Barite and barium in sediments and coral skeletons around the hydrocarbon exploration drilling site in the Træna Deep,Norwegian Sea

Barite and barium concentrations in bottom sediments and coral skeletons from the vicinity of the hydrocarbon exploration well drilled in 1992–1993 in the Træna Deep, Norwegian Sea have been studied to assess the spreading of the drilling mud and related ecological effects on Lophelia petrusa coral reefs. Sand size barite crystals derived from the drilling mud and elevated Ba concentrations in surface (0–2 cm) sediments were found up to 4 km from the exploration drilling site. ²¹⁰Pb-dating results on sediment cores indicate that Ba-rich surface intervals (0–2 cm) record ca. 20 years of sedimentation history, and connect Ba enrichment with exploration drilling. The geographic distribution of Ba contents in sediments allowed the reconstruction of the drilling mud dispersal pattern showing transport eastward from the drilling site, consistent with the prevailing current directions. The presence of relatively coarse-grained sediments and barite crystals trapped in coral polyps, ca. 500 m down current from the drilling site, reflects the elevated turbulence and sediment supply during the drilling activity. This elevated sediment dispersion likely placed a stress upon the coral reefs, but due to strong currents that effectively dilute episodic drilling waste and sediment discharges, the damage does not appear significant.     

Sedimentary processes and trace metal contaminants in the buccaneer oil/gas field,northwestern gulf of Mexico

Sediments are the ultimate sink for contaminants in the marine environment, and physical processes of sedimentation influence the distribution and accumulation of these contaminants. Evaluation of contaminant levels in sediments is one approach to assessing environmental impact; data interpretation depends on consideration of sediment texture and mineralogy, however, which profoundly influence chemical composition. In this study, comparison of potentially contaminated sediments from the production field with control populations was done only within the context of similar (as to texture and organic carbon and carbonate content) sample groups as determined by cluster analysis. Ba, Cd, and Sr are identified as contaminants. Supported by the identification of a well-crystallized expandable clay—possibly bentonite—drilling fluids are a potential source of Ba. Ba and Sr may be unnaturally high because of their abundance in discharged produced formation waters, but may also be naturally controlled by the unique faunal assemblage associated with the structures. Cd is probably derived from corrosion of the structures and assorted debris on the seafloor. In general, contamination is limited to an area within 100 m of the platforms. Furthermore, substantial erosion around platforms has probably effectively removed and dispersed the bulk of the contaminants introduced into the marine environment by the offshore exploration/production operations.     

雅浦海沟北部深渊和超深渊沉积物的物质组成、来源和形成过程研究

为探究雅浦海沟北部深渊、超深渊沉积物的组成、来源和形成特征,以1 cm分层对采自该海域不同深度的五根柱状沉积物样品的0~8 cm沉积层进行了扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察和X射线能谱(EDS)分析,并且分析了这些样品的含水率,锰结核含量, Al、Ca、Fe、Mn、Ti、Mg等6种常量金属和Ba、Co、Cr、Ni、Pb、Sr、V、Cu、Zn等9种微量金属元素含量,以及总有机碳(TOC)含量等参数。结果表明,研究区域沉积物主要为深海软泥沉积,是不同年代沉积物的复杂混合,包含以盘星石为代表的颗石藻、海绵骨针、放射虫和硅藻等多种微体古生物化石以及辉石、重晶石、钛铁矿、长石等多种矿物。沉积组分主要来自生物源、火山源、陆源和海底热液,其中陆源沉积出现于海沟东侧深渊区。海沟西侧崖壁的沉积物比东侧崖壁的沉积物更容易发育锰结核。研究区域沉积物含水率较高并且颗粒较大,其含水率随深度增加呈减少趋势。研究区域超深渊站位沉积物的TOC和微体古生物化石含量均高于深渊站位,存在明显的漏斗效应。整体上海沟西侧崖壁沉积物含水率和TOC含量低于东侧崖壁的沉积物。自更新世以来,雅浦海沟北部的碳酸钙补偿深度(CCD)线从4 568 m以深变为4 435 m至4 568 m之间。研究区域的沉积环境为氧化环境,其0~8 cm沉积层的古老沉积物与现代沉积物发生了混合和再沉积作用,形成年代跨度极大。研究区域沉积物的形成受到海沟坡度、水动力环境、重力滑塌、浊流沉积、火山活动、漏斗效应等多种因素的显著影响。     

