Measuring low concentrations of Th in water and sediment

²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibria have been used extensively in studies of particle dynamics and the fate and transport of particle-reactive matter in marine environments. Similar work in low salinity, estuarine, and freshwater systems has not occurred primarily because the lower concentrations of both parent and daughter nuclides that are typical of these systems often render established methods for the analysis of ²³⁴Th inadequate. The application of this radionuclide tracer technique to these systems, however, has great potential. To this end, we present a method for measuring low activities of ²³⁴Th in relatively small samples (<200 l) using low background gas-flow proportional counters, a ²²⁹Th yield monitor, and empirical corrections for the interferences from real and apparent betas that are emitted by other thorium isotopes and their progeny. For samples with low ²³⁴Th/²²⁸Th activity ratios, we improve upon current beta counting methodologies that rely on immediate sample counting, weak beta absorption, or multiple beta counts so that, using the analytical approach outlined here, it should be possible to measure ²³⁴Th activities (i) as low as 1.5 dpm/total sample, (ii) up to 2 weeks after radiochemical purification of thorium, and (iii) with only one sample count for alpha and beta activity.     

An introduction to the application and future use of Th in aquatic systems

²³⁴Th is an extremely useful radiotracer of particle dynamics in aquatic systems. Its utility, however, has yet to be realized by many within the aquatic science community. The reasons for this may in part be due to a lack of knowledge of how this nuclide has been used in the past as well as how and where ²³⁴Th might be profitably applied in future research. The purpose of this paper, then, is to examine the variety of ²³⁴Th applications that have been used to understand natural aquatic processes in four major areas: vertical transport, particle cycling, horizontal transport, and sediment dynamics. We provide a general overview of the possible applications of ²³⁴Th in the hopes of provoking an increased interest in the inherent potential and future application of ²³⁴Th in these systems. We end this paper with a discussion of future research avenues in the context of three specific regimes: (i) the upper 1000 m of the open ocean, (ii) coastal sediment/water processes and (iii) large freshwater lakes.     

<Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium and particulate organic carbon export in the northern South China Sea

We utilized ²³⁴Th, a naturally occurring radionuclide, to quantify the particulate organic carbon (POC) export rates in the northern South China Sea (SCS) based on data collected in July 2000 (summer), May 2001 (spring) and November 2002 (autumn). Th-234 deficit was enhanced with depth in the euphotic zone, reaching a subsurface maximum at the Chl-a maximum in most cases, as commonly observed in many oceanic regimes. Th-234 was in general in equilibrium with ²³⁸U at a depth of ∼100 m, the bottom of the euphotic zone. In this study the ²³⁴Th deficit appeared to be less significant in November than in July and May. A surface excess of ²³⁴Th relative to ²³⁸U was found in the summer over the shelf of the northern SCS, most likely due to the accumulation of suspended particles entrapped by a salinity front. Comparison of the ²³⁴Th fluxes from the upper 10 m water column between 2-D and traditional 1-D models revealed agreement within the errors of estimation, suggesting the applicability of the 1-D model to this particular shelf region. 1-D model-based ²³⁴Th fluxes were converted to POC export rates using the ratios of bottle POC to ²³⁴Th. The values ranged from 5.3 to 26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹ and were slightly higher than those in the southern SCS and other oligotrophic areas. POC export overall showed larger values in spring and summer than in autumn, the seasonality of which was, however, not significant. The highest POC export rate (26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹) appeared at the shelf break in spring (May), when Chl-a increased and the community structure changed from pico-phytoplankton (<2 μm) dominated to nano-phytoplankton (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (20–200 μm) dominated.     

A single vs. double spike approach to improve the accuracy of Th measurements in small-volume seawater samples

