Geochemistry, strontium isotope data, and potassium-argon ages of the andesite-rhyolite association in the Padang area, West Sumatra

Quaternary volcanoes in the Padang area on the west coast of Sumatra have produced two-pyroxene, calc-alkaline andesite and volumetrically subordinate rhyolitic and andesitic ash-flow tuffs. A sequence of andesite (pre-caldera), rhyolitic tuff and andesitic tuff, in decreasing order of age, is related to Maninjau caldera. Andesite compositions range from 55.0 to 61.2% SiO₂ and from 1.13 to 2.05% K₂O. Six K-Ar whole-rock age determinations on andesites show a range of 0.27 ± 0.12 to 0.83 ± 0.42 m.y.; a single determination on the rhyolitic ashflow tuff gave 0.28 ± 0.12 m.y.Eight ⁵⁷Sr/²⁶Sr ratios on andesites and rhyolite tuff west of the Semangko fault zone are in the range 0.7056 – 0.7066. These ratios are higher than those elsewhere in the Sunda arc but are comparable to the Taupo volcanic zone of New Zealand and calc-alkaline volcanics of continental margins. An ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.7048 on G. Sirabungan east of the Semangko fault is similar to an earlier determination on nearby G. Marapi (0.7047), and agrees with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in the rest of the Sunda arc. The reason for this distribution of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios is unknown.The high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are tentatively regarded to reflect a crustal source for the andesites, while moderately fractionated REE patterns with pronounced negative Eu anomalies suggest a residue enriched in plagioclase with hornblende and/or pyroxenes. Generation of associated andesite and rhyolite could have been caused by hydrous fractional melting of andesite or volcanogenic sediments under adiabatic decompression.     

On the depth-dependent production of long-lived spallogenic53Mn in the St. Severin chondrite

The contents of spallogenic⁵³Mn and target elements for its production were determined in 80- to 400-mg samples from 13 different locations of the LL6 chondrite St. Severin, along the 34.8-cm drill core AIII. The⁵³Mn content increases from the surface to the center of the stone by ≈30%. The variation with depth is satisfactorily described by several models, presuming that appropriate primary and secondary particle fluxes are chosen. The⁵³Mn saturation activities (⁵³Mn^*) are linearly correlated with the spallogenic³He/²¹Ne and²²Ne/²¹Ne ratios, which suggests the possibility to eliminate uncertainties in the determination of⁵³Mn cosmic ray exposure ages arising from depth effects and terrestrial residence times.     

Spectrophotometric Determination of Cationic Surfactants Based on Their Effect on the Complexes of Chrome Azurol S with Be2+ and Al3+ Cations

Simple, rapid, and sensitive spectrophotometric methods have been proposed for the determination of cationic surfactants (CS) as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyltrimethylammonium (DTAB), and cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB). The methods are based on the effects of CSs on the complexes of Al³⁺ and Be²⁺ with Chrome Azurol S (CAS). The optimum reaction conditions such as CAS concentration, metal ion concentration, and pH have been studied and found to be 2.0 × 10^?4 mol L^?1 CAS, 0.5 mg L^?1 Al³⁺ or 0.4 mg L^?1 Be²⁺ and pH 5.4. The analytical characteristics of the methods such as limit of detections, limit of quantifications, and linear ranges have been obtained. CTAB, CPB, and DTAB could be determined by the Al–CAS complex in the ranges of 0.50–40.00, 0.20–10.00, and 0.40–10.00 µmol L^?1, and for the Be–CAS complex in the ranges of 0.08–5.00, 0.08–3.00, and 0.20–6.00 µmol L^?1, respectively. The limit of the detections of the method for the determination of CTAB, CPB, and DTAB for the Be–CAS complex has been found as 0.025, 0.024, and 0.061 µmol L^?1, respectively. The interfering effect of some anions and cations was also tested. The method was applied to the determination of CS CTAB in conditioner shampoo and water samples.     

