritic magmas and is composed of wehrlite, dunite, plagiowehrlite, and olivine melanogabbro. The composition of olivine varies from Fo89.9 in dunite to Fo83 in melanocratic olivine gabbro; clinopyroxene is esentially augite. Chrome-spinels crystallized at a low degree of oxidation and have a high iron content. Disseminated sulfide mineralization (pentlandite and heazlewoodite) with high PGE concentrations was identified in wehrlites. Pentlandite is enriched in Fe and Co and depleted in S. These features and the association pentlandite with heazlewoodite suggest that the sulfide mineralization was formed over a wide temperature range (600-400°C) at low sulfur activity (log fS2 from -16 to -9). PGM are represented by Ir-bearing sperrylite, Pd-Cu-Sb panning compounds of variable compositions, Pt-Fe-Cu and Pt-Cu alloys. The evolutionary trend of the ore system was from essentially Ni compositions at the early magmatic stage during formation of disseminated mineralization toward Cu-rich composition at the post-magmatic stage. The PGM assemblage from heavy concentrate haloes differs from bedrock-hosted mineralization in its wider variety of mineral species and the presence of refractory platinoids. Sperrylite from heavy concentrate haloes of the Tartai massif serves as a reliable prospecting guide for bedrock-hosted sulfide Cu-Ni deposits.

Petrography and geochemistry of modern river sediments in an equatorial environment (Rwenzori Mountains and Albertine rift, Uganda) - Implications for weathering and provenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Sandra; Hornung, Jens; Hinderer, Matthias; Garzanti, Eduardo

2016-05-01

In hot-humid equatorial climate chemical weathering may be so strong that provenance signatures may be largely lost and even detritus derived from crystalline basement rocks reduced to quartzose sand. We tested this hypothesis in western Uganda, where stable plateau areas contrast with the active tectonic setting of the Albertine Rift (western branch of the East African Rift System, EARS), culminating in the strongly exhumed fault block of the > 5000 m high Rwenzori Mountains. In this setting, sediments derived from similar types of basement rocks including gneiss, schist, amphibolite, metasediments and granites can be traced from rapidly eroding high-altitude areas to low-altitude areas undergoing prolonged weathering. Sand and mud carried by 51 rivers overall in these two contrasting landscapes were sampled to study how and to what extent detrital modes are modified by the selective loss of unstable detrital minerals. Sediments generated in the high-relief Rwenzori Mountains show abundant feldspar (up to 32%) and rock fragments (up to 52%), which together with low SiO2/Al2O3 ratio and composition close to the Upper Continental Crust (UCC standard) reflect erosion in weathering-limited conditions. In the central Rwenzoris, low Th/Sc and Zr/Sc ratios, weak negative Eu anomaly, lower LaN/YbN values, and heavy-mineral assemblages with hornblende and epidote reflect the lithology of source rocks in the Buganda-Toro-Greenstone Belt. In contrast, sediments produced on the low-relief plateau have quartz content up to 98% and higher SiO2/Al2O3 ratio. Systematic loss of mobile elements is indicated by high chemical weathering indices CIA, PIA and WIP. However, provenance from metamorphic basement rocks is still indicated by heavy-mineral assemblages dominated by epidote and amphibole, whereas provenance from granitic rocks is revealed by high Th/Sc and Zr/Sc ratio, negative Eu anomaly and higher LaN/YbN values. We conclude that first-cycle sediments generated in high-relief areas preserve the original imprint of parent lithologies even in very humid equatorial climate. In low-relief areas, although weathering processes have proceeded over millions of years turning basement-derived detritus into an almost pure quartzose resistate, provenance signals are not erased entirely, and can be still retrieved from the residual heavy-mineral suite and relative abundance of high-field-strength trace elements.

Axially aligned organic fibers and amorphous calcium phosphate form the claws of a terrestrial isopod (Crustacea).

PubMed

Vittori, Miloš; Srot, Vesna; Žagar, Kristina; Bussmann, Birgit; van Aken, Peter A; Čeh, Miran; Štrus, Jasna

2016-08-01

Skeletal elements that are exposed to heavy mechanical loads may provide important insights into the evolutionary solutions to mechanical challenges. We analyzed the microscopic architecture of dactylus claws in the woodlice Porcellio scaber and correlated these observations with analyses of the claws' mineral composition with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Extraordinarily, amorphous calcium phosphate is the predominant mineral in the claw endocuticle. Unlike the strongly calcified exocuticle of the dactylus base, the claw exocuticle is devoid of mineral and is highly brominated. The architecture of the dactylus claw cuticle is drastically different from that of other parts of the exoskeleton. In contrast to the quasi-isotropic structure with chitin-protein fibers oriented in multiple directions, characteristic of the arthropod exoskeleton, the chitin-protein fibers and mineral components in the endocuticle of P. scaber claws are exclusively axially oriented. Taken together, these characteristics suggest that the claw cuticle is highly structurally anisotropic and fracture resistant and can be explained as adaptations to predominant axial loading of the thin, elongated claws. The nanoscale architecture of the isopod claw may inspire technological solutions in the design of durable machine elements subjected to heavy loading and wear. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical access for residue-mineral interactions controls organic carbon retention in an Oxisol soil.

PubMed

Ye, Chenglong; Bai, Tongshuo; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Hui; Li, Zhen; Li, Huixin; Hu, Shuijin

2017-07-24

Oxisol soils are widely distributed in the humid tropical and subtropical regions and are generally characterized with high contents of metal oxides. High metal oxides are believed to facilitate organic carbon (C) accumulation via mineral-organic C interactions but Oxisols often have low organic C. Yet, the causes that constrain organic C accumulation in Oxisol soil are not exactly clear. Here we report results from a microcosm experiment that evaluated how the quantity and size of crop residue fragments affect soil C retention in a typical Oxisol soil in southeast China. We found that there were significantly higher levels of dissolved organic C (DOC), microbial biomass C (MBC) and C accumulation in the heavy soil fraction in soil amended with fine-sized (<0.2 mm) compared with coarse-sized (5.0 mm) fragments. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis further showed that fine-sized residues promoted stabilization of aliphatic C-H and carboxylic C=O compounds associated with mineral phases. In addition, correlation analysis revealed that the increased content of organic C in the heavy soil fraction was positively correlated with increased DOC and MBC. Together, these results suggest that enhancement of contact between organic materials and soil minerals may promote C stabilization in Oxisols.

Association between alcohol consumption and bone mineral density in elderly Korean men and women.

PubMed

Cho, Yoosun; Choi, Seulggie; Kim, Kyuwoong; Lee, Gyeongsil; Park, Sang Min

2018-04-25

In this cross-sectional study based on Korean elderly men and women, heavy alcohol intake for men was related to low whole-body BMD and light alcohol intake for women was associated with high whole-body, lumbar, and total femur BMD. Alcohol is a risk factor of osteoporosis but previous studies on its effect on bone health has been controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between alcohol intake and bone mineral density in Korean elderly men and women. Based on the Fourth and Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES), 2657 men and 2080 women 50 to 79 years of age were included. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Alcohol consumption was determined by self-administered questionnaires and classified into four groups according to sex: non-drinkers (0 g/day), light drinking (1-19 g/day men, 1-9 g/day women), moderate drinking (20-39 g/day men, 10-29 g/day women), and heavy drinking (≥ 40 g/day men, ≥ 20 g/day women). The adjusted mean values calculated by linear regression analysis for BMD were determined according to the amount of alcohol consumed. Light drinkers had the highest whole-body BMD for both men (mean 1.164, SD 0.047-1.281) and women (mean 1.046, SD 0.912-1.180). Among men, mean whole-body BMD for heavy drinkers was significantly lower than that among light drinkers (P = 0.031). Among women, BMD for light drinkers was significantly higher in the whole body, lumbar, and total femur than that for non-drinkers (P < 0.001, P = 0.026, P = 0.040, respectively). Heavy alcohol intake may be associated with lower BMD in men while light alcohol intake may associate with higher BMD among women. Future longitudinal studies investigating the effect of alcohol consumption on bone mineral density are needed to validate the findings of this study.

A major change in precipitation gradient on the Chinese Loess Plateau at the Pliocene-Quaternary boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Wenbin; Nie, Junsheng; Wang, Zhao; Qiang, Xiaoke; Garzanti, Eduardo; Pfaff, Katharina; Song, Yougui; Stevens, Thomas

2018-04-01

Spatiotemporal variations in East Asian Monsoon (EAM) precipitation during the Quaternary have been intensively studied. However, spatial variations in pre-Quaternary EAM precipitation remain largely uninvestigated, preventing a clear understanding of monsoon dynamics during a warmer climatic period. Here we compare the spatial differences in heavy mineral assemblages between Quaternary loess and pre-Quaternary Red Clay on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) to analyze spatial patterns in weathering. Prior studies have revealed that unstable hornblende is the dominant (∼50%) heavy mineral in Chinese loess deposited over the past 500 ka, whereas hornblende content decreases to <10% in strata older than ∼1 Ma in the central CLP because of diagenesis. In the present study we found that hornblende is the dominant heavy mineral in 2-2.7 Ma loess on the northeastern CLP (at Jiaxian), which today receives little precipitation. Conversely, hornblende content in the upper Miocene-Pliocene Red Clay at Jiaxian is <10%, as in the central CLP. The early Quaternary abundance of hornblende at Jiaxian indicates that the current northwestward-decreasing precipitation pattern and consequent dry climate at Jiaxian must have been initiated since ∼2.7 Ma, preventing hornblende dissolution to amounts <10% as observed in the central CLP. By contrast, the 7 Ma and 3 Ma Jiaxian Red Clay hornblende content is significantly less than that of the Xifeng samples, despite the fact that today Xifeng receives more precipitation than Jiaxian, with expected enhanced hornblende weathering. This suggests that the northeastern CLP received more precipitation during the Late Miocene-Pliocene than at Xifeng, indicating that the precipitation gradient on the CLP was more east-west during the Late Miocene-Pliocene rather than northwest-southeast as it was in the Quaternary. A comparison of magnetic susceptibility records for these sections confirms this inference. We attribute this major change in climatic patterns at ∼2.7 Ma to decreased northward moisture transportation associated with Northern Hemisphere glaciation and cooling in the Quaternary. This study therefore demonstrates the potential usefulness of employing heavy mineral analysis in both paleoclimatic and paleooceanographic reconstructions.

Trace elements and heavy metals in mineral and bottled drinking waters on the Iranian market.

PubMed

Hadiani, Mohammad Rasoul; Dezfooli-Manesh, Shirin; Shoeibi, Shahram; Ziarati, Parisa; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin

2015-01-01

A survey of Iranian waters, sampled from 2010 to 2013, is presented. A total of 128 water samples from 42 different brands of bottled mineral and drinking water were collected and analysed for contamination levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). Determinations were performed using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Pb, Cd and Cu, a hydride vapour generation as well as an Arsenator digital kit (Wagtech WTD, Tyne and Wear, UK) for As and a direct mercury analyser for Hg. Arsenic concentration in six bottled gaseous mineral samples was higher than the related limit. Regardless of these, mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, As and Hg in all types of water samples were 4.50 ± 0.49, 1.08 ± 0.09, 16.11 ± 2.77, 5.80 ± 1.63 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µg L⁻¹, respectively. Values obtained for analysed heavy metals in all samples were permissible according to the limits of national and international standards.

A Data Mining Approach to Improve Inorganic Characterization of Amanita ponderosa Mushrooms.

PubMed

Salvador, Cátia; Martins, M Rosário; Vicente, Henrique; Caldeira, A Teresa

2018-01-01

Amanita ponderosa are wild edible mushrooms that grow in some microclimates of Iberian Peninsula. Gastronomically this species is very relevant, due to not only the traditional consumption by the rural populations but also its commercial value in gourmet markets. Mineral characterisation of edible mushrooms is extremely important for certification and commercialization processes. In this study, we evaluate the inorganic composition of Amanita ponderosa fruiting bodies (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Ag, Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and their respective soil substrates from 24 different sampling sites of the southwest Iberian Peninsula (e.g., Alentejo, Andalusia, and Extremadura). Mineral composition revealed high content in macroelements, namely, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Mushrooms showed presence of important trace elements and low contents of heavy metals within the limits of RDI. Bioconcentration was observed for some macro- and microelements, such as K, Cu, Zn, Mg, P, Ag, and Cd. A. ponderosa fruiting bodies showed different inorganic profiles according to their location and results pointed out that it is possible to generate an explanatory model of segmentation, performed with data based on the inorganic composition of mushrooms and soil mineral content, showing the possibility of relating these two types of data.

A Data Mining Approach to Improve Inorganic Characterization of Amanita ponderosa Mushrooms

PubMed Central

Salvador, Cátia; Martins, M. Rosário

2018-01-01

Amanita ponderosa are wild edible mushrooms that grow in some microclimates of Iberian Peninsula. Gastronomically this species is very relevant, due to not only the traditional consumption by the rural populations but also its commercial value in gourmet markets. Mineral characterisation of edible mushrooms is extremely important for certification and commercialization processes. In this study, we evaluate the inorganic composition of Amanita ponderosa fruiting bodies (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Ag, Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and their respective soil substrates from 24 different sampling sites of the southwest Iberian Peninsula (e.g., Alentejo, Andalusia, and Extremadura). Mineral composition revealed high content in macroelements, namely, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Mushrooms showed presence of important trace elements and low contents of heavy metals within the limits of RDI. Bioconcentration was observed for some macro- and microelements, such as K, Cu, Zn, Mg, P, Ag, and Cd. A. ponderosa fruiting bodies showed different inorganic profiles according to their location and results pointed out that it is possible to generate an explanatory model of segmentation, performed with data based on the inorganic composition of mushrooms and soil mineral content, showing the possibility of relating these two types of data. PMID:29623092

Kinetic study on removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution by using soil.

PubMed

Lim, Soh-Fong; Lee, Agnes Yung Weng

2015-07-01

In the present study, the feasibility of soil used as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Pb(2+) ions from aqueous solution was investigated. The kinetics for adsorption of the heavy metal ions from aqueous solution by soil was examined under batch mode. The influence of the contact time and initial concentration for the adsorption process at pH of 4.5, under a constant room temperature of 25 ± 1 °C were studied. The adsorption capacity of the three heavy metal ions from aqueous solution was decreased in order of Pb(2+) > Cu(2+) > Zn(2+). The soil was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopic-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area analyzer. From the FTIR analysis, the experimental data was corresponded to the peak changes of the spectra obtained before and after adsorption process. Studies on SEM-EDX showed distinct adsorption of the heavy metal ions and the mineral composition in the study areas were determined to be silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), and iron(III) oxide (FeO3). A distinct decrease of the specific surface area and total pore volumes of the soil after adsorption was found from the BET analysis. The experimental results obtained were analyzed using four adsorption kinetic models, namely pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion. Evaluating the linear correlation coefficients, the kinetic studies showed that pseudo-second-order equation described the data appropriable than others. It was concluded that soil can be used as an effective adsorbent for removing Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Pb(2+) ions from aqueous solution.

Mineral dust aerosols promote the formation of toxic nitropolycyclic aromatic compounds

PubMed Central

Kameda, Takayuki; Azumi, Eri; Fukushima, Aki; Tang, Ning; Matsuki, Atsushi; Kamiya, Yuta; Toriba, Akira; Hayakawa, Kazuichi

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs), which have been shown to have adverse health effects such as carcinogenicity, are formed in part through nitration reactions of their parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere. However, little is known about heterogeneous nitration rates of PAHs by gaseous NO2 on natural mineral substrates, such as desert dust aerosols. Herein by employing kinetic experiments using a flow reactor and surface analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with pyridine adsorption, we demonstrate that the reaction is accelerated on acidic surfaces of mineral dust, particularly on those of clay minerals. In support of this finding, we show that levels of ambient particle-associated NPAHs in Beijing, China, significantly increased during heavy dust storms. These results suggest that mineral dust surface reactions are an unrecognized source of toxic organic chemicals in the atmosphere and that they enhance the toxicity of mineral dust aerosols in urban environments. PMID:27075250

Alaska Geochemical Database - Mineral Exploration Tool for the 21st Century - PDF of presentation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Labay, Keith A.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has created a geochemical database of geologic material samples collected in Alaska. This database is readily accessible to anyone with access to the Internet. Designed as a tool for mineral or environmental assessment, land management, or mineral exploration, the initial version of the Alaska Geochemical Database - U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637 - contains geochemical, geologic, and geospatial data for 264,158 samples collected from 1962-2009: 108,909 rock samples; 92,701 sediment samples; 48,209 heavy-mineral-concentrate samples; 6,869 soil samples; and 7,470 mineral samples. In addition, the Alaska Geochemical Database contains mineralogic data for 18,138 nonmagnetic-fraction heavy mineral concentrates, making it the first U.S. Geological Survey database of this scope that contains both geochemical and mineralogic data. Examples from the Alaska Range will illustrate potential uses of the Alaska Geochemical Database in mineral exploration. Data from the Alaska Geochemical Database have been extensively checked for accuracy of sample media description, sample site location, and analytical method using U.S. Geological Survey sample-submittal archives and U.S. Geological Survey publications (plus field notebooks and sample site compilation base maps from the Alaska Technical Data Unit in Anchorage, Alaska). The database is also the repository for nearly all previously released U.S. Geological Survey Alaska geochemical datasets. Although the Alaska Geochemical Database is a fully relational database in Microsoft® Access 2003 and 2010 formats, these same data are also provided as a series of spreadsheet files in Microsoft® Excel 2003 and 2010 formats, and as ASCII text files. A DVD version of the Alaska Geochemical Database was released in October 2011, as U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 637, and data downloads are available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/637/. Also, all Alaska Geochemical Database data have been incorporated into the interactive U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resource Data web portal, available at http://mrdata.usgs.gov/.

Rare earth element abundances in rocks and minerals from the Fiskenaesset Complex, West Greenland. [comparison with lunar anorthosites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, P.; Fishlock, S. J.; Laul, J. C.; Cooper, T. D.; Conard, R. L.; Boynton, W. V.; Schmitt, R. A.

1976-01-01

The paper reports activation-analysis determinations of rare-earth-element (REE) and other trace-element concentrations in selected rocks, plagioclase, and mafic separates from the Fiskenaesset Complex. The REE abundances are found to be very low and atypical in comparison with other terrestrial anorthosites. The plagioclases are shown to be characterized by a deficiency in heavy RE elements relative to light ones and a positive Eu anomaly, while the mafic separates are enriched in heavy rare earths and have no Eu anomaly, except in one sample. It is found that the bulk and trace-element abundances of the plagioclases are similar to those observed in some lunar anorthosites, but the degree of Eu anomaly is less in the plagioclases. The data are taken as confirmation of the idea that fractionation processes were involved in the origin of the Complex, and it is concluded that the Complex may have been produced from a magma generated by partial melting of a garnet-bearing source.

Zeolite A synthesized from alkaline assisted pre-activated halloysite for efficient heavy metal removal in polluted river water and industrial wastewater.

PubMed

Meng, Qingpeng; Chen, Hong; Lin, Junzhong; Lin, Zhang; Sun, Junliang

2017-06-01

High quality zeolite A was synthesized through a hydrothermal process using alkaline-assisted pre-activated halloysite mineral as the alumina and silica source. The synthesis conditions employed in this study were finely tuned by varying the activating temperature, sodium hydroxide content, water content and Si/Al ratio. The obtained zeolite A showed excellent adsorption properties for both single metal cation solutions and mixed cation solutions when the concentrations of the mixed cations were comparable with those in polluted natural river water and industrial wastewater. High adsorptive capacities for Ag + (123.05mg/g) and Pb 2+ (227.70mg/g) were achieved using the synthesized zeolite A. This observation indicates that the zeolite A synthesized from alkaline-assisted pre-activated halloysite can be used as a low-cost and relatively effective adsorbent to purify heavy metal cation polluted natural river water and industrial wastewater. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Nickel distribution and isotopic fractionation in a Brazilian lateritic regolith: Coupling Ni isotopes and Ni K-edge XANES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratié, G.; Garnier, J.; Calmels, D.; Vantelon, D.; Guimarães, E.; Monvoisin, G.; Nouet, J.; Ponzevera, E.; Quantin, C.

2018-06-01

Ultramafic (UM) rocks are known to be nickel (Ni) rich and to weather quickly, which makes them a good candidate to look at the Ni isotope systematics during weathering processes at the Earth's surface. The present study aims at identifying the Ni solid speciation and discussing the weathering processes that produce Ni isotope fractionation in two deep laterite profiles under tropical conditions (Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil). While phyllosilicates and to a lower extent goethite are the main Ni-bearing phases in the saprolitic part of the profile, iron (Fe) oxides dominate the Ni budget in the lateritic unit. Nickel isotopic composition (δ60Ni values) has been measured in each unit of the regolith, i.e., rock, saprock, saprolite and laterite (n = 52). δ60Ni varies widely within the two laterite profiles, from -0.10 ± 0.05‰ to 1.43 ± 0.05‰, showing that significant Ni isotope fractionation occurs during the weathering of UM rocks. Overall, our results show that during weathering, the solid phase is depleted in heavy Ni isotopes due to the preferential sorption and incorporation of light Ni isotopes into Fe oxides; the same mechanisms likely apply to the incorporation of Ni into phyllosilicates (type 2:1). However, an isotopically heavy Ni pool is observed in the solid phase at the bottom of the saprolitic unit. This feature can be explained by two hypotheses that are not mutually exclusive: (i) a depletion in light Ni isotopes during the first stage of weathering due to the preferential dissolution of light Ni-containing minerals, and (ii) the sorption or incorporation of isotopically heavy Ni carried by percolating waters (groundwater samples have δ60Ni of 2.20 and 2.27‰), that were enriched in heavy Ni isotopes due to successive weathering processes in the overlying soil and laterite units.

Titanium minerals of placer deposits as a source for new materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotova, Olga; Ponaryadov, Alexey

2015-04-01

Heavy mineral deposits are a source of the economic important element titanium, which is contained in ilmenite and leucoxene. The mineral composition of placer titanium ore and localization pattern of ore minerals determine their processing and enriching technologies. New data on the mineralogy of titanium ores from modern coastal-marine placer in Stradbroke Island, Eastern Australia, and Pizhma paleoplacer in Middle Timan, Russia, and materials on their basis are presented. The samples were studied by the following methods: optical-mineralogical (stereomicroscope MBS-10, polarizing microscope POLAM L-311), semiquantitative x-ray phase analysis (x-ray difractometer X'Pert PRO MPD). Besides microprobe (VEGA 3 TESCAN) and x-ray fluorescent analysis (XRF-1800 Shimadzu) were used. By the mineralogical composition ores of the both deposits are complex: enriched by valuable minerals. Apart from main ore concentrates it is possible to obtain accompanying nonmetallic products. This will increase the efficiency of deposit exploitation. Ilmenite dominates in ore sands of Stradbroke Island, and leucoxene dominates in the ores of the Pizhma titanium deposit. Australian ilmenite and its altered varieties are mainly characterized by a very high MnO content (from 5.24 to 11.08 %). The irregular distribution of iron oxides, titanium and manganese in the altered ilmenite was shown in the paper. E.g., in the areas of substitution of ilmenite by pseudorutile the concentrations of the given elements are greatly various due to various ratios of basic components in each grain. Their ratios are equal in the area of rutile evolution. Moreover, the high content of gold, diamonds and also rare earth elements (REE) and rare metals (their forms are not determined) were studied. We found native copper on the surface of minerals composing titanium-bearing sandstones of the Pizhma placer. According to the technological features of rocks (density and magnetic) studied placers are close. The obtained results of physical studies, mineral composition features, morphostructural characteristics and degree of alteration of titanium minerals from the placers specify a high potential of physical methods of processing (gravitational and magnetic separation, flotation) and possible application of combined methods of processing. Production of pigment titanium dioxide for further production of titanium white, paper, plastics etc is the usual application area of titanium concentrates. Titanium dioxide of high chemical purity is used to produce optically transparent glass, fiber optics, electronics (iPad), piezoceramics, in medical and food industry. We designed photocatalysts based on leucoxene from Pizhma placer. The results showed that the photocatalysts based on rutile, synthesized from leucoxene from Pizhma deposit, can be applied to decay phenols in water.

Post Gold King Mine Spill Investigation of Metal Stability in Water and Sediments of the Animas River Watershed.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Freire, Lucia; Avasarala, Sumant; Ali, Abdul-Mehdi S; Agnew, Diane; Hoover, Joseph H; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Latta, Drew E; Peterson, Eric J; Lewis, Johnnye; Crossey, Laura J; Brearley, Adrian J; Cerrato, José M

2016-11-01

We applied spectroscopy, microscopy, diffraction, and aqueous chemistry methods to investigate the persistence of metals in water and sediments from the Animas River 13 days after the Gold King Mine spill (August 5, 2015). The Upper Animas River watershed, located in San Juan Colorado, is heavily mineralized and impacted by acid mine drainage, with low pH water and elevated metal concentrations in sediments (108.4 ± 1.8 mg kg -1 Pb, 32.4 ± 0.5 mg kg -1 Cu, 729.6 ± 5.7 mg kg -1 Zn, and 51 314.6 ± 295.4 mg kg -1 Fe). Phosphate and nitrogen species were detected in water and sediment samples from Farmington, New Mexico, an intensive agricultural area downstream from the Animas River, while metal concentrations were low compared to those observed upstream. Solid-phase analyses of sediments suggest that Pb, Cu, and Zn are associated with metal-bearing jarosite and other minerals (e.g., clays, Fe-(oxy)hydroxides). The solubility of jarosite at near-neutral pH and biogeochemical processes occurring downstream could affect the stability of metal-bearing minerals in river sediments. This study contributes relevant information about the association of metal mixtures in a heavy mineralized semiarid region, providing a foundation to better understand long-term metal release in a public and agricultural water supply.

Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB)-Geochemical data for rock, sediment, soil, mineral, and concentrate sample media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Bailey, Elizabeth A.; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.; Labay, Keith A.

2011-01-01

The Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB) was created and designed to compile and integrate geochemical data from Alaska in order to facilitate geologic mapping, petrologic studies, mineral resource assessments, definition of geochemical baseline values and statistics, environmental impact assessments, and studies in medical geology. This Microsoft Access database serves as a data archive in support of present and future Alaskan geologic and geochemical projects, and contains data tables describing historical and new quantitative and qualitative geochemical analyses. The analytical results were determined by 85 laboratory and field analytical methods on 264,095 rock, sediment, soil, mineral and heavy-mineral concentrate samples. Most samples were collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel and analyzed in USGS laboratories or, under contracts, in commercial analytical laboratories. These data represent analyses of samples collected as part of various USGS programs and projects from 1962 to 2009. In addition, mineralogical data from 18,138 nonmagnetic heavy mineral concentrate samples are included in this database. The AGDB includes historical geochemical data originally archived in the USGS Rock Analysis Storage System (RASS) database, used from the mid-1960s through the late 1980s and the USGS PLUTO database used from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s. All of these data are currently maintained in the Oracle-based National Geochemical Database (NGDB). Retrievals from the NGDB were used to generate most of the AGDB data set. These data were checked for accuracy regarding sample location, sample media type, and analytical methods used. This arduous process of reviewing, verifying and, where necessary, editing all USGS geochemical data resulted in a significantly improved Alaska geochemical dataset. USGS data that were not previously in the NGDB because the data predate the earliest USGS geochemical databases, or were once excluded for programmatic reasons, are included here in the AGDB and will be added to the NGDB. The AGDB data provided here are the most accurate and complete to date, and should be useful for a wide variety of geochemical studies. The AGDB data provided in the linked database may be updated or changed periodically. The data on the DVD and in the data downloads provided with this report are current as of date of publication.

Provenance analysis and thermo-dynamic studies of multi-type Holocene duricrusts (1700 BC) in the Sua Salt Pan, NE Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dill, Harald G.; Dohrmann, R.; Kaufhold, S.; Techmer, A.

2014-08-01

Multi-type duricrusts, composed of silcretes, calcretes, halcretes and sulcretes developed during the Holocene at the northern rim of the Sua Salt Pan, NE Botswana. They were investigated for their light (quartz/chalcedony, feldspar, analcime, clinoptilolite, calcite, kaolinite/halloysite, illite-smectite mixed-layers, halite) and heavy minerals (baryte, clinozoisite-epidote s.s.s., amphibole, corundum, tourmaline, ilmenite, rutile, sphene, kyanite, andalusite, staurolite, garnet, zircon, apatite, monazite, cassiterite, garnet, biotite) using petrographic microscopy, X-ray fluorescence and diffraction analyses, radio-carbon dating, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an EDX-system, cation exchange capacity and infrared spectroscopy. Detrital minerals predominantly derived from the erosion of rocks belonging to the Archaean Basement Complex, the Stormberg Volcanites and the Kalahari sediments. Of particular interest to exploration geologists, geikielite-enriched ilmenite fragments are a hint to kimberlitic pipes. Biodetritus was derived from invertebrates and from vertebrates (fish bones?). A man-made impact on the heavy mineral suite has to be invoked from small fragments of cassiterite fragments that derived from processing of sulfidic and pegmatitic Sn-bearing ore. In the salt-pan-derived duricrusts mainly the aeolian and to a lesser degree fluvial inputs were responsible for the concentration of clasts in these multi-type duricrusts. Moreover, their variegated mineralogy enables us to constrain the physical-chemical regime, prevalently as to the pH and the chemical composition of the major constituents. All duricrusts developed in a self-sufficient chemically closed system where quartz and feldspar provided the elements Si, Na, K, Ca, and Ba to produce the encrustations. The spatial and temporal trend in the Sua Salt Pan rim encrustations may be described as follows: (1) sulcrete-silcretes, (2) silcretes with kaolinite-group minerals towards more recent stages at the rim and smectite-illite mixed-layers and clinoptilolite towards the basin center, (3) calcretes with analcite towards the basin center, (4) halcretes (and soda ash at a more central position). In the sulcrete-silcrete facies the pH decreases from pH 14 down to 4. In the calcretes and halcretes it increases from pH 8 to pH > 13. marking a chemical hiatus between stages 1 plus 2 and stages 3 plus 4. Mineral assemblages forming more basinward tend to have derived from more alkaline fluids than those near the edge of the salt pan.

Modification of apparent fission yields by Chemical Fractionation following Fission (CFF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohenberg, Charles; Meshik, Alex

2008-04-01

Grain-by-grain studies of the 2 billion year old Oklo natural reactor, using laser micro-extraction^1,2, yield detailed information about Oklo, a water-moderated pulsed reactor, cycle times, total neutron fluence and duration, but it also demonstrates Chemical Fractionation following Fission. In the CFF process, members of an isobaric yield chain with long half-lives are subject to migration before decay can occur. Of particular interest is the 129 isobar where 17 million ^129I can migrate out of the host grain before decay, and iodine compounds are water soluble. This is amply demonstated by the variation of Xe spectra between micron-sized uranium-bearing minerals and adjacent uranium-free minerals. Fission 129 yields for the spontaneous fission of ^238U generally come from measured ^129Xe in pitchblend^2, ores emplaced by aqueous activity, and are incorrect due to the CFF process. ^238U yields for the 131 and 129 chains, reported in Hyde^3, as 0.455 +- .02 and < 0.012, respectively, the latter being anomalously low. ^1A Meshik, C Hohenberg and O Pravdivtesva, PRL 93, 182302 (2004); A Meshik Sci. Am. Nov (2005), 55; ^2E K Hyde, Nucl Prop of Heavy Elements III (1964).

Beneath it all: bedrock geology of the Catskill Mountains and implications of its weathering.

PubMed

Ver Straeten, Charles A

2013-09-01

The Devonian-age bedrock of the Catskill Mountains has been the focus of many studies. This paper reviews the character and composition of the rocks of the Catskills, and examines weathering (rock decay) processes and their implications in the Catskills. Rocks of the Catskills and closest foothills consist of siliciclastic rocks (sandstones, mudrocks, conglomerates) with minimal, locally dispersed carbonate rocks. The former are dominated by quartz, metamorphic and sedimentary rock fragments, and clay minerals. Other minor sediment components include cements, authigenic and heavy minerals, and fossil organic matter. Physical, chemical, and biological weathering of the Catskill bedrock since uplift of the Appalachian region, combined with glaciation, have dissected a plateau of nearly horizontally layered rocks into a series of ridges, valleys, and peaks. The varied weathering processes, in conjunction with many factors (natural and anthropogenic), fragment the rocks, forming sediment and releasing various elements and compounds. These may have positive, neutral, or negative implications for the region's soils, waters, ecology, and human usage. A new generation of studies and analyses of the Catskill bedrock is needed to help answer a broad set of questions and problems across various fields of interest. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

The possible role of thiosulfate in the precipitation of 34S-rich barite in some Mississippi Valley-type deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spirakis, C.S.

1991-01-01

The precipitation of extremely 34S-rich barite in the late stage of mineralization in the Mississippi Valleytype deposits of the Illinois-Kentucky district (U.S.A.) may be explained by reactions involving thiosulfate (S2O3=). Inorganic processes are known to concentrate 34S in the sulfonate site of thiosulfate and 32S in the sulfate site. In the mineralizing solution, these inorganic processes may have fractionated sulfur between the two sites by about 40 per mil. At the low temperatures of the late barite stage of mineralization, bacteria are known to metabolize thiosulfate by various reactions. In one of these, dissimilatory reduction, hydrogen sulfide and sulfite are produced. Isotopically light sulfite is preferentially reduced to sulfide by bacteria to leave a residual sulfite enriched in 34S. Part of the residual sulfite may be oxidized to form isotopically heavy sulfate; part may recombine with hydrogen sulfide to form thiosulfate. The recombination also enriches the sulfonate site in 34S and the sulfane site in 32S. Recycling the newly formed thiosulfate through the above steps further enriches sulfite and sulfate from oxidation of sulfite in 34S. During genesis of the ores, the aggregate effect of these reactions may have been the precipitation of extremely 34S-rich barite. The sequence of reactions suggested above requires the presence of organic matter. Previously proposed reactions to account for the precipitation of sulfide minerals and fluorite and for the carbonate paragenesis also require the presence of organic matter. Thus, organic matter in the host rocks may cause the various ore-zone reactions and account for the localization of the ores. ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag.

Detrital fingerprints of fossil continental-subduction zones (Axial Belt Provenance, European Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resentini, Alberto; Garzanti, Eduardo; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Andò, Sergio; Malusà, Marco G.; Padoan, Marta; Paparella, Paolo

2010-05-01

Alpine-type collision orogens are generated by attempted subduction of thinned continental margins. Because of complex tectonic structure, orogenic detritus is characterized by a range of detrital signatures, making its recognition an arduous task (Dickinson and Suczek, 1979). Among the various orogenic sub-provenances, Axial Belt Provenance, derived from the erosion of the neometamorphic axial pile, can be regarded as the most typifying signature of collision orogens (Garzanti et al., 2007). In the Austroalpine Cretaceous and Penninic Eocene axial belts of the Alps, we ideally distinguish three structural levels, each characterized by diagnostic detrital fingerprints. The shallow level chiefly consists of offscraped remnant-ocean turbidites and unmetamorphosed continental-margin sediments, and mostly produces lithic to lithoquartzose sedimentaclastic sands yielding very-poor heavy-mineral suites including ultrastable minerals. The intermediate level includes low-grade metasediments and polymetamorphic basements, and sheds lithoquartzose to quartzolithofeldspathic metamorphiclastic sands yielding moderately-rich epidote- amphibole suites with chloritoid or garnet. The deep level contains eclogitic remnants of continent- ocean transitions, and supplies quartzofeldspathic to quartzolithic high-rank metamorphiclastic to lithic ultramaficlastic sands yielding rich to extremely-rich suites dominated by garnet, hornblende, or epidote depending on protoliths (continental vs. oceanic) and pressure/temperature paths followed during exhumation. Although widely overprinted under greenschist-facies or amphibolite-facies conditions, occurrence of ultradense eclogite in source areas is readily revealed by the Heavy Mineral Concentration (HMC) index, which mirrors the average density of source rocks in the absence of hydraulic-sorting effects (Garzanti and Andò 2007). The Metamorphic Index (MI, Garzanti and Vezzoli, 2003) and Hornblende Colour Index (HCI) reflect peak temperatures reached at later stages, when subduction is throttled by arrival of thicker continental crust and geothermal gradients increase. Experience gained from modern sediments provides fundamental help to decrypt the innumerable pieces of information stored in the sedimentary record, and thus to identify and reconstruct subduction events of the past. Dickinson, W., R., Suczek, C.A., 1979.Plate tectonics and sandstone compositions. AAPG Bull. 63, 2164-2182. Garzanti, E. and Andò, S. 2007. Heavy-mineral concentration in modern sands: implications for provenance interpretation. In Mange, M., and Wright, D., eds. Heavy Minerals in Use. Developments in Sedimentology Series 58. Amsterdam, Elsevier, p. 517-545. Garzanti, E., and Vezzoli, G. 2003. A classification of metamorphic grains in sands based on their composition and grade. J. Sediment. Res. 73:830-837. Garzanti, E., Doglioni, C., Vezzoli, G., Andò, S., 2007. Orogenic belts and orogenic sediment provenante. J. Geology, 115:315-334.

Stormwater Effects on Heavy Metal Sequestration in a Bioretention System in Culver City, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousavich, D. J.; Ellis, A. S.; Dorsey, J.; Johnston, K.

2017-12-01

Rain Gardens, also referred to as bioretention or biofilters, are often used to capture or filter urban runoff before it drains into surface or groundwater systems. The Culver City Rain Garden (CCRG) is one such system that is designed to capture and filter runoff from approximately 11 acres of mixed-use commercial and industrial land before it enters Ballona Creek. The EPA has designated Ballona Creek as an impaired waterway and established Total Maximum Daily Loads for heavy metals. Previous research has utilized sequential extractions to establish trends in heavy metal sequestration for Cu, Pb, and Zn in bioretention media. The aim of this project is to evaluate if there is a difference in heavy metal sequestration between dry and wetted bioretention media. To characterize the stormwater at the site, influent and surface water were collected and analyzed for sulfate and heavy metals 3 times during the 2016-2017 storm season. Two soil cores from the CCRG were acquired in the summer of 2017 to analyze soil metal sequestration trends. They will be subjected to different wetting conditions, sectioned into discrete depths, and digested with an established sequential extraction technique. Surface water in the CCRG shows average Dissolved Oxygen during wet conditions of 2.92 mg/L and average pH of 6.1 indicating reducing conditions near the surface and the possible protonation of adsorption sites during wet weather conditions. Influent metal data indicate average dissolved iron levels near 1 ppm and influent Cu, Pb, and Zn levels near 0.05, 0.01, and 0.5 ppm respectively. This coupled with average surface water sulfate levels near 3 ppm indicates the potential for iron oxide and sulfide mineral formation depending on redox conditions. The sequential extraction results will elucidate whether heavy metals are adsorbed or are being sequestered in mineral formation. These results will allow for the inclusion of heavy metal sequestration trends in the design of further bioretention projects and maintenance of current sites.

Oxygen isotope compositions of selected laramide-tertiary granitoid stocks in the Colorado Mineral Belt and their bearing on the origin of climax-type granite-molybdenum systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hannah, J.L.; Stein, H.J.

1986-01-01

Quartz phenocrysts from 31 granitoid stocks in the Colorado Mineral Belt yield ??18O values less than 10.4???, with most values between 9.3 and 10.4???. An average magmatic value of about 8.5??? is suggested. The stocks resemble A-type granites; these data support magma genesis by partial melting of previously depleted, fluorine-enriched, lower crustal granulites, followed by extreme differentiation and volatile evolution in the upper crust. Subsolidus interaction of isotopically light water with stocks has reduced most feldspar and whole rock ??18O values. Unaltered samples from Climax-type molybdenumbearing granites, however, show no greater isotopic disturbance than samples from unmineralized stocks. Although meteoric water certainly played a role in post-mineralization alteration, particularly in feldspars, it is not required during high-temperature mineralization processes. We suggest that slightly low ??18O values in some vein and replacement minerals associated with molybdenum mineralization may have resulted from equilibration with isotopically light magmatic water and/or heavy isotope depletion of the ore fluid by precipitation of earlier phases. Accumulation of sufficient quantities of isotopically light magmatic water to produce measured depletions of 18O requires extreme chemical stratification in a large magma reservoir. Upward migration of a highly fractionated, volatile-rich magma into a small apical Climax-type diapir, including large scale transport of silica, alkalis, molybdenum, and other vapor soluble elements, may occur with depression of the solidus temperature and reduction of magma viscosity by fluorine. Climax-type granites may provide examples of 18O depletion in magmatic systems without meteoric water influx. ?? 1986 Springer-Verlag.

Shining a light on Jarosite: formation, alteration and stability studies using in situ experimental synchrotron and neutron techniques.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, H. E. A.; Scarlett, N. V. Y.; Wilson, S. A.; Frierdich, A. J.; Grey, I. E.

2016-12-01

Jarosites and related minerals are critical to a range of mineral processing and research applications. They are used in the removal of iron species from smelting processes; they occur in metal bioleaching systems, and they are present in acid mine drainage environments. There has been a recent resurgence in interest in jarosites since their detection on Mars. In this context, the presence of jarosite has been recognised as a likely indicator of liquid water at the surface of Mars in the past & it is thought that their study will provide insight into the environmental history of Mars. Acid sulfate soils cover large areas of the Australian coastline and are likely to be a major constituent of the Martian environment. The oxidation of acid sulfate soils, coupled with potential release of heavy metals and acidic groundwaters, can have serious consequences for fragile ecosystems. Understanding these sediments will provide insight into the biogeochemical processes that affect the lifetimes of transient mineral species on Earth, and may be used to better understand soil acidification, contaminant mobility at sites affected by acid and metalliferous drainage, and even constrain past weathering and putative biosignatures on Mars. Knowledge of the behaviour of jarosite minerals under the actual conditions that they are found in is crucial to understanding their potential environmental impacts on both Earth and Mars. To this end, we are engaged in a program to study the formation, stability and alteration of natural and synthetic jarosite minerals using a complementary suite of in situ synchrotron and neutron techniques. There are 3 sections to this work that will introduce the experimental techniques and sample environments that make these measurements possible: Studying the nucleation and growth of jarosites under laboratory conditions. The experimentation consisted of time-resolved synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction. Studying the stability of natural & synthetic jarosites with temperature and pressure using synchrotron and neutron diffraction. Parallel neutron and X-ray imaging at OPAL and the Australian Synchrotron, combined with synchrotron pseudo-microdiffraction to map the mineralogy and structural relationships within naturally occurring jarosite nodules.

Rare-earth element fractionation in uranium ore and its U(VI) alteration minerals

DOE PAGES

Balboni, Enrica; Spano, T; Cook, N; ...

2017-10-20

We developed a cation exchange chromatography method employing sulfonated polysterene cation resin (DOWEX AG50-X8) in order to separate rare-earth elements (REEs) from uranium-rich materials. The chemical separation scheme is designed to reduce matrix effects and consequently yield enhanced ionization efficiencies for concentration determinations of REEs without significant fractionation using solution mode-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. This method was then applied to determine REE abundances in four uraninite (ideally UO 2) samples and their associated U(VI) alteration minerals. In three of the samples analyzed, the concentration of REEs for primary uraninite are higher than those for their corresponding secondarymore » uranium alteration phases. The results for U(VI) alteration minerals of two samples indicate enrichment of the light REEs (LREEs) over the heavy REEs (HREEs). This differential mobilization is attributed to differences in the mineralogical composition of the U(VI) alteration. There is a lack of fractionation of the LREEs in the uraninite alteration rind that is composed of U(VI) minerals containing Ca 2+ as the interlayer cation (uranophane and bequerelite); contrarily, U(VI) alteration minerals containing K + and Pb 2+ as interlayer cations (fourmarierite, dumontite) indicate fractionation (enrichment) of the LREEs. Our results have implications for nuclear forensic analyses since a comparison is reported between the REE abundances for the CUP-2 (processed uranium ore) certified reference material and previously determined values for uranium ore concentrate (UOC) produced from the same U deposit (Blind River/Elliott Lake, Canada). UOCs represent the most common form of interdicted nuclear material and consequently is material frequently targeted for forensic analysis. The comparison reveals similar chondrite normalized REE signatures but variable absolute abundances. Based on the results reported here, the latter may be attributed to the differing REE abundances between primary ore and associated alteration phases, and/or is related to varying fabrication processes adopted during production of UOC.« less

Rare Earth Element Partitioning in Lunar Minerals: An Experimental Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McIntosh, E. C.; Rapp, J. F.; Draper, D. S.