Total mercury and methylmercury in sediments near offshore drilling sites in the Gulf of Mexico

Concentrations of total Hg in sediments near six drilling sites in the Gulf of Mexico were elevated well above average background values of 40–80 ng/g. The excess Hg was associated with barite from discharged drilling mud. In contrast with total Hg, concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) in these sediments did not vary significantly at nearfield (<100 m) versus farfield (>3 km) distances from the drilling sites. Observed variability in concentrations of MeHg were related to local differences in redox state in the top 10 cm of sediment. Low to non-detectable concentrations of MeHg were found in nearfield sediments that were anoxic, highly reducing and contained abundant H₂S. At most drilling sites, nearfield samples with high concentrations of total Hg (>200 ng/g) had similar or lower amounts of MeHg than found at background (farfield) stations. Higher values of MeHg were found in a few nearfield sediments at one site where concentrations of TOC were higher and where sediments were anoxic and moderately reducing. Overall, results from this study support the conclusion that elevated concentrations of MeHg in sediments around drilling sites are not a common phenomenon in the Gulf of Mexico.     

Geochemistry of Jizan shelf sediments, southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia

Surface sediments from the Jizan shelf, southern Red Sea, were analysed for grain size and mineralogical and elemental composition in order to establish their geochemical characteristics. Texturally, sediments are classified into sand and mud; the latter dominates the shelf. Grain size variability and mineralogical assemblages present in the sediments largely control the abundance and distribution of CaCO₃, organic carbon content (OC) and the major and trace elements. Sand sediments are composed of carbonate material of marine origin and contain high concentrations of Ca, Mg and Sr. Mud sediments are relatively rich in OC and are characterised by high concentrations of Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, V and Ba. Unlike the sand, Mg concentration in the mud sediments seems to be controlled by stronger contribution from non-carbonate material. Factor analysis is applied to identify the variables accounting for most of the variance in the mud sediment samples. Three factors are found to describe about 78% of the variance. The first factor which accounts for 41% of the total variance is the Fe and Mn oxides that reach the area through episodic flooding. The second and third factors are the mud (22%) and the mineralogy (15%) of the sediments, respectively.     

Neutron Activation Analysis Applied to the Determination of Heavy Metals and Other Trace Elements in Sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ), Brazil

In this work, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, Zn in twenty eight bottom sediment samples from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the concentration data obtained, contour maps were prepared, by using Kriging method, to show the spatial distribution of the studied elements in the Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn showed similar behaviour in the sediments, with higher concentrations along the northern coast of the bay, where the fluvial water inputs are concentrated. The distribution of U, rare earth elements and Ba in the Bay indicates that these elements are not deposited as contaminants.     

Geochemistry of stream water in a catchment in Finland affected by sulphidic fine sediments

The impact of sediment type on stream water geochemistry was studied in a catchment in Finland affected by sulphidic fine-grained sediments. Stream water samples for general characterisation of water quality (pH, electrical conductivity) were taken at the basin outlet during various hydrological conditions, while samples for detailed geochemical analysis were collected at 119 sites in the catchment on one single occasion during high-water flow in autumn. The occurrence of sulphidic fine sediments was estimated based on data from an airborne electromagnetic survey carried out by the Geological Survey of Finland.Growing-symbol maps, which were prepared for each of the studied variables in water, and statistical calculations including factor analysis and Spearman correlations show that the concentrations of Al, Ga, U and Tl, all the lanthanides and several alkali and alkaline earth metals (K, Mg, Na, Li, Ca, Rb, Sr), transition metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Zn, Sc, Mn, Ni, Y, Hf) and non-metals (S, Br, I, Si) increase in water when the proportion of the catchment cover of sulphidic fine sediments increases. It is therefore argued that these elements are released and mobilised in considerable amounts by the oxidation and subsequent acidification and weathering of this type of sediment. Other elements are either slightly depleted in streams in areas of sulphidic fine sediments (V, Nb, Pb, Zr), have a distribution unrelated to sediment type (Fe, Cr, Cs, Mo), or are only weakly impacted by the occurrence of sulphidic sediments in the catchment (As, Ti, Ba). It is argued that these elements are not leached extensively from the oxidising sulphidic sediments, and that their distributions at least partly may be controlled by the contents of dissolved humic material and/or suspended organic and inorganic phases in the water.     

