TEM evidence for intracellular accumulation of lead by bacteria in subsurface environments

We monitored near-surface atmospheric fallout (15-cm above ground) and soil solution (at 15, 35 and 55 cm below ground) derived nanoparticles over an 8-month period by collecting the particles directly onto TEM grids in anthropogenically-influenced (vineyard) and pristine (native forest) sites in France. Particle clusters trapped on the grid were selected randomly and individual particles were binned into eight different groups (euhedral clays, weathered clays, salts, oxi-hydroxides, bacteria, non-living organic matter, aggregates and undetermined). Bacteria represent 9–23% of the collected nanoparticle area (ave. 9.4% and 18% for two atmospheric collection sites and ave. 23% for soil infiltration samples). Bacteria were most often associated with non-living organic matter and comprised a variety of morpho-types. Interestingly, 45% of all the bacteria analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) showed the presence of intracellular grains significantly enriched in lead and phosphorus. Intracellular sequestration of Pb into polyphosphate bodies has been observed in the laboratory, but this is the first observation of this phenomenon in a natural environment. Furthermore, this suggests that microbial-bound Pb may be an important transport mechanism in subsurface environments.     

Zircon U–Pb ages, Hf and O isotopes constrain the crustal architecture of the ultrahigh-pressure Dabie orogen in China

The crustal structure of the Dabie orogen was reconstructed by a combined study of U–Pb ages, Hf and O isotope compositions of zircons from granitic gneiss from North Dabie, the largest lithotectonic unit in the orogen. The results were deciphered from metamorphic history to protolith origin with respect to continental subduction and exhumation. Zircon U–Pb dating provides consistent ages of 751 ± 7 Ma for protolith crystallization, and two group ages of 213 ± 4 to 245 ± 17 Ma and 126 ± 4 to 131 ± 36 Ma for regional metamorphism. Majority of zircon Hf isotope analyses displays negative ε_Hf(t) values of − 5.1 to − 2.9 with crust Hf model ages of 1.84 to 1.99 Ga, indicating protolith origin from reworking of middle Paleoproterozoic crust. The remaining analyses exhibit positive ε_Hf(t) values of 5.3 to 14.5 with mantle Hf model ages of 0.74 to 1.11 Ga, suggesting prompt reworking of Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic juvenile crust. Zircon O isotope analyses yield δ¹⁸O values of − 3.26 to 2.79‰, indicating differential involvement of meteoric water in protolith magma by remelting of hydrothermally altered low δ¹⁸O rocks. North Dabie shares the same age of Neoproterozoic low δ¹⁸O protolith with Central Dabie experiencing the Triassic UHP metamorphism, but it was significantly reworked at Early Cretaceous in association with contemporaneous magma emplacement. The Rodinia breakup at about 750 Ma would lead to not only the reworking of juvenile crust in an active rift zone for bimodal protolith of Central Dabie, but also reworking of ancient crust in an arc-continent collision zone for the North Dabie protolith. The spatial difference in the metamorphic age (Triassic vs. Cretaceous) between the northern and southern parts of North Dabie suggests intra-crustal detachment during the continental subduction. Furthermore, the Dabie orogen would have a three-layer structure prior to the Early Cretaceous magmatism: Central Dabie in the upper, North Dabie in the middle, and the source region of Cretaceous magmas in the lower.     

History of crustal growth and recycling at the Pacific convergent margin of South America at latitudes 29°–36° S revealed by a U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope study of detrital zircon from late Paleozoic accretionary systems

