Holocene history of Ob River discharge according to lithological and geochemical data

Riverine water and sediment discharge to the Arctic Ocean is among the most important parameters influencing Arctic climate. It is clear that the evaluation of Arctic paleoclimate requires information on the paleodischarge of major rivers entering the sedimentation basin. Presently, the water discharge of the Ob River accounts for about 12% of the total input of river water into the Arctic Ocean. During the investigation of the Kara Sea in the framework of the Russian-German SIRRO Project, the history of Yenisei discharge received much attention in a number of publications. This paper presents the results of lithological and geochemical investigations with application to the Holocene discharge of the Ob River. Qualitative (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, K₂O, and some modules) and quantitative (sedimentation rates and absolute masses of sedimentary material) parameters were used to characterize the history of the Ob sediment discharge. It was shown that the investigated paleochannels of the Ob were initiated at the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary, and during the first half of the Holocene, the river discharge decreased irregularly with decreasing age of sediments. The observed maxima are in fairly good agreement with the data for the Yenisei. We proposed a hypothesis on the influence of glacioisostatic movements in the marginal region of the former Kara ice sheet of late Valdai age on the cessation of marine-fluvial glaciation in the paleochannels of Ob and Yenisei in the periphery of the Ob-Yenisei shoal.     

Isotope (δD, δ<Superscript>18</Superscript>О) systematics in waters of the Russian Arctic seas

Oxygen and hydrogen isotope analysis was performed to study the processes of distribution of water masses and modification of their salinity in the Russian Arctic seas. A wealth of new isotopic data was obtained for freshwater (river runoff, Novaya Zemlya glaciers) and seawater samples collected along a set of extended 2D profiles in the Barents, Kara, and Laptev Seas. The study presents the first δD values measured for the Northeast Atlantic Deep Water NEADW dominated the water column of the Barents Sea (S = 34.90 ± 0.05, δD = +1.55 ± 0.4‰, δ¹⁸O = +0.26 ± 0.1‰, n = 44). This water mass is present in the Kara Sea and western Laptev Sea. The relationship between δD, δ18О, and salinity data was used to calculate the fractions of waters of different origin, including the fractions of continental runoff in waters of the Barents, Kara, and Laptev Seas. It was shown that the relationships between the isotopic parameters (δD, δ¹⁸О) and salinity in waters of the Kara and Laptev Seas is controlled by the intensity of continental runoff and sea ice processes. Sea ice formation is the main factor controlling the formation of the water column on the Laptev Sea shelf, whereas the surface waters of the middle Kara Sea are dominated by the contribution of river runoff. A very strong stratification in the Kara Sea is caused by the presence of a relatively fresh surface layer mostly contributed by estuarine water inputs from the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. The contribution of river waters reaches 40–60% in the surface layer in the central part of the sea and decreases to a few percent down 100 m water depth. Stratification in the western part of the Laptev Sea is controlled by the contribution of freshwater input from the Lena River and modification of salinity by sea ice formation.     

Heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments of the Yangtze river estuary,China

Typical pollutants in sediments from 22 sampling sites of the Yangtze river estuary in 2006 were investigated in the present study. Arsenic, mercury, cadmium, copper, chromium, zinc, lead, and polychlorinated biphenyls of the Yangtze river estuary sediments were found as 6.49–17.6, 0.0164–0.0987, 0.059–0.319, 11.7–46.6, 10.5–113, 44.5–125, 14.8–32.7, and 0.0006–0.0026 mg/kg, respectively. Results indicated the presence of a contamination in the Yangtze river estuary. Through analyzing the contents of typical pollutants in sediments with adopting the index number techniques of Muller geoaccumulation index and Hakanson ecological risk factors and index, the quality status of these sediments were evaluated. Furthermore, the potential ecological risks of the estuary were determined quantitatively. The overall environmental quality of typical pollutants was generally in a good condition in most sites. The results showed that arsenic was the main environmental pollution factor, and cadmium was the main potential ecological factor. The highest potential ecological risk index appeared in the south branch of the Yangtze river, which was mainly due to terrestrial pollution in Shanghai. The results of this study can be used for decision makers to prioritize measures to control the pollution for these typical pollutants.     