Comparison of methods for the removal of organic carbon and extraction of chromium, iron and manganese from an estuarine sediment standard and sediment from the Calcasieu River estuary, Louisiana, U.S.A.

U.S. National Bureau of Standards (NBS) estuarine sediment 1646 from the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and surface sediment collected at two sites in the Calcasieu River estuary, Louisiana, were used to evaluate the dilute hydrochloric acid extraction of Cr, Fe and Mn from air-dried and freeze-dried samples that had been treated by one of three methods to remove organic carbon. The three methods for the oxidation and removal of organic carbon were: (1) 30% hydrogen peroxide; (2) 30% hydrogen peroxide plus 0.25 mM pyrophosphate; and (3) plasma oxidation (low-temperature ashing). There was no statistically significant difference at the 95% confidence level between air- and freeze-dried samples with respect to the percent of organic carbon removed by the three methods. Generally, there was no statistically significant difference at the 95% confidence level between air- and freeze-dried samples with respect to the concentration of Cr, Fe and Mn that was extracted, regardless of the extraction technique that was used. Hydrogen peroxide plus pyrophosphate removed the most organic carbon from sediment collected at the site in the Calcasieu River that was upstream from industrial outfalls. Plasma oxidation removed the most organic carbon from the sediment collected at a site in the Calcasieu River close to industrial outfalls and from the NBS estuarine sediment sample. Plasma oxidation merits further study as a treatment for removal of organic carbon. Operational parameters can be chosen to limit the plasma oxidation of pyrite which, unlike other Fe species, will not be dissolved by dilute hydrochloric acid. Preservation of pyrite allows the positive identification of Fe present as pyrite in sediments.     

Human influence on the Hg pollution in Lake Jinzai,Japan

A 3.6 m sediment profile from brackish Lake Jinzai in western Japan was studied for Hg and other trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Co) in order to understand the level of Hg pollution in the lake which has no point source discharges of municipal or industrial pollutants. Possible sedimentation rate was established based on the activity of¹³⁷Cs in the sediments. The relative increases in the metal concentration of sediments commenced at the beginning of this century while that of Fe and Cu started 150 years ago. The highest level of Hg (303 ng/g) was reported at the 50–55 cm level and Hg concentration in pre-industrial time was indicated in the deepest parts of the core. It was noted that significant contamination events had occurred in the mid 1950s and 1960s. In Lake Jinzai sediments, Hg appears to be associated mainly with Fe-oxides, hydrated iron or iron sulfides (Fe-phase) coated grains. The relationship among the geochemical variables revealed that Zn, Cu and Pb are seemingly associated with the Fe-phase and Cr, Co are mainly associated with the Mn-phase.     

Mobility and impact of trace metals in Barapukuria coal mining area, Northwest Bangladesh

Trace metals were analyzed in water and sediment samples from Barapukuria coal mine area of Bangladesh in order to evaluate their mobility and possible environment consequences. Cadmium is the most mobile element with an average partition coefficient (log K _d ) of 2.95 L/kg, while V is the least mobile element with a mean log K _d of 5.50 L/kg, and their order of increasing mobility is: V < As < Pb < Fe < Cr < Se < Mn < Ni < Zn < Cu < Ba < Sr < Cd. Contents of organic carbon in sediment samples shows strong positive correlations with most trace metals as revealed by the multivariate geostatistical analysis. The overall variation in concentration is mainly attributed to the discharge of effluents originating from the coal mining activities around the study area. Compared to their background, Ni and Cu are the most enriched while significant enrichment of As, Mn, Ba, Sr, Cr, and Pb is also observed in the sediments. Geoaccumulation indices (I _geo ) suggest sediments are moderately to heavily polluted with respect to Ni and Cu. The metal pollution index (MPI) varied from 91.91 to 212.01 and the highest value is found at site CM03 that is close to discharge point. The sediment quality guideline index (SQG-I _Intervention ) values (0.56–1.52) suggest that the sediments at the study area have moderate to high ecotoxicological risk.     

