元素分析仪-同位素比值质谱测量碳氮同位素比值最佳反应温度和进样量的确定

沉积有机质的碳氮稳定同位素值是进行古气候、古环境及生态系统研究不可或缺的主要研究手段,目前碳氮同位素主要利用元素分析仪-同位素比值质谱(EA-IRMS)系统来测定。EA-IRMS测定过程中的反应温度及样品进样量直接影响反应物在测试中的燃烧程度,从而影响测试数据的精度。本文利用EA-IRMS技术,以标准样品为参考,在不同转化温度下测试碳氮同位素值,研究保证测试精度的最佳反应温度条件;同时,通过分析不同含氮量样品的检测限,明确了样品含氮量与最低检测限之间的关系,确定了精确测定氮同位素值的最低进样量。结果表明:反应温度对测试精度有显著影响,在碳同位素测定时,将反应温度设定为900℃或以上时测试精度均能达到±0.2‰;氮同位素测定时,反应温度须设定为950℃时测试精度才能达到±0.3‰。实验得出样品含氮量与检测限之间的线性相关性为R2=0.873,开展氮同位素测定时可根据此关系来判断和控制进样量。     

陕西西乡河西地区早寒武世早期小壳化石的发现及其意义

小壳化石是继依迪卡拉软躯体动物群之后,首先在地史上出现的多门类带壳动物化石。本世纪60年代以来,苏联和欧美等许多国家对小壳化石的研究工作进展很快。我国许多单位和地质科学工作者(陈孟莪、钱逸、余汶、何廷贵、蒋志文、刘第墉、陈忆元、罗惠麟及湖北地矿局三峡地层研究组等),通过对扬子地台区小壳化石的研究,建立了我国寒武系第一阶——梅树村阶,并划分出三个化石组合带。近年来,将小壳化石的出现作为震旦系—寒武系     

An overview of toxicant identification in sediments and dredged materials

The identification of toxicants affecting aquatic benthic systems is critical to sound assessment and management of our nation's waterways. Identification of toxicants can be useful in designing effective sediment remediation plans and reasonable options for sediment disposal. Knowledge of which contaminants affect benthic systems allows managers to link pollution to specific dischargers and prevent further release of toxicant(s). In addition, identification of major causes of toxicity in sediments may guide programs such as those developing environmental sediment guidelines and registering pesticides, while knowledge of the causes of toxicity which drive ecological changes such as shifts in benthic community structure would be useful in performing ecological risk assessments. To this end, the US Environmental Protection Agency has developed tools (toxicity identification and evaluation (TIE) methods) that allow investigators to characterize and identify chemicals causing acute toxicity in sediments and dredged materials. To date, most sediment TIEs have been performed on interstitial waters. Preliminary evidence from the use of interstitial water TIEs reveals certain patterns in causes of sediment toxicity. First, among all sediments tested, there is no one predominant cause of toxicity; metals, organics, and ammonia play approximately equal roles in causing toxicity. Second, within a single sediment there are multiple causes of toxicity detected; not just one chemical class is active. Third, the role of ammonia is very prominent in these interstitial waters. Finally, if sediments are divided into marine or freshwater, TIEs perforMed on interstitial waters from freshwater sediments indicate a variety of toxicants in fairly equal proportions, while TIEs performed on interstitial waters from marine sediments have identified only ammonia and organics as toxicants, with metals playing a minor role. Preliminary evidence from whole sediment TIEs indicates that organic compounds play a major role in the toxicity of marine sediments, with almost no evidence for either metal or ammonia toxicity. However, interpretation of these results may be skewed because only a small number of interstitial water (n = 13) and whole sediment (n = 5) TIEs have been completed. These trends may change as more data are collected.     

The Mars oxidant experiment (MOx) for Mars '96

The MOx instrument was developed to characterize the reactive nature of the martian soil. The objectives of MOx were: (1) to measure the rate of degradation of organics in the martian environment; (2) to determine if the reactions seen by the Viking biology experiments were caused by a soil oxidant and measure the reactivity of the soil and atmosphere: (3) to monitor the degradation, when exposed to the martian environment, of materials of potential use in future missions; and, finally, (4) to develop technologies and approaches that can be part of future soil analysis instrumentation. The basic approach taken in the MOx instrument was to place a variety of materials composed as thin films in contact with the soil and monitor the physical and chemical changes that result. The optical reflectance of the thin films was the primary sensing-mode. Thin films of organic materials, metals, and semiconductors were prepared. Laboratory simulations demonstrated the response of thin films to active oxidants.     

土壤地球化学在西澳大利亚Yilgarn地块黑旗地区金矿勘查中的应用

８０年代以来,土壤地球化学已经被 在西澳在利亚Ｋａｌｇｏｏｒｌｉｅ北西约５０ｋｍ的黑旗地区进行金矿勘查的一种有效的技术。１９９１－１９９５年间,澳大利亚矿业公司在一片大约４００ｋｍ＾２的租地区实施了一项系统的土壤地球化学计划;该地区的大部分此前曾经由许多不同的勘查小组用多种地球化学技术进行勘查。一个包含近４００００个样品的ＧＩＳ数据库被集成起来,这些数据部分来自ＭＣＡ的工作,也适当地使用了无前勘查