Fatty acids and sterols as source markers of organic matter in sediments of the North Carolina continental slope

To estimate the source and diagenetic state of organic matter reaching bottom sediments, fatty acids and sterols were measured in unconsolidated surface material (flocs) at 12 sites ranging from 600 to 2000 m across the mid-Atlantic continental slope off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Total free and esterefied fatty acids were similar in distribution and concentration to other coastal systems, with values ranging from 0.64 to 46.52 μg mg⁻¹ organic carbon (1.10–68.85 μg g⁻¹ dry sediment). Although shallow (600 m) stations contained significantly greater fatty acid concentrations than deep (> 1400m) stations, high variability observed at mid-depth (800 m) collections precluded a consistent relationship between total fatty acid concentration and station depth. At three sites where underlying sediments were also collected, decreases in total fatty acids, reduced amounts of polyenoic acids and significant presence of bacterial fatty acid suggest rapid reworking of labile organic material that reaches the sediment surface. The distribution of sterols was remarkably consistent among all sites even though there were large variations in concentrations (1.8–20.7 μg mg⁻¹ organic carbon). Sterol composition indicated phytoplankton, principally diatoms and dinoflagellates, as the principal source of labile organic matter to sediments, together with a significant input of cholest-5-en-3β-ol typical of zooplankton and their feeding activity. A minor but widespread terrigenous input was also evident based upon significant concentrations of sterols dominant in vascular plants.     

Dissolved carbon and 33-133-133-1anomalies in the water column caused by hydrocarbon seeps on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico slope

Alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and ¹³C profiles from seep sites on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico upper slope show anomalously negative ¹³C values of up to –4.5 PDB, increased levels of DIC of up to 2.45 mmole/liter, and slight alkalinity rises of up to 2.54 meq/liter, relative to water column profiles from a seep-free site (0.63, 2.04 mmole/liter, and 2.39 meq/liter). The observed DIC enrichments coupled with the¹³C-depletions are attributed to the release of CO₂ by microbial oxidation of crude oil in the seep environment, and its migration into the water column. The ¹³C composition of the migrating CO₂ is estimated to be –26.0 on the basis of dissolved carbon inventory. Manifestation of DIC and ¹³C anomalies in the water column caused by hydrocarbon seepage holds promise to be useful for hydrocarbon reconnaissance surveys over large offshore tracts on account of the simplicity of sampling acquisition, and rapidity of analytical techniques in the laboratory.     

A new method for the generation of second-order random waves

In order to prevent the generation of spurious free sub- and superharmonics of random waves in a laboratory channel, the control signal for the wave board has to be derived according to a higher-order wave theory. An expression for this control signal has been derived with the perturbation method of multiple scales. It is much less complex and requires less computation time than the expressions obtained from the full second-order theory. The new method for second-order subharmonics was verified experimentally for waves with bichromatic and continuous first-order spectra. The data were analysed with the complex-harmonic principal-component analysis to reduce the influence of noise.     

Sensitivity to stress of the estuarine bivalve Macoma balthica from areas between the Netherlands and its southern limits (Gironde)

Variation in the sensitivity to stress of Macoma balthica was measured in several French and Dutch estuaries. For adult and juvenile Macoma balthica exposed to copper under conditions of starvation, differences in mortality rate, condition, glycogen, burrowing rate and copper content were assessed. No significant differences were observed between adults and juveniles; the influence of treatment and origin was always evident. Animals from the most southern estuaries, Loire and Gironde, near to the species's southern limit of distribution, showed, in the field, the strongest deviations for the ecophysiological traits measured, and were in the experiments the most sensitive to stress.     

Measurement of the redox speciation of iron in seawater by catalytic cathodic stripping voltammetry

Catalytic cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) preceded by adsorptive collection of complexes of 1-nitroso-2-napthol (NN) can be used to determine iron in seawater. It is shown here that iron(II) is effectively masked in the presence of 2,2-dipyridyl (Dp) so that iron(III) is measured selectively. The concentration of iron(II) is then calculated as the difference between the concentrations of reactive iron (Fe_R) in the absence and presence of 2 μM Dp, Fe_R being defined as that which was complexed by 20 μM NN at pH 6.9 in the presence of 1.8 mM H₂O₂ and 5 ppm sodium dodecyl sulphate. A 30 min reaction time was allowed for Dp to react with iron(II) in seawater prior to the determination of reactive iron(III) using the same conditions as used for Fe_R. Detection limits of 0.08 nM, 0.077 nM and 0.12 nM were obtained for Fe_R, iron(III) and iron(II), respectively, using a 60 s deposition time.The method was utilised to determine the redox speciation of iron in the northern North Sea. Concentrations of Fe_R ranged between 0.8 and 3.5 nM with nutrient-like depth profiles. Iron(II) was found to be present at concentrations up to 1.2 nM, the highest concentrations occurring in the upper 20 m of the water column.