Detrital zircon provides a powerful archive of continental growth and recycling processes. We have tested this by a combined laser ablation ICP-MS U–Pb and Lu–Hf analysis of homogeneous growth domains in detrital zircon from late Paleozoic coastal accretionary systems in central Chile and the collisional Guarguaráz Complex in W Argentina. Because detritus from a large part of W Gondwana is present here, the data delineate the crustal evolution of southern South America at its Paleopacific margin, consistent with known data in the source regions.Zircon in the Guarguaráz Complex mainly displays an U–Pb age cluster at 0.93–1.46 Ga, similar to zircon in sediments of the adjacent allochthonous Cuyania Terrane. By contrast, zircon from the coastal accretionary systems shows a mixed provenance: Age clusters at 363–722 Ma are typical for zircon grown during the Braziliano, Pampean, Famatinian and post-Famatinian orogenic episodes east of Cuyania. An age spectrum at 1.00–1.39 Ga is interpreted as a mixture of zircon from Cuyania and several sources further east. Minor age clusters between 1.46 and 3.20 Ga suggest recycling of material from cratons within W Gondwana.The youngest age cluster (294–346 Ma) in the coastal accretionary prisms reflects a so far unknown local magmatic event, also represented by rhyolite and leucogranite pebbles. It sets time marks for the accretion history: Maximum depositional ages of most accreted metasediments are Middle to Upper Carboniferous. A change of the accretion mode occurred before 308 Ma, when also a concomitant retrowedge basin formed.Initial Hf-isotope compositions reveal at least three juvenile crust-forming periods in southern South America characterised by three major periods of juvenile magma production at 2.7–3.4 Ga, 1.9–2.3 Ga and 0.8–1.5 Ga. The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf of Mesoproterozoic zircon from the coastal accretionary systems is consistent with extensive crustal recycling and addition of some juvenile, mantle-derived magma, while that of zircon from the Guarguaráz Complex has a largely juvenile crustal signature. Zircon with Pampean, Famatinian and Braziliano ages (< 660 Ma) originated from recycled crust of variable age, which is, however, mainly Mesoproterozoic. By contrast, the Carboniferous magmatic event shows less variable and more radiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf, pointing to a mean early Neoproterozoic crustal residence. This zircon is unlikely to have crystallized from melts of metasediments of the accretionary systems, but probably derived from a more juvenile crust in their backstop system.     

Timing of UHP metamorphism in the Hong’an area,western Dabie Mountains,China: evidence from zircon U–Pb age,trace element and Hf isotope composition

The Hong’an area (western Dabie Mountains) is the westernmost terrane in the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogen that preserves UHP eclogites. The ages of the UHP metamorphism have not been well constrained, and thus hinder our understanding of the tectonic evolution of this area. LA-ICPMS U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope compositions of zircons of a granitic gneiss and an eclogite from the Xinxian UHP unit in the Hong’an area were analyzed to constrain the age of the UHP metamorphism. Most zircons are unzoned or show sector zoning. They have low trace element concentrations, without significant negative Eu anomalies. These metamorphic zircons can be further subdivided into two groups according to their U–Pb ages, and trace element and Lu–Hf isotope compositions. One group with an average age of 239 ± 2 Ma show relatively high and variable HREE contents (527 ≥ Lu_N ≥ 14) and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (0.00008–0.000931), indicating their growth prior to a great deal of garnet growth in the late stage of continental subduction. The other group yields an average age of 227 ± 2 Ma, and shows consistent low HREE contents and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, suggesting their growth with concurrent garnet crystallization and/or recrystallization. These two groups of age are taken as recording the time of prograde HP to UHP and retrograde UHP–HP stages, respectively. A few cores have high Th/U ratios, high trace element contents, and a clear negative Eu anomaly. These features support a magmatic origin of these zircon cores. The upper intercept ages of 771 ± 86 and 752 ± 70 Ma for the granitic gneiss and eclogite, respectively, indicate that their protoliths probably formed as a bimodal suite in rifting zones in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. Young Hf model ages (T _DM1) of magmatic cores indicate juvenile (mantle-derived) materials were involved in their protolith formation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

First U–Pb SHRIMP age of the Hauterivian stage, Neuquén Basin, Argentina

A high-resolution ion-microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb zircon age from a tuff layer intercalated in the ammonoid bearing sedimentary succession of the Neuquén Basin in Argentina provides a robust geochronologic date to add to the absolute ages and to improve the relative chronology of the Early Cretaceous Hauterivian stage. The tuff layer appears interbedded between shales of the upper member (Agua de la Mula) of the Agrio Formation within the Spitidiscus riccardii ammonoid zone (base of the Late Hauterivian) yielding a date of 132.5 ± 1.3 Ma. This date confirms and supports an accurate correlation between the ammonoid biostratigraphy of the Neuquén Basin with the Western Mediterranean Province of the Tethys during the Early Cretaceous and matches with the most recently published time scale. It also casts doubts on the validity of K–Ar ages on glauconite-grains recently reported from the Lower Cretaceous of the Vocontian Basin of France.     

