Heavy metal pollution of coastal river sediments, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia: lead isotope and chemical evidence

 Heavy metal and metalloid concentrations within stream-estuary sediments (<180-μm size fraction) in north-eastern New South Wales largely represent natural background values. However, element concentrations (Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn) of Hunter River sediments within the heavily industrialized and urbanized Newcastle region exceed upstream background values by up to one order of magnitude. High element concentrations have been found within sediments of the Newcastle Harbour and Throsby Creek which drains into urbanized and light industry areas. Observed Pb enrichments and low ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios are likely caused by atmospheric deposition of Pb additives from petrol and subsequent Pb transport by road run-off waters into the local drainage system. Sediments of the Richmond River and lower Manning, Macleay, Clarence, Brunswick and Tweed River generally display no evidence for anthropogenic heavy metal and metalloid contamination (Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn). However, the rivers and their tributaries possess localized sedimentary traps with elevated heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, Zn). Lead isotope data indicate that anthropogenic Pb provides a detectable contribution to investigated sediments. Such contributions are evident at sample sites close to sewage outlets and in the vicinity of the Pacific Highway. In addition, As concentrations of Richmond River sediments gradually increase downstream. This geochemical trend may be the result of As mobilization from numerous cattle-dip sites within the region into the drainage system and subsequent accumulation of As in downstream river and estuary sediments. Received: 5 September 1997 · Accepted: 4 November 1997     

Investigation of groundwater residence times during bank filtration in Berlin: a multi‐tracer approach

Berlin relies on induced bank filtration from a broad‐scale, lake‐type surface water system. Because the surface water contains treated sewage, wastewater residues are present in surface water and groundwater. Multiple environmental tracers, including tritium and helium isotopes (³H, ³He, ⁴He), stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and a number of persistent sewage indicators, such as chloride, boron and a selection of pharmaceutical residues (phenazone‐type analgesics and their metabolites, carbamazepine and anthropogenic gadolinium, Gd_excess), were used to estimate travel times from the surface water to individual production and observation wells at two sites. The study revealed a strong vertical age stratification throughout the upper aquifer, with travel times varying from a few months to several decades in greater depth. Whereas the shallow bank filtrate is characterized by the reflection of the time‐variant tracer input concentrations and young ³H/³He ages, the deeper, older bank filtrate displays no tracer seasonality, ³H/³He ages of a few years to decades and strongly deviating concentrations of several pharmaceutical residues, reflecting concentrations of the source surface water over time. The phenazone‐type pharmaceuticals persist in the aquatic environments for decades. Bank filtration in Berlin is only possible at the sandy lakeshores. In greater water depth, impermeable lacustrine sapropels inhibit infiltration. The young bank filtrate originates from the nearest shore, whereas the older bank filtrate infiltrates at more distant shores. This paper illustrates the importance of using multiple tracer methods, capable of resolving a broad range of residence times, to gain a comprehensive understanding of time‐scales and infiltration characteristics in a bank filtration system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrologic characteristics of lake‐ and stream‐side riparian wetted margins in the McMurdo Dry Valleys,Antarctica

