Amino acid abundances and stereochemistry in hydrothermally altered sediments from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, northeastern Pacific Ocean.

The Juan de Fuca Ridge is a hydrothermally active, sediment covered, spreading ridge situated a few hundred kilometres off the west coast of North America in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Sediments from seven sites drilled during the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Legs 139 and 168 were analyzed for total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), individual amino acid distributions, total organic C (TOC) and total N (TN) contents. The aim was to evaluate the effects of hydrothermal stress on the decomposition and transformation of sedimentary amino acids. Hydrolyzable amino acids account for up to 3.3% of the total organic C content and up to 12% of the total N content of the upper sediments. The total amounts of amino acids decrease significantly with depth in all drilled holes. This trend is particularly pronounced in holes with a thermal gradient of around 0.6 degrees C/m or higher. The most abundant amino acids in shallow sediments are glycine, alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, valine and histidine. The changes in amino acid distributions in low temperature holes are characterized by increased relative abundances of non-protein beta-alanine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. In high temperature holes the amino acid compositions are characterized by high abundances of glycine, alanine, serine, ornithine and histidine at depth. D/L ratios of samples with amino acid distributions similar to those found in acid hydrolysates of kerogen, indicate that racemization rates of amino acids bound by condensation reactions may be diminished.     

Amino acid composition of organic matter associated with carbonate and non-carbonate sediments

Amino acids comprise from 15 to 36% by weight of humic substances from carbonate and non-carbonate sediments. Humic and fulvic acids extracted from carbonate sediments are characterized by an amino acid composition consisting primarily of the acidic amino acids, aspartic and glutamic acid. Humic substances from non-carbonate sediments have a distinctly different amino acid composition consisting primarily of glycine and alanine. Amino acid analyses of various molecular weight fractions of fulvic acids extracted from carbonates show that lower molecular weight fractions have appreciably higher relative abundances of the acidic amino acids compared to higher molecular weight fractions. Based on typical values for carboxyl group content in humic substances, acidic amino acids may be a significant contributor of these functional groups. Carbonate surfaces appear to selectively adsorb aspartic acid-enriched organic matter while non-carbonates do not have this property.     

How depositional conditions control input, composition, and degradation of organic matter in sediments from the Chilean coastal upwelling region

In a comprehensive study, we compared depositional conditions, organic matter (OM) composition, and organic carbon turnover in sediments from two different depositional systems along the Chilean continental margin: at ∼23° S off Antofagasta and at ∼36° S off Concepción. Both sites lie within the Chilean coastal upwelling system and have an extended oxygen minimum zone in the water column. However, the northern site (23° S) borders the Atacama Desert, while the southern site (36° S) has a humid hinterland. Eight surface sediment cores (up to 30 cm long) from water depths of 126-1350 m were investigated for excess ²¹⁰Pb (²¹⁰Pb_xs) activity, total organic and total inorganic carbon concentrations (TOC and TIC, respectively), C/N-ratios, organic carbon isotopic compositions (δ¹³C), chlorin concentrations, Chlorin Indices (CI), and sulfate reduction rates (SRR). Sediment accumulation rates obtained from ²¹⁰Pb-analysis were similar in both regions (0.04-0.15 cm yr⁻¹ at 23° S, 0.10-0.19 cm yr⁻¹ at 36° S), although total ²¹⁰Pb_xs fluxes indicated that the vertical particle flux was higher at 36° S than at 23° S. We propose that sediment focusing in isolated deposition centers led to high sediment accumulation rates at 23° S. Furthermore, there were no indications for sediment mixing at 23° S, while bioturbation was intense at 36° S. δ¹³C-values (−24.5‰ to −20.1‰ vs. VPDB) and C/N-ratios (molar, 8.6-12.8) were characteristic of a predominantly marine origin of the sedimentary OM in both investigated areas. The extent of OM alteration in the water column was partly reflected in the surface sediments as chlorin concentrations decreased and C/N-ratios and CI increased with increasing water depth of the sampling site. SRR were lower at 23° S (areal SRR 0.12-0.60 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹) than at 36° S (areal SRR 0.82-1.18 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹), which was partly due to the greater water depth of most of the sediments investigated in the northern region and consistent with a lower quality of the sedimentary OM at 23° S. Reaction rate constants for TOC degradation that were obtained from measured SRR (k_SRR; 0.0004-0.0022 yr⁻¹) showed a good correspondence to k_TOC that were derived from the depth profiles of TOC (0.0003-0.0014 yr⁻¹). Both, k_SRR and k_TOC, reflect differences in OM composition. At 36° S they were related to the degradation state of bulk OM (represented by C/N-ratios), whereas near 23° S they were related to the freshness of a small fraction of labile OM (represented by CI). Our study shows that although rates of organic carbon accumulation were similar in both investigated sites, the extent and kinetics of organic carbon degradation were closely linked to differing depositional conditions.     

