Carbon isotopic studies of individual lipids in organisms from the Nansha sea area, China

Sediments contain abundant lipid compounds in general, which are used as biomarker compounds to study organic matter sources and reconstruct the pa-laeoenvironments[1—7]. However, lipid compounds in sediments are generally a mixture of various genetic components so that it is difficult to correctly decouple their biological sources only by the results of bio-chemical researches. Carbon isotopic studies of indi-vidual sedimentary lipid compounds can discover their genetic information, which pr…     

Carbon isotopic characteristics and their genetic relationships for individual lipids in plants and sediments from a marsh sedimentary environment

The carbon isotopic compositions of individual lip-ids can provide the genetic information about sedi-mentary lipids so that it has extensively applied pros-pects in geochemically studied field[1―8]. However, this applied research relies heavily on the accumula-tion of studied data in the genetic relationships between carbon isotopic compositions of individual lipids and their biological precursors in different sedi-mentary environments. Recently, the useful δ 13C data of individual lipids f…     

Elementary study of physical properties on surface sediments in Nansha Islands sea area

Elementary studies on surface sediment physical properties (physical-mechanic property, engineering features, acoustic parameters) of the Nansha Islands sea area in the South China Sea reveal that the seabed sedimentary environments are important factors of controlling sediment physical properties and the relations between them affect one another. At the same time, the relative figures of sediment physical properties and some experienced relations are given, which are beneficial to the later research and further studies. Project of the Multidisciplinary Oceanographic Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.     

Stable isotopic studies of dinosaur eggshells from the Nanxiong Basin, South China

Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes have been observed in dinosaur eggshell samples,identified as Macroolithus yaotunensis,collected in two sections of the Nanxiong Basin,Guangdong Province,South China.Multiple positiveδ18O perturbations that occurred during the K/T transition of about 150 ka suggest that there may have been at least three periods of the extreme dry climate with a mean annual air temperature over 27℃.δ13C ranges from -8.37‰ to -11.60‰ of the dinosaur eggshells,added to the metabolic enrichment of 16‰,may indicate that the dinosaurs represented by this type of eggshells probably consumed the plant species of C3 type with the δ13C values of -24.3‰- -27.6‰.Moreover,the trend toward more negative δ13C values of the eggshells during the K/T transition could be an indirect consequence of a lasting increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration.     

Carbon isotopic compositions of 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene in marine oil asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin: Evidence for the source formed in a strongly reducing environment

Although 1-alkyl-2,3,6-trimethylbenzenes and a high relative amount of 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene have been detected in marine oils and oil asphaltenes from Tabei uplift in the Tarim Basin, their bio-logical sources are not determined. This paper deals with the molecular characteristics of typical ma-rine oil asphaltenes from Tabei and Tazhong uplift in the Tarim Basin and the stable carbon isotopic signatures of individual compounds in the pyrolysates of these asphaltenes using flash pyrolysis-gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (PY-GC-MS) and gas chromatograph-stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC-C-IRMS), respectively. Relatively abundant 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene is detected in the pyrolysates of these marine oil asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin. δ 13C values of 1,2,3,4-tetrame-thylbenzene in the pyrolysates of oil asphaltenes vary from-19.6‰ to-24.0‰, while those of n-alkanes in the pyrolysates show a range from-33.2‰ to-35.1‰. The 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene in the pyro-lysates of oil asphaltenes proves to be significantly enriched in 13C relative to n-alkanes in the pyro-lysates and oil asphaltenes by 10.8‰―15.2‰ and 8.4‰―13.4‰, respectively. This result indicates a contribution from photosynthetic green sulfur bacteria Chlorobiaceae to relatively abundant 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene in marine oil asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin. Hence, it can be speculated that the source of most marine oil asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin was formed in a strongly reducing water body enriched in H2S under euxinic conditions.     