2016-01-01

The partitioning behavior of rare earth elements (REE) between minerals and melts is widely used to interpret the petrogenesis and geologic context of terrestrial and extra-terrestrial samples. REE are important tools for modelling the evolution of the lunar interior. The ubiquitous negative Eu anomaly in lunar basalts is one of the main lines of evidence to support the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis, by which the plagioclase-rich lunar highlands were formed as a flotation crust during differentiation of a global-scale magma ocean. The separation of plagioclase from the mafic cumulates is thought to be the source of the Eu depletion, as Eu is very compatible in plagioclase. Lunar basalts and volcanic glasses are commonly depleted in light REEs (LREE), and more enriched in heavy REEs (HREE). However, there is very little experimental data available on REE partitioning between lunar minerals and melts. In order to interpret the source of these distinctive REE patterns, and to model lunar petrogenetic processes, REE partition coefficients (D) between lunar minerals and melts are needed at conditions relevant to lunar processes. New data on D(sub REE) for plagioclase, and pyroxenes are now available, but there is limited available data for olivine/melt D(sub REE), particularly at pressures higher than 1 bar, and in Fe-rich and reduced compositions - all conditions relevant to the lunar mantle. Based on terrestrial data, REE are highly incompatible in olivine (i.e. D much less than 1), however olivine is the predominant mineral in the lunar interior, so it is important to understand whether it is capable of storing even small amounts of REE, and how the REEs might be fractionatied, in order to understand the trace element budget of the lunar interior. This abstract presents results from high-pressure and temperature experiments investigating REE partitioning between olivine and melt in a composition relevant to lunar magmatism.

Rare-earth element fractionation in uranium ore and its U(VI) alteration minerals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balboni, Enrica; Spano, T; Cook, N

We developed a cation exchange chromatography method employing sulfonated polysterene cation resin (DOWEX AG50-X8) in order to separate rare-earth elements (REEs) from uranium-rich materials. The chemical separation scheme is designed to reduce matrix effects and consequently yield enhanced ionization efficiencies for concentration determinations of REEs without significant fractionation using solution mode-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. This method was then applied to determine REE abundances in four uraninite (ideally UO 2) samples and their associated U(VI) alteration minerals. In three of the samples analyzed, the concentration of REEs for primary uraninite are higher than those for their corresponding secondarymore » uranium alteration phases. The results for U(VI) alteration minerals of two samples indicate enrichment of the light REEs (LREEs) over the heavy REEs (HREEs). This differential mobilization is attributed to differences in the mineralogical composition of the U(VI) alteration. There is a lack of fractionation of the LREEs in the uraninite alteration rind that is composed of U(VI) minerals containing Ca 2+ as the interlayer cation (uranophane and bequerelite); contrarily, U(VI) alteration minerals containing K + and Pb 2+ as interlayer cations (fourmarierite, dumontite) indicate fractionation (enrichment) of the LREEs. Our results have implications for nuclear forensic analyses since a comparison is reported between the REE abundances for the CUP-2 (processed uranium ore) certified reference material and previously determined values for uranium ore concentrate (UOC) produced from the same U deposit (Blind River/Elliott Lake, Canada). UOCs represent the most common form of interdicted nuclear material and consequently is material frequently targeted for forensic analysis. The comparison reveals similar chondrite normalized REE signatures but variable absolute abundances. Based on the results reported here, the latter may be attributed to the differing REE abundances between primary ore and associated alteration phases, and/or is related to varying fabrication processes adopted during production of UOC.« less

Application of biosolids in mineral sands mine rehabilitation: use of stockpiled topsoil decreases trace element uptake by plants.

PubMed

Rate, Andrew W; Lee, Karen M; French, Peter A

2004-02-01

Mineral sands mining involves stripping topsoil to access heavy-mineral bearing deposits, which are then rehabilitated to their original state, commonly pasture in south-west Western Australia. Organic amendments such as biosolids (digested sewage sludge) can contribute organic carbon to the rehabilitating system and improve soil chemical fertility and physical conditions. Use of biosolids also introduces the risk of contamination of the soil-plant system with heavy metals, but may be a useful source of trace elements to plants if the concentrations of these elements are low in unamended soil. We expected that biosolids amendment of areas mined for mineral sands would result in increased concentrations of metals in soils and plants, and that metal uptake would be decreased by adding stockpiled topsoil or by liming. A glasshouse experiment growing a mixed annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum)-subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) sward was conducted using two soil materials (residue sand/clay and conserved topsoil) from a mineral sands mine amended with different rates of biosolids (0, 10, 20, 50 dry t/ha), and including a liming treatment (2 t/ha). Total concentrations of metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil increased with increasing rate of biosolids application. Metal uptake was generally lower where topsoil was present and was decreased by liming. With increasing biosolids application, plant metal concentrations increased for Cd, Ni and Zn but decreased or were erratic for other elements. In clover, biosolids application removed the Zn deficiency observed where biosolids were not applied. Plant uptake of all elements increased with increasing biosolids application, suggesting dilution by increased plant biomass was responsible for erratic metal concentration results. Despite the observed increases in uptake of metals by plants, metal concentrations in both species were low and below food standard thresholds. It is unlikely that a single application of biosolids in this system posed a threat from heavy metal contamination of soils or plants, and was beneficial in terms of Zn nutrition of T. subterraneum.

Reactive Transport of Marcellus Shale Waters in Natural Aquifers: the Role of Mineralogical Compositions and Spatial Distribution Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Z.; Wen, H.; Li, L.

2017-12-01

Accidental release of Marcellus Shale waters (MSW) can release high concentrations of chemicals that can deteriorate groundwater quality. It is important to understand the reactive transport and fate of chemicals from MSW. Natural aquifers typically have complex mineralogical compositions and are heterogeneous with large spatial variation in terms of physical and geochemical properties. To investigate the effects of mineralogical compositions, flow-through experiments and reactive transport modeling were carried out using 3 large columns (5 cm×50 cm, Quartz, Calcite, and Vermiculite). Results indicate calcite immobilizes heavy metals by precipitation and solid solution partitioning (coprecipitation). Vermiculite retards heavy metals through ion exchange. The sorbed chemicals however slowly release back to the groundwater. Na and Ca transport similarly to Br in Qtz and Cal columns however become sorbed in Vrm column during release through ion exchange by 27.8% and 46.5%, respectively and later slowly release back to aqueous phase. To understand the role of mineral spatial patterns, three 2D flow-cell (40 cm×12 cm×1 cm) experiments were carried out. All flow cells have the same clay mass within quartz matrix but different spatial patterns characterized by the relative length of the clay zone ( 0, ¼, ½) of the domain length (L). Results show that in the uniform column, ion exchange dominates and most Ba sorbs to the solid phase, to an extent Ba cannot precipitate out with SO4 as barite. In 1/2-Zone, however, most Ba precipitates as barite. In 1/4-Zone, both ion exchange and mineral precipitation occur. In general, the 1/2-Zone has the smallest ion exchange capacity for other species including Na, Ca, Mg, K and heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) as well. Our flow cell experiment emphasizes the importance of mineral spatial patterns in regulating not only reaction rates but also the type of reactions in controlling the reactive transport of MSW chemicals. The column study suggests in carbonate rich aquifers, carbonate facilitate natural attenuation. In clay-rich aquifers, such as sandstone aquifers, clay helps alleviate the cation during MSW release however these sorbed cations will ultimately release back to the aqueous phase. In sand and gravel aquifers, mixing process primarily controls the concentration level.

Density-lag anomaly patterns in backshore sands along a paraglacial barrier spit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pupienis, Donatas; Buynevich, Ilya; Jarmalavičius, Darius; Fedorovič, Julija; Žilinskas, Gintautas; Ryabchuk, Daria; Kovaleva, Olga; Sergeev, Alexander; Cichon-Pupienis, Anna

2016-04-01

The Curonian Spit, located along the southeast Baltic Sea coast, is one of the longest paraglacial mega-barriers in the world (~100 km) and is characteried by microtidal sandy beaches and unbroken foredune ridge emplaced by human activities in historical times. Both are dominated by quartzo-feldpathic sand, with various fractions of heavy minerals that may be concentrated as density lag. Such heavy-mineral concentrations (HMCs) may be distributed weither randomly or regularly along the coast, depending on the geological framework, hydro-aeolian processes, and human activities (e.g., steel elements of coastal engineering structures, military installations, etc.). In this study, we focus on the longshore patterns in HMC distribution and relative magnitude (mainly the concentration of ferrimagnetic components). Along the entire Curonian Spit coast (Russia-Lithuania), a total of 184 surface sand samples were collected at 1 km interval from the berm and foredune toe (seaward base). HMCs were characterized in the laboratory using bulk low-field magnetic susceptibility (MS). The Wavelength and Lomb spectral analysis were used to assess the spatial rhythmicity of their longshore distribution. Generally, quartz sand is characterised by low MS values of ĸ<50 μSI, whereas higher values ĸ>150 μSI are typical for heavy mineral-rich sand. MS values on the berm and foredune toe range from 11.2-4977.9 μSI and from 9.2-3153.0 μSI, respectively. Density lag anomalies had MS values exceeding an average value by ≥3 times. Wavelength and Lomb spectral analysis allowed to identify several clusters of periodicities with wavelength varying from 2-12 km, with power spectra having statistically significant values (>95 % CI). Along the modern Curonian Spit coast, two scales of rhythmic pattern variation are evident: macroscale (≤12 km) and mesoscale (2-3 km). The former can be attributed to localized expressions of geological framework (iron-rich components) and engineering structures (especially within the southern part of the spit), whereas the mesoscale patterns reflect spatial distribution of short-term hydro-aeolian forcing (erosional-accretionary cells) that may shift temporally. This research was supported by Lithuanian Science Council (Grant No. MIP-039/2014), the Internationalization Program Award, Temple University and Russian Scientific Fund (Grant No. 14-37-00047).

Relating Magnetic Parameters to Heavy Metal Concentrations and Environmental Factors at Formosa Mine Superfund Site, Douglas County, OR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upton, T. L.

2016-12-01

Advances in the field of environmental magnetism have led to exciting new applications for this field. Magnetic minerals are ubiquitous in the environment and tend to have an affinity for heavy metals. Hence, it has been demonstrated that magnetic properties are often significantly related to concentrations of heavy metals and other pollutants. As a result, magnetic techniques have been used as proxy for determining hot spots of several types of pollution produced from a diversity of anthropogenic sources. Magnetic measurements are non-destructive and relatively inexpensive compared to geochemical analyses. The utility of environmental magnetic methods varies widely depending on biological, chemical and physical processes that create and transform soils and sediments. Applications in the direction of mapping heavy metals have been studied and shown to be quite useful in countries such as China and India but to date, little research has been done in the US. As such, there is need to expand the scope of research to a wider range of soil types and land uses, especially within the US. This study investigates the application of environmental magnetic techniques to mapping of heavy metal concentrations at the Formosa Mine Superfund Site, an abandoned mine about 25 miles southwest of Roseburg, OR. The soils and sediment at this site are derived from pyrite-rich bedrock which is weak in terms of magnetic susceptibility. Using hotspot analysis, correlation and cluster analyses, interactions between metals and magnetic parameters are investigated in relation to environmental factors such as proximity to seeps and adits. Preliminary results suggest significant correlation of magnetic susceptibility with certain heavy metals, signifying that magnetic methods may be useful in mapping heavy metal hotspots at this site. Further analysis examines the relation of various land use differences in magnetic signatures obtained throughout the Cow Creek watershed.

Geochemical map of the Wet Beaver Roadless Area, Coconino and Yavapai counties, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerstel, W.J.

1985-01-01

The geochemical survey of the Wet Beaver Roadless Area was conducted in May 1982 by the U.S. Geological Survey to aid in a mineral resource appraisal of the area. A total of 64 stream-sediment samples, 30 heavy-mineral concentrates from stream sediment, 7 rock samples, and 7 water samples was collected by S.C. Rose, D.E. Hendzel, and W.J. Gerstel, with helicopter support from Jack Ruby, pilot for Helicopters Unlimited.

Rare earth elements in human hair from a mining area of China.

PubMed

Wei, Binggan; Li, Yonghua; Li, Hairong; Yu, Jiangping; Ye, Bixiong; Liang, Tao

2013-10-01

Rare earth minerals have been mined for more than 50 years in Inner Mongolia of China. In the mining area rare earth elements (REE) may be significantly accumulated in humans. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to characterize the REE concentrations in hair of local residents. REE concentrations in hair of 118 subjects were determined. The results showed that the mean concentrations of the determined REE in the hair of both females and males were usually higher from mining area than from control area. The mean concentrations of all the fifteen REE were much higher in hair of males than in hair of females from mining area. This suggested that males might be more sensitive to REE than females. In addition, the mean contents of the REE in hair of miners, particularly light REE (La, Ce, Pr and Nd), were usually much higher than the values in hair of non-miners from both mining area and control area, indicating that the miners were exposed to higher concentrations of REE in occupational environment. Among age groups, the relationships between REE concentrations and age groups showed that more and more concentrations of light REE accumulated in body of both females and males with age until 60 years, while heavy REE concentrations decreased with age in males who were exposed to low concentrations of heavy REE. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Origin of heavy Fe isotope compositions in high-silica igneous rocks: A rhyolite perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, De-Hong; Wang, Xiao-Lei; Yang, Tao; Chen, Xin; Li, Jun-Yong; Li, Weiqiang

2017-12-01

The origin of heavy Fe isotope compositions in high-silica (>70 wt% SiO2) igneous rocks remains a highly controversial topic. Considering that fluid exsolution in eruptive rocks is more straight-forward to constrain than in plutonic rocks, this study addresses the problem of Fe isotope fractionation in high-silica igneous rocks by measuring Fe isotope compositions of representative rhyolitic samples from the Neoproterozoic volcanic-sedimentary basins in southern China and the Triassic Tu Le Basin in northern Vietnam. The samples show remarkably varied δ56FeIRMM014 values ranging from 0.05 ± 0.05‰ to 0.55 ± 0.05‰, which is among the highest values reported from felsic rocks. The extensional tectonic setting and short melt residence time in magma chambers for the studied rhyolites rule out Soret diffusion and thermal migration processes as causes of the high δ56Fe values. Effects of volcanic degassing and fluid exsolution on bulk rock δ56Fe values for the rhyolites are also assessed using bulk rock geochemical indicators and Rayleigh fractionation models, and these processes are found to be insufficient to produce resolvable changes in Fe isotope compositions of the residual melt. The most probable mechanism accounting for heavy Fe isotope compositions in the high-silica rhyolites is narrowed down to fractional crystallization processes in the magma before rhyolite eruption. Removal of isotopically light Fe-bearing minerals (i.e. ulvöspinel-rich titanomagnetite, ilmenite and biotite) is proposed as the main cause of Fe isotope variation in silicic melts during magmatic evolution. This study implies that crystal fractionation is the dominant mechanism that controls Fe isotope fractionation in eruptive rocks and Fe isotopes could be used to study magmatic differentiation of high-silica magmas.

A spring window for geobotanical anomaly detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, R.; Labovitz, M. L.; Masuoka, E. J.

1985-01-01

The observation of senescence of deciduous vegetation to detect soil heavy metal mineralization is discussed. A gridded sampling of two sites of Quercus alba L. in south-central Virginia in 1982 is studied. The data reveal that smaller leaf blade lengths are observed in the soil site with copper, lead, and zinc concentrations. A random study in 1983 of red and white Q. rubra L., Q. prinus L., and Acer rubrum L., to confirm previous results is described. The observations of blade length and bud breaks show a 7-10 day lag in growth in the mineral site for the oak trees; however, the maple trees are not influenced by the minerals.

Usefulness of NIR spectroscopy for the estimation of the mineral composition and texture of soils and heavy metal uptake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soriano-Disla, J. M.; Gómez, I.; Jordán, M. M.; Guerrero, C.; Navarro-Pedreño, J.; Meseguer, S.; Sanfeliu, T.

2009-04-01

The accumulation of heavy metals in soils from different sources (atmospheric deposition, agricultural practices, urban-industrial activities, etc.) is of a great environmental concern. In this sense, there is a consensus in the literature that the total heavy metals in soil are not a suitable tool for risk assessment regarding heavy metal mobility and bioavailability. Several approaches have been proposed to estimate this bioavailability but controversy exists to define an universal method. The bioavailability is influenced, apart from other properties like pH, organic matter, etc., by the mineral fraction and texture of a soil. However, the determination of these parameters, especially the mineral composition, is laborious, expensive, and time consuming. Thus, the objectives of this work are the estimation of the texture and mineral components of contrasting soils and the heavy metal uptake (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd) by barley after sewage sludge application using NIR spectroscopy. A set of 70 contrasting soils from different parts of Spain were used for the analysis of the texture and mineral composition. The mineralogical characterization of soil samples was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) using whole soil random powder, oriented clay on ceramic plates, and clay random powder. Chung method was used for semi-quantitative interpretation of X-ray diffraction patterns of soils, obtaining the percentage of Calcite (Ca), Quartz (Q), Albite (Ab), Potassium Feldspar (FK), phyllosilicates (PS). For the prediction of heavy metal uptake, the 70 soils were divided in two separate sets of 36 (experiment 1) and 34 (experiment 2) soils. The methodology for both experiments, separated in time, was the same. The soils were amended with the same dose of sewage sludge (15.71 g dry weight kg-1) and placed in pots. In these pots, a bioassay with barley, under greenhouse conditions, was carried out. Eight weeks after sowing, the plants were harvested. Roots were dried in an oven at 65°C for 2 days, and total heavy metals were determined. The soil samples (air-dried and ground to pass through 2-mm sieve) were placed in glass Petri-dishes, and scanned on reflectance mode from 12000 to 3800 cm-1. For these measurements, a Fourier-Transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrophotometer (MPA, Bruker Optik GmbH, Germany) was used. Partial least squares (PLS) regressions were performed to relate the spectral information with the studied parameters. For the mineral parameters and texture, and according to the RPD value, the following models were obtained: excellent for Ca (R2=90.33; RPD=3.24) and Ab (R2=86.03; RPD=2.70), very good (where quantitative predictions are possible) for silt (R2=77.61; RPD=2.13), sand (R2=75.46; RPD=2.03), Q (R2=75.72; RPD=2.04) and FK (R2=78.97; RPD=2.20), and fair models which may be used for assessment and correlation for clay (R2=68.19; RPD=1.78) and PS (R2=67.63; RPD=1.77). For the case of the estimation of the heavy metal uptake, and using the results obtained in the experiment 1, very good models were obtained for Pb (R2=80.75; RPD=2.31), fair, where only high and low values are distinguishable, Ni (R2=50.13; RPD=1.43) and Cd (R2=57.65; RPD=1.56), and poor for Cu (R2=21.94; RPD=1.15), Zn (R2=1.03; RPD=1.02) and Cr (R2=46.01; RPD=1.38). The models developed with the results obtained in the experiment 2 were classified as follows: excellent for Zn (R2=87.62; RPD=2.89) and Ni (R2=85.67; RPD=2.68), very good for Pb (R2=75.08; RPD=2.04) and Cd (R2=77.37; RPD=2.13), good for Cu (R2=72.54; RPD=1.94), and fair for Cr (R2=54.9; RPD=1.51). Although satisfactory results were found for Cu and Zn in the experiment 2 (surprisingly, after the bad results of the experiment 1), they seemed not to be useful, since they were influenced by just one high value, very different to the rest. However, this was not the case of the rest of studied metals, which seemed to have similar patterns in both experiments, with logical differences due to the different ranges, soils, etc. The results indicate that NIR spectroscopy can be a very useful tool to estimate some mineral components and texture of soils but further analyses including a higher number of samples should be performed. For the case of heavy metal uptake, and according to the low number of samples and the observed differences between experiments, it is just possible to conclude that, although it seems that NIR spectroscopy could estimate the phytoavailability of some metals, greater efforts must be done. Acknowledgements: Jose. M. Soriano-Disla gratefully acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Culture for a research fellowship (AP2005-0320).

Evaluation of heavy metal concentrations of edible wild-grown mushrooms from China.

PubMed

Wang, Xuemei; Liu, Honggao; Zhang, Ji; Li, Tao; Wang, Yuanzhong

2017-03-04

The heavy metal contents (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) of eight species of wild edible mushrooms from China were determined. The analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry after microwave digestion. The contents of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in caps of mushroom samples were 0.7-7.2, 16.2-70.4, 371-1315, 12.5-29.8, 7.1-58.5, and 77.8-187.4 mg kg -1 dry matter (dm), respectively, while considerable differences were found to be 1.8-25.9, 9.8-36.3, 288-6762, 13.3-103.9, 5.9-78.7, and 38.7-118 mg kg -1 dm for stipes. The results indicated that higher levels of Co, Fe, and Ni were found in the mushrooms samples analyzed. Zinc and manganese levels were similar to previous reports, whereas Cu was lower than literature values. Correlation analysis suggested that significant correlations were found between the minerals determined and the greatest amount of contamination is associated with Co, Mn, Ni, and Fe. The results of this study indicate that heavy metal contents in mushroom species are mainly related to the mineral resources of sampling sites.

Magnetic Susceptibility and Heavy Metals in Guano from South Sulawesi Caves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rifai, H.; Putra, R.; Fadila, M. R.; Erni, E.; Wurster, C. M.

2018-04-01

Measurement of some magnetic properties have been performed on vertical profile from South Sulawesi caves (Mampu and Bubau) by using low cost, rapid, sensitive and non destructive magnetic method. The aim is to attempt to use magnetic characters as a fingerprint for anthropogenic pollution in the caves. Guano samples were collected every 5 cm at a certain section of Mampu and Bubau cave, South Sulawesi, starting from surface through 300 cm in depth of mampu Cave and 30 cm of Bubau Cave. The magnetic parameters such as magnetic susceptibility and percentage frequency dependence susceptibility were measured using the Bartington MS2-MS2B instruments and supported by X-Ray Fluoroscence (XRF) to know their element composition. The results show that the samples had variations in magnetic susceptibility from 3.5 to 242.6 x 10‑8 m3/kg for Mampu Cave and from 8.6 to 106.5 x 10‑8 m3/kg for Bubau Cave and also magnetic domain. Then, the XRF results show that the caves contain several heavy metals. Magnetic and heavy metal analyses showing that the magnetic minerals in caves are lithogenic (Fe-bearing minerals) in origin and anthropogenic (Zn content) in the caves.

Zircon U-Pb dating of eclogite from the Qiangtang terrane, north-central Tibet: a case of metamorphic zircon with magmatic geochemical features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Qing-guo; Jahn, Bor-ming; Li, Xian-hua; Zhang, Ru-yuan; Li, Qiu-li; Yang, Ya-nan; Wang, Jun; Liu, Tong; Hu, Pei-yuan; Tang, Suo-han

2017-06-01

Zircon is probably the most important mineral used in the dating formation of high-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks. The origin of zircon, i.e., magmatic or metamorphic, is commonly assessed by its external morphology, internal structure, mineral inclusions, Th/U ratios and trace element composition. In this study, we present an unusual case of metamorphic zircon from the Qiangtang eclogite, north-central Tibet. The zircon grains contain numerous eclogite-facies mineral inclusions, including omphacite, phengite, garnet and rutile; hence, they are clearly of metamorphic origin. However, they display features similar to common magmatic zircon, including euhedral crystal habit, high Th/U ratios and enriched heavy rare earth elements pattern. We suggest that these zircon grains formed from a different reservoir from that for garnet where no trace elements was present and trace element equilibrium between zircon and garnet was achieved. U-Pb dating of zircon gave an age of 232-237 Ma for the eclogite, and that of rutile yielded a slightly younger age of ca. 217 Ma. These ages are consistent with the reported Lu-Hf mineral isochron and phengite Ar-Ar ages. The zircon U-Pb and mineral Lu-Hf isochron ages are interpreted as the time of the peak eclogite-facies metamorphism, whereas the rutile U-Pb and phengite Ar-Ar ages represent the time of exhumation to the middle crust. Thus, the distinction between metamorphic and magmatic zircons cannot be made using only Th/U ratios and heavy REE compositions for HP-UHP metamorphic rocks of oceanic derivation.

Extracellular Saccharide-Mediated Reduction of Au3+ to Gold Nanoparticles: New Insights for Heavy Metals Biomineralization on Microbial Surfaces.

PubMed

Kang, Fuxing; Qu, Xiaolei; Alvarez, Pedro J J; Zhu, Dongqiang

2017-03-07

Biomineralization is a critical process controlling the biogeochemical cycling, fate, and potential environmental impacts of heavy metals. Despite the indispensability of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to microbial life and their ubiquity in soil and aquatic environments, the role played by EPS in the transformation and biomineralization of heavy metals is not well understood. Here, we used gold ion (Au 3+ ) as a model heavy metal ion to quantitatively assess the role of EPS in biomineralization and discern the responsible functional groups. Integrated spectroscopic analyses showed that Au 3+ was readily reduced to zerovalent gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 2-15 nm in size) in aqueous suspension of Escherichia coli or dissolved EPS extracted from microbes. The majority of AuNPs (95.2%) was formed outside Escherichia coli cells, and the removal of EPS attached to cells pronouncedly suppressed Au 3+ reduction, reflecting the predominance of the extracellular matrix in Au 3+ reduction. XPS, UV-vis, and FTIR analyses corroborated that Au 3+ reduction was mediated by the hemiacetal groups (aldehyde equivalents) of reducing saccharides of EPS. Consistently, the kinetics of AuNP formation obeyed pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics with respect to the concentrations of Au 3+ and the hemiacetal groups in EPS, with minimal dependency on the source of microbial EPS. Our findings indicate a previously overlooked, universally significant contribution of EPS to the reduction, mineralization, and potential detoxification of metal species with high oxidation state.

Petrographic and spectroscopic characterization of phosphate-stabilized mine tailings from Leadville, Colorado.

PubMed

Eusden, J D; Gallagher, L; Eighmy, T T; Crannell, B S; Krzanowski, J R; Butler, L G; Cartledge, F K; Emery, E F; Shaw, E L; Francis, C A

2002-01-01

The use of soluble PO4(3-) and lime as a heavy metal chemical stabilization agent was evaluated for mine tailings from Leadville, Colorado. The tailings are from piles associated with the Wolftone and Maid of Erin mines; ore material that was originally mined around 1900, reprocessed in the 1940s, and now requires stabilization. The dominant minerals in the tailings are galena (PbS), cerrusite (PbCO3), pyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3Cl), plumbojarosite (Pb0.5Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6), and chalcophanites ((Pb,Fe,Zn,Mn)Mn2O5 x 2H2O). The tailings were treated with soluble PO4(3-) and lime to convert soluble heavy metals (principally Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd) into insoluble metal phosphate precipitates. The treatment process caused bulk mineralogical transformations as well as the formation of a reaction rind around the particles dominated by Ca and P. Within the mineral grains, Fe-Pb phosphosulfates, Fe-Pb sulfates (plumbojarosite), and galena convert to Fe-Ca-Pb hydroxides. The Mn-Pb hydroxides and Mn-(+/-Fe)-Pb hydroxides (chalcophanites) undergo chemical alteration throughout the grains during treatment. Bulk and surface spectroscopies showed that the insoluble reaction products in the rind are tertiary metal phosphate (e.g. (Cu,Ca2)(PO4)2) and apatite (e.g. Pb5(PO4)3Cl) family minerals. pH-dependent leaching (pH 4,6,8) showed that the treatment was able to reduce equilibrium concentrations by factors of 3 to 150 for many metals; particularly Pb2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+. Geochemical thermodynamic equilibrium modeling showed that apatite family and tertiary metal phosphate phases act as controlling solids for the equilibrium concentrations of Ca2+, PO4(3-) Pb2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ in the leachates during pH-dependent leaching. Both end members and ideal solid solutions were seen to be controlling solids.

Geochemical behavior of rare earth elements of the hydrothermal alterations within the Tepeoba porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposits at Balikesir, NW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doner, Zeynep; Abdelnasser, Amr; Kiran Yildirim, Demet; Kumral, Mustafa

2016-04-01

This work reports the geochemical characteristics and behavior of the rare earth elements (REE) of the hydrothermal alteration of the Tepeoba porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposit located in the Anatolian tectonic belt at Biga peninsula (Locally Balikesir province), NW Turkey. The Cu-Mo-Au mineralization at this deposit hosted in the hornfels rocks and related to the silicic to intermediate intrusion of Eybek pluton. It locally formed with brecciated zones and quartz vein stockworks, as well as the brittle fracture zones associated with intense hydrothermal alteration. Three main alteration zones with gradual boundaries formed in the mine area in the hornfels rock that represents the host rock, along that contact the Eybek pluton; potassic, propylitic and phyllic alteration zones. The potassic alteration zone that formed at the center having high amount of Cu-sulfide minerals contains biotite, muscovite, and sericite with less amount of K-feldspar and associated with tourmalinization alteration. The propylitic alteration surrounds the potassic alteration having high amount of Mo and Au and contains chlorite, albite, epidote, calcite and pyrite. The phyllic alteration zone also surrounds the potassic alteration containing quartz, sericite and pyrite minerals. Based on the REE characteristics and content and when we correlate the Alteration index (AI) with the light REEs and heavy REEs of each alteration zone, it concluded that the light REEs decrease and heavy REEs increase during the alteration processes. The relationships between K2O index with Eu/Eu* and Sr/Sr* reveals a positive correlation in the potassic and phyllic alteration zones and a negative correlation in the propylitic alteration zone. This refers to the hydrothermal solution which is responsible for the studied porphyry deposits and associated potassic and phyllic alterations has a positive Eu and Sr anomaly as well as these elements were added to the altered rock from the hydrothermal solution. Keywords: Rare earth elements geochemistry; Tepeoba porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposits; Balikesir; Turkey

Heavy Metal Soil Contamination at U.S. Army Installations: Proposed Research and Strategy for Technology Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

substrates that form the basis of the soil, such as carbonates, clay minerals, organic matter, iron and manganese oxides and hydroxides, sulfides, or...32 10 25 2.5 32 to 64 7 20 1.4 Total 100 200.7 interstitial water, clay minerals, sulfides, carbonates, organic matter, hydrous iron and manganese ...condensation reaction with OH- groups on the surface of (silicon, iron, manganese , and aluminum) com- pounds (Calmano and Forsmer 1983). Sorption-based

Zinc isotope and transition-element dynamics accompanying hydrozincite biomineralization in the Rio Naracauli, Sardinia, Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanty, Richard B.; Podda, F.; De Giudici, Giovanni; Cidu, R.; Lattanzi, Pierfranco

2013-01-01

The Rio Naracauli in SW Sardinia drains part of the Ingurtosu Zn–Pb mining district, and contains extreme concentrations of dissolved Zn at near-neutral pH. In the upper reaches of the stream, pH, alkalinity and Zn concentrations are such that hydrozincite [Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6] precipitates in a biologically mediated process facilitated by a microalga (Chlorella sp.) and a cyanobacterium (Scytonema sp.). Values of δ66Zn in water and solid samples ranged from − 0.35‰ to + 0.5‰ relative to the JMC 3-0749-Lyon standard, and closely follow a mass-dependent fractionation line. Two composite samples of sphalerite, the primary ore mineral in the Ingurtosu deposits, had an average δ66Zn of + 0.15‰, similar to sphalerite measured elsewhere in hydrothermal mineral deposits. Zinc isotope measurements of the stream water and the hydrozincite forming in the stream show a consistent preference for the heavy isotope, 66Zn, in the hydrozincite relative to 64Zn. Synthetic hydrozincites produced without added bacteria have δ66Zn identical to the dissolved Zn, thus suggesting a biologically mediated mineralization process in Rio Naracauli. The average fractionation, Δhdz-water, is 0.35‰, the magnitude of which is consistent with other studies, and suggests an extracellular mechanism of the biomineralization process. Zinc concentration and dissolved δ66Zn steadily decrease in the reach of the stream where the biomineralization occurs. The biomineralization process also leads to the sequestration of Pb, Cu and Ni in the hydrozincite lattice, and the coeval precipitation of an amorphous CdCO3 solid, prompting the suggestion that if optimized, the biomineralization process might represent a feasible passive remediation strategy for streams with high Zn and other metals, and with near-neutral pH.

Determination of uranium and thorium in materials associated with real time electronic solar neutrino detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fassett, J. D.; Kelly, W. R.

1992-07-01

The application of isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry to the determination of both uranium and thorium in four different target materials used or proposed for electronic neutrino detectors is described. Isotope dilution analysis is done using highly enriched 233U and 230Th separated isotopes. Sensitivity of the technique is such that sub-picogram amounts of material are readily measured. The overall limit to measurement is caused by contamination of these elements during the measurement process. Uranium is more easily measured than thorium because both the instrumental sensitivity is higher and contamination is better controlled. The materials analyzed were light and heavy water, pseudocumene, and mineral oil.

Effect of space relevant radiation exposure on differentiation and mineralization of murine osteoprogenitor cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, Patrick; Hu, Yueyuan; Hellweg, Christine; Baumstark-Khan, Christa; Reitz, Guenther

Extended exposure to altered gravity conditions like during long-term space flight results in significant bone loss. Exposure to ionizing radiation for cancer therapy causes bone damage and may increase the risk of fractures. Similarly, besides altered gravity conditions, astronauts on exploratory missions beyond low-Earth orbit will be exposed to high-energy heavy ions in addition to proton and photon radiation, although for prolonged periods and at lower doses and dose rates compared with therapy. Space conditions may place astronauts at a greater risk for mission-critical fractures. Until now, little is known about the effects of space radiation on the skeletal system especially on osteoprogenitor cells. Accelerator facilities are used to simulate parts of the radiation environment in space. Heavy ion accelerators therefore could be used to assess radiation risks for astronauts who will be exposed to higher radiation doses e.g. on a Mars mission. The aim of the present study was to determine the biological effects of spaceflight-relevant radiation exposure on the cellular level using murine osteoprogenitor cell lines compared to nonirradiated controls. To gain a deeper understanding of bone cell differenti-ation and mineralization after exposure to heavy ions, we examined gene expression modulation of bone specific transcription factors, osteoblast specific marker genes as well as genes function as coupling factors that link bone resorption to bone formation. We investigated the transcrip-tional modulation of type I collagen (Col I), osteocalcin (Ocn), Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the bone specific transcription factor Runx2 (Cbfa1). To gain deeper insight into potential cellular mechanisms involved in cellular response after ex-posure to heavy ions, we investigated gene expression modulations after exposure to energetic carbon ions (35 MeV/u, 73.2 keV/µm), iron ions (1000 MeV/u, 150 keV/µm) and lead ions (29 MeV/u, 9600 keV/µm) versus low LET X-rays. Exposure to X-irradiation dose-dependently increased the mRNA levels of Runx2 (cbfa1) whereas expression values of OCN and TGF-β1 were elevated at later time points. Exposure to heavy ions provoked a more marked effect on bone specific gene expression within the differentiation process. Collectively, our results indi-cate that heavy ions facilitate differentiation more effectively than X-rays as a major response in the progeny of irradiated osteoprogenitor cells. The data presented allow us to suggest that exposure to ionizing radiation interferes with bone formation at the level of cellular differenti-ation. In this regard, further experiments are needed to investigate gene expression patterns in mammalian cells that respond to differentiation after exposure to ionizing radiation.

Synergy between Rhizobium phaseoli and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the Bioleaching Process of Copper

PubMed Central

Zheng, Xuecheng; Li, Dongwei

2016-01-01

This study investigates the synergy of Rhizobium phaseoli and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the bioleaching process of copper. The results showed that additional R. phaseoli could increase leaching rate and cell number of A. ferrooxidans. When the initial cell number ratio between A. ferrooxidans and R. phaseoli was 2 : 1, A. ferrooxidans attained the highest final cell number of approximately 2 × 108 cells/mL and the highest copper leaching rate of 29%, which is 7% higher than that in the group with A. ferrooxidans only. R. phaseoli may use metabolized polysaccharides from A. ferrooxidans, and organic acids could chelate or precipitate harmful heavy metals to reduce their damage on A. ferrooxidans and promote its growth. Organic acids could also damage the mineral lattice to increase the leaching effect. PMID:26942203

The mobility and distribution of heavy metals during the formation of first cycle red beds.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zielinski, R.A.; Bloch, S.; Walker, T.R.

1983-01-01

Analysis of the heavy metal content in a Holocene-Pliocene red bed sequence near San Felipe in N Baja California, Mexico, has yielded new information on the mobility and distribution of these metals during ageing of iron oxyhydroxides from the amorphous to the crystalline state. Whole-rock samples (27) and a series of successive leachates were analysed for V, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn by ICP spectrometry and for U by a delayed neutron technique. These data are supported by a variety of other mineralogical and petrographical observations. The results indicate that the metal content of the samples is predominantly inherited from the constituent detrital minerals. Reddening of the whole-rock samples does not promote major open-system migration of the heavy metals; rather, contained metals redistribute themselves on an intergranular scale, moving from detrital mineral hosts to the secondary iron oxides. The amount of secondary iron oxides and the fraction of whole-rock metals associated with these oxides increase during red-bed development. In addition, the abundance of well- crystallized iron oxides increases during this period. Differences in the leaching efficiency for various metals are related to differences in metal site distribution and intergranular permeability. Inferred conditions for rapid vs limited removal of metals from red beds are summarized. It is suggested that developed red beds which are well flushed by suitable pore fluids may be sources of significant quantities of heavy metals. -J.E.S.

Opaque mineralogy and resource potential of placer gold in the stream sediments between Duba and Al Wajh, Red Sea coast, northwestern Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moufti, Asaad M. B.

2014-11-01

Mineralogical studies revealed that the stream sediments in northwestern Saudi Arabia between Duba and Al Wajh on the Red Sea coast are auriferous and can represent a potential source of easily recoverable placer gold. The detailed ore microscopic study supported by fire assay data of stream sediments at the southern sector of Duba-Al Wajh (Wadi Al Miyah, Wadi Haramil and Wadi Thalbah) in NW Saudi Arabia show economic concentrations of gold in their silt fraction (40-63 μm). However, particles of extremely fine “dusty” gold (⩽40 μm in size) are identified in most stations as independent grains. The maximum gold content in the samples of Wadi Al Miyah is 13.61 wt% which is reported for the light fraction (⩽40 μm). Maximum gold content in the heavy fractions of Wadi Haramil stream sediments amounts 6.90 g/t Au in a relatively coarse fraction (63-125 μm). The size still fulfills the silt fraction, but the coarsening of gold can be correlated with either original size of native gold in the Neoproterozoic mineralized zone or/and distance of transportation. It appears that the most gold-rich fractions of the analyzed samples are those from Wadi Thalbah. They have the highest index figure, which suggests that its placer gold may be economically exploitable. Gold content in the heavy fractions of samples from Wadi Thalbah is high and lies within a wide range (6.27-28.83 g/t), except for a single sample collected at the upstream with 0.77 g/t Au only. Fire assay data of samples from three wadis at the northern sector show that their gold content is clearly lower than in the samples from the southern sector. Only few samples from Wadi South Marwah are promising because they contain reasonable gold content (3.10-3.60 g/t) before heavy liquid separation. The two samples give gold content up to 11.03 g/t in their heavy mineral concentrate. The heavy fractions from both Wadi Al Amud and Wadi Salma are poor in gold where the maximum content of the metal in these concentrates are 1.32 and 1.17 g/t, respectively. Generally, the heavy mineral concentrates of both wadis contain ⩽1 g/t Au which is presently uneconomic. Generally, fire assay data of gold proved that samples from the wadis in the southern sectors are more promising for future gold exploration and exploitation.

Origin of heavy REE mineralisation in carbonatites: Constraints form the Huanglongpu Mo-HREE deposit, Qinling, China.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Martin; Cheng, Xu; Kynicky, Jindrich; Cangelosi, Delia; Wenlei, Song

2017-04-01

The carbonatite dykes of the Huanglongpu area, Lesser Qinling, China, are unusual in that they are quartz-bearing, Mo-mineralised and enriched in the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) relative to typical carbonatites. Carbonatite monazite (208.9±4.6 Ma to 213.6±4.0; Song et al., 2016) gives a comparable U-Pb radiometric age to molybdenite (220Ma; Stein et al., 1997), confirming interpretations that Mo is derived from the carbonatite, and not a subsequent overprint from regional porphyry-style mineralisation ( 141Ma). The sulphides in the carbonatites have mantle-like 34S ( 1‰) and low δ26Mg values (-1.89 to -1.07‰), similar to sedimentary carbonates, suggesting a recycled sediment contribution in their mantle sources that may be responsible for the Mo and HREE enrichment (Song et al., 2016). The textures of REE minerals indicate crystallisation of monazite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(Ce), parisite-(Ce) and aeschynite-(Ce) as magmatic phases. Monazite-(Ce) was subsequently altered to produce apatite, which was in turn replaced by britholite-(Ce), accompanied by the formation of allanite-(Ce). The REE-fluorcarbonates where replaced by synchysite-(Ce) and röntgenite-(Ce). Aeschynite-(Ce) was altered initially to uranopyrochlore and then pyrochlore with uraninite inclusions. The mineralogical evolution reflects the evolution from magmatic carbonatite, through to more silica-rich conditions during the magmatic-hydrothermal transition, to fully hydrothermal conditions accompanied by the formation of sulphate minerals. Each alteration stage resulted in the preferential leaching of the LREE and enrichment in the HREE. Mass balance considerations indicate that the HREE enrichment could not be a passive process, and that hydrothermal fluids must have contributed HREE to the system. The evolution of the fluorcarbonate mineral assemblage requires an increase in aCa2+ and aCO32- in the metasomatic fluid, and so breakdown of HREE-enriched calcite may have been the HREE source. Solubility products are lower for LREE minerals compared to HREE minerals, so leaching in the presence of strong, LREE-selective ligands (Cl-, CO32-) may account for the depletion in late stage minerals in the LREE, but cannot account for subsequent preferential HREE addition. Fluid inclusion data indicate the presence of sulphate-rich brines during late stage alteration, and hence sulphate complexation may have been important for preferential HREE transport, as sulphate has been shown to be non-LREE selective during the formation of complex ions. The combination of mantle source with a recycled oceanic sediment component, and REE enrichment during magmatic processes, and late stage alteration with non-LREE selective ligands such as sulphate may be critical in forming HREE-enriched carbonatites. Song et al., (2016) Origin of unusual HREE-Mo-rich carbonatites in the Qinling orogen, China. Scientific Reports, 6:37377 | DOI: 10.1038/srep37377. Stein et al. (1997) Highly precise and accurate Re-Os ages for molybdenite from the East Qinling-Dabie molybdenum belt, Shaanxi province, China. Econ. Geol. 92, 827-835 (1997)

Data on heavy metal and magnetic relationships in coastal sediments from South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India.

PubMed

Ravisankar, R; Harikrishnan, N; Chandrasekaran, A; Gandhi, M Suresh; Alagarsamy, R

2018-02-01

In this data, the heavy metal concentration and magnetic susceptibility in coastal sediment samples collected from Periyakalapet to Parangaipettai of East Coast of Tamilnadu using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique and dual frequency susceptibility meter. We aimed to (i) determine the heavy metal concentration in the sediments from Periyakalapet to Parangaipettai of East Coast of Tamilnadu (ii) assess the magnetic mineral property of sediments (iii) study the correlation between heavy metal and magnetic susceptibility. The determined heavy metal concentration found in the order of Mn> Ba > V > Cr > Zn > La > Ni >Pb> Co > As > Cd > Cu > Al > Fe >Ca> Ti > K > Mg. The magnetic susceptibility (χ lf ) measurements show that they vary from 5.92×10 -8  m 3  kg -1 to 29.06×10 -8  m 3  kg -1 with an average of 20.39×10 -8  m 3  kg -1 . Analysed data confirmed that magnetic susceptibility has the potential tool to indicate the heavy metal pollution sources.

Placer lag deposits in submarine channels in the Gulf of Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dobson, M.R.; Huggett, Q.

