Emissions of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by savanna fires

Although Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are known as anthropogenic compounds arising from the combustion or the pyrolysis of fossil fuels, they may be also emitted by the combustion of vegetation. A field study was carried out in January 1991 at Lamto (Ivory Coast) as part of the FOS DECAFE experiment (Fire Of Savanna). Some ground samplings were devoted to the qualitative and quantitative characterization of atmospheric emissions by savanna fires during prescribed burns and under background conditions. Specific collections for gaseous and particulate PAHs have shown that the African practice of burning the savanna biomass during the winter months is an important source of PAHs. These compounds are emitted mainly in gaseous form but a significant fraction, essentially heavy PAHs, is associated with fine carbonaceous particles and can therefore represent a hazard for human health, since some of these compounds are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Twelve compounds were identified during the fire episodes and in the atmospheric background. The total concentration in the fires is of the order of 10 ng m^–3 for the gas phase and from 0.1 to 1 ng m^–3 in the aerosols. In the atmospheric background the mean concentrations are regular, 0.15 ng m^–3 and 2 pg m^–3, respectively. These concentrations are comparable with what is observed in European rural zones. The particulate emissions of PAHs by the savanna fires are distinguished by the abundance of some compounds which can be considered as tracers, although they are also slightly emitted by fossil fuel sources. These compounds are essentially pyrene, chrysene and coronene. In the gas phase, although no individual PAH may be considered as specific of the biomass combustion emissions, the relative abundances of the main PAHs are characteristic of the biomass burning. The concentrations of pyrene and fluorene are always predominant; these compounds could be considered as characteristic emission products of smoldering and flaming episodes, respectively. In the background the PAH composition shows that in a tropical region the air consists of a mixture coming from the various sources, but the biomass combustion is by far the most important source.The fluxes of total PAH emitted by savanna biomass burning in Africa were estimated to be of the order of 17 and 600 ton yr^–1, respectively, for the particulate PAHs and the gaseous PAHs, respectively.     

Magma ascent rate and initial water concentration inferred from diffusive water loss from olivine-hosted melt inclusions

As the water concentration in magma decreases during magma ascent, olivine-hosted melt inclusions will reequilibrate with the host magma through hydrogen diffusion in olivine. Previous models showed that for a single spherical melt inclusion in the center of a spherical olivine, the rate of diffusive reequilibration depends on the partition coefficient and diffusivity of hydrogen in olivine, the radius of the melt inclusion, and the radius of the olivine. This process occurs within a few hours and must be considered when interpreting water concentration in olivine-hosted melt inclusions. A correlation is expected between water concentration and melt inclusion radius, because small melt inclusions are more rapidly reequilibrated than large ones when the other conditions are the same. This study investigates the effect of diffusive water loss in natural samples by exploring such a correlation between water concentration and melt inclusion radius, and shows that the correlation can be used to infer the initial water concentration and magma ascent rate. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements show that 31 melt inclusions (3.6–63.9 μm in radius) in six olivines from la Sommata, Vulcano Island, Aeolian Islands, have 0.93–5.28 wt% water, and the host glass has 0.17 wt% water. The water concentration in the melt inclusions shows larger variation than the data in previous studies (1.8–4.52 wt%). It correlates positively with the melt inclusion radius, but does not correlate with the major element concentrations in the melt inclusions, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the water concentration has been affected by diffusive water loss. In a simplified hypothetical scenario of magma ascent, the initial water concentration and magma ascent rate are inferred by numerical modeling of the diffusive water loss process. The melt inclusions in each olivine are assumed to have the same initial water concentration and magma ascent rate. The melt inclusions are assumed to be quenched after eruption (i.e., the diffusive water loss after eruption is not considered). The model results show that the melt inclusions initially had 3.9–5.9 wt% water and ascended at 0.002–0.021 MPa/s before eruption. The overall range of ascent rate is close to the lower limit of previous estimates on the ascent rate of basalts.     