Geochemical signature of bottom sediments in the mixing zones of Ob and Yenisei waters with Kara Sea water

This paper reports the results of a study of the geochemistry of bottom sediments from the zones of mixing between the freshwater of the Ob and Yenisei rivers and the saline water of the Kara Sea by means of neutron activation analysis. Using separate datasets for the sediments of the Ob and Yenisei estuaries accumulated under identical facies conditions, some characteristic features of the distribution of a number of chemical elements (mostly lithophile group elements) were established. The differences between them were attributed to distinctive regional geological and geochemical features of the catchments of the Ob and Yenisei, which are inherited by the geochemical characteristics of terrigenous material transported to the sea. The choice of the most informative indicator elements and their grouping on the basis of the character of behavior demonstrated that bottom sediments of the Ob or Yenisei origin can be identified in the marine region studied using the geochemical characteristics of a small group of samples.     

Maximum extent of the Eurasian ice sheets in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Weichselian

Based on field investigations in northern Russia and interpretation of offshore seismic data, we have made a preliminary reconstruction of the maximum ice-sheet extent in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Early/Middle Weichselian and the Late Weichselian. Our investigations indicate that the Barents and Kara ice sheets attained their maximum Weichselian positions in northern Russia prior to 50 000 yr BP, whereas the northeastern flank of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet advanced to a maximum position shortly after 17 000 calendar years ago. During the Late Weichselian (25 000-10 000 yr BP), much of the Russian Arctic remained ice-free. According to our reconstruction, the extent of the ice sheets in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Late Weichselian glacial maximum was less than half that of the maximum model which, up to now, has been widely used as a boundary condition for testing and refining General Circulation Models (GCMs). Preliminary numerical-modelling experiments predict Late Weichselian ice sheets which are larger than the ice extent implied for the Kara Sea region from dated geological evidence, suggesting very low precipitation.     

北京市朝阳区沙子营垃圾污染物在潜水含水层中迁移规律的现场模拟实验

选择北京平原区水文地质、环境地质等方面都比较典型的沙子营垃圾堆放场,建立了其水文地质模型。在充分收集资料、分析得出部分计算所需参数后,采用现场弥散实验、勘查取样测试等方法,求得了该含水层的弥散系数等参数;用二维非稳定流溶质运移方程对污染物在此含水层中的迁移扩散规律、速度和污染范围等进行了模拟计算;采用现场钻探、取样测试分析等方法,评价了该含水层的实际污染状况。实验模拟计算和现场调查结果表明:污染物在潜水含水层中的运移规律遵循二维非稳定流场中的溶质运移方程,污染物在潜水含水层中的运移速度约为86.25m/a,迁移扩散主要发生在地下水流向上,侧向扩散宽度极小,是地下水流向上的1/17。     

矿山水土污染与防治对策研究

矿山水土环境污染是采矿活动引发的主要环境地质问题之一。我国矿山数量众多,水土污染比较普遍,尤以金属矿山最为严重,矿山水土污染防治是今后开展国土空间生态保护修复的重要内容。基于全国矿山地质环境摸底调查成果资料,对矿业活动不同阶段的水土污染风险以及不同矿山的水土污染类型、特征和污染物迁移演化规律等进行了研究。分析指出:矿业活动过程包括勘探、建矿、开采、洗选、冶炼等多个阶段,而水土污染风险贯穿于矿业活动全过程,不同阶段的污染风险不同;矿产资源开发造成的水土污染物类型、特征因开采的矿产类型不同而不同,呈现出特征污染物与矿体母岩的高度相关性;矿山及其周边污染物的迁移作用受污染物自身的物理化学性质和外界环境条件的影响,在矿山长期持续开采条件下矿山水土污染物存在累积效应,而矿产资源集中开采区的污染物扩散表现出叠加效应。通过对某典型水土环境污染案例的分析研究,初步证实了上述推断。根据我国矿山水土环境污染多发性和复杂性的特点,建议今后开展矿山水土污染防治工作应区分不同类型矿山、不同地质环境条件、不同污染物特征、不同污染程度,采取分类施策、系统修复、标本兼治的对策,以实现矿山环境明显改善。     

