The influence of tortuosity on molecular diffusion in freshwater sediments of high porosity

In sediments, diffusive transport of ions and molecules is basically influenced by two sediment characteristics: tortuosity and porosity. For the first time, the formation factor F, which combines the effect of tortuosity and porosity on diffusion, was quantified in freshwater sediments at submillimeter resolution. Sediment cores were treated with KCl and F was determined using a resistivity sensor and K⁺ selective electrodes.F was determined in sediments from different water depths of the eutrophic Lake Zug (Switzerland): In sandy sediments from a shallow site (12 m depth), F increased by approximately 50% within a few millimeters below the sediment surface. In clayey and silty sediments from the oxic (<80 m depth) and seasonally anoxic (80-120 m depth) zones of the lake, the initial increase in F was only 20%. In the permanent anoxic zone (>160 m depth), F increased by only 10% just below the sediment surface. Values of F were correlated with the porosity at each depth. We found close correlations of F = 1.02 · φ^−1.81 for clay-silt sediments, and F = 1.04 · φ^−1.21 for sandy sediments. The exponents are considerably smaller in Lake Zug than found for marine sediments, thus, diffusive transport seems to be less affected by tortuosity in this freshwater system.     

The dependence of bacterial sulfate reduction on sulfate concentration in marine sediments

The effect of dissolved sulfate concentration on the rate of bacterial sulfate reduction in marine sediment from Long Island Sound was examined using a radio-sulfur technique. The experimental results show that the rate is independent of the dissolved sulfate concentration until low levels are reached (<3 mM), and that, when interpreted using a Monod-type rate law, a saturation constant, K_s, of 1.62 ± 0.16 M results. This weak dependence implies that the dissolved sulfate exerts only a limited influence on the rate of sulfate reduction in marine sediments. Given such a weak dependence, dissolved sulfate profiles in marine sediments must resemble profiles generated by models with sulfate independent kinetics. Initially, this would suggest that currently used sulfate-independent diagenetic models are appropriate in modelling sulfate profiles. However, comparison of these models with those containing weak sulfate-dependent kinetic terms shows that there exists considerable disagreement between these models when the parameter grouping $\text{(D}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{k)}\text{1}\text{2}\text{/w}$ is larger than ~0.2 and smaller than ~3.0. (Here D_s is the SO^;₄ diffusion coefficient, k the organic matter decay constant and w the sediment burial velocity.) When the currently used models are corrected by employing physically meaningful boundary conditions, this divergence disappears. The modelling results, therefore, confirm the conclusion that any sulfate dependence inherent to the reduction kinetics does not appreciably affect sulfate pore water profiles, and that previous diagenetic studies using strong sulfate dependent models are erroneous.     

Petrogenesis of sediments in the absence of chemical weathering: effects of abrasion and sorting on bulk composition and mineralogy

Comminution in the glaciers that debouch into Guys Bight Basin, followed by selective sorting in the fluvial system, has had little effect on the bulk composition, or on the mineralogy, of the basin sands and muds. Most striking are the feldspar contents, and the feldspar-quartz ratios in sands and muds, both of which remain similar to those of average bedrock. The feldspar contents of sands and muds range from 48 to 52% feldspar whereas average bedrock contains 51·7% feldspar. Feldspar-quartz ratios average 1·58:1 in bedrock and 1·54:1, 1·66:1 and 1·69:1 in the medium to coarse sands, fine sands and muds, respectively, indicating minimal feldspar enrichment in the fine-grained sediments. In the absence of appreciable chemical weathering, extreme abrasion followed by hydraulic sorting has not produced mature sediments such as quartz arenites and clay-mineral-rich muds. There is, however, some chemical differentiation. Preferential accumulation of mafic minerals in fine sands and muds is reflected in bulk compositions by higher abundances of MgO, FeO and TiO₂, and in the mineralogy by enrichment of biotite in the fine grades. Bulk compositional studies focused solely on muds and mudstones will result in an overestimate of the mafic contribution from source rocks. This work shows that bulk compositional studies of sediments and sedimentary rocks should include all available granulometric grades.     