²³⁴Th is a particle-reactive radionuclide widely used to trace biogeochemical oceanic processes occurring over short timescales. During the last few years, small-volume techniques based on the co-precipitation of ²³⁴Th with MnO₂ coupled with beta-counting have been developed as an alternative to large volume gamma-spectrometric techniques. Here a procedure has been developed to enhance quantitative measurement of ²³⁴Th in MnO₂ precipitates. The main objectives were to obtain a purified Th fraction for beta-counting and to determine the chemical recovery of ²³⁴Th using Th spikes and alpha-spectrometry as an alternative to ICP-MS based methods. Two variations of the procedure are presented. In the first “1 spike” method a ²³⁰Th tracer is added to the sample prior to precipitation of MnO₂, and UTEVA® extraction chromatography is used to obtain a NdF₃(Th) purified source that can be used for both beta-counting of ²³⁴Th and alpha-spectrometry of ²³⁰Th. In the “2 spike” method a ²³⁰Th spike is added and the MnO₂(Th) precipitate is directly beta-counted for ²³⁴Th and subsequently spiked with ²²⁸Th or ²²⁹Th prior to UTEVA® purification and alpha-spectrometry. The results confirm the need to process small-volume seawater samples for ²³⁴Th measurement in presence of a yield tracer, and show that both the 1 spike and 2 spike methods allow an accurate and precise determination of ²³⁴Th (relative percent difference, RPD, between expected and mean measured value < 1%; CV between replicate samples < 3%). Our work also suggests that, although the combined analytical uncertainty on total ²³⁴Th measurements accomplished with both versions of the NdF₃ procedure is promising (6% for 2-L samples), the precision of the ²³⁴Th flux estimation will ultimately depend on the degree of disequilibrium between ²³⁴Th and ²³⁸U.     

厦门湾水体中颗粒有机碳的垂向输出通量:234Th/238U不平衡的应用

对厦门湾塔角附近海域某站位叶绿素 a、POC、初级生产力、234Th/238U不平衡进行的周日变化研究表明,POC含量介于14.4～34.6 mmol/m3之间,其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳所占份额分别为74%～92%和8%～26%.POC垂直分布呈现由表及底降低的趋势,且白昼期间POC含量高于晚间,说明研究海域POC含量与生物过程具有密切联系.初级生产力水平在1d之中变化达5倍,垂直分布亦随深度增加而降低,与叶绿素a的变化相对应.短时间(2h)培养获得的初级生产力水平明显高于长时间培养(24 h)的结果,证实部分新固定的碳被优先呼吸排出.结合234Th/238U不平衡法获得的颗粒态234Th输出通量及输出界面颗粒物中的POC/P_Th比值,可计算出真光层 POC的垂向输出通量为16.0mmol/(m2·d),其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳贡献的数量分别为13.3和2.7mmol/(m2·d).POC输出通量与初级生产力的比值(ThE比值)平均为0.31,真光层POC停留时间平均为11d.上述结果与Aksnes和Wassmann[1]的模型计算结果相吻合,但与其他大多数模型的结果仍存在一定的差异.     

Th sorption and export models in the water column: A review

Over the past few decades, the radioisotope pair of ²³⁸U / ²³⁴Th has been widely and increasingly used to describe particle dynamics and particle export fluxes in a variety of aquatic systems. The present paper is one of five review articles dedicated to ²³⁴Th. It is focused on the models associated with ²³⁴Th whereas the companion papers (same issue) are focused on present and future methodologies and techniques (Rutgers van der Loeff et al.), C / ²³⁴Th ratios (Buesseler et al.), ²³⁴Th speciation (Santschi et al.) and present and future applications of ²³⁴Th [Waples, J.T., Benitez-Nelson, C.R., Savoye, N., Rutgers van der Loeff, M., Baskaran, M., Gustafsson, Ö., this issue. An Introduction to the application and future use of ²³⁴Th in aquatic systems. Marine Chemistry, FATE special issue]. In this paper, we review current ²³⁴Th scavenging models and discuss the relative importance of the non-steady state and physical terms associated with the most commonly used model to estimate ²³⁴Th flux. Based on this discussion we recommend that for future work the use of models should be accompanied by a discussion of the effect that model and data uncertainty have on the model results. We also suggest that future field work incorporate repeat occupations of sample sites on time scales of 1–4 weeks in order to evaluate steady state versus non-steady state estimates of ²³⁴Th export, especially during high flux events (> ca. 800 dpm m^− 2 d^− 1). Finally, knowledge of the physical oceanography of the study area is essential, particularly in ocean margins and in areas of established upwelling (e.g., Equatorial Pacific). These suggestions will greatly enhance the application of ²³⁴Th as a tracer of particle dynamics and flux in more complicated regimes.     