Evidence for a mantle component shown by rare gases, C and N isotopes in polycrystalline diamonds from Orapa (Botswana)

In an attempt to constrain the origin of polycrystalline diamond, combined analyses of rare gases and carbon and nitrogen isotopes were performed on six such diamonds from Orapa (Botswana). Helium shows radiogenic isotopic ratios of R/Ra = 0.14–1.29, while the neon ratios (²¹Ne/²²Ne of up to 0.0534) reflect a component from mantle, nucleogenic and atmospheric sources. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratios of between 477 and 6056 are consistent with this interpretation. The (¹²⁹Xe/¹³⁰Xe) isotopic ratios range between 6.54 and 6.91 and the lower values indicate an atmospheric component. The He, Ne, Ar and Xe isotopic compositions and the Xe isotopic pattern are clear evidence for a mantle component rather than a crustal one in the source of the polycrystalline diamonds from Orapa. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N isotopic values of − 1.04 to − 9.79‰ and + 4.5 to + 15.5‰ respectively, lie within the range of values obtained from the monocrystalline diamonds at that mine. Additionally, this work reveals that polycrystalline diamonds may not be the most appropriate samples to study if the aim is to consider the compositional evolution of rare gases through time. Our data shows that after crystallization, the polycrystalline diamonds undergo both gas loss (that is more significant for the lighter rare gases such as He and Ne) and secondary processes (such as radiogenic, nucleogenic and fissiogenic, as well as atmospheric contamination). Finally, if polycrystalline diamonds sampled an old mantle (1–3.2 Ga), the determined Xe isotopic signatures, which are similar to present MORB mantle – no fissiogenic Xe from fission of ²³⁸U being detectable – imply either that Xe isotopic ratios have not evolved within the convective mantle since diamond crystallization, or that these diamonds are actually much younger.     

Role of extracellular polymeric substances in metal ion complexation on Shewanella oneidensis: Batch uptake, thermodynamic modeling, ATR-FTIR, and EXAFS study

The effect of cell wall-associated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of the Gram-negative bacterium Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 on proton, Zn(II), and Pb(II) adsorption was investigated using a combination of titration/batch uptake studies, surface complexation modeling, attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and Zn K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Both unmodified (wild-type (WT) strain) and genetically modified cells with inhibited production of EPS (ΔEPS strain) were used. Three major types of functional groups (carboxyl, phosphoryl, and amide groups) were identified in both strains using ATR-FITR spectroscopy. Potentiometric titration data were fit using a constant capacitance model (FITEQL) that included these three functional groups. The fit results indicate less interaction of Zn(II) and Pb(II) with carboxyl and amide groups and a greater interaction with phosphoryl groups in the ΔEPS strain than in the WT strain. Results from Zn(II) and Pb(II) batch adsorption studies and surface complexation modeling, assuming carboxyl and phosphoryl functional groups, also indicate significantly lower Zn(II) and Pb(II) uptake and binding affinities for the ΔEPS strain. Results from Zn K-edge EXAFS spectroscopy show that Zn(II) bonds to phosphoryl and carboxyl ligands in both strains. Based on batch uptake and modeling results and EXAFS spectral analysis, we conclude that the greater amount of EPS in the WT strain enhances Zn(II) and Pb(II) uptake and hinders diffusion of Zn(II) to the cell walls relative to the ΔEPS strain.     

Typology of Natural Hazards and Assessment of Associated Risks in the Mount Bambouto Caldera(Cameroon Line,West Cameroon)

Mount Bambouto is a polygenic stratovolcano of the Cameroon Volcanic Line,built between 21 Ma and 4.5 Ma.It is situated approximately 200 km NE of Mount Cameroon,between 09°55′and 10°15′longitude east and,05°25′and 05°50′latitude north.The volcano covers an area of 500 km~2 and culminates at 2740 m at Meletan dome and bears a collapsed caldera at the summit (13×8 km).Mount Bambouto is characterized by several natural hazards of different origins: meteorological,such as landslides and rock falls;anthropog...     

On the petrology of brittle precursors of shear zones – An expression of concomitant brittle deformation and fluid–rock interactions in the ‘ductile’ continental crust?

The inherited localization model for shear zone development suggests that ductile deformation in the middle and lower continental crust is localized on mechanical anisotropies, like fractures, referred to as shear zone brittle precursors. In the Neves area (Western Tauern Window, Eastern Alps), although the structural control of these brittle precursors on ductile strain localization is well established, the relative timing of the brittle deformation and associated localized fluid flow with respect to ductile deformation remains in most cases a matter of debate. The present petrological study, carried out on a brittle precursor of a shear zone affecting the Neves metagranodiorite, aims to determine whether brittle and ductile deformations are concomitant and therefore relate to the same tectonic event. The brittle precursor consists of a 100–500 µm wide recrystallized zone with a host mineral‐controlled stable mineral assemblage composed of plagioclase–garnet–quartz–biotite–zoisite±white mica±pyrite. Plagioclase and garnet preserve an internal compositional zoning interpreted as the fingerprint of Alpine metamorphism and fluid–rock interactions concomitant with the brittle deformation. Phase equilibrium modelling of this garnet‐bearing brittle precursor shows that metamorphic garnet and plagioclase both nucleated at 0.6 ± 0.05 GPa, 500 ± 20°C and then grew along a prograde path to 0.75 ± 0.05 GPa, 530 ± 20°C. These amphibolite facies conditions are similar to those inferred from ductile shear zones from the same area, suggesting that both brittle and ductile deformation were active in the ductile realm above 500°C for a depth range between 17 and 21 km. We speculate that the Neves area fulfils most of the required conditions to have hosted slow earthquakes during Alpine continental collision, that is, coupled frictional and viscous deformation under high‐fluid pressure conditions ~450°C. Further investigation of this potential geological record is required to demonstrate that slow earthquakes may not be restricted to subduction zones but are also very likely to occur in modern continental collision settings.     

