Determination of arsenic(III) for the investigation of the microbial oxidation of arsenic(III) to arsenic(V)

Recent evaluations of acute and chronical toxicity of arsenic resulted in a reduction of the standard value for total arsenic from 40 μg/L to 10 μg/L in drinking water which will be valid in Germany after a transition period as from January 1996. Arsenic is well known as substance of deep groundwaters, mainly of geogenic origin and normally found as As(III) or As(V). As(V) is well removable by flocculation and filtration after adding iron salts. As(III), however, has to be oxidized first to As(V). Therefore, it is important for treatment techniques to be able to distinguish between As(III) and As(V). A modified determination of As(III) using flow injection analysis was installed and optimized in order to investigate whether As(III) may be oxidized to As(V) by bacteria in natural waters. The results showed that at 4°C, no As(III)-oxidation was observed within 14 days. At room temperature, however, in the bacteria-containing samples, an As(III)-oxidation was found starting after 3 to 7 days. After 14 days, no As(III) was left over. In contrast, in the sterile samples, no As(III)-oxidation could be observed within 14 days. These results demonstrated that microbial processes influence the oxidation of As(III) to As(V) in natural waters.     

Magnetotelluric study of the Teide (Tenerife) and Timanfaya (Tanzarote) volcanic areas

The application of a magnetotelluric surveying method, developed specifically for detection of strong conductivity contrasts, has permitted interpretations of the deep structure of two important volcanic formations in the Canary Archipelago: the Timanfaya (Lanzarote) and Teide (Tenerife) volcanoes. Beneath the Timanfaya volcano, a highly conductive body (p ≤ 1 Ω m) has been detected, which is interpreted as a shallow magma chamber associated with the eruption which took place between the years 1730 and 1736. The core of this intrusion, still largely molten, would be located at approximately 4 km depth and would still maintain temperatures in excess of 900 °C.In the Telde caldera the asymmetry of the apparent resistivity components indicates a double depression; furthermore, a highly conductive level encountered in the centre of the eastern part of the volcanic complex has been attributed to the persistance of relatively high temperatures in the root of the last salic dome, extruded inside the caldera. In both zones, the deep limiting horizon is a highly conductive layer corresponding to the mantle (15 km in Lanzarote and 13 km in Tenerife), whereas other, more superficial, discontinuities have been related to local structures.     

Lead isotopic study of the Xigaze ophiolite (Tibet): the problem of the relationship between magmatites (gabbros,dolerites, lavas) and tectonites (harzburgites)

The Pb isotopic study of the Xigaze ophiolite (Tibet) shows that the tectonic (harzburgites) and magmatic (gabbros, dolerites, lavas) units bear different isotopic signatures, the harzburgitic rocks show much higher²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values than the samples from the magmatic unit. Analyses of primary magmatic clinopyroxenes separated from the harzburgites confirmed that this difference is real and not due to secondary alteration processes. UPb analysis allowed determination of the crystallization age of the magmatites at 120 ± 10 m.y. This age is compatible with paleontological age determinations and thus demonstrates that UPb behaved more or less as a closed system since formation of the ophiolite. If an exchange with seawater has occurred, it must necessarily have happened shortly after crystallization of the Xigaze oceanic crust. Dolerite dykes crossing the harzburgites show similar Pb isotopic composition as the magmatites, indicating that they were emplaced when the ultramafic rocks were already brittle; however, the time difference of the emplacement was probably not larger than 280 m.y. This makes it evident that two sources with different isotopic signatures, one similar to normal MORB, the other with much higher²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios, were active in the immediate neighborhood. One possible environment which can account for this association is a propagating ridge.     