Cloud Point Extraction for the Preconcentration of Silver and Palladium in Real Samples and Determination by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A cloud point extraction procedure is presented for the preconcentration and simultaneous determination of Ag⁺ and Pd²⁺ in various samples. After complexation with 2‐((2‐((1H‐benzo[d]imidazole‐2‐yl)methoxy)phenoxy)methyl)‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol (BIMPI), which was used as a new chelating agent, analyte ions were quantitatively extracted to a phase rich in Triton X‐114 following centrifugation, and determination was carried out by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Under the optimum experimental conditions (i. e., pH = 7.0, 15.0·10^–5 mol/L BIMPI and 0.036% (w/v) Triton X‐114), calibration graphs were linear in the range of 28.0–430.0 μg/L and 57.0–720.0 μg/L with detection limits of 10.0 and 25.0 μg/L for Ag⁺ and Pd²⁺, respectively. The enrichment factors were 35.0 and 28.0 for Ag⁺ and Pd²⁺, respectively. The method has been successfully applied to evaluate these metals in some real samples, including waste water, soil and hydrogenation catalyst samples.     

Interpretation procedures for the determination of sediment parameters from time-dependent flux inputs

A formulation for the effects of a time-dependent input flux to a sedimentation system consisting of a diffusive layer underlain by a non-diffusive medium has been developed. The intent is to provide interpretation procedures for the determination of sedimentation rate, diffusion coefficient and mixed layer thickness from observed tracer concentrations. They have been applied, for illustrative purposes, to published¹³⁷Cs and^239,240Pu measurements.     

Differential Pulse Polarographic Determination of the Oxime Carbamante Insecticide Alanycarb

As basis for the development of a sensitive analytical method for the determination of the insecticide alanycarb, a study of the differential pulse polarographic (DPP) reduction of alanycarb on a dropping mercury electrode (DME) was performed. The pesticide was found to give a single DP peak over the pH range 1.0 to 6.0 and the pH dependency of the peak potential showed a linear segment with a slope of 65.2 mV (at 20°C). For the analytical DPP method running at pH 6.0 (peak at –503.4 mV), the relationship between the peak current and alanycarb concentration was linear in the range of 1.10 to 9.76 μg mL^–1 with a detection limit of 0.33 μg mL^–1. The proposed method was applied for the determination of alanycarb in spiked dam water and orange juice samples. The recoveries calculated for both types of dam water and orange juice samples spiked with 12.0 μg mL^–1 alanycarb were 96.3 and 99.0% with relative standard deviations of 5.2 and 1.3%, respectively. The sufficiently good recoveries and low relative standard deviations for the data reflect the high accuracy and precision of the proposed differential pulse polarographic method. The effects of diverse metal ions and other commonly used pesticides on the determination of alanycarb were also investigated.     

The potential of historic rock avalanches and man-made structures as chlorine-36 production rate calibration sites

Samples from three medieval rock avalanches from the French (Le Claps, Mont Granier) and Austrian Alps (Dobratsch) and a man-made structure, i.e. the Stephansdom in Vienna, have been analysed for in-situ produced ³⁶Cl by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). All four sampling sites of independently known exposure duration turned out to be not appropriate as calibration sites for the determination of the ³⁶Cl-production rate from Ca. Indeed, the determination of short exposure ages for dating rock avalanches and man-made structures by ³⁶Cl is hindered dramatically by inheritance, especially for samples characterized by high ^natCl-concentrations. Generally, there are hints that the theoretical calculation of ³⁶Cl-production from epithermal and thermal neutron-capture on ³⁵Cl is highly underestimated in all existing models, thus, asking for particular precaution if working on high-Cl samples for any project. Hence, this work evidences that potential high inheritance, even for samples reasonably shielded before exhumation, has to be considered especially when dealing with recently exposed surfaces such as glacially polished rocks, alluvial terraces, fault scarps etc.     

Revisiting the Curie Balance Concept: Towards Simple High-Field Magnetic Measurements

A combination of a standard electronic balance and a movable permanent magnet field source (Halbach cylinder: HC) is demonstrated using two HCs of 0.3 and 1 T fields. It provides high field susceptibility and saturation magnetization measurements with high sensitivity (about 3e^-7 SI and 0.1 Am^-1, corresponding to a 0.1 mg balance sensitivity) and high speed. This set-up opens the possibility for systematic high field parameter determination on standard samples.     