Arsenic and other Trace Metals in Sediments from the Kara Sea and the Ob and Yenisey Estuaries, Russia

Major (Al and Fe), minor (Mn) andtrace (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Vand Zn) metals along with material of grain size<63 m, TOC and TN have been determined insediment grab and core samples from the Kara Sea, andthe Ob and Yenisey estuaries, Russia. Surprisingly,the levels of trace metals, with the exception of As,were much lower than was anticipated from speculativereports of extensive contamination in the Arcticmarine areas adjacent to the Siberian coastline ofRussia. Lithium normalization indicates that theabundance and distribution of the metals, with theexception of As and Mo, are controlled by theaccumulation of their fine grained aluminosilicatehost minerals at sites determined by hydrodynamicconditions in the Kara Sea and in the estuaries. Metallevels in the Kara Sea and the Ob and Yeniseyestuaries, except for some anomalous As, Cu and Nivalues, are close to natural baseline levels of otherEurasian Arctic shelf sediments. High levels of As,however, occur in surface and subsurface sediments.The accumulation of As, as well as Mo, can beattributed to the post-depositional diagenetic effectsof Fe-Mn cycling both at and near the sediment waterinterface. Subsurface As and Fe maxima and minimasuggest alternating oxic and anoxic water conditionsduring post-glacial rises in sea level. In contrast tothe results from the adjacent Pechora Sea, in the KaraSea there is no correlation between the levels of Asand radionuclides in the sediments.     

Biogeochemistry of the Russian Arctic. Kara Sea: Research results under the SIRRO project, 1995–2003

The Kara Sea is an area uniquely suitable for studying processes in the river-sea system. This is a shallow sea into which two great Siberian rivers, Yenisei and Ob, flow. From 1995 to 2003, the sea was studied by six international expeditions aboard the R/V Akademik Boris Petrov. This publication summarizes the results obtained, within the framework of this project, at the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences. Various hydrogeochemical parameters, concentrations and isotopic composition of organic and carbonate carbon of the sediments, plankton, particulate organic matter, hydrocarbons, and dissolved CO₂ were examined throughout the whole sea area at more than 200 sites. The δ¹³C varies from −22 and −24‰ where Atlantic waters enter the Kara Sea and in the North-eastern part of the water area to −27‰ in the Yenisei and Ob estuaries. The value of δ¹³C of the plankton is only weakly correlated with the δ¹³C of the organic matter from the sediments and is lower by as much as 3–4‰. The paper presents the results obtained from a number of meridional river-sea profiles. It was determined from the relations between the isotopic compositions of plankton and particulate matter that the riverwaters carry material consisting of 70% detrital-humus matter and 30% planktonogenic material in the river part, and the material contained in the off-shore waters consists of 30% terrigenous components, with the contribution of bioproducers amounting to 70%. The carbon isotopic composition of the plankton ranges from −29 to −35‰ in the riverine part, from −28 to −27‰ in the estuaries, and from −27.0 to −25% in the marine part. The relative lightness of the carbon isotopic composition of plankton in Arctic waters is explained by the temperature effect, elevated CO₂ concentrations, and long-distance CO₂ supply to the sea with riverwaters. The data obtained on the isotopic composition of CO₂ in the surface waters of the Kara Sea were used to map the distribution of δ¹³C_{CO 2}. The complex of hydrocarbon gases extracted from the waters included methane, C₂–C₅, and unsaturated C₂₌–C₄₌ hydrocarbons, for which variations in the concentrations in the waters were studied along river-estuary-sea profiles. The geochemistry of hydrocarbon gases in surface fresh waters is characterized by comparable concentrations of methane (0.3–5 μl/l) and heavier hydrocarbons, including unsaturated ones. Microbiological methane with δ¹³C from −105 to −90‰ first occurs in the sediments at depths of 40–200 cm. The sediments practically everywhere display traces of methane oxidation in the form of a shift of the δ¹³C of methane toward higher values and the occurrence of autogenic carbonate material, including ikaite, enriched in the light isotope. Ikaite (δ¹³C from −25 to −60‰) was found and examined in several profiles. The redox conditions in the sediments varied from normal in the southern part of the sea to highly oxidized along the Novaya Zemlya Trough. Vertical sections through the sediments of the latter exemplify the complete suppression of the biochemical activity of microorganisms. Our data provide insight into the biogeochemistry of the Kara Sea and make it possible to specify the background values needed for ecological control during the future exploration operations and extraction of hydrocarbons in the Kara Sea. Original Russian Text ? E.M. Galimov, L.A. Kodina, O.V. Stepanets, G.S. Korobeinik, 2006, published in Geokhimiya, 2006, No. 11, pp. 1139–1191.     

