Ensuring confidence in radionuclide-based sediment chronologies and bioturbation rates

Sedimentary records of naturally occurring and fallout-derived radionuclides are widely used as tools for estimating both the ages of recent sediments and rates of sedimentation and bioturbation. Developing these records to the point of data interpretation requires careful sample collection, processing, analysis and data modeling. In this work, we document a number of potential pitfalls that can impact sediment core records and their interpretation. This paper is not intended as an exhaustive treatment of these potential problems. Rather, the emphasis is on potential problems that are not well documented in the literature, as follows: (1) the mere sampling of sediment cores at a resolution that is too coarse can result in an apparent diffusive mixing of the sedimentary record at rates comparable to diffusive bioturbation rates observed in many locations; (2) ²¹⁰Pb profiles in slowly accumulating sediments can easily be misinterpreted to be driven by sedimentation, when in fact bioturbation is the dominant control. Multiple isotopes of different half lives and/or origin may help to distinguish between these two possible interpretations; (3) apparent mixing can occur due simply to numerical artifacts inherent in the finite difference approximations of the advection diffusion equation used to model sedimentation and bioturbation. Model users need to be aware of this potential problem. Solutions to each of these potential pitfalls are offered to ensure the best possible sediment age estimates and/or sedimentation and bioturbation rates can be obtained.     

On the relevance of iron adsorption to container materials in small-volume experiments on iron marine chemistry: Fe-aided assessment of capacity, affinity and kinetics

Iron chemistry in seawater has been extensively studied in the laboratory, mostly in small-volume sample bottles. However, little has been reported about iron wall sorption in these bottles. In this paper, radio-iron ⁵⁵Fe was used to assess iron wall adsorption, both in terms of capacity, affinity and kinetics. Various bottle materials were tested. Iron sorption increased from polyethylene/polycarbonate to polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA)/high-density polyethylene/polytetrafluoroethylene to glass/quartz, reaching equilibrium in a 25–70 h period. PMMA was studied in more detail: ferric iron (Fe(III)) adsorbed on the walls of the bottles, whereas ferrous iron (Fe(II)) did not. Considering that in seawater the inorganic iron pool mostly consists of ferric iron, the wall will be a factor that needs to be considered in bottle experiments.The present data indicate that for PMMA with specific surface (S)-to-volume (V) ratio S/V, both iron capacity (42 ± 16 × 10^− 9 mol/m² or 1.7 × 10^− 9 mol/L recalculated for the S/V-specific PMMA bottles used) and affinity (log K_Fe'W = 11.0 ± 0.3 m²/mol or 12.4 ± 0.3 L/mol, recalculated for the S/V-specific PMMA bottles used) are of similar magnitude as the iron capacity and -affinity of the natural ligands in the presently used seawater and thus cannot be ignored.Calculation of rate constants for association and dissociation of both Fe'L (iron bound to natural occurring organic ligands) and Fe'W (iron adsorbed on the wall of vessels) suggests that the two iron complexes are also of rather similar kinetics, with rate constants for dissociation in the order of 10 ⁻⁴–10^− 5 L/s and rate constants for association in the order of 10⁸ L/(mol s). This makes that iron wall sorption should be seriously considered in small-volume experiments, both in assessments of shorter-term dynamics and in end-point observations in equilibrium conditions. Therefore, the present data strongly advocate making use of iron mass balances throughout in experiments in smaller volume set-ups on marine iron (bio) chemistry.     

Nutrient variability during El Niño 1997–98 in the California current system off central California

Nutrient conditions off central California during the 1997–98 El Niño are described. Data were collected on 11 cruises from March 1997 to January 1999 along a hydrographic section off central California, as well as every two weeks at a coastal station in Monterey Bay. Perturbations associated with El Niño are shown as anomalies of thermohaline and nutrient distributions along this section. The anomalies were obtained by subtracting seasonal averages for the period from April 1988 to April 1991 from the 1997–98 observations. The first indications of El Niño conditions (high sea levels) were observed at Monterey between late May and early June 1997, but the coastal nutricline did not begin to deepen until August 1997. It reached maximum depth of 130 dbar in January 1998 at the time that maximum sea level anomalies were observed. During this period: (1) the highest subsurface temperature anomalies coincided with subsurface nutrient anomaly minima at the depth of the pycnocline; (2) southern saline and nutrient-poor waters occupied the upper 80 dbar of the water column along the entire section; and (3) nitrate levels were close to zero in the euphotic zone, collapsing the potential new primary production in the coastal domain. At the end of February 1998, the nutricline shoaled to 40 dbar at the coast although it remained anomalously deep offshore. Higher temperatures and lower nutrient levels were observed for the entire section through August 1998 although in contrast with the previous winter, there was a strong freshening mainly due to an onshore movement of subarctic waters.     

Estrogenic responses to xenobiotics in channel catfish (Ictalwus punctatus)

Several environmentally relevant contaminants are characterized as xenoestrogens by virtue of their ability to induce responses similar to 17β-estradiol (E2). There is concern that exposure to these xenoestrogens may result in endocrine and, thus, reproductive disruption. The objective of the present research was to determine whether xenobiotics known to elicit estrogenic responses in mammals were estrogenic in channel catfish, and if these compounds were capable of altering normal physiological response to E2. Sexually immature catfish were exposed by intraperitoneal injection to E2, suspected xenoestrogens or combination doses of E2 and xenoestrogen. Appearance of vitellogenin (Vg) in serum was used as the bioindicator of estrogenicity; Vg was measured by ELISA 7 days after injection. The ED₅₀ of E2 for the appearance of Vg in blood, 0.6 mg/kg, was used as the positive control. Synthetic estrogens, ethinylestradiol, mestranol and DES were effective in inducing Vg; the antiestrogen tamoxifen inhibited response to E2 when given in a combination dose. Treatment by both methoxychlor and p-nonylphenol resulted in Vg appearance in serum; the doses required were 300 times that of E2, and the vitellogenic response was less when compared to the E2-induced response. In addition, a combination dose of methoxychlor with E2 decreased the magnitude of the response to E2. Other mammalian xenoestrogens, o,p′-DDT, chlordecone, lindane and β-HCH, were not able to produce a vitellogenic response in this study.     

The depletion of oil

The trend of previous estimates of the world's ultimate recovery of oil suggests a figure of 1650 BBO, of which 1438 BBO have been discovered and 978 BBO remain to be produced. Some large reported reserve figures are questioned. Importance is attached to the mid-point of depletion when rising production tends to give way to decline. The share of the world's supply coming from six Middle East countries is set to continue to rise from its 1986 low of 16% to as much as 50% by 2010, with the likely consequence of higher oil prices and serious political implications. The world is rapidly approaching a turning point when it has to face the consequences of an irreversible decline in oil production.     

Paleocene to lower Eocene clay sedimentation in the Bay of Biscay

A study of the mineralogy of red clay sequences overlying basalt in the Bay of Biscay revealed two successive units: unit one (lower unit) indicates that clay minerals are the result of subaerial weathering of acid or basic continental rocks, occurring in the Galice province (northwest Spain); and unit two (upper unit) consists of fine-grained particles which suggest distinct volcanic activity. Clay materials from the first unit (Paleocene) are deposited in shallow environments, whereas the second unit materials (lower Eocene) Occur in deeper environments followed by neoformation of clay Minerals and concentration of chemical elements (cobalt, nickel, lead, zinc, and barium).