SrCa and MgCa ratios in polygenetic carbonate allochems from a Michigan marl lake

Rapid accumulation of CaCO₃ is occurring in Littlefield Lake, a marl lake located in central Michigan. The sediment, which is 95% CaCO₃, primarily consists of eight different genetic groups of carbonate allochems. These include calcite muds, sands, algal oncoids and Chara encrustations, as well as the dominant aragonitic gastropods Valvota tricarinota. Gyraulus deflectus and Amnicola integra. and the dominant aragonitic pelecypod Sphaerium partumeium. Samples of each of these groups were analyzed for Ca, Sr and Mg. Molar $\text{Mg}\text{Ca}$ ratios are primarily controlled by allochem mineralogy, with calcitic forms having $\text{Mg}\text{Ca}$ ratios 5–10 times larger than aragonitic (shelled) forms. The $\text{Sr}\text{Ca}$ ratios are primarily controlled by biochemical fractionation, and are significantly lower than $\text{Sr}\text{Ca}$ ratios of inorganically precipitated aragonite from other settings. Partition coefficients were determined for both Sr and Mg for each carbonate allochem group and, based on comparisons with results reported by other workers, the partition coefficients determined here are generally considered ‘typical’ or representative values for biogeneous freshwater carbonates. An analysis of variance of the data indicates that most genera and species of carbonate-secreting organisms in marl lakes have highly characteristic $\text{Sr}\text{Ca}$ and $\text{Mg}\text{Ca}$ ratios. These ratios can potentially serve as geochemical tracers in future investigations of lacustrine carbonate diagenesis. Both Sr and Mg are influenced by grain size and/or surface area, probably due to the presence of these elements in non-lattice-held (exchangeable) positions.     

The effect of pressure on the ionization of boric acid in sodium chloride and seawater from molal volume data at 0 and 25°C

The apparent molal volume, φ_V of boric acid, B(OH)₃ and sodium borate, NaB(OH)₄, have been determined in 35%. salinity seawater and 0·725 molal NaCl solutions at 0 and 25°C from precise density measurements. Similar to the behavior of nonelectrolytes and electrolytes in pure water, the φ_V of B(OH)₃ is a linear function of added molality and the φ_V of NaB(OH)₄ is a linear function of the square root of added molarity in seawater and NaCl solutions. The partial molal volumes, $\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$, of B(OH)₃ and NaB(OH)₄ in seawater and NaCl were determined from the φ_V's by extrapolating to infinite dilution in the medium. The $\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$ of B(OH)₃ is larger in NaCl and seawater than pure water apparently due to the ability of electrolytes to dehydrate the nonelectrolyte B(OH)₃. The $\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$ of NaB(OH)₄ in itself, NaCl and seawater is larger than the expected value at 0·725 molal ionic strength due to ion pair formation [Na⁺ + B(OH)₄^? → NaB(OH)₄⁰]. The volume change for the formation of NaB(OH)₄⁰ in itself and NaCl was found to be equal to 29·4 ml mol^?1 at 25°C and 0·725 molal ionic strength. These large $\text{Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$'s indicate that at least one water molecule is released when the ion pair is formed [Na⁺ + B(OH)₄^? → H₂O + NaOB(OH)₂⁰]. The observed $\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$ in seawater and the $\text{Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1}$ (NaB⁰) in water and NaCl were used to estimate $\text{Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1 (MgB}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) = Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1 (CaB}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) = 38·4 ml mol}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ for the formation of MgB⁺ and CaB⁺. The volume change for the ionization of B(OH)₃ in NaCl and seawater was determined from the molal volume data. Values of $\text{Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1 = ?29·2 and ?25·9 ml mol}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ were found in seawater and $\text{Δ}\text{V}\text{?}\text{1 = ?21·6 and ?26·4}$ in NaCl, respectively, at 0 and 25°C. The effect of pressure on the ionization of B(OH)₃ in NaCl and seawater at 0 and 25°C determined from the volume change is in excellent agreement with direct measurements in artificial seawater (culberson and Pytkowicz, 1968; Disteche and Disteche, 1967) and natural seawater (Culberson and Pytkowicz, 1968).     