Water is a limiting factor for life in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica. The active layer (seasonally thawed soil overlying permafrost) accommodates dynamic hydrological and biological processes for 10–16 weeks per year. Wetted margins (visually wetted areas with high moisture content) adjacent to lakes and streams are potential locations of great importance in the MDV because of the regular presence of liquid water, compared with the rest of the landscape where liquid water is rare. At 11 plots (four adjacent to lakes, seven adjacent to streams), soil particle size distribution, soil electrical conductivity, soil water content and isotopic signature, width of the wetted margin, and active layer thaw depth were characterised to determine how these gradients influence physicochemical properties that determine microbial habitat and biogeochemical cycling. Sediments were generally coarse‐grained in wetted margins adjacent to both lakes and streams. Wetted margins ranged from 1·04 to 11·01 m in average length and were found to be longer at lakeside sites than streamside. Average thaw depths ranged from 0·12 to 0·85 m, and were found to be deepest under lake margins. Lake margins also had much higher soil electrical conductivity, steeper topographic gradients, but more gradual soil moisture gradients than stream margins. Patterns of soil water δ¹⁸O and δD distribution indicate capillary action and evaporation from wetted margins; margin pore waters generally demonstrated isotopic enrichment with distance from the shore, indicating evaporation of soil water. Lake margin pore waters were significantly more negative in D_XS (D_XS = δD‐8δ¹⁸O) than streamside pore waters, indicating a longer history of evaporation there. Differences between lake and stream margins can be explained by the more consistent availability of water to lake margins than stream margins. Differences in margin characteristics between lakes and streams have important consequences for the microbial habitat of these margins and their functional role in biogeochemical cycling at these terrestrial–aquatic interfaces. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stable Isotopes and Halogen Geochemistry of the Huayuan Carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn Ore District, South China: Implications for the Salt Source of Ore-forming Fluids

The Huayuan Pb-Zn ore district in China, located in western Hunan Province, is a giant carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn ore district. The source of ore-forming brines in this ore district remains poorly constrained. Whether the highly saline brines are derived from evaporated seawater or dissolved evaporates continues to be intensely debated. Carbonate minerals associated with Pb-Zn mineralization have δ13CV-PDB and δ18OV-SMOW values ranging from ?5.55‰ to +1.35‰ (mean value of ?0.69‰; n = 14) and +16.28‰ to +25.05‰ (mean value of +20.22‰; n = 14), respectively. This indicates that carbonate minerals are dominantly formed from dissolved ore-hosted carbonate rocks. The δ34S values of sulfides range from +20.2‰ to +36.8‰, with an average value of +30.0‰ (n = 27). These results suggest that sulfur is predominantly derived from the thermochemical sulfate reduction of marine sulfate. The crush-leach analyzed solute data of fluid inclusions in sphalerite show the ore-forming fluids have Cl/Br molar ratios range from 118 to 384, and Na/Br molar ratios from 39 to 160 (n = 8). These Cl/Br ratios of hydrothermal fluid are much lower than those of seawater (657 to 564), but are consistent with bittern brines through early halite precipitation. We propose that ore-forming fluids are mainly derived from evaporitic basin brines, which leached base metals from the basement and/or country rocks. The brine then migrated to the basin margins through clastic rocks of basement and then precipitated sul?des by thermochemical sulfate reduction.     

平面离散点集拓扑邻近稳定区域计算模型

本文利用Voronoi图及其对偶Delaunay三角网研究了平面离散点集拓扑邻近稳定区域的计算方法,证明了点的拓扑邻近稳定区域必须满足的两个条件,给出了点的拓扑邻近稳定区域定量计算模型,并通过实验证明其正确性。     

Stone run (block stream) formation in the Falkland Islands over several cold stages,deduced from cosmogenic isotope (10Be and 26Al) surface exposure dating

Cosmogenic isotope (¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al) surface exposure dating has been applied to valley‐axis and hillslope stone runs (relict periglacial block streams) and their source outcrops in the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic. The data indicate that stone runs are considerably older landforms than previously envisaged and afford no evidence that they are a product of the Last Glacial Maximum; the samples range in apparent ¹⁰Be age from 42k to 731k yr BP, but some of these are minima. The results indicate that valley‐axis stone runs may be up to 700–800k yr old, have simple exposure histories and are composite landforms that developed over several cold stages. Analyses of some hillslope and outcrop samples also demonstrate simple exposure histories with ¹⁰Be ages from 42k to 658k yr BP. In contrast, isotopic ratios from other hillslope and outcrop samples reveal they have had a complex exposure history involving periods of burial or shielding; the samples range in ¹⁰Be age from 59k to 569k yr BP and these are regarded as minimum age estimates. Larger stone runs may be older than smaller runs and there is a possibility that stone runs older than 800k yr exist in other parts of the Falklands. The assertion that glaciation in the Falklands was restricted to the highest uplands is supported by the data, and the potential for age determination of other boulder‐strewn and bedrock landforms, using cosmogenic isotope analysis, in order to extend the geochronology of Quaternary events and processes is noted. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluid generation, vein formation and the degree of fluid–rock interaction during decompression of high-pressure terranes: the Schistes Lustrés, Alpine Corsica, France