Sources and fate of amino sugars in coastal Peruvian sediments

Amino sugars are involved in the marine carbon and nitrogen cycles and comprise a geochemically significant fraction of marine organic material (OM). However, information on abundance and distribution of these compounds in marine sediments is scarce. Three sediment cores (<50 cm) from the coastal region off Peru were investigated for concentrations of glucosamine (GlcN), galactosamine (GalN), mannosamine (ManN), and muramic acid (Mur). The sum of the four amino sugars accounted for 1.0-2.4% of organic carbon and 1.9-3.8% of nitrogen in the sediments. At the shallowest (102 m) and the deepest site (1278 m), carbon-normalized concentrations decreased down-core, suggesting preferential degradation of amino sugars compared to bulk sedimentary OM. At the site from the center of the oxygen minimum zone (238 m), amino sugar concentrations were high throughout the core, pointing to enhanced preservation of amino sugars under anoxic conditions. GlcN (44-56 mol%) and GalN (33-42 mol%) were the dominant amino sugars in all investigated samples, while ManN (6-14 mol%) and Mur (1-4 mol%) were significantly less abundant. Mur was predominantly associated with cell wall remains rather than with living bacteria, since bacterial abundances estimated based on Mur concentrations were up to 500 times higher than cell counts reported for sediments from this area. GlcN/GalN-ratios (1.1-1.7) indicated that chitin, a polymer of GlcN, was not a major contributor to the amino sugar pool of the investigated sediments. Furthermore, GlcN/Mur-ratios (13-68) are inconsistent with a predominant contribution of intact peptidoglycan, which exhibits a 1:1-ratio. The present study includes a compilation of previously published information on distribution and abundance of amino sugars in the marine environment. Both concentrations and ratios observed in the Peruvian sediments fall in the range of values reported for OM in water column and sediments from different oceanic regions and water depths. Although specific sources for the majority of sedimentary amino sugars remain unidentified, there are indications for a major prokaryotic origin. As suggested in previous studies, the uniform amino sugar compositions of altered marine OM and particularly the close association of GlcN and GalN, which is similar to the ratio observed in living bacteria, are consistent with a transformation of planktonic into bacterial OM.     

Quaternary stratigraphy of Hong Kong coastal sediments

Geotechnical borehole data from around Hong Kong record a lithostratigraphic succession extending at least back to the early Pleistocene (Oxygen Isotope Stage 12). From these data, together with seismic data, four unconformity bounded units which accumulated between the mid Pleistocene and Holocene can be identified. This permits the development of an integrated sequence stratigraphy which can be applied to regional investigations.     

Late Quaternary faunal change in coastal Arabian sea sediments

Carbonate content and faunal composition of two gravity cores from the coastal Arabian sea provide evidence of a major environmental change in surface ocean waters about 13,000 yr B.P. Radiocarbon dating indicates that deposition rates ranged from 1.8 to 9.8 cm/10³ yr, with a major change in rate occurring in one core at about 7500 yr B.P.     

南太平洋东劳扩张中心表层沉积物氨基酸组成所揭示的生物地球化学意义

通过对南太平洋劳盆地东劳扩张中心(ELSC)表层沉积物进行水解氨基酸(THAA)分析、氨基酸对映异构体比值(D/L)分析及总有机碳(TOC)分析,对沉积物中氨基酸含量和来源、有机质降解程度和采样区域生物活动性及温度特征等问题进行了探讨。结果表明,ELSC区域样品中有机质含量较低,TOC含量为0.70～2.15 mg/g(干重),THAA含量为30～511μg/g(干重),热液活动区域原位化能合成作用对沉积物中氨基酸的相对富集有较大的贡献。沉积物中THAA含量和生物群落活动状况与分布范围有关,样品矿物组分对氨基酸的保存亦有一定的影响。由于各采样点热液活动、沉积物类型、生物群落的类型及分布均有所不同,样品中个体氨基酸的组成分布特征有较大差异。以TOC中氨基酸态碳所占百分比TAAC%作为指标对样品有机质活性进行了判别,热液喷口区域样品有机质新鲜程度要普遍高于非热液喷口区域样品,高温热液环境对氨基酸降解途径有一定的影响。样品中个体氨基酸D/L比值变化范围较大,天冬氨酸(Asp)为0.08～0.46,谷氨酸(Glu)为0.06～0.19,丝氨酸(Ser)为0.01～0.81,丙氨酸(Ala)为0.10～0.30。根据样品中THAA含量、TAAC%及个体氨基酸的D/L比值可以粗略判断生物活动性的大小及细菌对THAA的相对贡献,但并不能准确地区分热液活动活跃区域和非活跃区域在温度和生物活动性方面的差异。     