Short‐time (<10 ka) denudation rates as a marker of active folding in the Zagros Fold Belt (Iran)

Coupling between tectonics and surface processes is usually ill‐quantified as other factors such as climate and lithology affect the later. We provide catchment‐wide ¹⁰Be denudation rates of the Mand catchment in the Zagros Fold Belt (Iran) to infer correlations between these rates and ongoing tectonic shortening in the region. Denudation rates are generally low (~0.05–0.1 mm/a) but increase to ~1 mm/a near the Halikan anticline, where changes in precipitation, lithology or hillslope gradient are insignificant. The denudation rates upstream and downstream of the Halikan anticline are consistent with the GPS convergence rates in these areas. The sharp increase in denudation rates over the Halikan anticline denotes its growth as previously detected from terrace incision. It also reveals small wavelength coupling between crustal deformation and erosion. Denudation rates are therefore a useful and sensitive tool that helps constraining non‐brittle active tectonics such as folding of a sedimentary cover.     

Tourmaline composition and boron isotopes record lateritic weathering during the Great Oxidation Event

Identifying evidence of oxidative weathering in the geological record is essential to trace the evolution of Earth's atmosphere oxygenation. Metamorphosed residues of lateritic weathering have been identified as two rock types in the 2.1‐Ga‐old Cercadinho Formation, Piracicaba Group, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais. One is tourmaline–hematite–sillimanite–kyanite quartzite; the other is rutile–tourmaline–hematite–muscovite phyllite. Both rocks have abundant tourmaline with δ¹¹B values between about ?17‰ and ?13‰. The Cercadinho tourmaline is roughly parallel to the povondraite–“oxy‐dravite” join of meta‐evaporitic tourmaline, in its more aluminous segment, offset to higher contents of iron. These compositional and isotopic characteristics of the Cercadinho tourmaline indicate that continental evaporitic brines interacted with aluminium‐ and iron‐rich residues of lateritic weathering. The abundance of disseminated tourmaline, a mineral poorly reported from palaeosols worldwide, implies a boron‐rich brine overprint on the lateritic profile before the onset of metamorphism, reflecting a climatic change from humid to arid conditions in a continental setting. The recognition of lateritic weathering in the Cercadinho Formation contributes to the amount of evidence for increased levels of atmospheric oxygen between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga ago.     

A graphical approach for documenting peatland hydrodiversity and orienting land management strategies

This study focuses on the development of an approach to document the hydrological characteristics of peatlands and understand their potential influence on runoff processes and groundwater flow dynamics. Spatial calculations were performed using geographic information systems data in order to evaluate the distribution of peatlands according to (a) neighbouring hydrogeological units and (b) their position within the hydrographic network. The data obtained from these calculations were plotted in a multiple trilinear diagram (two ternary plots projected into a diamond‐shaped diagram) that illustrates the position of a given peatland within the hydrogeological environment. The data allow for the segregation of peatlands according to groups sharing similarities as well as the identification of peatlands that are most likely to have similar hydrological functions. The approach was tested in a 19,549 km² region of the southern portion of the Barlow‐Ojibway Clay Belt (in Abitibi‐Témiscamingue, Canada) and lead to a conceptual model representing the hydrological interactions between peatlands, aquifers, and surface waters. This approach allows for a geographic information systems‐based differentiation of headwater peatland complexes that are likely to interact with aquifers and to supply continuous baseflow to small streams from lowland peatland complexes of the clay plain that are isolated from surrounding aquifers but that can act as storage reservoirs within the hydrographic network. The typology is further used to discuss land management strategies aimed at preserving peatland hydrodiversity within the study region. The proposed approach relies on widely applicable hydrogeological and hydrographic criteria and provides a tool that could be used for assessing peatland hydrodiversity in other regions of the planet.