1990-06-01

GLORIA surveys in the Gulf of Alaska during 1989 have revealed details of sediment transport systems that cross the Slope, Rise, and adjacent abyssal plain. Two systems dominate: channel-levee complexes that promote the construction of major fans, and large single channels with subdued overbank activities which terminate as extended sediment lobes that may coalesce to give sand plains. Both channel types originate from Upper Slope gulley zones developed on rapidly dumped shelf edge fans associated with major tidewater glaciers that during periods of climatic deterioration and lower sea levels extended across the narrow shelf to the top of the Slope.more » Thus, the sediment source for these channel systems consists of unsorted rapidly abandoned glacial debris. The nature of initial emplacement of unsorted sediments is significant because the Alaskan provenance area is rich in heavy or placer type minerals; particularly those with economic value such as gold and platinum. The reworking of these sediments along submarine channels that morphologically have strong similarities with subaerial systems makes placer prospecting a viable proposition. Surveys using GLORIA, 10 KHz, and 3.5 KHz profilers together with a 140 in.{sup 3} airgun array have allowed the identification of prospecting sites and provided the control for the development of predictive models for those processes that ensure heavy mineral concentration in the transport regimes identified for this margin. Importantly, because this margin is an active transform type, individual fans, sourcing as they do from restricted sites along this coastline, are short-lived such that even abandoned fans offer prospects for the surveyor.« less

Particle Size Distribution of Heavy Metals and Magnetic Susceptibility in an Industrial Site.

PubMed

Ayoubi, Shamsollah; Soltani, Zeynab; Khademi, Hossein

2018-05-01

This study was conducted to explore the relationships between magnetic susceptibility and some soil heavy metals concentrations in various particle sizes in an industrial site, central Iran. Soils were partitioned into five fractions (< 28, 28-75, 75-150, 150-300, and 300-2000 µm). Heavy metals concentrations including Zn, Pb, Fe, Cu, Ni and Mn and magnetic susceptibility were determined in bulk soil samples and all fractions in 60 soil samples collected from the depth of 0-5 cm. The studied heavy metals except for Pb and Fe displayed a substantial enrichment in the < 28 µm. These two elements seemed to be independent of the selected size fractions. Magnetic minerals are specially linked with medium size fractions including 28-75, 75-150 and 150-300 µm. The highest correlations were found for < 28 µm and heavy metals followed by 150-300 µm fraction which are susceptible to wind erosion risk in an arid environment.

Heavy metals in urban soils of East St. Louis, IL. Part II: Leaching characteristics and modeling.

PubMed

Kaminski, M D; Landsberger, S

2000-09-01

The city of East St. Louis, IL, has a history of abundant industrial activities including smelters of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, a coal-fired power plant, companies that produced organic and inorganic chemicals, and petroleum refineries. Following a gross assessment of heavy metals in the community soils (see Part I of this two-part series), leaching tests were performed on specific soils to elucidate heavy metal-associated mineral fractions and general leachability. Leaching experiments, including the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TLCP) and column tests, and sequential extractions, illustrated the low leachability of metals in East St. Louis soils. The column leachate results were modeled using a formulation developed for fly ash leaching. The importance of instantaneous dissolution was evident from the model. By incorporating desorption/adsorption terms into the source term, the model was adapted very well to the time-dependent heavy metal leachate concentrations. The results demonstrate the utility of a simple model to describe heavy metal leaching from contaminated soils.

Heavy Metals in Urban Soils of East St. Louis, IL Part II: Leaching Characteristics and Modeling.

PubMed

Kaminski, Michael D; Landsberger, Sheldon

2000-09-01

The city of East St. Louis, IL, has a history of abundant industrial activities including smelters of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, a coal-fired power plant, companies that produced organic and inorganic chemicals, and petroleum refineries. Following a gross assessment of heavy metals in the community soils (see Part I of this two-part series), leaching tests were performed on specific soils to elucidate heavy metal-associated mineral fractions and general leachability. Leaching experiments, including the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TLCP) and column tests, and sequential extractions, illustrated the low leachability of metals in East St. Louis soils. The column leachate results were modeled using a formulation developed for fly ash leaching. The importance of instantaneous dissolution was evident from the model. By incorporating desorption/adsorption terms into the source term, the model was adapted very well to the time-dependent heavy metal leachate concentrations. The results demonstrate the utility of a simple model to describe heavy metal leaching from contaminated soils.

Provenance of sediments from Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebermann, Christof; Hall, Robert; Gough, Amy

2017-04-01

The island of Sumatra is situated at the south-western margin of the Indonesian archipelago. Sumatra is affected by active continental margin volcanism along the Sunda Trench, west of Sumatra as a result of active northeast subduction of the Indian plate under the Eurasian plate. Exposures of the Palaeozoic meta-sedimentary basement are mainly limited in extent to the northeast-southwest trending Barisan Mountain chain. The younger Cenozoic rocks are widespread across Sumatra, but can be grouped into structurally subdivided 'fore-arc', 'intramontane', and 'back-arc' basins. However, the formation of the basins pre-dates the current magmatic arc, thus a classical arc-related generation model can not be applied. The Cenozoic formations are well studied due to hydrocarbon enrichment, but little is known about their provenance history. A comprehensive sedimentary provenance study of the Cenozoic formations can aid in the wider understanding of Sumatran petroleum plays, can contribute to palaeographic reconstruction of western SE Asia, and might help to simplify the overall stratigraphy of Sumatra. This work represents a multi-proxy provenance study of sedimentary rocks from the main Cenozoic basins of Sumatra, alongside sediment from present-day river systems. The project refines the provenance in two ways: first, by studying the heavy mineral assemblages of the targeted formations, and secondly, by U-Pb detrital zircon dating using LA-ICP-MS to identify the age-range of the potential sediment sources. Preliminary U-Pb zircon age-data of >1500 concordant grains (10% discordant cut-off), heavy mineral compositions, and thin section analysis from two fieldwork seasons indicate a mixed provenance model, with a proximal igneous source, and mature basement rocks. An increase of the proximal signature in Lower-Miocene strata indicated by the occurrence of unstable heavy mineral phases such as apatite, and clinopyroxene suggests a major change of the source at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. This can be interpreted as a pulse in the uplift of the Barisan Mountains. The presence of volcanic quartz in thin section supports this hypothesis. On the contrary, older sedimentary strata are characterised by ultra-stable heavy minerals such as zircon, tourmaline, and rutile; the presence of garnet in both pre-, and post-uplift affected strata indicates a contribution from metamorphic basement rocks, either from the local Sumatran basement or the Malay-Peninsula. Detrital zircon ages as old as Archean are present in all sedimentary formations; a prominent Triassic age group can be correlated with the Main Range Province granitoids reported from the Malay-Peninsula. It is noteworthy that zircon age spectra from Sumatra lack some diagnostic age groups commonly found in central- and western SE Asia, such as Cretaceous ages, correlated with igneous rock in the Schwaner Mountains, SW Borneo. The analysis of modern river sands suggests that the current sedimentary fluvial systems are mainly sourced from the recent Barisan-related volcanic arc. Zircon age patterns of the modern river sands resemble the populations found in the sedimentary strata, whereas, the heavy mineral composition is highly diluted by the recent igneous sources.

Contamination of soils with heavy metals and metalloids and its ecological hazard (analytic review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vodyanitskii, Yu. N.

2013-07-01

According to the present-day ecotoxicologic data, hazardous heavy metals/metalloids form the following sequence in the soil: Se > Tl > Sb > Cd > V > Hg > Ni > Cu > Cr > As > Ba. This sequence differs from the well-known series of the hazardous heavy elements, in which the danger of Pb and Zn is exaggerated, whereas that of V, Sb, and Ba, is underestimated. Tl also should be included in the list of hazardous elements in the soil. At present, the stress is made on the investigation of heavy metals/metalloids in agricultural soils rather than in urban soils, as the former produce contaminated products poisoning both animals and humans. The main sources of soil contamination with heavy metals are the following: aerial deposition from stationary and moving sources; hydrogenic contamination from the industrial sewage discharging into water bodies; sewage sediments; organic and mineral fertilizers and chemicals for plant protection, tailing dumps of ash, slag, ores, and sludge. In addition to the impact on plants and groundwater, heavy metals/metalloids exert a negative effect on the soil proper. Soil microorganisms appear to be very sensitive to the influence of heavy elements.

The effect of secondary apatite on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio determination in granitic rocks: a case study of the Tadamigawa pluton, northeastern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakasugi, Y.; Ichino, K.; Tanioka, Y.; Wakaki, S.; Tsuboi, M.; Ishikawa, T.

2017-12-01

Apatite is a major accessory mineral in igneous rocks. Because Rb contents in apatite are very low, 87Sr/86Sr ratios of magmatic apatite are useful to estimate the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio (SrI) of igneous rocks. Secondary post-magmatic event such as hydrothermal alteration may also crystallize secondary apatite, which may inhibit the estimation of SrI of igneous rocks. In this study, we examine the effects of secondary apatite on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio determination of granitic rocks by using acid leaching technique. Leached apatite samples were first separated from the whole rock powder as a heavy mineral fraction by heavy liquid technique, and the heavy mineral fraction was then leached by 3 M HNO3. The isotopic ratios of Sr and the concentrations of Rb and Sr were analyzed by TIMS and ICP-MS at Kochi Core Center, respectively. The Tadamigawa Older-stage granites, which locate in the Taishaku Mountains at the northeastern part of Japan, intrude into the Ashio Jurassic complex, and the ages of these rocks are late Cretaceous to Paleogene. The U-Pb ages of zircon and the K-Ar ages of biotite for these rocks are c. 100 Ma [1, 2]. Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of the pluton is 96.5 ± 1.3 Ma (SrI = 0.70534 ± 0.00003) and it is concordant with other radiometric ages. Rb-Sr mineral isochron ages range from 84.4 to 97.3 Ma and these ages are relatively younger than the Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age. The difference among radiometric ages may reflect the difference of the closure temperature in each isotopic system. The Tadamigawa Older-stage granites have SrI for Rb-Sr mineral isochron range from 0.7053 to 0.7061 and are very similar to that (0.70534) for Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron. These may suggest that the Tadamigawa Older-stage granites are generated from same parental magma. However, 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the leached apatite samples were 0.70544-0.70856 and are relatively higher than SrI obtained from the Rb-Sr mineral isochrons (0.7053-0.7061). This result suggests that leached apatite samples contain not only magmatic apatite but also secondary apatite. A careful apatite separation is needed to obtain the magmatic initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios by the isotopic analyses of apatite. [1] Tanioka et al. (2014) Japan. Mag. Mineral. Petrol. Sci. 43, 215-227. [2] Wakasugi et al. (2014) 121st Ann. Meet. Geo. Soc. Japan, Abstr., 57.

Distribution, origin, and transformation of metal and metalloid pollution in vegetable fields, irrigation water, and aerosols near a Pb-Zn mine.

PubMed

Luo, Liqiang; Chu, Binbin; Liu, Ying; Wang, Xiaofang; Xu, Tao; Bo, Ying

2014-01-01

Pollution of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in vegetable fields was investigated near a Pb-Zn mine that has been exploited for over 50 years without a tailing reservoir. A total of 205 water, soil, and aerosol samples were taken and quantified by combined chemical, spectrometric, and mineral analytical methods. The pollution origins were identified by Pb isotopes and the pathways of transformation and transport of the elements and minerals was studied. The data showed that the vegetable fields were seriously polluted by As, Cd, and Pb. Some concentrations in the samples were beyond the regulatory levels and not suitable for agricultural activities. This study revealed that: (1) particulate matter is a major pollution source and an important carrier of mineral particles and pollutants; (2) the elements from the polluted water and soils were strongly correlated with each other; (3) Pb isotope ratios from the samples show that Pb minerals were the major pollution sources in the nearby vegetable fields, and the aerosols were the main carrier of mining pollution; (4) the alkaline, rich-carbonate, and wet conditions in this area promoted the weathering and transformation of galena into the secondary minerals, anglesite and cerussite, which are significant evidence of such processes; (5) the soil and the aerosols are a recycled secondary pollution source for each other when being re-suspended with wind.Highlights• Mining activities generated heavy metal pollution in fields around a Pb-Zn mine• The elements from water and soils are strongly correlated• Anglesite and cerussite are evidence of galena transformation into secondary minerals• Particulate matter is an important transport carrier of pollution.

Aluminium Toxicity to Plants as Influenced by the Properties of the Root Growth Environment Affected by Other Co-Stressors: A Review.

PubMed

Siecińska, Joanna; Nosalewicz, Artur

Aluminium toxicity to crops depends on the acidity of the soil and specific plant resistance. However, it is also strongly affected by other environmental factors that have to be considered to properly evaluate the resultant effects on plants. Observed weather perturbations and predicted climate changes will increase the probability of co-occurrence of aluminium toxicity and other abiotic stresses.In this review the mechanisms of plant-aluminium interactions are shown to be influenced by soil mineral nutrients, heavy metals, organic matter, oxidative stress and drought. Described effects of aluminium toxicity include: root growth inhibition, reduction in the uptake of mineral nutrients resulting from the inhibition of transport processes through ion channels; epigenetic changes to DNA resulting in gene silencing. Complex processes occurring in the rhizosphere are highlighted, including the role of soil organic matter and aluminium detoxification by mucilage.There is a considerable research gap in the understanding of root growth in the soil environment in the presence of toxic aluminium concentrations as affected by interactions with abiotic stressors. This knowledge is important for the selection of feasible methods aimed at the reduction of negative consequences of crop production in acidic soils affected by adverse growth environment.

Induced Polarization Signature of Biofilms in Porous Media: From Laboratory Experiments to Theoretical Developments and Validation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atekwana, Estella; Patrauchan, Marianna; Revil, Andre

2016-10-04

Bioremediation strategies for mitigating the transport of heavy metals and radionuclides in subsurface sediments have largely targeted the use of dissimilatory metal and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Growth and metabolic activities from these organisms can significantly influence biogeochemical processes, including mineral dissolution/precipitation, fluctuating pH and redox potential (Eh) values, development of biofilms, and decreasing hydraulic conductivity. The Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) technique has emerged as the technique most sensitive to the presence of microbial cells and biofilms in porous media; yet it is often difficult to unambiguously distinguish the impact of multiple and often competing processes that occur during in-situ biostimulation activitiesmore » on the SIP signatures. The main goal of our project is to quantitatively characterize major components within bacterial biofilms (cells, DNA, metals, metabolites etc.) contributing to detectable SIP signatures. We specifically: (i) evaluated the contribution of biofilm components to SIP signatures, (ii) determined the contribution of biogenic minerals commonly found in biofilms to SIP signatures, (iii) determined if the SIP signatures can be used to quantify the rates of biofilm formation, (iv) developed models and a fundamental understanding of potential underlying polarization mechanisms at low frequencies (<40 kHz) resulting from the presence of microbial cells and biofilms« less

Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Kernels: A Novel Nutrition Source

PubMed Central

Netzel, Michael E.; Tinggi, Ujang

2018-01-01

Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum) is a native Australian fruit. Industrial processing of T. ferdinandiana fruits into puree generates seeds as a by-product, which are generally discarded. The aim of our present study was to process the seed to separate the kernel and determine its nutritional composition. The proximate, mineral and fatty acid compositions were analysed in this study. Kernels are composed of 35% fat, while proteins account for 32% dry weight (DW). The energy content and fiber were 2065 kJ/100 g and 21.2% DW, respectively. Furthermore, the study showed that kernels were a very rich source of minerals and trace elements, such as potassium (6693 mg/kg), calcium (5385 mg/kg), iron (61 mg/kg) and zinc (60 mg/kg) DW, and had low levels of heavy metals. The fatty acid composition of the kernels consisted of omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid (50.2%), monounsaturated oleic acid (29.3%) and two saturated fatty acids namely palmitic acid (12.0%) and stearic acid (7.2%). The results indicate that T. ferdinandiana kernels have the potential to be utilized as a novel protein source for dietary purposes and non-conventional supply of linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids. PMID:29649154

Impacts of Polar Changes on the UV-induced Mineralization of Terrigenous Dissolved Organic Matter.

PubMed

Sulzberger, Barbara; Arey, J Samuel

2016-07-05

Local climates in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere are influenced by Arctic Amplification and by interactions of the Antarctic ozone hole with climate change, respectively. Polar changes may affect hydroclimatic conditions in temperate regions, for example, by increasing the length and intensity of precipitation events at Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. Additionally, global warming has led to the thawing of ancient permafrost soils, particularly in Arctic regions, due to Arctic Amplification. Both heavy precipitation events and thawing of permafrost are increasing the net transfer of terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) from land to surface waters. In aquatic ecosystems, UV-induced oxidation of terrigenous DOM (tDOM) produces atmospheric CO2 and this process is one of several mechanisms by which natural organic matter in aquatic and soil environments may play an important role in climate feedbacks. The Arctic is particularly affected by these processes: for example, melting of Arctic sea ice allows solar UV radiation to penetrate into the ice-free Arctic Ocean and to cause photochemical reactions that result in bleaching and mineralization of tDOM. Open questions, in addition to those shown in the Graphical Abstract, remain regarding the resulting contributions of tDOM photomineralization to CO2 production and global warming.

An integrated geochemical, geophysical and mineralogical study of river sediments in alpine area and soil samples near steel plant, in Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irfan, M. I.; Meisel, T.

2012-04-01

Concentration of nickel and chromium in any part of the ecosystem is important for environmental concerns in particular human health due to the reason that some species of them can cause health problem e.g. dermatitis and cancer. Sediment samples collected form a river Vordernberger Bach (Leoben, Austria) in an alpine region and soil samples collected in an area adjacent to steel production unit in same narrow valley were investigated. In previous studies a correlation between magnetic susceptibility values and concentration of nickel and chromium showed that a magnetic susceptibility meter can be used to point out the contaminated areas as in-situ device. The purpose of the whole study is to understand the real (point or diffuse, anthropogenic or geogenic) sources of contamination of soils, water and river sediments through heavy metal deposition. Unseparated, magnetic and non-magnetic fractions of soil samples were investigated for geochemical and mineralogical aspects with XRF, ICP-MS, EMPA, Multi-Functional Kappabridge (MFK1) and laser ablation coupled with ICP-MS. Mineralogical study of sediment samples for several sampling points with higher Ni and Cr content was performed. Sediment samples were sieved below 1.4 mm and then a concentrate of heavy minerals was prepared in the field through panning. Concentrated heavy minerals were then subjected for heavy liquid separation in the laboratory. Separated magnetic and non-magnetic fractions below 0.71/0.1 mm and density greater than 2.9 g/cm3 were selected for mineralogical investigation. The abundance of typical anthropogenic particles, e.g., spherical, tinder, roasted ores, iron and steel mill slag was observed under the microscope. Magnetite (mostly anthropogenic), maghemite, chromspinel, chromite (type I & II), (Ca,Al)-ferrite, wustite, apatite (anthropogenic), olivine mixed crystals, calcium silicate and spinel (anthropogenic) are found in magnetic fraction. Non-magnetic fractions contain hematite, siderite, ankerite, corundum (anthropogenic), garnet, chlorite, titanium oxide minerals (ilmenite, rutile, titanite) and amphibole etc. The observed significant increase in heavy metal content from the source region of the Vordernberger Bach at 1500 m above sea level to the confluence of the Vordernberger Bach with the Mur River at 540 m AMSL can be attributed to anthropogenic influence. As expected, the anthropogenic input is more pronounced in the vicinity of historic and current iron and steel production.

Concentration of heavy metals in ash produced from Lithuanian forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltrenaite, Edita; Pereira, Paulo; Butkus, Donatas; Úbeda, Xavier

2010-05-01

Wood ash contains important amounts of heavy metals. This quantity depends on burned specie, temperature of exposition and heat duration time. Due the high mineralization imposed by the temperatures, ash is used as lime product in agriculture and forests. Also, after a forest fire large quantities of ash are produced and distributed in soil surface. This mineralized organic matter can induce important environmental problems, including soil toxicity provoked by heavy metals leachates from ash. There is an extensive literature about heavy metals contents on ash in different species. However, it recently highlighted that the same species placed in different environments can respond diversely to same temperatures. This question is of major importance because temperature effects on severity can be a function of the plant communities instead of specie characteristics. These findings add a higher degree of complexity in the understanding of temperature effects on ash composition and consequent availability of heavy metals. The aim of this study is to compare the ash chemical heavy metal composition, Cobalt (Co), Chromium (Cr), Cooper (Cu), Silver (Ag), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn), from Pinus sylvestris and Betula pendula, collected in key and representative areas of Lithuanian forests, located in southern, coastal and central part. Samples were collected from alive trees, taken to laboratory and air dried. Subsequently were crushed and submitted to muffle furnace at temperature of 550°C during two hours. The ash samples were digested and in a HNO3-HCl solution and then analysed with AAS. Comparisons between species and sites were performed with a Non-parametric one-way ANOVA‘s on rank transformed data followed by Tukey‘s HSD, significant at a p<0.05. Results showed significant difference between Co and Ag concentrations between Pinus sylvestris and Betula pendula. Also, significantly different concentrations of Pb, Cu, Ni and Mn were determined among investigated sites. No significant difference was found for Zn and Cr among investigated sites. Variation of metals between sites and stands can be explained by their age, flammability difference between plant communities and anthropogenic heavy metal load. These and other aspects will be discussed with more detail in the communication.

Heavy metal immobilization via microbially induced carbonate precipitation and co-precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauchnor, E. G.; Stoick, E.

2017-12-01

Microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) has been successfully used in applications such as porous media consolidation and sealing of leakage pathways in the subsurface, and it has the potential to be used for remediation of metal and radionuclide contaminants in surface and groundwater. In this work, MICP is investigated for removal of dissolved heavy metals from contaminated mine discharge water via co-precipitation in CaCO3 or formation of other metal carbonates. The bacterially catalyzed hydrolysis of urea produces inorganic carbon and ammonium and increases pH and the saturation index of carbonate minerals to promote precipitation of CaCO3. Other heavy metal cations can be co-precipitated in CaCO3 as impurities or by replacing Ca2+ in the crystal lattice. We performed laboratory batch experiments of MICP in alkaline mine drainage sampled from an abandoned mine site in Montana and containing a mixture of heavy metals at near neutral pH. Both a model bacterium, Sporosarcina pasteurii, and a ureolytic bacterium isolated from sediments on the mine site were used to promote MICP. Removal of dissolved metals from the aqueous phase was determined via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and resulting precipitates were analyzed via electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Both S. pasteurii and the native ureolytic isolate demonstrated ureolysis, increased the pH and promoted precipitation of CaCO3 in batch tests. MICP by the native bacterium reduced concentrations of the heavy metals zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel and manganese in the water. S. pasteurii was also able to promote MICP, but with less removal of dissolved metals. Analysis of precipitates revealed calcium carbonate and phosphate minerals were likely present. The native isolate is undergoing identification via 16S DNA sequencing. Ongoing work will evaluate biofilm formation and MICP by the isolate in continuous flow, gravel-filled laboratory columns. This research demonstrates that MICP can be promoted in natural, contaminated water containing a mixture of potentially toxic heavy metals and native bacteria adapted to the environment may be more successful in driving removal of heavy metals via MICP.

Non-energy resources, Connecticut and Rhode Island coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neff, N.F.; Lewis, R.S.

1989-01-01

Cores collected from Long Island Sound, Connecticut, were used to establish control on the geologic framework of the area. Lithologic and stratigraphic analyses verified the presence of the following units: (1) Cretaceous coastal plain, (2) Pleistocene glacial till, (3) late Pleistocene glacial lake, (4) late Pleistocene glacial outwash, and (5) Holocene fluvial, estuarine and marine deposits. Cores collected in Block Island Sound, Rhode Island, were obtained from inferred, relict shoreline features and were analyzed for heavy mineral content. Concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 3.4%; no significant downcore changes were found. The results indicated that surficial sediments in areas of high-velocity tidal flow yield greater amounts of heavy minerals than do inferred placer deposits. During the second phase of the program of study, Connecticut and Rhode Island pooled resources to develop a study plan for the comprehensive quantification of all non-energy resources in the adjacent waters of the states. A literature and data survey was conducted to assess the occurrence, extent, and accessibility of these resources. Sand and gravel and heavy minerals were found in concentrations offering potential for resource exploitation. Constraints on exploitation include (1) water depth restrictions for the protection of shellfish beds and public beaches, (2) fishing activities, (3) military, commercial, and fishing vessel traffic, (4) seafloor cable routes and (5) dump sites. Deposits composed of Pleistocene glacial sediments and/or Holocene marine sediments in regions of little or no user conflict were identified as sites potentially suitable for resource exploitation. The study plan stated additional data needs (geophysical profiling and vibracore sampling) at these sites. Subsequent to these recommendations, high-resolution seismic profiles and sidescan sonographs were obtained from these sites. Seismic stratigraphic analyses confirm the presence of extensive deposits of potential economic value. ?? 1989.

The effects of different methods of cooking on proximate, mineral and heavy metal composition of fish and shrimps consumed in the Arabian Gulf.

PubMed

Musaiger, Abdulrahman O; D'Souza, Reshma

2008-03-01

This study analyzed eight cooked species of fish and one species of shrimps (grilled, curried, fried and cooked in rice) commonly consumed in Bahrain for their proximate, mineral and heavy metal content. The results reveled that the protein content was in the range of 22.8-29.2 g/100 g, while the fat content was between 2.9-11.9 g/100 g. The energy content was the highest in the fried Scomberomorus commerson being 894.2 KJ/100 g, followed by Scomberomorus commerson cooked in rice (867.3 KJ/100 g). The samples also had a considerable content of sodium ranging from 120-600 mg/100 g, potassium (310-560 mg/100 g) phosphorous (200-330 mg/100 g), magnesium (26-54 mg/100 g) and zinc (0.4-2.0 mg/100 g), while the other minerals were present to a lower extent. Lead was present to an extent of 0.30 microg/g in the grilled Plectorhinchus sordidus while Lethrinus nebulosus cooked in rice contained 0.35 microg/g of mercury. Cadmium levels were constant at <0.02 microg/g. It can be concluded the traditional methods of cooking fish and shrimps have an effect on their nutrient composition and heavy metal content hence, it is advisable to avoid excessive frying and use minimal salt. In addition, consuming of a wide variety of species of fish and alternating between the various modes of cooking is the best approach to achieve improved dietary habits, minimizing mercury exposure and increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake.

Provenance Analysis of Lower Miocene Sediments in the Lower Austrian Molasse Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierzinger, Wolfgang; Palzer, Markus; Wagreich, Michael

2015-04-01

In the Early Miocene (Late Ottnangian) a global drop of the sea level and the continuous rise of the Alps caused a regression of the Paratethys. During this time interval the Traisen Formation (formerly Oncophora beds) was deposited in the Lower Austrian Molasse Basin. These yellowish-brownish to greyish mica-rich and carbonate-free sands and silts with clayish interlayers were originally named after a brackish water bivalve ("Oncophora"- now Rzehakia). The southeastern part of the TF partly interfingers with finer sands of the Dietersdorf Formation (DF). The Pixendorf Group combines the TF and the DF [coarse sands, conglomerates, blocks] of the Upper Ottnangian lithostratigraphic units in Lower Austria. West to the Waschberg Zone a deeper-water environment (so called Oncophora beds in former literature, herein [informally] renamed to Wildendürnbach Member) with sediment gravity flows (turbidites, muddy/sandy slumps) is inferred from OMV well data. Examinations of these fine sandstones, silts and laminated pelites have been carried out on the basis of the Wildendürnbach-4 OMV drilling core. Analyses of the TF revealed rather homogenous heavy mineral assemblages, dominated by high amounts of garnet (~65%) and relatively high amounts of epidote/zoisite (~10%) and amphiboles (~10%). Conducted surveys point towards a primary influence of metamorphic (metapelitic) source rocks of Austroalpine Crystalline Complexes of the rising Eastern Alps. Heavy mineral analysis of the WDK-4 drilling core showed even higher amounts of garnet (~80%) combined with minor amounts of rutile, staurolite, apatite, epidote/zoisite, tourmalines, zircon and amphiboles. Consistent heavy mineral assemblages and chemical data (EMPA) suggest a stratigraphical correlation with the Křepice Formation and the Ždánice-Hustopeče Formation in the Czech Republic and sedimentary influence from the Western Carpathian Flysch Belt.

Sedimentary rhythms in coastal dunes as a record of intra-annual changes in wind climate (Łeba, Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, J.; Lindhorst, S.; Betzler, C.; Bierstedt, S. E.; Borówka, R. K.

2017-08-01

It is shown that coastal dunes bear a so far unread archive of annual wind intensity. Active dunes at the Polish coast near Łeba consist of two genetic units: primary dunes with up to 18 m high eastward-dipping foresets, temporarily superimposed by smaller secondary dunes. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data reveal that the foresets of the primary dunes are bundled into alternating packages imaged as either low- or high-amplitude reflections. High-amplitude packages are composed of quartz sand with intercalated heavy-minerals layers. Low-amplitude packages lack these heavy-mineral concentrations. Dune net-progradation is towards the east, reflecting the prevalence of westerly winds. Winds blowing parallel to the dune crest winnow the lee slope, leaving layers enriched in heavy minerals. Sediment transport to the slip face of the dunes is enhanced during the winter months, whereas winnowing predominantly takes place during the spring to autumn months, when the wind field is bi-directional. As a consequence of this seasonal shift, the sedimentary record of one year comprises one low- and one high-amplitude GPR reflection interval. This sedimentary pattern is a persistent feature of the Łeba dunes and recognized to resemble a sedimentary "bar code". To overcome hiatuses in the bar code of individual dunes and dune-to-dune variations in bar-code quality, dendrochronological methods were adopted to compile a composite bar code from several dunes. The resulting data series shows annual variations in west-wind intensity at the southern Baltic coast for the time period 1987 to 2012. Proxy-based wind data are validated against instrumental based weather observations.

Shipboard surveys track magnetic sources in marine sediments--geophysical studies of the Stono and North Edisto Inlets near Charleston, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Anjana K.; Harris, M. Scott

2012-01-01

Magnetic field data are traditionally used to analyze igneous and metamorphic rocks, but recent efforts have shown that magnetic sources within sediments may be detectable, suggesting new applications for high-resolution magnetic field surveys. Candidates for sedimentary sources include heavy mineral sand concentrations rich in magnetite or hematite, alteration-induced glauconite, or biogenic magnetite. Magnetic field surveys can be used to map the distributions of such sources with much denser and more widespread coverage than possible by sampling. These data can then provide constraints on the composition history of local sediments. Mapping such sediments requires the sensor to be relatively close to the source, and filtering approaches may be needed to distinguish signals from both system noise and deeper basement features. Marine geophysical surveys conducted in July, 2010, over the Stono and North Edisto River inlets and their riverine inputs south of Charleston, South Carolina, showed 10- to 40-m-wide, 1- to 6-nT magnetic anomalies associated with shallow, sand-covered seabed. These anomalies are distinct from system noise but are too narrow to represent basement features. The anomalies are present mostly in shallow areas where river sediments originating from upland areas enter the inlets. Surface grab samples from the North Edisto River contain trace amounts of heavy mineral sediments including hematite, maghemite, ilmenite, and magnetite, as well as garnet, epidote, zircon, and rutile. Previous stream sediment analyses show enhanced titanium over much of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The combined data suggest that the anomalies are generated by titanium- and iron-rich heavy mineral sands ultimately originating from the Piedmont and Blue Ridge provinces, which are then reworked and concentrated by tidal currents.

Mobilization of Ag, heavy metals and Eu from the waste deposit of the Las Herrerias mine (Almería, SE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro, A.; Cardellach, E.

2009-02-01

We studied the mobility of silver, heavy metals and europium in waste from the Las Herrerías mine in Almería (SE Spain). The most abundant primary mineral phases in the mine wastes are hematite, hydrohematite, barite, quartz, muscovite, anorthite, calcite and phillipsite. The minor phase consisted of primary minerals including ankerite, cinnabar, digenite, magnesite, stannite, siderite and jamesonite, and secondary minerals such as glauberite, szomolnokite, thenardite and uklonscovite. The soils show high concentrations of Ag (mean 21.6 mg kg-1), Ba (mean 2.5%), Fe (mean 114,000 mg kg-1), Sb (mean 342.5 mg kg-1), Pb (mean 1,229.8 mg kg-1), Zn (mean 493 mg kg-1), Mn (mean 4,321.1 mg kg-1), Cd (mean 1.2 mg kg-1) and Eu (mean 4.0 mg kg-1). The column experiments showed mobilization of Ag, Al, Ba, Cu, Cd, Eu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sb, Pb and Zn, and the inverse modelling showed that the dissolution of hematite, hausmannite, pyrolusite and anglesite can largely account for the mobilization of Fe, Mn and Pb in the leaching experiment. The mobility of silver may be caused by the presence of kongsbergite and chlorargyrite in the waste, while the mobility of Eu seems to be determined by Eu(OH)3, which controls the solubility of Eu in the pH-Eh conditions of the experiments. The mineralogy, pH, Eh and geochemical composition of the mine wastes may explain the possible mobilization of heavy metals and metalloids. However, the absence of contaminants in the groundwater may be caused by the carbonate-rich environment of “host-rocks” that limits their mobility.

The Continental Margins Program in Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cocker, M.D.; Shapiro, E.A.

1999-01-01

From 1984 to 1993, the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) participated in the Minerals Management Service-funded Continental Margins Program. Geological and geophysical data acquisition focused on offshore stratigraphic framework studies, phosphate-bearing Miocene-age strata, distribution of heavy minerals, near-surface alternative sources of groundwater, and development of a PC-based Coastal Geographic Information System (GIS). Seven GGS publications document results of those investigations. In addition to those publications, direct benefits of the GGS's participation include an impetus to the GGS's investigations of economic minerals on the Georgia coast, establishment of a GIS that includes computer hardware and software, and seeds for additional investigations through the information and training acquired as a result of the Continental Margins Program. These addtional investigations are quite varied in scope, and many were made possible because of GIS expertise gained as a result of the Continental Margins Program. Future investigations will also reap the benefits of the Continental Margins Program.From 1984 to 1993, the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) participated in the Minerals Management Service-funded Continental Margins Program. Geological and geophysical data acquisition focused on offshore stratigraphic framework studies, phosphate-bearing Miocene-age strata, distribution of heavy minerals, near-surface alternative sources of groundwater, and development of a PC-based Coastal Geographic Information System (GIS). Seven GGS publications document results of those investigations. In addition to those publications, direct benefits of the GGS's participation include an impetus to the GGS's investigations of economic minerals on the Georgia coast, establishment of a GIS that includes computer hardware and software, and seeds for additional investigations through the information and training acquired as a result of the Continental Margins Program. These additional investigations are quite varied in scope, and many were made possible because of GIS expertise gained as a result of the Continental Margins Program. Future investigations will also reap the benefits of the Continental Margins Program.

Map showing distribution of silver in the nonmagnetic fraction of heavy-mineral concentrates, Richfield 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, William R.; Motooka, Jerry M.; McHugh, John B.

1990-01-01

This map of the Richfield 1° x 2° quadrangle, Utah, shows the regional distribution of silver in the nonmagnetic fraction of heavy-mineral concentrates of drainage-sediment samples. It is part of a folio of maps of the Richfield 1° x 2° quadrangle, Utah, prepared under the Conterminuous United States Mineral Assessment Program. Other published geochemical maps in this folio are listed in the references (this publication). The Richfield quadrangle is located in west-central Utah and includes the eastern part of the Pioche-Marysvale igneous and mineral belt, which extends from the vicinity of Pioche in southeastern Nevada, east-northeastward for 155 miles into central Utah. The western two-thirds of the Richfield quadrangle is part of the Basin and Range province, whereas the eastern third is part of the High Plateaus of Utah, a subprovince of the Colorado Plateau. Bedrock in the northern part of the Richfield quadrangle consists predominantly of Late Proterozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary strata that were thrust eastward during the Sevier orogeny in Cretaceous time onto an autochthon of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks located in the eastern part of the quadrangle. The southern part of the quadrangle is largely underlain by Oligocene and younger volcanic rocks and related intrusions. Extensional tectonism in late Cenozoic time broke the bedrock terrain into a series of north-trending fault blocks; the uplifted mountain areas were eroded to various degrees and the resulting debris was deposited in adjacent basins. Most of the mineral deposits in the Pioche-Marysvale mineral belt were formed as a result of igneous activity in the middle and late Cenozoic time. A more complete description of the geology and a mineral-resource appraisal of the Richfield quadrangle appears in Steven and Morris (1984 and 1987). The regional sampling program was designed to define broad geochemical patterns and trends that can be utilized along with geological and geophysical data to assess the mineral-resource potential for this quadrangle. Reconnaissance geochemical surveys are valuable tools in mineral exploration, especially when used in conjunction with data obtained from other earth science disciplines. Identifying specific exploration targets generally involves additional, more detailed investigations.

The source of dissolved silicon in soil surface solutions of a temperate forest ecosystem: Ge/Si and Si isotope ratios as biogeochemical tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornelis, J.; Delvaux, B.; Cardinal, D.; André, L.; Ranger, J.; Opfergelt, S.

2010-12-01

Understand the biogeochemical cycle of silicon (Si) in the Earth’s critical zone and the dissolved Si transfer from the litho-pedosphere into the hydrosphere is of great interest for the global balance of biogeochemical processes, including the global C cycle. Indeed, the interaction between Si and C cycles regulates the atmospheric CO2 through the chemical weathering of silicate minerals, the C sequestration in stable organo-mineral compounds and the Si nutrition of phytoplankton CO2-consumers in oceans. H4SiO4 released by mineral dissolution contributes to the critical zone evolution through neoformation of secondary minerals, adsorption onto hydroxyl-bearing phases and recycling by vegetation and return of phytoliths on topsoil. The neoformation of secondary precipitates (clay minerals and phytoliths polymerized in plants) and adsorption of Si onto Fe and Al (hydr)oxides are processes favoring the light Si isotope incorporation, generating rivers enriched in heavy Si isotopes. On the other hand, clay minerals and phytoliths display contrasting Ge/Si ratios since clay-sized weathering products are enriched in Ge and phytoliths are depleted in Ge. Thus stable Si isotope and Ge/Si ratios constitute very interesting proxies to trace transfer of Si in the critical zone. Here we report Si isotopic and Ge/Si ratios of the different Si pools in a temperate soil-tree system (Breuil experimental forest, France) involving various tree species grown on Alumnic Cambisol derived from granitic bedrock. Relative to granitic bedrock (δ30Si = -0.07 ‰; Ge/Si = 2.5 µmol/mol), clay-sized minerals are enriched in 28Si (-1.07 ‰) and Ge (6.2 µmol/mol) while phytoliths are enriched in 28Si (-0.28 to -0.64 ‰) and depleted in Ge (0.1 to 0.3 µmol/mol). This contrast allows us to infer the relative contribution of litho/pedogenic and biogenic mineral dissolution on the release of H4SiO4 in soil surface solutions. The Si-isotope signatures and Ge/Si ratios of forest floor solutions evolve towards lighter values (-1.38 and -2.05 ‰) and higher Ge/Si ratios (2.7 µmol/mol) relative to granite bedrock. This suggests a partial dissolution of 28Si and Ge-enriched secondary clays minerals incorporated by bioturbation in organic-rich horizons, with a fractionation releasing preferentially light Si isotopes. Without considering that organic acids promote dissolution of minerals, clay minerals detected in the organic layer (vermiculite, chlorite, illite and Ca-montmorillonite) are not stable and could have been partially dissolved and transformed in the chemical environment of forest floor. Sources of H4SiO4 in forest floor solutions are influenced by tree species which control the extent of clay-sized minerals mixed in organic horizons by bioturbation and, to a lesser extent, the Si recycling by forest vegetation.

Raman spectroscopy of detrital garnet from the (U)HP terrane of eastern Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andò, Sergio; Baldwin, Suzanne L.; Fitzgerald, Paul G.; Malusà, Marco G.; Aliatis, Irene; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Garzanti, Eduardo

2013-04-01

Garnet is one of the most widespread heavy minerals in sediments derived from orogenic systems. Its chemical composition varies systematically with temperature and pressure conditions, and thus provides information on the metamorphic evolution of source areas that is crucial in tectonic and geodynamic reconstructions. Garnet is easily identified in mineral grain mounts and is relatively stable during burial diagenesis. Raman spectroscopy allows rapid determination of garnet compositions in grain mounts or thin sections of sand and sandstone samples, and can be used to assess their density and chemical composition quite accurately ("MIRAGEM" method of Bersani et al., 2009; Andò et al., 2009). In the D'Entrecastreaux Islands of southeastern Papua New Guinea, the world's youngest (U)HP rocks are exposed. There, mafic rocks and their felsic host gneisses were metamorphosed under eclogite facies conditions from late Miocene to Pliocene, before being exhumed from depths of ~90 km (Baldwin et al., 2004, 2008). The eclogite preserves a peak assemblage of garnet, omphacite, rutile, phengite and Si02 (Hill and Baldwin, 1993). A coesite-eclogite has been found in one small island outcrop. In order to sample garnet populations representative of a larger geographical area, we sampled and studied a heavy-mineral-dominated placer sand (HMC 80) from a beach from SE Goodenough Island. Garnet grains in beach sand are associated with blue-green to subordinately green-brown amphibole and minor epidote, omphacitic clinopyroxene, titanite, apatite and rutile. The subordinate low-density fraction is feldspatho-quartzose with high-rank metamorphic rock fragments and biotite (Q62 F35 Lm2; MI 360). Detrital garnets are mostly classified as almandine with relatively high Mg and Ca and lacking Mn, typical of the eclogite facies (Win et al., 2007; type Ci garnets of Mange and Morton 2007; Andò et al., 2013). In well-described stratigraphic sequences within syn-and post-tectonic basins adjacent to orogenic systems, Raman-assisted heavy-mineral studies allow us to detect the first arrival of eclogitic garnet, and thus to assess the minimum age of exhumation and final unroofing of high-pressure rocks (Malusà et al., 2011; Malusà and Garzanti, 2012). However, in the (U)HP terrane of southeastern Papua New Guinea, sediments derived from the actively exhuming D'Entrecasteaux Island core complexes are still being deposited offshore, are rarely preserved sub-aerially, and as such stratigraphic constraints are limited. Raman analysis of detrital garnets from placer sand thus provides invaluable constraints to compare with mineral assemblages preserved in exhumed eclogites. REFERENCES Andò S., Bersani D., Vignola P., Garzanti E. 2009. Raman spectroscopy as an effective tool for high-resolution heavy-mineral analysis: Examples from major Himalayan and Alpine fluvio-deltaic systems. Spectrochim. Acta A73:450-455. Andò S., Morton A., Garzanti E. 2013. Metamorphic grade of source rocks revealed by chemical fingerprints of detrital amphibole and garnet. Geol. Soc. London Spec. Publ. Sediment Provenance Studies in Hydrocarbon Exploration & Production. Baldwin S.L., Monteleone B., Webb L.E., Fitzgerald P.G., Grove M., Hill E.J. 2004. Pliocene eclogite exhumation at plate tectonic rates in eastern Papua New Guinea. Nature 431:263-267. Baldwin S.L., Webb L.E., Monteleone B.D. 2008. Late Miocene coesite-eclogite exhumed in the Woodlark Rift. Geology 36:735-738 Bersani D., Andò S., Vignola P., Moltifiori G., Marino I.G., Lottici P.P., Diella V., 2009. Micro-Raman spectroscopy as a routine tool for garnet analysis. Spectrochim. Acta A73:484-491. Hill E.J., Baldwin S.L. 1993. Exhumation of high-pressure metamorphic rocks during crustal extension in the D'Entrecasteaux region, Papua New Guinea. J. Metam. Geol. 11:261-277. Malusà M.G., Faccenna C., Garzanti E., Polino R. 2011. Divergence in subduction zones and exhumation of high-pressure rocks (Eocene Western Alps). Earth Pl. Sci. Lett. 310:21-32. Malusà M.G., Garzanti E. 2012. Actualistic snapshot of the early Oligocene Alps: the Alps-Apennines knot detangled. Terra Nova 24:1-6. Mange M.A., Morton A.C. 2007. Geochemistry of Heavy Minerals. In: Mange, M.A. & Wright, D.T. (Eds) Heavy Minerals in Use, Developments in Sedimentology 58:345-391. Win K.S., Takeuchi M., Tokiwa T. 2007. Changes in detrital garnet assemblages related to transpressive uplifting associated with strike-slip faulting: an example from the Cretaceous System in Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan. Sedim. Geol. 201:412-431.

Distribution, relationship, and risk assessment of toxic heavy metals in walnuts and growth soil.

