The measurement of reactive silicate in saline-hypersaline lakes: examples of the problem

The analysis of reactive silicate or H₄SiO₄ in saline lake waters using the silicomolybdic acid method developed by Mullin and Riley (1955) suffers from a rather severe salt interference. Our data show that the interference occurs in waters where both chloride and sulfate are the major anions. The interference leads to lower than actual values (by as much as 50 per cent). Until the chemical mechanism of the interference is quantitatively understood, dilution with deionized water appears to be the best approach to obtaining reliable data. This may limit the technique's usage in waters of high TDS, and low reactive silicate.     

The salinity of hypersaline brines: Concepts and misconceptions

Some widespread misconceptions about salinity are pointed out, explained and commented on. Definitions, units, and methods of salinity determination recommended for brines of moderate salinities may become unsuitable for highly saline brines. Various salinity units are examined and commented on, and density at a precisely monitored temperature is chosen as the preferable “substitute parameter” for salinity determination of hypersaline brines. It is shown that ambient air density during pycnometric measurements must be known as accurately as required of the brine's density, and that its value must be added to the direct pycnometric measurement. Variations of atmospheric pressure at the time of pycnometry must be taken into account if greater than 15 mB. For a salinity accuracy of ±0.02 per mille, as required for some physical and chemical studies, the temperature of the sample during salinity measurement must be monitored with an accuracy of at least 0.04°C. A definite curve in the ρ-S plane, corresponding to the conversion of salinity to density at a fixed temperature, andvice-versa, does not exist if the brine is saturated in one of its salts. Non-linearity in the equation of state is shown to affect the surface level drop due to evaporation; the effect is negligible at low salinities, but a 10 per cent correction is already required at the salinity found in the northern Red Sea (41 per mille). Reliable reference points for the conversion of absolute salinity to density of highly saline brines are not known, at present, as accurately as desirable; pending the accurate determination of such reference points, a substantial dilution of hypersaline brines (for the purpose of adapting them to conductivity measurements) would multiply the error range by more than a hundred fold. On the other hand, a minute dilution of hypersaline brine samples to prevent salt crystal formation is possible and would not bring about any major increase of the error range in their density (salinity) determination.     

亚洲国际河流研究进展

1 General situation Entering the 21st century, resource and environmental diplomacy is regarded as a new element for establishing future international patterns of cooperation. Transboundary resources and environmental issues in international river basins …     

长江口潮滩沉积物－水界面无机氮交换通量

对长江口滨岸潮滩7个典型断面三态氮的界面交换通量进行了三年多的季节性连续观测,结果表明无机氮的界面交换行为存在复杂的空间分异和季节变化。NO^-₃-N和NH⁺₄-N的界面交换通量正负变化范围较大,分别介于-32.82~24.13 mmol.m^-2.d^-1和-18.45~10.65mmol.m^-2.d^-1之间;而NOsup>-₂-N的界面交换通量很小,仅为-1.15~2.82 mmol.m^-2.d^-1。NO^-₃-N的界面交换具有明显的上下游季节性时空分异特征,而NH⁺₄-N的界面交换则表现为南北岸季节性时空分异现象。盐度是控制长江口滨岸潮滩NH⁺₄-N界面交换行为的主要因素,而沉积物粒度、水体 NO^-₃-N浓度、沉积物有机质含量、水温和溶解氧含量则以不同的组合方式,共同制约着 NO^-₃-N在潮滩界面交换的时空分异格局。     

SEASONAL INORGANIC NITROGEN RELEASE IN ALPINE LAKES ON THE COLORADO WESTERN SLOPE

In the Rocky Mountains, the association of increases in acidic deposition with increased atmospheric loading of sulfate and direct changes in surface water chemistry has been well established. The importance, though, of increased nitrogen (N) deposition in the episodic acidification of alpine lakes and N saturation in alpine ecosystems is only beginning to be documented. In alpine areas of the Colorado Front Range, modest loadings of N in deposition have been associated with leakage of N to surface waters. On the Colorado western slope, however, no leakage of N to surface waters has been reported. A 1995 study that included early season under-ice water samples that were not available in earlier studies showed that there is, in fact, N leakage to surface waters in some western slope basins. Under-ice nitrate (NO^- ₃) concentrations were as high as 10.5 μeq L^-1 and only decreased to detection limits in September. Landscape type appears to be important in leakage of N to surface waters, which is associated with basins having steep slopes, thin soils, and large amounts of exposed bedrock. NO^- ₃ leakage compounds the existing sensitivity to episodic acidification from low acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), which is less than 40 μeq L^-1 in those basins. [Key words: episodic acidification, nitrogen deposition, nitrate, alpine ecosystems, landscape type, Rocky Mountains.]     