Assessment of organic pollutants in coastal sediments, UAE

Twenty-five stations were selected along the UAE coastal region to delineate the distribution and to determine the source of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), total organic carbon (TOC), total Kjeldhal nitrogen (TKN), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The concentrations of TPH ranged between 46 and 223 mg/kg and the level of TOC was in the range from 0.044 to 17.8 wt%, while TPAHs occupied the range of 5–102.2 μg/kg. On the other hand, TPCBs showed values between 60 and 205 μg/kg and TKN ranged from 104 to 1,073 mg/kg. The present study shows that the distribution of organic compounds in UAE sediments were within safe limits comparing with previous studies. The present study revealed that TOC can be used as an indicator of oil pollution in heavily oiled sediments. The highest values of TOC, TPH, TPAHs and TPCBs related to the stations covered in fine sand due to adsorption properties and the large surface areas of the grains. The evaporation of low-boiling point compounds from surface layers leads to the enrichment of sediments with a thick residual. Al Sharjah-1 exhibited the highest values of TPH and TOC at Ras Al-Khaima-5, Umm Al-Quwen-1 and Dubai-1, while the highest values of TPAHs were at KhorFakkan-9, the highest value of TPCBs was at Ajman-2, and the highest values of TKN were at KhorFakkan-1, KhorFakkan-6 and Dubai-1.     

A geochemical study of long-chain n-aldehydes in Washington coastal sediments

A series of n-aldehydes, C₂₀ to C₃₂, with strong even-to-odd carbon preference was identified in the mixture of solvent extractable lipids isolated from various Washington coastal sediments. A limited survey of the lipid composition of surface waxes of foliage and cuticular waxes of pollen from several major plant species indigenous to the Pacific Northwest revealed that similar series of n-aldehydes are intrinsic to regional vegetation. Debris from such plants, discharged at the mouth of the Columbia River, represents a “preformed” source of the n-aldehyde series accumulating in sediments from the Washington coastal region. Although the evidence suggests n-aldehydes are largely introduced erosionally to this region as a chemical component of land-derived debris and are not formed in situ in the coastal sediments, further study is warranted to establish the postdepositional stability of this series of compounds relative to other lipids of higher plantwax origin. Despite but few literature reports of the occurrence of these geochemicals, long-chain n-aldehydes are very likely common in many sediments from environments that receive an input of detrital organic matter from higher plants.     

Geophysical assessment of subsurface coastal sediments and their engineering implications

Surface geophysics and a priori information were employed to delineate the subsurface geology at Idi-oro in Abijo, Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos, Nigeria for foundation investigation purpose. Resistivity measurement was conducted using 1-D and 2-D resistivity probing techniques. The resistivity measurements were made with ABEM tetrameter model SAS 1000 system. The 1-D vertical electrical resistivity sounding data were obtained using the Schlumberger electrode array while the 2-D resistivity data were obtained using the dipole–dipole array. The interpreted results revealed three to five subsurface geological layers. This is made up of the top soil with resistivity values that vary from 132.4 to over 2,313.5 Ω?m and thickness values that range from 0.3 to 4.8 m, the fine sand with resistivity values that vary from 221.0 to 3,032.7 Ω?m and thickness values that range from 0.4 to 5.5 m, the medium sand with resistivity values that vary from 202.8 to 1,247.7 Ω?m and thickness values that range from 4.9 to 58.4 m. On the other hand, the clayey sand has the resistivity values that vary from 146.1 to 1,744.0 Ω?m and thickness values that vary from 2.2 to 26.3 m, while the coarse sand has resistivity values that vary from 238.3 to 14,313.9 Ω?m but with no thickness value because the current terminated in this layer. The resistivity data correlate well with borehole logs. On the whole, it is concluded that the investigated area has competent sand layer that can support medium to giant engineering structures with resistivity values that vary from 202 to 14,314 Ω?m and thickness values that vary from 0.8 to 58.4 m.     

