Biogenic debris from the pelagic tunicate, Oikopleura dioica, and its role in the vertical transport of a transuranium element

The accumulation and retention of ²⁴¹Am by the pelagic tunicate Oikopleura dioica were examined using laboratory cultures and radiotracer methodology. Animals (i.e., trunks and tails) and discarded empty houses accumulated Am from seawater, giving volume/volume concentration factors of 59±8 and 10±1, respectively. The half-time for retention of Am in empty labelled houses transferred to non-contaminated seawater was 29 h; the retention half-time of Am in houses discarded by larvaceans feeding on Am-labelled diatoms was 219 h; the half-time of Am in fecal pellets produced by animals feeding on a monospecific diet of diatoms was 134 h, and 247 h for fecal pellets from animals fed a mixed diet. Approximately 30% of filtered cells remained in houses after the houses were discarded. Sinking rates of discarded houses and fecal pellets were found to vary with temperature and size, ranging from 26–157 m day^?1 (house) and from 25–166 m day^?1 (fecal pellets). The ubiquity and abundance of appendicularians, together with their prodigious production of houses (e.g., 10±2 houses day^?1 at 17°C for each experimental animal) point to their potential significance in the vertical transport of Am, and probably other reactive metals, to intermediate depths in the ocean.     

Development of a high modulus paste fill using fine gold mill tailings

Summary In the mining industry today there is some caution about using fine tailings as a backfill material. Traditionally, hydraulic backfill has only used the coarse fraction of tailings, excluding the fines by a classification process. With the development of paste fill, the percentage of fine tailings being sent underground has increased, but still remains low due to the high percentages of sand and gravel which usually make up these fills. Sand and gravel have been added to paste fills to aid pumpability and to increase fill strength and stiffness. This leaves the remainder of fine tailings destined for surface disposal. The main focus of this paper is to evaluate what effect the addition of fine gold mill tailings in the form of agglomerated tailings pellets has on the strength and stiffness characteristics of a total tailings paste fill. The purpose is to create a high modulus fill which is made up entirely of fine tailings. A constant slump design of 20 cm (8 in) was used for each mix. Various binder dosages, curing periods and combinations of pellet to tailings ratio were studied. Raw fill slump and density, and cured fill compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were also examined. Results from the above study indicate that agglomerated tailings paste fill (ATPF) has superior strength and stiffness characteristics. Compressive strengths were enhanced while the modulus of elasticity values was tripled when compared to total tailings paste fills of the same binder content and consistency. ATPF minimizes the surface disposal of tailings and maximizes the utilization of fine tailings underground as a useful backfill material.     

排铅奶粉对实验性铅中毒的治疗作用

研究保健食品—排铅奶粉 (L ead Excreting Milk Powder,LEMP)对实验性铅中毒大鼠的粪铅和血铅含量的影响。 1)大鼠饮服 0 .2 %乙酸铅水溶液染毒 ,共三周 ,造成轻度实验性铅中毒后 ,改饮 0 .0 2 %乙酸铅水溶液维持 ,口服 L EMP5、10、15g/ kg连续观察 10 d。结果表明 ,与对照组比较能明显增加粪铅含量 (P<0 .0 1) ,抑制血铅升高 (P<0 .0 1) ,有效地阻止大鼠对铅的吸收。 2 )大鼠饮服 0 .3%和 0 .6 %乙酸铅水溶液 ,造成重度铅中毒后 ,在脱离毒源的情况下 ,口服 L EMP10 g/kg,连续观察 15d。结果表明 ,与对照组比较 ,实验组能显著降低血铅浓度 (P<0 .0 1) ,显示出较好的体内驱铅效果。     

西南极菲尔德斯半岛海豹粪土沉积物有机地球化学特征

本文研究了位于西南极菲尔德斯半岛海豹粪土的沉积泥芯HN1的分子地球化学组成特征.HN1沉积物的正烷烃以短链及n-C23为主,主要来源可能为湖相沉积的藻类、细菌和苔藓的输入.醇类组分以高浓度的植物甾醇和粪便甾醇为主,分别代表了植被和海豹粪土沉积的输入,指示了研究区域历史时期的生态变化.脂肪酸组分偶奇优势明显,以C16,C...     

Evaluation of Major to Ultra Trace Element Bulk Rock Chemical Analysis of Nanoparticulate Pressed Powder Pellets by LA‐ICP‐MS

An efficient, clean procedure for the measurement of element mass fractions in bulk rock nanoparticulate pressed powder pellets (PPPs) by 193 nm laser ablation ICP‐MS is presented. Samples were pulverised by wet milling and pelletised with microcrystalline cellulose as a binder, allowing non‐cohesive materials such as quartz or ceramics to be processed. The LA‐ICP‐MS PPP analytical procedure was optimised and evaluated using six different geological reference materials (JP‐1, UB‐N, BCR‐2, GSP‐2, OKUM and MUH‐1), with rigorous procedural blank quantification employing synthetic quartz. Measurement trueness of the procedure was equivalent to that achieved by solution ICP‐MS and LA‐ICP‐MS analysis of glass. The measurement repeatability was as low as 0.5–2% (1s, n = 6) and, accordingly, PPP homogeneity could be demonstrated. Calibration based on the reference glasses NIST SRM 610, NIST SRM 612, BCR‐2G and GSD‐1G revealed matrix effects for glass and PPP measurement with NIST SRM 61×; using basalt glasses eliminated this problem. Most significantly, trace elements not commonly measured (flux elements Li, B; chalcophile elements As, Sb, Tl, In, Bi) could be quantified. The PPP‐LA‐ICP‐MS method overcomes common problems and limitations in analytical geochemistry and thus represents an efficient and accurate alternative for bulk rock analysis.     

