Morphological analysis of deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD) in the western part of the Argentera massif. A morpho-tectonic control?

The western part of the Argentera–Mercantour massif (French Alps) hosts very large currently active landslides responsible of many disorders and risks to the highly touristic valleys of the Mercantour National Park and skiing resorts. A regional scale mapping of gravitational deformations has been compared to the main geo-structures of the massif. A relative chronology of the events has been established and locally compared to absolute ¹⁰Be dating obtained from previous studies. Two types of large slope destabilisations were identified as follows: deep-seated landslides (DSL) that correspond to rock volumes bounded by a failure surface, and deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSD) defined as large sagging zones including gravitation landforms such as trenches and scarps or counterscarps. Gravitational landforms are mainly collinear to major N140°E and N020°E tectonic faults, and the most developed DSGSD are located in areas where the slope direction is comparable to the orientation of faults. DSL are mostly included within DSGSD zones and located at the slopes foot. Most of DSL followed a similar failure evolution process according to postglacial over steepened topographies and resulting from a progressive failure growing from the foot to the top of the DSGSD that lasts over a 10 ky time period. This massif-scale approach shows that large-scale DSGSD had a peak of activity from the end of the last deglaciation, to approximately 7000 years bp. Both morphologic and tectonic controls can be invoked to explain the gravitational behaviour of the massif slopes.     

广西南部凭祥中三叠世沉积盆地构造环境——来自岩相学和碎屑岩地球化学的证据

岩相学特征表明,广西凭祥盆地砾岩可分为颗粒支撑和基质支撑2种,砾石成分主要为生物碎屑灰岩,其次为砂岩和泥岩。盆地砂岩主要由成分成熟度和结构成熟度较低的亚岩屑(杂)砂岩和岩屑(杂)砂岩组成,物源区为碰撞造山带或再旋回造山带。碎屑岩地球化学特征表明,凭祥中三叠世盆地中的砂岩和泥岩样品SiO2含量为61.71%~74.85%,接近于上地壳的平均值。具有高的K2O/Na2O值(6.50~0.51)和高的TFe2O3+MgO含量(7.29%~10.31%),TFe2O3/K2O值为2.05%~5.54%,矿物稳定性较差。稀土元素标准化配分曲线呈现出轻稀土元素富集、重稀土元素平坦和明显的Eu、Ce负异常特征,类似于上地壳和典型的太古宙页岩,具有海相沉积的特征。砂岩风化蚀变指数CIA高(71~88),Th/U值为3.68~9.53,表明砂岩和泥岩经历了较强的风化作用。砂岩物源区判别图表明,凭祥盆地物源与酸性岛弧具明显的亲缘性,增生楔和活动陆缘是主要的物源区。这些特征综合表明,凭祥盆地是一个伴随古特提斯分支洋盆闭合、经强烈构造改造的残余弧前盆地。     

Zero-valent iron/persulfate(Fe0/PS) oxidation acetaminophen in water

Zero-valent iron (Fe⁰), as an alternative iron source, was evaluated to activate persulfate (PS) to degrade acetaminophen (APAP), a representative pharmaceutically active compound in water. Effects of key factors in the so-called Fe⁰/PS process, including Fe⁰ dosage, initial pH, temperatures and chelating agents, were studied. Under all the conditions tested, the APAP degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics pattern. The degradation efficiency of APAP was highest when the Fe⁰ to PS molar ratio increased to 1:1, and the degradation rate constant and removal were 23.19 × 10^?3 min^?1 and 93.19 %, respectively. Comparing with Fe²⁺, Fe⁰ served as an alternative iron source that can gradually release Fe²⁺ into water, thereby consistently activating PS to produce sulfate radicals. The Fe⁰/PS system was effective in a broader pH range from 3 to 8.5. Heat could facilitate production of sulfate radicals and enhance the APAP degradation in the Fe⁰/PS system. High reaction temperature also improved the Fe²⁺/PS oxidation of APAP. Finally, sodium citrate (a chelating agent) at an appropriate concentration could improve the APAP degradation rate in the Fe²⁺/PS and Fe⁰/PS system. The optimal molar ratio of Fe⁰ to citrate depended on solution pH. Our results demonstrated that Fe⁰ was an alternative iron source to activate PS to degrade APAP in water.     

