Concentration du chrome dans deux profils de l'ocean pacifique

Determination of total chromium on two profiles and chromium III on four samples of equatorial Pacific Ocean water have been carried out using coprecipitation of chromium from sea water with hydrous iron oxides, followed by ion-exchange separation and isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Results for two Pacific profiles show increasing total chromium concentration from surface to 250 m. The Cr concentration appears to be different below 1,000 m, with nearly homogeneous concentrations for the first profile and regularly increasing Cr concentrations from 0.330 to 0.550 μg/l at 3,900 m for the second one. Results for Cr(III) show that trivalent species are dominant in these samples.     

Contribution a l'etude chimique du materiel dissous et particulaire de l'estuaire de la riviere rimouski

Temperature, pH, total alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, silicate, nitrate, phosphate and the Mn, Fe and Al contents of suspended particulate matter (SPM) were measured in the Rimouski River estuary as functions of chlorinity during the period May—September 1980.At any given time, total alkalinity (TA) is conservative within the estuary with respect to chlorinity. However, the total alkalinity (TA) of the freshwater is related to river flow. This is attributed to dilution of the river water with bicarbonate-poor rainwater.Generally, pH follows the same pattern observed for TA in freshwater. Dissolved oxygen is usually more concentrated in freshwater and decreases linearly with increasing chlorinity. Freshwater is always saturated or supersaturated with respect to O₂. Seasonal fluctuations are attributed to temperature variations.There is no evidence for removal of soluble silicate from the freshwater entering the sea. The concentration of silicate in the freshwater is strongly influenced by rainfall. Soil leaching, conditioned by high rainfall increases the concentration of soluble silicate in freshwater. Nitrate behaves similarly whereas phosphate is complicated by the presence of sewage.Analysis of the Mn, Fe and Al contained in the SPM indicates dilution of river-borne particles rich in Mn by others less rich in this element. A decrease in Mn content with increasing chlorinity and SPM concentration as well as increasing concentrations of SPM with increasing chlorinity indicate that the composition is controlled primarily by physical mixing of material from two sources rather than by chemical processes. Within the analytical precision the Fe/Al ratio does not vary with the chlorinity.     

Variations des teneurs en Cd,Pb et Cu dans les eaux de l'estuaire maritime du St-Laurent Durant l'ete 1972

Concentrations of cadmium, lead and copper have been determined in the lower estuary of the St. Lawrence River during the summer of 1972 (from May to August). Seven sample stations distributed in the estuary have been studied. Analysis measurements have been made using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and are related to the soluble metals. The concentrations of cadmium are low and no important variations occur. Mean analysis of cadmium abundance gives a value of 1.05 μg/l. Similar variations are observed for copper and lead contents with a Cu/Pb ratio which is nearly equal to unity. Average concentrations for all the stations are 3.11 μg/l for copper and 3.48 μg/l for lead. Higher values are measured for copper and lead during the month of May and these are related to the fresh-water inflow arising from the thawing period. The lowest concentrations are observed during the months of June and July and are in correspondence with the spring period of intense primary production. The biologic-dynamic conditions affecting the concentrations of cadmium seem to be different from those affecting copper or lead contents (without considering pollution phenomena). The highest average values for copper and lead have been found on the south shore of the estuary. The values obtained in this work compared favourably with other results gathered in the neighbouring area.     

Distribution des terres rares dans les fractions de sediments et nodules de Fe et Mn associes en l'ocean Indien