Interstitial water chemistry in the sediments of Saanich Inlet

Measurements of nutrients and trace metals are used to examine the processes controlling their distributions in the interstitial waters of Saanich Inlet. Samples were collected using both in situ and squeezing techniques with excellent agreement. Additional measurements of porosity, organic carbon and sedimentation rate by ²¹⁰Pb are used in conjunction with the nutrient measurements to test the equation for the diagenesis of organic matter in fine-grained, organic-rich and rapidly-accumulating sediments.Organic carbon and sulfate decrease with depth in the sediment whereas ammonia and alkalinity increase. In the zone of sulfate reduction (0–20 cm) the rate constants for sulfate reduction ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{s}}$), ammonia production ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{N}}$) and organic carbon decomposition ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{c}}$) agree within a factor of two. Our calculations indicate, however, that this is fortuitous since the observed decrease in paniculate organic carbon is insufficient to account for the sulfate consumption. Sulfate must also be consumed by reaction with methane diffusing up from the underlying sediments. The rate constant for sulfate reduction using particulate organic carbon is lower than a modelled rate encompassing all organic species, including methane.The rate constant for ammonia production ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{N}}$) decreases by an order of magnitude when sulfate is completely depleted and methane production dominates.Thermodynamic calculations suggest that the interstitial waters are saturated or supersaturated with respect to all forms of iron ‘monosulfides’, apatite and rhodochrosite.     

Lead-210 sedimentation in Lake Ontario

The sedimentation rates and diffusive sediment mixing coefficients at several Lake Ontario locations have been derived from measurements of unsupported²¹⁰Pb profiles in sediment cores. The values of mixing coefficients obtained in the present study are significantly lower than those obtained previously through an analysis of porosity profiles. The present estimates, however, are consistent with the rather well-preserved pollutant profiles at some of these locations. It is observed that the more realistic value of the mixing coefficient, obtained by inclusion of the sedimentation rate parameter, follows the sign opposite to that for the constant obtained by regression analysis of the porosity data. Further work is required to delineate this apparent relationship between two important physical characteristics of deposited sediments.Analysis of available suspended sediment data shows that Niagara River supplies about 1.8 million tonnes of sediment annually to Lake Ontario. This value is significantly lower than that (4.6 mt/yr) used previously in constructing sediment and pollutant budgets for Lake Ontario. From the presently derived sedimentation rate and suspended solid discharge estimates, an average value of 441 km² (range 220-938 km²) is obtained for the minimum area of Lake Ontario over which the Niagara River-supplied fine sediment is deposited.     

Biogenic hydrocarbon gases and sulfate reduction in the Orca Basin brine

The composition of light hydrocarbon gases in the Orca Basin, an anoxic, hypersaline intraslope depression on the continental slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico, indicates that both methane and ethane are biogenic in nature with a $\text{C}{}_1\text{(C}{}_2\text{+ C}{}_3\text{)}$ ratio of 730 and a δ¹³C of methane of ?73%. relative to the PDB standard. The concentrations of methane (750 mM) and ethane (1300 mM) in the Orca Basin brine are higher than any other marine anoxic basin. These high levels result not from high rates of productivity, but from the long residence time of the brine in the basin, due to its high stability toward mixing with overlying seawater ($\text{Δσ}{}_1\text{ΔZ}\text{=}\text{3.2}\text{m}$). Both methane and ethane show well mixed distributions in the brine. These distributions probably result from convective mixing of the isohaline brine pool due to normal heat flow from the basin sediments. Methane and ethane maxima above the pycnocline at the brine/seawater interface reflect in situ production and/or consumption in the aerobic water column. Concurrent maxima in suspended particulate material distributions in this region suggest methane may be produced there in anaerobic microenvironments associated with the suspended matter. Reduced rates of anaerobic decomposition (including sulfate reduction) in the brine sediments are inferred from preserved Sargassum fronds in the sediments, vertical sulfate profiles in most cores, and the sediment organic carbon content which is two to three times higher in sediments below the high salinity brine than in the normal Gulf sediments nearby.     