Determination of perchlorate and iodide concentrations in edible seaweeds

Perchlorate and iodide concentrations were determined in brown (Undaria pinnatifida and Laminaria japonica) and red (Porphyra sp.) edible seaweeds, which are commonly consumed by Korean people, with the use of ion chromatography, coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer. Seaweeds (i.e., good sources of iodine) are among the most important plant life in the ocean and commonly consumed as food and nutritional supplement in South Korea. All seaweed samples were purchased from different regions in South Korea. The detected concentrations of perchlorate were as follows: 19.7–620.7 μg kg^?1 dry weight (n = 11, mean concentration = 149.2 μg kg^?1 dry weight) for L. japonica and 7.3–21.7 μg kg^?1 dry weight (mean concentration = 10.6 μg kg^?1 dry weight) for U. pinnatifida. Of the 11 samples of Porphyra sp., only 1 sample showed 6.7 μg kg^?1 dry weight perchlorate. The concentrations of iodide in all seaweed samples varied from 0.44 to 6,800 mg kg^?1 dry weight. L. japonica samples (n = 11) had significantly higher iodide concentrations, with a mean of 5,261 mg kg^?1 dry weight. The bioconcentration factor values for perchlorate and iodide in the three different seaweeds varied widely and showed similar variation trends. The trend for perchlorate and iodide was Porphyra sp. < U. pinnatifida < L. japonica. The results have provided growing evidence that perchlorate frequently occurs in food products.     

Predicting lake water quality responses to load reduction: a three-dimensional modeling approach for total maximum daily load

Water quality restoration efforts often suffer the risk of ineffectiveness and failure due to lack of quantitative decision supports. During the past two decades, the restoration of one of China’s most heavily polluted lakes, Lake Dianchi, has experienced costly decision ineffectiveness with no detectable water quality improvement. The governments are planning to invest tremendous amount of funds in the next 5 years to continue the lake restoration process; however, without a quantitative understanding between the load reduction and the response in lake water quality, it is highly possible that these planned efforts would suffer the similar ineffectiveness as before. To provide scientifically sound decision support for guiding future load reduction efforts in Lake Dianchi Watershed, a sophisticated quantitative cause-and-effect response system was developed using a three-dimensional modeling approach. It incorporates the complex three dimensional hydrodynamics, fate and transport of nutrients, as well as nutrient-algae interactions into one holistic framework. The model results show that the model performs well in reproducing the observed spatial pattern and temporal trends in water quality. The model was then applied to three total maximum daily load scenarios and two refined restoration scheme scenarios to quantify phytoplankton responses to various external load reduction intensities. The results show that the algal bloom in Lake Dianchi responds to load reduction in a complex and nonlinear way, therefore, it is necessary to apply the developed system for future load reduction and lake restoration schemes for more informed decision making and effective management.     

Pressure-assisted cyclic washing of heavy-metal-contaminated sediments

Remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated sediment is often hampered by the availability of heavy metals to the added chemical agents because the heavy metals are often shielded by the sediment matrix. Effective heavy-metal extraction technique becomes an important factor in enhancing the treatment efficiency. A novel extraction/washing technique utilizing chelating agent and elevated pressure in consecutive cycles of compression and decompression has been developed for heavy-metal-contaminated sediment washing in the presence of chelating agent. In this study, the optimal operational conditions of pressure-assisted cyclic washing of Cu-contaminated sediments (initial Cu concentration = 23.177 mg/kg) were determined in a laboratory-scale system. The control factors included applied pressure level, washing time, applied chelant [ethylenediamine-tertraacetic (EDTA)] concentration (0.01–0.5 M), pressure times, and application of consecutive batches washing. Results from the bench-scale study showed that up to 70 % of Cu can be removed from the sediments when 10 atm of pressure was applied for washing. The efficiency dropped to 55 % when the pressure dropped to 6 atm. Under the same operational conditions, the optimal cyclic washing time was 60 min. Results from the particle size analyses indicate that the mean particle size dropped from 100 to 50 μm after the pressure-assisted cyclic washing. Thus, cyclic pressure caused the fracture of sediment aggregates resulting in the exposure of Cu to chelating agents. With the assistance of pressure cyclic system, the total washing time and the amount of added chemical agent used can be significantly reduced.     

