An optimized sequential extraction scheme for molybdenum association in environmental samples

By comparing three sequential extraction procedures, a new optimized extraction scheme for the molybdenum association in environmental samples was proposed. Five operational steps were described as exchangeable (KH₂PO₄ + K₂HPO₄: including water-soluble), associated with organic matter (NaOH), Fe–Mn oxides and/or carbonates (HCl), sulfides (H₂O₂) and residue (HNO₃ + HF + H₂O₂). An optimized extraction scheme was compared with Tessier’s procedure and the Commission of European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) was applied to black shales. Results showed Tessier’s procedure gave the lowest concentration values for exchangeable molybdenum and the highest values for the residual molybdenum, which could not present the efficiency of the extraction reagents. BCR’s procedure showed the highest values in oxidizable molybdenum and presented four fractions of molybdenum, which did not demonstrate the fractions of molybdenum in the black shales in detail. The optimized extraction scheme demonstrated a certain improvement on extraction efficiency over Tessier’s procedure for the lowest residual molybdenum, and revealed more featured fraction information of molybdenum in black shales than BCR’s. Therefore, after a comparison with other two extraction procedures, the optimized extraction scheme proved suitable for the molybdenum in black shales and it also showed an accurate determination of the molybdenum in the fractions and source of bioavailable Mo.     

Ra’s Abdah of the north Eastern Desert of Egypt: the role of granitic dykes in the formation of radioactive mineralization,evidenced by zircon morphology and chemistry

Syenogranitic dykes in the north of Egypt’s Eastern Desert are of geological and economic interest because of the presence of magmatic and supergene enrichment of radioactive mineralization. Zircon crystal morphology within the syenogranitic dykes allows precise definition of sub-alkaline series granites and crystallized at mean temperature of about 637 °C. The growth pattern of the zircons suggest magmatic and hydrothermal origins of radioactive mineralization. Hydrothermal processes are responsible for the formation of significant zircon overgrowth; high U-zircon margins might have occurred contemporaneously with the emplacement of syenogranitic dykes which show anomalous uranium (eU) and thorium (eTh) contents of up to 1386 and 7330 ppm, respectively. Zircon chemistry revealed a relative increase of Hf consistent with decreasing Zr content, suggesting the replacement of Zr by Hf during hydrothermal activity. Visible uranium mineralization is present and recognized by the presence of uranophane and autunite.     

Geochemistry of sedimentary rocks from Permian–Triassic boundary sections of Tethys Himalaya: implications for paleo-weathering,provenance, and tectonic setting

The geochemical characteristics of two sections—the Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) Guryul Ravine section, Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir, India; and the Attargoo section, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India—have been studied in the context of provenance, paleo-weathering, and plate tectonic setting. These sections represent the siliciclastic sedimentary sequence from the Tethys Himalaya. The PTB siliciclastic sedimentary sequence in these regions primarily consists of sandstones and shales with variable thickness. Present studied sandstones and shales of both sections had chemical index of alteration values between 65 and 74; such values reveal low-to-moderate degree of chemical weathering. The chemical index of weathering in studied samples ranged from 71 to 94, suggesting a minor K-metasomatism effect on these samples. Plagioclase index of alteration in studied sections ranged from 68 to 92, indicating a moderate degree of weathering of plagioclase feldspars. The provenance discriminant function diagram suggests that the detritus involved in the formation of present studied siliciclastic sedimentary rocks fall in quartzose sedimentary and felsic igneous provenances. These sediments were deposited in a passive continental margin plate tectonic setting according to their location on a Si₂O versus K₂O/Na₂O tectonic setting diagram.     

Nuclear field shift effects on stable isotope fractionation: a review

An anomalous isotope effect exists in many heavy element isotope systems (e.g., Sr, Gd, Zn, U). This effect used to be called the “odd–even isotope effect” because the odd mass number isotopes behave differently from the even mass number isotopes. This mass-independent isotope fractionation driving force, which originates from the difference in the ground-state electronic energies caused by differences in nuclear size and shape, is currently denoted as the nuclear field shift effect (NFSE). It is found that the NFSE can drive isotope fractionation of some heavy elements (e.g., Hg, Tl, U) to an astonishing degree, far more than the magnitude caused by the conventional mass-dependent effect (MDE). For light elements, the MDE is the dominant factor in isotope fractionation, while the NFSE is neglectable. Furthermore, the MDE and the NFSE both decrease as temperatures increase, though at different rates. The MDE decreases rapidly with a factor of 1/T², while the NFSE decreases slowly with a factor of 1/T. As a result, even at high temperatures, the NFSE is still significant for many heavy element isotope systems. In this review paper, we begin with an introduction of the basic concept of the NSFE, including its history and recent progress, and follow with the potential implications of the inclusion of the NFSE into the kinetic isotope fractionation effect (KIE) and heavy isotope geochronology.     

Internal Microanatomy and Zoological Affinity of the Early Cambrian Olivooides

The early Cambrian pentamerous microfossil Olivooides/Punctatus in South China, which is characterized by a diagnostic stellate tubular apex, has been well-known for its almost complete development sequence that can be confidently traced from embryos and hatched juveniles, to conical adults. However, its zoological affinity remains highly controversial. Here we describe the internal microanatomic structures of the soft-body inside the peridermal theca of Olivooides multisulcatus Qian, 1977, including interradial pairs of tentacles, adradial and perradial frenula, perradial oral marginal lappets and twins of perradial gastric saccule-like humps as well as a circular velarium with striated coronal muscles. Particularly, one specimen shows bifurcated velarial canals along the bell aperture. Both the components of the soft-body and the external theca (or cyst) are arranged in perfect pentaradial symmetry. These characteristics are more compatible with those of living cubomedusans and co-occurring Cambrian athecate embryonic cubozoans. Concerning the presence of peridermal theca, Olivooides most likely represents an extinct thecate stem-group cubomedusae but devoid of both perradial eyes and specialized pedalia. The well-grown soft body inside the peridermal tube displays a set of mixed features of both polyp and medusa.     