Textural parameters of desert sediments — Thar desert (India)

The textural study of a sizable number of samples from the various microenvironments of the Thar Desert reveals that the overall size of the desert sediments corresponds to fine sand (2–3 φ); the crests of the dunes are coarser than the flanks; the sediments have bimodal and/or polymodal population, they show a high sand/silt ratio, are well sorted, and are fine-skewed to strongly-fine-skewed; most of the sediments show platykurtic and very platykurtic curves, exhibit subangular to subrounded outlines, and show a moderate to high degree of sphericity.It is concluded that the scatter plots between moment mean ($\text{χ}$) and moment skewness (α₃), moment mean ($\text{χ}$) and first percentile, graphic mean (M_z) and inclusive graphic skewness (Sk_I), moment standard deviation (σ) and moment mean ($\text{χ}$), moment standard deviation (σ) and first percentile, cubed standard deviation and mean cubed deviation (α₃σ³), moment standard deviation (σ) and moment skewness (α₃), and moment standard deviation (σ) and mean cubed deviation (α₃σ³), can safely be used to distinguished the desert sediments from those accumulated in river and beach environments.     

Particle mixing rates in sediments of the eastern equatorial Pacific: Evidence from 210Pb, 239,240Pu and 137Cs distributions at MANOP sites

Particle mixing rates (D_B) calculated from excess ²¹⁰Pb gradients in sediments of the east equatorial Pacific range from 0.04 to 0.5 cm²/y, with variation of a factor of 3–4 at a single site. Diffusion of the ²³⁶Ra daughter ²²²Rn may affect ²¹⁰Pb distributions under conditions of slow mixing and low ²¹⁰Pb flux to the seafloor, as shown by a siliceous ooze-clay core which contained the fallout radionuclides ^239,240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs but no excess ²¹⁰Pb (relative to ²²⁶Ra). There is no clear relationship between ²¹⁰Pbderived mixing rates and sediment type, accumulation rate or organic carbon flux to the sediments. Comparison of ²¹⁰Pb mixing rates with those calculated from ^239,240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs distributions reveals better agreement for a pulse input of the fallout radionuclides (D_B = 0.03?0.4 cm²/y) than for continuous input at a constant rate (D_B = 0.1?1.6 cm²/y), although the Pu and ¹³⁷Cs data are better fit by the latter model. The agreement may be fortuitous because ^239,240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs appear significantly deeper than ²¹⁰Pb in at least one core. Tracer separation could be caused by particle size-selective mixing by the benthic fauna or by chemical mobilization. If the fallout radionuclides are scavenged from surface waters by large, organic-rich particles such as fecal pellets, their release and migration may result from decomposition of the carrier in surface sediments. Either a relatively unreactive form of Pu (e.g. oxidized Pu) has been released by this process or a one-dimensional model is inadequate to explain its observed penetration into the sediments. Activity ratios of ${}^{\mathrm{239,240}}\text{Pu}{}^{137}\text{Cs}$ in the sediments decrease with increasing north latitude, and the trend reflects higher fluxes of ^239,240Pu near the weapons test site at Christmas Island (2°N). The ${}^{\mathrm{239,240}}\text{Pu}{}^{137}\text{Cs}$ ratios and fluxes to the sediment (assuming constant input) at the siliceous ooze-red clay site are consistent with published sediment trap data from a nearby site. Thus if fallout radionuclide fluxes to the sea floor were higher in the past, both ^239,240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs have been released from sinking particles.     