四川大陆槽稀土矿床碳酸岩-英碱正长岩锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素性质及其地质意义

川西冕宁-德昌稀土成矿带是中国最重要的稀土成矿带之一,所有稀土矿床均与碳酸岩-正长岩杂岩体有关.前人研究表明,牦牛坪、木落寨和里庄碳酸岩-碱性杂岩体成岩年龄与其相应矿床的成矿年龄基本一致,而大陆槽正长岩年龄与REE矿床的成矿年龄相差甚远.本文对大陆槽碳酸岩、英碱正长岩进行了SHRIMP U-Pb锆石年代学和LA-MC-ICPMS锆石Hf同位素原位测量,它们的形成年龄分别为12.99±0.94Ma、14.53±0.31Ma,表明两者是同时形成的,且与其成矿年龄基本一致.碳酸岩和正长岩的εHf(t)值、Hf模式年龄与它们的εNd(t)值、Nd模式年龄所展现出来的特征一致,说明在其形成过程中有地壳物质的加入.     

中祁连东段什川杂岩基的岩石化学特征及年代学研究

祁连造山带被托菜南山-了高山构造带及宗务隆山-贵得构造带分为北祁连、中祁连及南祁连构造带。什川岩基位于中祁连构造带东部,由闪长岩、斜长花岗岩、二长花岗岩组成;对二长花岗岩进行U-Pb单颗粒锆石微区LA-ICP-MS同位素测定,获得444.6Ma及414.3Ma两组加权平均年龄,前者代表岩石的形成年龄,后者代表构造热事件年龄。二长花岗岩主量元素W(SiO_2)=68.66%～80.77%,w(K_2O)/w(Na_2O)>1和A/CNK介于0.95～1.21间,总体为钾质钙碱性过铝质花岗岩。岩石富集LILE元素(K、Th、Rb、Ba等),亏损HFSE元素(Ta、Nb、Y等);稀土元素总量较高(∑REE多介于109.05×10~(-6)～322.66×10~(-6)),轻重稀土强烈分馏(∑LREE/∑HREE介于7.92～31.68),稀土元素分配模式为轻稀土富集型,具中等-强Eu负异常(δEu=0.26～0.58)。岩石矿物组合及岩石地球化学特征共同表明,什川岩基为中上地壳泥砂质岩石部分熔融而成,形成温度较低,为加厚地壳拆沉熔融成因。这为祁连造山带构造演化及其深部动力学机制研究提供了新的资料。     

西藏普兰地区拉昂错蛇绿岩中辉绿岩的锆石SHRIMP U—Pb年龄及其地质意义

蛇绿岩中的辉绿岩岩墙是洋脊扩张的产物．其形成年龄代表了扩张事件的时间,也代表了蛇绿岩的形成时代？对雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段拉昂错蛇绿岩中的辉绿岩岩墙进行锆石SHRIMPU—Pb定年,得出加权平均年龄为120．2Ma±2．3Ma,代表辉绿岩的结晶年龄。结合已有的关于雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩的形成年龄（西段休古嘎布122．3Ma±2．4Ma,中段大竹卡126．0Ma±1．5Ma、吉定123．0Ma＋_1．8Ma,东段罗布莎162．9Ma±2．8Ma）的报道,表明拉昂错地区特提斯洋海底扩张的时代与体古嘎布地区一致．雅鲁藏布江西段与中段地区洋盆的形成时代一致,但晚于东段的发育时代。这意味着整个东提斯洋盆的发育时代存在东早西晚的特点。     

滇西南澜沧江结合带北段云县花岗岩的地质特征及形成环境

滇西南澜沧江结合带云县花岗岩体的岩石类型主要为黑云二长花岗岩,SiO2含量平均为68.57%,K2O/Na2O值平均为1.67,相对富钾,岩石属高钾钙碱性系列,岩石酸、碱度低于同类岩石平均值,而镁铁组分高于平均 值,显示岩石偏中性,与同碰撞构造环境形成的花岗岩特征类似.Al2O3含量较高,平均为13.66%,A/CNK平均为1.1,呈铝过饱和,CIPw计算结果均出现标准矿物刚玉分子(105).岩石总体上相对富集大离子亲石元素,亏损高场强元素.稀土元素总量较高,平均为240.75×10-6,轻稀土元素富集,重稀土元素亏损,(La/Yb)N为8.88～9.41,分异不是很大,Eu为中等负异常,銭u为0.52～0.57.经多种相关图解判别,岩石属S型花岗岩,其构造环境相当于大陆碰撞花岗岩类(CCG).锆石颗粒U-Pb测年结果显示,源岩的形成年龄最晚是晋宁期(778 Ma),岩体主体形成于华力西晚期一印支期.其中岩浆成因锆石样品的206Pb.238U和207Pb/235U年龄分别为49 Ma和61 Ma,反映在云县岩体中可能存在喜马拉雅期岩浆活动.