Surface exposure dating of the Veliki vrh rock avalanche in Slovenia associated with the 1348 earthquake

Over 30 samples from bedrock and boulders from the Veliki vrh rock avalanche have been collected for surface exposure dating. The limestone rocks have been radiochemically treated to isolate and determine long-lived ³⁶Cl by accelerator mass spectrometry. It could be shown that the Veliki vrh rock avalanche from the Košuta Mountain (Slovenia) event can be very likely linked to one of the major historical earthquakes in Europe happening on the 25^th of January 1348. Taken into account independently determined denudation rates, inherited ³⁶Cl originating from pre-exposure at shallow depths (20–55 m) could be calculated. The high amount of inherited ³⁶Cl, i.e. 17–46% of the total ³⁶Cl, makes this site not suitable for a precise determination of the ³⁶Cl production rate as it was originally anticipated. Veliki vrh is a “classic” rock avalanche of high velocity. The slope failed in the upper part with a translational slide predominantly along the bedding planes, whereas dynamic fragmentation is the cause for further crushing of the material and the long runout.     

Fission-track retention age of the Bondoc mesosiderite

Whitlockites have been extracted from the Bondoc mesosiderite and found to contain ～(0.7–2.7) × 10⁶ cm^?2 of spontaneous-fission tracks. Thermal-neutron irradiation of these crystals along with terrestrial apatite age standards, and measurement of the track densities so induced, lead to the determination of a whitlockite track-retention age of 2.68 (±0.30) Gyr for Bondoc, which is essentially independent of the initial (Pu/U) ratio.This young age is in qualitative, and, within the experimental uncertainties, in quantitative, agreement with the slow cooling rates determined for many mesosiderites [1,2] and specifically for Bondoc [6] from Ni distributions in the metal phase.     

Determination of Cyanuric Acid in Swimming Pool Water and Milk by Differential Pulse Polarography

Cyanuric acid is a suspected gastrointestinal or liver toxicant in humans. Therefore, determination of trace cyanuric acid is very important, in this work a novel, sensitive, and reliable method was developed using differential pulse polarography. Optimum conditions for analytical determination were found to be at a pH of 9.5, Britton–Robinson at a reduction potential of ?105 mV. Experimental results indicate an excellent linear correlation between the peak current and the concentration in the range of cyanuric acid from 0.5 to 27.0 µM (0.06–3.5 µg mL^?1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.997. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were obtained as 0.15 and 0.5 µM (0.02–0.06 µg mL^?1), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of cyanuric acid in pool water and in spiked milk. Cyanuric acid level in swimming pool water was found as 2.54 ± 0.47 µg mL^?1 (19.7 ± 2.29 µM) in swimming pool water for N = 4 and 95% confidence interval. The recoveries were found to be sufficient. Also, the standard deviation of the data was low which shows high accuracy and precision of proposed differential pulse polarographic method. The influences of some other commonly found inorganic salts on the determination of cyanuric acid were also examined. Some interfering species were eliminated using complexing agents, e.g., EDTA.     

Methods of Analyzing Qninones in Water and Their Application in Studying the Effects of Hydrophytes on Phenols. Part 1: Quinone Determination with Benzene Sulfinic Acid

By the example of some phenols and qninones, in aqueous solutions possibilities for the quantitative determination are tested separately and in the mixture. Methods for thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometry were developed. There can be chromatographically deteeted between 5 and 80 μg of substance. Phenol and quinone concentrations of 1.5 · 10^?3 … 0.5 · 10^?4 M were spectrophotometrically investigated.     