Hydrogeochemistry of Groundwater and Its Suitability for Drinking and Agricultural Use in Nahavand,Western Iran

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water in Nahavand city. However, the groundwater quality at the agricultural areas has been deteriorating in recent years. Ground water quality monitoring is a tool which provides important information for water management and sustainable development of the water resources in Nahavand. Hydrochemical investigations were carried out in an agricultural area in Nahavand, western Iran, to assess chemical composition of groundwater. In this study, 64 representative groundwater samples were collected from different irrigation wells and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, major ions, and nitrate. The results of the chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that concentrations of ions vary widely and the most prevalent water type is Ca–Mg–HCO₃, followed by other water types: Ca–HCO₃, Ca–Na–HCO₃, and Na–Cl, which is in relation with their interactions with the geological formations of the basin, dissolution of feldspars and chloride and bicarbonate minerals, and anthropogenic activities. Thirty-seven percent of the water samples showed nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) concentrations above the human affected value (13 mg L⁻¹). The phosphorous (P) concentration in groundwater was between 0.11 and 0.90 mg L⁻¹, with an average value of 0.30 mg L⁻¹, with all of the samples over 0.05 mg L⁻¹. The most dominant class C2-S1 (76.5%) was found in the studied area, indicating that sodicity is very low and salinity is medium, and that these waters are suitable for irrigation in almost all soils. Agronomic practices, such as cultivation, cropping, and irrigation water management may decrease the average NO₃ ⁻ concentration in water draining from the soil zone.     

The Suburban Stream Syndrome: Evaluating Land Use and Stream Impairments in the Suburbs

Development is known to impair stream water quality at moderate to high levels of urbanization, but the effects of low-density urban expansion, the kind occurring on the outskirts of many cities, remain unclear. We examined five suburban headwater streams in Duchess County, New York whose watersheds contained between 4.7% and 34% impervious surface cover. We measured Cl^- and nitrate-N (NO₃-N) concentrations in water samples taken at four to six sites on each stream in winter and summer. Even at low levels of population and impervious cover, concentrations of both Cl^- and NO₃-N exceeded reference levels found in cleaner streams in the region. Chloride levels were elevated in upper reaches and remained elevated or continued to increase downstream, with a linear response to impervious cover. Nitrate-N increased downstream in all watersheds, indicating that NO₃-N inputs exceeded natural denitrification and uptake in both winter and summer. Nitrate-N responded logarithmically to impervious surface cover, with steep increases at low levels of imperviousness. Per-capita inputs were also high in rural areas. Agricultural inputs were not sufficient to explain observed trends in NO₃-N; we interpret inputs to result chiefly from low-density exurban expansion. Widespread residential expansion has significant impacts on water quality that have not previously been acknowledged.     

Biomonitoring past salinity changes in an athalassic subarctic lake

A short sediment core was taken from a small saline lake located on an intermontane plateau in the central Yukon Territory, Canada. In July 1990, chemical analyses indicated that, although the lake was shallow (Z_max=1.1 m), it was also chemically stratified, with hyposaline (9.9 to 10.0 g L⁻¹) surface waters and slightly mesosaline (22.0 g L⁻¹) deeper waters. The surface water was dominated by Na⁺ and HCO ₃ ⁻ . To our knowledge, this is the northernmost athalassic saline lake yet recorded. Quantification of algal (diatom, chrysophyte, and pigment) and invertebrate (chironomid, ceratopogonid, andChaoborus) fossils at four stratigraphic levels indicated that the lake sediments preserved numerous biological indicators that could be used to infer recent lake development. Many of the taxa are found in other athalassic salt lakes. The most striking stratigraphic change was a remarkable drop in the species richness of diatoms and invertebrates in the recent sediments, which parallels the elimination of species characteristic of less saline conditions. Halophilous taxa dominate the most recent sediments, indicating the development of more saline conditions. At the same time, a significant shift in chrysophyte cyst composition was observed. Fossil carotenoids and chlorophylls indicated a decrease in total algal abundance in recent sediments, as green and blue-green algae replaced diatoms and chrysophytes. Together, these paleolimnological data suggest a recent shift to drier conditions or increased evaporation in the central Yukon Territory.     