Centimetre‐ to decimetre‐wide quartz+calcite veins in schistes lustrés from Alpine Corsica were formed during exhumation at 30–40 Ma following blueschist facies metamorphism. The δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of the veins overlap those of the host schistes lustrés, and the δ¹⁸O values of the veins are much higher than those of other rocks on Corsica. These data suggest that the vein‐forming fluids were derived from the schistes lustrés. Fluids were probably generated by reactions that broke down carpholite, lawsonite, chlorite and white mica at 300–350 °C during decompression between c. 1400 and 800 MPa. However, the δ¹⁸O values of the veins are locally several per mil higher than expected given those of their host rocks. The magnitude of oxygen isotope disequilibrium between the veins and the host rock is inversely proportional to the δ¹⁸O value of the host rock. Additionally, calcite in some schists is in isotopic equilibrium with calcite in adjacent veins, but not with the silicate fraction of the schists. Locally, the schists are calcite bearing only within 1–20 cm of the veins. The vein‐forming fluids may have been preferentially derived from calcite‐bearing, high‐δ¹⁸O rocks that are common within the schistes lustrés and that locally contain abundant (>15%) veins. If the fluids were unable to completely isotopically equilibrate with the rocks, due to relatively rapid flow at moderate temperatures or being confined to fractures, they could form veins with higher δ¹⁸O values than those of the surrounding rocks. Alteration of the host rocks was probably inhibited by isolation of the fluid in ‘quartz‐armoured’ veins. Overall, the veins represent a metre‐ to hectometre‐scale fluid‐flow system confined to within the schistes lustrés unit, with little input from external sources. This fluid‐flow system is one of several that operated in the western Alps during exhumation following high‐pressure metamorphism.     

Evaluating sulfur dynamics during storm events for three watersheds in the northeastern USA: a combined hydrological,chemical and isotopic approach

Concerns related to climate change have resulted in an increasing interest in the importance of hydrological events such as droughts in affecting biogeochemical responses of watersheds. The effects of an unusually dry summer in 2002 had a marked impact on the biogeochemistry of three watersheds in the north‐eastern USA. Chemical, isotopic and hydrological responses with particular emphasis on S dynamics were evaluated for Archer Creek (New York), Sleepers River (Vermont) and Cone Pond (New Hampshire) watersheds. From 1 August to 14 September 2002, all three watersheds had very low precipitation (48 to 69 mm) resulting in either very low or no discharge (mean 0·015, 0·15 and 0·000 mm day^?1 for Archer Creek, Sleepers River and Cone Pond, respectively). From 15 September to 31 October 2002, there was a substantial increase in precipitation totals (212, 246 and 198 mm, respectively) with increased discharge. Archer Creek was characterized by a large range of SO₄^2? concentrations (152 to 389 µeq L^?1, mean = 273 µeq L^?1) and also exhibited the greatest range in δ³⁴S values of SO₄^2? (?1·4 to 8·8 ‰ ). Sleepers River's SO₄^2? concentrations ranged from 136 to 243 µeq L^?1 (mean = 167 µeq L^?1) and δ³⁴S values of SO₄^2? ranged from 4·0 to 9·0 ‰ . Cone Pond's SO₄^2? concentrations (126–187 µeq L^?1, mean = 154 µeq L^?1) and δ³⁴S values (2·4 to 4·3 ‰ ) had the smallest ranges of the three watersheds. The range and mean of δ¹⁸O‐SO₄^2? values for Archer Creek and Cone Pond were similar (3·0 to 8·9 ‰ , mean = 4·5 ‰ ; 3·9 to 6·3 ‰ , mean = 4·9 ‰ ; respectively) while δ¹⁸O‐SO₄^2? values for Sleepers River covered a larger range with a lower mean (1·2 to 10·0 ‰ , mean = 2·5). The difference in Sleepers River chemical and isotopic responses was attributed to weathering reactions contributing SO₄^2?. For Archer Creek wetland areas containing previously reduced S compounds that were reoxidized to SO₄^2? probably provided a substantial source of S. Cone Pond had limited internal S sources and less chemical or isotopic response to storms. Differences among the three watersheds in S biogeochemical responses during these storm events were attributed to differences in S mineral weathering contributions, hydrological pathways and landscape features. Further evaluations of differences and similarities in biogeochemical and hydrological responses among watersheds are needed to predict the impacts of climate change. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochemical and isotopic evidence of a groundwater source in the Corral Canyon meadow complex,central Nevada,USA