A review of present techniques and methodological advances in analyzing Th in aquatic systems

The short-lived thorium isotope ²³⁴Th (half-life 24.1 days) has been used as a tracer for a variety of transport processes in aquatic systems. Its use as a tracer of oceanic export via sinking particles has stimulated a rapidly increasing number of studies that require analyses of ²³⁴Th in both marine and freshwater systems. The original ²³⁴Th method is labor intensive. Thus, there has been a quest for simpler techniques that require smaller sample volumes. Here, we review current methodologies in the collection and analysis of ²³⁴Th from the water column, discuss their individual strengths and weaknesses, and provide an outlook on possible further improvements and future challenges. Also included in this review are recommendations on calibration procedures and the production of standard reference materials as well as a flow chart designed to help researchers find the most appropriate ²³⁴Th analytical technique for a specific aquatic regime and known sampling constraints.     

厦门湾水体中颗粒有机碳的垂向输出通量:~(234)Th/~(238)U不平衡的应用

对厦门湾塔角附近海域某站位叶绿素 a、POC、初级生产力、234Th/238U不平衡进行的周日变化研究表明,POC含量介于14.4～34.6 mmol/m3之间,其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳所占份额分别为74％～92％和8％～26％.POC垂直分布呈现由表及底降低的趋势,且白昼期间POC含量高于晚间,说明研究海域POC含量与生物过程具有密切联系.初级生产力水平在1d之中变化达5倍,垂直分布亦随深度增加而降低,与叶绿素a的变化相对应.短时间（2h）培养获得的初级生产力水平明显高于长时间培养（24 h）的结果,证实部分新固定的碳被优先呼吸排出.结合234Th/238U不平衡法获得的颗粒态234Th输出通量及输出界面颗粒物中的POC/PTh比值,可计算出真光层 POC的垂向输出通量为16.0mmol/（m2·d）,其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳贡献的数量分别为13.3和2.7mmol/（m2·d）.POC输出通量与初级生产力的比值（ThE比值）平均为0.31,真光层POC停留时间平均为11d.上述结果与Aksnes和Wassmann[1]的模型计算结果相吻合,但与其他大多数模型的结果仍存在一定的差异.     

Effect on marine sediment nitrogen fluxes caused by organic matter enrichment with varying organic carbon structure and nitrogen content

Enrichments with five types of organic carbon, differing in nitrogen content and type of organic carbon, were made to a marine sediment in order to study effects on nitrogen fluxes. The enrichments used were Ulva lactuca, Ascophyllum nodosum, Zostera marina, Ceratium spp., lignin, and mixtures of U. lactuca and A. nodosum. Fluxes of ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate were measured in short-term (48 h) microcosm experiments, using a carbon enrichment loading similar to that at the sampling site. Changes in microbial community growth and structure due to three types enrichments were also detected using molecular methods in a microcosm experiment run for 4 days to allow for detection at DNA-level.Ammonium fluxes changed from an efflux in the control to an influx for all enrichments apart from U. lactuca. The change was significantly related to the added material's C:N ratio when Ceratium spp. was excluded. All enrichments induced an influx of nitrate suggesting the formation of anoxic micro zones, but there was no relationship with C:N ratio. Instead, the magnitude of the nitrate influx is suggested to be related to the structure of the organic carbon, where enrichments containing a large pool of cellulose and lignin (Z. marina and lignin) gave rise to a lower influx, compared to algal material with more easily degraded organic matter like lipids and starch, which induced the highest influx of nitrate (Ceratium spp., U. lactuca, and A. nodosum). The occurrence of an ammonium influx together with increased nitrate influx and a lower efflux of phosphate in the enrichments suggests a growth of heterotrophic bacteria. This was also confirmed using molecular methods (PCR-DGGE) where the relative abundance of bacterial species in the enrichments increased.The sum of ammonium and nitrate fluxes showed that total nitrogen removal was enhanced in all enrichments compared to the nonenriched control sediment, but in different ways. Ceratium spp. induced the highest removal followed by A. nodosum, U. lactuca, Z. marina, and lastly, by lignin. The same pattern was observed also in a second experiment. These results indicate that easily degradable organic carbon, together with a lower C:N ratio of the added material, will remove nitrogen from the water phase, making the recycling of nitrogen to the overlying water mass smaller.     