PubMed

Han, Yongxiang; Ni, Zhanglin; Li, Shiliang; Qu, Minghua; Tang, Fubin; Mo, Runhong; Ye, Caifen; Liu, Yihua

2018-04-14

Walnut is one of the most popular nuts worldwide and contains various mineral nutrients. Little is known, however, about the relationship between toxic heavy metals in walnuts and growth soil. In this study, we investigated the distribution, relationship, and risk assessment of five toxic heavy metals-lead (Pb), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)-in walnuts and growth soil in the main production areas of China. The results showed that the main heavy metal pollution in walnut and soil was Pb and Cd. Regionally, positive relationships existed between heavy metals and the pH and organic matter of soil. In addition, we observed a notable uptake effect between walnut and growth soil. In this study, we found a significant correlation (r = 0.786, P < 0.05) between the bioconcentration factors and the longitude of the sampling areas. The risks (total hazard quotients) of five heavy metals toward children and adults by dietary walnut consumption were 46.8 and 56.2%, respectively. The ability to identify toxic heavy metal pollution in walnuts and growth soil could be helpful to screen suitable planting sites to prevent and control heavy metal pollution and improve the quality and safety of walnut.

Ecological risk assessment on heavy metals in soils: Use of soil diffuse reflectance mid-infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Wang, Cheng; Li, Wei; Guo, Mingxing; Ji, Junfeng

2017-01-01

The bioavailability of heavy metals in soil is controlled by their concentrations and soil properties. Diffuse reflectance mid-infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is capable of detecting specific organic and inorganic bonds in metal complexes and minerals and therefore, has been employed to predict soil composition and heavy metal contents. The present study explored the potential of DRIFTS for estimating soil heavy metal bioavailability. Soil and corresponding wheat grain samples from the Yangtze River Delta region were analyzed by DRIFTS and chemical methods. Statistical regression analyses were conducted to correlate the soil spectral information to the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Hg and Fe in wheat grains. The principal components in the spectra influencing soil heavy metal bioavailability were identified and used in prediction model construction. The established soil DRIFTS-based prediction models were applied to estimate the heavy metal concentrations in wheat grains in the mid-Yangtze River Delta area. The predicted heavy metal concentrations of wheat grain were highly consistent with the measured levels by chemical analysis, showing a significant correlation (r2 > 0.72) with acceptable root mean square error RMSE. In conclusion, DRIFTS is a promising technique for assessing the bioavailability of soil heavy metals and related ecological risk. PMID:28198802

X-Ray Diffraction of different samples of Swarna Makshika Bhasma.

PubMed

Gupta, Ramesh Kumar; Lakshmi, Vijay; Jha, Chandra Bhushan

2015-01-01

Shodhana and Marana are a series of complex procedures that identify the undesirable effects of heavy metals/minerals and convert them into absorbable and assimilable forms. Study on the analytical levels is essential to evaluate the structural and chemical changes that take place during and after following such procedures as described in major classical texts to understand the mystery behind these processes. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) helps to identify and characterize minerals/metals and fix up the particular characteristics pattern of prepared Bhasma. To evaluate the chemical changes in Swarna Makshika Bhasma prepared by using different media and methods. In this study, raw Swarna Makshika, purified Swarna Makshika and four types of Swarna Makshika Bhasma prepared by using different media and methods were analyzed by XRD study. XRD study of different samples revealed strongest peaks of iron oxide in Bhasma. Other phases of Cu2O, FeS2, Cu2S, FeSO4, etc., were also identified in many of the samples. XRD study revealed that Swarna Makshika Bhasma prepared by Kupipakwa method is better, convenient, and can save time.

Phthalates and heavy metals as endocrine disruptors in food: A study on pre-packed coffee products.

PubMed

De Toni, Luca; Tisato, Francesco; Seraglia, Roberta; Roverso, Marco; Gandin, Valentina; Marzano, Cristina; Padrini, Roberto; Foresta, Carlo

2017-01-01

Phthalate plasticizers and heavy metals are widely recognized to be pollutants that interfere with key developmental processes such as masculinization. We investigated the release of phthalates and heavy metals in coffee brewed from coffee packed in single-serve coffee containers made from different types of materials: metal, biodegradable and plastics. We detected with GC-MS small amounts phthalates, below the tolerated daily risks levels, in all the coffees prepared from the different types of capsules. Specifically, Di (2-ethyl-hexyl)-phthalate and DiBP: Diisobuthyl-pthalate were ubiquitously present despite the high variability among the samples (respective range 0.16-1.87 μg/mL and 0.01-0.36 μg/mL). Whereas, diethyl-phthalate (range 0.20-0.26 μg/mL) and di- n -buthyl-phthalate (range 0.02-0.14 μg/mL) were detected respectively in one and three out of the four types of capsule tested. In contrast, we detected by atomic mass spectrometry on mineralized samples heavy metals lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni), in all coffee tested. PB levels (respective range 0.32-211.57 μg/dose) accounted for 42-79%, whereas Ni levels (respective range 166.25-1950.26 μg/dose) accounted for >100% of the tolerable daily intake. These results add to the already present concerns related to the multiple pathways of human exposure and the ubiquitous presence of these pollutants in consumer products and their long-term effect on human health.

Potential human health risks associated with historic ore processing at Berg Aukas, Grootfontein area, Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapani, Benjamin; Ellmies, Rainer; Kamona, Frederick; Kříbek, Bohdan; Majer, Vladimír; Knésl, Ilja; Pašava, Jan; Mufenda, Maria; Mbingeneeko, Filadelphia

2010-11-01

Health risks to people living at Berg Aukas have been identified through a geochemical study of mine dumps and soils at Berg Aukas. Berg Aukas once served as a mining town, where ores of Pb, V, and Zn were mined and roasted on site until 1979. Roasting of ores produced an unintended hazardous risk in the surrounding area. For this study, soil, crops, and water from the Berg Aukas area were analysed for various pollutants. The main pollutants are metals like Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As, Hg and Mo. They are bound to layered silicates, to easily soluble sulphide minerals, or occur in native form. The analytical results show severe heavy metal contamination of the surface soils south and east of Berg Aukas. Crops grown at the National Youth Service, like sweet potatoes, cabbage, and Irish potatoes, accumulate heavy elements that are deleterious to health. Prolonged exposure to As and heavy metals in concentrations as found in the soils and some crops in Berg Aukas can cause severe health problems like diabetes, skin lesions, bladder problems, neurological effects, as well as skin, kidney or lung cancer. Pb affects mental development of children and Pbs to brain retardation. The study aims to help the local community to delineate no-go areas for agricultural use and to either diversify the crops grown on contaminated soils or to grow crops that are less vulnerable to high heavy metal contents in soils or transfer the crops grown on contaminated soils to areas that are not contaminated.

Occupational exposure to mineral turpentine and heavy fuels: a possible risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Helou, Rafik; Jaecker, Pierre

2014-05-01

The association between solvents and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been the subject of several studies. Yet, only few studies have examined the various solvents separately, and the controls have rarely been monitored long enough. For these reasons and others, we believe that further studies are required. The objective of this study was to identify solvents associated with the clinicoradiological diagnostic of AD or mixed-type dementia (MD). A retrospective case-control study was performed in 156 patients followed up at the Memory Diagnostic Center of Bertinot Juel Hospital (France). The inclusion criteria were known occupation(s), a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥10 at the first visit, a neuropsychological evaluation performed and a diagnosis established in our Memory Diagnostic Center. The diagnostics were crossed with 9 solvents belonging to two classes of solvents. Exposure was evaluated using French national job-exposure matrices. Certain petroleum-based solvents and fuels (i.e. mineral turpentine, diesel fuel, fuel oil and kerosene) were associated with a diagnosis of AD or MD. This association was still significant after adjustment for age, sex and education (adjusted OR: 6.5; 95% CI: 2-20). Occupational exposure to mineral turpentine and heavy fuels may be a risk factor for AD and MD.

Trace element carriers in combined sewer during dry and wet weather: an electron microscope investigation.

PubMed

El Samrani, A G; Lartiges, B S; Ghanbaja, J; Yvon, J; Kohler, A

2004-04-01

The nature of trace element carriers contained in sewage and combined sewer overflow (CSO) was investigated by TEM-EDX-Electron diffraction and SEM-EDX. During dry weather, chalcophile elements were found to accumulate in sewer sediments as early diagenetic sulfide phases. The sulfurization of some metal alloys was also evidenced. Other heavy metal carriers detected in sewage include metal alloys, some iron oxihydroxide phases and neoformed phosphate minerals such as anapaite. During rain events, the detailed characterization of individual mineral species allowed to differentiate the contributions from various specific sources. Metal plating particles, barite from automobile brake, or rare earth oxides from catalytic exhaust pipes, originate from road runoff, whereas PbSn alloys and lead carbonates are attributed to zinc-works from roofs and paint from building siding. Soil contribution can be traced by the presence of clay minerals, iron oxihydroxides, zircons and rare earth phosphates. However, the most abundant heavy metal carriers in CSO samples were the sulfide particles eroded from sewer sediments. The evolution of relative abundances of trace element carriers during a single storm event, suggests that the pollution due to the "first flush" effect principally results from the sewer stock of sulfides and previously deposited metal alloys, rather than from urban surface runoff.

Phosphate rock formation and marine phosphorus geochemistry: the deep time perspective.

PubMed

Filippelli, Gabriel M

2011-08-01

The role that phosphorite formation, the ultimate source rock for fertilizer phosphate reserves, plays in the marine phosphorus (P) cycle has long been debated. A shift has occurred from early models that evoked strikingly different oceanic P cycling during times of widespread phosphorite deposition to current thinking that phosphorite deposits may be lucky survivors of a series of inter-related tectonic, geochemical, sedimentological, and oceanic conditions. This paradigm shift has been facilitated by an awareness of the widespread nature of phosphogenesis-the formation of authigenic P-bearing minerals in marine sediments that contributes to phosphorite formation. This process occurs not just in continental margin sediments, but in deep sea oozes as well, and helps to clarify the driving forces behind phosphorite formation and links to marine P geochemistry. Two processes come into play to make phosphorite deposits: chemical dynamism and physical dynamism. Chemical dynamism involves the diagenetic release and subsequent concentration of P-bearing minerals particularly in horizons, controlled by a number of sedimentological and biogeochemical factors. Physical dynamism involves the reworking and sedimentary capping of P-rich sediments, which can either concentrate the relatively heavy and insoluble disseminated P-bearing minerals or provide an episodic change in sedimentology to concentrate chemically mobilized P. Both processes can result from along-margin current dynamics and/or sea level variations. Interestingly, net P accumulation rates are highest (i.e., the P removal pump is most efficient) when phosphorites are not forming. Both physical and chemical pathways involve processes not dominant in deep sea environments and in fact not often coincide in space and time even on continental margins, contributing to the rarity of high-quality phosphorite deposits and the limitation of phosphate rock reserves. This limitation is becoming critical, as the human demand for P far outstrips the geologic replacement for P and few prospects exist for new discoveries of phosphate rock. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the behaviour of Mg isotopes during the formation of clay minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimpenny, Joshua; Colla, Christopher A.; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Rustad, James R.; Casey, William H.

2014-03-01

We present elemental and isotopic data detailing how the Mg isotope system behaves in natural and experimentally synthesized clay minerals. We show that the bulk Mg isotopic composition (δ26Mg) of a set of natural illite, montmorillonite and kaolinite spans a 2‰ range, and that their isotopic composition depends strongly on a balance between the relative proportions of structural and exchangeable Mg. After acid leaching, these natural clays become relatively enriched in isotopically heavy Mg by between 0.2‰ and 1.6‰. Results of exchange experiments indicate that the Mg that has adsorbed to interlayer spaces and surface charged sites is relatively enriched in isotopically light Mg compared to the residual clay. The isotopic composition of this exchangeable Mg (-1.49‰ to -2.03‰) is characteristic of the isotopic composition of Mg found in many natural waters. Further experiments with an isotopically characterized MgCl2 solution shows that the clay minerals adsorb this exchangeable Mg with little or no isotopic fractionation, although we cannot discount the possibility that the uptake of exchangeable Mg does so with a slight preference for 24Mg. To characterize the behaviour of Mg isotopes during clay mineral formation we synthesized brucite (Mg(OH)2), which we consider to be a good analogue for the incorporation of Mg into the octahedral sheet of Mg-rich clay minerals or into the brucitic layer of clays such as chlorite. In our experiment the brucite mineral becomes enriched in the heavy isotopes of Mg while the corresponding solution is always relatively enriched in isotopically light Mg. The system reaches a steady state after 10 days with a final fractionation factor (αsolid-solution) of 1.0005 at near-neutral pH. This result is consistent with the general consensus that secondary clay minerals preferentially take up isotopically heavy Mg during their formation. However our results also show that exchangeable Mg is an important component within bulk clay minerals and can have an important influence over the bulk clay δ26Mg value. Modeling shows that in certain soils or sediments where the percentage of exchangeable Mg is >30% and the isotopic composition of the exchangeable Mg is around -2‰, the generation of bulk δ26Mg values of <-0.5‰ is likely. On a broader scale, Mg-rich minerals such as smectite and illite are likely to impart a stronger control over the Mg budget in clay rich sediments, and their high structural Mg component is likely to result in bulk sediment δ26Mg values that are closer in composition to the UCC. Despite this, results of modeling, together with experimental observation suggests that the uptake of exchangeable Mg into these clay rich sediments could cause a decrease in the bulk δ26Mg value by up to ˜0.3-0.4‰. This should be accounted for when assessing the δ26Mg value of sediments on a crustal scale.

Preliminary Assessment Springfield Air National Guard Base, Ohio Air National Guard, Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, Springfield, Ohio and Blue Ash Air National Guard Station, Ohio Air National Guard, Cincinnati, Ohio

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

called soapstone . The third member of the Niagaran Series, the Laurel Dolomite, is thinly bedded, bluish-gray in color, and approximately 5 to 9 feet...slopes of hills. This m formation has a total thickness of 250 feet, and includes beds of limestone, soft shale, clay, or soapstone . The shales...INTERBEDDED. IRON [mineral] - A heavy, magnetic , malleable and ductile, and chemically active mineral, the native metallic element Fe. JP-4 - A type

30 CFR 75.1908 - Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment; categories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment... LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Diesel-Powered Equipment § 75.1908 Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment; categories. (a) Heavy-duty diesel-powered...

30 CFR 75.1908 - Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment; categories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment... LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Diesel-Powered Equipment § 75.1908 Nonpermissible diesel-powered equipment; categories. (a) Heavy-duty diesel-powered...

Survey of toxicity and carcinogenity of mineral deposits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Furst, A.; Harding-Barlow, I.

1981-11-03

The toxicities and biogeochemical cycles of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel are reviewed in some detail, and other trace elements briefly mentioned. These heavy metals are used as a framework within which the problem of low-level radioactive waste disposal can be compared. (ACR)

Summary geochemical maps for samples of rock, stream sediment, and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate, Sweetwater Roadless Area, Mono County, California and Lyon and Douglas Counties, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, Maurice A.

1986-01-01

Map A shows the locations of all sites where rock samples were collected for this report and the distributions of anomalous concentrations for 12 elements in the 127 rock samples collected. In a similar manner, map B shows the collection sites for 59 samples of minus-60-mesh stream sediment, and 59 samples of nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate derived from stream sediment and also shows the distributions of anomalous concentrations for 13 elements in the stream-sediment samples and 17 elements in the concentrate samples. Map C shows outlines of those drainage basins containing samples of stream sediment and concentrate with anomalous element concentrations and also shows weighted values for each outlined basin based on the number of elements with anomalous concentrations in each stream-sediment and concentrate sample and on the degree to which these concentrations are anomalous in each sample.

Speciation and distribution of cadmium and lead in salinized horizons of antrosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgariu, D.; Bulgariu, L.; Astefanei, D.

2009-04-01

The utilization of intensive technologies for the vegetable cultivation in glass houses by the administration of high doses of organic fertilizes, the supra-dimensional irrigation and the maintaining of soil at high humidity state, in special in case of vicious drainage have as result the rapid degradation of morphological, chemical and physical characteristics of soils, concretized by: (i) decrease of structural aggregates stability; (ii) more dense packing of soil; (iii) accumulation of easy soluble salts (in special at superior horizons level); (iv) limitation of organic compounds and micro-elements biodisponibility. All these determined a significant reduction of productivity and of exploitation duration of soils from glass houses. These phenomena modified continuously the dynamic of speciation processes and inter-phases distribution, of heavy metals in soils from glass houses, and can determined a non-controlled accumulation of heavy metals, in special as mobile forms with high biodisponibility. Ours studied have been performed using soil profiles drawing from Copou-glass house, Iasi (Romania). Has been followed the modification of distribution for speciation forms of cadmium and lead (two heavy metals with high toxicity degree), between hortic antrosol horizons, and between chemical-mineralogical components of this, with the progressive salinization of superior horizons, in 2007-2008 period. The separation, differentiation and determination of cadmium and lead speciation forms was done by combined solid-liquid sequential extraction (SPE) and extraction in aqueous polymer-inorganic salt two-phase systems (ABS) procedure, presented in some of ours previous studies. After extraction, the total contents of the two heavy metals and fractions from these differential bonded by mineral and organic components of hortic antrosol have been determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The specific interaction mechanisms of Cd and Pb with organic-mineral components of soils have been estimated on the basis of Raman and FT-IR spectra, recorded for fractions obtained after each extraction step. These data were correlated with those obtained by chemical analysis and UV-VIS spectrometry, and were used for to establish the type and weight of Cd and Pb speciation forms in studied antrosol. Our studies have been show that in medium and inferior horizons of hortic antrosols, the heavy metals have a general accumulation tendency, preferential by binding on organic matter and organic-mineral complexes, components with higher abundance in such type of soils. The selectivity and complexation mechanisms are controlled by speciation forms of the two metals. This phenomenon has two important consequences, the strong fixation of heavy metals in hortic antrosol and significant modification of structure and conformation of organic macromolecules. A specific phenomenon of hortic antrosols is that the accumulation rate of heavy metals is higher than levigation rate, and the mobile forms of these have a higher biodisponibility, being relative easy assimilated by plants. The progressive salinization of superior horizons of soils from glass houses, determined a sever perturbation of equilibrium between Cd and Pb speciation forms. In consequence these will have an accentuated migration tendency in superior horizons, as complexes with inorganic ligands, with a high mobility and biodsiponibility. The accumulation of soluble salts in superior horizons, and the formation of frangipane horizon (horizon of geochemical segregation of hortic antrosols) modified the ionic strength from soil solution and the thermodynamic activity of cadmium and lead species. Under these conditions, the levigation rate of cadmium and lead is higher than the accumulation rate, which means that the migration of these metals in soil solution occurs fast and in high concentrations. Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from Romanian Ministry of Education and Research (Project PNCDI 2-D5 no. 51045/07 an Project PNCDI 2-D5 no. 52141 / 08).

The assessment of bore-hole water quality of Kakamega County, Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christine, Adika A.; Kibet, Joshua K.; Kiprop, Ambsrose K.; Were, Munyendo L.

2018-03-01

Numerous deleterious impacts of anthropogenic activities on water quality are typically observed in areas bursting with mineral exploitation, agricultural activities, and industrial processes. Therefore, this contribution details the water quality and water origin in selected hand-dug wells of one the most prominent mining areas in Kenya (Kakamega County). The toxicological impacts of drinking water from a mining site may include cancer and genetic aberrations largely because of the toxic effects of waterborne metals including Hg and As. Accordingly, this study focuses primarily on the investigation of heavy metals, essential elements such as Na and K. Heavy metals and essential elements were determined using spectroscopic and titrimetric techniques. The study revealed that mercury (Hg) concentration ranged between 0.00256 and 0.0611 ± 0.00005 mg/L while arsenic (As) concentration ranged from 0.0103 to 0.0119 ± 0.00005 mg/L. The concentration of potassium ranged from 2.53 to 4.08 ± 0.15 mg/L while that of sodium varied from 6.74 to 9.260 ± 0.2 mg/L. Although the concentration of cadmium was lower than that recommended by W.H.O, the concentrations of Hg, Pb, and As in Kakamega waters were higher than the internationally accepted levels. The generally high level of heavy metals in Kakamega bore-hole waters is, therefore, a public health concern that needs immediate intervention.

From Mars Meteorites to Laboratory Investigations: Understanding Heterogeneous Photochemical Transformations Using Oxygen Triple Isotope Anomalies of Carbonates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaheen, R.; Smirnova, V.; Jackson, T. L.; Mang, L.; Thiemens, M. H.

2016-12-01

The planet Mars is unique in our solar system with a positive O-isotope anomaly observed in its bulk silicate and carbonates minerals ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 ‰. The carbonate isotopic signature can be used to reveal its origin, past history and atmosphere-hydrosphere-geosphere-interactions. Ozone is a powerful natural tracer of photochemical processes in Earth's atmosphere. It possess the highest enrichment in heavy isotopes δ17O ≈ δ18O (70-150‰) and oxygen isotopic anomaly (Δ17O = 30-40‰). The oxygen isotopic anomaly from ozone is transferred to other oxygen carrying molecules in the atmosphere through different mechanisms. Laboratory experiments were conducted with the JSC-Mars Simulant and iron oxide to investigate how this anomaly can be transferred to water and minerals under conditions similar to present day Mars. Three sets of laboratory experiments (O3-H2O-UV-minerals; O2-H2O-UV-minerals; O3-H2O-minerals) were performed. The oxygen triple isotopic analysis of product mineral carbonates formed from adsorbed CO2 reaction showed an oxygen isotopic anomaly (Δ17O = 0.4-3‰). The oxygen triple isotopic composition of water at photochemical equilibrium shifted towards ozone with Δ17O = 9‰ indicating reaction of ozone with water vapor via electronically excited oxygen atoms and transfer of the anomaly via hydroxyl radicals. HOx (HO, HO2) are extremely reactive and have very short life time (< μs), however, our data indicate that its signature is preserved through surficial interactions with adsorbed CO2 on mineral surfaces. Hydroxyl radicals may have played a significant role in heterogeneous photochemical transformations on mineral dust in the atmosphere of Mars and transfer of ozone anomaly to water and other oxygen bearing minerals through surficial reactions. Series of experiments were performed to constrain the amount of H2O required to preserve the oxygen isotope anomaly observed in carbonate minerals in the Martian meteorites. These observation will help refine Mars photochemistry models and also to constrain the past hydrological cycle and its coupling with the regolith. The observed inverse correlation between ozone and water vapor also suggests a dynamic role of hydroxyl radical chemistry in the atmosphere of Mars.

Geology of the Göçükdibi Cu-Pb-Zn Mineralization, Gökçedoǧan, Çorum (Turkey): Preliminary Findings on Its Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalçin, Cihan; Hanilçi, Nurullah; Kumral, Mustafa; Abdelnasser, Amr

2016-04-01

Göçükdibi Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization is located 3 km north west of Gökçedoǧan village where is 30 km east of the Kargı, Çorum. The geology of the mineralization area is represented by Mesozoic and Upper Pliocene lithostratigraphic units in different origin. These units with respect to their structural locations have identified as autochthonous and allachtonous. The autochthonous units which are the basement of the region are represented by Bekirli Metamorphites (Triassic-Liassic) and Beşpınar formation (Upper Cretaceous-Lower Eocene) which overlies the Bekirli Metamorphites as angular discordance. The allachtonous units are represented by Saraycık formation belongs to Kargı Ophioltic Melange, and located on the autochthonous units as tectonically. These allocthonous units are the product of the Neotethyan Ocean. The autochthonous and allachtonous units are overlaid by Upper Pliocene Ilgaz Formation and Plio-Quaternary stream sediments. The Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization is located in northwest of the Gökçedoǧan village within the Bekirli Metamorphites. The ore zone has N80E direction, 5 m wide and 120 m in length. The mineralizations which follow NE-SW trending structural line occurred as alternation with quartz-chlorite schists of the Bekirli Metamorphites. The mineralization is generally concordant to the foliation of schist's and also occurred as disseminated in the wall rocks. The ore paragenesis comprises with pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galenit as the main sulphide minerals, and the malachite, azurite and limonite as the production of the oxidation. Preliminary data such as relationship between the ore and host rock, inner-structure of the ore and indicate that the Gökçedoǧan Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization was likely to have originated syngenetic. In addition, the geochemical behaviour of rare earth elements (REE) of the altered and mineralized samples collected from the alteration zone show that light REE enrichment with fair depletion of heavy REE during the alteration processes with positive Eu anomalies. As well as there is a positive correlation between K2O index and LREE that reveal the addition of K and La and the sericitization is the main alteration associated with the studied deposit. Key Words: Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization, Syngenetic, Bekirli Metamorphites, Gökçedoǧan.

Characteristics of and sorption to biochars derived from waste material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Huichao; Kah, Melanie; Sigmund, Gabriel; Hofmann, Thilo

2015-04-01

Biochars can exhibit a high sorption potential towards heavy metals and organic contaminants in various environmental matrices (e.g., water, soil). They have therefore been proposed for environmental remediation purposes to sequester contaminants. To date, most studies have focused on the physicochemical and sorption properties of mineral phases poor biochars, which are typically produced from plant residues. Only little knowledge is available for biochars derived from human and animal waste material, which are typically characterized by high mineral contents (e.g., sewage sludge, manure). Using human and animal waste as source material to produce biochars would support the development of attractive combined strategies for waste management and remediation. The potential impact of mineral phases on the physicochemical and sorption properties of biochars requires further studies so that the potential as sorbent material can be evaluated. With this purpose, different source material biochars were produced at 200°C, 350°C and 500°C, to yield a series of biochars representing a range of mineral content. The derived biochars from wood shavings (<1% ash), sewage sludge (50-70% ash) and pig manure (30-60% ash), as well as a commercial biochar derived from grain husks (40% ash), were extensively characterized (e.g., element composition, surface area, porosity, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). The contents of potentially toxic elements (i.e., heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) of all materials were within the guidelines values proposed by the International Biochar Initiative, indicating their suitability for environmental application. Single point sorption coefficients for the model sorbate pyrene were measured to investigate the effect of mineral content, feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, particle size fractions and acid demineralization on sorption behavior. Overall, sorption of pyrene was strong for all materials (4 < Log Kd < 6.5 L/kg). Sorption generally increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature but there was no effect of particle size on sorption affinity. For mineral phase rich biochars, sorption generally increased after acid demineralization. When considering all materials together, the sorbent aromaticity (hydrogen-carbon ratio) was the most important factor controlling sorption of pyrene. Overall, the study demonstrates that biochars derived from human and animal waste material and exhibiting high mineral contents have potential for remediation applications.

Evaluation of Earth's Geobiosphere Emergy Baseline and the Emergy of Crustal Cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Vilbiss, Chris

This dissertation quantitatively analyzed the exergy supporting the nucleosynthesis of the heavy isotopes, Earth's geobiosphere, and its crustal cycling. Exergy is that portion of energy that is available to drive work. The exergy sources that drive the geobiosphere are sunlight, Earth's rotational kinetic energy and relic heat, and radionuclides in Earth's interior. These four exergy sources were used to compute the Earth's geobiosphere emergy baseline (GEB), expressed as a single unit, solar equivalent joules (seJ). The seJ of radionuclides were computed by determining the quantity of gravitational exergy that dissipated in the production of both sunlight and heavy isotopes. This is a new method of computing solar equivalences also was applied to Earth's relic heat and rotational energy. The equivalent quantities of these four exergy sources were then added to express the GEB. This new baseline was compared with several other contemporary GEB methods. The new GEB is modeled as the support to Earth's crustal cycle and ultimately to the economical mineral deposits used in the US economy. Given the average annual cycling of crustal material and its average composition, specific emergies were calculated to express the average emergy per mass of particular crustal minerals. Chemical exergies of the minerals were used to develop transformities and specific emergies of minerals at heightened concentrations, i.e. minable concentrations. The effect of these new mineral emergy values were examined using the US economy as an example. The final result is an 83% reduction in the emergy of limestone, a 91% reduction in the aggregated emergy of all other minerals, and a 23% reduction in the emergy of the US economy. This dissertation explored three unique and innovative methods to compute the emergy of Earth's exergy sources and resources. First was a method for computing the emergy of radionuclides. Second was a method to evaluate the Earth's relic heat and dissipation of gravitational exergy that uses forward computation. Third is a more consistent method to compute the emergy value of crustal minerals based on their chemical exergy.

Stable Te isotope fractionation in tellurium-bearing minerals from precious metal hydrothermal ore deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornadel, Andrew P.; Spry, Paul G.; Haghnegahdar, Mojhgan A.; Schauble, Edwin A.; Jackson, Simon E.; Mills, Stuart J.

2017-04-01

The tellurium isotope compositions of naturally-occurring tellurides, native tellurium, and tellurites were measured by multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) and compared to theoretical values for equilibrium mass-dependent isotopic fractionation of representative Te-bearing species estimated with first-principles thermodynamic calculations. Calculated fractionation models suggest that 130/125Te fractionations as large as 4‰ occur at 100 °C between coexisting tellurates (Te VI) and tellurides (Te -II) or or native tellurium Te(0), and smaller, typically <1‰, fractionations occur between coexisting Te(-I) or Te(-II) (Au,Ag)Te2 minerals (i.e., calaverite, krennerite) and (Au,Ag)2Te minerals (i.e., petzite, hessite). In general, heavyTe/lightTe is predicted to be higher for more oxidized species, and lower for reduced species. Tellurides in the system Au-Ag-Te and native tellurium analyzed in this study have values of δ130/125Te = -1.54‰ to 0.44‰ and δ130/125Te = -0.74‰ to 0.16‰, respectively, whereas those for tellurites (tellurite, paratellurite, emmonsite and poughite) range from δ130/125Te = -1.58‰ to 0.59‰. Thus, the isotopic composition for both oxidized and reduced species are broadly coincident. Calculations of per mil isotopic variation per amu for each sample suggest that mass-dependent processes are responsible for fractionation. In one sample of coexisting primary native tellurium and secondary emmonsite, δ130/125Te compositions were identical. The coincidence of δ130/125Te between all oxidized and reduced species in this study and the apparent lack of isotopic fractionation between native tellurium and emmonsite in one sample suggest that oxidation processes cause little to no fractionation. Because Te is predominantly transported as an oxidized aqueous phase or as a reduced vapor phase under hydrothermal conditions, either a reduction of oxidized Te in hydrothermal liquids or deposition of Te from a reduced vapor to a solid is necessary to form the common tellurides and native tellurium in ore-forming systems. Our data suggest that these sorts of reactions during mineralization may account for a ∼3‰ range of δ130/125Te values. Based on the data ranges for Te minerals from various ore deposits, the underpinning geologic processes responsible for mineralization seem to have primary control on the magnitude of fractionation, with tellurides in epithermal gold deposits showing a narrower range of isotope values than those in orogenic gold and volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits.

Concentrations of selected heavy metals in bryophyte tissues at Cu-mine heap Podlipa in Ľubietová (Central Slovakia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Širka, Pavel; Midula, Pavol

2017-04-01

Mine heaps and wastes created by mining industry belong to one of the most extreme man-made habitat types. In addition to their specific microclimatic conditions mine heaps are also characterized by increased contents of heavy metals and toxic substances in the soil substrate. These substances are transported into plant bodies and create difficult conditions for their growth. However, there are some plants that can cope with extremely high metal contents and are capable of growing on metalliferous habitats. These plants develop unique adaptation mechanisms and basically represent modified ecotypes with specific tolerances to certain heavy metals adapted through microevolutionary processes. The toxic effects of heavy metals on vascular plants are known for quite a long time, however, bryophytes are also known to accumulate certain heavy metals without any visible signs of damage. Because of this ability they have been successfully used in biomonitoring. Chemical analysis of contaminants in samples of bryophytes can reflect the state of environmental pollution. The aim of this work was to analyze the concentrations of 6 heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cd) in tissues of 16 bryophyte samples at an abandoned Cu deposit Podlipa in Ľubietová and to compare them with concentrations of these elemens in soil samples and 9 vascular plant species (belonging to different growth forms) in a research performed by Andráš et al. (2014) in the studied area. Bryophytes were collected at 10 sampling sites randomly chosen in the dump-field area and consist of 14 different moss species. Only above-ground parts of bryophyte thalli (separated from rhizoids, gravel, soil, needles etc.) were used for analysis. Samples were dried at room temperature and subjected to microwave mineralization (MWS - 2 Berghof). The detailed procedure is defined in the Application Report MWS - 2 / Food, Pharma, Cosmetics (Berghof). In order to determine the concentrations of studied elements, atomic absorption spectrometry with flame atomization (AVANTA Σ, GBC) was used. Concentrations of Fe in bryophyte samples were significantly higher compared to those in the soil and on average quite similar to those in vascular plants. Differences in contents of Cu were the most significant from all analyzed chemical elements. The highest concentrations of Cu in bryophyte samples were observed in both samples (9 and 10) of Pohlia drummondii (4010.3 mg.kg-1 and 1900.8 mg.kg-1 respectivelly), which in sample 9 was 18 to 470 times higher than in other bryophyte samples, slightly higher than the average value in the soil (3253 mg.kg-1) and considerably higher than in the leaves of Mentha longifolia (173.3 mg.kg-1), which had the highest concentration of Cu among vascular plants. Concentrations of Zn and Cd in bryophyte samples were on average slightly higher than in soil and vascular plant samples. On average, concentrations of Pb were considerably lower in bryophyte samples than in soil and vascular plant species. No significant differences were observed in Mn. Given their specific anatomy and morphology, there is a dispute in various studies as to whether a certain heavy metal is indeed the controlling factor for the distribution of bryophytes on metal-contaminated sites. Perhaps the tendency of these mosses to grow on mineralized substrates is a species characteristic, not a mutual one. Detailed study of bryophytes in relation to phytoextraction or phytostabilization of heavy metals may be used in succession management process aimed at restoring the environment, particularly the soil and air. Aknowledgement: This work was realised with the help of doc. RNDr. Zuzana Melichová, PhD. and Peter Harčár from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica and financially supported by grant scheme VEGA 1/0538/15.

Experimental mineral/liquid partition coefficients of the rare earth elements /REE/, Sc and Sr for perovskite, spinel and melilite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagasawa, H.; Schreiber, H. D.; Morris, R. V.

1980-01-01

Experimental determinations of the mineral/liquid partition coefficients of REE (La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb and Lu), Sc and Sr are reported for the minerals perovskite, spinel and melilite in synthetic systems. Perovskite concentrates light REE with respect to the residual liquid but shows no preference for heavy REE. Spinel greatly discriminates against the incorporation of REE, especially light REE, into its crystal structure. The partition of REE into melilite from a silicate liquid is quite dependent upon both the bulk melt and melilite solid-solution (gehlenite and akermanite components) compositions. As such, melilite can be enriched in REE or will reject REE with corresponding strong negative or strong positive Eu anomalies, respectively.

Applications of de-oiled microalgal biomass towards development of sustainable biorefinery.

PubMed

Maurya, Rahulkumar; Paliwal, Chetan; Ghosh, Tonmoy; Pancha, Imran; Chokshi, Kaumeel; Mitra, Madhusree; Ghosh, Arup; Mishra, Sandhya

2016-08-01

In view of commercialization of microalgal biofuel, the de-oiled microalgal biomass (DMB) is a surplus by-product in the biorefinery process that needs to be exploited to make the process economically attractive and feasible. This DMB, rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals, can be used as feed, fertilizer, and substrate for the production of bioethanol/bio-methane. Further, thermo-chemical conversion of DMB results into fuels and industrially important chemicals. Future prospects of DMB also lie with its conversion into novel biomaterials like nanoparticles and carbon-dot which have biomedical importance. The lowest valued application of DMB is to use it for adsorption of dyes and heavy metals from industrial effluents. This study reviews how DMB can be utilized for different applications and in the generation of valuable co-products. The value addition of DMB would thereby improve the overall cost economics of the microalgal bio-refinery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Br-rich tips of calcified crab claws are less hard but more fracture resistant: a comparison of mineralized and heavy-element biological materials.

PubMed

Schofield, Robert M S; Niedbala, Jack C; Nesson, Michael H; Tao, Ye; Shokes, Jacob E; Scott, Robert A; Latimer, Matthew J

2009-06-01

We find that the spoon-like tips of the chelipeds (large claws) of the crab Pachygrapsus crassipes differ from the rest of the claw in that they are not calcified, but instead contain about 1% bromine--thus they represent a new example of a class of structural biological materials that contain heavy elements such as Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Br bound in an organic matrix. X-ray absorption spectroscopy data suggest that the bromine is bound to phenyl rings, possibly in tyrosine. We measure a broad array of mechanical properties of a heavy-element biological material for the first time (abrasion resistance, coefficient of kinetic friction, energy of fracture, hardness, modulus of elasticity and dynamic mechanical properties), and we make a direct comparison with a mineralized tissue. Our results suggest that the greatest advantage of bromine-rich cuticle over calcified cuticle is resistance to fracture (the energy of fracture is about an order of magnitude greater than for calcified cuticle). The greatest advantage relative to unenriched cuticle, represented by ant mandible cuticle, is a factor of about 1.5 greater hardness and modulus of elasticity.The spoon-like tips gain additional fracture resistance from the orientation of the constituent laminae and from the viscoelasticity of the material. We suggest that fracture resistance is of greater importance in smaller organisms, and we speculate that one function of heavy elements in structural biological materials is to reduce molecular resonant frequencies and thereby increase absorption of energy from impacts.

Rapid soil formation after glacial retreat shaped by spatial patterns of organic matter accrual in microaggregates.

PubMed

Schweizer, Steffen A; Hoeschen, Carmen; Schlüter, Steffen; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid; Mueller, Carsten W

2018-04-01

Global change contributes to the retreat of glaciers at unprecedented rates. The deglaciation facilitates biogeochemical processes on glacial deposits with initiating soil formation as an important driver of evolving ecosystems. The underlying mechanisms of soil formation and the association of soil organic matter (SOM) with mineral particles remain unclear, although further insights are critical to understand carbon sequestration in soils. We investigated the microspatial arrangement of SOM coatings at intact soil microaggregate structures during various stages of ecosystem development from 15 to >700 years after deglaciation in the proglacial environment of the Damma glacier (Switzerland). The functionally important clay-sized fraction (<2 μm) was separated into two density fractions with different amounts of organo-mineral associations: light (1.6-2.2 g/cm 3 ) and heavy (>2.2 g/cm 3 ). To quantify how SOM extends across the surface of mineral particles (coverage) and whether SOM coatings are distributed in fragmented or connected patterns (connectivity), we developed an image analysis protocol based on nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). We classified SOM and mineral areas depending on the 16 O - , 12 C - , and 12 C 14 N - distributions. With increasing time after glacial retreat, the microspatial coverage and connectivity of SOM increased rapidly. The rapid soil formation led to a succession of patchy distributed to more connected SOM coatings on soil microaggregates. The maximum coverage of 55% at >700 years suggests direct evidence for SOM sequestration being decoupled from the mineral surface, as it was not completely masked by SOM and retained its functionality as an ion exchange site. The chemical composition of SOM coatings showed a rapid change toward a higher CN:C ratio already at 75 years after glacial retreat, which was associated with microbial succession patterns reflecting high N assimilation. Our results demonstrate that rapid SOM sequestration drives the microspatial succession of SOM coatings in soils, a process that can stabilize SOM for the long term. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ceramization of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fiquet, O.; Berson, X.

1993-12-31

A ceramic conditioning is studied for a large variety of low and intermediate level wastes. These wastes arise from several waste streams coming from all process steps of the fuel cycle. The physical properties of ceramics can advantageously be used for radioactive waste immobilization. Their chemical durability can offer a barrier against external aggression. More over, some minerals have possible host sites in their crystal structure for heavy elements which can confer the best immobilization mechanism. The general route for development studies is described giving compositions and process choices. Investigations have been conducted on clay materials and on the processmore » parameters which condition the final product properties. Two practical examples are described concerning chemical precipitation sludge resulting from liquid waste treatment and chamot used as a fluidized bed in a graphite incinerator. Important process parameters are put in evidence and the possibility of a pilot plant development is briefly mentioned. Results of investigations are promising to define a new route of conditioning.« less

An analysis of carbon and radiocarbon profiles across a range ecosystems types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckman, K. A.; Gallo, A.; Hatten, J. A.; Swanston, C.; Strahm, B. D.; Sanclements, M.

2016-12-01

Soil carbon stocks have become recognized as increasingly important in the context of climate change and global C cycle modeling. As modelers seek to identify key parameters affecting the size and stability of belowground C stocks, attention has been drawn to the mineral matrix and the soil physiochemical factors influenced by it. Though clay content has often been utilized as a convenient and key explanatory variable for soil C dynamics, its utility has recently come under scrutiny as new paradigms of soil organic matter stabilization have been developed. We utilized soil cores from a range of National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) experimental plots to examine the influence of mineralogical parameters on soil C stocks and turnover and their relative importance in comparison to climatic variables. Results are presented for a total of 11 NEON sites, spanning Alfisols, Entisols, Mollisols and Spodosols. Soils were sampled by genetic horizon, density separated according to density fractionation: light fractions (particulate organics neither occluded within aggregates nor associated with mineral surfaces), occluded fractions (particulate organics occluded within aggregates), and heavy fractions (organics associated with mineral surfaces). Bulk soils and density fractions were measured for % C and radiocarbon abundance (as a measure of C stability). Carbon and radiocarbon abundances were examined among fractions and in the context of climatic variables (temperature, precipitation, elevation) and soil physiochemical variables (% clay and pH). No direct relationships between temperature and soil C or radiocarbon abundances were found. As a whole, soil radiocarbon abundance in density fractions decreased in the order of light>heavy>occluded, highlighting the importance of both surface sorption and aggregation to the preservation of organics. Radiocarbon concentrations of the heavy fraction (mineral adsorbed) were significantly, though weakly, correlated with pH (r2 = 0.35, p = 0.02), though C concentrations were not. Data suggest an important role for both aggregation and soil chemistry in regulating soil C cycling across a diversity of soil orders. The current presented results serve as a preliminary report on a project spanning 40 NEON sites and a range of physiochemical analyses.

Effect of lead stress on mineral content and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) seedlings

PubMed Central

Lamhamdi, Mostafa; El Galiou, Ouiam; Bakrim, Ahmed; Nóvoa-Muñoz, Juan Carlos; Arias-Estévez, Manuel; Aarab, Ahmed; Lafont, René

2012-01-01

Lead (Pb) is the most common heavy metal contaminant in the environment. Pb is not an essential element for plants, but they absorb it when it is present in their environment, especially in rural areas when the soil is polluted by automotive exhaust and in fields contaminated with fertilizers containing heavy metal impurities. To investigate lead effects on nutrient uptake and metabolism, two plant species, spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), were grown under hydroponic conditions and stressed with lead nitrate, Pb(NO3)2, at three concentrations (1.5, 3, and 15 mM). Lead is accumulated in a dose-dependent manner in both plant species, which results in reduced growth and lower uptake of all mineral ions tested. Total amounts and concentrations of most mineral ions (Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn) are reduced, although Mn concentrations are increased, as its uptake is reduced less relative to the whole plant’s growth. The deficiency of mineral nutrients correlates in a strong decrease in the contents of chlorophylls a and b and proline in both species, but these effects are less pronounced in spinach than in wheat. By contrast, the effects of lead on soluble proteins differ between species; they are reduced in wheat at all lead concentrations, whereas they are increased in spinach, where their value peaks at 3 mM Pb. The relative lead uptake by spinach and wheat, and the different susceptibility of these two species to lead treatment are discussed. PMID:23961216

Applications of imaging spectroscopy data: A case study at Summitville, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Trude V.V.; Clark, Roger N.; Swayze, Gregg A.

2000-01-01

From 1985 through 1992, the Summitville open-pit mine produced gold from lowgrade ore using cyanide heap-leach techniques, a method to extract gold whereby the ore pile is sprayed with water containing cyanide, which dissolves the minute gold grains. Environmental problems due to mining activity at Summitville include significant increases in acidic and metal-rich drainage from the site, leakage of cyanide-bearing solutions from the heap-leach pad into an underdrain system, and several surface leaks of cyanide-bearing solutions into the Wightman Fork of the Alamosa River. In general, drainage from the Summitville mine moves downslope into the Wightman Fork, a small tributary of the Alamosa River, which in turn flows east into the Terrace Reservoir before entering the agricultural lands of the San Luis Valley. The increase in the trace-metal burden of the Alamosa River watershed due to the mining activities at Summitville is of concern to farmers and fisherman, as well as Federal and State of Colorado agencies having responsibility for land stewardship. The environment of the Summitville area is a result of 1) its geologic evolution, that culminated in the formation of precious-metal mineral deposits; and 2) previous metal mining activity. Mining accentuates, accelerates, and pertubates natural geochemical processes. The development of underground workings, open pits, mill tailings, and spoil heaps and the extractive processing of ore enhances the likelihood of releasing chemicals and elements to the surrounding areas and at increased rates relative to unmined areas. Both mined and unmined mineralized areas can produce acid drainage from the formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals. This acidic water forms principally through the chemical reaction of oxygenated surface water and shallow subsurface water with rocks that contain sulfide minerals, producing sulphuric acid. Heavy metals can be leached by the acid solution that comes in contact with mineralized rocks, a process that may be enhanced by bacterial action. The resulting fluids may be highly toxic and, when mixed with groundwater, surface water, and soil, may have harmful effects on humans, animals, and plants. Thus, understanding the geologic and hydrologic history of this area is a critical piece of the environmental puzzle in the Summitville area. The Summitville mine operators had ceased active mining and begun environmental remediation, including treatment of the heap-leach pile and installation of a water-treatment facility, when it declared bankruptcy in December 1992 and abandoned the mine site. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately took over the Summitville site under EPA Superfund Emergency Response authority. Summitville has focused public attention on the environmental effects of modern mineral-resource development. Soon after the mine was abandoned, Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Alamosa River water users and private companies, began extensive studies at the mine site and surrounding areas. These studies included analysis of water, soil, livestock and vegetation. The role of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was to provide geologic, hydrologic and agricultural information about the mine and surrounding area and to describe and evaluate the environmental condition of the Summitville mine and the downstream effects of the mine on the San Luis Valley (King 1995).

