Geochemistry of subsurface Late Quaternary ironstones in Rajshahi and Bogra Districts,Bangladesh: implications for genetic and depositional conditions

The present study deals with the geochemistry of Late Quaternary ironstones in the subsurface in Rajshahi and Bogra districts, Bangladesh with the lithological study of the boreholes sediments. Major lithofacies of the studied boreholes are clay, silty clay, sandy clay, fine to coarse grained sand, gravels and sands with(fragmentary) ironstones. The ironstones contain major oxides, Fe_2 O_3*(*total Fe)(avg. 66.6 wt%), SiO_2(avg. 15.3 wt%), Al_2 O_3(avg. 4.0 wt%), MnO(avg. 7.7 wt%), and CaO(avg. 3.4 wt%). These geochemical data imply that the higher percentage of Fe_2 O_3* along with Al_2 O_3 and MnO indicate the ironstone as goethite and siderite, which is also validated by XRD data. A comparatively higher percentage of SiO_2 indicates the presence of relative amounts of clastic quartz and manganese-rich silicate or clay in these rocks. These ironstones also have significant amounts of MnO(avg. 7.7 wt%) suggesting their depositional environments under oxygenated condition. Chemical data of these ironstones suggest that the source rock suffered deep chemical weathering and iron was mostly carried in association with the clay fraction and organic matter. Iron concretion was mostly formed by bacterial build up in swamps and marshes, and was subsequently embedded in clayey mud.Within the coastal environments, the water table fluctuates and goethite and siderite with mud and quartz became dry and compacted to form ironstone.     

Supported TiO2 on Kaolin,Cordierite, and Calcite for Photocatalytic Removal of Dyes from Wastewater

Kaolin, cordierite, and calcite are investigated as supports for TiO₂. The prepared TiO₂/support samples are examined for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater. The samples are preliminarily investigated to identify the optimal loaded system using synthetic wastewater containing methylene blue (MB). Data indicate that the investigated support significantly affects the photocatalytic activity of the supported TiO₂. Low photocatalytic activity toward MB degradation is observed upon using TiO₂/calcite when compared to the unsupported TiO₂. Interaction between calcite and titania species probably occurrs to produce the less photoactive CaTiO₃ amorphous species. Anatase TiO₂ is obtained upon using kaolin and cordierite as supports. The low photocatalytic performance of the TiO₂/kaolin sample is also observed. A high concentration of MB on TiO₂/kaolin surfaces blocks the photoactive sites. TiO₂/cordierite shows the highest photocatalytic activity compared to the unsupported TiO₂ as well as the other TiO₂/support samples. Rigid cordierite particles suppress the agglomeration of TiO₂ particles during the preparation, leading to a high exposed surface of TiO₂ towards light illumination. TiO₂/cordierite is investigated for the removal of organic dye from real wastewater collected from a textile dyeing factory. Color removal of up to 46% is achieved upon UV irradiation.     

The Dichotomy of the Mass-radius Relation and the Number of Globular Clusters

Astronomy Letters - Globular clusters $$(GCs)$$ are among the oldest stellar systems in the early universe. We present galaxies formed with two different stellar populations, which depend on the...     

Inhibition of sulphate reduction in anoxic marine sediment by Group VI anions

The addition of various concentrations (1, 10 and 20 mM) of Group VI anions to sediment slurry resulted in inhibition of the rate of sulphate reduction at the two higher concentrations, the degree of inhibition being in the order of molyb-date $\text{(MoO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}\text{)>selenate(SeO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}\text{)>tungstate(WO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}\text{)}$. The addition of 20 mM concentrations of these inhibitors almost entirely eliminated sulphate reduction. Doubling the sulphate concentration while using the highest concentration of inhibitors (20 mM) led to the re-establishment of some sulphate reduction in the $\text{SeO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$ and $\text{WO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$ treated slurries whereas no such reversal was noticed with $\text{MoO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$. These observations suggested that $\text{SeO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$ and $\text{WO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$ are competitive inhibitors of sulphate reduction, while $\text{MoO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{=}}$ is a non-competitive inhibitor.     

Statistical Estimation of Dose-response Functions of Respiratory Diseases and Societal Costs of Haze-related Air Pollution in Brunei Darussalam

— The effects on human health resulting from the January to April 1998 haze-related air pollution episode in Brunei Darussalam were analysed for five groups of diseases of the respiratory system. The analysis concentrated on the statistical estimation of dose-response functions which related the number of cases of respiratory diseases to the level of quality of ambient environment as measured by the pollutants standards index (PSI) and other environmental variables. The total number of cases of the five groups of diseases was shown to be significantly related to PSI and temperature. Societal costs were also estimated. The results showed that societal costs were significantly related to PSI, temperature and relative humidity. Societal costs increased with higher PSI and relative humidity but decreased with increasing temperature.     

Motion of artificial satellites in the set of Eulerian redundant parameters (III)

In this paper, the classical and generalized Sundman time transformations are used to establish new generating set of differential equations of motion in terms of the Eulerian redundant parameters. The implementation of this set on digital computers for the commonly used independent variables is developed once and for all. Motion prediction algorithms based on these equations are developed in a recursive manner for the motions in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry whatever the number of the zonal harmonic terms may be. Applications for the two types of short and long term predictions are considered for the perturbed motion in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry with zonal harmonic terms up to J ₃₆ . Numerical results proved the very high efficiency and flexibility of the developed equations.     

Aswan telemetered seismograph network

A telemetered network of 8 short-period seismograph stations was installed at Aswan Reservoir in July 1982 to monitor induced seismicity near the site of a magnitude 5 earthquake which occurred in November 1981. A continuous monitor of the seismicity is provided by pen and ink recording of 4 stations. An event detector is used to identify events of interest, for which all of the stations are recorded on magnetic tape. Approximate displacement magnifications are 40, 000 at 1 hz with a maximum of 500, 000 at 20 hz.     

A microearthquake survey in the Abu-Simbel area in Egypt

From the middle of January to the middle of March, 1981 a microearthquake survey was conducted jointly by Polish and Egyptian seismologists in the Abu-Simbel area, about 230 km upstream from the Aswan High Dam. A small seismic array composed of six stations and a magnetic-tape digital recording system was operated during the survey. Altogether 63 microearthquakes at epicentral distances of up to 50 km and 12 local earthquakes at distances of up to 200 km were recorded, but only 16 microearthquakes could be properly located. All of them originated either directly under the High Dam Reservoir or close to its shores, thus implying their association with its water level fluctuations.It was deduced that under the Abu-Simbel array a deep fracture zone or deep fault extending in the NNE—SSW direction, 1–3 km wide and several kilometers deep, must be present to explain the observed effects of heavy attenuation and scattering of seismic waves under the array. This fracture zone might be a deep expression of the western edge of the Nile Valley in the Abu-Simbel area.