Determination of Copper in Water Samples after Solid‐phase Extraction Using Dimethylglyoxime‐modified Silica

This work describes the modification of silica gel with dimethylglyoxime, in order to prepare an effective sorbent for the preconcentration and determination of copper. The sorption capacity of dimethylglyoxime‐modified silica‐gel (DMGMS) was 71.37 mg g^–1 and the optimum pH for the quantitative recovery of copper was found to be 5.0. The optimum flow rate, sorbent amount, and sample volume were 1 mL min^–1, 300 mg, and 50 mL, respectively. 10 mL of 0.1 mol L^–1 HCl was the most suitable eluent. The detection limit of copper was 6.0 ng mL^–1. The recommended method, for the determination of copper, is simple and reliable, without any notable matrix effect and can be successfully applied to environmental water samples. Copper recovery in the range from 99–100% was obtained from seawater and thermal spring water using this method. The method was applied to standard reference materials, NIST‐1515 (apple leaves) and NIST‐1643e (simulated fresh water), for the determination of copper and the results were in good agreement with certified values.     

Correcting for potential 222Rn loss in 210Pb dating of sediments from the South Adriatic Pit

Measurement of ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations is often used to estimate supported levels of ²¹⁰Pb for purposes of geochronology. However, the implicit assumption that supported ²¹⁰Pb and ²²⁶Ra are in secular radioactive equilibrium may not always be true because of the migration of an intermediate product, gaseous ²²²Rn. As a consequence, supported ²¹⁰Pb activity concentration might be lower than the measured ²²⁶Ra value, which was the case in a core collected from the South Adriatic Pit. Here we present a new approach to improve the determination of supported ²¹⁰Pb, which is based on correction of ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations using the average (²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra) activity ratio in deeper sediment layers. Using this approach, sedimentation rates for the South Adriatic Pit with a constant rate of supply model and a constant initial concentration model were 0.054 g/cm²/a and 0.070 g/cm²/a, respectively.     

Kinetic Determination of Trace Amounts of Nitrite Using an Optical Chemical Sensor

An optical chemical sensor (optode) is proposed for the kinetic determination of nitrite ion. The optode was fabricated by the immobilization of methyl violet on a triacetylcellulose polymeric membrane. Methyl violet is covalently bonded to a transparent triacetylcellulose film. By immersion of the sensor into an acidic nitrite solution, the absorbance of the sensor at 596 nm decreases with time that is due to the reaction of nitrite with the immobilized methyl violet. A fixed time method of 15 min was used to monitor the reaction. The linear range for the determination of nitrite was 0.20–8.00 µg mL^?1 and the limit of detection was 0.08 µg mL^?1. The optodes were one‐shot, they had durability more than 2 months and were easily prepared. The optode was successfully applied to the determination of nitrite ion in spring water and sewage samples.     

Inter-comparison of cosmogenic in-situ He, Ne and Cl at low latitude along an altitude transect on the SE slope of Kilimanjaro volcano (3°S, Tanzania)

Because the intensity and energy spectrum of the cosmic ray flux are affected by atmospheric depth and geomagnetic-field strength, cosmogenic nuclide production rates increase considerably with altitude and to a lesser degree with latitude. The scaling methods used to account for spatial variability in production rates assume that all cosmogenic nuclides have the same altitude dependence. In this study we evaluate whether the production rates of cosmogenic ³⁶Cl, ³He and ²¹Ne change differently with altitude, which is plausible due to the different threshold energies of their production reactions. If so, nuclide-specific scaling factors would be required.Concentrations of the three cosmogenic nuclides were determined in mafic phenocrysts over an altitude transect between 1000 and 4300 m at Kilimanjaro volcano (3°S). Altitude dependence of relative production rates was assessed in two ways: by determination of concentration ratios and by calculation of apparent exposure age ratios for all nuclide pairs. The latter accounts for characteristics of ³⁶Cl that the stable nuclides ³He and ²¹Ne do not possess (radioactive decay, high sensitivity to mineral composition and significant contributions from production reactions other than spallation). All ratios overlap within error over the entire transect, and altitudinal variation in relative production rates is not therefore evident. This suggests that nuclide-specific scaling factors are not required for the studied nuclides at this low-latitude location. However, because previous studies have documented anomalous altitude-dependent variations in ³He production at mid-latitude sites, the effect of latitude on cross-calibrations should be further evaluated.We determined cosmogenic ²¹Ne/³He concentration ratios of 0.1864 ± 0.0085 in pyroxenes and 0.377 ± 0.018 in olivines, agreeing with those reported in previous studies.Despite the absence of independently determined ages for the studied lava surfaces, the consistency in the dataset should enable progress to be made in the determination of the production rates of all three nuclides as soon as the production rate of one of the nuclides has been accurately defined.To our knowledge this is the first time that ³⁶Cl has been measured in pyroxene. The Cl extraction method was validated by measuring ³⁶Cl in co-existing plagioclase phenocrysts in one of the samples.     