Black water sludge reuse in agriculture: are heavy metals a problem?

PubMed

Tervahauta, Taina; Rani, Sonia; Hernández Leal, Lucía; Buisman, Cees J N; Zeeman, Grietje

2014-06-15

Heavy metal content of sewage sludge is currently the most significant factor limiting its reuse in agriculture within the European Union. In the Netherlands most of the produced sewage sludge is incinerated, mineralizing the organic carbon into the atmosphere rather than returning it back to the soil. Source-separation of black water (toilet water) excludes external heavy metal inputs, such as industrial effluents and surface run-offs, producing sludge with reduced heavy metal content that is a more favorable source for resource recovery. The results presented in this paper show that feces is the main contributor to the heavy metal loading of vacuum collected black water (52-84%), while in sewage the contribution of feces is less than 10%. To distinguish black water from sewage in the sludge reuse regulation, a control parameter should be implemented, such as the Hg and Pb content that is significantly higher in sewage sludge compared to black water sludge (from 50- to 200-fold). The heavy metals in feces and urine are primarily from dietary sources, and promotion of the soil application of black water sludge over livestock manure and artificial fertilizers could further reduce the heavy metal content in the soil/food cycle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bhasma : The ancient Indian nanomedicine

PubMed Central

Pal, Dilipkumar; Sahu, Chandan Kumar; Haldar, Arindam

2014-01-01

Ayurveda and other Indian system of medicine use metals, but their use is also amply described in Chinese and Egyptian civilization in 2500 B.C. Bhasma are unique ayurvedic metallic/minerals preparation, treated with herbal juice or decoction and exposed for Ayurveda, which are known in Indian subcontinent since 7th century A.D. and widely recommended for treatment of a variety of chronic ailments. Animal's derivative such as horns, shells, feathers, metallic, nonmetallic and herbals are normally administered as Bhasma. A Bhasma means an ash obtained through incineration; the starter material undergoes an elaborate process of purification and this process is followed by the reaction phase, which involves incorporation of some other minerals and/or herbal extract. There are various importance of Bhasma like maintaining optimum alkalinity for optimum health, neutralizing harmful acids that lead to illness; because Bhasma do not get metabolized so they don’t produce any harmful metabolite, rather it breakdowns heavy metals in the body. Methods including for Bhasma preparation are parpati, rasayoga, sindora, etc., Bhasma which contain Fe, Cu, S or other manufacturing process plays a specific role in the final product(s). Particle size (1-2 μ) reduced significantly, which may facilitate absorption and assimilation of the drug into the body system. Standardization of Bhasma is utmost necessary to confirm its identity and to determine its quality, purity safety, effectiveness and acceptability of the product. But the most important challenges faced by these formulations are the lack of complete standardization by physiochemical parameters. PMID:24696811

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ABANDONED MINE LAND REMEDIATION WORKSHOP

EPA Science Inventory

Mining activities in the US (not counting coal) produce 1-2 billion tons of mine waste annually. Since many of the ore mines involve sulfide minerals, the production of acid mine drainage (AMD) is a common problem from these abandoned mine sites. The combination of acidity, heavy...

Diamond collecting in northern Colorado.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, D.S.

1982-01-01

The discovery of numerous diamond-bearing kimberlite diatremes in the N Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming is of both scientific and economic interest. Species recovered from heavy-mineral concentrates include Cr-diopside, spinel, Mg-ilmenite, pyrope and diamond. A nodule tentatively identified as a graphite-diamond eclogite was also found. -G.W.R.

Kinetic studies of sulfide mineral oxidation and xanthate adsorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendiratta, Neeraj K.

2000-10-01

Sulfide minerals are a major source of metals; however, certain sulfide minerals, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite, are less desirable. Froth flotation is a commonly used separation technique, which requires the use of several reagents to float and depress different sulfide minerals. Xanthate, a thiol collector, has gained immense usage in sulfide minerals flotation. However, some sulfides are naturally hydrophobic and may float without a collector. Iron sulfides, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite, are few of the most abundant minerals, yet economically insignificant. Their existence with other sulfide minerals leads to an inefficient separation process as well as environmental problems, such as acid mine drainage during mining and processing and SO 2 emissions during smelting process. A part of the present study is focused on understanding their behavior, which leads to undesired flotation and difficulties in separation. The major reasons for the undesired flotation are attributed to the collectorless hydrophobicity and the activation with heavy metal ions. To better understand the collectorless hydrophobicity of pyrite, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) of freshly fractured pyrite electrodes was used to study the oxidation and reduction of the mineral. The EIS results showed that the rate of reaction increases with oxidation and reduction. At moderate oxidizing potentials, the rate of reaction is too slow to replenish hydrophilic iron species leaving hydrophobic sulfur species on the surface. However, at higher potentials, iron species are replaced fast enough to depress its flotation. Effects of pH and polishing were also explored using EIS. Besides collectorless hydrophobicity, the activation of pyrrhotite with nickel ions and interaction with xanthate ions makes the separation more difficult. DETA and SO2 are commonly used as pyrrhotite depressants; however, the mechanism is not very well understood. Contact angle measurements, cyclic voltammetry and Tafel studies have been used to elucidate the depressing action of DETA and SO2. It was observed that DETA and SO2 complement each other in maintaining lower pulp potentials and removing polysulfides. DETA also helps in deactivating pyrrhotite. Therefore, the combined use of DETA and SO2 leads to the inhibition of both the collectorless flotation and the adsorption of xanthate. The adsorption of xanthate on sulfide minerals is a mixed-potential mechanism, i.e., the anodic oxidation of xanthate requires a cathodic counterpart. Normally, the cathodic reaction is provided by the reduction of oxygen. However, oxygen can be replaced by other oxidants. Ferric ions are normally present in the flotation pulp. Their source could be either iron from the grinding circuit or the ore itself. The galvanic studies were carried out to test the possibility of using ferric ions as oxidants and positive results were obtained. Tafel studies were carried out to measure the activation energies for the adsorption of ethylxanthate on several sulfide minerals. Pyrite, pyrrhotite (pure and nickel activated), chalcocite and covellite were studied in 10 -4 M ethylxanthate solution at pH 6.8 at temperatures in the range of 22--30°C. The Tafel studies showed that xanthate adsorbs as dixanthogen (X2) on pyrite and pyrrhotite, nickel dixanthate (NiX2) on nickel-activated pyrrhotite and cuprous xanthate (CuX) on both chalcocite and covellite. However, the mechanism for xanthate adsorption on each mineral is different. The free energy of reaction estimated from the activation energies are in good agreement with thermodynamically calculated ones.

Thorium resources of selected regions in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Staatz, Mortimer Hay; Hall, R.B.; Macke, D.L.; Armbrustmacher, T.J.; Brownfield, I.K.

1980-01-01

Thorium resources have been assessed in a previous report entitled 'Principal thorium resources in the United States' (Staatz and others, 1979) for (1) veins in the larger districts, {2) massive carbonatites, {3) disseminated deposits, and {4) stream placers of North and South Carolina. This report is a sequel to that report and assesses thorium resources in {1) Florida beach placers, (2) Idaho stream placers, (3) veins and pipes in the Bokan Mountain district, Alaska, (4) carbonatite dikes, and {5) apatite-bearing iron deposits near Mineville, New York. Thorium resources for each of these categories are divided into reserves and probable potential resources. When data are available, each of these is then divided into the following cost categories: (1) the amount of ThO2 producible at a cost of less than $15/lb (per pound), (2) the amount producible at a cost of between $15 and $30/lb, and (3) the amount producible at a cost of between $30 and $50/1b. Beach placers of northern Florida have reserves of 16,200 short tons of ThO2 and probable potential resources of 5,120 tons of ThO2. These deposits are heavy-mineral placers that are mined for a variety of minerals--principally titanium minerals and zircon. The thorium-bearing mineral in these placers, monazite, makes up only a minor part of the heavy minerals. Therefore, production of ThO2 from these placers is dependent on the markets for other heavy minerals. Assuming the market for other heavy minerals to be the same as in 1978, then 98 percent of the ThO2 could be produced for less than $15/lb. If, however, no other coproducts were produced, then the cost of producing ThO2 would be greater than $50/1b. Stream placers containing thorium are found along many streams that drain the Idaho batholith, but most are too small to add significantly to the thorium resources. The resources of the five largest districts, each of which consists of at least several individual placers, have been tabulated. These districts are (1) Long Valley, (2) Bear Valley, (3) Burgdorf-Warren area, (4) Boise Basin, and (5) Ell City-Newsome area. These five areas have reserves of 10,100 short tons of ThO2 and probable potential resources of 10,300 tons. Long Valley contains about half the reserves--5,680 tons of ThO2--and all the probable potential resources. Monazite is the most important heavy mineral in all except the Bear Valley deposit. Here euxenite, although not quite as abundant as monazite, is a more important mineral, because it contains approximately 14.5 percent U3O8 in addition to 5 percent ThO2. Reserves in this placer amount to 1,605 short tons of ThO2 and 1,475 tons of U3O8. Eighty-two percent of the reserves and all of the probable potential resources can be produced at less than $30/1b of ThO2. The lower cost reserves are concentrated in the Long and Bear Valley areas. Here 64 percent of the ThO2 can be produced for less than $15/1b and another 29 percent of the ThO2 at between $15 and $30/lb. Sixteen veins and pipelike bodies are evaluated in the Bokan Mountain area of southeastern Alaska. The district contains other deposits that are too poorly exposed to make meaningful resource estimates. Reserves estimated in this district are 1,440 short tons of ThO2; probable potential resources amount to 2,320 tons of ThO2. About 99 percent of these resources are in deposits whose grade is at least 0.2 percent ThO2. In addition, these deposits contain reserves of 420 tons of U3O8 and probable potential resources of 820 tons of U3O8. Eighty-two percent of the reserves and probable potential resources can be produced at less than $15/lb. The average grade of this ore is 0.54 percent ThO2 and 0 15 percent U3O8. Some carbonatite dikes, although generally not as high grade as the veins, contain resources of thorium. Carbonatite dikes in the following six districts were investigated: (1) Wet Mountains, Colo.; (2) Powderhorn district, Colorado; (3) Mountain Pass area, California; (4) Bearpaw

Gold in the hills: patterns of placer gold accumulation under dynamic tectonic and climatic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sam; Upton, Phaedra; Craw, Dave

2018-01-01

Formation of placer accumulations in fluvial environments requires 103-106 or even greater times concentration of heavy minerals. For this to occur, regular sediment supply from erosion of adjacent topography is required, the river should remain within a single course for an extended period of time and the material must be reworked such that a high proportion of the sediment is removed while a high proportion of the heavy minerals remains. We use numerical modeling, constrained by observations of circum-Pacific placer gold deposits, to explore processes occurring in evolving river systems in dynamic tectonic environments. A fluvial erosion/transport model is used to determine the mobility of placer gold under variable uplift rate, storm intensity, and rock mass strength conditions. Gold concentration is calculated from hydraulic and bedload grain size conditions. Model results suggest that optimal gold concentration occurs in river channels that frequently approach a threshold between detachment-limited and transport-limited hydraulic conditions. Such a condition enables the accumulation of gold particles within the framework of a residual gravel lag. An increase in transport capacity, which can be triggered by faster uplift rates, more resistant bedrock, or higher intensity storm events, will strip all bedload from the channel. Conversely, a reduction in transport capacity, triggered by a reduction in uplift rate, bedrock resistance, or storm intensity, will lead to a greater accumulation of a majority of sediments and a net decrease in gold concentration. For our model parameter range, the optimal conditions for placer gold concentration are met by 103 times difference in strength between bedrock and fault, uplift rates between 1 and 5 mm a-1, and moderate storm intensities. Fault damage networks are shown to be a critical factor for high Au concentrations and should be a target for exploration.

Assessing potential dietary toxicity of heavy metals in selected vegetables and food crops*

PubMed Central

Islam, Ejaz ul; Yang, Xiao-e; He, Zhen-li; Mahmood, Qaisar

2007-01-01

Heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead, chromium and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. Their presence in the atmosphere, soil and water, even in traces can cause serious problems to all organisms, and heavy metal bioaccumulation in the food chain especially can be highly dangerous to human health. Heavy metals enter the human body mainly through two routes namely: inhalation and ingestion, ingestion being the main route of exposure to these elements in human population. Heavy metals intake by human populations through food chain has been reported in many countries. Soil threshold for heavy metal toxicity is an important factor affecting soil environmental capacity of heavy metal and determines heavy metal cumulative loading limits. For soil-plant system, heavy metal toxicity threshold is the highest permissible content in the soil (total or bioavailable concentration) that does not pose any phytotoxic effects or heavy metals in the edible parts of the crops does not exceed food hygiene standards. Factors affecting the thresholds of dietary toxicity of heavy metal in soil-crop system include: soil type which includes soil pH, organic matter content, clay mineral and other soil chemical and biochemical properties; and crop species or cultivars regulated by genetic basis for heavy metal transport and accumulation in plants. In addition, the interactions of soil-plant root-microbes play important roles in regulating heavy metal movement from soil to the edible parts of crops. Agronomic practices such as fertilizer and water managements as well as crop rotation system can affect bioavailability and crop accumulation of heavy metals, thus influencing the thresholds for assessing dietary toxicity of heavy metals in the food chain. This paper reviews the phytotoxic effects and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in vegetables and food crops and assesses soil heavy metal thresholds for potential dietary toxicity. PMID:17173356

Assessing potential dietary toxicity of heavy metals in selected vegetables and food crops.

PubMed

Islam, Ejaz ul; Yang, Xiao-e; He, Zhen-li; Mahmood, Qaisar

2007-01-01

Heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead, chromium and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. Their presence in the atmosphere, soil and water, even in traces can cause serious problems to all organisms, and heavy metal bioaccumulation in the food chain especially can be highly dangerous to human health. Heavy metals enter the human body mainly through two routes namely: inhalation and ingestion, ingestion being the main route of exposure to these elements in human population. Heavy metals intake by human populations through food chain has been reported in many countries. Soil threshold for heavy metal toxicity is an important factor affecting soil environmental capacity of heavy metal and determines heavy metal cumulative loading limits. For soil-plant system, heavy metal toxicity threshold is the highest permissible content in the soil (total or bioavailable concentration) that does not pose any phytotoxic effects or heavy metals in the edible parts of the crops does not exceed food hygiene standards. Factors affecting the thresholds of dietary toxicity of heavy metal in soil-crop system include: soil type which includes soil pH, organic matter content, clay mineral and other soil chemical and biochemical properties; and crop species or cultivars regulated by genetic basis for heavy metal transport and accumulation in plants. In addition, the interactions of soil-plant root-microbes play important roles in regulating heavy metal movement from soil to the edible parts of crops. Agronomic practices such as fertilizer and water managements as well as crop rotation system can affect bioavailability and crop accumulation of heavy metals, thus influencing the thresholds for assessing dietary toxicity of heavy metals in the food chain. This paper reviews the phytotoxic effects and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in vegetables and food crops and assesses soil heavy metal thresholds for potential dietary toxicity.

Fractionation of Fe isotopes during Fe(II) oxidation by a marine photoferrotroph is controlled by the formation of organic Fe-complexes and colloidal Fe fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanner, Elizabeth D.; Wu, Wenfang; Schoenberg, Ronny; Byrne, James; Michel, F. Marc; Pan, Yongxin; Kappler, Andreas

2015-09-01

Much interest exists in finding mineralogical, organic, morphological, or isotopic biosignatures for Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) that are retained in Fe-rich sediments, which could indicate the activity of these organisms in Fe-rich seawater, more common in the Precambrian Era. To date, the effort to establish a clear Fe isotopic signature in Fe minerals produced by Fe(II)-oxidizing metabolisms has been thwarted by the large kinetic fractionation incurred as freshly oxidized aqueous Fe(III) rapidly precipitates as Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals at near neutral pH. The Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals resulting from abiotic Fe(II) oxidation are isotopically heavy compared to the Fe(II) precursor and are not clearly distinguishable from minerals formed by FeOB isotopically. However, in marine hydrothermal systems and Fe(II)-rich springs the minerals formed are often isotopically lighter than expected considering the fraction of Fe(II) that has been oxidized and experimentally-determined fractionation factors. We measured the Fe isotopic composition of aqueous Fe (Feaq) and the final Fe mineral (Feppt) produced in batch experiment using the marine Fe(II)-oxidizing phototroph Rhodovulum iodosum. The δ56Feaq data are best described by a kinetic fractionation model, while the evolution of δ56Feppt appears to be controlled by a separate fractionation process. We propose that soluble Fe(III), and Fe(II) and Fe(III) extracted from the Feppt may act as intermediates between Fe(II) oxidation and Fe(III) precipitation. Based on 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, and X-ray total scattering, we suggests these Fe phases, collectively Fe(II/III)interm, may consist of organic-ligand bound, sorbed, and/or colloidal Fe(II) and Fe(III) mineral phases that are isotopically lighter than the final Fe(III) mineral product. Similar intermediate phases, formed in response to organic carbon produced by FeOB and inorganic ligands (e.g., SiO44- or PO43-), may form in many natural Fe(II)-oxidizing environments. We propose that the formation of these intermediates is likely to occur in organic-rich systems, and thus may have controlled the ultimate isotopic composition of Fe minerals in systems where Fe(II) was being oxidized by or in the presence of microbes in Earth's past.

Ultrafine particles derived from mineral processing: A case study of the Pb-Zn sulfide ore with emphasis on lead-bearing colloids.

PubMed

Mikhlin, Yuri; Vorobyev, Sergey; Romanchenko, Alexander; Karasev, Sergey; Karacharov, Anton; Zharkov, Sergey

2016-03-01

Although mining and mineral processing industry is a vast source of heavy metal pollutants, the formation and behavior of micrometer- and nanometer-sized particles and their aqueous colloids entered the environment from the technological media has received insufficient attention to date. Here, the yield and characteristics of ultrafine mineral entities produced by routine grinding of the Pb-Zn sulfide ore (Gorevskoe ore deposit, Russia) were studied using laser diffraction analysis (LDA), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurement, microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, with most attention given to toxic lead species. It was revealed, in particular, that the fraction of particles less that 1 μm in the ground ore typical reaches 0.4 vol. %. The aquatic particles in supernatants were micrometer size aggregates with increased content of zinc, sulfur, calcium as compared with the bulk ore concentrations. The hydrodynamic diameter of the colloidal species decreased with time, with their zeta potentials remaining about -12 mV. The colloids produced from galena were composed of 20-50 nm PbS nanoparticles associated with lead sulfate and thiosulfate, while the surface oxidation products at precipitated galena were largely lead oxyhydroxides. The size and zeta potential of the lead-bearing colloids decreased with time down to about 100 nm and from -15 mV to -30 mV, respectively. And, conversely, lead sulfide nanoparticles were mobilized before the aggregates during redispersion of the precipitates in fresh portions of water. The potential environmental impact of the metal-bearing colloids, which is due to the large-scale production and relative stability, is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate-change effects on soils: Accelerated weathering, soil carbon and elemental cycling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qafoku, Nikolla

2015-04-01

Climate change [i.e., high atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations (≥400 ppm); increasing air temperatures (2-4°C or greater); significant and/or abrupt changes in daily, seasonal, and inter-annual temperature; changes in the wet/dry cycles; intensive rainfall and/or heavy storms; extended periods of drought; extreme frost; heat waves and increased fire frequency] is and will significantly affect soil properties and fertility, water resources, food quantity and quality, and environmental quality. Biotic processes that consume atmospheric CO2, and create organic carbon (C) that is either reprocessed to CO2 or stored in soils are the subject of active current investigations, with great concern over themore » influence of climate change. In addition, abiotic C cycling and its influence on the inorganic C pool in soils is a fundamental global process in which acidic atmospheric CO2 participates in the weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals, ultimately delivering bicarbonate and Ca2+ or other cations that precipitate in the form of carbonates in soils or are transported to the rivers, lakes, and oceans. Soil responses to climate change will be complex, and there are many uncertainties and unresolved issues. The objective of the review is to initiate and further stimulate a discussion about some important and challenging aspects of climate-change effects on soils, such as accelerated weathering of soil minerals and resulting C and elemental fluxes in and out of soils, soil/geo-engineering methods used to increase C sequestration in soils, soil organic matter (SOM) protection, transformation and mineralization, and SOM temperature sensitivity. This review reports recent discoveries, identifies key research needs, and highlights opportunities offered by the climate-change effects on soils.« less

Overview of different aspects of climate change effects on soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qafoku, Nikolla P.

2014-08-01

Climate change [i.e., high atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) concentrations (≥400 ppm); increasing air temperatures (2-4°C or greater); significant and/or abrupt changes in daily, seasonal, and inter-annual temperature; changes in the wet/dry cycles; intensive rainfall and/or heavy storms; extended periods of drought; extreme frost; heat waves and increased fire frequency] is and will significantly affect soil properties and fertility, water resources, food quantity and quality, and environmental quality. Biotic processes that consume atmospheric CO 2 and create organic carbon (C) that is either reprocessed to CO 2 or stored in soils, are the subject of active current investigations with greatmore » concern over the influence of climate change. In addition, abiotic C cycling and its influence on the inorganic C pool in soils is a fundamental global process in which acidic atmospheric CO 2 participates in the weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals, ultimately delivering bicarbonate and Ca 2+ or other cations that precipitate in the form of carbonates in soils or are transported to the rivers, lakes, and oceans. Soil responses to climate change will be complex, and there are many uncertainties and unresolved issues. The objective of the review is to initiate and further stimulate a discussion about some important and challenging aspects of climate-change effects on soils, such as accelerated weathering of soil minerals and resulting C and elemental fluxes in and out of soils, soil/geo-engineering methods used to increase C sequestration in soils, soil organic matter (SOM) protection, transformation and mineralization, and SOM temperature sensitivity. This review reports recent discoveries and identifies key research needs required to understand the effects of climate change on soils.« less

Mineral and heavy metal contents of the outer and inner tissues of commonly used fruits.

PubMed

Özcan, Mehmet Musa; Harmankaya, Mustafa; Gezgin, Sait

2012-01-01

The rate of heavy metal pollution in some minor fruit samples growing at roadsides in Turkey were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The mineral contents of samples were found to be different depending on the several parts Citrus fruits. The highest minor and heavy metal levels for Citrus fruits were determined between 17.24 and 45.30 mg/kg boron, 2.08 and 15.05 mg/kg copper, 1.01 and 16.00 mg/kg iron and 2.35 and 9.87 mg/kg zinc. Boron content ranged from 16.54 mg/kg (Deveci pear inner pulp) to 89.89 mg/kg (Arjantin apple outer skin). The level of Fe ranged from 1.49 mg/kg (quince pulp) to 25.05 mg/kg (Ankara pear pulp). Cu content of fruits ranged between 2.52 mg/kg (Fuji apple skin) and 25.93 mg/kg quince skin). Zn content was found between 0.46 mg/kg (Golden apple pulp) and 14.34 mg/kg (quince skin). P contents ranged from 651 mg/kg (Golden apple pulp) to 1269 mg/kg (quince skin). Na was found between 500 mg/kg (Fuji apple skin) and 907 mg/kg (Arjantin apple skin).

Assessment of gamma radiation exposure of beach sands in highly touristic areas associated with plutonic rocks of the Atticocycladic zone (Greece).

PubMed

Papadopoulos, A; Koroneos, A; Christofides, G; Papadopoulou, L; Tzifas, I; Stoulos, S

2016-10-01

This study aims to evaluate the activity concentrations of 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 228 Th and 40 K along beaches close to the plutonic rocks of the Atticocycladic zone that ranged from 15 to 628, 12-2292, 16-10,143, 14-9953 and 191-1192 Bq/kg respectively. A sample from island of Mykonos contained the highest 232 Th content measured in sediments of Greece. The heavy magnetic fraction and the heavy non-magnetic fraction as well as the total heavy fraction, were correlated with the concentrations of the measured radionuclides in the bulk samples. The heavy fractions seem to control the activity concentrations of 238 U and 232 Th of all the samples, showing some local differences in the main 238 U and 232 Th mineral carrier. Similar correlations have been found between 238 U, 232 Th content and rare earth elements concentrations. The measured radionuclides in the beach sands were normalized to the respective values measured in the granitic rocks, which at least in most cases are their most probable parental rocks, so as to provide data upon their enrichment or depletion. Since the Greek beaches are among the most popular worldwide the annual effective dose equivalent received due to sand exposure has been estimated and found to vary between 0.002 and 0.379 mSv y -1 for tourists and from 0.018 to 3.164 mSv y -1 for local people working on the beach. The values corresponding to ordinary sand samples are orders of magnitude lower than the limit of 1 mSv y -1 , only in the case of heavy minerals-rich sands the dose could reach or exceed the recommended maximum limit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical map of the Rattlesnake Roadless Area, Coconino and Yavapai counties, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerstel, W.J.

1985-01-01

The geochemical survey of the Rattlesnake Roadless Area was conducted in May 1982 by the U.S. Geological Survey to aid in a mineral resource appraisal of the area. A total of 114 stream-sediment samples, 68 heavy-mineral concentrates from stream sediment, 20 rock samples, and 4 water samples was collected by S.C. Rose, D.E. Hendzel, and W.J. Gerstel, with helicopter support from Jack Ruby, pilot for Helicopters Unlimited. All sample localities are plotted on the map; sample localities showing anomalous barium and lead are also indicated on the map.

Sorption Kinetics Of Selected Heavy Metals Adsorption To Natural And Fe(III) Modified Zeolite Tuff Containing Clinoptilolite Mineral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirotiak, Maroš; Lipovský, Marek; Bartošová, Alica

2015-06-01

In the research described in this paper, studied was sorption capacity of natural and ferric modification of zeolite tuff containing mineral clinoptilolite from the Nižný Hrabovec deposit to remove potentially toxic metals (ionic forms of chromium, nickel, copper and aluminium) from their water solutions. We reported that the Fe (III) zeolite has an enhanced ability to sorption of Cu (II), and a slight improvement occurs in the case of Cr (VI) and Ni (II). On the other hand, the deterioration was observed in the case of Al (III) adsorption.

Effects of different irrigation practices using treated wastewater on tomato yields, quality, water productivity, and soil and fruit mineral contents.

PubMed

Demir, Azize Dogan; Sahin, Ustun

2017-11-01

Wastewater use in agricultural irrigation is becoming a common practice in order to meet the rising water demands in arid and semi-arid regions. The study was conducted to determine the effects of the full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation practices using treated municipal wastewater (TWW) and freshwater (FW) on tomato yield, water use, fruit quality, and soil and fruit heavy metal concentrations. The TWW significantly increased marketable yield compared to the FW, as well as decreased water consumption. Therefore, water use efficiency (WUE) in the TWW was significantly higher than in the FW. Although the DI and the PRD practices caused less yields, these practices significantly increased WUE values due to less irrigation water applied. The water-yield linear relationships were statistically significant. TWW significantly increased titratable acidity and vitamin C contents. Reduced irrigation provided significantly lower titratable acidity, vitamin C, and lycopene contents. TWW increased the surface soil and fruit mineral contents in response to FW. Greater increases were observed under FI, and mineral contents declined with reduction in irrigation water. Heavy metal accumulation in soils was within safe limits. However, Cd and Pb contents in fruits exceeded standard limits given by FAO/WHO. Higher metal pollution index values determined for fruits also indicated that TWW application, especially under FI, might cause health risks in long term.

The advances of Chinese non-ferrous metal mineral industry and its environmental management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miao Zewei; Gao Lin; Zhou Xiaoyuan

1998-12-31

With the steady growth of Chinese economy, the nonferrous metal industry of China was also developed quickly. The gross output of ten main nonferrous metals 4.25 million tons in 1995 so that China ranks the fourth in the world. However, a series of environmental problems also occurred, which relate to characteristics of mineral resources, techniques for mining, dressing, smelting and processing, equipment and their management level. The major pollutants include sulphur dioxide, industrial powder-dust and smoke-dust, water containing heavy metal ions as well as solid wastes. Air, water body, soil, vegetation and people`s health were polluted and damaged to differentmore » extent due to the above pollutants. For the purpose of environmental management and pollution control, some measures must be taken: (1) to strengthen environmental planning, accelerate and perfect environmental laws and related regulations as well as spread the consciousness of environmental protection energetically; (2) to extend cleaner production and adopt advanced technologies so as to reduce environmental pollution; (3) to turn the concept of the end-of-pipe management to the whole-process control; (4) to recovery or reuse the wastes fully. In addition, general situation and policies on reclamation of mining land as well as theory, methods and techniques of restoration of waste land were also stated in the paper.« less

EAG Eminent Speaker: Cold war biogeochemistry: Microbes as architects for metal attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Küsel, K.

2012-04-01

Legacy uranium mining in the area of Ronneburg, Germany, has resulted in extensive outflow of highly heavy metal contaminated ground and upcoming mine waters. Mine water flows along a grassland into a small creek and forms iron-rich precipitates yielding rust-colored terraces at the creek bank. These iron oxyhydroxides could have been formed by iron oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) or by chemical oxidation. Precipitates may serve as important biogeochemical interfaces, because heavy metals can adsorb or co-precipitate with Fe(II) or Fe(III) minerals. Thus, microbial Fe(II) oxidation but also the reductive dissolution of iron oxides can be important processes affecting the stability of metal contaminants. Here we present a study on the potential for iron cycling processes and on indigenous bacterial communities in this acidic creek. Oxic and anoxic in vitro sediment incubations revealed iron oxidation and reduction rates of same magnitude, indicating active iron cycling regardless of pH. XRD and TEM comparing the suspended particle load of water samples with fresh creek sediment showed that amorphous particles likely formed first, then aged to become more crystalline iron oxyhydroxides, such as akaganeite and goethite. During this aging process some of the initially smooth, 50-300 nm spherical particles may have formed nano-sized needles, which could potentially provide high reactive surface area for chemical and biological reactions. Surprisingly, total and dissolved metal concentrations in creek water and sediment revealed that elements such as Mn, Si, Ni, or Zn stayed mostly in solution. Only some metals such as Cu, Cr, and U seemed to be particle-associated in the water, likely co-precipitated with or adsorbed onto freshly-precipitating minerals. Pelagic and particle-associated organisms from water as well as fresh sediments were used for 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing and showed that members of the Proteobacteria (mainly Betaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria) dominated bacterial communities. The relative fraction of FeOB-related clones was especially high in upcoming underground water and sediment of the adjacent creek site. Up to 80% of clones in sediment microbial 16S rRNA gene clone libraries had ≥97% sequence similarity to reported FeOM or FeRM, demonstrating a strong link to function, even on RNA level. Three novel moderately acidophilic FeOM strains, Thiomonas sp. FB-Cd and FB-6 and Bordetella sp. FB-8, were isolated from pH 6.3 sediment. FB-6 is likely involved in in situ iron oxidation as it has high similarity to a RNA-derived clone from this sediment. Our results demonstrated active microbial iron cycling in heavy metal contaminated creeks, which have important implications for understanding natural attenuation.

Raman spectroscopy of the multi-anion mineral schlossmacherite (H 3O,Ca)Al 3(AsO 4,PO 4,SO 4) 2(OH) 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frost, Ray L.; Palmer, Sara J.; Xi, Yunfei

2012-02-01

The mineral schlossmacherite (H 3O,Ca)Al 3(AsO 4,PO 4,SO 4) 2(OH) 6, a multi-cation-multi-anion mineral of the beudantite mineral subgroup has been characterised by Raman spectroscopy. The mineral and related minerals functions as a heavy metal collector and is often amorphous or poorly crystalline, such that XRD identification is difficult. The Raman spectra are dominated by an intense band at 864 cm -1, assigned to the symmetric stretching mode of the AsO 43- anion. Raman bands at 809 and 819 cm -1 are assigned to the antisymmetric stretching mode of AsO 43-. The sulphate anion is characterised by bands at 1000 cm -1 ( ν1), and at 1031, 1082 and 1139 cm -1 ( ν3). Two sets of bands in the OH stretching region are observed: firstly between 2800 and 3000 cm -1 with bands observed at 2850, 2868, 2918 cm -1 and secondly between 3300 and 3600 with bands observed at 3363, 3382, 3410, 3449 and 3537 cm -1. These bands enabled the calculation of hydrogen bond distances and show a wide range of H-bond distances.

Accumulation of atmospheric radionuclides and heavy metals in cryoconite holes on an Arctic glacier.

PubMed

Łokas, Edyta; Zaborska, Agata; Kolicka, Małgorzata; Różycki, Michał; Zawierucha, Krzysztof

2016-10-01

Surface of glaciers is covered by mineral and organic dust, together with microorganisms forming cryoconite granules. Despite fact that glaciers and ice sheets constitute significance part of land surface, reservoir of freshwater, and sites of high biological production, the knowledge on the cryoconite granules still remain unsatisfactory. This study presents information on radionuclide and heavy metal contents in cryoconites. Cryoconites collected from the Hans Glacier in SW Spitsbergen reveal high activity concentrations of anthropogenic ((238,239,240)Pu, (137)Cs, (90)Sr) and natural ((210)Pb) radionuclides. The (238)Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratios in these cryoconites significantly exceed the mean global fallout ratio (0.025). The (238)Pu/(239+240)Pu ranged from 0.064 to 0.118. The (239+240)Pu/(137)Cs varied from 0.011 ± 0.003 to 0.030 ± 0.007. Such activity ratios as observed in these cryoconites were significantly higher than the values characterizing global fallout, pointing to possible contributions of these radionuclides from other sources. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn) in cryoconites exceed both UCC concentrations and local rocks' concentrations, particularly for cadmium. The concentration ratios of stable lead isotopes ((206)Pb/(207)Pb, (208)Pb/(206)Pb) were determined to discriminate between the natural and anthropogenic sources of Pb in cryoconites and to confirm the strong anthropogenic contribution to heavy metal deposition in the Arctic. In investigated cryoconite holes, two groups of invertebrates, both extremophiles, Tardigrada and Rotifera were detected. Our study indicate that cryoconites are aggregates of mineral and organic substances on surfaces of glaciers are able to accumulate large amounts of airborne pollutants bound to extracellular polymeric substances secreted by microorganisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploration of dysprosium: the most critical element for Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Y.

2012-04-01

Dysprosium (Dy), one of the heavy rare earth elements, is used mainly as an additive for NdFeB permanent magnets which are installed in various modern industrial products such as voice coil motors in computers, factory automation machinery, hybrid and electric vehicles, home electronics, and wind turbine, to improve heat resistance of the magnets. Dy has been produced about 2,000t per year from the ores from ion adsorption type deposits in southern China. However, the produced amount of Dy was significantly reduced in 2011 in China due to reservation of heavy rare earth resources and protection of natural environment, resulting in soaring of Dy price in the world. In order to respond the increasing demand of Dy, unconventional supply sources are inevitably developed, in addition to heavy rare earth enriched ion adsorption type deposits outside China. Heavy rare earth elements including Dy are dominantly hosted in xenotime, fergusonite, zircon, eudialyte, keiviite, kainosite, iimoriite, etc. Concentration of xenotime is found in placer deposits in Malaysia and India, hydrothermal deposits associated with unconformity-type uranium mineralization (Athabasca basin in Canada, Western Australia), iron-oxide fluorite mineralization (South Africa) and Sn-bearing alkaline granite (Brazil). Zircon and fergusontie concentration is found as igneous and hydrothermal products in peralkaline syenite, alkaline granite and pegmatite (e.g., Nechalacho in Canada). Eudialyte concentration is found in some peralkaline syenite bodies in Greenland, Canada, Sweden and Russia. Among these sources, large Dy resources are estimated in the deposits hosted in peralkaline rocks (Nechalacho: 79,000t, Kvanefjeld: 49,000t, Norra Karr: 15,700t, etc.) compared to the present demand of Dy. Thus, Dy will be supplied from the deposits associated with peralkaline and alkaline deposits in future instead of ion adsorption type deposits in southern China.

Zn mobility and geochemistry in surface sulfide mining soils from SE Spain.

PubMed

Garcia, G; Peñas, J M; Manteca, J I

2008-03-01

The extraction of metallic minerals and the mineral dressing operations in concentrators produced a high impact in soils and sediments. Heavy metals in soils constitute a high risk of pollution, not only for mining areas, but also for agriculture and villages placed in subsidiary areas. This research has been focused on the assessment of the real environmental and health hazards of Zn in relation to geochemistry and metal mobility in surface soils from a mining area in SE Spain, under semiarid weather conditions. Mineralogy of the studied soils revealed major presence of quartz, but also of other silicates, sulfates, carbonates, and sulfides. Regarding Zn minerals, the presence of sphalerite as the main Zn sulfide, and of goslarite as Zn sulfate, and of smithsonite as Zn carbonate should be highlighted. Soil pH ranged between 4.4 and 4.9 and the electrical conductivity between 55 and 85 microS/cm. By using the sequential extraction procedure, the achieved results show that zinc is not only mainly associated to primary but also to secondary sulfides. Total concentration of the non-available fractions rises up to 98.45% of total Zn in the studied soils. On the other hand, available Zn fraction did not exceed more than 1.55% in percentage and less than 2000 ppm in absolute terms, and when referred to more easily available fraction (water-soluble and exchangeable fractions), these values are not more than 0.44% and then 800 ppm. Therefore, although there is a significant pollution level in this area, immediate hazard for the environment can be assessed as moderate. Finally it should be highlighted that these surface soils have undergone concentration processes of sphalerite, whose mechanisms should be related to the ascending flow of capillary water and the dragging of sphalerite crystals and Zn salts by electrokinetic and colloidal processes These processes seem to occur based on environmental pollution by wind and water erosion, and therefore directly associated to environmental pollution and risks by free metals.

Characterization of ferruginous cements related with weathering of slag in a temperate anthropogenic beachrock.

PubMed

Arrieta, Nikole; Iturregui, Ane; Martínez-Arkarazo, Irantzu; Murelaga, Xabier; Baceta, Juan Ignacio; de Diego, Alberto; Olazabal, María Ángeles; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2017-03-01

This work outlines a temperate latitude beachrock occurrence, which represents the legacy of heavy anthropogenic environmental disturbance. The units contain high amounts of slag and iron-rich wastes derived from metallurgical activities that attest the impact of the past industrial development on such coastal systems. The exposition of the anthropogenic wastes to weathering processes, such as the influence of marine aerosols and the chemical attack of acid gases like the SOx coming from the nearby urban-industrial atmosphere, gave rise to the formation of early diagenetic ferruginous cements. A new analytical methodology based on the combination of micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS), Raman chemical imaging, SEM-EDS and the Structural and Chemical Analyzer (SCA, an emerging system that hyphenates micro-Raman and SEM-EDS), was applied for the first time to characterize the ferruginous cements. The MRS analyses revealed Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ oxides and oxyhydroxides, CaCO 3 polymorphs and less frequently silicates. The Fe mineral species detected were hydrated goethite, hematite, magnetite, magnesioferrite, lepidocrocite and goethite. Complementary Raman imaging, SEM-EDS and SCA analyses unraveled the preferential distribution of hydrated goethite. The identified iron mineral phases are weathering sub-products of hematite commonly derived from atmospheric/aqueous leaching processes triggered by the chemical attack of the acid gases. EDS showed the existence of other elements such as Si, Mg, Cl, Na, Al, K and sporadically S that indicated the importance of permeability, atmospheric deposition and the acid attack. Additionally, calcite and gypsum minerals also evidenced the action of meteoric waters, dry deposition processes or the attack of SOx acid gases. The presence of such compounds is modifying the cement stratigraphy and suggests that the dissolution of carbonates is currently taking place. Those facts influence the erosive susceptibility and the release of the anthropogenic materials trapped originally in the beachrocks, which could act as potential secondary sources of contaminants to the coastal environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal-immobilizing organoclay facilitates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation in mixed-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Biswas, Bhabananda; Sarkar, Binoy; Mandal, Asit; Naidu, Ravi

2015-11-15

Soils contaminated with a mixture of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose toxic metal stress to native PAH-degrading microorganisms. Adsorbents such as clay and modified clay minerals can bind the metal and reduce its toxicity to microorganisms. However, in a mixed-contaminated soil, an adsorption process more specific to the metals without affecting the bioavailability of PAHs is desired for effective degradation. Furthermore, the adsorbent should enhance the viability of PAH-degrading microorganisms. A metal-immobilizing organoclay (Arquad(®) 2HT-75-bentonite treated with palmitic acid) (MIOC) able to reduce metal (cadmium (Cd)) toxicity and enhance PAH (phenanthrene) biodegradation was developed and characterized in this study. The MIOC differed considerably from the parent clay in terms of its ability to reduce metal toxicity (MIOC>unmodified bentonite>Arquad-bentonite). The MIOC variably increased the microbial count (10-43%) as well as activities (respiration 3-44%; enzymatic activities up to 68%), and simultaneously maintained phenanthrene in bioavailable form in a Cd-phenanthrene mixed-contaminated soil over a 21-day incubation period. This study may lead to a new MIOC-assisted bioremediation technique for PAHs in mixed-contaminated soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced thermal batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, D. M.

1980-03-01

The feasibility of building thermal batteries with cells composed of an anode of LiAl alloy, a cathode of a heavy metal chloride, and a NaAlCl4 electrolyte has been demonstrated. During the further investigation of this system some interesting problems have developed and had to be studied. The particle size growth of the catholyte developed into a major storage problem. MoCl5 was found to form a volatile catholyte which is not suited for thermal battery use. As a result of this problem other catholyte materials were experimented with. CuCl2 is the most successful alternate to MoCl5. Some alternate binder materials have been investigated: kaolin clay, Illinois Mineral Amorphous Silica, and magnesia. Some alternate electrolytes have been investigated including NaAlCl4 (containing 52 m/o AlCl3), LiAlCl4 and KCl-LiCl. This work indicates that each material has unique properties which lend themselves to a particular application. Among the alternate cathode materials experimented with are CrCl3, a number of heavy metal oxides, fluorocarbon, TiS2, TiS3, and sulfur. Some alternate process investigated have been freon blending, adding materials to the anode, cell and battery desiccation and filling batteries with an inert atmosphere.

Responses to Oxidative and Heavy Metal Stresses in Cyanobacteria: Recent Advances

PubMed Central

Cassier-Chauvat, Corinne; Chauvat, Franck

2014-01-01

Cyanobacteria, the only known prokaryotes that perform oxygen-evolving photosynthesis, are receiving strong attention in basic and applied research. In using solar energy, water, CO2 and mineral salts to produce a large amount of biomass for the food chain, cyanobacteria constitute the first biological barrier against the entry of toxics into the food chain. In addition, cyanobacteria have the potential for the solar-driven carbon-neutral production of biofuels. However, cyanobacteria are often challenged by toxic reactive oxygen species generated under intense illumination, i.e., when their production of photosynthetic electrons exceeds what they need for the assimilation of inorganic nutrients. Furthermore, in requiring high amounts of various metals for growth, cyanobacteria are also frequently affected by drastic changes in metal availabilities. They are often challenged by heavy metals, which are increasingly spread out in the environment through human activities, and constitute persistent pollutants because they cannot be degraded. Consequently, it is important to analyze the protection against oxidative and metal stresses in cyanobacteria because these ancient organisms have developed most of these processes, a large number of which have been conserved during evolution. This review summarizes what is known regarding these mechanisms, emphasizing on their crosstalk. PMID:25561236

Effects of rapeseed residue on lead and cadmium availability and uptake by rice plants in heavy metal contaminated paddy soil.