The geochemistry of iodine in oxidised and reduced recent marine sediments

Surface sediments from the South West Africa shelf and the Gulf of California have been analysed for iodine and organic carbon. The iodine contents range from 96 to 1990 ppm. While iodine and organic carbon show certain anomalies on the South West Africa shelf, the trend of the $\text{I}\text{C}$ ratios is smooth and decreases from the shelf edge, an area of oxidising surface sediment, shorewards to reducing sediments, formed as a result of intense water upwelling. In the Gulf of California, a similar distribution of $\text{I}\text{C}$ ratios with surface sediment type occurs; lowest values occur in the reduced sediments and highest in oxidised sediments. Values of the $\text{I}\text{C}\text{(× 10}{}^4\text{)}$ ratio of the oxidised sediments (~250) are more than an order of magnitude higher than in reduced sediments, and are similar to some other surface oxidised sediments.The high I content of oxidised sediments is mostly due to uptake of I on to plankton seston on the seabed. In reduced sediments, I contained in planktonic matter originating in surface waters forms the bulk of iodine in the sediment.With sediment burial, oxidised sediments lose most of the iodine through degradation of unspecified organic constituents. This does not happen to the same extent in reduced sediments. The geological implications of these reactions are briefly discussed.     

Manganese carbonate overgrowths on foraminifera tests

Below the zone where manganese is remobilized as Mn²⁺(aq), reductively cleaned foraminifera in deep sea sediments have much higher $\text{Mn}\text{Ca}$ than those in core tops and sediment traps. $\text{Mn}\text{Ca}$ ranges from less than 20 × 10^?6 in and above the MnO₂ maximum to as high as 700 × 10^?6 in reducing Panama Basin sediments. The most plausible explanation for this enrichment is that the tests are coated with Mn carbonate overgrowths. These coatings can account for a significant proportion of the Mn in reduced deep-sea sediments. Uptake of manganous ion by carbonate may explain the absence of Mn nodules in areas of high carbonate accumulation. Extreme degrees of overgrowth can alter foram trace element values, but this artifact can be avoided by avoiding foraminifera with high Mn/Ca.     

Late Quaternary sedimentation on the Southern Sohm Abyssal Plain

Six closely spaced sediment cores taken below the carbonate compensation depth penetrated fine silty muds and entered sandy sediment at 10–12 m below the seafloor. Foraminiferal assemblages and δ⁸O analyses on planktonic foraminifera indicated that the surface muds down to 2 m are Holocene and derived from local promontories above the CCD. Below these sediments are about 6 m of clays deposited during the late Wisconsin. These are unfossiliferous and have a possible northern source suggested by the higher chlorite content. Sandy sediments below 9 m in the cores contain well preserved benthic foraminifera from the Scotian Shelf. Glacial δ¹⁸O values on planktonic tests indicate the sandy sediments are most likely of latest Wisconsin age. Thus during the recent interglacial, the sand fraction of the southern Sohm Abyssal Plain sediments is mostly locally derived, but during glacial periods the sediments have a distant northern source containing quartz sand that was initially deposited on the Scotian Shelf 1,500 km to the north.     

The relative mobility of natural (Th,Pb and Po) and fallout (Pu,Am, Cs) radionuclides in the coastal marine environment: results from model ecosystems (MERL) and Narragansett Bay

The relative mobility of nuclides of Pb, Th, Pu, and Cs, which are widely used as geochemical tracers for sedimentation and bioturbation. was investigated in artificial microcosm tanks (MERL) and in Narragansett Bay. Their mobility was characterized by their removal rates from the water column, their affinity toward particles and their degree of penetration into the surface sediments. Pb, Th, and Pu transport was controlled predominantly by the affinity of these elements to particles, and the transport parameters of the particles themselves (i.e. sediment resuspension and mixing rates). Because of its low distribution coefficient, transport of Cs was controlled by molecular diffusion through pore water in the winter, while in summer, Cs transport was enhanced due to bioturbation. The increase with depth of the $\text{Cs}\text{Pu}$ ratio in core profiles of MERL and Narragansett Bay sediments is thus caused primarily by the higher mobility of Cs.     