Water quantity-quality combined evaluation method for rivers＇ water requirements of the instream environment in dualistic water cycle： A case study of Liaohe River Basin

In this article the meaning of the quantity and quality of environmental flows of river in dualistic water cycle is discussed, and compared with the meaning of unitary water cycle. Based on the analysis of the relationship between environmental flows of river requirements, the efficiency of water resource usage, the consumption coefficient, and the concentration of waste water elimination, the water quantity and water quality calculation method of the environmental flows of river requirements in dualistic water cycle is developed, and the criteria for environmental flows of river requirements are established, and therefore the water quantity-quality combined evaluation of natural river flows requirements are realized Taking the Liaohe River as a model, the environmental flows of river requirements for Xiliao River, Dongliao River, mainstream Liaohe River, Huntai River and northeast rivers along the coasts of the Yellow and Bohai seas in unitary water cycle are calculated, each taking up 39.3%, 63.0%, 43.9%, 43.3% and 43.5% of runoff respectively. Evaluated according to Tennant recommended flow, the results show that： except Xiliao River is ＂median＂, the rest are all upon ＂good＂, the Dongliao River is even ＂very good＂. The corresponding results in dualistic water cycle are that, the proportion of natural flows for each river is 57.5%, 74.1%, 60.8%, 60.3% and 60.4%; while the combined evaluation results show that： considering ＂quantity＂, except Xiliao River, the rest rivers can all achieve the ＂quantity＂ criteria of the en- vironmental flows of river requirements, but if considering the aspect of ＂quality＂, only Dongliao River can reach the ＂quality＂ standard. By water quantity-quality combined evaluation method, only Dongliao River can achieve the criteria. So the water quality is the main factor that determines whether the environmental flows can meet the river ecosystem demands.     

Catastrophic hurricane history revealed by organic geochemical proxies in coastal lake sediments: a case study of Lake Shelby,Alabama (USA)

We developed a new method for reconstructing millennia-long hurricane records from coastal environments that uses Organic Geochemical Proxies (OGPs) of organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations and their δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N compositions. The new method is independent of presence/absence of sand layers and improves significantly the severe-storm history resolution. The subject of this investigation is a 1.5 m long sediment core raised at 2.8 m water depth from the center of Lake Shelby, Alabama, a freshwater lake located approximately 250 m from the Gulf of Mexico, from which an overwash sand-layer based record was previously derived. The core contains two distinct sediment units; an upper 62 cm thick, fine-grained, organic-rich lacustrine sapropel (gyttja) that shows no visible structures except one sand lamina at 23.7 cm depth, and an underlying 90 cm thick, organic-poor lagoon/estuary clay unit. The sapropel unit was deposited over a 682 ± 30 cal year time interval (1320–2002 A.D.) with a mean sedimentation rate of 0.79 ± 0.04 mm/year. Lake Shelby’s water column exhibits two contrasting states based on water chemistry surveys (i) an “isolated”, stratified, mode under calm weather conditions with a relatively low trophic state, and (ii) a “flooded” mode occurring during storm surges when nutrient-rich seawater floods the lake. Statistically significant δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N positive excursions in organic matter, up to maximum values of −25 (‰ PDB) and 4 (‰ Air N₂), respectively, are interpreted as geochemical responses to the marine intrusions that fertilize the lake, increase light availability, and cause eutrophication spikes. Detailed OGPs analyses crossing a sand layer that offers visual evidence of a catastrophic hurricane overwash event at 1717 A.D. exhibit large δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N positive shifts bounded by rapid returns to base values, thus confirming the validity of the hurricane identification by the OGPs model. Our data indicate that 11 catastrophic hurricanes hit the Alabama coast over the past 682 years with a rough recurrence interval of one in 62 years.     

非点源污染研究中土壤溶解性无机氮的提取方法选择

用2M KCl溶液(5:1)、饱和CaSO4溶液(5:1)、0.01M CaCl₂溶液(20:1,100:1) 和去离子水(20:1,100:1)4种提取液、6种提取方式,采用Auto-analyzerⅢColorimeter (Bran Luebbe),水杨酸-次氯酸盐法和Griess-Ilosvay法测定并对比了北京地区4种天然土样的溶解性氨氮和硝态氮的含量。研究结果表明:溶解性硝态氮的测定结果不受提取液和水土比(小于100:1)的影响,而溶解性氨氮测定结果受影响较大。在非点源污染研究中,对于土壤中可向水体迁移的溶解性无机氮含量的测定,应根据来水水源特征和研究目的选择适宜的浸提剂和水土比。     