PubMed

Ok, Yong Sik; Usman, Adel R A; Lee, Sang Soo; Abd El-Azeem, Samy A M; Choi, Bongsu; Hashimoto, Yohey; Yang, Jae E

2011-10-01

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) has been cultivated for biodiesel production worldwide. Winter rapeseed is commonly grown in the southern part of Korea under a rice-rapeseed double cropping system. In this study, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to assess the effects of rapeseed residue applied as a green manure alone or in combinations with mineral N fertilizer on Cd and Pb speciation in the contaminated paddy soil and their availability to rice plant (Oryza sativa L.). The changes in soil chemical and biological properties in response to the addition of rapeseed residue were also evaluated. Specifically, the following four treatments were evaluated: 100% mineral N fertilizer (N100) as a control, 70% mineral N fertilizer+rapeseed residue (N70+R), 30% mineral N fertilizer+rapeseed residue (N30+R) and rapeseed residue alone (R). The electrical conductivity and exchangeable cations of the rice paddy soil subjected to the R treatment or in combinations with mineral N fertilizer treatment, N70+R and N30+R, were higher than those in soils subjected to the N100 treatment. However, the soil pH value with the R treatment (pH 6.3) was lower than that with N100 treatment (pH 6.9). Use of rapeseed residue as a green manure led to an increase in soil organic matter (SOM) and enhanced the microbial populations in the soil. Sequential extraction also revealed that the addition of rapeseed residue decreased the easily accessible fraction of Cd by 5-14% and Pb by 30-39% through the transformation into less accessible fractions, thereby reducing metal availability to the rice plant. Overall, the incorporation of rapeseed residue into the metal contaminated rice paddy soils may sustain SOM, improve the soil chemical and biological properties, and decrease the heavy metal phytoavailability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alaska Geochemical Database, Version 2.0 (AGDB2)--including “best value” data compilations for rock, sediment, soil, mineral, and concentrate sample media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granitto, Matthew; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; Shew, Nora B.; Gamble, Bruce M.; Labay, Keith A.

2013-01-01

The Alaska Geochemical Database Version 2.0 (AGDB2) contains new geochemical data compilations in which each geologic material sample has one “best value” determination for each analyzed species, greatly improving speed and efficiency of use. Like the Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/637/) before it, the AGDB2 was created and designed to compile and integrate geochemical data from Alaska in order to facilitate geologic mapping, petrologic studies, mineral resource assessments, definition of geochemical baseline values and statistics, environmental impact assessments, and studies in medical geology. This relational database, created from the Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB) that was released in 2011, serves as a data archive in support of present and future Alaskan geologic and geochemical projects, and contains data tables in several different formats describing historical and new quantitative and qualitative geochemical analyses. The analytical results were determined by 85 laboratory and field analytical methods on 264,095 rock, sediment, soil, mineral and heavy-mineral concentrate samples. Most samples were collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel and analyzed in U.S. Geological Survey laboratories or, under contracts, in commercial analytical laboratories. These data represent analyses of samples collected as part of various U.S. Geological Survey programs and projects from 1962 through 2009. In addition, mineralogical data from 18,138 nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate samples are included in this database. The AGDB2 includes historical geochemical data originally archived in the U.S. Geological Survey Rock Analysis Storage System (RASS) database, used from the mid-1960s through the late 1980s and the U.S. Geological Survey PLUTO database used from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s. All of these data are currently maintained in the National Geochemical Database (NGDB). Retrievals from the NGDB were used to generate most of the AGDB data set. These data were checked for accuracy regarding sample location, sample media type, and analytical methods used. This arduous process of reviewing, verifying and, where necessary, editing all U.S. Geological Survey geochemical data resulted in a significantly improved Alaska geochemical dataset. USGS data that were not previously in the NGDB because the data predate the earliest U.S. Geological Survey geochemical databases, or were once excluded for programmatic reasons, are included here in the AGDB2 and will be added to the NGDB. The AGDB2 data provided here are the most accurate and complete to date, and should be useful for a wide variety of geochemical studies. The AGDB2 data provided in the linked database may be updated or changed periodically.

Detection and Monitoring of E-Waste Contamination through Remote Sensing and Image Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garb, Yaakov; Friedlander, Lonia

2015-04-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of today's fastest growing waste streams, and also one of the more problematic, as this end-of-life product contains precious metals mixed with and embedded in a variety of low value and potentially harmful plastic and other materials. This combination creates a powerful incentive for informal value chains that transport, extract from, and dispose of e-waste materials in far-ranging and unregulated ways, and especially in settings where regulation and livelihood alternatives are sparse, most notably in areas of India, China, and Africa. E-waste processing is known to release a variety of contaminants, such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, including flame retardants, dioxins and furans. In several sites, where the livelihoods of entire communities are dependent on e-waste processing, the resulting contaminants have been demonstrated to enter the hydrological system and food chain and have serious health and ecological effects. In this paper we demonstrate for the first time the usefulness of multi-spectral remote sensing imagery to detect and monitor the release and possibly the dispersal of heavy metal contaminants released in e-waste processing. While similar techniques have been used for prospecting or for studying heavy metal contamination from mining and large industrial facilities, we suggest that these techniques are of particular value in detecting contamination from the more dispersed, shifting, and ad-hoc kinds of release typical of e-waste processing. Given the increased resolution and decreased price of multi-spectral imagery, such techniques may offer a remarkably cost-effective and rapidly responsive means of assessing and monitoring this kind of contamination. We will describe the geochemical and multi-spectral image-processing principles underlying our approach, and show how we have applied these to an area in which we have a detailed, multi-temporal, spatially referenced, and ground-validated inventory of several hundred e-waste processing and disposal sites. We have compiled these data in recent years using field observation, interviews with e-waste workers, and systematic manual inspection of high resolution ortho-photo imagery (Garb and Davis, 2015). Drawing on this inventory, we offer a proof-of-concept demonstration of an image-processing algorithm that can reliably detect such sites. We will also discuss several ways in which we are extending this research. One of these is testing our ability to scale up and apply this approach to similar contamination sites in other geologic contexts. Relatedly, drawing on our extensive chrono-sequence of sites with differing contextual and use characteristics, we are exploring the factors shaping if and how certain soil types and/or local and regional mineral assemblages retain heavy metal contaminants more strongly (and for longer periods of time) than others, or whether these factors mediate contaminant transport.

LAND REBORN: TOOLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY/NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ABANDONED MINE LAND PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Mining activities in the US (not counting coal) produce 1-2 billion tons of mine waste annually. Since many of the ore mines involve sulfide minerals, the production of acid mine drainage (AMD) is a common problem from these abandoned mine sites. The combination of acidity, heavy...

HOWARD FORK ACID ROCK DRAINAGE SOURCE INTERCEPTION STUDY; HOWARD FORK OF THE SAN MIGUEL RIVER NEAR OPHIR, COLORADO

EPA Science Inventory

This project proposes to analyze regional hydrogeology as it relates to mine workings which discharge significant heavy metals into the Howard Fork of the San Miguel River and recommend strategies to intercept and divert water away from mineralized zones. The study also includes...

Results of Shipboard Approval Tests of Ballast Water Treatment Systems in Freshwater

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

AOC). This AOC notably has contaminated sediments, including PCBs, PAHs and heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium , chromium and lead (USEPA, 2014...because they are considered essential to the object of this report. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation...Organic Matter, Percent Transmittance and Mineral Matter

Integrated pollution prevention and control for heavy ceramic industry in Galicia (NW Spain).

PubMed

Barros, M C; Bello, P; Roca, E; Casares, J J

2007-03-22

The heavy ceramic industry (building materials and refractory products manufacture) is an important source of pollutants to the environment. For this reason these industrial sub-sectors are included in prevention and control pollution policies, specifically those of the European Union. The IPPC Directive pays particular attention to the mineral industries, not least to the ceramic industry (epigraph 3.5, Annex I). In this paper, a methodology which is being applied to support IPPC installations and the competent administrative authority in Galicia (NW Spain) is presented. For that, the Galician heavy ceramic industry is analysed, as also are the ways to study the Best Available Techniques (BAT) with a view to establishing the emission limit values (ELV) for each specific case. Hence, a technological state of the art has been carried out for both sub-sectors, from the point of view of implementation of the IPPC in Galicia. Following this, the processes are described briefly and an analysis of the consumption and emission levels of the main pollutants is made. An inventory that includes the best environmental practices and the preventive and abatement candidate techniques as BAT was elaborated for both considered sub-sectors. An information data sheet for each candidate BAT is presented as a method to help both the industries and the competent authority to identify a candidate technique of the inventory as BAT. Three illustrative examples of the application of this procedure are presented for different emissions to environmental media for Galician installations.

Detoxification of mercury, cadmium, and lead in Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC 418 growing in continuous culture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aiking, H.; Govers, H.; van 'T Riet, J.

1985-11-01

Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC 418 growing in the presence of cadmium under glucose-, sulfate-, or phosphate-limited conditions in continuous culture exhibited sulfide formation and P/sub i/ accumulation as the only demonstrable detoxification mechanisms. In the presence of mercury under similar conditions only HgS formation could be confirmed, by an increased sensitivity to mercury under sulfate-limited conditions, among others. The fact that the cells were most sensitive to cadmium under conditions of phosphate limitation and most sensitive to mercury under conditions of sulfate limitation led to the hypothesis that these inorganic detoxification mechanisms generally depended on a kind of facilitated precipitation. Themore » process was coined thus because heavy metals were probably accumulated and precipitated near the cell perimeter due to the relatively high local concentrations of sulfide and phosphate there. Depending on the growth-limiting nutrient, mercury proved to be 25-fold (phosphate limitation), 75-fold (glycerol limitation), or 150-fold (sulfate limitation) more toxic than cadmium to this organism. In the presence of lead, PbS formation was suggested. since no other detoxification mechanisms were detected, for example, rendering heavy metal ions innocuous as metallo-organic compounds, it was concluded that formation of heavy metal precipitates is crucially important to this organism. In addition, it was observed that several components of a defined mineral medium were able to reduce mercuric ions to elemental mercury. This abiotic mercury volatilization was studied in detail, and its general and environmental implications are discussed.« less

The spectroscopic study of building composites containing natural sorbents.

PubMed

Król, M; Mozgawa, W

2011-08-15

This work presents the results of FT-IR spectroscopic studies of heavy metal cations (Ag(+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Cr(3+)) immobilization from aqueous solutions on natural sorbents. The sorption has been conducted on sodium forms of zeolite (clinoptilolite) and clay minerals (mixtures containing mainly montmorillonite and kaolinite) which have been separated from natural Polish deposit. In the next part of the work both sorbents were used to obtain new building composites. It was proven those heavy metal cations' sorption causes changes in IR spectra of the zeolite and clay minerals. These alterations are dependent on the way the cations were sorbed. In the case of zeolite, variations of the bands corresponding to the characteristic ring vibrations have been observed. These rings occur in pseudomolecular complexes 4-4-1 (built of alumino- and silicooxygen tetrahedra) which constitute the secondary building units (SBU) and form spatial framework of the zeolite. The most significant changes have been determined in the region of pseudolattice vibrations (650-700 cm(-1)). In the instance of clay minerals, changes in the spectra occur at two ranges: 1200-800 cm(-1)--the range of the bands assigned to asymmetric Si-O(Si,Al) and bending Al-OH vibrations and 3800-3000 cm(-1)--the range of the bands originating from OH(-) groups stretching vibrations. Next results indicate possibilities of applying the used natural sorbents for the obtainment of new building materials having favourable composition and valuable properties. The zeolite was used for obtaining autoclaved materials with an addition of CaO, and the clay minerals for ceramic sintered materials with an addition of quartz and clinoptilolite were produced. FT-IR studies were also conducted on the obtained materials. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process for removing heavy metal compounds from heavy crude oil

DOEpatents

Cha, Chang Y.; Boysen, John E.; Branthaver, Jan F.

1991-01-01

A process is provided for removing heavy metal compounds from heavy crude oil by mixing the heavy crude oil with tar sand; preheating the mixture to a temperature of about 650.degree. F.; heating said mixture to up to 800.degree. F.; and separating tar sand from the light oils formed during said heating. The heavy metals removed from the heavy oils can be recovered from the spent sand for other uses.

A new genome of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans provides insights into adaptation to a bioleaching environment.

PubMed

Travisany, Dante; Cortés, María Paz; Latorre, Mauricio; Di Genova, Alex; Budinich, Marko; Bobadilla-Fazzini, Roberto A; Parada, Pilar; González, Mauricio; Maass, Alejandro

2014-11-01

Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans is a sulfur oxidizing acidophilic bacterium found in many sulfur-rich environments. It is particularly interesting due to its role in bioleaching of sulphide minerals. In this work, we report the genome sequence of At. thiooxidans Licanantay, the first strain from a copper mine to be sequenced and currently used in bioleaching industrial processes. Through comparative genomic analysis with two other At. thiooxidans non-metal mining strains (ATCC 19377 and A01) we determined that these strains share a large core genome of 2109 coding sequences and a high average nucleotide identity over 98%. Nevertheless, the presence of 841 strain-specific genes (absent in other At. thiooxidans strains) suggests a particular adaptation of Licanantay to its specific biomining environment. Among this group, we highlight genes encoding for proteins involved in heavy metal tolerance, mineral cell attachment and cysteine biosynthesis. Several of these genes were located near genetic motility genes (e.g. transposases and integrases) in genomic regions of over 10 kbp absent in the other strains, suggesting the presence of genomic islands in the Licanantay genome probably produced by horizontal gene transfer in mining environments. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fate and transport of heavy metals and radioelements in groundwater aquifers of Al-Qunfudhah and Wadi Haliy quadrangles, southwest of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bajabaa, S. A.; Abd El-Naby, H.; Dawood, Y.

2009-12-01

The fate and transport of heavy metals and radioelements in groundwater aquifers in five wadis located in the Al Qunfudhah and Wadi Haliy quadrangles were investigated. These wadis are an important source of water to the Red Sea coastal plain. Copper, zinc and other base-metals mineralization occur at eastern parts of these quadrangles that dominates the water catchments area of these wadis. Water, rock and soil samples were collected from all wadis and they were analyzed for major, trace elements, heavy metals and stable isotopes. The chemical and isotopic results showed active water/rock interaction. The preliminary investigation of the data analyses showed some samples with high heavy metals and uranium contents. Generally, the uranium and heavy metal contents are higher in samples collected from the upstream area of each wadi where the crystalline rocks are exposed and direct contact with the runoff. The uranium contents were as high as 120 ppb in some water samples. These elevated values are mainly due to two factors water rock interaction and concentration through evaporation. It was also observed to have elevated heavy metal contents near mining activates, which suggests that these mining activates are playing an important role in mobilizing the heavy elements and in turn affecting the water quality in these wadis.

Effect of heavy metals on soil fungi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosak-Świderska, Bożena

2010-05-01

Fungi constitute a high proportion of the microbial biomass in soil.Being widespread in soil their large surface-to-volume ratio and high metabolic activity, fungi can contribute significantly to heavy metal dynamics in soil. At neutral pH heavy metals in soils tend to be immobilized to precipitation and/or absorption to cation exchange sites of clay minerals. In the acidic soils, metals are more mobile and enter food webs easier. Microbial production of acids and chelating agents can mobilize to toxic metals. Mobilization is often by uptake and intracellular accumulation of the heavy metlas, and in this way, the bioavailability of metals towards other organisms can be more reduced. Fungi were isolated from soils from Upper Silesia in Poland and belonged to widespread genera: Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium and Trichoderma. Fungi from different taxonomic groups differ greatly in their tolerance to heavy metals. This could be related to their wall structure and chemistry as well as biochemical and physiological characteristics of fungi. Localization of metals in fungal cells was studied using electron microscopy analysis. Metal biosorption in the cell wall can be complex as melanin granules. Fungal vacuoles have an important role in the regulation of the cytosolic concentration of metal ions, and may contribute to heavy metal tolerance.In polluted soils with heavy metals, fungal species composition can be changed and their physiological activity can be changed, too.

Pneumoconiosis after sericite inhalation.

PubMed

Algranti, E; Handar, A M; Dumortier, P; Mendonça, E M C; Rodrigues, G L; Santos, A M A; Mauad, T; Dolhnikoff, M; De Vuyst, P; Saldiva, P H N; Bussacos, M A

2005-03-01

Between 1997 and 1999 three sericite plant workers in Parana, Brazil, were diagnosed with pneumoconiosis. To investigate and describe the radiological, clinical, and pathological changes in miners and millers exposed to sericite dust with mineralogical characteristics of inhaled dust. The working premises were visited to examine the sericite processing and to classify the jobs according to make qualitative evaluation. Respirable dust was collected and the amount of crystalline silica and particle size distribution were measured. Forty four workers were examined by a standard questionnaire for respiratory symptoms, spirometry, and chest x ray. Material from an open lung biopsy was reviewed for histopathological and mineralogical analysis, together with sericite samples from the work site to compare the mineral characteristics in lung lesions and work area. Respirable dust contained 4.5-10.0% crystalline silica. Particle size distribution showed a heavy burden of very fine particles (23-55%) with a mean diameter of <0.5 microm. Mean age of sericite miners was 41.0 (11.9) and mean number of years of exposure was 13.5 (10.1). In 52.3% of workers (23/44), chest radiographs presented a median category of 1/0 or above, and 18.2% (8/44) had a reduced FEV1. There was a significant association between exposure indices and x ray category. Histological studies of the lung biopsy showed lesions compatible with mixed dust fibrosis with no silicotic nodules. x Ray diffraction analysis of the lung dust residue and the bulk samples collected from work area showed similar mineralogical characteristics. Muscovite and kaolinite were the major mineral particle inclusions in the lung. Exposure to fine sericite particles is associated with the development of functional and radiological changes in workers inducing mixed dust lesions, which are distinct histologically from silicosis.

Relation between leaching characteristics of heavy metals and physical properties of fly ashes from typical municipal solid waste incinerators.

PubMed

Ni, Peng; Li, Hailong; Zhao, Yongchun; Zhang, Junying; Zheng, Chuguang

2017-09-01

Due to the alkalinity and high concentration of potentially hazardous heavy metals, fly ash from a municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator is classified as hazardous waste, which should be of particular concern. Physical and chemical characterizations of the contrasted fly ashes were investigated to explore the relation between leaching characteristics of heavy metals and physical properties of fly ashes. The results showed that CaClOH, NaCl, Ca(OH) 2 , KCl and SiO 2 were primary mineral compositions in the MSWI fly ashes, and the particle size distribution of fly ash ranged between 10 μm and 300 μm. The smaller the particle size distribution of fly ash, the larger the BET-specific surface area, which was beneficial to the leaching of heavy metals. As a result of various pores, it easily accumulated heavy metals as well. The leaching tests exhibited a high leachability of heavy metals and the leaching concentration of Pb in almost all of the fly ash samples went far beyond the Standard for Pollution Control on the Landfill Site of Municipal Solid Waste. Thereupon, it is necessary to establish proper disposal systems and management strategies for environmental protection based on the characteristics of MSW incineration (MSWI) fly ash in China.

Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in Soil: Impact on Microbial Biodegradation of Organic Compounds and Possible Improvement Strategies

PubMed Central

Olaniran, Ademola O.; Balgobind, Adhika; Pillay, Balakrishna

2013-01-01

Co-contamination of the environment with toxic chlorinated organic and heavy metal pollutants is one of the major problems facing industrialized nations today. Heavy metals may inhibit biodegradation of chlorinated organics by interacting with enzymes directly involved in biodegradation or those involved in general metabolism. Predictions of metal toxicity effects on organic pollutant biodegradation in co-contaminated soil and water environments is difficult since heavy metals may be present in a variety of chemical and physical forms. Recent advances in bioremediation of co-contaminated environments have focussed on the use of metal-resistant bacteria (cell and gene bioaugmentation), treatment amendments, clay minerals and chelating agents to reduce bioavailable heavy metal concentrations. Phytoremediation has also shown promise as an emerging alternative clean-up technology for co-contaminated environments. However, despite various investigations, in both aerobic and anaerobic systems, demonstrating that metal toxicity hampers the biodegradation of the organic component, a paucity of information exists in this area of research. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the problems associated with the degradation of chlorinated organics in co-contaminated environments, owing to metal toxicity and shed light on possible improvement strategies for effective bioremediation of sites co-contaminated with chlorinated organic compounds and heavy metals. PMID:23676353

[Characteristics of heavy metal elements and their relationship with magnetic properties of river sediment from urban area in Lanzhou].

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Zhao, Shuang; Xia, Dun-sheng; Yu, Ye; Tian, Shi-li; Jia, Jia; Jiang, Xiao-rong

2011-05-01

The contents of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in the surface sediments from 8 rivers in urban area in Lanzhou were monitored by ecological risk which was assessed by the potential ecological Håkanson index, and the index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), sediment enrichment factor (R), and environmental magnetism. The results showed that: (1) the potential ecological risk of heavy metals of As, Co, Ni, V in surface sediments from 8 rivers were low, which belonged to low ecological risk. But the risk of heave metals Cr, Pb, Zn in surface sediments from Yuer river was high, which belonged to middle ecological risk, and in downstream of Yuer river, the element of Cu belonged to high ecological risk. (2) The rivers in Lanzhou could be divided into four groups according to the heavy mental pollution degree: first type, such as Paihong river, Shier river, Yuer river and Shuimo river, called downstream concentrate type; second type, such as Qili river, called upstream concentrate type; third type, such as Luoguo river and Dasha river, called less affected type; fourth type, Lanni river, which polluted heavily in up and downstream; (3) The correlation analysis between magnetic parameters and element contents show that the parameters which mainly reflect the concentration of the magnetic minerals (X, SIRM, Ms) have close association with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu, So we can infer that the magnetic minerals in deposits samples mainly came from electroplating effluent, motor vehicle emission, and domestic sewage. SIRM/X shows a strong correlation with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, indicating the distribution of anthropogenic particulates. (4) The magnetic minerals(X, SIRM, Ms) have a strong correlation with the geoaccumulation (Igeo) than potential ecological risk index and enrichment factor (R). These results suggest a possible approach for source identification of magnetic material in pollution studies and the validity of using magnetic measurements to mapping the polluted area.

Quartz-pebble-conglomerate gold deposits: Chapter P in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, Ryan D.; Anderson, Eric D.

2018-05-17

Quartz-pebble-conglomerate gold deposits represent the largest repository of gold on Earth, largely due to the deposits of the Witwatersrand Basin, which account for nearly 40 percent of the total gold produced throughout Earth’s history. This deposit type has had a controversial history in regards to genetic models. However, most researchers conclude that they are paleoplacer deposits that have been modified by metamorphism and hydrothermal fluid flow subsequent to initial sedimentation.The deposits are found exclusively within fault-bounded depositional basins. The periphery of these basins commonly consists of granite-greenstone terranes, classic hosts for lode gold that source the detrital material infilling the basin. The gold reefs are typically located along unconformities or, less commonly, at the top of sedimentary beds. Large quartz pebbles and heavy-mineral concentrates are found associated with the gold. Deposits that formed prior to the Great Oxidation Event (circa 2.4 giga-annum [Ga]) contain pyrite, whereas younger deposits contain iron oxides. Uranium minerals and hydrocarbons are also notable features of some deposits.Much of the gold in these types of deposits forms crystalline features that are the product of local remobilization. However, some gold grains preserve textures that are undoubtedly of detrital origin. Other heavy minerals, such as pyrite, contain growth banding that is truncated along broken margins, which indicates that they were transported into place as opposed to forming by in situ growth in a hydrothermal setting.The ore tailings associated with these deposits commonly contain uranium-rich minerals and sulfides. Oxidation of the sulfides releases sulfuric acid and mobilizes various metals into the environment. The neutralizing potential of the tailings is minimal, since carbonate minerals are rare. The continuity of the tabular ore bodies, such as those of the Witwatersrand Basin, has allowed these mines to be the deepest in the world. The extreme depths create engineering complications and safety issues for the miners, such as rock bursts as a result of pressure release.The richness of these deposits makes them a desirable exploration target. However, the likelihood of future discoveries is minimal. Small deposits found in the United States include those found at Nemo in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Deep Lake in the Sierra Madre of Wyoming.

Microscale soil structure development after glacial retreat - using machine-learning based segmentation of elemental distributions obtained by NanoSIMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweizer, Steffen; Schlueter, Steffen; Hoeschen, Carmen; Koegel-Knabner, Ingrid; Mueller, Carsten W.

2017-04-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is distributed on mineral surfaces depending on physicochemical soil properties that vary at the submicron scale. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) can be used to visualize the spatial distribution of up to seven elements simultaneously at a lateral resolution of approximately 100 nm from which patterns of SOM coatings can be derived. Existing computational methods are mostly confined to visualization and lack spatial quantification measures of coverage and connectivity of organic matter coatings. This study proposes a methodology for the spatial analysis of SOM coatings based on supervised pixel classification and automatic image analysis of the 12C, 12C14N (indicative for SOM) and 16O (indicative for mineral surfaces) secondary ion distributions. The image segmentation of the secondary ion distributions into mineral particle surface and organic coating was done with a machine learning algorithm, which accounts for multiple features like size, color, intensity, edge and texture in all three ion distributions simultaneously. Our workflow allowed the spatial analysis of differences in the SOM coverage during soil development in the Damma glacier forefield (Switzerland) based on NanoSIMS measurements (n=121; containing ca. 4000 particles). The Damma chronosequence comprises several stages of soil development with increasing ice-free period (from ca. 15 to >700 years). To investigate mineral-associated SOM in the developing soil we obtained clay fractions (<2 μm) from two density fractions: light mineral (1.6 to 2.2 g cm3) and heavy mineral (>2.2 g cm3). We found increased coverage and a simultaneous development from patchy-distributed organic coatings to more connected coatings with increasing time after glacial retreat. The normalized N:C ratio (12C14N: (12C14N + 12C)) on the organic matter coatings was higher in the medium-aged soils than in the young and mature ones in both heavy and light mineral fraction. This reflects the sequential accumulation of proteinaceous SOM in the medium-aged soils and C-rich compounds in the mature soils. The results of our microscale image analysis correlated well with the SOM concentration of the fractions measured by elemental analyzer. Image analysis in combination with secondary ion distributions provides a powerful tool at the required microscale and enhances our mechanistic understanding of SOM stabilization in soil.

Assessment of fertilizer potential of the struvite produced from the treatment of methanogenic landfill leachate using low-cost reagents.

PubMed

Siciliano, Alessio

2016-03-01

Leachates generated in methanogenic landfills contain high strength of ammonium nitrogen which removal is hard to be accomplished by means of conventional techniques. The chemical precipitation of struvite, which is a mineral that could be reused as a slow-release fertilizer, is an effective process in the removal and recovery of NH4 amount of high-concentrated wastewaters. In this paper, a struvite precipitation process using unconventional reagents is proposed for a sustainable recovery of nitrogen content. In particular, seawater bittern, a by-product of marine salt manufacturing, and bone meal, a by-product of the thermal treatment of meat waste, have been used as low-cost sources of magnesium and phosphorus, respectively. The process enables the removal of more than 98 % ammonia load, the recovery about 99 and 95 % of phosphorus and magnesium, respectively, and the production of a precipitate containing struvite crystals. Heavy metals concentrations of produced precipitate were below the threshold values specified by the EC Directive for use of sewage sludges as fertilizers. Specific agronomic tests were conducted to investigate the fertilizing value of precipitate recovered from landfill leachate. The fertilizing effect of struvite deposit in cultivating Spinacia oleracea was compared with that of vegetable soil and commercial fertilizer. The growth of selected vegetable in the pots with struvite precipitate resulted significantly greater in both than those in the control pots and in the pots with the complex fertilizer. Furthermore, the struvite application as fertilizer did not result in more heavy metals in the vegetables respect those from soil and model fertilizer.

Uptake of heavy metals by Typha capensis from wetland sites polluted by effluent from mineral processing plants: implications of metal-metal interactions.

PubMed

Zaranyika, M F; Nyati, W

2017-10-01

The aim of the present work was to demonstrate the existence of metal-metal interactions in plants and their implications for the absorption of toxic elements like Cr. Typha capensis , a good accumulator of heavy metals, was chosen for the study. Levels of Fe, Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were determined in the soil and roots, rhizomes, stems and leaves of T. capensis from three Sites A, B and C polluted by effluent from a chrome ore processing plant, a gold ore processing plant, and a nickel ore processing plant, respectively. The levels of Cr were extremely high at Site A at 5415 and 786-16,047 μg g -1 dry weight in the soil and the plant, respectively, while the levels of Ni were high at Site C at 176 and 24-891 μg g -1 in the soil and the plant, respectively. The levels of Fe were high at all three sites at 2502-7500 and 906-13,833 μg g -1 in the soil and plant, respectively. For the rest of the metals, levels were modest at 8.5-148 and 2-264 μg g -1 in the soil and plant, respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis confirmed mutual synergistic metal-metal interactions in the uptake of Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Fe, and Cr, which are attributed to the similarity in the radii and coordination geometry of the cations of these elements. The implications of such metal-metal interactions (or effects of one metal on the behaviour of another) on the uptake of Cr, a toxic element, and possible Cr detoxification mechanism within the plant, are discussed.

Soil ingestion by dairy cattle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Darwin, R.

1990-02-15

Ingested soil may be a source of minerals to grazing cattle; it may also be a source of radionuclides, heavy metals, and organic toxins. The importance of soil ingestion in the milk pathway depends on the amount of soil ingested, the ratio of the mineral concentration in soil to that in herbage, and the ability of the cattle to solubilize and absorb the soil-derived minerals. The amount of soil ingested by cattle on pasture, in turn, depends upon the stocking level, the quantity of forage available, and the soil ingesting propensity of individual cows. The objective of this note ismore » to summarize some of the information about soil ingestion by dairy cattle and to suggest methods for incorporating soil ingestion into the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Phase I milk model. 5 refs., 4 tabs.« less

Sediment characteristics and provenance of the Taiwan Shoal in the southern Taiwan Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koo, W. S.; Lin, A. T.; Kuo, L. W.; Lee, Y. H.

2016-12-01

The Taiwan Shoal in the southern Taiwan Strait exhibits a lobe-shaped shallow water area, with a depth less than around 40 m and an area approximately of 13,000 km2. The Shoal consists of relict sediments remnant from deltaic deposits during the last glacial period and associated with the paleo-Min River. We collected seafloor sediments in and around the Taiwan Shoal to study the sediment characteristics and provenance of the Shoal as well as Taiwanese river sediments to characterize sediment sourced from southern Taiwan. Our results help to understand possible sediment delivery pathways in a source-to-sink context from the southern Taiwan Strait to the northern South China Sea. The method of X-ray diffraction is used to identify mineral compositions for muds and mineral compositions are examined under polarized microscope for sands. Zircon grains are separated from heavy minerals for U-Pb dating in order to understand the sediment source terranes. Sediments of the Taiwan Shoal are mostly tawny-colored, medium to coarse-grained sands with abundant shell fragments and shallow-water benthic foraminifera. Sediments to the south of the Taiwan Shoal and in the outer shelf consist of dark brown-colored and fine-grained sands with rare shell fragments. Siliciclastic compositions of the Taiwan Shoal sediments are mostly quartz. The second abundant composition is rock fragments with more occurrences near the Chinese coastline and the Penghu archipelago. Slate fragments are found to occur near Taiwan, especially in the Penghu Channel area. Clay minerals from the Penghu Channels and south of the Taiwan Shoal are dominated by illite and chlorite with minor smectite and kaolinite. The sediment colors and mineral species are very different for the sediments of the Taiwan Shoal and outer shelf, revealing that these two areas featuring different oceanographic processes and sediment provenance.

Diamonds from the Machado River alluvial deposit, Rondônia, Brazil, derived from both lithospheric and sublithospheric mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnham, A. D.; Bulanova, G. P.; Smith, C. B.; Whitehead, S. C.; Kohn, S. C.; Gobbo, L.; Walter, M. J.

2016-11-01

Diamonds from the Machado River alluvial deposit have been characterised on the basis of external morphology, internal textures, carbon isotopic composition, nitrogen concentration and aggregation state and mineral inclusion chemistry. Variations in morphology and features of abrasion suggest some diamonds have been derived directly from local kimberlites, whereas others have been through extensive sedimentary recycling. On the basis of mineral inclusion compositions, both lithospheric and sublithospheric diamonds are present at the deposit. The lithospheric diamonds have clear layer-by-layer octahedral and/or cuboid internal growth zonation, contain measurable nitrogen and indicate a heterogeneous lithospheric mantle beneath the region. The sublithospheric diamonds show a lack of regular sharp zonation, do not contain detectable nitrogen, are isotopically heavy (δ13CPDB predominantly - 0.7 to - 5.5) and contain inclusions of ferropericlase, former bridgmanite, majoritic garnet and former CaSiO3-perovskite. This suggests source lithologies that are Mg- and Ca-rich, probably including carbonates and serpentinites, subducted to lower mantle depths. The studied suite of sublithospheric diamonds has many similarities to the alluvial diamonds from Kankan, Guinea, but has more extreme variations in mineral inclusion chemistry. Of all superdeep diamond suites yet discovered, Machado River represents an end-member in terms of either the compositional range of materials being subducted to Transition Zone and lower mantle or the process by which materials are transferred from the subducted slab to the diamond-forming region.

Influence of heavy metal stress on antioxidant status and DNA damage in Urtica dioica.

PubMed

Gjorgieva, Darinka; Kadifkova Panovska, Tatjana; Ruskovska, Tatjana; Bačeva, Katerina; Stafilov, Trajče

2013-01-01

Heavy metals have the potential to interact and induce several stress responses in the plants; thus, effects of heavy metal stress on DNA damages and total antioxidants level in Urtica dioica leaves and stems were investigated. The samples are sampled from areas with different metal exposition. Metal content was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES), for total antioxidants level assessment the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay was used, and genomic DNA isolation from frozen plant samples was performed to obtain DNA fingerprints of investigated plant. It was found that heavy metal contents in stems generally changed synchronously with those in leaves of the plant, and extraneous metals led to imbalance of mineral nutrient elements. DNA damages were investigated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, and the results demonstrated that the samples exposed to metals yielded a large number of new fragments (total 12) in comparison with the control sample. This study showed that DNA stability is highly affected by metal pollution which was identified by RAPD markers. Results suggested that heavy metal stress influences antioxidant status and also induces DNA damages in U. dioica which may help to understand the mechanisms of metals genotoxicity.

Mineral-microbial interaction in long term experiments with sandstones and reservoir fluids exposed to CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasina, Monika; Morozova, Daria; Pellizzari, Linda; Würdemann, Hilke

2013-04-01

Microorganisms represent very effective geochemical catalysts, and may influence the process of the CO2 storage significantly. The goal of this study is to characterize the interactions between minerals and microorganisms during their exposure to the CO2 in a long term experiment in high pressure vessels to better understand the influence of biological processes on the composition of the reservoir sandstones and the long term stability of CO2 storage. The natural gas reservoir, proposed for the CO2 storage is characterized by high salinity (up to 420 g/l) and temperatures around 130°C, at depth of approximately 3.5 km. Microbial community of the reservoir fluid samples was dominated by different H2-oxidising, thiosulfate-oxidising and biocorrosive thermophilic bacteria as well as microorganisms similar to representatives from other deep environments, which have not previously been cultivated. The cells were attached to particles and were difficult to detect because of low cell numbers (Morozova et al., 2011). For the long term experiments, the autoclaved rock core samples from the core deposit were grinded, milled to the size of 0.5 mm and incubated with fresh reservoir fluids as inoculum for indigenous microorganisms in a N2/CH4/H2-atmosphere in high pressure vessels at a temperature of 80°C and pressure of 40 bars. Incubation was performed under lower temperature than in situ in order to favor the growth of the dormant microorganisms. After three months of incubation samples were exposed to high CO2 concentrations by insufflating it into the vessels. The sampling of rock and fluid material was executed 10 and 21 months after start of the experiment. Mineralogical analyses performed using XRD and SEM - EDS showed that main mineral components are quartz, feldspars, dolomite, anhydrite and calcite. Chemical fluid analyses using ICP-MS and ICP-OES showed that after CO2 exposure increasing Si4+ content in the fluid was noted after first sampling (ca. 25 relative %), whereas after the second sampling it decreased (to 31 relative %) in comparison to the reservoir fluid sample. This may suggest dissolution of silicate minerals at first, and secondary precipitation at second stage of experiment. In addition, immobilization of heavy metals dispersed within silicate minerals was also detected. An increase of Ca (3.2 up to 13% relative), SO4 (up to 14 relative %) and Fetot (47 and 24% relative) were also detected after first and second sampling respectively and may suggest dissolution of cements and iron rich minerals. The concentration of organic acids increased relatively by 12.5 % and 25% after first and second sampling respectively might be an indication for metabolic activity of microorganism or an effect of mobilisation due to CO2 exposure. The presence of newly formed mineral phases was detected using SEM-EDS. Quartz, albite and illite precipitation is a common process in all studied samples. However only illite is considered to be of bacterial origin, nevertheless its crystallization can also occur as a consequence of inorganic diagenetic processes. Further analyses of the microbial community composition, quantity and activity will bring a more insight into the CO2 exposure processes. Daria Morozova, Dagmar Kock, Martin Krüger, and Hilke Würdemann. Biogeochemical and microbial characterization of reservoir fluids from a gas field (Altmark). Geotechnologien 2011

Biogeochemical zonation of sulfur during the discharge of groundwater to lake in desert plateau (Dakebo Lake, NW China).

PubMed

Su, Xiaosi; Cui, Geng; Wang, Huang; Dai, Zhenxue; Woo, Nam-Chil; Yuan, Wenzhen

2018-06-01

As one of the important elements of controlling the redox system within the hyporheic and hypolentic zone, sulfur is involved in a series of complex biogeochemical processes such as carbon cycle, water acidification, formation of iron and manganese minerals, redox processes of trace metal elements and a series of important ecological processes. Previous studies on biogeochemistry of the hyporheic and hypolentic zones mostly concentrated on nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorus, heavy metals and other pollutants. Systematic study of biogeochemical behavior of sulfur and its main controlling factors within the lake hypolentic zone is very urgent and important. In this paper, a typical desert plateau lake, Dakebo Lake in northwestern China, was taken for example within which redox zonation and biogeochemical characteristics of sulfur affected by hydrodynamic conditions were studied based on not only traditional hydrochemical analysis, but also environmental isotope evidence. In the lake hypolentic zone of the study area, due to the different hydrodynamic conditions, vertical profile of sulfur species and environmental parameters differ at the two sites of the lake (western side and center). Reduction of sulfate, deposition and oxidation of sulfide, dissolution and precipitation of sulfur-bearing minerals occurred are responded well to Eh, dissolved oxygen, pH, organic carbon and microorganism according to which the lake hypolentic zone can be divided into reduced zone containing H 2 S, reduced zone containing no H 2 S, transition zone and oxidized zone. The results of this study provide valuable insights for understanding sulfur conversion processes and sulfur biogeochemical zonation within a lake hypolentic zone in an extreme plateau arid environment and for protecting the lake-wetland ecosystem in arid and semiarid regions.

The Last Glacial Maximum in the Northern European loess belt: Correlations between loess-paleosol sequences and the Dehner Maar core (Eifel Mountains)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zens, Joerg; Krauß, Lydia; Römer, Wolfgang; Klasen, Nicole; Pirson, Stéphane; Schulte, Philipp; Zeeden, Christian; Sirocko, Frank; Lehmkuhl, Frank

2016-04-01

The D1 project of the CRC 806 "Our way to Europe" focusses on Central Europe as a destination of modern human dispersal out of Africa. The paleo-environmental conditions along the migration areas are reconstructed by loess-paleosol sequences and lacustrine sediments. Stratigraphy and luminescence dating provide the chronological framework for the correlation of grain size and geochemical data to large-scale climate proxies like isotope ratios and dust content of Greenland ice cores. The reliability of correlations is improved by the development of precise age models of specific marker beds. In this study, we focus on the (terrestrial) Last Glacial Maximum of the Weichselian Upper Pleniglacial which is supposed to be dominated by high wind speeds and an increasing aridity. Especially in the Lower Rhine Embayment (LRE), this period is linked to an extensive erosion event. The disconformity is followed by an intensive cryosol formation. In order to support the stratigraphical observations from the field, luminescence dating and grain size analysis were applied on three loess-paleosol sequences along the northern European loess belt to develop a more reliable chronology and to reconstruct paleo-environmental dynamics. The loess sections were compared to newest results from heavy mineral and grain size analysis from the Dehner Maar core (Eifel Mountains) and correlated to NGRIP records. Volcanic minerals can be found in the Dehner Maar core from a visible tephra layer at 27.8 ka up to ~25 ka. They can be correlated to the Eltville Tephra found in loess section. New quartz luminescence ages from Romont (Belgium) surrounding the tephra dated the deposition between 25.0 + 2.3 ka and 25.8 + 2.4 ka. In the following, heavy minerals show an increasing importance of strong easterly winds during the second Greenland dust peak (~24 ka b2k) correlating with an extensive erosion event in the LRE. Luminescence dating on quartz bracketing the following soil formation yielded ages of 23.6 + 2.1 ka at the base and 22.1 + 2.0 ka above, which are in excellent agreement with the Greenland interstadial 2 (~ 23.5-22.5 ka b2k). Intensive frost weathering and solifluction indicate distinct moister conditions with periodical thawing of permafrost. The influence of eastern winds is subordinated and a stronger oceanic influence is more probable. The interstadial ends with a massive accumulation of primary, unstratified loess mainly by easterly winds according to heavy mineral contents from the Dehner Maar (~22-19.5 ka) suggesting increasing continentality and aridity. This change corresponds with the first retreat of the Scandinavian ice sheet from the Brandenburg to the Frankfurt stage. The results indicate that the development of loess sections is associated with the complex interaction of changes in temperature, wind directions, and differences in moisture availability. Grain size, heavy minerals and distinct phases of soil development as well as erosion events recorded such major changes in paleo-environmental conditions and can be correlated by luminescence dating precisely.

Cenozoic exhumation and tectonic evolution of the Qimen Tagh Range, northern Tibetan Plateau: Insights from the heavy mineral compositions, detrital zircon U-Pb ages and seismic interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, W.; Wu, C.; Wang, J.; Zhou, T.; Zhang, C.; Li, J.

2017-12-01

The Qaidam Basin is the largest intermountain basin within the Tibetan Plateau. The Cenozoic sedimentary flling characteristics of the basin was significantly influenced by the surrounding tectonic belt, such as the Altyn Tagh Range to the north-west and Qimen Tagh Range to the south. The tectonic evolution of the Qimen Tagh Range and the structural relationship between the Qaidam Basin and Qimen Tagh Range remain controversial. To address these issues, we analyzed thousands of heavy mineral data, 720 detrital zircon ages and seismic data of the Qaidam Basin. Based on the regional geological framework and our kinematic analyses, the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Qimen Tagh Range can be divided into two stages. From the Early Eocene to the Middle Miocene, the Devonian (400-360 Ma) and Permian to Triassic (300-200 Ma) zircons which were sourced from the Qimen Tagh Range and the heavy mineral assemblage of zircon-leucoxene-garnet-sphene on the north flank of the Qimen Tagh Range indicated that the Qimen Tagh Range has been exhumed before the Eocene and acted as the primary provenance of the Qaidam Basin. The Kunbei fault system (i.e. the Kunbei, Arlar and Hongliuquan faults) in the southwest of the Qaidam Basin, which can be seen as a natural study window of the Qimen Tagh Range, was characterized by left-lateral strike-slip faults and weak south-dipping thrust faults based on the seismic sections. This strike-slip motion was generated by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau caused by the onset of the Indian-Eurasian collision. Since the Middle Miocene, the primary mineral assemblages along the northern flank of the Qimen Tagh Range changed from the zircon-leucoxene-garnet-sphene assemblage to the epidote-hornblende-garnet-leucoxene assemblage. Simultaneously, the Kunbei fault system underwent intense south-dipping thrusting, and a nearly 2.2-km uplift can be observed in the hanging wall of the Arlar fault. We attributed these variations to the rapid uplift event of the Qimen Tagh Range. The intense tectonic activity is the far-feld effect of the full collision that occurred between the Indian-Eurasian plates.This work was financially supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2017ZX05008-001).

Silicon Carbide in Heavy-Mineral Samples: Indicator of Diamond Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, I. S.; Wang, W.