深海海底沉积物声学特性原位测量试验研究

由于实验室测试环境条件与深海海底的原位温压环境存在较大的差异,取样测量的沉积物声学参数通常偏离海底原位状态的真实值.该文利用深水型压载式沉积声学原位测量系统,在水深超过5000 m的西太平洋海域开展了沉积物声学原位测量试验,准确获取了深海底原位状态下沉积物的声速和声衰减系数,并同步采集了沉积物柱状样品.结果显示,实验室测量的沉积物声速、声衰减系数均高于原位测量结果.通过温压校正和数据—模型对比表明,实验室声速比与原位声速比存在较大的差异,难以通过温压校正模型和频散模型完全改正,这可能与深海沉积物的结构扰动有关.较之浅海沉积物,软弱的深海沉积物结构更易受到采样过程的扰动,因而深海沉积物的声学特性测量更为困难,这表明在深海海底声学研究采用原位测量技术具有必要性.该研究标志着我国海底声学研究由浅海走向深海,对推动海底声学的深入研究具有重要意义.

     

Carbon isotopic variations of Proterozoic carbonates in Jixian,Tianjin, China

Along the Proterozoic stratigraphic sections of Jixian, Tianjin, the δ13C values of carbonates are mostly negative in the Changchengian (Changcheng System), varying approximately within a range of (0±1 )‰in the Jixianian (Jixian System), and have commonly positive values of (2±2)‰ in the Qingbaikouan (Qingbaikou System). From Chuanlinggou Formation to Dahongyu Formation, i.e. from ca. 1700 Ma to 1600 Ma, the δ13C values of carbonates increase from about -3‰ to 0‰, but oscillate with large excursion in Dahongyu Formation. Two large excursions occur in the Jixianian, one in Yangzhuang Formation and the other in the third sub-member of Wumishan Formation overlaying. These integrated and continuous records of carbon isotope reflect secular variations of δ13C value in ancient seawater from ca. 1700 Ma to ca. 800 Ma. The increase and subsequent oscillation of seawater δ13C value occurring from the ages of ca. 1700 to ca. 1600 Ma and <1300 Ma may signify two correlative global tectonic events.     

深海海底沉积物声学特性原位测量试验研究

由于实验室测试环境条件与深海海底的原位温压环境存在较大的差异,取样测量的沉积物声学参数通常偏离海底原位状态的真实值.该文利用深水型压载式沉积声学原位测量系统,在水深超过5000 m的西太平洋海域开展了沉积物声学原位测量试验,准确获取了深海底原位状态下沉积物的声速和声衰减系数,并同步采集了沉积物柱状样品.结果显示,实验室测量的沉积物声速、声衰减系数均高于原位测量结果.通过温压校正和数据—模型对比表明,实验室声速比与原位声速比存在较大的差异,难以通过温压校正模型和频散模型完全改正,这可能与深海沉积物的结构扰动有关.较之浅海沉积物,软弱的深海沉积物结构更易受到采样过程的扰动,因而深海沉积物的声学特性测量更为困难,这表明在深海海底声学研究采用原位测量技术具有必要性.该研究标志着我国海底声学研究由浅海走向深海,对推动海底声学的深入研究具有重要意义.     

Rare-earth and trace elements and hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of Cretaceous kaolinitic sediments from the Lower Benue Trough,Nigeria: provenance and paleoclimatic significance

This study evaluated the Cretaceous(Campanian–Maastrichtian) kaolinitic sediments of the Ajali/Mamu and Enugu/Nkporo Formations from the Lower Benue Trough of Nigeria. A combined method of inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and isotope ratio mass spectrometry was used to investigate trace and rareearth element geochemistry and hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions. These data were then used to infer the sediments' provenance and paleoclimatic conditions during their deposition. The sediments contained low concentrations of most trace elements, with the exceptions of Zr(651–1352 ppm), Ba(56–157 ppm), V(38–90 ppm),and Sr(15.1–59.6 ppm). Average values of Co and Ni were1.5 and 0.7 ppm, respectively. Trace and rare earth element values were lower than corresponding values for upper continental crust and Post-Archean Australian Shale, with the exception of Zr. The samples showed only slight light rare-earth enrichment and nearly flat heavy rare-earth depletion patterns, with negative Eu and Tm anomalies,typical of felsic sources. Geochemical parameters such as La/Sc, Th/Sc, and Th/Co ratios support that the kaolinitic sediments were derived from a felsic rock source, likely deposited in an oxic environment.^(18 )O values ranged from+ 15.4 to + 21.2% for the investigated samples, consistent with a residual material derived from chemicalweathering of felsic rock and redeposited in a sedimentary basin(typical values of + 19 to + 21.2%). While in the basin, the sediments experienced extended interactions with meteoric water enriched in d D and d16 O. However,the variation in d D and d16 O values for the investigated samples is attributed to the high temperature of formation(54–91 °C). The d D and d^(18 )O values suggest that the sediments, although obtained from different localities within the Lower Benue Trough, formed under similar hot,tropical climatic conditions.     