重庆涪陵页岩气勘查开发区环境地质调查进展

紧密结合国家非常规能源勘探开发的重大战略,聚焦重庆涪陵页岩气勘查开发区环境地质调查工作,总结了研究区岩溶发育特征与分布规律,评价了涪陵页岩气开发区区域水资源量和地下水质量。在此基础上,收集分析国内外资料,梳理了页岩气勘查开发所引发的6类环境(地质)问题及勘查、钻井、压裂、开采、闭井等5个阶段需关注的地质环境问题或风险等,其中涪陵页岩气勘查开发区主要诱发水土污染、地质灾害和大气污染等环境(地质)问题; 基本识别了2种地下水污染模式、3种污染类型及可能的地下水污染风险途径; 初步确定了涪陵页岩气勘查开发区污染指示性特征因子,并形成了页岩气勘查开发区地质环境影响评价指标体系,可指导页岩气勘查开发的环境地质调查。该研究为页岩气国家新型清洁能源的绿色开发和开发区生态文明建设提供支撑。     

重庆涪陵页岩气勘查开发区环境地质调查进展

紧密结合国家非常规能源勘探开发的重大战略,聚焦重庆涪陵页岩气勘查开发区环境地质调查工作,总结了研究区岩溶发育特征与分布规律,评价了涪陵页岩气开发区区域水资源量和地下水质量。在此基础上,收集分析国内外资料,梳理了页岩气勘查开发所引发的6类环境(地质)问题及勘查、钻井、压裂、开采、闭井等5个阶段需关注的地质环境问题或风险等,其中涪陵页岩气勘查开发区主要诱发水土污染、地质灾害和大气污染等环境(地质)问题; 基本识别了2种地下水污染模式、3种污染类型及可能的地下水污染风险途径; 初步确定了涪陵页岩气勘查开发区污染指示性特征因子,并形成了页岩气勘查开发区地质环境影响评价指标体系,可指导页岩气勘查开发的环境地质调查。该研究为页岩气国家新型清洁能源的绿色开发和开发区生态文明建设提供支撑。     

Driving forces and management strategies for estuaries in northern China

Estuaries, which lie at the end of rivers, belong to the interlocking area between marine ecosystems and terrestrial ecosystems. In the estuary region, there are plenty of biological resources that carry many important ecosystem services. However, severe degradation of the estuary ecosystem in northern China has been caused by anthropogenic disturbances, including water pollution from upstream area, change of marine environmental dynamics, animal habitat loss, and unreasonable exploitation in the estuary region. In order to provide scientific evidence for restoration and conservation of the estuary ecosystem, we collected data from published literature to analyze the ecological problems in several main estuary regions in northern China, such as the Yellow River estuary, Liaohe River estuary, Haihe River estuary, Yalu River estuary, and some others. The main ecological problems in the estuary region of northern China include the input decrease of fresh water from rivers, the change of the sediment input from rivers, the destruction of the estuary wetland ecosystem, the environmental pollution in the estuary region, the erosion in the estuary region, seawater encroachment, the biodiversity decline of the estuary region, and the depletion of the fish resources in the estuary region. Meanwhile, the driving forces for these ecological problems in the estuary region were also assessed. Based on the analysis of these driving forces, we propose several pieces of advice for integrated estuary management in northern China, including the creation of a management system for estuary conservation, improvement of the means and strength of the environmental law execution, increased investment on scientific research in the estuary ecosystem, improvement of public participation on the conservation for the estuary environment and biodiversity, and construction of a monitoring system for the estuary environment.     