2013-12-01

Since kimberlite Pipe 50 of Wafangdian, 120 km northeast of the port city Dalian in Liaoning Province, ceased production in 2002, exploration programs have been conducted along tributaries of the Fuzhou River south of Wafangdian. The heavy-mineral method is often based on finding deep red G10 pyrope garnets which can be identified accurately by means of microprobe analysis to confirm their particular range of composition: high chromium, low calcium. Garnets are prone to hydrothermal alteration during kimberlite eruption, oxidation on Earth's surface, or be broken during mass transport. Unlike garnet, silicon carbide (SiC) resists chemical and mechanical alterations, but it crystallized at similarly high temperatures as diamond in Earth's mantle, and has the same atomic structure as diamond. Thus, SiC seems to be an ideal diamond indicator, although it is one of the rarest minerals in nature. Because of its characteristic blue-green color and adamantine luster, it can be recognized easily, no matter how minute the grains may be. We decided to re-examine small samples of heavy minerals collected and previously studied by exploration geologists, respectively from 3 tributaries of the Fuzhou River (Laogugao, Saocentun, Pingiaying), and from 3 ravines in the vicinity of Wafangdian (Songiagao, Dlitun, Lidianzhun), among which Songiagao, flowing into Qingnian Reservoir, is apparently a pristine water system, unpolluted by human activities. We found one grain of SiC in all the samples. From Fuzhou River: (1) Blue-green, euhedral, hexagonal shape, water-clear, one edge slightly chipped. (2) Light green, slightly corroded edges. (3) Green, half of the crystal's surface is covered by a blister-like yellow overgrowth; this material protrudes out on one side like a thick tapering paint brush. From Wafandian Vicinity: (1) Blue-green, with patchy black edges. (2) Green, with deep green rims and one brown inclusion. (3) Pale green, subhedral with one beige inclusion. All the crystals show various hues of green and blue, variable color saturation both within itself and between different grains. All crystals have different shapes, forms, coatings, types of reaction rims, while two crystals carry one or two inclusions, The multitude of features suggests a history of intricacies in the growth environment, an implication worthy of our contemplation as we try to understand the problem of diamond genesis.

Changes in the composition and properties of Ashalchinskoye bitumen-saturated sandstones when exposed to water vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolev, E.; Eskin, A.; Kolchugin, A.; Morozov, V.; Khramchenkov, M.; Gabdelvalieva, R.

2018-05-01

Ashalchinskoye bitumen deposit is an experimental platform for testing technology of high-viscosity oil extraction from reservoir rocks. Last time for enhanced of oil recovery in reservoir used pressurization a water vapor with a temperature of ∼ 180 ° C (SAGD technology). However, what happens in sandstone reservoir is little known. We did a study of the effects of water vapor on the structural components of bitumen saturated sandstone. In paper were studied the rock samples at base condition and after one week exposure by water vapour. The thermal analysis showed that steaming helps to removes light and middle oil fractions with a boiling point up to 360 ° C from oil saturated sandstones. Content of heavy oil fractions virtually unchanged. Studying the composition of water extractions of samples showed that the process of aquathermolysis of oil is accompanied by a lowering of the pH of the pore solution from 7.4 to 6.5 and rise content in several times of mobile cations Ca2+, Mg2+ and HCO3 -, SO4 2- anions. Follows from this that the thermal steam effect by bitumen saturated sandstones leads to partial oxidation of hydrocarbons with to form a carbon dioxide. The source of sulfate ions were oxidized pyrite aggregates. Due to the increasing acidity of condensed water, which fills the pore space of samples, pore fluid becomes aggressive to calcite and dolomite cement of bitumen saturated sandstones. As a result of the dissolution of carbonate cement the pore fluid enriched by calcium and magnesium cations. Clearly, that the process is accompanied by reduction of contact strength between fragments of minerals and rocks. Resulting part of compounds is separated from the outer side of samples and falls to bottom of water vapor container. Decreasing the amount of calcite and dolomite anions in samples in a steam-treated influence is confirmed by X-Ray analysis. X-Ray analysis data of study adscititious component of rocks showed that when influenced of water vapor to bitumen saturated sandstones there are the processes of transformation of clay minerals. Mixed-illite-montmorillonite phase is primarily exposed to changes. In this case we fix initial stage of the destruction of polycrystalline particles mixed-mineral. Reducing the size of clay minerals particles along the normal to the layers (L001) is the result from lower energy costs of delamination and disintegration the crystallites along this direction, in comparison with others. Thus, using of SAGD technology at exploitation of Ashalchinskoye bitumen saturated reservoir will be followed by acidification of the pore fluid, activation processes of dissolution calcite cement and transformation of mixed-layers clays minerals.

Mineralization related to Alvand pluton in the Hamadan, western Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehi, M. H.; Doosti, E. A.; Ahadnejad, V.

2009-04-01

The Alvand (Hamadan) plutonic batholith is one of the largest plutonic bodies in the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic belt. This complex is consist of mafic part (gabbro-diorite-tonalite), intermediate (granite-granodiorite porphyroids), and hololeucocratic granitoids. Previous studies have shown that S-type granite-granodiorites are mostly peraluminous and calc-alkaline; the gabbro-diorite-tonalite suite is mostly metaluminous and tholeiitic to calc-alkaline (Sepahi, 2008). High initial 87Sr-86Sr ratios (0.7081 to 0.7115), low epsilon Nd values (-1.0 to -3.3), and peraluminous character reflects a different origin for the granites, possibly crustal sources (Ghalamghash et al, 2007). Aplite-pegmatite dikes are intruded in granitoide rocks, metamorphic rocks and the contact of Alvand granite with metamorphic rocks. The contact of Alvand granite with metamorphic rocks is sharp. By using heavy mineral studies on the alluvium of Alvand complex, it is recognized 28 minerals amongst Scheelite, Cassiterite, Ilmenite, Zircon and Garnet. Different geostatistical studies such as variant, bivariant and multivariant studies have been done on rough data of heavy minerals. They showed normal concentration of gold in studied rocks and low enrichment of tin and tungsten. The index of the ore elements average, frequeney distribution criteria of elements, the ratio of elements index and multielements show that Alvand granite is barren. Mineralography studies did not recognized any tin and tungsten minerals. The grains of gold was recognized in some of the microscopic thin sections. Calcopyrotite is the most important ore mineral that is accompanied with oxides and iron carbonates. The contacts of aplite-pegmatite dikes with granitoide rocks mostly are not prolific. For recognizing Scheelite, some samples of rocks studied by ultraviolet and few Scheelite is recognized in the samples. Some alteration zone observed in this area but they are not accompany with main mineralization. Although the expanded turmalinization has occurred but it is not seen any mineralization. Unless some small part of Alvand complex (i.e. stibnite in the Faghireh area, Maniijou and Aliani, 2000) and based on the main geochemical index, Alvand granitod pluton is classified as a barren type granite. References: Ghalamghash, J., Mirnejad, H., Rashid, H., Mohammadiha, K., Ghahraei-poor, M., Zakeri, M., 2007. Geochemistry of gabbro, granite and mafic enclaves of Alvand batholithe and their origin. 25th conference of geoscinces, Geological Survey of Iran. Maniijou, M., and Aliani, F., 2000. Stibnite mineralization in the Hamedan, west Iran. Mineral Deposits at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Proceedings of the Joint Sixth Biennial SGA-SEG Meeting, Krakow, Poland, 26-29 August 2001 By Adam Piestrzyński, Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits, Society of Economic Geologists (U.S.) Published by Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9026518463, 9789026518461. 1148 pages. Sepahi, Ali A, 2008. Typology and petrogenesis of granitic rocks in the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic belt, Iran: with emphasis on the Alvand plutonic complex. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie Und Palaeontologie. Abhandlungen, 2008; 247 (3), 295-312.

46 CFR 153.1011 - Changing containment systems and hoses to and from alkylene oxide service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... reactive with alkylene oxides: (1) Non-oxidizing mineral acids (e.g. hydrochloric, phosphoric); (2) Sulfuric acid; (3) Nitric acid; (4) Organic acids (e.g. acetic, formic); (5) Halogenated organic acids (e.g... condition with no heavy rust accumulations or traces of previous cargoes; (2) No alkylene oxide is loaded...

46 CFR 153.1011 - Changing containment systems and hoses to and from alkylene oxide service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... reactive with alkylene oxides: (1) Non-oxidizing mineral acids (e.g. hydrochloric, phosphoric); (2) Sulfuric acid; (3) Nitric acid; (4) Organic acids (e.g. acetic, formic); (5) Halogenated organic acids (e.g... condition with no heavy rust accumulations or traces of previous cargoes; (2) No alkylene oxide is loaded...

46 CFR 153.1011 - Changing containment systems and hoses to and from alkylene oxide service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... reactive with alkylene oxides: (1) Non-oxidizing mineral acids (e.g. hydrochloric, phosphoric); (2) Sulfuric acid; (3) Nitric acid; (4) Organic acids (e.g. acetic, formic); (5) Halogenated organic acids (e.g... condition with no heavy rust accumulations or traces of previous cargoes; (2) No alkylene oxide is loaded...

46 CFR 153.1011 - Changing containment systems and hoses to and from alkylene oxide service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reactive with alkylene oxides: (1) Non-oxidizing mineral acids (e.g. hydrochloric, phosphoric); (2) Sulfuric acid; (3) Nitric acid; (4) Organic acids (e.g. acetic, formic); (5) Halogenated organic acids (e.g... condition with no heavy rust accumulations or traces of previous cargoes; (2) No alkylene oxide is loaded...

46 CFR 153.1011 - Changing containment systems and hoses to and from alkylene oxide service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... reactive with alkylene oxides: (1) Non-oxidizing mineral acids (e.g. hydrochloric, phosphoric); (2) Sulfuric acid; (3) Nitric acid; (4) Organic acids (e.g. acetic, formic); (5) Halogenated organic acids (e.g... condition with no heavy rust accumulations or traces of previous cargoes; (2) No alkylene oxide is loaded...

Role of mineralization inhibitors in the regulation of hard tissue biomineralization: relevance to initial enamel formation and maturation

PubMed Central

Margolis, Henry C.; Kwak, Seo-Young; Yamazaki, Hajime

2014-01-01

Vertebrate mineralized tissues, i.e., enamel, dentin, cementum, and bone, have unique hierarchical structures and chemical compositions. Although these tissues are similarly comprised of a crystalline calcium apatite mineral phase and a protein component, they differ with respect to crystal size and shape, level and distribution of trace mineral ions, the nature of the proteins present, and their relative proportions of mineral and protein components. Despite apparent differences, mineralized tissues are similarly derived by highly concerted extracellular processes involving matrix proteins, proteases, and mineral ion fluxes that collectively regulate the nucleation, growth and organization of forming mineral crystals. Nature, however, provides multiple ways to control the onset, rate, location, and organization of mineral deposits in developing mineralized tissues. Although our knowledge is quite limited in some of these areas, recent evidence suggests that hard tissue formation is, in part, controlled through the regulation of specific molecules that inhibit the mineralization process. This paper addresses the role of mineralization inhibitors in the regulation of biological mineralization with emphasis on the relevance of current findings to the process of amelogenesis. Mineralization inhibitors can also serve to maintain driving forces for calcium phosphate precipitation and prevent unwanted mineralization. Recent evidence shows that native phosphorylated amelogenins have the capacity to prevent mineralization through the stabilization of an amorphous calcium phosphate precursor phase, as observed in vitro and in developing teeth. Based on present findings, the authors propose that the transformation of initially formed amorphous mineral deposits to enamel crystals is an active process associated with the enzymatic processing of amelogenins. Such processing may serve to control both initial enamel crystal formation and subsequent maturation. PMID:25309443

Fen Wetland Hydrology and Constraints on the Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClenning, B. K.; Marcantonio, F.; Giardino, J. R.

2009-12-01

The interactions of a variety of geomorphic processes and a complex geology have produced spectacular landscapes throughout the San Juan Mountains. This complex geology abounds in mineral deposits that were mined from the mid 1800s through the 1990s. Unfortunately, much of this early mining impacted the streams, lakes, groundwater, and fens in this environment. Today, mining is waning and interest in restoration of this alpine environment is growing. Thus, sustainable restoration requires understanding dynamic interactions in this environment, which mandates an evaluation of the geomorphic and hydrologic processes that shape the present landscape. Fen wetlands, which have developed in geologic niches produced by the intense glaciation of the San Juans, occur throughout the area. The San Juans primarily exhibit a radial drainage pattern, which continue to feed the wetlands. The hydrology of these wetlands controls the chemical and biological processes and may be the most important factor regulating fen wetland function and development. Hydrological models can be used to simulate these processes and to evaluate management scenarios for fen restoration. Five fens, located along glaciated valley floors at elevations of greater than 3,000 m, range in area from 0.4 km2 to 0.7 km2. These fens were compared to determine the influence of their morphometry on runoff and evapotranspiration. The fen hydrology is dominated by irregularly located and poorly linked pools. We are attempting to combine saturated-unsaturated groundwater flow and transport models to study each fen. Hydrological conditions within the fens, which act as a sink or filter for heavy metals, also play a major role in determining the fate of transport of contaminants associated with prior mining activities. Indeed, preliminary studies have found higher than normal concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc occurring throughout the San Juan wetlands. Lead is also thought to occur in high concentrations, but less is known about exact levels of lead, and how various competing contaminant sources contribute to its deposition. Mining was prevalent in this area in the late nineteenth century, thus the five fens studied here have a range in contamination history due to proximity of each fen to past mining activities. Heavy metal concentration and Pb isotope ratio profiles (~35-cm depths) were measured at high resolution (2-cm intervals). The profiles provide a history of the fate and transport of the various heavy metal contaminants and, together with the hydrologic transport model, will help guide management scenarios for future restoration.

The effect of bonding environment on iron isotope fractionation between minerals at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sossi, Paolo A.; O'Neill, Hugh St. C.

2017-01-01

Central to understanding the processes that drive stable isotope fractionation in nature is their quantification under controlled experimental conditions. The polyvalent element iron, given its abundance in terrestrial rocks, exerts controls on the structural and chemical properties of minerals and melts. The iron isotope compositions of typical high temperature minerals are, however, poorly constrained and their dependence on intensive (e.g. fO2) and extensive (e.g. compositional) variables is unknown. In this work, experiments involving a reference phase, 2 M FeCl2·4H2O(l), together with an oxide mix corresponding to the bulk composition of the chosen mineral were performed in a piston cylinder in Ag capsules. The oxide mix crystallised in situ at 1073 K and 1 GPa, in equilibrium with the iron chloride, and was held for 72 h. In order to characterise the effect of co-ordination and oxidation state on the isotope composition independently, exclusively Fe2+ minerals were substituted in: VIII-fold almandine, VI-fold ilmenite, fayalite and IV-fold chromite and hercynite. Δ57FeMin-FeCl2 increases in the order VIII < VI < IV, consistent with a decrease in the mean Fe-O bond length. Magnetite, which has mixed VI- and IV-fold co-ordination, has the heaviest Δ57Fe by virtue of 2/3 of its iron being the smaller, ferric ion. The composition of the VIFe2+-bearing minerals is similar to that of the aqueous FeCl2 fluid. To the degree that this represents the speciation of iron in fluids exsolving from magmas, the fractionation between them should be small, unless the iron is hosted in magnetite. By contrast, predominantly Fe2+-bearing mantle garnets should preserve a much lighter δ57Fe than their lower pressure spinel counterparts, a signature that may be reflected in partial melts from these lithologies. As the Fe-O bond lengths in fayalite and ilmenite are comparable, their isotope compositions overlap, suggesting that high Ti mare basalts acquired their heavy isotopic signature from ilmenite that crystallised late during lunar magma ocean solidification.

Geochemistry of continental subduction-zone fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yong-Fei; Hermann, Joerg

2014-12-01

The composition of continental subduction-zone fluids varies dramatically from dilute aqueous solutions at subsolidus conditions to hydrous silicate melts at supersolidus conditions, with variable concentrations of fluid-mobile incompatible trace elements. At ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic conditions, supercritical fluids may occur with variable compositions. The water component of these fluids primarily derives from structural hydroxyl and molecular water in hydrous and nominally anhydrous minerals at UHP conditions. While the breakdown of hydrous minerals is the predominant water source for fluid activity in the subduction factory, water released from nominally anhydrous minerals provides an additional water source. These different sources of water may accumulate to induce partial melting of UHP metamorphic rocks on and above their wet solidii. Silica is the dominant solute in the deep fluids, followed by aluminum and alkalis. Trace element abundances are low in metamorphic fluids at subsolidus conditions, but become significantly elevated in anatectic melts at supersolidus conditions. The compositions of dissolved and residual minerals are a function of pressure-temperature and whole-rock composition, which exert a strong control on the trace element signature of liberated fluids. The trace element patterns of migmatic leucosomes in UHP rocks and multiphase solid inclusions in UHP minerals exhibit strong enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and moderate enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREE) but depletion of high field strength elements (HFSE) and heavy rare earth elements (HREE), demonstrating their crystallization from anatectic melts of crustal protoliths. Interaction of the anatectic melts with the mantle wedge peridotite leads to modal metasomatism with the generation of new mineral phases as well as cryptic metasomatism that is only manifested by the enrichment of fluid-mobile incompatible trace elements in orogenic peridotites. Partial melting of the metasomatic mantle domains gives rise to a variety of mafic igneous rocks in collisional orogens and their adjacent active continental margins. The study of such metasomatic processes and products is of great importance to understanding of the mass transfer at the slab-mantle interface in subduction channels. Therefore, the property and behavior of subduction-zone fluids are a key for understanding of the crust-mantle interaction at convergent plate margins.

Data on nearshore wave process and surficial beach deposits, central Tamil Nadu coast, India.

PubMed

Joevivek, V; Chandrasekar, N

2017-08-01

The chronicles of nearshore morphology and surficial beach deposits provide valuable information about the nature of the beach condition and the depositional environment. It imparts an understanding about the spatial and temporal relationship of nearshore waves and its influence over the distribution of beach sediments. This article contains data about wave and sediment dynamics of the ten sandy beaches along the central Tamil Nadu coast, India. This present dataset comprises nearshore wave parameters, breaker wave type, beach morphodynamic state, grain size distribution and weight percentage of heavy and light mineral distribution. The dataset will figure out the beach morphology and hydrodynamic condition with respect to the different monsoonal season. This will act as a field reference to realize the coastal dynamics in an open sea condition. The nearshore entities were obtained from the intensive field survey between January 2011 and December 2011, while characteristics of beach sediments are examined by the chemical process in the laboratory environment.

Genomics and Metagenomics of Extreme Acidophiles in Biomining Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, D. S.

2015-12-01

Over 160 draft or complete genomes of extreme acidophiles (pH < 3) have been published, many of which are from bioleaching and other biomining environments, or are closely related to such microorganisms. In addition, there are over 20 metagenomic studies of such environments. This provides a rich source of latent data that can be exploited for understanding the biology of biomining environments and for advancing biotechnological applications. Genomic and metagenomic data are already yielding valuable insights into cellular processes, including carbon and nitrogen management, heavy metal and acid resistance, iron and sulfur oxido-reduction, linking biogeochemical processes to organismal physiology. The data also allow the construction of useful models of the ecophysiology of biomining environments and provide insight into the gene and genome evolution of extreme acidophiles. Additionally, since most of these acidophiles are also chemoautolithotrophs that use minerals as energy sources or electron sinks, their genomes can be plundered for clues about the evolution of cellular metabolism and bioenergetic pathways during the Archaean abiotic/biotic transition on early Earth. Acknowledgements: Fondecyt 1130683.

Searching for Sustainable and "Greener" Li-ion Batteries

ScienceCinema

Tarascon, Jean-Marie [University of Picardie at Aimens, France

2017-12-09

Lithium-ion batteries are strong candidates for powering upcoming generations of hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. But improvements in safety must be achieved while keeping track of materials resources and abundances, as well as materials synthesis and recycling processes, all of which could inflict a heavy energy cost. Thus, electrode materials that have a minimum footprint in nature and are made via eco-efficient processes are sorely needed. The arrival of electrode materials based on minerals such as LiFePO4 (tryphilite) is a significant, but not sufficient, step toward the long-term demand for materials sustainability. The eco-efficient synthesis of LiFePO4 nanopowders via hydrothermal/ solvo-thermal processes using latent bases, structure directing templates, or other bio-related approaches will be presented in this talk. However, to secure sustainability and greeness, organic electrodes appear to be ideal candidates.... We took a fresh look at organic based electrodes; the results of this research into sequentially metal-organic-framework electrodes and Li-based organic electrodes (LixCyOz) will be reported and discussed.

The United Nations framework classification for fossil energy and mineral reserves and resources 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacDonald, D.; Lynch-Bell, M.; Ross, J.; Heiberg, S.; Griffiths, C.; Klett, T.

2011-01-01

Effective resource management in a globalizing economy requires accurate assessments of fossil energy and minerals resources. The recoverable quantities must be described and categorized in a manner that is consistent with scientific and social/economic information describing the economy as well as with the information describing the projects to recover them. A number of different standards have evolved over time in response to various professional needs Under a mandate given by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has cooperated with Governments, regulatory agencies, industry, international organizations, and professional organizations (including Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE)), as well as with outstanding experts, to define a global classification for extractive activities (including oil, gas, heavy oil and bitumen extraction) that reflects the principal concerns of existing petroleum and mineral classifications. The United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources-2009 (UNFC-2009) aims to serve the following four principal needs: 1. The needs in international energy and mineral studies to formulate robust and long-sighted policies. 2. The needs of governments in managing their resources accordingly, allowing market prices to be transferred to the wellhead with as little loss as possible. 3. The industries' needs for information while deploying technology, management and finance to secure energy supplies and capture value efficiently within the established frameworks to serve its host countries, shareholders and stakeholders. 4. The financial community's need for information to allocate capital appropriately, providing reduced costs and improved long-sightedness through the application of lower risk-compensated discount factors. The projects are categorised with respect to economic and social viability, project feasibility and maturity and uncertainty with respect to the quantities addressed. The categorisation of projects rather than of accumulations provides coherence with other critical management information such as production, cash flows, value and demand for various input factors. This key aspect of UNFC-2009 reflects the critical relationship between the quantities that can be recovered economically and the recovery processes (projects) that must be implemented to achieve those recoveries. It facilitates the recognition of potential wastage of resources through flaring or inefficient recovery processes and therefore also the potential for improvement. Copyright 2011, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Thermomagnetic identification of manganese and iron minerals present in soils and industrial dusts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wawer, Małgorzata; Rachwał, Marzena; Jabłońska, Mariola; Krzykawski, Tomasz; Magiera, Tadeusz

2017-04-01

Many industries (e.g. metallurgy, power, cement, and coking plants) constitute a sources of industrial dusts containing technogenic magnetic particles (TMP). TMP are mostly iron oxides with ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic properties, therefore their presence in dusts, soils and sediments can be easily detected by magnetic susceptibility measurements. TMP, thanks their specific mineral and magnetic properties, and well developed specific surface area, are characterized by a chemical affinity for some elements like heavy metals. The main objective of this study was identification of manganese and iron (hydro)oxides occurring in industrial dusts and soils being under their deposition for long time period. In principle, Mn and Fe (hydro)oxides present in these samples originate from high-temperature technological processes. Soils samples (collected from different soil horizons) taken from surroundings of power station, iron/steel and non-ferrous plants as well as metallurgical dusts and fly ashes from power stations were subjected to investigation. During the studies temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements and X-ray powder diffraction analyses were applied. Thermomagnetic analyses (K-T) revealed differences between samples from particular industries, however an inflexion at 450-500°C of all curves was observed indicating a probable occurrence of maghemite- or titanomagnetite-like phases. The curves of TMP emitted by power plants have inflection at 580 °C indicating that magnetite was the main magnetic phase. In case of TMP originated from non-ferrous metal smelting additional curve deflection at 130 and 210 °C occurred relating to intermediate titanomagnetite or iron sulfides. X-ray diffraction proved the occurrence of magnetite and maghemite in almost all samples, especially connected with power industry and iron/steel metallurgy. Mineral analysis revealed that kind of industrial process influenced on the dominating mineral forms found in polluted soils and specific industrial dusts. Fly ashes were composed mainly of anhydrite (2-46%), quartz (18-33%), muscovite (0-8%), feldspar (0-8%) and hematite (2-8%), while different spinels (19-53%), hematite (0-38%), wüstite (0-40%) and additives of calcite, halite, sylvine and graphite are the components of metallurgical dusts. Dusts from non-ferrous metal smelting contain Pb and Zn minerals: zincite (1-95%), lanarkite (0-45%), gordaite (0-10%), challacoloite and sphalerite. Additionally, some rare minerals were found in these dusts, such as: anglesite, sphalerite, galena, metasideronatrite and in soil, coronadite. Acknowledgements: The research project received funding from the National Science Centre of Poland on the basis of the decision number DEC-2013/09/B/ST10/02227.

Trace metal contamination of mineral spring water in an historical mining area in regional Victoria, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Rachael; Dowling, Kim

2013-11-01

Significant global consumption of spring and mineral water is fuelled by perceived therapeutic and medicinal qualities, cultural habits and taste. The Central Victorian Mineral Springs Region, Australia comprises approximately 100 naturally effervescent, cold, high CO2 content springs with distinctive tastes linked to a specific spring or pump. The area has a rich settlement history. It was first settled by miners in the 1840s closely followed by the first commercial operations of a health resort 1895. The landscape is clearly affected by gold mining with geographically proximal mine waste, mullock heaps or tailings. Repeated mineral springs sampling since 1985 has revealed elevated arsenic concentrations. In 1985 an arsenic concentration five times the current Australian Drinking Water Guideline was recorded at a popular tourist spring site. Recent sampling and analyses have confirmed elevated levels of heavy metals/metalloids, with higher concentrations occurring during periods of low rainfall. Despite the elevated levels, mineral water source points remain accessible to the public with some springs actively promoting the therapeutic benefits of the waters. In light of our analysis, the risk to consumers (some of whom are likely to be negatively health-affected or health-compromised) needs to be considered with a view to appropriate and verified analyses made available to the public.

Soil mineral alters the effect of Cd on the alkaline phosphatase activity.

PubMed

Tan, Xiangping; He, Yike; Wang, Ziquan; Li, Chenghui; Kong, Long; Tian, Haixia; Shen, Weijun; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; He, Wenxiang

2018-05-30

The toxicity of heavy metals (HMs) to soil enzymes is directly influenced by the status of the enzyme (free vs. immobilized on minerals) and the duration of exposure. However, little information is available on the interaction effect of HMs, mineral, and exposure time on soil enzyme activities. We investigated the interaction mechanism of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) with minerals (montmorillonite and goethite) and the response of free and immobilized ALP to cadmium (Cd) toxicity under different exposure times. The adsorption isotherms of ALP on both minerals were L-type. The maximum adsorption capacity of goethite for ALP was 3.96 times than montmorillonite, although both had similar adsorption constant (K). Goethite showed a greater inhibitory effect on ALP activity than montmorillonite. The toxicity of Cd to free- and goethite-ALP was enhanced with increasing exposure time, indicating a time-dependent inhibition. However, Cd toxicity to montmorillonite-ALP was not affected by the exposure time. The inhibition of Cd to soil enzyme activity is influenced by the properties of mineral complexes and the duration of exposure. A further understanding of the time pattern of HMs toxicity is helpful for accurately assessing the hazards of HMs to soil enzyme activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microcalorimetric and potentiometric titration studies on the adsorption of copper by P. putida and B. thuringiensis and their composites with minerals.

PubMed

Fang, Linchuan; Cai, Peng; Li, Pengxiang; Wu, Huayong; Liang, Wei; Rong, Xingmin; Chen, Wenli; Huang, Qiaoyun

2010-09-15

In order to have a better understanding of the interactions of heavy metals with bacteria and minerals in soil and associated environments, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), potentiometric titration and equilibrium sorption experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption behavior of Cu(II) by Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas putida and their composites with minerals. The interaction of montmorillonite with bacteria increased the reactive sites and resulted in greater adsorption for Cu(II) on their composites, while decreased adsorption sites and capacities for Cu(II) were observed on goethite-bacteria composites. A gram-positive bacterium B. thuringiensis played a more important role than a gram-negative bacterium P. putida in determining the properties of the bacteria-minerals interfaces. The enthalpy changes (DeltaH(ads)) from endothermic (6.14 kJ mol(-1)) to slightly exothermic (-0.78 kJ mol(-1)) suggested that Cu(II) is complexed with the anionic oxygen ligands on the surface of bacteria-mineral composites. Large entropies (32.96-58.89 J mol(-1) K(-1)) of Cu(II) adsorption onto bacteria-mineral composites demonstrated the formation of inner-sphere complexes in the presence of bacteria. The thermodynamic data implied that Cu(II) mainly bound to the carboxyl and phosphoryl groups as inner-sphere complexes on bacteria and mineral-bacteria composites. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sand and clay mineralogy of sal forest soils of the Doon Siwalik Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukesh; Manhas, R. K.; Tripathi, A. K.; Raina, A. K.; Gupta, M. K.; Kamboj, S. K.

2011-02-01

The peteromineralogical characterization of the soil was carried out for the 12 soil profiles exposed in the Shorea robusta dominated forests of the Siwalik forest division, Dehradun. The quartz was observed as the dominating light mineral fraction (64-80%) in all the profiles studied. Biotite, hornblende, zircon, tourmaline, rutile and opaques comprising of iron minerals constituted the heavy mineral fraction (20%). The mineralogy of both the sand and clay fractions revealed a mixed mineralogy. The clay minerals in the order of their dominance were vermiculite, illite, kaolinite and mixed layer minerals. The presence of vermiculite and illite in appreciable quantities indicates that these were synthesized from the K-rich soil solution, as orthoclase and micas were present in significant quantities in the sand minerals. The mineral suites identified in the study shows that the geological, climatological and topographical factors of the region collectively played a dominant role in their formation and transformation. After critical appraisal of the results, it may be deduced that the mineralogical composition, physicochemical properties and total elemental analysis of the soils do not show any deficiency of the bases and other plant nutrients in general. The inherent fertility of the soil is good as indicated by the sand and clay mineralogy of the soil and the biotite and feldspar together with the mica is an important source of nutrients for the vegetation in the soils of the Doon valley.

Development of an analytical technique for the detection of alteration minerals formed in bentonite by reaction with alkaline solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakamoto, H.; Shibata, M.; Owada, H.; Kaneko, M.; Kuno, Y.; Asano, H.

A multibarrier system consisting of cement-based backfill, structures and support materials, and a bentonite-based buffer material has been studied for the TRU waste disposal concept being developed in Japan, the aim being to restrict the migration of radionuclides. Concern regarding bentonite-based materials in this disposal environment relates to long-term alteration under hyper-alkaline conditions due to the presence of cementitious materials. In tests simulating the interaction between bentonite and cement, formation of secondary minerals due to alteration reactions under the conditions expected for geological disposal of TRU waste (equilibrated water with cement at low liquid/solid ratio) has not been observed, although alteration was observed under extremely hyper-alkaline conditions with high temperatures. This was considered to be due to the fact that analysis of C-S-H gel formed at the interface as a secondary mineral was difficult using XRD, because of its low crystallinity and low content. This paper describes an analytical technique for the characterization of C-S-H gel using a heavy liquid separation method which separates C-S-H gel from Kunigel V1 bentonite (bentonite produced in Japan) based on the difference in specific gravity between the crystalline minerals constituting Kunigel V1 and the secondary C-S-H gel. For development of C-S-H gel separation methods, simulated alteration samples were prepared by mixing 990 mg of unaltered Kunigel V1 and 10 mg of C-S-H gel synthesized using pure chemicals at a ratio of Ca/Si = 1.2. The simulated alteration samples were dispersed in bromoform-methanol mixtures with specific gravities ranging from 2.00 to 2.57 g/cm 3 and subjected to centrifuge separation to recover the light density fraction. Subsequent XRD analysis to identify the minerals was complemented by dissolution in 0.6 N hydrochloric acid to measure the Ca and Si contents. The primary peak (2 θ = 29.4°, Cu Kα) and secondary peaks (2 θ = 32.1° and 50.1°, Cu Kα) of the C-S-H gel, which could not be distinguished before the heavy liquid separation, were clearly identified by XRD after separation. The result of the analyses of the light density fraction indicates highest recovery of C-S-H gel and least inclusion of bentonite for separation using heavy liquid with a specific gravity of 2.10 g/cm 3. The traces of bentonite minerals included in the suspension were identified to be montmorillonite, quartz, clinoptilolite, and calcite. The separation technique was also tested for Ca-bentonite prepared by passing a calcium hydroxide solution through a bentonite (Kunigel V1)-silica sand mixture. The results indicated that the technique would also be applicable to separation of C-S-H gel from Ca-bentonite.

U-Th-Ra variations in Himalayan river sediments (Gandak river, India): Weathering fractionation and/or grain-size sorting?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosia, Clio; Chabaux, François; Pelt, Eric; France-Lanord, Christian; Morin, Guillaume; Lavé, Jérôme; Stille, Peter

2016-11-01

Understanding the origin of U-Th-Ra variations in the Ganga river sediments is a prerequisite for correctly using U-series nuclides to constrain the sediment transport times in Himalayan rivers. For this purpose, U, Th, and Ra concentrations, along with 238U-234U-230Th-226Ra radioactive disequilibria, were analyzed in bank, bedload and suspended sediments from the Gandak river, one of the main tributaries of the Ganga river. The data confirm that U and Th budgets of the Himalayan sediments are significantly influenced by minor resistant minerals, such as zircon, garnet and Ti-bearing minerals, the dissolution of which required the use of a high-pressure acid digestion process. Most importantly, the results indicate that the variations in (238U/232Th) and (230Th/232Th) activity ratios and 238U-234U-230Th-226Ra disequilibria in sediments along the river alluvial plain mainly reflect modifications in the mineralogical and grain-size compositions rather than the degree of weathering during transport. The (238U/232Th) and (230Th/232Th) activity ratios in the bank and bed sediments are related to variations in the minor primary minerals strongly enriched in U and Th (i.e., zircon, REE-bearing minerals and Ti-bearing minerals), whereas the activity ratios in the suspended load are related to variations in the proportions of clay, Fe-oxyhydroxides and the silt-sand fraction, which contains U- and Th-bearing minor minerals. The data also indicate that 238U-234U-230Th-226Ra disequilibria are strongly influenced by secondary mineral phases: the 230Th budget is likely mainly controlled by Fe-oxyhydroxides, and the 226Ra budget is likely mainly controlled by clay minerals. Therefore, the variations in the 238U-234U-230Th-232Th system in the sediments of the Gandak river cannot simply be interpreted as the result of fractionation due to chemical transformation of the bulk sediment during its transport within the alluvial plain and/or the result of radioactive decay. Consequently, they cannot be used to infer long sediment transport times within the Gandak plain (10-100 ka), as previously proposed. Such analytical and interpretative artifacts are certainly not specific to the present study on the Gandak basin. These issues will certainly be encountered anytime this technique is applied to alluvial systems in which the U and Th budgets of the sediments are influenced by ;heavy; minerals that can be sorted during the transport of sediments within the plain.

Magnetic Properties of Soils from Sarimukti Landfill as Proxy Indicators of Pollution (Case Study: Desa Sarimukti, Kabupaten Bandung Barat)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cita Novala, Gesti; Fitriani, Dini; Susanto, Kusnahadi; Hajar Kirana, Kartika

2016-01-01

Leachate is the liquid arises from waste disposal. It contains heavy metals and magnetic minerals. Leachate could penetrate into sub surface that cause soil contamination. We have studied magnetic properties of soils from three zones in the Sarimukti landfill. We measured magnetic susceptibility in dual frequency and temperature dependent of susceptibility. The results showed that magnetic susceptibility at low frequency (xlf) of soil samples have the value ranging from 50-1400 (x 10-8 m3/kg). It infers that the samples were dominated by ferrimagnetic minerals. The relative difference of magnetic susceptibility measured at two frequency (xfd(%)) are less than 4%. It indicates that magnetic minerals probably derived from anthropogenic sources. There is negative correlation between xlf and Xfd(%). It supports the analysis that the source of magnetic minerals is anthropogenic. The results of the temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that the peak of magnetic susceptibility in heating curve occurs at the temperature about 200°C and 500°C. After 500°C, heating curve rapidly decreases. It can be inferred that the dominant type of magnetic minerals in the samples is titanomagnetite.

In situ evidence of mineral physical protection and carbon stabilization revealed by nanoscale 3-D tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Yi-Tse; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Chiang, Cheng-Cheng; Tsai, Heng; Song, Yen-Fang; Huang, Shiuh-Tsuen; Liang, Biqing

2018-05-01

An approach for nanoscale 3-D tomography of organic carbon (OC) and associated mineral nanoparticles was developed to illustrate their spatial distribution and boundary interplay, using synchrotron-based transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM). The proposed 3-D tomography technique was first applied to in situ observation of a laboratory-made consortium of black carbon (BC) and nanomineral (TiO2, 15 nm), and its performance was evaluated using dual-scan (absorption contrast and phase contrast) modes. This novel tool was then successfully applied to a natural OC-mineral consortium from mountain soil at a spatial resolution of 60 nm, showing the fine structure and boundary of OC, the distribution of abundant nano-sized minerals, and the 3-D organo-mineral association in situ. The stabilization of 3500-year-old natural OC was mainly attributed to the physical protection of nano-sized iron (Fe)-containing minerals (Fe oxyhydroxides including ferrihydrite, goethite, and lepidocrocite), and the strong organo-mineral complexation. In situ evidence revealed an abundance of mineral nanoparticles, in dense thin layers or nano-aggregates/clusters, instead of crystalline clay-sized minerals on or near OC surfaces. The key working minerals for C stabilization were reactive short-range-order (SRO) mineral nanoparticles and poorly crystalline submicron-sized clay minerals. Spectroscopic analyses demonstrated that the studied OC was not merely in crisscross co-localization with reactive SRO minerals; there could be a significant degree of binding between OC and the minerals. The ubiquity and abundance of mineral nanoparticles on the OC surface, and their heterogeneity in the natural environment may have been severely underestimated by traditional research approaches. Our in situ description of organo-mineral interplay at the nanoscale provides direct evidence to substantiate the importance of mineral physical protection for the long-term stabilization of OC. This high-resolution 3-D tomography approach is a promising tool for generating new insight into the interior 3-D structure of micro-aggregates, the in situ interplay between OC and minerals, and the fate of mineral nanoparticles (including heavy metals) in natural environments.

[Effect of sodium carbonate assisted hydrothermal process on heavy metals stabilization in medical waste incinerator fly ash].

PubMed

Jin, Jian; Li, Xiao-dong; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jian-hua

2010-04-01

A sodium carbonate assisted hydrothermal process was induced to stabilize the fly ash from medical waste incinerator. The results showed that sodium carbonate assisted hydrothermal process reduced the heavy metals leachability of fly ash, and the heavy metal waste water from the process would not be a secondary pollution. The leachability of heavy metals studied in this paper were Cd 1.97 mg/L, Cr 1.56 mg/L, Cu 2.56 mg/L, Mn 17.30 mg/L, Ni 1.65 mg/L, Pb 1.56 mg/L and Zn 189.00 mg/L, and after hydrothermal process with the optimal experimental condition (Na2CO3/fly ash dosage = 5/20, reaction time = 8 h, L/S ratio = 10/1) the leachability reduced to < 0.02 mg/L for Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and 0.05 mg/L for Zn, according to GB 5085.3-2007. Meanwhile, the concentrations of heavy metals in effluent after hydrothermal process were less than 0.8 mg/L. The heavy metals leachability and concentration in effluent reduced with prolonged reaction time. Prolonged aging can affect the leachability of metals as solids become more crystalline, and heavy metals transferred inside of crystalline. The mechanism of heavy metal stabilization can be concluded to the co precipitation and adsorption effect of aluminosilicates formation, crystallization and aging process.

Beyond the material grave: Life Cycle Impact Assessment of leaching from secondary materials in road and earth constructions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwab, Oliver; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Geography and Geoecology, Adenauerring 20, 76131 Karlsruhe; Bayer, Peter, E-mail: bayer@erdw.ethz.ch

Highlights: • We model environmental impacts of leaching from secondary construction material. • Industrial wastes in construction contain up to 45,000 t heavy metals per year (D). • In a scenario, 150 t are leached to the environment within 100 years after construction. • All heavy metals but As, Sb and Mo are adsorbed by 20 cm subsoil in this scenario. • Environmental impacts depend on material, pollutant, construction type, and geography. - Abstract: In industrialized countries, large amounts of mineral wastes are produced. They are re-used in various ways, particularly in road and earth constructions, substituting primary resources suchmore » as gravel. However, they may also contain pollutants, such as heavy metals, which may be leached to the groundwater. The toxic impacts of these emissions are so far often neglected within Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of products or waste treatment services and thus, potentially large environmental impacts are currently missed. This study aims at closing this gap by assessing the ecotoxic impacts of heavy metal leaching from industrial mineral wastes in road and earth constructions. The flows of metals such as Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, V and Zn originating from three typical constructions to the environment are quantified, their fate in the environment is assessed and potential ecotoxic effects evaluated. For our reference country, Germany, the industrial wastes that are applied as Granular Secondary Construction Material (GSCM) carry more than 45,000 t of diverse heavy metals per year. Depending on the material quality and construction type applied, up to 150 t of heavy metals may leach to the environment within the first 100 years after construction. Heavy metal retardation in subsoil can potentially reduce the fate to groundwater by up to 100%. One major challenge of integrating leaching from constructions into macro-scale LCA frameworks is the high variability in micro-scale technical and geographical factors, such as material qualities, construction types and soil types. In our work, we consider a broad range of parameter values in the modeling of leaching and fate. This allows distinguishing between the impacts of various road constructions, as well as sites with different soil properties. The findings of this study promote the quantitative consideration of environmental impacts of long-term leaching in Life Cycle Assessment, complementing site-specific risk assessment, for the design of waste management strategies, particularly in the construction sector.« less

Changes in Stratiform Clouds of Mesoscale Convective Complex Introduced by Dust Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, B.; Min, Q.-L.; Li, R.

2010-01-01

Aerosols influence the earth s climate through direct, indirect, and semi-direct effects. There are large uncertainties in quantifying these effects due to limited measurements and observations of aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions. As a major terrestrial source of atmospheric aerosols, dusts may serve as a significant climate forcing for the changing climate because of its effect on solar and thermal radiation as well as on clouds and precipitation processes. Latest satellites measurements enable us to determine dust aerosol loadings and cloud distributions and can potentially be used to reduce the uncertainties in the estimations of aerosol effects on climate. This study uses sensors on various satellites to investigate the impact of mineral dust on cloud microphysical and precipitation processes in mesoscale convective complex (MCC). A trans-Atlantic dust outbreak of Saharan origin occurring in early March 2004 is considered. For the observed MCCs under a given convective strength, small hydrometeors were found more prevalent in the dusty stratiform regions than in those regions that were dust free. Evidence of abundant cloud ice particles in the dust regions, particularly at altitudes where heterogeneous nucleation of mineral dust prevails, further supports the observed changes of clouds and precipitation. The consequences of the microphysical effects of the dust aerosols were to shift the size spectrum of precipitation-sized hydrometeors from heavy precipitation to light precipitation and ultimately to suppress precipitation and increase the lifecycle of cloud systems, especially over stratiform areas.

Beyond the material grave: Life Cycle Impact Assessment of leaching from secondary materials in road and earth constructions.

PubMed

Schwab, Oliver; Bayer, Peter; Juraske, Ronnie; Verones, Francesca; Hellweg, Stefanie

2014-10-01

In industrialized countries, large amounts of mineral wastes are produced. They are re-used in various ways, particularly in road and earth constructions, substituting primary resources such as gravel. However, they may also contain pollutants, such as heavy metals, which may be leached to the groundwater. The toxic impacts of these emissions are so far often neglected within Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of products or waste treatment services and thus, potentially large environmental impacts are currently missed. This study aims at closing this gap by assessing the ecotoxic impacts of heavy metal leaching from industrial mineral wastes in road and earth constructions. The flows of metals such as Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, V and Zn originating from three typical constructions to the environment are quantified, their fate in the environment is assessed and potential ecotoxic effects evaluated. For our reference country, Germany, the industrial wastes that are applied as Granular Secondary Construction Material (GSCM) carry more than 45,000 t of diverse heavy metals per year. Depending on the material quality and construction type applied, up to 150 t of heavy metals may leach to the environment within the first 100 years after construction. Heavy metal retardation in subsoil can potentially reduce the fate to groundwater by up to 100%. One major challenge of integrating leaching from constructions into macro-scale LCA frameworks is the high variability in micro-scale technical and geographical factors, such as material qualities, construction types and soil types. In our work, we consider a broad range of parameter values in the modeling of leaching and fate. This allows distinguishing between the impacts of various road constructions, as well as sites with different soil properties. The findings of this study promote the quantitative consideration of environmental impacts of long-term leaching in Life Cycle Assessment, complementing site-specific risk assessment, for the design of waste management strategies, particularly in the construction sector. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical Data for Samples Collected in 2007 Near the Concealed Pebble Porphyry Cu-Au-Mo Deposit, Southwest Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fey, David L.; Granitto, Matthew; Giles, Stuart A.; Smith, Steven M.; Eppinger, Robert G.; Kelley, Karen D.