Flocculation and phytoplankton cell size can alter Th-based estimates of the vertical flux of particulate organic carbon in the sea

The deficit of ²³⁴Th relative to its radioactive parent ²³⁸U in the surface ocean can yield reliable estimates of vertical Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) fluxes to deeper waters, but only when coupled with an accurate ratio of POC concentration to activity of ²³⁴Th on sinking matter. Assuming a simple partitioning of suspended phytoplankton mass between single cells and flocs, we calculate the ratio of the POC flux estimated from ²³⁴Th deficit to the actual POC flux (p ratio, Smith, J.N., Moran, S.B., Speicher, E.A., in press. The p-ratio: a new diagnostic for evaluating the accuracy of upper ocean particulate organic carbon export fluxes estimated from ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium. Deep-Sea Research I.). The p ratios are calculated under the assumption that particle surface area is correlated with ²³⁴Th activity and particle volume is correlated with POC concentration. The value of the p ratio depends on the relative contributions of single cells and flocs to the vertical flux. When large single cells make up a significant fraction of the vertical flux, p ratios are less than one, meaning POC fluxes estimated from ²³⁴Th deficits underestimate actual POC fluxes. When large single cells are abundant but do not sink fast enough to contribute to vertical POC flux, p ratios are greater than one (up to 3 × overestimate). Factor analysis of the model indicates that altering the extent of flocculation in suspension and changing the density and maximum size of phytoplankton cells have the greatest effects on the p ratio. Failure to measure the properties of flocs when characterizing the ratio of POC to thorium on sinking matter potentially leads to large overestimation of the POC flux (over 20 ×). Failure to characterize the POC to thorium ratio of large particles, by, for example, destruction of phytoplankton cells in pumps, can lead to underestimation of POC flux. Estimates of POC flux should be most reliable in highly flocculated suspensions populated by small cells and rapidly sinking flocs. These conditions are often associated with intense phytoplankton blooms.     

Nearshore scavenging phenomenon elucidated by <Superscript>234</Superscript>th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>u disequilibrium in the coastal waters off Western Taiwan

Dissolved and particulate ²³⁴Th activities in surface seawater were determined at 27 stations along the coastline of western Taiwan during 19–23 November 2004. Contrasting scavenging settings were observed between the northern and southern regimes of the nearshore water off western Taiwan, separated by the Cho-Shui River. The northern regime is characterized by a large quantity of suspended load contributed by northward transport of a suspension plume from the Cho-Shui River, while the southern regime, low in suspended load and high in chlorophyll concentration, is a system controlled by biological activity. A scavenging model that takes account of the physical transport was used to estimate the ²³⁴Th budget in order to estimate the scavenging and removal rates from the nearshore water. The scavenging and removal rates ranged from 21 to 127 dpm m⁻³d⁻¹ and from 36 to 525 dpm m⁻³d⁻¹, for dissolved and particulate ²³⁴Th, respectively. The removal fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) were estimated by multiplying the particulate ²³⁴Th removal flux to the organic carbon/²³⁴Th and nitrogen/²³⁴Th ratios in suspended particles, which ranged from 4.5 to 275.2 mmol-C m⁻²d⁻¹ and from 1.3 to 50.1 mmol-N m⁻²d⁻¹, respectively. These fluxes resulted in residence times of 1∼20 days for the POC in the surface water of nearshore water off western Taiwan.     

234Th/238U disequilibrium and particulate organic carbon export in the northwestern South China Sea

234 Th was utilized as a tracer of particulate organic carbon (POC) export in the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) on the basis of the data collected at four stations during a spring cruise.Depth profiles of dissolved and particulate 234 Th activities were measured in the upper 60 m,showing a significant deficit relative to 238 U over the investigated stations.A stratified structure of 234 Th-238 U disequilibrium was in general observed in the upper 60 m water column,indicating that the euphotic zone of t...     

不同潮时对厦门湾水体中234Th/238U不平衡的影响

厦门海水体中^234Th/^238U不平衡的时间序列数据表明，无论是溶解态、颗粒态^234Th还是总^234Th,相对于母体^238U均严重亏损，呈现出与开阔大洋水明显不同的特征。溶解态、颗粒态^234Th的停留时间介于0．5－41d之间，其中低潮时停留时间比高潮时小2－4倍，证实近岸海域具有强烈的清除、迁出作用，且潮汐变化对海域颗粒动力学特征有重要影响。^234Th停留时间与总悬浮颗粒物浓度（TSM）、Ch1.α的关系则表明，近岸海域元素的清除、迁出作用主要受陆源颗粒物输送的影响，与生物活动关系并不密切。此外，非稳态与稳态清除模型结果的对比证明，稳态模型对于具有强烈清除、迁出作用的近岸海域是适用的。     