Detection and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Pollution on the Basis of Geochemical Study of the Interstitial Waters of Marine and Freshwater Sediments

The chemical composition of interstitial waters from several inland seas and or water system (NPWS) exposed to anthropogenic pollution was studied. The patterns of the distribution of pollution in the Dnieper–Bug Estuary, Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea and in the Alexandria’s Eastern Harbor of the Mediterranean Sea were found. Most of the contamination occurs in the upper layers of bottom sediments and near mouth zones. A significant role is played by secondary contamination related to the dissolution and accumulation of metals and nutrients in the interstitial water and their migration to the water column. The estuary factor of anthropogenic pollution takes center stage according to a factor analysis for the combined impacts of potentially mobile forms of metals in the Dnieper–Bug Estuary. Studies of the Lake Pyasino pollution near Noril’sk were carried out.     

Fate of the Evros River suspended particulate matter in the northern Aegean Sea

Evros River is the most important river flowing into the North Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean) in terms of freshwater discharge, and the second largest one of Eastern Europe after the Danube River. Salinity and temperature measurements, together with suspended particulate matter concentrations were obtained in various depths at 14 stations in the adjacent Alexandroupolis Gulf during four seasons (June 1998, September 1998, February 1999 and March 2000) in order to investigate the particle dynamics and distributions in the northern Aegean Sea. Analysis of the collected data, together with particle observations under the scanning electron microscope and study of satellite images showed that, under certain circumstances driven by the hydrological and wind regime of the area, the Evros River particulate matter, with the associated pollutants, can be transferred far away from the estuary and implicitly comprise a hazardous factor for the environmental status of the northern Aegean Sea. This fact, combined with the future construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline, may cause a negative impact on the studied natural ecosystem.     

Geological evolution of offshore pollution and its long-term potential impacts on marine ecosystems

Populations and metropolitan centers are accumulated in coastal areas around the world. In view of the fact that they are geographically adjacent to coasts and intense anthropogenic activities, increasing global offshore pollution has been an important worldwide concern over the past several decades and has become a very serious problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Due to offshore pollution, various geological disasters occur in high frequency, including intensified erosion and salinization of coastal soils, frequent geological collapses and landslides and increasing seismic activities. Moreover, offshore pollution shows increasingly serious impacts on the topography and geomorphology of offshore and coastal areas, including coastal degradation, retreating coastlines and estuary delta erosion. Offshore sedimentation processes are strongly influenced by the pH changes of terrestrial discharges, and sedimentary dynamics have become extremely acute and complex due to offshore pollution. The seabed topography and hydrodynamic environment determine the fate and transport of pollutants entering offshore regions. Coastal estuaries, port basins and lagoons that have relatively moderate ocean currents and winds are more likely to accumulate pollutants. Offshore regions and undersea canyons can be used as conduits for transporting pollutants from the continent to the seabed. It is particularly noteworthy that the spatial/temporal distribution of species, community structures, and ecological functions in offshore areas have undergone unprecedented changes in recent decades. Due to increasing offshore pollution, the stable succession and development trend of marine ecosystems has been broken. It is thus important to identify and regulate the quantity, composition and transportation of pollutants in offshore regions and their behavior in marine ecosystems. In particular, crucial actions for stabilizing marine ecosystems, including increasing species and biodiversity, should be implemented to enhance their anti-interference capabilities. This review provides an overview of the current situation of offshore pollution, as well as major trends of pollutant fate and transportation from continent to marine ecosystems, transformation of pollutants in sediments, and their bioaccumulation and diffusion. This study retrospectively reviews the long-term geological evolution of offshore pollution from the perspective of marine geology, and analyses their long-term potential impacts on marine ecosystems. Due to ecological risks associated with pollutants released from offshore sediments, more research on the influence of global offshore pollution based on marine geology is undoubtedly needed.     