Aerobic respiration in pelagic marine sediments

Analyses for dissolved oxygen, nitrate and total CO₂ in the interstitial water have been combined with solid phase sediment analyses of carbon and nitrogen to calculate the rates of reaction and stoichiometry of decomposing organic matter in central Equatorial Pacific pelagic sediments. The diagenesis is dominated by aerobic respiration and nitrification.Organic carbon and total nitrogen decrease exponentially with depth in both red clay and carbonate ooze sediments. In addition, there is a correlation between surface organic carbon and total nitrogen with distance from the equator. Fixed NH₄ is relatively constant with depth and constitutes 12 to 64% of the total nitrogen. The remainder is considered to be organic nitrogen.The $\text{C}\text{N}$ ratio of the decomposing organic matter was obtained using three approaches. Using the correlations of organic carbon with total nitrogen or organic nitrogen the molar ratios varied from 3.4 to 18.1. The average of all stations was 12.6 using total nitrogen and 13.7 using organic nitrogen. The Redfield ratio is 6.6. Approaches using interstitial water chemistry gave lower ratios. The average value using correlations between dissolved oxygen and nitrate was 8.1. The same approach using total CO₂ and nitrate gave an average of 9.1. Due to difficulties in unambiguously interpreting the solid phase data we favor the ratios obtained from the pore water analyses.The rate of organic matter decomposition can be obtained from model calculations using the dissolved oxygen and solid organic carbon data. Most gradients occur in the upper 10 to 20 cm of the sediments. Assuming that bioturbation is more important than sedimentation we have calculated first order rate constants. The average values using organic carbon and dissolved oxygen was 3.9 kyr^? and 4.2 kyr^? respectively using a biological mixing coefficient of 100 cm² kyr^?1. These rate constants decrease in direct proportions to the mixing coefficient.     

Uptake of fluoride by aragonite

The uptake of F by aragonite is attributed to the ion-exchange process, in which one CO₃^2? ion in the structure is replaced by two F^? ions. Under the equilibrium condition at 15° C and 1 atm., the partition of F between aragonite and aqueous solution is described by:

$\text{log}\text{(}\text{[}\text{F}\text{]}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>F</mtext>}}\text{)=1.95 + 0.54}\text{log}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ca</mtext>}}$

were [F] denotes the F content of aragonite in mol/g, and a_F and a_Ca are the aqueous activities of F^? and Ca²⁺, respectively. The equation was successfully applied to estimating the F content of marine aragonite.     

Distribution,abundance and carbon isotopic composition of gaseous hydrocarbons in Big Soda Lake,Nevada: An alkaline,meromictic lake

Distribution and isotopic composition (δ¹³C) of low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases were studied in Big Soda Lake (depth = 64 m), an alkaline, meromictic lake with permanently anoxic bottom waters. Methane increased with depth in the anoxic mixolimnion (depth = 20–35 m), reached uniform concentrations (55 μM/l) in the monimolimnion (35–64 m) and again increased with depth in monimolimnion bottom sediments (>400 μM/kg below 1 m sub-bottom depth). The μ¹³C[CH₄] values in bottom sediment below 1 m sub-bottom depth (<?70 per mil) increased with vertical distance up the core (δ¹³C[CH₄] = ?55 per mil at sediment surface). Monimolimnion δ¹³C[CH₄] values (?55 to ?61 per mil) were greater than most δ¹³C[CH₄] values found in the anoxic mixolimnion (92% of samples had δ¹³C[CH₄] values between ?20 and ?48 per mil). No significant concentrations of ethylene or propylene were found in the lake. However ethane, propane, isobutane and n-butane concentrations all increased with water column depth, with respective maximum concentrations of 260, 80, 23 and 22 nM/l encountered between 50–60 m depth. Concentrations of ethane, propane and butanes decreased with depth in the bottom sediments. Ratios of $\text{CH}{}_4\text{[C}{}_2\text{H}{}_6\text{+ C}{}_3\text{H}{}_8\text{]}$ were high (250–620) in the anoxic mixolimnion, decreased to ~161 in the monimolimnion and increased with depth in the sediment to values as high as 1736. We concluded that methane has a biogenic origin in both the sediments and the anoxic water column and that C₂-C₄ alkanes have biogenic origins in the monimolimnion water and shallow sediments. The changes observed in δ¹³C[CH₄] and $\text{CH}{}_4\text{(C}{}_2\text{H}{}_6\text{+ C}{}_3\text{H}{}_8\text{)}$ with depth in the water column and sediments are probably caused by bacteria] processes. These might include anaerobic methane oxidation and different rates of methanogenesis and C₂ to C₄ alkane production by microorganisms.     