Major inorganic ions and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in stream water, groundwater, groundwater seeps and springs were measured in the Corral Canyon meadow complex and watershed in the Toquima Mountains of central Nevada, USA. The purpose of the study was to determine whether stream water or groundwater was the source of water that supports vegetation in the meadow complex. Water samples from the watershed and meadow complex were mixed cation–HCO₃ type. Stream water sampled at different locations in the meadow complex showed variations in temperature, pH and specific conductance. The cation–anion proportions for stream water were similar to groundwater, groundwater seeps and runoff from the meadow complex. Stable oxygen isotope ratios for stream water (?17·1 to ?17·6‰ versus VSMOW) and groundwater and groundwater seeps in the meadow site (?17·0 to ?17·7‰ versus VSMOW) were similar, and consistent with a local meteoric origin. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and the δ ¹³C_DIC for stream water (?12·1 to ?15·0‰ versus VPDB) were different from that of groundwater from the meadow complex (?15·3 to ?19·9‰ versus VPDB), suggesting different carbon evolution pathways. However, a simple model based on cation–δ ¹³C_DIC suggests that stream water was being recharged by shallow groundwater, groundwater seeps and runoff from the meadow complex. This leads to the conclusion that the source of water that supports vegetation in the meadow complex was primarily groundwater. The results of this study suggest that multiple chemical and stable carbon isotope tracers are useful in determining the source of water that supports vegetation in meadow complexes in small alpine watersheds. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南秦岭镇安西部晚三叠世煌斑岩脉地球化学特征及其对构造环境的指示

煌斑岩是反映深部构造-岩浆作用和源区地球化学性质的良好地质体。对南秦岭镇安西部地区出露的煌斑岩脉进行系统研究, 用LA-ICP-MS测定了煌斑岩中锆石U-Pb同位素, 得到其206Pb/238U年龄为222.2±1.2Ma(MSWD=0.38, n=15), 此年龄代表脉体的形成年龄, 属晚三叠世。地球化学分析表明, 岩石属钙碱性钾质-超钾质系列, 轻稀土元素和Rb、Ba等大离子亲石元素富集, 重稀土元素和Nb、Ti等高场强元素亏损, 具有俯冲带幔源岩石的成分特征; 岩石具有较高的(87Sr/86Sr)i值(0.7066~0.7076)和较低的εNd(t)值(-5.77~-4.62);锆石176Hf/177Hf值为0.28250~0.28287, εHf(t)值为-4.75~1.89, 锆石二阶段Hf模式年龄与全岩Nd二阶段模式年龄主要集中于中元古代(1.3~1.5Ga)。综合分析表明, 煌斑岩的源区为中元古代富集地幔, 形成于后碰撞伸展构造环境。在晚三叠世(220Ma左右)后碰撞伸展构造环境下, 勉略洋壳俯冲过程中形成的流体交代富集地幔在构造减压、深部物质上涌提供热和流体的共同作用下, 发生部分熔融, 形成具EMⅡ型同位素特征的镁铁质岩浆, 镁铁质岩浆沿后碰撞伸展阶段形成的裂隙上升侵位形成煌斑岩脉。