Diagenetic metal profiles in recent sediments of a scottish freshwater Loch

Integrated total elemental, phase-specific, and pore-water analyses of sediment cores from Loch Ba, Scotland, show that early diagenetic processes have promoted extensive metal enrichment immediately beneath the sediment-water interface. The accumulation of Mn, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Co in sedimentary solids upward of 3 cm depth is accompanied by an increasing residence of these elements in adsorbed and hydrous oxide phases. Such phases are formed through oxidative precipitation from the interstitial pore fluids, following the upward migration of metals from more deeply buried, anaerobic sectors of the sediment pile. There is good evidence that Fe and Ni are subject to similar influences, although their total abundances near the sediment surface are less conspicuously modified. In the Loch Ba sediments, the oxic conditions promoting metal precipitation are entirely confined to strata of postindustrial age. In the absence of fully diagnostic pore-water and sequential chemical data, similar diagenetic profiles could plausibly be misinterpreted as the product of anthropogenic contamination.     

Geochemical characteristics of elements in suspended sediments in the Huanghe (Yellow) River

Eighteen suspended sediment samples were collected along the Huanghe River main stem from upper reaches on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Tibet Plateau) to the entrance at the Bo Hai Bay and at confluences of its tributaries, during the first summer flood in 1980. Major elements such as Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, K, Na, and trace elements such as As, Ba, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn and humus were examined. Variations in composition of suspended sediments also were studied. Three major types of sediment composition were observed. The controlling factor for the variation is parent rocks, though climate and vegetation played an active role. Correlation coefficients, cluster analysis, and enrichment factors were calculated to study the geochemical characteristics of the sediments. Mg, Na and Fe were the only ones subject to considerable leaching, whereas Se, Cd, Zn were significantly accumulated, indicating a low intensity of weathering.     

Suboxic trace metal geochemistry in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific

We analyzed Al, Ti, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ba, Cd, U, Mo, V, and Re in water column, settling particulate, and sediment (0 to 22 cm) samples from the intense oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of the eastern tropical North Pacific near Mazatlán, Mexico. The goal was to determine how the geochemistry of these elements was influenced by suboxic water column conditions and whether the sediments have a unique “suboxic” geochemical signature.The water column was characterized by a Mn maximum, reaching ∼8 nmol kg⁻¹ at 400 m. Concentrations of Cu, Ba, Cd, Mo, Re, U, and V were unaffected by the low O₂ conditions and were comparable to those of the open ocean. Sinking particles were composed of lithogenic particles of detrital origin and nonlithogenic particles of biogenic origin. Al, Ti, and Fe were mostly (at least 79%) lithogenic. About 75% of the Mn was nonlithogenic. Significant amounts (at least 58%) of Cu, Ba, Cd, and Mo were nonlithogenic.Sediment geochemistry varied across the continental shelf and slope. Cadmium, U, and Re have prominent maxima centered at 310 m, with 12.3 ppm, 10.9 ppm, and 68.3 ppb, respectively, at the core top. High values of Mo (averaging 6.8 ppm) and V (averaging 90 ppm) are seen in OMZ surface sediment. Additional down-core enrichment occurs for all redox-sensitive elements in the top 10 cm. For U, Mo, V, and Re, surface sediments are a poor indicator of metal enrichment. Comparison of the nonlithogenic composition of sediments with sinking particles suggests that direct input of plankton material enriched in metals makes a significant contribution to the total composition, especially for Cd, U, and Mo.We evaluated Re/Mo and Cd/U ratios as tracers for redox environments. Rhenium and Mo concentrations and Re/Mo ratios do not lead to consistent conclusions. Concurrent enrichments of Re and Mo are an indicator of an anoxic depositional environment. In contrast, high Re/Mo ratios are an indicator of suboxic conditions. Cadmium is enriched in surface sediments, while U has considerable down-core enrichment. The concentrations of Cd and U and the Cd/U ratio do not follow patterns predicted from thermodynamics. Though the water column is suboxic, these four redox-sensitive elements indicate that the sediments are anoxic. The implication for paleostudies is that a trace metal sediment signature that indicates anoxic conditions is not necessarily attributable to an anoxic water column.     