Engineering and geological characteristics of granite weathering profiles in South China

Granite weathering profiles are widely distributed in South China. Their engineering and geological characteristics are major geotechnical subjects that are important in the design and construction of civil engineering projects. This paper presents a summary of the weathering characteristics and zoning of granite weathering profiles in South China and discusses their engineering and geological properties. A five-grade scheme has been adopted in the zoning of a granite weathering profile. Studies have shown that the completely weathered granites (CWG) in South China have the following characteristics: low moisture content, low to medium plasticity (W_L=22.5–39.0%; I_p=6.5–11.8%), medium void ratio (0.36–1.29), weak shrinkage and medium compressibility $\text{(a}{}_{\mathrm{1–2}}\text{=0.24–0.8}\text{MPa}{}^{\mathrm{-1}}\text{)}$ and high shear strength (φ=20–30°; $\text{c=20–40}\text{KPa}\text{).}$ The CWGs are usually at a low or high plastic state and most of them are over-consolidated soils. A majority of the physical and mechanical properties have good statistical correlations with the degree of weathering. The data presented in the paper are important in geotechnical engineering projects such as slope stability evaluation in China.     

The incorporation of uranium into diagenetic phosphorite

The behavior of U during the diagenetic formation of marine phosphorite has been modelled. The model examines a dissolution-reprecipitation replacement of skeletal hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate and earlier generated francolite by francolite. The amount of organic matter consumed relative to the mass of francolite formed, the replacement reaction progress, and the concentration of U in the replaced phases are the important parameters which dictate the concentration of U in the phosphate rock.A partition coefficient between apatite and interstitial solution was calculated, and is $\text{λ}{}_{\mathrm{U}}{}^{\mathrm{F}}\text{= 0.57}$.Natural phosphorites have been examined and are discussed in the light of the proposed model. The U mass-balance in a Recent phosphorite is in good accord with theoretical predictions. Differences in U concentrations between sea-floor phosphorites are explained either by the (original) variation in the organic matter distribution in the corresponding sediments and/or by mineralogical differences (CaCO₃vs. hydroxyapatite) therein.Senonian phosphate rocks which were formed via the francolite → francolite transformation, demonstrate that during that process the organic matter content in the sediment was approximately 50%.The model supports the idea that phosphorite rock formation is a multistage process.     

A comparison of the early diagenetic environment in intertidal sands and muds of the Manukau Harbour,New Zealand

The early diagenetic environment of intertidal sandy sediments (sands) and muddy sediments (muds) is described and compared from two cores taken from an unpolluted part of the Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. Extraction techniques characterized the form of the trace elements (Fe, Mn, S, C, Pb, Zn, Cu) at different depths in the sediment. Dissolved forms of Fe, Mn, and S were measured in interstitial water. Nonresidual metal concentrations, humic acid, FeS, and FeS₂ are an order of magnitude higher in the muds than in the sands because of dilution by unreactive sand particles. Muds contain a larger proportion of metals in the mobile fractions; exchangeable (Mn), carbonate (Mn, Fe, Zn), and easily-reducible oxide (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb). This is due to greater surface area (for Mn adsorption); the favorable conditions for MnCO₃, FeCO₃, and FeS precipitation; and higher concentrations of easily reducible iron oxide and humic acid. Therefore, compared to the sands, muds are more important as reservoirs for toxic metals, both in terms of quantity and availability. At either site there was very little difference between the forms of Zn, Pb or Cu identified by sequential extraction as sediments changed from oxic to anoxic conditions. One reason for this is that the amounts and proportions of some of the important components that bind metals, viz., amorphous iron hydrous oxides, humic acids, and FeS₂, do not change much. Other components that do change with redox conditions, for example, manganese phases and FeS, are only minor components of the sediment. Redox conditions, then, have relatively little effect on trace-metal partitioning in the sediment matrix of these unpolluted sediments.