Carbon and hydrogen isotopic characteristics of natural gases from the Luliang and Baoshan basins in Yunnan Province, China

The Luliang and Baoshan basins are two small ba- sins in Yunnan Province. In the recent ten years or so, there have been found a number of natural gas pools of commercial importance in the two basins. Although the gas pools are small in size, the natural …     

Carbon stable isotopic composition of karst soil CO2 in central Guizhou, China

The δ¹³c values of soil CO₂ are less than that of atmosphere CO₂ in the karst area. On the soil-air interface, the δ¹³c vlaues of soil CO₂ decrease with the increase in soil depth; below the soil-air interface, the δ¹³c values of soil CO₂ are invariable. The type of vegetation on the land surface has an influence on the δ¹³C values of soil CO₂. Due to the activity of soil microbes, the δ¹³C values of soil CO₂ are variable with seasonal change in ps. Isotopic tracer indicates that atmosphere CO₂ has a great deal of contribution to soil CO₂ at the lower parts of soil proflie. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49703048 and 49833002)     

Hydrogen isotopic compositions, distributions and source signals of individual n-alkanes for some typical crude oils in Lunnan Oilfield, Tarim Basin, NW China

Petroleum mainly comprises carbon and hydrogen elements. The stable carbon isotopic analysis for whole oil was undertaken as early as the 1930s. After decades, the stable carbon isotopic analytical methods have been developed from analysis for whole oil and oil fractions (e.g., saturated, aromatic and polar frac-tions) into compound-specific isotopic analysis with the emergence of the newly developed GC-C-IRMS analytical technique. Especially, by using com-pound-specific isotopic analytical…     

Hydrocarbons in coastal sediments from the Mediterranean sea (Gulf of Fos area, France)

Sedimentary hydrocarbons have been studied quantitatively and qualitatively in 11 coastal stations located in the Gulf of Fos (French Mediterranean coast). Hydrocarbon levels ranged from 10 to 260 mg kg(-1) sed. dry weight. A new parameter "NAR" (Natural n-alkane ratio) is proposed to evaluate the contribution of terrestrial inputs of hydrocarbons in the sediments. The origins of hydrocarbons are multiple: terrestrial inputs, biogenic, pyrolytic (industry emissions mainly steel and iron industries, ship and road traffic). Generally, the main source of contamination is not petroleum. Several ratios between parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons show that the sources of hydrocarbons in the sediments are generally much more pyrolytic than petrogenic.     

Variation in noble gas isotopic composition of gas samples from the Aegean arc, Greece

In contrast to most other arcs with oceanic plate subduction, the Aegean arc is characterized by continent–continent subduction. Noble gas abundances and isotopic compositions of 45 gas samples have been determined from 6 volcanoes along the arc, 2 islands in the back-arc region and 7 sites in the surrounding areas. The ³He/⁴He ratios of the samples ranged from 0.027R_A to 6.2R_A (R_A denotes the atmospheric ³He/⁴He ratio of 1.4×10⁻⁶), demonstrating that even the maximum ³He/⁴He ratio in the region is significantly lower than the maximum ratios of most oceanic subduction systems, which are equal to the MORB value of 8±1 R_A. Regional variations in the ³He/⁴He ratio were observed both along and across the arc. The maximum ³He/⁴He ratio was obtained from Nisyros volcano located in the eastern end of the arc, and the ratio decreased westward possibly reflecting the difference in potential degree of crustal assimilation or the present magmatic activity in each volcano. Across the volcanic arc, the ³He/⁴He ratio decreased with an increasing distance from the arc front, reaching a low ratio of 0.063R_A in Macedonia, which suggested a major contribution of radiogenic helium derived from the continental crust. At Nisyros, a temporal increase in ³He/⁴He ratio due to ascending subsurface magma was observed after the seismic crisis of 1995–1998 and mantle neon was possibly detected. The maximum ³He/⁴He ratio (6.2R_A) in the Aegean region, which is significantly lower than the MORB value, is not probably due to crustal assimilation at shallow depth or addition of slab-derived helium to MORB-like mantle wedge, but inherent characteristics of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the Aegean arc.     