Hydrothermal geochemistry of sediments and pore waters in Escanaba Trough—ODP Leg 169

Geochemical studies of pore fluids and solid phases in two Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drill sites (Sites 1037 and 1038) in the Escanaba Trough off Northern California have provided further data on the hydrothermal processes associated with the spreading of the Gorda Ridge. Previous work in the area of ODP Site 1038 includes the discovery of a hydrothermal system and associated sulfide deposits centered around an uplifted sediment hill in this sedimented extensional environment. This earlier work provided some insights into the present nature of venting; however, only deep drilling investigations can provide the means to fully understand the genesis and evolution of this system and associated hydrothermal deposits. ODP Leg 169 is the third deep drilling operation to explore the magnitude, genesis, and evolution of hydrothermal systems on sedimented ridges. Previous studies centered on the Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California and the Middle Valley in the NE Pacific Ocean. Pore water studies in the reference ODP Site 1037 and in the hydrothermally active area of ODP Site 1038 have revealed the presence of a complex system of hydrothermally originated fluids. Whereas the data in the reference site indicate recent hydrothermal activity in the basal part of the drill site, the evidence in Site 1038 suggests that fluids of hydrothermal origin spread out at shallow depths around the central hill, causing substantial sediment alteration as well as deposition of hydrothermal sulfides in the near surface zone of the sediments. A second major discovery at Site 1038 was the evidence for fluid phase separation at depth at temperatures possibly in excess of 400 °C. This conclusion is based on the presence of both low Cl and high Cl fluids. The latter appear to be advected rapidly towards the surface, presumably along cracks and faults. The low Cl fluids, however, appear to be transported laterally along sandy horizons in the sediments, thus signifying two very different migration pathways for high Cl and low Cl hydrothermally phase separated fluids. Studies of the organic geochemistry of dissolved gases and matured organic matter corroborate these findings of extensive hydrothermal alteration of the sediments.     

Distribution and immobilization of heavy metals in Pliocene aquifer sediments in Wadi El Natrun depression, Western Desert

The Pliocene aquifer receives inflow of Miocene and Pleistocene aquifer waters in Wadi El Natrun depression. The aquifer also receives inflow from the agricultural activity and septic tanks. Nine sediment samples were collected from the Pliocene aquifer in Wadi E1 Natrun. Heavy metal (Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb) concentrations of Pliocene aquifer sediments were investigated in bulk, sand, and mud fractions. The determination of extractable trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Pb) in Pliocene aquifer sediments using sequential extraction procedure (four steps) has been performed in order to study environmental pathways (e.g., mobility of metals, bounding states). These employ a series of successively stronger chemical leaching reagents which nominally target the different compositional fractions. By analyzing the liquid leachates and the residual solid components, it is possible to determine not only the type and concentration of metals retained in each phase but also their potential ecological significance. Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Al concentrations are higher in finer sediments than in coarser sediments, while Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb are enriched in the coarser fraction. The differences in relative concentrations are attributed to intense anthropogenic inputs from different sources. Heavy metal concentrations are higher than global average concentrations in sandstone, USEPA guidelines, and other local and international aquifer sediments. The order of trace elements in the bulk Pliocene aquifer sediments, from high to low concentrations, is Fe?>?Al?>?Mn?>?Cr?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?V?>?Sr?>?Ba?>?Pb?>?Mo?>?Cd?>?Co. The Pliocene aquifer sediments are highly contaminated for most toxic metals, except Pb and Co which have moderate contamination. The active soluble (F0) and exchangeable (F1) phases are represented by high concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn and relatively higher concentrations of Pb and Cd. This may be due to the increase of silt and clay fractions (mud) in sediments, which act as an adsorbent, retaining metals through ion exchange and other processes. The order of mobility of heavy metals in this phase is found to be Pb?>?Cd?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Fe?>?Mn. The values of the active phase of most heavy metals are relatively high, indicating that Pliocene sediments are potentially a major sink for heavy metals characterized by high mobility and bioavailability. Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phase is the most important fraction among labile fractions and represents 22% for Cd, 20% for Fe, 11% for Zn, 8% for Cu, 5% for Pb, and 3% for Mn. The organic matter-bound fraction contains 80% of Mn, 72% of Cu, 68% of Zn, 60% of Fe, 35% of Pb, and 30% of Cd (as mean). Summarizing the sequential extraction, a very good immobilization of the heavy metals by the organic matter-bound fraction is followed by the carbonate-exchangeable-bound fraction. The mobility of the Cd metal in the active and Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phases is the highest, while the Mn metal had the lowest mobility.     