白令海颗粒有机物碳、氮同位素组成及其生物地球化学意义

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of particulate organic matter(POM) were measured for samples collected from the Bering Sea in 2010 summer. Particulate organic carbon(POC) and particulate nitrogen(PN) showed high concentrations in the shelf and slope regions and decreased with depth in the slope and basin, indicating that biological processes play an important role on POM distribution. The low C/N ratio and heavy isotopic composition of POM, compared to those from the Alaska River, suggested a predominant contribution of marine biogenic organic matter in the Bering Sea. The fact that δ13C and δ15N generally increased with depth in the Bering Sea basin demonstrated that organic components with light carbon or nitrogen were decomposed preferentially during their transport to deep water. However, the high δ13C and δ15N observed in shelf bottom water were mostly resulted from sediment resuspension.     

Origins and maturity of organic matter in mid-Cretaceous black shales from ODP Site 1138 on the Kerguelen Plateau

We have conducted elemental, isotopic, and Rock-Eval analyses of Cenomanian–Santonian sediment samples from ODP Site 1138 in the southern Indian Ocean to assess the origin and thermal maturity of organic matter in mid-Cretaceous black shales found at this high-latitude location. Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations range between 1 and 20 wt% in black to medium-gray sediments deposited around the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary. Results of Rock-Eval pyrolysis indicate that the organic matter is algal Type II material that has experienced modest alteration. Important contributions of nitrogen-fixing bacteria to the amplified production of organic matter implied by the high TOC concentrations is recorded in δ¹⁵N values between −5 and 1‰, and the existence of a near-surface intensified oxygen minimum zone that favored organic carbon preservation is implied by TOC/TN ratios between 20 and 40. In contrast to the marine nature of the organic matter in the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary section, deeper sediments at Site 1138 contain evidence of contributions land-derived organic matter that implies the former presence of forests on the Kerguelen Plateau until the earliest Cenomanian.     

Distribution and sources of organic matter in surficial sediments on the shelf and slope off Tokachi, western North Pacific, inferred from C and N stable isotopes and C / N ratios

Organic carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N) contents and corresponding isotope ratios were determined in surficial sediment (0–3 cm) at 94 stations ranging from 21 to 1995 m water depth off Tokachi, Hokkaido, Japan, to elucidate the distribution and source of sedimentary organic matter. Suspended particulate organic matter (POM) in the seawater and suspended POM and sediment in the Tokachi River were also examined. δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C / N ratios of the samples in the Tokachi River suggest that the spring snowmelt is an important process for the transport of terrestrial organic matter to the coastal waters. δ¹³C values of suspended POM in the surface seawater were higher in May and November than in August, while δ¹⁵N values of the POM were higher in May and August than in November. These changes are attributed to seasonal changes in phytoplankton growth rate and nitrate availability. δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values in the sediments off Tokachi were lowest near the Tokachi River mouth, and increased offshore to constant values that persisted from 134 to 1995 m water depth. The spatial variation in C / N ratios in the sediment mirrored those of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N. Comparison of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C / N ratios in the sediments off Tokachi with those in the Tokachi River and seawater indicates that about half of the organic matter in the sediment was of terrestrial origin near the Tokachi River mouth, and the sedimentary organic matter from 134 to 1995 m water depth was of marine origin. The organic C content in the sediment was high near the Tokachi River mouth, and also around 1000 m water depth. The C content was significantly correlated with silt plus clay content, with different regression lines for those stations shallower and deeper than 134 m, owing to several stations of higher C content with the elevated C / N ratio on the inner shelf. These results suggest that transport and deposition of organic-rich fine sediment particles by hydrodynamic processes were major factors controlling C content off Tokachi. In addition, the supply of a fraction of terrestrial organic matter with high C / N probably also affected C content on the inner shelf.     