Early diagenesis of fatty acids and isoprenoid alcohols in estuarine and coastal sediments

Fatty acids and isoprenoid alcohols were analyzed in river, estuarine, and coastal sediment cores: (1) to investigate the distribution of these lipids among the unbound phase. those bound or closely associated with humic substances, and those bound or closely associated with the huminkerogen and clay mineral matrix. (2) to investigate the diagenetic changes of these lipids with depth in the sediments. and (3) to obtain information on the use of these compounds as organic tracers in marine sediments.Results confirm earlier observations that fatty acids are rapidly altered in marine sediments Both the total and the individual fatty acids decrease in concentration with depth in the sediments: unsaturated acids decrease faster than saturated acids and unbound acids decrease faster than bound acids Approximately 8–62% of the fatty acids were unbound. 2–22% were associated with humic substances. and 38–86% were associated with the residual organic-mineral matrix. Qualitative differences also exist between the fatty acids associated with the unbound, humic, and residual fractions. The ratio of trans/cis geometric isomers of the fatty acids generally increases downcore. with no rearrangement of the double bond positions within the molecules. Either the cis isomer is being preferentially degraded with depth in the sediments, or there is a low temperature, clay catalyzed conversion of the cis isomers to the trans isomers occurring down the cores.Phytol was the major alcohol present in the sediments and does not appear to be altered as rapidly as the fatty acids. Less than 10% of the total phytol (PHY) plus dihydrophytol (DHP) was present as DHP and no trend could be discerned between PHY and DHP with depth or with unbound, humic, and residual material in the cores. All of the isolated DHP appeared to be present as the RRR stereoisomer. Along with the absence of phytane in the cores, this observation suggests that the reduction of phytol to dihydrophytol is microbially mediated in the upper layer of the sediment.     

Depositional environments of coastal sediments of Calangute,Goa

The grain-size statistics and environmental conditions of deposition of the beach and dune sediments from the Calangute region, Goa, have been studied. The results of Student's t test and bivariate plots reveal that there exist distinct differences in grain-size parameters of the sediments from different environments and that these differences are highly significant. The study shows that the variations in mean grain size (Mz), graphic standard deviation (O₁), graphic skewness (Sk₁), simple sorting measure (So_s) and simple skewness measure (O_s) are significant in identifying the sediments from different environments. Further, the study reveals the usefulness of grain-size parameters not only in differentiating beach and dune sediments, but also in delineating the beach into foreshore and backshore. The differences in grain-size characteristics of the sediments between the environments reflect the transport, erosional and depositional mechanisms (active hydrodynamic processes in the beach foreshore and aerodynamic processes in the backshore and dune environments) prevailing in the area of study.     

Bauxite formation on Tertiary sediments in the coastal plain of Suriname

Lateritic bauxites in the coastal lowlands of Suriname form part of a belt along the northern margin of the Guiana Shield that has long been one of the world's major bauxite producing regions. The Surinamese deposits, many of which with an extensive mining history, originated on Tertiary siliciclastic sediments and were mostly buried under a layer of young sediments. The bauxite-bearing sequences are generally topped with an iron-rich layer largely made up of hematite and goethite. It covers a gibbsite-rich bauxite horizon that passes downward into a kaolinitic bottom section containing anatase and zircon as main accessory minerals. Weathering profiles across formerly mined deposits were analyzed for geochemical and mineralogical properties aimed at exploring compositional diversity, underlying controls of bauxite-formation and the nature of precursor sediments.Studied profiles in different parts of the coastal plain reveal overall similarities between individual deposits in showing significant depletion of Si, K, Na, Mg and Ca and strong, primarily residual, relative enrichment of Al, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta and Th. In detail, however, there are distinct differences in major and trace-element signatures, accessory mineral assemblages, facies distribution and provenance of the terrigenous precursor sediments. Enrichments in high field-strength elements and heavy rare earth elements are largely attributable to accumulation of heavy minerals like zircon in the precursor. Petrological and trace-element evidence does not support a direct genetic relationship between bauxite and the underlying saprolitic clays. The complex petrologic characteristics and compositional heterogeneity of the coastal-plain deposits can essentially be explained by element fractionation, primarily through selective leaching, in combination with relative and absolute enrichment processes, erosion and reworking during two-stage, polycyclic bauxitization of a heterogeneous precursor.     

Dispersal of river sediments in coastal seas: Six contrasting cases

The fate of sediment seaward of river mouths involves at least four stages: supply via plumes; initial deposition; resuspension and transport by marine processes; and long-term net accumulation. The processes that operate at each stage, and relative roles of each stage in governing the long-term accumulation patterns, vary appreciably with river regime and coastal ocean environment. To illustrate the diversity and illuminate the process of dispersal, information is synthesized for six systems: Amazon, Changjiang, Mississippi, Columbia, Purari, and Huanghe. These systems differ markedly in terms of water discharge, sediment discharge, and coastal energy regime and much of the diversity of dispersal patterns is attributed to these differences as well as to the temporal sequencing of river discharge relative to oceanographic transport processes. Although the sediment: water ratio of the discharge of the Mississippi River is 70 times less than that of the Huanghe, both of these systems exhibit rapid deposition and accumulation of sediments near the river mouths. In contrast, sediments dispersed by, the other four systems are transported greater distances from the mouths by oceanographic processes, and are accumulating over relatively wide areas.     