Comprehensive evaluation of heavy metal contamination in surface and core sediments of Taihu Lake, the third largest freshwater lake in China

The spatial and temporal variations of Fe, K, Co, V, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb were determined in the sediments of Taihu Lake, the third largest freshwater lake in China and categorized into natural origin (Fe, K, Co, and V) and human contamination (Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb) groups by principal component analysis. Most of the metals were positively correlated with the clay content (<4???m) and negatively correlated with the >16???m fraction, indicating the dominant role of grain size in regulating metals concentrations. Geochemical normalization and enrichment factors (EFs) were introduced to reduce the confounding of variable grain size and to quantify anthropogenic contributions. Higher EF values for Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn occurred in the north Zhushan, Meiliang, and Gonghu Bays, indicating a high level of human contamination from the northern cities, such as Wuxi and Changzhou. Higher EF values of Pb were also present in the southwest and east lake areas, denoting the existence of additional anthropogenic sources. Chrome, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb showed increasing EF values in the top layers of sediment cores, indicating enhancing contamination since 1970s with rapid economy development in the catchment. These results indicate that geochemical normalization is a necessary and effective method in quantifying heavy metals contamination, and that historic sediment should be used as background values in calculating EFs. Potential risks of the heavy metals were assessed linking the consensus-based sediment quality guidelines and human contamination. Concentrations of Ni and Cr are greater than the threshold effect concentration (TEC) values, even in the sediments before 1970s, due to higher background concentrations in terrestrial parent materials. Concentrations of Ni and Cr are generally lower than the probable effect concentration (PEC) values, and concentrations of Cu and Zn are below the TEC values in the open lake areas. Whereas, concentrations of Ni and Cr are surpassing the PEC values and Cu and Zn are surpassing the TEC values in the north bays due to the high level of human contamination, where they were with EFs over 1.2, denoting higher potential eco-risks.     

Spatial distribution of major and trace elements in shallow reservoir sediments: an example from Lake Waco, Texas

 Sediment geochemistry of a shallow (6-m average) reservoir (Lake Waco) was evaluated for the spatial distribution of major and trace elements. Sixty bottom and core samples along a 21-km transect within the reservoir, 18 overbank sediment samples, and 8 rock types in the drainage area were collected and analyzed for major (Al, Ca, Fe) and trace elements (As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn). Elemental concentrations in the reservoir sediments closely correspond to concentrations in the regional rocks and represent a mixture of overbank sediment composition of the tributaries. Elemental concentrations were statistically regressed against Al concentrations in order to establish regional baseline levels and thereby distinguish natural from anthropogenic sources. Spatial geochemical trends, considered in terms of element-to-Al ratio versus V-to-Al ratio, relate to the natural and anthropogenic sources contributing to the elemental concentrations. The spatial elemental distribution in the reservoir, which receive sediments from two mineralogically contrasting basins, reflect textural and mineralogical transition within the reservoir and suggest a progressive mixing of sediment from the tributaries. The spatial elemental distribution and sediment texture suggest that the sediment-source, which determines the sediment-type, has a greater influence on the major- and trace-element distributions in shallow reservoir sediments than bathymetry. Received: 25 September 1997 · Accepted: 3 February 1998     