Decline in heavy metal contamination in marine sediments in Jakarta Bay,Indonesia due to increasing environmental regulations

The ²¹⁰Pb geochronology, heavy metal concentrations (Zn, Cu, and Pb), and stable Pb isotope ratios (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb) of three sediment cores collected from Jakarta Bay were analyzed to decipher the history of heavy metal contamination in the period 1900–2006. The chemical and isotopic analyses clearly suggest that anthropogenic metal accumulation in the sediments began in the 1920s and increased greatly from the 1970s until the end of the 1990s. From the end of the 1990s to 2006, accumulation rates were constant or decreased for Zn and Pb near the coastal industrialized area. Comparison of economic data and sociological information suggests that the decline in the concentrations of heavy metals could be attributed to the stricter environmental regulations which were enforced at the end of 1990s. However, metal contamination is currently still an important cause of concern in dealing with environmental preservation and protection in Jakarta Bay.     

Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopic Characterization of Organic Matter in a Mangrove Ecosystem on the Southwestern Coast of Thailand

Organic matter in a tropical mangrove ecosystem was characterized by stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyze, conducted on various organic samples, including land and mangrove plants, soils, particulate organic matter (POM), and sea and river sediments along the southwestern coast of Thailand. The δ¹³C values of land plants and POM in river water can be explained in terms of a greater influence of C₃ plants than C₄ plants in this area. The POM and sediments from the Trang River and Ko Talibong area showed systematically higher δ¹⁵N values than those from Ko Muk and other coastal areas. Organic matter in the Trang River might be influenced by nitrogen released from agricultural or human waste, which could affect the isotopic composition of POM and sediments in the Trang River estuary and along the coast near the river mouth. We used a stochastic method to estimate the contributions of four organic end-members, identifiable by their δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values. The results implied that seagrasses were a major source of sedimentary organic matter, contributing 42 ± 5% in the Ko Muk area and 36 ± 5% in the Ko Talibong area. The contribution of coastal POM to sediments was estimated to be only 13% in Ko Muk and 19% in Ko Talibong. Mangrove plants contributed approximately 23% in both areas. It was concluded that seagrasses are an important source of sedimentary organic matter in this coastal region of southwestern Thailand. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Marine vs. terrigenous organic matter in Louisiana coastal sediments: The uses of bromine:organic carbon ratios

Recent data on the sources of organic carbon buried in the ocean have emphasized the probable importance of terrigenous organic matter in burial budgets of deltaic depocenters. The many markers used to assess relative importance of marine vs. terrestrial sources each have ambiguities. We use the ratio of bromine to organic carbon (Br:OC) as a source indicator for organic matter in the Mississippi delta. Progressive increases in bromine concentrations from the river to the slope indicate increasing content of marine-derived organic matter. Quantitative estimates of marine vs. terrigenous organic matter using Br:OC ratios in a two-endmember mixing model are consistent with recent estimates using a combination of three other source markers [Gordon, E.S., Goñi, M.A. 2003. Sources and distribution of terrigenous organic matter delivered by the Atchafalaya River to sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 67:2359–2375]. The Br:OC vs. δ¹³C relationship indicates seaward increase in δ¹³C without proportionate incorporation of marine organic matter, consistent with recent arguments that isotopically depleted terrestrial detritus derived from C3 plants is separated from C4-derived terrigenous organic matter during transport. Decreasing Br:OC ratios downcore at many sites that have significant amounts of marine organic matter indicate that the marine organic matter is preferentially lost during burial diagenesis. This preferential loss constrains the contribution of organic matter burial in deltaic environments to global removal of Br.     

南大洋普里兹湾基于234Th/238U不平衡法的POC输出通量研究

中国第22次南极科学考察(2005年11月至2006年3月)期间,测定了南极普里兹湾海域5个站位的从表层至150 m水深的不同层位水样中溶解态和颗粒态234Th,238U的放射性比活度以及颗粒有机碳.利用234Th/238U在上层水体中的不平衡,计算了南极普里兹湾上层水体中234Th的平均停留时间和输出通量.结果显示,随着纬度的增加,上层水体中颗粒态和溶解态234Th的平均停留时间总体趋向减小,并在中纬度站位出现了最低值,分别为1~8和29~48 d,而颗粒态和溶解态234Th的输出通量则在中纬度站位出现了最大值,分别为21~38和26~39 dpm/(m3·d).运用箱型清除模式,利用两种不同的方法估算了各水柱中从真光层底部输出的POC通量,平均值分别达到104.7 mmol/(m2·d)(E法)和120.6 mmol/(m2·d)(B法),表明南极普里兹湾夏季存在很高的新生产力,它将会对该海域碳的生物泵过程产生重要作用.