Integrated remote sensing and GIS techniques for biogeochemical characterization of the Tinto-Odiel estuary system,SW Spain

The Tinto-Odiel estuary area in SW Spain presents a high concentration of industrial, agricultural and mining activities that seriously affect water quality, producing significant concentrations in trace metals and other contaminant elements. Previous studies have highlighted the important environmental effect of these contaminated waters discharged into the Gulf of Cadiz, contributing in a marked way to trace-metal concentrations in the Mediterranean Sea by water inflow through the Strait of Gibraltar. A global biogeochemical characterization of these waters was the main objective of a multidisciplinary research study funded by the European Union, in which remote sensing and GIS techniques, among other methodologies, were jointly applied. The main results confirmed the usefulness of this integrated methodological approach as an effective tool for the assessment of current biogeochemical conditions. Digital image processing provided valuable thematic information for temporal hydrodynamic analysis and water quality parameters mapping, which was integrated into a GIS database together with experimental information sampled in oceanographic cruises.     

潜孔锤反循环钻进技术及应用

贯通式潜孔锤的研制为流体介质反循环开辟了通道，采用计算机模拟仿真电算方法，实现了潜孔锤的计算机辅助设计，优化了潜孔锤性能，将多喷嘴引射器原理用于钻头的结构设计，使反循环形成稳定可靠，并能取出柱状岩矿心，在复杂地层地质岩心勘探，水文水井钻凿，大直径硬岩基桩孔钻进等领域全面应用，取得了显著经济与社会效益。     

大庆油田中浅层探井环保钻井技术

为了减少钻井对环境的污染等问题,大庆油田在中浅层探井钻井设计过程中有针对性的进行了优化设计,主要从井身结构设计入手,同时对钻井液设计、钻具组合设计、固井设计一系列的设计方案制定了相应的预防措施和改进。改进后的井身结构设计不仅提高了钻井施工过程中的井控安全性,而且较好地保护了环境,特别是对深层地表水起到一定的保护作用。研究了储层潜在损害方式,分析了钻井保护技术的作用原理、应用情况与取得的效果,经过2010年已钻的15口中浅层油气深下表层探井的后效跟踪,包括整个钻井过程和后续的采油过程,均未发现出现污染地表水和周围环境的现象,较之以前石油钻井更加环保,更加符合日益发展的社会对环境保护的要求,这对保护人类赖以生存的自然环境具有重要意义。     

The use of pyrolysis and barium distributions to assess the areal extent of drilling fluids in surficial marine sediments

The influence of drilling fluid dispersion on the chemistry of surficial sediments was determined by an integrated study of organic and inorganic parameters. Pyrolysis characteristics and barium, organic carbon, and carbonate content were determined for sediments associated with six drilling sites in coastal Gulf of Mexico waters. The areal extent and magnitude of influence of dispersed fluids were related to water depth, prevailing currents, density of the dispersed material, history of the drill site and platform-induced biological activity. The potential use of pyrolysis techniques for defining the impact area and the various types of inputs derived from off-shore drilling operations was demonstrated.     

Clay-mineral distribution in surface sediments of the Eurasian Arctic Ocean and continental margin as indicator for source areas and transport pathways — a synthesis

Clay-mineral distributions in the Arctic Ocean and the adjacent Eurasian shelf areas are discussed to identify source areas and transport pathways of terrigenous material in the Arctic Ocean. The main clay minerals in Eurasian Arctic Ocean sediments are illite and chlorite. Smectite and kaolinite occur in minor amounts in these sediments, but show strong variations in the shelf areas. These two minerals are therefore reliable in reconstructions of source areas of sediments from the Eurasian Arctic. The Kara Sea and the western part of the Laptev Sea are enriched in smectite, with highest values of up to 70% in the deltas of the Ob and Yenisey rivers. Illite is the dominant clay mineral in all the investigated sediments except for parts of the Kara Sea. The highest concentrations with more than 70% illite occur in the East Siberian Sea and around Svalbard. Chlorite represents the clay mineral with lowest concentration changes in the Eastern Arctic, ranging between 10 and 25%. The main source areas for kaolinite in the Eurasian Arctic are Mesozoic sedimentary rocks on Franz-Josef Land islands. Based on clay-mineral data, transport of the clay fraction via sea ice is of minor importance for the modern sedimentary budget in the Arctic basins.