Seismic anisotropy analysis at the Low-Noise Underground Laboratory (LSBB) of Rustrel (France)

Seismic anisotropy of a fractured karstic limestone massif in sub-parallel underground galleries is studied. As the fractures are mostly vertically oriented, the seismic properties of the massif are approximated by horizontal transverse isotropy (HTI). Several data inversion methods were applied to a seismic dataset of arrival-times of P and S-waves.The applied methods include: isotropic tomography, simple cosine function fit, homogeneous Monte-Carlo anisotropic inversion for the parameters of horizontal transverse isotropy and anisotropic tomography for tilted transversely isotropic bodies. All methods lead to the conclusion that there is indeed an anisotropy present in the rock massif and confirm the direction of maximum velocity parallel to the direction of fracturing. Strong anisotropy of about 15% is found in the studied area. Repeated measurements show variations of the P-wave parameters, but not of the S-wave parameters, which is reflecting a change in water saturation.     

Derivation of the Pearson type (PT) III distribution by using the principle of maximum entropy (POME)

The principle of maximum entropy (POME) was used to derive the Pearson type (PT) III distribution. The POME yielded the minimally prejudiced PT III distribution by maximizing the entropy subject to two appropriate constraints which were the mean and the mean of the logarithm of real values about a constant >0. This provided a unique method for parameter estimation. Historical flood data were used to evaluate this method and compare it with the methods of moments and maximum likelihood estimation.     

Modelling the growth of cyanobacteria (GrowSCUM)

Toxic cyanobacteria have become a common nuisance in freshwater lakes and reservoirs throughout the world, sometimes resulting in the closure of sites with high amenity value. Cyanobacteria are able to regulate their buoyancy state in response to changing photosynthetic rates. Additionally, the cyanobacteria are liable to become entrained within wind-induced near-surface turbulent currents, resulting in mixing and mass transport. These movement processes have been modelled. A mathematical function is presented which describes light- and nutrient-limited cyanobacterial growth. The growth model is integrated with a previous movement model (SCUM: simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement) as movement patterns and wind-induced lake mixing strongly affect the intensity and duration of light received by the cyanobacteria and thereby determine the photosynthetic potential. Results of the model suggest that cyanobacteria are resistant to periods of lake mixing and continue to increase their biomass, but at a depressed rate. Growth is most rapid under calm conditions. The results agree well with field-based findings, confirming the validity of the growth function.     

Susceptibility to oxidative stress of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility to pollutant mediated oxidative stress of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in the Venice lagoon (Italy).

In June 2003, mussels from a farm were transplanted to eight sites in the lagoon for five weeks. Oxidative stress responses were measured by: (i) total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay, for an overall evaluation of the oxidative stress response capability; (ii) catalase (CAT), as a key enzyme involved in the antioxidant defence system; (iii) malondialdehyde (MDA), as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, to evaluate an oxidative damage; (iv) metallothioneins (MTs), as they play a role in the antioxidant defence.

The TOSC analysis revealed a reduced capability to eliminate: (i) peroxyl radical in mussels transplanted at Palude della Rosa, Valle Millecampi and Chioggia; (ii) hydroxyl radical at Campalto and Valle Millecampi; (iii) peroxynitrite at Valle Millecampi.

Inhibition in CAT activity, observed in all the monitored sites, confirms the presence of an oxidative pressure in transplanted mussels.

In addition, Pearson correlation analysis was performed in order to observe possible links between the various parameters. The PCA was a powerful tool to discriminate impacted sites, suggesting that the mussels transplanted throughout the Venice lagoon were subjected to different levels of oxidative pressure. Furthermore, it provided an easy and useful tool to summarize the obtained results.     

Imaging the source area of the 1995 southern Hyogo (Kobe) earthquake (M7.3) using double-difference tomography

To understand the generation process of inland earthquake, we determined the seismic velocity structure in and around the source area of the 1995 southern Hyogo (Kobe) earthquake (M7.3) in SW Japan. We adopted the double-difference (DD) tomography method [Zhang, H. and C. Thurber. Double-Difference Tomography: the method and its application to the Hayward Fault,California. Bull Seism Soc Am 93 (2003) 1875–1889.]. We inverted arrival times recorded by a dense temporary seismic network for aftershocks and seismic networks routinely operated by Japanese Universities. Obtained results are summarized as follows: (1) Low-velocity zones of a few kilometers' width are distributed along the fault or along the aftershock alignment, suggesting that the fault of the 1995 earthquake is located primarily in a low-velocity zone. (2) Amount of velocity decrease within this low-velocity zone varies along the strike of the fault. Most of large slip areas (asperities) seem to correspond to higher velocity areas relative to the surroundings on the fault, rather than to lower velocity areas.     