The surface chemistry of sediments from the Panama Basin: The influence of Mn oxides on metal adsorption

The solid Mn content of sediments at a site in the Panama Basin (5°21′N 81°56′W) decreases from 3.9% in the interfacial sediment to 1% at 1.5 cm and <0.2% below 5 cm. These conditions provide an opportunity to examine the influence of Mn oxides on the metal adsorption characteristics of natural marine sediments.The adsorption of 14 metals on interfacial sediment and sediment from depths of 0.5 to 3 cm and 15 to 19 cm from the Panama Basin site was studied, and distribution coefficients (K_D) were determined. A comparison of the K_D values for a variety of samples containing different Mn contents (i.e., Panama Basin sediments, MANOP site H interfacial sediment, red clay, and buserite) indicates that an increase in the solid Mn content enhances the ability of the particles to bind certain metals (e.g., Zn, Pb, Co, Cd, and Ba) while the binding ability for other metals (e.g., Cs, Be, Sc, Pu, Sn, and Fe) is not significantly affected. For the Panama Basin sediment, the K_D values for Ni, Co, Cd, Ba, and Mn for the Mn enriched interfacial sediment are 5 to 23 times greater than the K_D values for the Mn depleted deep sediment. The K_D values for Cs, Be, Sc, Pu, and Fe for the two types of sediment are essentially the same. The correlation between the Mn content and the binding ability of the sediment for particular metals coincides with the Mn-metal correlations observed in bulk compositional data for ferromanganese nodules and sediments. This implies that the observed metal enrichments in nodules or hemipelagic sediments are most likely caused by preferential adsorption of the metals by Mn enriched phases.     

Distribution,fractionation, and contamination assessment of heavy metals in offshore surface sediments from western Xiamen Bay,China

Surface sediment samples were collected at 21 offshore sites in western Xiamen Bay, Southeast China. Total concentrations of Li, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Mn, Pb, Ba, Fe, and Ti were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry; Hg was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. A modified BCR sequential extraction procedure was used to extract fractions of the above elements. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Hg at most sites met the primary standard criteria of Marine Sediment Quality except site S12 for Pb and S7 for Cr, while concentrations of Zn at 17 sites and Cu at seven sites exceeded the criteria. The mean concentration of Hg was three times higher than the background, with a possible source being the Jiulong River. Fe, Ti, Ba, Co, V, and Li dominated the residual phase, mainly from terrestrial input. Ni, Cr, Pb, and Hg in the non-residual phase varied largely between sites. Sr, Mn, Cu, and Zn were mainly in the non-residual fraction. Most sites showed considerable ecological risk; exceptions were site S7 (very high) and sites S10, S11, and S14 (moderate). Cu showed moderate-to-high pollution and Pb exhibited no-to-low pollution, while other metals had a non-pollution status according to their ratios of secondary phase to primary phase (RSP). Results of two assessment methods showed moderate pollution and a very high ecological risk for Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cr at site S7, which might be due to the local sewage treatment plant.     

Surface water quality and sediment geochemistry in the Gualaxo do Norte basin,eastern Quadrilátero Ferrífero,Minas Gerais,Brazil

This paper describes the geochemistry of water and sediment samples downstream from two iron mines in the Gualaxo do Norte River basin, north of Mariana city, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, E_h, Na, K, Ca, Mg and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Al, Cd, Ni, Cr, Zn, As, Pb, Co, Sb, Cu, Mo, Rb, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zr and Ba) have been analysed in water and sediments. The observed Na anomalies are mainly associated with the iron mine processing plants. Enriched concentrations of iron and manganese were only observed in rudimentary gold exploitation areas (prospectors) and where supergenic alteration of the banded iron formation has occurred. Iron and manganese background values are in some places higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation. Mn, As, Sb and Ba anomalies have been observed in sediments. Their main source is associated with the sulphide-rich mineral deposits in the spring of the Gualaxo do Norte River and not directly related to the present iron exploitation in the region. Background values are proposed for the studied region.