The REE distribution in size fractions of sediments and associated ferromanganese nodules from the Indian Ocean was studied. Bulk-sample patterns of sediments result from the combination of coarsest fractions depleted in Ce and fine fractions enriched in Ce. Ce depletion of the coarsest fractions is related to biogenic silica; on the contrary, REE distribution patterns of fine fractions are closely similar to those of associated ferromanganese nodules. The Ce excess in fine fractions is probably of continental origin, but it could also be derived from submarine weathering of volcanic glass or related to Ce oxydation in the marine environment. In fine fractions Ce is probably in its tetravalent state, hence it can easily be scavenged by fine clays and oxyhydroxydes. Trivalent REE can be incorporated in nodules, partly by occlusion of fine clays or oxyhydroxydes and partly by surface to surface transfer as was proposed by Ehrlich (1968). Comparison between REE patterns of fine-sized fractions, nodules and seawater also supported adsorption as a possible mechanism governing the incorporation of REE of sediments and nodules from seawater. Light REE are probably incorporated as oxyhydroxyde complexes, whereas heavy REE are markedly fractionated with increasing atomic number. This fractionation reflects the complexed form of the heavy REE in seawater.     

Incidence de la cinetique de decroissance de la temperature apres le choc thermique sur les modifications d'activite des esterases et les possibilites de survie de Scolelepis (malacoceros) fuliginosa (annelide polychete)

Scolelepis fuliginosa reared in the laboratory at 13°C were put through 10-min thermal shocks at 16°C and 18°C and were then submitted to either a slow or a rapid temperature reduction. After the thermal shock, a posterior fragment of each specimen was cut off at intervals, until six days. Samples were submitted to electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel, esterase activity being determined with α-naphthyl acetate.Enzymograms show that thermal shocks act on esterases in decreasing the activity of the main fractions. Immediate effects result in a very precocious enzymic response; more long-term effects depend on the maximum temperature, the animal's sex and the kinetics of the post-shock thermal reduction.Females are more sensitive than males. For a given Δt, esterase changes are greater and more long-lasting. After a 16°C Δt, a rapid decrease in temperature prevents the loss of activity of the middle and fast fractions in males and delays, by about 10 h, the alteration of female esterases. After 18°C ΔT, loss of activity of the middle and fast fractions occurs in less than 1 h, independently of the thermal kinetics, but survival is only possible—solely for males—with a rapid decrease in temperature which also delays females' deaths by between 24 and 48 h.In conclusion, a rapid decrease in temperature gives organisms a better resistance to thermal shock, as determined by esterase activity and controls the lethality of a high Δt.     

Evolution des hydrocarbures,des peuplements bacteriens et microphytiques dans les sediments des marais maritimes de l'iie grande pollues par l'amoco cadiz: 1, evolution des hydrocarbures et des bacteries

The evolution of hydrocarbons in sediments was studied from 1978 to 1980 at eight stations in the Ile Grande marshes (Brittany) polluted by the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. Generally, in 1980 (except for one heavily polluted site) the amounts of hydrocarbons were found to be far less important than in 1978 and sometimes biogenic hydrocarbons were found. In the superficial layer of the sediments biodegradation processes were generally important with the preferential degradation of n-alkanes. On the other hand, aromatic hydrocarbons seem not to have been altered after three years. Degradation of percolated hydrocarbons proceeds more slowly than in the surface layer. The number of degrading bacteria decreases when n-alkanes disappear.     

Evolution des hydrocarbures et des populations bactériennes et microphytiques dans les sédiments des marais maritimes de l'ile grande pollués par l'Amoco cadiz: 2—Evolution des peuplements microphytiques

In this work we attempt to estimate the short- and long-term effects of the Amoco Cadiz oil spill on benthic microalgal populations (cyanophytes and diatoms) which, under natural conditions, live on upper layers of ‘schorres’ soils or of ‘slikke’ muds in the Ile Grande salt marsh system (Côtes du Nord, France). These populations were completely destroyed in 1978 in the oil-affected sites. Ubiquitous species settled fairly rapidly on intertidal polluted muds (tidal flat). The chlorophyll a content values reached 100 μg g⁻¹ dry sediment, i.e. 1000 mg m⁻² in 1980. Conversely, the salt marsh soils are still much less densely repopulated 3 years after the Amoco Cadiz grounding—especially when they are infrequently flooded (3 to 40 μg Chl.a g⁻¹, i.e. 40 to 270 mg m⁻²). Some of these soils remain ten times less populated than reference stations.