长江口吴淞-浏河滨岸带沉积物AVS和SEM含量的空间分布特征

对长江口吴淞-浏河滨岸带37个站位沉积物中酸可挥发性硫化物（AVS）和同时可提取态重金属（SEM）含量及其空间分布特征进行了研究。结果表明,SEM在37个站位沉积物中浓度范围为0．20～1．37μmol／g,平均值为0．74μmol／g;AVS的浓度范围为0．20—0．80μmol／g,平均值为0．23μmol／g;沉积物中AVS含量与总有机碳（TOC）和含水率呈显著正相关关系,而SEM分别与TOC和含水率呈显著正相关关系,与沉积物中值粒径呈显著负相关关系。依据SEM／AVS比值评价方法以及美国EPA（SEM—AVS）差值评价方法对沉积物中重金属的生物有效性的判断表明,除了B2站点无显著生物毒性外,吴淞-浏河滨岸带沉积物中重金属对水生生物均处于中等毒性水平。     

Magnetic mineralogy and its implication of contemporary coastal sediments from South China

Magnetic parameters have been widely used as a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive method. To assess whether their magnetic properties reflect the development history in the Pearl River Delta, three sediment cores collected from South China coastal waters were selected for magnetic research. The results indicate that the predominant ferrimagnetic mineral is magnetite, with an additional smaller amount of surprisingly high-coercive greigite. Fine-grained superparamagnetic and single-domain particles of magnetite and the relative contribution of greigite are increased when the total concentration of ferrimagnetic minerals is higher. Three well-known stages of the Chinese history, i.e., iron smelting, cultural revolution, and the latest phase of opening and reforming were identified in the vertical variation of magnetic concentration parameters. Although the record of the three cores is not completely consistent, the results point out that magnetic concentration parameters can reflect the development and pollution history in surrounding coastal areas.     

Factors affecting dissolved organic matter dynamics in mixed-redox to anoxic coastal sediments

Mixed-redox (suboxic, or oscillating between oxidizing and reducing conditions) to anoxic marine sediments from the Raritan -New York Bay complex and the Inner New York Bight of the eastern U.S. were studied to investigate the factors controlling the accumulation of pore-water dissolved organic carbon (DOC). DOC increased with depth at each of four study sites, but accumulation was generally limited in the mixed-redox zone relative to the anoxic zone. Humic-like fluorescence intensity also differed between mixed-redox and anoxic zones of the sediment, such that anoxic pore waters were relatively enriched in fluorescent, humic-like compounds.A pore-water DOC model was tested for its capacity to explain these geochemical patterns. Model results for a heavily irrigated and a non-bioturbated site both suggest that, excluding the uppermost few cm of the sediment column, pore-water DOC is predominantly comprised of poorly-reactive material with estimated degradation rate constants on the order of 10⁻³ yr⁻¹. Model results are also consistent with the suggestion that DOC accumulation is suppressed in the mixed-redox compared to the anoxic zones of the sediment due to rapid oxidation of high-molecular-weight DOC, and limited production and enhanced oxidation of the less reactive polymeric low-molecular-weight component of the DOC pool. An assessment of sorptive behavior of DOC in the surface sediments of the study area suggests that sorption can influence pore-water DOC distributions under conditions of high sedimentation and low bioirrigation.     

Cu and Fe associated with humic acids in sediments of a tropical coastal lagoon

The amount of Cu and Fe associated with humic acids was estimated in five sediment cores from a tropical coastal lagoon (Piratininga Lagoon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Core samples were analysed for humic acid contents, total Fe and Cu content. Fe and Cu associated with humic acids were also measured. Results show amounts of humic acids ranging from 0.7 to 21.7% of the dry weight of sediment (average 4.6%, standard deviation 4.4%). Concentrations of Fe and Cu ranged from 0.3 to 6.0% (average 2.2%, S.D. 1.2%) and from <1.0 to 65.0 μg g⁻¹ (average 28.6 μg g⁻¹, S.D. 16.4 μg g⁻¹), respectively. The results of strongly bound metals show that while humic acids are the main carrier for Cu, Fe does not seems to be significantly associated with this organic matter.