Determination of orthophosphate in highly saline waters

Standard methods for the determination of phosphorus as phosphate ion are now well established for fresh and marine waters. In highly saline waters, however, salt effects due to ionic strength, or to particular ions present, may result in method interferences. Three methods of analysis of phosphate based on the formation of phosphomolybdenum blue complexes have been evaluated here for hypersaline waters. Stannous chloride reduction in aqueous media exhibits a substantial salt effect and its use is not recommended. Stannous chloride reduction following extraction into non aqueous solvents shows a significant salt effect (up to 30 per cent) in solutions of salinity >100 g L^–1. Dilution of hypersaline waters to below this salinity may overcome the salt effect but the method suffers from other disadvantages involving resource constraints and health and safety considerations. Ascorbic acid reduction, catalysed by antimony (III) ions, appears to offer the most promise for hypersaline waters. Turbidity in samples having high salinity (> 100 g L^–1) and high phosphorus concentrations (> 500 g P L^–1) changes the spectral characteristics of solutions but linear calibration curves still result for concentrations in the range 400 to 1,000 g P L^–1. The occurrence of turbidity is also affected by the ionic composition of hypersaline waters since solutions made from sea salt give different results to those made from sodium chloride. Dilution of samples, to give salinities less than 100 g L^–1 prior to reduction is recommended to avoid turbidity. The salt effect in these lower salinity waters is less than 3 per cent up to 100 g L^–1.     

Oxygen isotope variability in calcite shells of the ostracod Cyprideis torosa in Akyatan Lagoon,Turkey

The euryhaline ostracod Cyprideis torosa lives in Akyatan Lagoon, Turkey, which is exposed to large spatial and seasonal variations in water salinity, δ¹⁸O, and temperature. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope measurements of waters reveal that the large range of salinity (15–80 g L^?1) in the lagoon results from a combination of evaporation and mixing between Mediterranean seawater and Seyhan River input. Round sieve-pore relative abundance in C. torosa provides a robust proxy for water salinity (S) from 15 to 80 g L^?1, according to the equation: S = 161.41 (±4.52) * log₁₀(% rounded pores) ? 94.04 (±3.44) (R² = 0.937; p = 10^?31). Seasonal sampling and isotope analysis of C. torosa in waters of known δ¹⁸O values (?4.7 to +6.9 ‰ V-PDB) and temperatures (15–35 °C) yielded a weak positive correlation (r = 0.71) between 1000 lnα_{(calcite–water)} ‰ V-SMOW) and 10³ * T^?1. Specimens of C. torosa collected during the mild and warm seasons have oxygen isotope compositions close to those of inorganic calcite precipitated in equilibrium with ambient water. The large oxygen-isotope variability observed during any season of the year most likely results from shell calcification in water bodies of highly variable salinity, alkalinity, Mg/Ca and water saturation relative to calcite. Indeed, distinct water bodies in the Akyatan Lagoon are generated by mixing of fresh and marine waters, which are exposed to different evaporation rates at the seasonal scale.     

Diatom paleoecology of the Mar Chiquita lagoon delta,Argentina

A 68 cm thick outcrop of diatomaceous sediments at the head of Mar Chiquita Lagoon on the Argentine coast near Buenos Aires provides evidence of Holocene paleoenvironmental changes related to sea level changes and freshwater input to the lagoon system. Salinity tolerances of extant diatom taxa were used for the reconstruction and multivariate analytical techniques were applied to reduce subjective interpretations of the diatom percentage data.The basal half of the record was deposited before 3000 years ago and fossil diatoms indicate generally freshwater conditions with one fluctuation in mesohalobous diatoms suggesting brackish water conditions at a depth of about 60 cm. Polyhalobous (marine) diatoms characterize the record after 3000 years ago and large numbers of epiphytic diatoms indicate salt marsh environments with episodic seawater fluctuations to supratidal levels. Freshwater diatoms returned at the top of the outcrop, presumably as a result of the restriction of the historic marine inlet to the lagoon and the effects of freshwater inflow to the basin.This is the second in a series of papers published in this issue on Paleolimnology in Southern South America. Dr. C. A. Fernández served as guest editor for these papers.     

A palaeolimnological meta-database for assessing the ecological status of lakes

We describe a palaeolimnological meta-database (“LakeCores”) that includes information for lakes in Europe that have been cored for studies of recent environmental change. Only cores with intact mud-water interfaces and good chronologies for the last ~100–200 years are currently included. The information provided in the database includes the general characteristics of the lakes cored, the methods used for dating and analysis and the bibliographic source of the information selected. At present the database contains information on 1847 studies from 975 sites. Here we use the database to identify cores for which diatom-based pH and total phosphorus (TP) reconstructions have been derived and, from an inspection of the relevant papers, we compile summary data for the timing and extent of acidification and eutrophication of lakes across Europe. We show that there were few cases of acidification and eutrophication in Europe prior to about 1850, and therefore that conditions prior to 1850 can be used for reference with respect to current attempts to restore surface waters to “good ecological status”. We also show the extent to which pH and TP levels have changed across the continent both for all lakes, and, in the case of TP, for lakes of different types covering a range of alkalinities, altitudes, water depths and surface areas.     