(235)U, (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs activity concentrations in marine sediments along the northern coast of Oman Sea using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry

The natural radioactivity levels in sediment samples of the northern coast of Oman Sea, covering the coastal strip from Hormoz canyon to Goatr seaport, as the first time has been determined. The results of measurements will serve as background reference level for Oman Sea coastlines. Sediments from 36 coastal and near shore locations were collected for analysis. Analysis on the collected samples were carried out to determine (235)U, (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs using two high purity germanium detectors with 38.5% and 55% relative efficiencies. The concentration of (235)U, (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in sediment samples ranged between 1.01 and 2.87Bq/kg, 11.83 and 22.68Bq/kg, 10.7 and 25.02Bq/kg, 222.89 and 535.07Bq/kg and 0.14 and 2.8Bq/kg, respectively. The radium equivalent activity was well below the defined limit of 370Bq/kg. The external hazard indices were found to be less than 1, indicating a low dose.     

Tectonic evolution of the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) and high-pressure (HP) metamorphic belts from central China

Abstract In the Triassic suture between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons, the Dabie metamorphic Complex in central China includes three tectonic units: the northern Dabie migmatitic terrane, the central ultrahigh-P coesite- and diamond-bearing eclogite belt, and the southern high-P blueschist-eclogite belt. This complex is bounded to the north by a north-dipping normal fault with a Paleozoic accretionary complex and to the south by a north-dipping reverse fault with Yangtze basement plus its foreland fold-and-thrust sequence. Great differences in metamorphic pressure suggests that these units reached different depths during metamorphism and their juxtaposition occurred by wedge extrusion of subducted old continental fragments. These units were subsequently subjected to (i) Barrovian type regional metamorphism and deformation at shallow depths; (ii) intrusion of Cretaceous granitic plutons; and (iii) doming and segmentation into several blocks by normal and strike-slip faults. A new speculative model of tectonic exhumation of UHP rocks is proposed.     

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

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.     

Biostratigraphical significance of the Devonian Sinoleperditiini (Ostracoda)

In South China and its adjacent areas, leperditiid ostracodes from the Devonian are very abundant. They have in common a trailing chevron muscle scar (tv: Fig. 1(a)) which uninterruptedly extends ventrally with passing geological time, and range through most De-vonian. The tribe Sinoleperditiini was proposed by Wang (1994) for these ostracodes since other leperdi-tiids from North America, Europe, Siberia and else-where bear the non-trailing chevron muscle scar (v: Fig. 1(b)) and range from…     

Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in some volcanic mountain ranges of the West Carpathians (Slovakia) and the impact of human activities

44 stonefly species were recorded in the Pol'ana mountains (Central Slovakia). A typical representative of the west-east fauna, Rhabdiopteryx navicula, was found. The Hučava stream basin represents the southern border of the montane and submontane distribution of stonefly species, which are bound to the river basins in high and central mountain regions of the West Carpathians. Six characteristic associations of stoneflies were recorded. Shredders predominated in the upper, and scrapers and collectors in the lower section of the Hučava stream. Detritivores were more abundant in the gravel-to-sandy mesohabitat, whereas predators and scrapers prevailed in rocky mesohabitat. Total annual production was low — 340.4 g · m⁻² (dry weight), though being three-times higher in the rocky mesohabitat than in the gravel-to-sandy mesohabitat. The annual P/B ratio of stoneflies reached 3.3. Clear-cutting and operation of small hydropower stations were found to have a significant impact on the taxocoenoses of stoneflies.     