Characteristics of an early Holocene climate and environment from lake sediments in Ebinur region, NW China

The characteristics of climatic environment in the early Holocene epoch were studied through analyzing environmental proxies from the sediments in the Ebinur Lake——a closed one in the arid region. The pollen assemblage and other geochemical indices showed that, the temperature was somewhat low in the period (8.0-11.5 cal kaBP) as a whole, but in the early period (11.5-10.6 cal kaBP) the temperature was higher, in company with more precipitation. In the conversion period from the early Holocene epoch to the middle Holocene epoch (8.9-8.0 cal kaBP) the climate fluctuated remarkably. Particularly the three layers of peat sediment revealed the strong instability of climate in the early Holocene epoch in the Ebinur region. All information on the development of peat and the experimental data of pollen and stable isotopes implied that, the climatic condition at 8.2, 8.6 and 10.5 cal kaBP was characterized by noticeable cold and humidness, and could be regarded as three cold and humid events in the early Holoc     

Evolution of strontium isotopic composition of sea-water from Late Permian to Early Triassic based on study of marine carbonates,Zhongliang Mountain,Chongqing,China

Collected from a Late Permian to Early Triassic sedimentary section in the Zhongliang Mountain of Chongqing, Southwest China, sixty marine carbonate samples were measured for the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, and corresponding evolution curve was constructed. The concentrations of SiO2, CaO, MgO, Mn and Sr are used to evaluate reservation of strontium isotopic composition for original seawater and the credi-bility of the dissolution method for sample preparation. The results show that most of the samples (except seven samples with the Mn/Sr ratios higher than 2) contain the original geochemistry signa-tures of ancient seawater. Compared to the published 87Sr/86Sr ratios from the Late Permian to Early Triassic, our database reported here is the largest and the curve constructed is the most complete. The strontium isotopic curve from Late Permian to Early Triassic is consistent globally and exhibits a gen-eral trend of steady increase during this period. The minimum of 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.707011) occurs in the Late Permian (30 m in thickness below the Permian-Triassic boundary), and the maximum (0.708281), near the Early-Middle Triassic boundary. The lack of land plants and the rapid continental weathering result in the increase of 87Sr/86Sr ratios during the interval. The Permian-Triassic boundary in Zhongli-ang Mountain Section has been accepted internationally. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of six samples near the boundary vary from 0.70714 to 0.70715 with an average of 0.70714, which is consistent with the value of 0.70715 (samples are from articulate brachiopod shells) from Korte et al. published in 2006 (within the error range in experiment). Accordingly, the strontium isotope composition in the Permian-Triassic boundary in this paper is of global significance. It can be confirmed that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the sea-water in the Permian-Triassic transition are in the range of 0.70714―0.70715.     

咸水湖盆沉积物原始有机碳定量恢复的新方法——以青海湖布哈河口区沉积物为例

烃源岩中原始有机碳(TOC)总量的恢复是烃源岩评价的重点和难点,以青海湖西北部的布哈河口区沉积物为研究对象,探讨一种全新的利用沉积物中硼元素含量对原始TOC含量进行恢复的方法.布哈河口区沉积物主要为泥、粉砂、细砂及其过渡类型,黏土矿物含量总体较低,沉积物中干酪根类型主要为Ⅱ1和Ⅱ2型,有机质大部分来自陆源生物,少量来自水生生物.布哈河口区沉积物中TOC含量介于0.02%~4.29%之间,其中半深湖及前三角洲环境TOC含量总体较高.有机质对部分微量元素有明显的富集作用,沉积物中TOC含量与硼、钪、钴、镍、锌、镓、铷、铯、铅及铀等微量元素存在明显相关性.有机质对微量元素的富集能力和强度受沉积物和水体接触时间控制,因此微量元素与TOC含量的相关性在不同沉积环境存在明显差异:在河流、三角洲平原、前三角洲、浅湖及半深湖沉积区较高,而在滨湖区较低.硼元素对TOC含量变化的反映最灵敏,即便是在间歇暴露的滨湖沉积中硼含量与TOC含量呈明显的正相关性,因此硼可以作为反映烃源岩原始TOC含量的有效指标.根据布哈河口区沉积物中硼含量与TOC含量之间极好的线性相关性,建立了利用烃源岩中的硼含量对原始TOC含量进行定量计算的公式,该公式主要适用于陆相微咸水、半咸水及咸水环境泥质岩类原始TOC总量的恢复.     