The effects of soil sand contents on characteristics of humic acids along soil profiles

It is generally accepted that the compositions and properties of soil organic matter (SOM) are influenced by many factors. In order to reveal the effects of soil texture on characteristics and dynamics of SOM and its sub-fraction, humic acid (HA), along two soil profiles, a yellow soil profile and a purplish soil profile, under the same climate and vegetation conditions were determined. Results indicate that the decomposition and humification degrees of SOM and HA of the purplish soils are higher than those of the corresponding yellow soils indicated by A/O–A ratios of HAs, TOCs and HA yields of bulk soil samples, nevertheless, the development degree of the purplish soil is lower than that of the yellow soil. The variations of E₄/E₆ ratios of HAs along the soil profiles indicate the overall molecular sizes of HAs decreased downward along the soil profiles. A/O–A ratios of HAs decreased downward along both the soil profiles indicate that humification processes decrease downward along both the soil profiles. Leaching of SOM shows significant effects on the distribution and characteristics of HAs in the yellow soil profile but the purplish soil profile, which is consistent with the higher hydrophobicity of HAs in purplish soils, shows that the distribution characteristics of SOM along the soil profiles are a complex result of the combination of soil texture and characteristics of SOM itself. The remarkably different sand contents are concluded tentatively as one of reasons to the different distributions and dynamics of HAs along the soil profiles, however, to profoundly understand the evolution and transport of SOM along soil profiles needs more researches.     

Fractionation characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs) linked with secondary Fe,Mn, and Al minerals in soils

Soil secondary minerals are important scavengers of rare earth elements (REEs) in soils and thus affect geochemical behavior and occurrence of REEs. The fractionation of REEs is a common geochemical phenomenon in soils but has received little attention, especially fractionation induced by secondary minerals. In this study, REEs (La to Lu and Y) associated with soil-abundant secondary minerals Fe-, Al-, and Mn-oxides in 196 soil samples were investigated to explore the fractionation and anomalies of REEs related to the minerals. The results show right-inclined chondrite-normalized REE patterns for La–Lu in soils subjected to total soil digestion and partial soil extraction. Light REEs (LREEs) enrichment features were negatively correlated with a Eu anomaly and positively correlated with a Ce anomaly. The fractionation between LREEs and heavy REEs (HREEs) was attributed to the high adsorption affinity of LREEs to secondary minerals and the preferred activation/leaching of HREEs. The substantial fractions of REEs in soils extracted by oxalate and Dithionite-Citrate-Bicarbonate buffer solutions were labile (10 %–30 %), which were similar to the mass fraction of Fe (10 %–20 %). Furthermore, Eu was found to be more mobile than the other REEs in the soils, whereas Ce was less mobile. These results add to our understanding of the distribution and geochemical behavior of REEs in soils, and also help to deduce the conditions of soil formation from REE fractionation.     

Characteristics and Genetic Mechanisms of Overpressure in the Depressions of Bohai Bay Basin, China

The distribution and genetic mechanisms of abnormal pressures in the Bohai Bay Basin were systematically analyzed. Abnormal pressures are widely developed in the Bohai Bay Basin, primarily in the Paleogene E2s4, E2s3, Es1, and Ed formations. From the onshore area of the Bohai Bay Basin to the center of the Bozhong area, the top depth of the overpressured zone in each depression increases gradually, the overpressured strata in each depression gradually move to younger formations, and the pressure structure successively alters from single-bottom- overpressure to double-bottom-overpressure and finally to double-top-overpressure. The distribution of overpressured area is consistent with the sedimentary migration controlled by the tectonic evolution of the Bohai Bay Basin, which is closely related to the hydrocarbon-generation capability of active source rocks. The overpressured strata are consistent with the source-rock intervals in each depression; the top of the overpressured zone is synchronous with the hydrocarbon generation threshold in each depression; the hydrocarbon generation capability is positively correlated with the overpressure magnitude in each formation. Undercompaction was the main mechanism of overpressure for depressions with fluid pressure coefficients less than 1.2, whereas hydrocarbon generation was the main mechanism for depressions with fluid pressure coefficients greater than 1.5.     

总梯度模方法在低纬度地区航磁资料解释中的应用

对于低纬度地区的航空磁测的ΔT资料,如果化极处理时对磁化方向判断存在误差,用目前的化极方法进行资料处理,要比在高纬度地区化极发生更大的畸变,不适于对资料进行解释。通过一些模型计算及一些实际资料对比,在低纬度地区用航磁总场梯度模划分磁性体地面投影边界是简单实用的一种方法。     

河岸带潜流层温度示踪流速计算方法

为揭示低温水影响下的河岸带潜流层的温度场和流场分布特性,利用野外水温水位实时监测试验,研究河岸带潜流层温度场在不同季节、不同空间位置上的分布特性,并利用水温资料计算获得地下水流速。结果表明:河岸带潜流层温度场在夏季和冬季分别呈现出"上暖下冷"和 "上冷下暖"的温度分层现象;通过对温度示踪方法的4种计算方法进行分析比较,得到Hatch相位法计算的地下水流速具有较高的准确性,在2014年12月15—31日时段内流速大小为1.03×10-4~7.96×10-4m/s,在空间上,断面深度增加,地下水流速降低,且不同深度流速曲线接近平行。