Attenuation tomography of the Southern Apennines (Italy)

The aim of this study is to improve our knowledge of the attenuation structure in the Southern Apennines using a new amplitude ratio tomography method (Phillips et al., Geophys Res Lett 32(21):L21301, 2005) applied on both direct and coda envelope measurements derived from 150 events recorded by 47 stations of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia National Seismic Network (Rete Sismica Nazionale Centralizzata). The two-dimensional (2-D) analysis allows us to take into account lateral crustal variations and heterogeneities of this region. Using the same event and station distribution, we also applied a simple 1-D methodology, and the performance of the 1-D and 2-D path assumptions is tested by comparing the average interstation variance for the path-corrected amplitudes using coda and direct waves. In general, coda measurement results are more stable than using direct waves when the same methodology is applied. Using the 2-D approach, we observe more stable results for both waves. However, the improvement is quite small, probably because the crustal heterogeneity is weak. This means that, for this region, the 1-D path assumption is a good approximation of the attenuation characteristics of the region. A comparison between Q tomography images obtained using direct and coda amplitudes shows similar results, consistent with the geology of the region. In fact, we observe low Q along the Apennine chain toward the Tyrrhenian Sea and higher values to the east, in correspondence with the Gargano zone that is related to the Apulia Carbonate Platform. Finally, we compared our results with the coda Q values proposed by Bianco et al. (Geophys J Int 150:10–22, 2002) for the same region. The good agreement validates our results as the authors used a completely independent methodology.     

New data on the zoogeography of Aphanius sophiae (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) in the Central Zagros (Southwest Iran)

The clade of the Iranian freshwater Aphanius species from endorheic and exorheic drainage basins contains three subclades, of which the Aphanius sophiae subclade with seven species is the most specious one. Recently, two previously not known populations of Aphanius were discovered in two isolated basins; one in the Arjan Wetland (Helleh subbasin), and the other in the Semirom spring (Karun Basin), both are located in the Central Zagros Mountains (SW Iran). The objective of this study is to investigate their taxonomic status, to elucidate their phylogenetic relationships and to contribute to future conservation strategies and habitat management of the freshwater species of Aphanius in Iran. Methods include analysis of genetic data based on mtDNA (cyt b), combined with meristics, morphometrics, scale sizes (J-indices) and otolith data. The results based on cyt b clearly indicate that two species are present in the Arjan Wetland, one is closely related to A. sophiae (currently thought to be restricted to the Kor Basin), the other represents Aphanius shirini (previously only known from its type locality Paselari spring). However, significant phenotypic differences are not present between these two species. The second population from the Semirom spring is sister to A. sophiae (Kor Basin) according to cyt b data, but differs significantly from this species with regard to the phenotype. The presence of A. shirini in the Arjan Wetland is most likely be explained by man-made introduction because of the recent droughts. The similarity of the two species present in the Arjan Wetland may be due to phenotypic plasticity, but also hybridization could have played a role. The isolation of populations of A. sophiae is discussed in the context of the active geological history and climate change, and it is likely that their divergence happened in the Early or Middle Holocene (c. 11,700–4000 y. ago). The presence of A. sophiae in the Helleh subbasin and Karun Basin extends the currently known zoogeographic range of this species, which previously has only been reported from the Kor Basin. Such knowledge is important for future conservation strategies and habitat management.     

Acute Toxicity of Sodium Nitrite on Channa punctatus (BLOCH) and Mystus (Mystus) vittatus (BLOCH)

This paper deals with the toxicity of sodium nitrite to freshwater fishes, Channa punctatus (BL.) and Mystus (M). vittatus (Bl.) as to determine the acute toxicity. The LC 50 values were obtained by using a static bioassay method for a period of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hour intervals. The LC 50 values of sodium nitrite for C. punctatus were 375, 325, 250 and 200 ppm and for M. (M). vittatus 164, 140, 90 and 64 ppm, respectively. A profuse mucus secretion was evident at higher concentrations as compared to lower ones. The probable causes of mortality of the fishes are also discussed.