Effects of spatial data resolution on runoff predictions by the BASINS model

The BASINS model, developed by the United States EPA, is a popular simulation tool for predicting watershed responses, such as runoff, pollution exports, and water quality. It requires large amounts of data to set parameters. Many studies state that model input is a major source of model uncertainty. Thus, improvements to the quality and completeness of the data will improve the certainty of the model. The objective of this study is to discuss the effects of spatial data, including digital elevation models (DEMs) and spatial rainfall records, on predictions of runoff from the BASINS model. The result shows that both DEMs and rainfall data can significantly influence peak flow and runoff volume. Rainfall input has more influence on the curve shape of hydrograph than DEM resolution. DEM resolution can have more impact on peak flow predictions than rainfall input. Because the model uncertainties from DEMs and rainfall records influence each other, the prediction error does not always decrease when DEM resolution increases. The present results show that the BASINS model produces reliable answers in the case area when the grid size is less than 100 m × 100 m and the precipitation records from the Bihu Rainfall Station are correct and complete.     

Phytoremediation of soil contaminated by heavy oil with plants colonized by mycorrhizal fungi

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of phytoremediation on soils contaminated with heavy crude oil using plants infected by mycorrhizal fungi. Five plant species, Vetiveria zizanioides, Bidens pilosa, Chloris barbata, Eleusine indica, and Imperata cylindrica, infected with the species of mycorrhizal fungi Glomus mosseae, were selected for this study. The degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons in soils and several physiological parameters of plants such as shoot length and biomass were analyzed. Out of the 5 plant species tested, only V. zizanioides, B. pilosa, and E. indica could take up the G. mosseae. Out of these three, V. zizanioides showed the greatest growth (biomass) in soils with 100,000 mg kg^?1 total petroleum hydrocarbons. In addition, B. pilosa infected with G. mosseae was found to be able to increase degradation by 9 % under an initial total petroleum hydrocarbons concentration of 30,000 mg kg^?1 in soils after 64 days. We conclude that plants infected with mycorrhizal fungi can enhance the phytoremediation efficiency of soils contaminated with high concentrations of heavy oil.     

Evaluation of adsorption potential of bamboo biochar for metal-complex dye: equilibrium,kinetics and artificial neural network modeling

Metal-complex dyes are widely used in textile industry, but harmful to the environment and human health due to aromatic structure and heavy metal ions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the adsorption potential of bamboo biochar for the removal of metal-complex dye acid black 172 from solutions. Freundlich model was more suitable for the adsorption process of bamboo biochar than Langmuir isotherm, indicating multilayer adsorption of acid black 172 on a heterogeneous bamboo biochar surface. Adsorption kinetics analysis of pseudo-second-order and Weber–Morris models revealed that intraparticle transport was not the only rate-limiting step. The bamboo biochar exhibited a good adsorption performance even at high ionic strength. Analysis based on the artificial neural network indicated that the temperature with a relative importance of 29 % appeared to be the most influential parameter in the adsorption process for dye removal, followed by time, ionic strength, pH and dye concentration.     

Global correlation of basal Triassic layers in the light of the first carbon isotope data on the Permian-Triassic boundary in Northeast Asia

This paper is dedicated to the global correlation of the marine Permian-Triassic boundary layers based on some published and original data on the δ¹³C_org and δ¹³C_carb values obtained for the section along the Suol Creek (Setorym River, southern Verkhoyansk region). The section includes six carbon-isotope intervals readily distinguished in the corresponding curves obtained for several Permian and Triassic reference sections in Eurasia and North America including palleontologically well substantiated sections of central Iran, Kashmir, and South China. This provides grounds for assuming the Permian-Triassic boundary’s position in the Suol Creek section as being close to the carbon-isotope minimum of Interval IV. In the light of new data, the upper part of the Upper Permian Changhsingian Stage in Siberia is proposed to correspond in range to the Otoceras concavum range zone, and the lower substage of the Lower Triassic Induan Stage, to the Tompophiceras pascoei and Wordieoceras decipiens zones. The Otoceras concavum Zone of the Verkhoyansk region in its new understanding is likely correlative with the upper Changhsingian Hypophiceras triviale Zone of Greenland. Carbon-isotope intervals II, III, IV, and V defined in the Permian-Triassic boundary layers of the Verkhoyansk region, which are traceable in several reference sections of Eurasia and North America, evidently coincide with the period of some intensification of the volcanic activity in the initial late Changhsingian and with the first phases of extensive eruption of Siberian trappes in the terminal Changhsingian and initial Induan ages. New data imply the probable survival of some ammonoid species from the superfamily Otoceratoidea after the mass extinction of organisms in the terminal Permian Epoch.