Chlorophyll in Copepod Faecal Pellets: Changes in Pellet Numbers and Pigment Content during a Declining Baltic Spring Bloom

Abstract. Zooplankton stock as well as faecal pellet numbers were monitored over 2 weeks during May in the central Baltic. Considerable changes in concentrations of chlorophyll and its derivates in copepod faecal pellets as well as in surface sediments were found during this period. The maximum concentration of 1.05 ngchl. a faecal pellet^-1, measured on 12 May, decreased by the end of the month to 0.08 ngchl. a faecal pellet^-1. This decrease was positively correlated with the disappearance of intact diatoms inside faeces. A flux of 1.53mgchl. a -m^-2-day^-1 via faecal pellets was calculated for the deep water layer (60–80 m) in mid May. This decreased to 0.005mgchl. a m^-2 day^-1 by the end of May. Chi. a accounted for up to 10 % of total pigments in samples from the top centimetre of the sediment surface. The means of transportation of faecal pellets as well as their function as a food supply to deeper ecosystems are discussed.     

Assessment of non-point sources of fecal pollution in coastal waters of Puerto Rico and Trinidad

Traditional and molecular methods (PCR) were used to detect, quantify and identify the source of fecal pollution in coastal sites of Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Enterococci and Escherichia coli standard plate counts were used as a general indicator of fecal contamination while the PCR detection of Bifidobacteria adolescentis and human or bovine specific Bacteroidales were used to examine potential sources. Seven of 14 sites in Trinidad including Maracas Bay which is a major public beach contained significant fecal contamination based on enterococci numbers counts exceeding established thresholds for areas of direct contact. Forty six percent of the 27 stations in Puerto Rico were over the established thresholds for enterococci and 49% according to E. coli counts. About 31% of the stations examined in Puerto Rico had evidence of human derived fecal contamination. Human fecal pollution was detected in only one station from Trinidad. Bovine derived contamination was detected only once.     

东南极戴维斯站企鹅粪土沉积物有机地球化学特征

研究了位于东南极西福尔丘陵地区Gardner Island企鹅粪土的沉积泥芯DG2的分子地球化学组成特征。DG2沉积物的正烷烃以短链为主,主要来源可能为淡水湖相沉积的藻类和细菌输入。脂肪酸组分偶奇优势明显,以C16,C18和C24一元饱和脂肪酸为主,主要来源可能是浮游动物、细菌及水生苔藓;不饱和脂肪酸含量很低,以C18∶1(Δ9)为主,表明沉积源单一稳定,无大波动。醇类组分以高浓度的植醇、胆甾烷醇和胆甾醇为主,分别代表了植被和企鹅数量,指示了研究区域历史时期的生态变化。综合DG2的生物标志物特征,反映该沉积物的有机质主要来源于企鹅粪、细菌和藻类;沉积环境在不同深度也有变化,0-30cm为氧化环境,30-63cm为还原环境。     

Settling velocity spectra and the ballast ratio hypothesis

Recently it has been observed that a strong quantitative relationship exists between asymptotic fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) to the deep ocean and asymptotic fluxes of “ballast” minerals (opal; calcium carbonate; dust). It has further been suggested that this relationship might provide a mechanistic basis for improved representations of remineralization in ocean carbon models. Since the depth scale of remineralization z* is the ratio k/v of a remineralization rate k and a settling velocity (SV) v, a mechanistic understanding of settling velocities will be crucial in developing such models.Historically, there have been two approaches to estimating the speed with which POC is transported to the deep ocean. First, settling speeds of single particles have been observed directly in both field and laboratory settings; estimates of fecal pellet sinking velocities tend to be higher and more variable than those of aggregates. Second, estimates have been made of the velocity at which temporal patterns in flux propagate between pairs of sediment traps separated in depth (the “benchmark approach”); recent studies have shown these results to be variable and to depend on mineral ballasting. Here we present SV estimates using a relatively new technology: indented rotating sphere (IRS) sediment traps run in settling velocity (SV) mode. In this approach, particles are separated into SV classes during settling to collection cups. In MedFlux, SV data were collected concurrently with time-series (TS) data; the latter were used to construct benchmark estimates for comparison to the SV estimates. From the SV data, the range of modal settling velocities (sinking velocities having the largest time-averaged mass flux densities on a logarithmic scale of SV) in the fast-sinking fraction was estimated to be 287–503 m/d; the average of these modal values is 353 m/d, with standard deviation 76 m/d. In contrast, mean settling velocities of the fast-sinking fraction depend on the range of settling velocity classes included in the estimate. If only SV classes settling at >50 m/d are included, the range of SVs at MedFlux was 214–298 m/d, with average mean value 242 m/d and standard deviation 31 m/d. These mean-velocity results are in excellent agreement with benchmark estimates of signal propagation velocities at Medflux (220±65 m/d); they are also well within the range of other recent benchmark studies. The agreement between the benchmark estimates and mean settling velocity estimates at MedFlux, but not with modal velocities, argues that the benchmark method estimates mean settling velocities.     

球团矿不同气氛下的高温抗压强度

采用自行设计的高温抗压强度在线测定装置,研究了氧化球团矿在不同气氛下的高温强度变化规律,并对高温下强度变化的机理进行了分析和探讨.实验结果表明：球团矿在中性气氛和氧化性气氛下的高温强度变化规律基本一致,表现为在低于800℃的温度范围内,球团矿强度随着温度的上升而增大,但在800～900℃球团矿强度有个明显的下降,900～1100℃球团矿强度随温度的升高略有回升,1100℃以后强度急剧下降,到1200℃时已基本失去强度;中性气氛下的球团强度整体高于氧化性气氛下的强度;在还原性气氛下,球团矿强度随着温度和还原度的提高而降低,至1100℃时强度基本消失.