2008-01-01

In the summer of 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began an exploration geochemical research study over the Pebble porphyry copper-gold-molydenum (Cu-Au-Mo) deposit in southwest Alaska. The Pebble deposit is extremely large and is almost entirely concealed by tundra, glacial deposits, and post-Cretaceous volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. The deposit is presently being explored by Northern Dynasty Minerals, Ltd., and Anglo-American LLC. The USGS undertakes unbiased, broad-scale mineral resource assessments of government lands to provide Congress and citizens with information on national mineral endowment. Research on known deposits is also done to refine and better constrain methods and deposit models for the mineral resource assessments. The Pebble deposit was chosen for this study because it is concealed by surficial cover rocks, it is relatively undisturbed (except for exploration company drill holes), it is a large mineral system, and it is fairly well constrained at depth by the drill hole geology and geochemistry. The goals of the USGS study are (1) to determine whether the concealed deposit can be detected with surface samples, (2) to better understand the processes of metal migration from the deposit to the surface, and (3) to test and develop methods for assessing mineral resources in similar concealed terrains. This report presents analytical results for geochemical samples collected in 2007 from the Pebble deposit and surrounding environs. The analytical data are presented digitally both as an integrated Microsoft 2003 Access? database and as Microsoft 2003 Excel? files. The Pebble deposit is located in southwestern Alaska on state lands about 30 km (18 mi) northwest of the village of Illiamna and 320 km (200 mi) southwest of Anchorage (fig. 1). Elevations in the Pebble area range from 287 m (940 ft) at Frying Pan Lake just south of the deposit to 1146 m (3760 ft) on Kaskanak Mountain about 5 km (5 mi) to the west. The deposit is in an area of relatively subdued topographic relief with an elevation of around 300 m (1000 ft). This portion of Alaska is part of the subarctic regime mountains division, Yukon intermontane plateaus-tayga-meadow province ecoregion, as defined by Bailey (U.S. Forest Service, 2007). Between June 28th and July 12th, 2007, scientists from the USGS collected soil, water, stream sediment, vegetation, heavy-mineral concentrate, till, and rock samples from the deposit area. This report contains analytical results for soil, water, stream sediment, and vegetation samples. Analyses for the heavy-mineral concentrate, till, and rock samples are still in progress. The sampling was undertaken during relatively dry and stable weather conditions. Only minor scattered rain showers occurred during the sampling period, so surface conditions were largely unaffected by weather. The predominant sample media collected were soils and surface waters. Soil and water (mostly from ponds and springs, some from small creeks) samples were collected along a single 7.8 km-long (4.8 mi) east-west traverse across the Pebble East and Pebble West zones and from more distal background areas around Koktuli and Kaskanak Mountains. Sample sites are shown on figure 2 and plate 1, and locality coordinates are provided in the accompanying Access and Excel files named FieldSite. Water samples were analyzed by USGS laboratories with one subset analyzed by Activation Laboratories (Actlabs), as indicated below. Soils and stream sediments were analyzed for their total content by SGS Minerals Services under a contract with the USGS. Soil samples were also leached by selected partial-extraction leaching procedures and then analyzed by several commercial laboratories, as described below. Vegetation samples were analyzed as indicated below.

Heavy metals in human teeth dentine: A bio-indicator of metals exposure and environmental pollution.

PubMed

Asaduzzaman, Khandoker; Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin; Binti Baharudin, Nurul Atiqah; Amin, Yusoff Bin Mohd; Farook, Mohideen Salihu; Bradley, D A; Mahmoud, Okba

2017-06-01

With rapid urbanization and large-scale industrial activities, modern human populations are being increasingly subjected to chronic environmental heavy metal exposures. Elemental uptake in tooth dentine is a bioindicator, the uptake occurring during the formation and mineralization processes, stored to large extent over periods of many years. The uptake includes essential elements, most typically geogenic dietary sources, as well as non-essential elements arising through environmental insults. In this study, with the help of the Dental Faculty of the University of Malaya, a total of 50 separate human teeth were collected from dental patients of various ethnicity, age, gender, occupation, dietary habit, residency, etc. Analysis was conducted using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), most samples indicating the presence of the following trace elements, placed in order of concentration, from least to greatest: As, Mn, Ba, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Hg, Sb, Al, Sr, Sn. The concentrations have been observed to increase with age. Among the ethnic groups, the teeth of ethnic Chinese showed marginally greater metal concentrations than those of the Indians and Malays, the teeth dentine of females generally showing greater concentrations than that of males. Greater concentrations of Hg, Cu and Sn were found in molars while Pb, Sr, Sb and Zn were present in greater concentrations in incisors. With the elevated concentration levels of heavy metals in tooth dentine reflecting pollution from industrial emissions and urbanization, it is evident that human tooth dentine can provide chronological information on exposure, representing a reliable bio-indicator of environmental pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional geochemical maps of the Tonopah 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, Nevada, based on samples of stream sediment and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nash, J.T.; Siems, D.F.

1988-01-01

The geochemical maps in this report are based on analytical results reported by Fairfield and others (1985), Hill and others (1986), and Siems and others (1986). These reports also describe the sample preparation and analytical methods and provide information on the location of the sample sites.

Comparison of Heavy Metal Uptake by Eisenia Foetida with That of other Common Earthworms.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

the ecotoxicological testing of industrial chemicals. An earthworm bioassay procedure developed at the Waterways Experiment Station (Vicksburg... ecotoxicological testing of industrial S-. chemicals (EEC Directive 79/81, 1984). Earthworms are known to exploit a wide range of ecological niches within...inhabiting, deep burrowing species, (Ude, 1885) ingesting predominantly mineral soil. Colonizing cultivated soil, gardens, pastures and woodland

Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria contribute minimally to nitrification in a nitrogen-impacted forested ecosystem

Treesearch

Fiona L. Jordan; J. Jason L. Cantera; Mark E. Fenn; Lisa Y. Stein

2005-01-01

Deposition rates of atmospheric nitrogenous pollutants to forests in the San Bernardino Mountains range east of Los Angeles, California, are the highest reported in North America. Acidic soils from the west end of the range are N-saturated and have elevated rates of N-mineralization, nitrification, and nitrate leaching. We assessed the impact of this heavy nitrogen...

Effects of heavy metals on the absorbance and reflectance spectra of plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horler, D. N. H.; Barber, J.; Barringer, A. R.

1980-01-01

The spectral responses of plants to various concentrations of heavy metals in their rooting media are investigated in relation to the application of remote sensing methods to the detection of vegetation under stress. Absorption photometry of chloroplasts, measurements of metal and chlorophyll concentrations and reflectance spectrometry were performed on leaves of pea, sunflower and soybean plants grown under greenhouse conditions with the addition of various concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn to their rooting media and on leaves of oak trees growing naturally in an area of a copper-arsenic mineralization. Under laboratory conditions, the most general effect observed was growth inhibition and ultimately death, with pea plants also exhibiting changes of chlorophyll a/ chlorophyll b ratios with Cd and Cu and reflectance increases in the visible and decreases in the infrared. Although results for other species indicate that reflectance effects are dependent on species, correlations between reflectance and metal exposure is confirmed by the field investigations. It is concluded that a remote sensing system would be improved by the inclusion of bands around 1.65 and 2.20 microns to detect soil mineralization from plant spectra.

Evaluation of Nutritional Composition of The Dried Seaweed Ulva lactuca from Pameungpeuk Waters, Indonesia.

PubMed

Rasyid, Abdullah

2017-07-01

The nutritional composition of the dried seaweed Ulva lactuca from Pameungpeuk waters, including proximate, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and heavy metal has been carried out. The objective of this present study is to know the nutritional composition of the dried seaweed U. lactuca for utilisation in human nutrition in the future. Results show that carbohydrate was the major component in the proximate analysis of U. lactuca in the present study. The carbohydrate content was 58.1%. Moisture, ash, protein and fat content were 16.9%, 11.2%, 13.6% and 0.19% respectively, while dietary fibre was 28.4%. The vitamin A content was examined in this study less than 0.5 IU/100 mg while vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) were 4.87 mg/kg and 0.86 mg/kg respectively. The calcium content was 1828 mg/100 g higher than other minerals. The heavy metal content examined in this study were lower than the limit of the quality criteria applied to edible seaweeds sold in Indonesia. Based on the results of this study show that U. lactuca has potential to be developed as an alternative source of a healthy food for human in the future.

Provenance analysis of the Pliocene Ware Formation in the Guajira Peninsula, northern Colombia: Paleodrainage implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Consuegra, Nicolás; Parra, Mauricio; Jaramillo, Carlos; Silvestro, Daniele; Echeverri, Sebastián; Montes, Camilo; Jaramillo, José María; Escobar, Jaime

2018-01-01

The Cocinetas Basin in the Guajira Peninsula, the northernmost tip of South America, today has a dry climate with low rainfall (<500 mm/yr), a long dry season (>ten months) and no year-long rivers or permanent standing bodies of fresh water. In contrast, the fossil and geological record indicate that the Cocinetas Basin was much wetter during the Miocene-Pliocene (∼17-2.8 Ma). Water needed to sustain the paleofauna could either have originated from local sources or been brought by a larger river system (e.g. proto Magdalena/Orinoco river) with headwaters either in Andean ranges or the Guyana shield. We present a provenance study of the Pliocene Ware Formation, using petrographic analysis of conglomerate clasts and heavy minerals, and U-Pb dating of 140 detrital zircons. Clasts and heavy minerals are typical of ensialic metamorphic and igneous sources. The detrital zircon age distribution indicates the Guajira ranges as the most probable sediment source. The overall results indicate that the fluvial system of the Ware Formation drained the surrounding ranges. The water was probably derived by local precipitation onto the Guajira peninsula.

Delineating Heavy Metal Sources with Environmental Magnetism, X-Ray Fluorescence, and Geospatial Analysis: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Delmetria

The objective of this study is to detect the presence of anthropogenic magnetic particles by measuring the magnetic signature of soil samples in Baton Rouge, LA. Baton Rouge is currently ranked third among the Unites States' most polluted cities, so it is necessary to locate the sources of the problem and find solutions (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2014). Magnetic susceptibility is a property that is easily, quickly, and inexpensively determined. It provides a highly-sensitive measurement of the compositional changes of minerals in soil. Magnetic susceptibility is influenced both anthropogenically and naturally by lithological and pedological heavy metal content. In this study, roughly 260 km2 (110 mi2) were sampled within the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, and multiple environmental settings were covered. Geospatial and x-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) were used to correlate magnetic susceptibility measurements and indicate increased anthropogenic activity near major industrial areas and interstates. Soil samples were analyzed, and isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) acquisition curves indicate the presence of high- and low coercivity minerals, presumably magnetite and hematite. Enhanced susceptibility measurements do not appear to be dominated by lithology or soil in this particular area.

Geochemical processes controlling the distribution and concentration of metals in soils from a Patagonian (Argentina) salt marsh affected by mining residues.

PubMed

Idaszkin, Yanina L; Alvarez, María Del Pilar; Carol, Eleonora

2017-10-15

Heavy metal pollution that affects salt marshes is a major environmental concern due to its toxic nature, persistence, and potential risk to organisms and to human health. Mining waste deposits originated four decades ago, by the metallurgical extraction of heavy metals, are found near to the San Antonio salt marsh in Patagonia. The aim of the work was to determine the geochemical processes that control the distribution and concentration of Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn in the soils of this Patagonian salt marsh. A survey of the mining waste deposits was carried out where three dumps were identified. Samples were collected to determine soil texture, Eh pH, organic matter and metal contents and the soil mineralogical composition. The results shows that the soils developed over the mining waste deposits are predominantly reddish constituted mainly by iron oxide, hydroxide and highly soluble minerals such as Zn and Cu sulphates. The drainage from these deposits tends to move towards the salt marsh. Within the salt marsh, the highest concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn occur in the sectors closest to the mining wastes deposits. The sulphide oxidation and the dissolution of the Cu, Pb and Zn sulphates could be the mainly source of these metals in the drainage water. The metals in solution that reach the salt marsh, are adsorbed by the organic matter and the fine fraction of the soils. These adsorbed metals are then remobilized by tides in the lower sectors of the marsh by desorption from the cations present in the tidal flow. On the other hand, Fe tends to form non soluble oxides, hydroxides and sulphates which remain as altering material within the mining waste deposit. Finally, the heavy metal pollutants recorded in the San Antonio salt marsh shows that the mining waste deposits that were abandoned four decades ago are still a source metal contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling particulate matter emissions during mineral loading process under weak wind simulation.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaochun; Chen, Weiping; Ma, Chun; Zhan, Shuifen

2013-04-01

The quantification of particulate matter emissions from mineral handling is an important problem for the quantification of global emissions on industrial sites. Mineral particulate matter emissions could adversely impact environmental quality in mining regions, transport regions, and even on a global scale. Mineral loading is an important process contributing to mineral particulate matter emissions, especially under weak wind conditions. Mathematical models are effective ways to evaluate particulate matter emissions during the mineral loading process. The currently used empirical models based on the form of a power function do not predict particulate matter emissions accurately under weak wind conditions. At low particulate matter emissions, the models overestimated, and at high particulate matter emissions, the models underestimated emission factors. We conducted wind tunnel experiments to evaluate the particulate matter emission factors for the mineral loading process. A new approach based on the mathematical form of a logistical function was developed and tested. It provided a realistic depiction of the particulate matter emissions during the mineral loading process, accounting for fractions of fine mineral particles, dropping height, and wind velocity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and application of marine gamma-ray measurements: a review.

PubMed

Jones, D G

2001-01-01

The development of instruments to measure gamma radiation in the marine environment, particularly on the sea floor, and the range of uses to which they have been put is reviewed. Since the first steps in the late 1950s, systems have been developed in at least 10 countries with the main thrust occurring in the 1970s. Development has continued up to the present, primarily in Europe and the USA. Marine gamma-ray spectrometers have been used for a range of applications including the mapping of rocks and unconsolidated sediments, mineral exploration (mainly for heavy minerals and phosphorites), sediment transport studies and investigations in relation to discharged and dumped nuclear wastes and at nuclear weapon test sites.

Influences of thermal decontamination on mercury removal, soil properties, and repartitioning of coexisting heavy metals.

PubMed

Huang, Yu-Tuan; Hseu, Zeng-Yei; Hsi, Hsing-Cheng

2011-08-01

Thermal treatment is a useful tool to remove Hg from contaminated soils. However, thermal treatment may greatly alter the soil properties and cause the coexisting contaminants, especially trace metals, to transform and repartition. The metal repartitioning may increase the difficulty in the subsequent process of a treatment train approach. In this study, three Hg-contaminated soils were thermally treated to evaluate the effects of treating temperature and duration on Hg removal. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed to project the suitable heating parameters for subsequent bench-scale fixed-bed operation. Results showed that thermal decontamination at temperature>400°C successfully lowered the Hg content to<20 mg kg(-1). The organic carbon content decreased by 0.06-0.11% and the change in soil particle size was less significant, even when the soils were thermally treated to 550°C. Soil clay minerals such as kaolinite were shown to be decomposed. Aggregates were observed on the surface of soil particles after the treatment. The heavy metals tended to transform into acid-extractable, organic-matter bound, and residual forms from the Fe/Mn oxide bound form. These results suggest that thermal treatment may markedly influence the effectiveness of subsequent decontamination methods, such as acid washing or solvent extraction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Provenance analysis of heavy minerals in beach sands (Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas) - A view to mineral deposits and the geodynamics of the South Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dill, Harald G.; Skoda, Radek

2017-10-01

Beach sands are ideal traps to collect heavy minerals (HM) from different geodynamic settings and mineral deposits. The coastal sediments contain a mixture of HM derived from the submarine shelf and from source rocks in the hinterland. This is true in a transgressive periglacial regime, where drowned valleys and estuaries are instrumental in draining HM to the arenaceous beach sediments from more distal basement lithologies. A scenario like this can be found in the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas. The site under study is the missing link between South Africa and South America, the splitting-apart of which is mirrored by the HM distribution predominantly concentrated in the backshore and dune belt along the coast. The HM are subdivided into three HM associations reflecting the geodynamic evolution of the South Atlantic Ocean and of some of the prominent mineral deposits on the Gondwana Continent: (1) Gondwana cratons and Proterozoic orogens, with Cr and BIF deposits (rutile, zircon, ilmenite, tourmaline, garnet, Cr spinel), (2) rift-related and break-apart magmatic lithologies with mantle-derived pipe rocks such as kimberlites (zircon, pyroxene, spinel, Mg ilmenite), (3) Cordillera-type lithologies with polymetallic stratabound deposits (tourmaline, amphibole, chlorite, REE phosphates). The variation of the major HM from the stable craton (Kalahari-Kaapvaal Craton) in the East to the mobile fold belt (Andes) in the West follows the order of stability of HM. In addition to these 3 geodynamic HM groups, sporadic occurrences of HM originating from alteration (leucoxene, chlorite s.s.s. (= solid solution series)) are part of armored relics such as "nigrine" which on transport disintegrated and thereby released these HM. The major ultrastable and stable HM zircon, rutile, tourmaline s.s.s., spinel s.s.s., and garnet s.s.s. are displayed in a synoptical x-y plot showing the mantle and crustal trends of fractionation and formation of cumulates by means of particular mineral associations as well as the chemical composition of their s.s.s. Five different geodynamic-lithological patterns, each represented by a set of type-lithologies are established for the cratonic magmatic-metamorphic lithosphere. Based on the HM, the geodynamic setting under study is dominated by source rocks typical of a primitive, cratonic setting.

Multiple stable isotope fronts during non-isothermal fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fekete, Szandra; Weis, Philipp; Scott, Samuel; Driesner, Thomas

2018-02-01

Stable isotope signatures of oxygen, hydrogen and other elements in minerals from hydrothermal veins and metasomatized host rocks are widely used to investigate fluid sources and paths. Previous theoretical studies mostly focused on analyzing stable isotope fronts developing during single-phase, isothermal fluid flow. In this study, numerical simulations were performed to assess how temperature changes, transport phenomena, kinetic vs. equilibrium isotope exchange, and isotopic source signals determine mineral oxygen isotopic compositions during fluid-rock interaction. The simulations focus on one-dimensional scenarios, with non-isothermal single- and two-phase fluid flow, and include the effects of quartz precipitation and dissolution. If isotope exchange between fluid and mineral is fast, a previously unrecognized, significant enrichment in heavy oxygen isotopes of fluids and minerals occurs at the thermal front. The maximum enrichment depends on the initial isotopic composition of fluid and mineral, the fluid-rock ratio and the maximum change in temperature, but is independent of the isotopic composition of the incoming fluid. This thermally induced isotope front propagates faster than the signal related to the initial isotopic composition of the incoming fluid, which forms a trailing front behind the zone of transient heavy oxygen isotope enrichment. Temperature-dependent kinetic rates of isotope exchange between fluid and rock strongly influence the degree of enrichment at the thermal front. In systems where initial isotope values of fluids and rocks are far from equilibrium and isotope fractionation is controlled by kinetics, the temperature increase accelerates the approach of the fluid to equilibrium conditions with the host rock. Consequently, the increase at the thermal front can be less dominant and can even generate fluid values below the initial isotopic composition of the input fluid. As kinetics limit the degree of isotope exchange, a third front may develop in kinetically limited systems, which propagates with the advection speed of the incoming fluid and is, therefore, traveling fastest. The results show that oxygen isotope signatures at thermal fronts recorded in rocks and veins that experienced isotope exchange with fluids can easily be misinterpreted, namely if bulk analytical techniques are applied. However, stable isotope microanalysis on precipitated minerals may - if later isotope exchange is kinetically limited - provide a valuable archive of the transient thermal and hydrological evolution of a system.

Geochemical data for environmental studies of mineral deposits at Nabesna, Kennecott, Orange Hill, Bond Creek, Bremner, and Gold Hill, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eppinger, R.G.; Briggs, P.H.; Rosenkrans, D.S.; Ballestrazze, Vanessa; Aldir, Jose; Brown, Z.A.; Crock, J.G.; d'Angelo, W. M.; Doughten, M.W.; Fey, D.L.; Hageman, P.L.; Hopkins, R.T.; Knight, R.J.; Malcolm, M.J.; McHugh, J.B.; Meier, A.L.; Motooka, J.M.; O'Leary, R. M.; Roushey, B.H.; Sultley, S.J.; Theodorakos, P.M.; Wilson, S.A.

1999-01-01

Environmental geochemical investigations were carried out between 1994 and 1997 in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), Alaska. Mineralized areas studied include the historic Nabesna gold mine/mill and surrounding areas; the historic Kennecott copper mill area and nearby Bonanza, Erie, Glacier, and Jumbo mines; the historic mill and gold mines in the Bremner district; the active gold placer mines at Gold Hill; and the unmined copper-molybdenum deposits at Orange Hill and Bond Creek. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of possible environmental hazards associated with these mineralized areas and to establish background and baseline levels for selected elements. Thus, concentrations of a large suite of trace elements were determined to assess metal loadings in the various sample media collected. This report presents the methodology, analytical results, and sample descriptions for water, leachate, sediment, heavy-mineral concentrate, rock, and vegetation (willow) samples collected during these geochemical investigations. An interpretive U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper incorporating these geochemical data will follow.

Hybrid zero valent iron (ZVI)/H2O2 oxidation process for landfill leachate treatment with novel nanosize metallic calcium/iron composite.

PubMed

Lee, Son Dong; Mallampati, Srinivasa Reddy; Lee, Byoung Ho

2017-04-01

A novel nanosize metallic calcium/iron dispersed reagent was synthesized and tested as coagulant/catalyst in a hybrid zero valent iron (ZVI)/H 2 O 2 oxidation process to treat leachate. Two different types of leachates, one from municipal solid waste (MSW) tipping hall (MSWIL) and second from an MSW landfill site (MSWLL), were collected and characterized. The morphology, elemental composition, and mineral phases of the nano-Ca/CaO and nano-Fe/Ca/CaO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy-electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The coagulation process with 2.5 g L -1 nano-Ca/CaO attained 64.0, 56.0, and 20.7% removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS) in MSWLL. With only 1.0 g L -1 of nano-Fe/Ca/CaO, relatively high color, COD and TSS removal was achieved in MSWLL at 67.5, 60.2, and 37.7%, respectively. The heavy metal removal efficiency reached 91-99% after treatment with nano-Fe/Ca/CaO in both leachate samples. The coupling process, using 1.0 g L -1 of nano-Fe/Ca/CaO and 20 mM H 2 O 2 doses, achieved enhancement removal of color, COD, and TSS, up to 95%, 96%, and 66%, respectively, without initial pH control. After this treatment, the color, COD, TSS, and heavy metals were significantly decreased, fitting the Korean discharge regulation limit. A hybrid coupled zero valent iron (ZVI)/H 2 O 2 oxidation process with novel nanosized metallic calcium/iron dispersed reagent proved to be a suitable treatment for dealing with leachate samples. Conventional treatments (biological or physicochemical) are not sufficient anymore to reach the level of purification needed to fully reduce the negative impact of landfill leachates on the environment. This implies that new treatment alternatives species must be proposed. A coupled zero valent iron (ZVI)/H 2 O 2 oxidation process proved to be a suitable treatment for dealing with leachate samples. Coagulation with nFe/Ca/CaO allows 91-99% of heavy metals removal. The coupled coagulation-oxidation process by nFe/Ca/CaO reveals excellent ability to treat leachate. After coupled treatment the color, COD, and TSS were also much lower than the discharge regulation limit.

Spatial Variation and Assessment of Heavy Metal and Radioactive Risk in Farmland around a Retired Uranium Mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jie; Shi, Chen-hao; Zeng, Guang-ming; Zhong, Min-zhou; Yuan, Yu-jie

2017-07-01

In recent years, heavy metal contamination in the environment has been attracted worldwide attention due to their toxicity, persistence,extensive sources and non-biodegradable properties. We herein investigate variation trend and risk of heavy metal and radiation distribution in the former mine stope, former mineral ore stockyard, and mine road with surface soils of a retired uranium mine in the mid-south of China. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of Pb,Cd,Cu,Zn,As,Hg,Cr,Mn,Ni,U, and 232Th were analyzed according to the corresponding background values in Hunan, China. The Geo-accumulation index (Igeo ) were used for the assessment of pollution level of heavy metals and the radioactive elements of U and 232Th. Then, Pollution load index (PLI) and GIS techniquewere integrated to assess spatial distribution of heavy metal contamination and radioactive contamination. Results confirmed that three areas in the retired uranium mine was a primary source of pollution, which showed anthropogenic origin mainly from agricultural runoff, hydrometallurgy from chemical industries, radioactive tailings, and electroplating industriesfinally drained into Zishui River and Xiangjiang River. Based on the actual situation, some suggestions were put forward for the treatment of the retired uranium mine in conclusion.

Bioleaching remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils using Burkholderia sp. Z-90.

PubMed

Yang, Zhihui; Zhang, Zhi; Chai, Liyuan; Wang, Yong; Liu, Yi; Xiao, Ruiyang

2016-01-15

Bioleaching is an environment-friendly and economical technology to remove heavy metals from contaminated soils. In this study, a biosurfactant-producing strain with capacity of alkaline production was isolated from cafeteria sewer sludge and its capability for removing Zn, Pb, Mn, Cd, Cu, and As was investigated. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA gene sequences confirmed that the strain belonged to Burkholderia sp. and named as Z-90. The biosurfactant was glycolipid confirmed by thin layer chromatography and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Z-90 broth was then used for bioleaching remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The removal efficiency was 44.0% for Zn, 32.5% for Pb, 52.2% for Mn, 37.7% for Cd, 24.1% for Cu and 31.6% for As, respectively. Mn, Zn and Cd were more easily removed from soil than Cu, Pb and As, which was attributed to the presence of high acid-soluble fraction of Mn, Zn and Cd and high residual fraction of Cu, Pb and As. The heavy metal removal in soils was contributed to the adhesion of heavy metal-contaminated soil minerals with strain Z-90 and the formation of a metal complex with biosurfactant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Heavy Metal Stress on Antioxidant Status and DNA Damage in Urtica dioica

PubMed Central

Kadifkova Panovska, Tatjana; Bačeva, Katerina; Stafilov, Trajče

2013-01-01

Heavy metals have the potential to interact and induce several stress responses in the plants; thus, effects of heavy metal stress on DNA damages and total antioxidants level in Urtica dioica leaves and stems were investigated. The samples are sampled from areas with different metal exposition. Metal content was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES), for total antioxidants level assessment the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay was used, and genomic DNA isolation from frozen plant samples was performed to obtain DNA fingerprints of investigated plant. It was found that heavy metal contents in stems generally changed synchronously with those in leaves of the plant, and extraneous metals led to imbalance of mineral nutrient elements. DNA damages were investigated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, and the results demonstrated that the samples exposed to metals yielded a large number of new fragments (total 12) in comparison with the control sample. This study showed that DNA stability is highly affected by metal pollution which was identified by RAPD markers. Results suggested that heavy metal stress influences antioxidant status and also induces DNA damages in U. dioica which may help to understand the mechanisms of metals genotoxicity. PMID:23862140

Medical Geology in the Middle East: Potential Health Risks from Mineralized Dust Exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyles, M. B.; Fredrickson, H. L.; Bednar, A. J.; Fannin, H. B.; Griffin, D. W.; Sobecki, T. M.

2012-04-01

In the Middle East, dust and sand storms are a persistent problem delivering significant amounts of mineralized particulates via inhalation into the mouth, nasal pharynx, and lungs. The health risks of this dust inhalation are presently being studied but accurate characterization as to the potential health effects is still lacking. Experiments were designed to study the chemical composition, mineral content, and microbial flora of Kuwaiti and Iraqi dust particles for the potential to cause adverse human health effects both acute and chronic. Multiple site samples were collected and chemical and physical characterization including particle size distribution and inorganic analysis was conducted, followed by analysis and identification of biologic flora to include bacteria, fungi and viruses. Additionally, PM10 exposure data was collected hourly over a 12 day period (>10,000 ug/m3). Data indicates that the mineralized dust is composed of calcium carbonate and magnesium sulfate coating over a precipitated matrix of metallic silicate nanocrystals of various forms containing a variety of trace and heavy metals constituting ~3 % of the particles by weight. This includes ~ 1% by weight bioaccessible aluminum and reactive iron with the remaining 1% a mixture of bioaccessible trace and heavy metals. Microbial analysis reveals a significant biodiversity of bacteria of which ~25 % are known pathogens. Of the microbes identified, several have hemolytic properties and most have significant antibiotic resistance. Viral analysis indicates a tremendous amount of virons with a large percent of RNA viruses. The level of total suspended particle mass at PM10 constitutes an excessive exposure micro-particulates including PM 2.5 (~1,0000 ug/m3). Reported data on cell culture and animal studies have indicated a high level of toxicity to these dust particles. Taken together, these data suggest that at the level of dust exposure commonly found in the Middle East (i.e., Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan), in addition to the microbial and metal content, mineralized dust constitutes a significant health risk, both acute and chronic, to deployed troops and native inhabitants.

Molybdenum isotope fractionation during acid leaching of a granitic uranium ore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migeon, Valérie; Bourdon, Bernard; Pili, Eric; Fitoussi, Caroline

2018-06-01

As an attempt to prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear materials, it is critical to identify the origin and transformation of uranium materials from the nuclear fuel cycle based on chemical and isotope tracers. The potential of molybdenum (Mo) isotopes as tracers is considered in this study. We focused on leaching, the first industrial process used to release uranium from ores, which is also known to extract Mo depending on chemical conditions. Batch experiments were performed in the laboratory with pH ranging from 0.3 to 5.5 in sulfuric acid. In order to span a large range in uranium and molybdenum yields, oxidizers such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide and manganese dioxide were also added. An enrichment in heavy Mo isotopes is produced in the solution during leaching of a granitic uranium ore, when Mo recovery is not quantitative. At least two Mo reservoirs were identified in the ore: ∼40% as Mo oxides soluble in water or sulfuric acid, and ∼40% of Mo hosted in sulfides soluble in nitric acid or hydrogen peroxide. At pH > 1.8, adsorption and/or precipitation processes induce a decrease in Mo yields with time correlated with large Mo isotope fractionations. Quantitative models were used to evaluate the relative importance of the processes involved in Mo isotope fractionation: dissolution, adsorption, desorption, precipitation, polymerization and depolymerization. Model best fits are obtained when combining the effects of dissolution/precipitation, and adsorption/desorption onto secondary minerals. These processes are inferred to produce an equilibrium isotope fractionation, with an enrichment in heavy Mo isotopes in the liquid phase and in light isotopes in the solid phase. Quantification of Mo isotope fractionation resulting from uranium leaching is thus a promising tool to trace the origin and transformation of nuclear materials. Our observations of Mo leaching are also consistent with observations of natural Mo isotope fractionation taking place during chemical weathering in terrestrial environments where the role of secondary processes such as adsorption is significant.

Linking Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria to natural attenuation at a former U mining site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akob, D.; Bohu, T.; Beyer, A.; Schäffner, F.; Händel, M.; Johnson, C.; Merten, D.; Büchel, G.; Totsche, K.; Küsel, K.

2012-04-01

Uranium mining near Ronneburg, Germany resulted in widespread environmental contamination with acid mine drainage (AMD) and high concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides. Despite physical remediation of the area, groundwater is still a source of heavy metal contaminants, e.g., Cd, Ni, Co, Cu and Zn, to nearby ecosystems. However, natural attenuation of heavy metals is occurring in Mn oxide rich soils and sediments ranging in pH from 5 to 7. While microorganisms readily oxidize Mn(II) and precipitate Mn oxides at pH ~7 under oxic conditions, few studies describe Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) at pH ~5 and/or in the presence of heavy metals. In this study we (1) isolated MOB from the contaminated Ronneburg area at pH 5.5 and 7 and (2) evaluated the biological formation of Mn oxides. We isolated nine MOB strains at pH 7 (members of the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes phyla) and a single isolate at pH 5.5 (Oxalobacteraceae isolate AB_14, within the β-Proteobacteria). LA-ICP-MS showed that all isolates accumulated Mn and Fe in their biomass. However, the Oxalobacteraceae isolate AB_14 oxidizes more Mn without additional Fe in the medium. Preliminary FTIR analysis indicated that all isolates formed precipitates, which showed absorption bands that were characteristic for birnessite. High resolution TEM showed variable morphology of precipitates and EDS confirmed the presence of Mn oxides. Isolate AB_14 was not surrounded with precipitates whereas our Actinobacteria isolate AB_18 was encrusted with Mn oxides. Electron diffraction is currently being used to confirm the presence of birnessite and other Mn oxide phases. This, the first known report of any organism capable of Mn oxidation at low pH, demonstrated that MOB can be involved in the natural attenuation of both moderately acidic and neutral pH soils and sediments via the formation of biogenic Mn oxides. Future work will fully evaluate the minerals formed in this process as well as their interactions with contaminating heavy metals and radionuclides.

Relationships between soil heavy metal pollution and enzyme activities in mining areas of northern Hunan province, Central South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xue-Feng; Jiang, Ying; Shu, Ying

2014-05-01

Hunan province, Central South China, is a well-known nonferrous metal base in China. Mine exploiting and processing there, however, often lead to heavy metal pollution of farmland. To study the effects of mining activities on the soil environmental quality, four representative paddy fields, the HSG, SNJ, NT and THJ, in Y county, northern Hunan province, were investigated. It was found that the streams running through the HSG, SNJ and NT are severely contaminated due to the long-term discharge of untreated mineral wastewater from local indigenous mining factories. The stream at the HSG, for example, is brownish red in color, with high concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe and Mn. The concentrations of Cu, Zn and Cd in all the stream water of the HSG, SNJ and NT exceed the maximum allowable levels of the Agricultural Irrigation Water Criteria of China. Correspondingly, the HSG, SNJ and NT are heavily polluted by Cu, Zn and Cd due to the long-term irrigation with the contaminated stream water. In comparison, both stream water and paddy fields of the THJ, far away from mining areas, are not contaminated by any heavy metals and hence regarded as a control in this study. The rice grain produced at the HSG, SNJ and NT has a high risk of Cd contamination. The rate of rice grain produced in the four paddy fields in Y county with Cd exceeding the safe level (Cd, 0.2 μg g-1) specified by the National Standards for Rice Quality and Safety of China reaches 90%. Cd content in the rice grain is positively significantly correlated with that in the paddy fields, especially with the content of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) - extracted Cd, suggesting that the heavy metal pollution of paddy fields has already posed a high risk to rice safety and human health. Soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass are significantly inhibited by the heavy metal pollution of the paddy fields. Microbial biomass C and N (MBC and MBN) at a severely contaminated site of the HSG are only 31.6% and 64.4% of the controls; the activities of dehydrogenase, urease, catalase, acid and neutral phosphatase and sucrase are only 25.2%, 49.3%, 52.4%, 94.7%, 53.2% and 87.8% of the controls. These microbial parameters are mostly negatively significantly correlated with the contents of Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni in the paddy fields, suggesting the toxic effects of the heavy metals on microbial processes. Both the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) indicated that DH activity and MBC are the most sensitive to the heavy metal pollution and could be used as eco-indicators of the environmental quality of the paddy fields in the study areas. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41130526).

Phosphatized algal-bacterial assemblages in Late Cretaceous phosphorites of the Voronezh Anteclise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maleonkina, Svetlana Y.

2003-01-01

Late Cretaceous phosphogenesis of the Voronezh Anteclise has occurred during Cenomanian and Early Campanian. SEM studies show the presence of phosphatized algal-bacterial assemblages both in Cenomanian and Campanian phosphorites. In some Cenomanian nodular phosphorite samples revealed empty tubes 1 - 5 microns in diameter, which are most likely trichomes of cyanobacterial filaments. Other samples contained accumulations of spheres 0,5-3 microns, similar to coccoidal bacteria. Complicated tubular forms with variable diameter 2 - 5 microns occur on surface of some quartz grains in nodules. They are probably pseudomorphs after algae. We found similar formations in the Campanian phosphate grains. Frequently, grain represents a cyanobacterial mat, which is sometimes concentrically coated by phosphatic films. The films of some grains retain the primary structure, their concentric layers are formed by pseudomorphs after different bacterial types and obviously they represent oncolite. In other cases, the primary structure is unobservable because of recrystallization process erases them. Occasionally, the central part retains the coccoidal structure and the recrystallization affects only films. Besides the core of such oncolite can be represented not only by phosphatic grain, but also by grains of other minerals, such as quartz, glauconite and heavy minerals, which serve as a substrate for cyanobacterial colonies. Bacteria also could settle on cavity surfaces and interiors frames of sponge fragments, teeth and bones.

Assessment of two thermally treated drill mud wastes for landfill containment applications.

PubMed

Carignan, Marie-Pierre; Lake, Craig B; Menzies, Todd

2007-10-01

Offshore oil and gas drilling operations generate significant amounts of drill mud waste, some of which is transported onshore for subsequent thermal treatment (i.e. via thermal remediation). This treatment process results in a mineral waste by-product (referred to as thermally treated drill mud waste; TTDMW). Bentonites are originally present in many of the drill mud products and it is hypothesized that TTDMW can be utilized in landfill containment applications (i.e. cover or base liner). The objective of this paper is to examine the feasibility of this application by performing various physical and chemical tests on two TTDMW samples. It is shown that the two TTDMW samples contained relatively small amounts of clay-sized minerals although hydraulic conductivity values are found to be less than 10(-8) m/s. Organic carbon contents of the samples were approximately 2%. Mineralogy characterization of the samples confirmed varying amounts of smectite, however, peak friction angles for a TTDMW sample was greater than 36 degrees. Chemical characterization of the TTDMW samples show potential leaching of barium and small amounts of other heavy metals. Discussion is provided in the paper on suggestions to assist in overcoming regulatory issues associated with utilization of TTDMW in landfill containment applications.

The slag original from the process of sewage sludge incineration selected properties characteristic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Głowacka, Anna; Rucińska, Teresa; Kiper, Justyna

2017-11-01

This work characterizes the physical and chemical properties of slag from combustion of municipal sewage sludge in "Pomorzany" waste treatment plant in Szczecin. The technology of sludge management is based on drying the sludge in low-temperature belt driers, to a content level of at least 90%, dry mass., and then burning in a grate boiler with mobile grate. The research of the slag resulting from combustion of municipal sewage sludge was conducted using reference methods, presenting images from a scanning electron microscope. The tested waste contained from 16.300 to 23.150% P2O5 completely soluble in strong acids, pH 8.03, mineral substance 98.73% dry mass. The content of heavy metals did not exceed the permissible amount specified in the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of 18 June 2008 on the implementation of certain provisions of the Act on fertilizers and fertilization (Journal of Laws of 2008 No. 119, item. 765). The screening trials showed that 48.4% are fractions of 630 µm-1.25 mm. The results show that the waste code 19 01 12 may be used as: alternative source of phosphorus for direct application to soil treatment, for production of organic - mineral fertilizers and as construction aggregate for production of concrete mortars.

Natural Minerals Coated by Biopolymer Chitosan: Synthesis, Physicochemical, and Adsorption Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budnyak, T. M.; Yanovska, E. S.; Kichkiruk, O. Yu.; Sternik, D.; Tertykh, V. A.

2016-11-01

Natural minerals are widely used in treatment technologies as mineral fertilizer, food additive in animal husbandry, and cosmetics because they combine valuable ion-exchanging and adsorption properties together with unique physicochemical and medical properties. Saponite (saponite clay) of the Ukrainian Podillya refers to the class of bentonites, a subclass of layered magnesium silicate montmorillonite. Clinoptilolits are aluminosilicates with carcase structure. In our work, we have coated biopolymer chitosan on the surfaces of natural minerals of Ukrainian origin — Podilsky saponite and Sokyrnitsky clinoptilolite. Chitosan mineral composites have been obtained by crosslinking of adsorbed biopolymer on saponite and clinoptilolite surface with glutaraldehyde. The obtained composites have been characterized by the physicochemical methods such as thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses (DTA, DTG, TG), differential scanning calorimetry, mass analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine possible interactions between the silica and chitosan molecule. The adsorption of microquantities of cations Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), and Pb(II) by the obtained composites and the initial natural minerals has been studied from aqueous solutions. The sorption capacities and kinetic adsorption characteristics of the adsorbents were estimated. It was found that the obtained results have shown that the ability of chitosan to coordinate heavy metal ions Zn(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Fe(III) is less or equal to the ability to retain ions of these metals in the pores of minerals without forming chemical bonds.

The life cycle of a mineral deposit: a teacher's guide for hands-on mineral education activities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frank, Dave; Galloway, John; Assmus, Ken

2005-01-01

This teacher's guide defines what a mineral deposit is and how a mineral deposit is identified and measured, how the mineral resources are extracted, and how the mining site is reclaimed; how minerals and mineral resources are processed; and how we use mineral resources in our every day lives. Included are 10 activitybased learning exercises that educate students on basic geologic concepts; the processes of finding, identifying, and extracting the resources from a mineral deposit; and the uses of minerals. The guide is intended for K through 12 Earth science teachers and students and is designed to meet the National Science Content Standards as defined by the National Research Council (1996). To assist in the understanding of some of the geology and mineral terms, see the Glossary (appendix 1) and Minerals and Their Uses (appendix 2). The process of finding or exploring for a mineral deposit, extracting or mining the resource, recovering the resource, also known as beneficiation, and reclaiming the land mined can be described as the “life cycle” of a mineral deposit. The complete process is time consuming and expensive, requiring the use of modern technology and equipment, and may take many years to complete. Sometimes one entity or company completes the entire process from discovery to reclamation, but often it requires multiple groups with specialized experience working together. Mineral deposits are the source of many important commodities, such as copper and gold, used by our society, but it is important to realize that mineral deposits are a nonrenewable resource. Once mined, they are exhausted, and another source must be found. New mineral deposits are being continuously created by the Earth but may take millions of years to form. Mineral deposits differ from renewable resources, such as agricultural and timber products, which may be replenished within a few months to several years.

Diabetes and Obesity as Independent Risk Factors for Osteoporosis: Updated Results from the ROIS/EMEROS Registry in a Population of Five Thousand Post-Menopausal Women Living in a Region Characterized by Heavy Environmental Pressure.

PubMed

Neglia, Cosimo; Argentiero, Alberto; Chitano, Giovanna; Agnello, Nadia; Ciccarese, Roberta; Vigilanza, Antonella; Pantile, Valerio; Argentiero, Domenico; Quarta, Raffaele; Rivezzi, Matteo; Di Tanna, Gian Luca; Di Somma, Carolina; Migliore, Alberto; Iolascon, Giovanni; Gimigliano, Francesca; Distante, Alessandro; Piscitelli, Prisco

2016-11-01

Objectives : We aimed to analyze bone mineralization and the effect of different risk factors for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Methods : We found 4909 postmenopausal subjects within ≥10,000 records from the ROIS/EMEROS (Ionian and Salento Osteoporosis Registry/Euro Mediterranean Registry of Osteoporosis) registry, a population study carried out in an area characterized by heavy environmental pressure between Brindisi and Taranto from 2009 to 2016. All subjects were assessed via phalangeal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) to evaluate their bone mineralization (assessed via amplitude dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS)) and the association between demineralization and the presence of other conditions or risk factors. Results : Mean age was 64 ± 9.5 years and mean body mass index (BMI) was 28.7 ± 3.5 kg/m². Pearson correlation analyses revealed a negative association between bone mineralization (AD-SoS) and BMI ( p < 0.001). By using multivariate logistic regression analysis, we observed significant values of odds ratios (ORs) of osteoporosis (adjusted for age, physical activity, and the use of drugs known to increase the risk of fractures) in subjects with diabetes and obesity: 1.39 (confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.83) and 1.46 (CI: 1.20-1.78), respectively. A statistically significant linear trend of higher ORs of osteoporosis was found for increasing values of BMI. Conclusions : Our study confirmed the high impact of obesity and type 1 and type 2 diabetes on osteoporosis.