PORTABLE CONDUCTIVITY METERS FOR LOW OR MEDIUM SALINITY MEASUREMENT

Abstract

The electrical conductivity measurement is the most convenient way for water salinity determination. Two portable low-cost conductivity meters are described. The first, a digital one using a bridge circuit, allows the measurement up to 9,999 μΩ^?1 cm^?1. The second apparatus is a direct reading conductivity meter, using a direct current for measuring; in 5 ranges, it allows the measurement up to 6,000 μΩ^?1 cm^?1. A correction of temperature influence is provided in both designs by manual adjustment.     

Earliest human remains in Eurasia: New 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Dmanisi hominid-bearing levels,Georgia

Several hominid remains have been discovered in the open-air site of Dmanisi (Georgia), the oldest prehistoric site in Eurasia. Two major arguments prove that this site is close in age to the Plio-Pleistocene boundary: a Villafranchian fauna and the morphological characteristics of hominid remains recently ascribed to Homo georgicus. Direct dating of the lower hominid-bearing level was carried out on volcanic glass and minerals using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method. The concordant results from two different sampled locations allow the determination of the age of the earliest human presence in Eurasia. This radioisotopic result strengthens the argument that the first dispersal of hominids outside Africa occurred at least 1.8 Ma ago.     

Investigations of cosmic-ray-produced nuclides in iron meteorites, 4. Identification of noble gas abundance anomalies

The literature on cosmic-ray-produced nuclides in iron meteorites occasionally reports unusual (“anomalous”) abundance proportions for the associated noble gases. The anomalies are in some cases ascribed to excesses of⁴He, caused by the presence of primordial or radiogenic components; in other cases to abundance deficiencies of³He, caused by partial loss of cosmogenic tritium. The arguments and data used previously for the recognition, identification and determination of anomalies are, however, imperfect or incorrect. New procedures are here proposed. They are based on more reliable data on the abundance patterns of the cosmogenic component and on a novel system of test correlations which describes these patterns. In most cases in which anomalies are recognised, the system allows an unequivocal identification of the nuclide which is the cause of the anomaly. This is a prerequisite for the quantitative determination of excesses and deficiencies. The procedures are applied to evaluate anomalous noble gas data reported in the literature for about 15 samples of various iron meteorites. In some cases, previous identifications of³He deficiencies and of⁴He excesses prove to be correct. However, guesses that⁴He excesses were present in certain specimens from Arispe, Cranbourne, El Taco, Hoba, Pin?on, Pitts and Sandia Mountains are invalidated by the present investigation.⁴He excesses are more exceptional than heretofore believed.     

Observing Gravity Change in the Fennoscandian Uplift Area with the Hanover Absolute Gravimeter

The Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are a key study region for research of glacial isostasy. In addition, such research offers a unique opportunity for absolute gravimetry to show its capability as a geodetic tool for geophysical research. Within a multi-national cooperation, annual absolute gravity measurements have been performed in Fennoscandia by IfE since 2003. For the Hanover gravimeter FG5-220, overall accuracy of ±30?nm/s² is indicated for a single station determination. First results of linear gravity changes are derived for ten stations in the central and southern part of the uplift area. Comparing with the rates predicted by glacial rebound modelling, the gravity trends of the absolute measurements differ by 3.8?nm/s² per year (root-mean-square discrepancy) from the uplift model. The mean difference between observed and predicted rates is 0.8?nm/s² per year only. A proportionality factor of ?1.63?±?0.20?nm/s² per mm has been obtained, which describes the mean ratio between the observational gravity and height rates.