从柴达木盆地油田水和盐湖卤水中分离提取铀的可行性分析

除固体铀矿和海水之外,油田水和盐湖卤水是十分重要的液体铀资源。分析了从柴达木盆地油田水和盐湖卤水中分离提取铀的可行性,预测了铀在油田水和盐湖卤水中的化学形态,提出了适宜的铀分离提取方法(吸附法),探讨了分离提取机理、分离提取过程中可能的干扰因素及相应的排除方法,进而对研究工作提出了一些建议。     

Fishing for diatoms: fish gut analysis reveals water quality changes over a 75-year period

Defining the reference state of some perturbed streams and rivers is challenging since their non-altered state is undocumented. Despite the near-absence of pristine sites in highly anthropogenic areas, information about aquatic communities that existed prior to human disturbance can be obtained from historic sources. Sediment coring is commonly used in paleolimnology to estimate past environmental conditions of lakes, but this technique is often not appropriate for studies of lotic systems. An alternative is to use diatom assemblages present in the guts of fish that were captured in the streams prior to significant human disturbance. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the biological integrity of several streams in Ontario and Québec during the early twentieth century based on “paleo” diatom assemblages extracted from the guts of fish stored in museums. The Eastern Canadian diatom index (IDEC: Indice Diatomées de l’Est du Canada) was used to evaluate the biological status of “paleo” and “modern” diatom assemblages. The IDEC shows the position of diatom assemblages on a general pollution gradient. The comparison of IDEC values calculated for the 1925–1948 and the 2003–2007 periods showed that several streams were severely polluted in the early 1900s. In general, present water quality has declined compared to the early 1900s. The biological integrity of only three of the 22 sites has increased. IDEC values were not influenced by the species of fish studied.     

The hydrochemistry of the inland waters of Argentina: a review

The major ion chemistry of 639 aquatic localities in Argentina is presented and discussed. Salinities range from quite fresh (<3 g L^–1) to highly saline (>300 g L^–1); a variety of ion dominances occur but NaCl predominates in highly saline waters. The principal mechanisms controlling water chemistry are rock dominance and evaporation; atmospheric contributions are less important.     

Effects of salt and alkali stress on Reaumuria soongorica germination

Seed germination and early seedling growth are crucial stages for plant establishment. Two neutral (NaCl and Na₂SO₄) and two alkali (NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃) salts were selected to investigate their effects on germination and recovery responses in Reaumuria soongorica. Results show that both salt types significantly reduced germination and radicle elongation. The rate of germination and emergence of R. soongorica seeds continuously decreased as salinity increased, and the time to achieve maximum germination rate was delayed. The speed of seed germination dropped rapidly as salt concentration increased. Alkaline salts restricted the germination rate of R. soongorica seeds, and stresses resulting from alkaline salts and high concentrations of neutral salts resulted in many deformed seedlings. The length of the radicle and germ decreased with increasing salt concentration, but certain concentrations of salt and increased pH promoted germ growth. The results of regression analysis show that salt concentration was the dominant factor inhibiting R. soongorica seed germination rate. Salinity, buffering capacity, and pH all affected embryo growth, but salinity had the most pronounced effect. Seed viability under highly saline conditions appears to be a better indicator of adaptation to saline environments than seed germination under saline conditions.     

A general model for estimating actual evaporation from non-saturated surfaces

Based on energy balance equation and mass transfer equation, a general model to estimate actual evaporation from non-saturated surfaces was derived. Making use of two concepts, “relative evaporation” and “relative drying power”, a relationship was established to account for the departure from saturated conditions. Using this model, the actual evaporation (evapotranspiration) can be calculated without the need of potential evaporation estimation. Furthermore, the model requires only a few meteorological parameters that are readily and routinely obtainable at standard weather stations. Based on nearly 30 years data of 432 meteorological stations and 512 hydrological stations in China, in combined with GIS, nine typical river basins were selected. Using the data of the selected river basins, the model was tested. The results show that the actual evaporation rate can be estimated with an error of less than 10% in most areas of China, except few years in the Yellow River Basin.