Distribution,sources and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in surface sediments from Guan River Estuary,China

The contamination of surface sediments in Guan River Estuary, China, by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been fully investigated. Total concentrations of 21 PAHs ranged from 90 to 218 ng/g with an average of 132.7 ng/g, which is relatively low in comparison with other estuaries around the world. PAH concentrations appeared to be positively correlated with clay content and negatively correlated with sediment grain size. Source identification implied that the PAHs originated mainly from pyrolytic sources. However, source patterns may be continuously changed to a petrogenic origin due to the heavy ship traffic and continuous discharge of oily sewage in this area. The PAH levels were also compared with international Sediments Quality Guidelines and Sediments Quality Criteria, and the results indicated low negative effects for most individual PAHs. However, toxic effects related to FLO would occur occasionally in most locations in the estuary.     

Evidence from isotopic geochemistry as an indicator of eutrophication of Meiliang Bay in Lake Taihu, China

In this paper, Lake Taihu, a large shallow freshwater lake in China, is chosen as an example of reconstruction of eutrophication through the comparison between stable isotopes from dissolved nutrients and plants and water column nutrient parameters and integration of multiple proxies in a sediment core from Meiliang Bay including TN, TP, TOC, C/N,δ15N,δ13C, etc. Differences in aquatic plant species and trophic status between East Taihu Bay and Meiliang Bay are indicated by their variations inδ13C andδ15N of aquatic plants andδ15N of NH4 . A significant influence of external nutrient inputs on Meiliang Bay is reflected in temporal changes inδ15N of NH4 and hydro-environmental parameters. The synchronous change betweenδ13C andδ15N values of sedi-mented organic matter (OM) has been attributed to elevated primary production at the beginning of eutrophication between 1950 and 1990, then recent inverse correlation between them has been caused by the uptake of 15N-enriched inorganic nitrogen by phytoplankton grown under eutrophication and subsequent OM decomposition and denitrification in surface sediments, indicating that the lake has suffered from progressive eutrophication since 1990. Based on the use of a combination of stable isotopes and elemental geochemistry, the eutrophication of Meiliang Bay in Lake Taihu could be better traced. These transitions of the lake eutrophication respectively occurring in the 1950s and 1990s have been suggested as a reflection of growing impacts of human activities, which is coincident with the instrumental data.     

鄱阳湖网箱养殖区沉积物有机质来源分析

通过对鱼苗时期鄱阳湖网箱养殖区沉积物、饵料及鱼粪等样品总有机碳(TOC)含量、总氮(TN)含量、碳氮比(C/N)、δ^13 C及δ^15 N的测定,分析探讨了鄱阳湖网箱养殖区沉积物有机质来源,量化了网箱养殖废物对养殖区沉积物有机质的贡献.结果表明,网箱养殖区沉积物的δ^13 C和δ^15 N值分别为-27.67‰~-25.65‰和5.19‰~7.27‰,饵料的δ^13 C和δ^15 N值分别为-24.73‰和10.28‰,鱼粪的δ^13 C和δ^15 N值分别为-26.30‰和15.54‰.网箱养殖区沉积物有机质来源主要有残饵、浮游生物及其他来源,其贡献率分别为48.3%±11.4%、25.6%±11.3%及26.0%±5.8%,而鱼粪的贡献几乎可以忽略不计.在水动力平流引起的扩散及沉积物的再悬浮的影响下,网箱养殖源有机质的扩散距离达1500 m.在鱼苗时期,鱼类网箱养殖的残饵是鄱阳湖网箱养殖区沉积物有机质的主要来源.